From Duluth to Cold Oak, part two
Continued from Run girl, run
The man walked in and sat down at a table rather early on in the evening, and it took all of Ava's restraint not to try to shoot him right then. She caught Jo's eye and motioned for her to head back to the bathrooms. Ava waited for three impatient, hand-wringing minutes before Jo showed up. When she saw Ava's frightened expression, she realized just how much this actually had been affecting her, the woman looked like she hadn't expected Jo to come back at all.
“Hey, Ava, calm down. It's okay. You saw him?” Jo figured that was the reason that her friend was so worried.
Ava just nodded rapidly at first, before pointing back toward the dining room, “He's the guy in the dark blue-gray denim jacket, over by the juke-box. He should order fish and chips with a dark beer to drink. He'll be here for several hours.” She didn't look happy about the info, as only once had she actually been able to save someone from one of her visions. Then her life had turned to shit...she wondered if perhaps this time it'd be her life to save Jo's.
“Okay, well then I'd better get back and make sure no one gets hurt. Just try to calm down. Head out and get a little bit of air if you need to, just make sure that you remember the shotgun is in my car. You said it'd be several hours, so we've got time.” Jo's voice was firm, but still kind, as she slipped into hunter mode. Ava was a civilian, and she needed to be protected from the dangers that she may know about in visions. Seeing was different than actually being in the action. Jo would do her best to keep Ava out of the action as much as possible. Ava already had the keys to get into the Lancer, and just needed to be there for when Jo threw the holy water and said the short chant.
“I know, it's just the last time I changed my visions...I lost Brady. Don't want anything else bad to happen.” Ava replied with a quiet waver in her voice as she clung to Jo's keys. The clinking noise seemed to calm Ava down a little. Jo nodded and sent her outside to just breathe for a little while.
The Yellow Eyed demon seemed just like every other customer. He flagged her down as she headed back to the bar and she walked over to him, “Hey, uh...Jo” he said as he squinted at her name tag before continuing, “Can I get some of your famous Fish and Chips? And a Sam Adam's Boston Lager?”
Jo wrote down everything and nodded. “Sure thing, hun. Have it out to you shortly.” She went back behind the bar and put his order into the computer, and sent it back to the cook through the window. After that was done she pulled out a clean pint glass and filled it with the draft beer that he wanted. She set it down on his table and he grinned at her like a lot of men tended to do. “Careful darlin' I'm hard to handle.” she said with a wry smile as she turned to head back to the bar again to make sure everyone was happy and full up on drinks.
“Of that I have no doubt, Joanna.” The demon muttered as he sipped at his beer and waited for his food. He could wait for a long time, and Ava needed to be tested. Sam as of current was a much better candidate, though Azazel would never place all of his eggs in one basket so to speak. He had been testing his children for years, some of them washed out of boot camp so to speak, as Max Miller had.
Ava sat out in Jo's Lancer for what seemed like eternity, just trying to calm down. She fell in and out of fitful sleep, tormented with her fear of what was going to happen. The glimpses her powers were giving her were incomplete and jumbled. She woke half a dozen times and checked her watch and the sky, waiting for it to get closer to closing time.
Every time she woke, she would grab onto the shotgun and look around the parking lot, counting the cars with quick darting eyes. First there were ten cars at dinner, then six cars for happy hour, then four for closing. Ava picked up the gun and slid it into her coat, which hid most of the weapon. The tip of the barrel peeked out from under the hem, but the bar was dark enough that she doubted it would matter. She made sure to snag four more shells for the breach loading shotgun, enough for six shots. She hoped she wouldn't have to reload the damned thing.
Ava worked up the nerve and headed inside the bar. She worried that she might be too late, but when she pushed the back door of the bar open and walked inside, everyone seemed fine in the kitchen. They looked at her a bit funny, but didn't say much as she headed forward. She was supposed to distract the demon while Jo grabbed the holy water and chanted the ritual.
She peeked out once and saw that the bar was mostly empty, but when the door opened, the man was watching Jo with wicked intent. Ava made a face and grabbed the shotgun through her jacket, she didn't think that it would affect her as much as it did, but she was about ready to just start shooting at the damn demon now. It took a minute or two for her to remember that shooting him wouldn't actually kill him or anything really, just piss him off. So, she waited quietly in the kitchen for the bar to clear out.
Sure enough, people started clearing out as Jo cut them off with a simple, “Get home alive, I know you drove here and you've had plenty. Get on home.” The patrons left peacefully enough, due to the fact that they were regulars and never pissed off Jo. She had a mean right hook.
It was time. The demon was the only one left sitting in the bar at all now. Ava stepped out from the kitchen and gave Jo a one-armed hug, “Hey sweetie, just wanted to let you know that I came back to get you a bit early.” Giving her a hug let Jo know that she had the gun under her jacket. Jo nodded and smiled, kissing Ava on the cheek.
“Well, it'll be a little bit yet, we still have a customer to deal with, but if you want to help out, go clean off those tables for me, would you?” Jo asked, and handed a washcloth to Ava.
Ava wandered over to the tables, which was a bit difficult to do with a gun under a ladies jacket, but she managed. She started cleaning the booths along the wall first, knowing that Jo was getting the holy water. She heard the man stand and walk with heavy boot clad footsteps up toward the bar.
It was time.
She grabbed the gun and turned, holding it in what she thought was the right way as the demon had it's back turned to Ava. She held up the gun and watched as Jo threw holy water in his face, he winced backward and moved to throw Jo, then Ava shot the gun, feeling it rock back against her hand hard. She watched the demon turn to face her, and Ava readied herself to shoot again as Jo started the ritual.
“Jam tibi impero et præcipio maligne spiritus! ut confestim allata et circulo discedas, absque omni strepito, terrore, clamore et foetore,” the demon tilted his head to one side as if he was using willpower to remain where he was, even if his body really wanted to leave. Ava shot him again, but her aim was off and she watched as Jo faltered in her recitation and grabbed her right shoulder. The momentary lapse had the demon turning even further as Ava struggled to reload quickly, breaking open the shotgun with shaking hands.
The demon threw Jo to a wall and grinned. Ava forced her hands to go faster, dropping the other two shells but she got the damn thing reloaded. “Hey! Fucker! Get away from her!” She yelled, holding it up despite the fact that her hand was shaking on the grip but she pulled the hammers back anyway and walked forward, looking braver than she felt. The next shot had Jo still pinned to the wall but able to speak. The demon was looking at Ava again, though he wasn't moving away from Jo.
“Asque sine omni damno mei tam animæ quam corporis, absque omni læsione cujuscunque creaturæ vel rei; et ad locum a justissimo tibi deputatum in momento et ictu oculi abeas; et hinc proripias,” Jo chanted. The demon screamed and contorted in inhuman ways, like that creepy chick in the Grudge movie, before appearing to dissolve into yellow smoke. Jo immediately dropped from the wall, leaning heavily against it.
Yellow-eyes was gone, thankfully. The banishing ritual that Ash had set them up with seemed to have worked, for now. Jo only hoped the hex bags worked as well. Blood trailed down Jo's right arm where Ava had nicked her with the cone of rock salt and was bleeding quite a bit now, a small but steady drip off the end of her finger tips. Jo looked at the wound and shook her head, it was shallow and would heal, but rock salt hurt quite a bit when you got shot with it.
Ava fretted about Jo while she fetched anything that her...new friend(acquaintance, lover-to-be?), needed. The first aid kit from her lancer, some whiskey to sterilize the wound, some clean rags, warm water to wash the blood off of her arm, and a cold one for Jo to drink afterward. Her younger, lover-to-be(maybe if her vision was true) took the whole process so calmly, even if she did look a little bit shaken by Yellow-eyes' appearance. She was still breathing to tell the tale about it tomorrow.
“Well, that settles it, Ava...we're going to have to teach you how to shoot a gun. Can't worry about you fillin' me with rock salt every time you have a gun in your hand. Also, it'd be good for you to be able to protect yourself with the handgun I'm going to give you, in case somethin' comes looking for you again.” Jo's voice was humorous but serious at the same time somehow, making a joke out of how bad Ava's aim was, and being serious about something coming after her. Ava nodded and watched as Jo finished washing out the wound and patched it up, the hole was tiny and wouldn't need stitches...though there was still a lot of blood. Ava still had a hard time looking at blood since Brady, she tried very hard to not wince and throw up.
Ava drove them both back to Jo's apartment in the Lancer, since they hadn't made the hex bags for Ava's beetle yet. Truth be told, neither of them wanted to risk the hex bags not working and then be ambushed alone.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Finally tired of sleeping on the couch, one night Jo walked into the bedroom as Ava was getting around to sleep and said, “Ava, I'm tired of sleeping on the couch...I figure we're both adults, we can sleep in the same bed and be alright. You think?” Since Yellow-Eyes, Ava had admitted she was running low on funds and couldn't afford to stay in town too much longer, and Jo had of course offered for her to stay. Being a good host Jo had offered up her bed so that Ava didn't have to sleep on the lumpy old sofa in Jo's Living room-dining area.
Ava turned and looked at Jo, standing there in her shorts and tank top, which made Ava self-conscious suddenly, as she was wearing a baggy pair of Chicago White Sox sleeping pants and a t-shirt. She crossed her arms over her midsection and nodded in response. The younger girl was in better shape and was so much prettier than Ava felt. Jo was as lithe and graceful as a dancer, and Ava felt like an awkward and clumsy old maid. “Y-yeah, sure. It is your house after all.” She said as she turned around and immediately slipped under the covers.
Jo noticed the awkwardness and pursed her lips before she flipped the lights off and walked to the other side of the bed that Ava wasn't sleeping on. The silence stretched before Jo whispered, “Night, Ava.” It would take a while before Ava could really get to sleep, with lingering visions in her head. It didn't help that Jo's hair smelled of vanilla and pomegranate.
Ava stood in a street alone, surrounded by old empty buildings. It looked like an old ghost town from a John Wayne movie. When she was little she had watched old westerns with her dad. “Hello there, little lady.” writhed around her from nowhere. She jumped and turned around, seeing the Yellow-eyed demon in the middle of the deserted street.
He tilted his head to one side and grinned, holding out his arms like he was showing off his brand new home. “How do you like it, Ava? I'm thinking of vacationing here, I think you'll learn to love it.”
“Ava, wake up...Ava!” he mouthed the words, but Jo's voice came from his lips.
Jo wrapped her arms around Ava tightly, when she bolted awake screaming for the second night in a row. It had gotten bad enough that even Jo's chaotic neighbors banged on the adjoining wall. Ava's hair was matted to her face with sweat and her breathing was rapid and shallow. “He saw me this time, looked right at me and said my name.” The first time, Jo had started awake to Ava screaming bloody murder and had run to see what was wrong to find the woman in bed looking around and seeing things that weren't there in her sleep. Brady, was the name she'd been screaming last night.
Jo's hands rubbed her back, trying to soothe the remnants of the dream away, though she knew that it would never be that easy for Ava. The older girl was shaking like a leaf in fear, seeming so much smaller than Jo, despite two inches of height and a curvier frame. She still seemed so small at moments like this. “Shh,” she soothed cradling the older woman against her shoulder, just like her mother had done for years when she, herself had been young and small. “It'll be alright, Ava, it's over now. He's gone.”
She wanted to say, 'It's just a nightmare.' Even though she knew it was a lie. Ava's ability made it more than likely that it wasn't a dream. Ava sobbed into Jo's shoulder, wrapping her arms around Jo and clinging to her like a lifeline keeping her from drifting out to sea. It killed Jo to think there wasn't much she could do to help. A hunter was supposed to be able to help people in need and to save them from the things that went bump in the dark.
“I don't think he's gone, though. I can almost feel him watching me, even now. It's like he's in my head.” Ava's voice shook, and she sniffled a few times, finally calming down enough to talk. The dreams had gotten so much worse since she'd saved Sam Winchester, since she'd lost Brady. Since the yellow-eyed monster had walked into her life and taken everything from her.
Ava snuggled tighter against Jo, still calming down, though she started to nuzzle at Jo's collar bone. Her breathing leveled out more as she did so, comforted by the presence of another human being. Though, it was more the fact it was Jo's presence that made it comforting. The yellow-eyed demon frankly scared the daylights out of her, and since Jo was so decidedly not the demon, so opposite in fact, it was accentuated even more.
As they sat there, Jo kissed the top of Ava's head, her hands pulling the hair back from her face as it was still stuck there. Ava smiled a little and returned a kiss to her shoulder. When she did so, it was a little bit of electricity along her lips and a flutter of heartbeat against them. Jo didn't move for a moment, holding her breath and stilling her hands in their circular motions on her back.
Ava paused, and tried to pull back though Jo didn't let her. After another few moments of awkward stillness, Jo's arms relaxed and she started kneading at Ava's back. The knots in Ava's back from tossing around relaxed under expert fingertips. She sighed and relaxed further against Jo's shoulder. “Remember, he can't find us with the hex bags.” She murmured against Ava's hair, rocking the scared woman just slightly.
Several hours later, Ava finally went back to sleep, but wouldn't let go of Jo. Jo kept the monsters at bay, and hopefully she could continue to do so. The young hunter didn't mind so much.
Jo nudged Ava awake the next morning, “C'mon, time to teach you how to shoot.” Ava grumbled and rolled back over to try to get more sleep, so Jo got up and let her for a little while. There was no harm in a few more minutes, saved in fighting over the shower anyway.
Ava was pouring herself a cup of coffee when Jo got out of the bathroom, toweling off her hair in a bra and a pair of jeans. She looked over her shoulder and half smiled. “Morning, figured I'd get coffee on while you were in there, so I wouldn't be such a raging bitch. Not a morning person anymore since I can't seem to get a good night’s sleep to save my life.” She didn't bother putting any milk or sugar in her coffee and just started sipping on it black.
“Well, shower's free, should still be plenty of hot water, the neighborhood sucks, but the super tends to make sure everything half works.” Jo replied, pulling a cup down for herself as she watched Ava head toward the bathroom. “Towels are under the sink!” She called after Ava, who nodded in response and shut the door behind her.
While she was in the bathroom Jo grabbed shotguns, and three calibers of handguns. Since she lived in a bad part of town she had reason to keep actual bullets, so she snagged several boxes of those as well. The rifle would wait for another day, since a handgun would most likely be what she'd give Ava to carry around with her. Jo doubted that the woman would go hunting with her. Ava seemed like she wanted to just be a regular person again, which was difficult when the dark came in and decided that you couldn't.
Once the duffel was packed with the tools for the day she looked up a shooting range in the city limits. There were several, and she found one that seemed to be a bit less likely to ask too many questions if the guns had no serial numbers and the shotgun was just slightly less than legal for a sawed-off.
By the time she'd done that and finished getting dressed, Ava was out of the shower and getting dressed. “So tired I didn't even take my clothes in with me. I'm a zombie before my shower.” She did seem much more conscious and ready to face her day. Jo politely made sure to turn her back when Ava finished getting dressed. Not having a bedroom door made things a bit interesting when privacy was a concern.
Jo really didn't try to glance back, really. It was reflex when Ava said, “So we're going shooting?” in reference to the guns in the duffel on the bed that Jo turned and nodded. She didn't see anything graphic, but jumped and turned back around.
“Yeah, figured I'd show you how to use a gun properly, since I bet your hand is bruised up this morning from the shotgun.” Jo's face had to be bright red at the moment. So, she busied herself packing them a light lunch and focusing on anything other than how pretty Ava was.
Once she got that out of her head and her face had stopped burning with embarrassment, everything was wonderful. They drove to the range and chit-chatted about music and the fact that they both hated radio commercials, and people who couldn't drive or use turn-signals. Jo felt that it was actually nice to have someone around for more than a few days. Most hunters were solitary by nature and didn't like other people being around, simply due to the danger of the job and the paranoia that came with the territory.
Jo didn't get that feeling from Ava. Even if she was still two thirds a civilian and was a bit of a bad shot with a sawed-off; Ava was pretty close to a friend. Jo had never been close with other girls, even when she had been younger. Other girls had been too prissy and weak for her liking. Why play jump rope when the boys liked to wrestle and fight? After grade school, it had been hunting on the weekends with guys rather than movie nights and nail painting with the girls.
Ava had seen the darkness and had stood up to fight back, not to mention she was actually pretty funny when someone cut her off on the road. Lady had a bit of a sailor's mouth at times.
Once they got into the range and set up, Joanna got right into teaching Ava how to shoot, which drew the eye of the few other men who were there shooting. Two young, attractive women standing close to each other with weapons? No question; they stared. “Alright, now, make sure you hold onto it pretty tightly, but not so much that you're gonna smother it.” Ava adjusted her hold on the grip of the twenty two pistol she was holding. Jo checked her stance and nodded, putting the ear phones over first Ava's ears and then her own. Then she tapped Ava's back to let her know to start shooting at the target.
She missed several times, but with a few more mags of ammo, she started to get closer to center mass and kill shots. Then it was how to clear and check the gun for safety and onto the nine millimeter. Hold, aim, shoot. Jo noticed that when Ava shot at the target she didn't ever stop until the clip was empty and she would still pull the trigger one more time to be sure.
The forty-five gave Ava a little bit more trouble. A big gun in small hands was usually a bit of a pain in the ass to shoot, but Ava tried anyway. When it kicked in her hand she jumped and laughed. Jo laughed and stood behind her, bracing her torso. Her hands were wrapped around Ava's to show her how to adjust for the increased kick of the larger calibers.
The men kept staring. It was kind of annoying at this point. Jo tapped Ava’s earphones before pulling her own down around her neck. Once Ava had done the same she asked, “Want to grab some lunch? We've been here a few hours and we can take a break if you want?”
Ava smiled and nodded, packing up half the gear so Jo didn’t have to carry it all. They walked together out into the lobby of the range and sat on a bench as Jo pulled bagged sandwiches out of the duffel. “You're doing really well for a fairly new shot, to be honest Ava.” Jo said around a mouthful of peanut butter and jelly.
Ava's grin could light up a whole town, Jo was fairly certain. “Really! So awesome.” She bounced a little bit too, which endeared her to Jo just a little bit more. The rest of the day was just fun, even if they do toy with the emotions of the guys at the range and get a little too close; even if Ava enjoyed Jo's fingers through her belt loops to align her body square to the target.
Jo didn't ask about the scars on Ava's hip. Parallel lines that were fairly old scars, she could feel the raised flesh through Ava's thin shirt. Everyone had secrets they didn't talk about openly, even civilians. It was one thing Jo could understand.
They both enjoyed the looks they got. It was all in fun. The end of the day had Ava's hands sore from shooting all day and the two of them laughing over beers in her apartment. Jo didn't sleep on the couch again.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Ava almost screamed when she saw Sam...who wasn't Sam, look at Jo like that. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it wasn't Sam, something was wearing Sam Winchester like a dress that didn't fit quite right. Her hand reached into her bag and pulled out the gun that Jo had taught her to shoot just a few weeks ago. She could almost see it under his skin.
He had Jo tied up to a pole and was talking to her about something. Thankfully he hadn't seen Ava yet in the kitchen. Ava had taken to just parking in back of the bar since she wasn't really a 'patron' anymore. She just showed up when Jo was working at some point. The guys in the kitchen all knew her by name and didn't bother her about coming in the back way. It was now just a habit that Ava had developed, even after the store closed. Thus, the reason she was able to stay hidden back in the kitchen and peek out to see Sam Winchester looking about ready to rape Jo.
She reached into her purse and pulled out the nine millimeter she kept there, feeling it solid and heavy in her hand. She'd gotten to be a pretty decent shot with it, too. She checked the rounds in it, and found that they were iron, should be good enough since they had been dipped in holy water, right? She didn't know what was making Sam look like that, but it sure as hell wasn't him.
She took aim, and fired once, but missed. The demon inside of Sam turned and saw her standing there, shaking a little. “Oh, another one of Dad's experiments. Seriously, how many does he have?” he laughed and flung Ava back against the metal door to the walk in fridge in the back and knocked her out cold.
Ava swam in and out of consciousness for what felt like forever, hearing vague voices shouting and then running. Jo was there checking on her then, pulling her to her feet and getting her into the car. Ava heard gun shots in the distance, and turned to look toward the docks, seeing one of the two of them drop into the water.
“Dean, shit. Ava, lock the doors, I'll be right back, when it's safe.” She vanished from sight. Ava did as she was told and waited for her to come back. It took almost fifteen minutes, but she did come back, with blood on her top.
Ava looked at it, and then started to look around for wounds. “You alright, hun? You were gone for a while...” She trailed off, she'd been worried about Jo's safety after about five minutes...with that thing that was wearing Sam still out and about, also with her head throbbing and everything moving a little at the edges still.
“Yeah, it's Dean's blood. Had to patch him up, sorry it took so long for me to get back out here. He was bleeding pretty badly.” Ava nodded; then winced at the motion as her head swam again. Jo took them both home and iced Ava's head and her own cheek due to a nasty hit from Sam.
“You okay, Jo?” Ava asked as the infomercials started and Jo still didn't look like she was comfortable; at least judging by the gun on the coffee table and the salt along every entrance to the apartment. Jo almost jumped when she was spoken to, moving the ice pack from her face and nodding a little.
“Yeah, I'll be alright, just a little wired is all.” Jo replied with. Ava smiled sadly and shook her head, figuring this is how she had to have looked when she saw her first monstrous thing. She moved her head a little more and was pleased to have the world not go tipping over like a carnival ride.
“Well, I'll rub your back if you want. You look super-tense.” Ava replied, turning to face Jo on the couch. Jo seemed to think about it, before nodding and turning so her back was facing Ava. Jo easily unhooked her bra and slid it out from under her tank top, tossing it in the general direction of her bedroom door.
Ava scooted a little bit forward and massaged at Jo's shoulders first, feeling how tense they were. Jo only sighed happily and let her head hang forward a little ways, eyes relaxing around the corners and not looking so hyper-aware. Ava moved down her friend's back, trying to get the hunter's tense muscles to relax, hoping that it would do the same for her frayed nerves.
Once Ava worked her way down to the base of Jo's spine, the girl was almost putty. Ava pulled her closer and rocked her a little bit, shushing her a few times before finally gathering her up and putting her to bed. Jo rolled onto her back a few moments after being lay down and shimmied out of her jeans.
Ava changed into her sleeping clothes as well and climbed into bed next to Jo. She knew that the bump on her head was going to require some major Tylenol tomorrow, but at least she didn't have a concussion any longer.
“Good night, Ava.” Jo said sleepily as she curled up against Ava's chest, an arm thrown around her waist. Ava murmured a similar reply as she pulled Jo against her in a hug. They slipped off to sleep easily that night, happily. They were both beginning to call it a usual thing. This happiness was unusual to both of them in the recent months.
Ava rolls over into Brady's arms, he is warm against her and surrounds her with his smell. He seems to just barely wake up when she snuggles tighter against him. She doesn’t remember how she got here, but did it matter? It was just a long day, she is happy to see him. He wakes up a little bit more and tightens his arms around her, “Hey baby, you alright?” He asks, voice thick with sleep.
“Yeah, sweetie, just wanted to be closer to you.” She replies, kissing his lips softly, which he responds to with a happy moan and a suggestive squeeze of her side. She deepens the kiss and slid her nails down his ribs lightly, both tickling and scratching him just a little. He slips his hands up under her tank top and kneads at her flesh playfully.
“I've missed you baby, so glad you're back.” He says huskily to her between kisses and licking at her lips. Ava thinks that something seems a bit strange, but doesn't stop. His hands are familiar but more needy than they usually are.
She feels a coldness from somewhere, but it goes away quickly. He pulls her shirt over her head and moves his lips to her nipples pulling first one and then the other into his mouth and licking at them until they harden, making her back arch and her breath come out in ragged pants. “Brady...” She gasps as her hands pull at his boxers ineffectually, he grins and teases her some more, pushing her hands away from him and moving his mouth lower, placing feather-light kisses along her waistband.
He pulls them down and then removes his boxers. Ava's clutching at his back as he presses into her, stretching her entrance. It's a good pain. Ava lets her eyes close, and her hips roll, allowing him deeper into her. As he responds, she feels another sort of movement in her stomach, contrasting to her own movements and making her stomach roll a bit unpleasantly. She still doesn't stop.
He grunts and moves against her faster, pressing as deep as he can go, she feels a rush of warmth on her chest, and opens her eyes confused as to what it is. Blood pours from Brady's ruined neck, and he still presses into her over and over, even as she screams and tries to fight him off. Brady grins a demon's smile and says in the yellow-eyed demon's voice: “Come on! You can't hide from me, darlin'. I always know where you are.”
Ava hits at the corpse of her husband as hard as she can, but he doesn't move off of her, merely thrusts harder. Ava turns her head and closes her eyes, praying that someone would come to save her. A hand grabs her chin and forces her face to turn back. “Look at me, Ava.” He says, and she has no choice but to obey. When she opens her eyes she's looking up at the demon. She screams, and he just laughs.
Jo woke up the next morning to an empty bed. Only a bit of sulfur at the windowsill and on the pillow a broken hex bag, Ava was nowhere to be found. Her beetle was parked on the street where she'd left it, her clothing in her bag...keys and purse on the coffee table.
FIN
The man walked in and sat down at a table rather early on in the evening, and it took all of Ava's restraint not to try to shoot him right then. She caught Jo's eye and motioned for her to head back to the bathrooms. Ava waited for three impatient, hand-wringing minutes before Jo showed up. When she saw Ava's frightened expression, she realized just how much this actually had been affecting her, the woman looked like she hadn't expected Jo to come back at all.
“Hey, Ava, calm down. It's okay. You saw him?” Jo figured that was the reason that her friend was so worried.
Ava just nodded rapidly at first, before pointing back toward the dining room, “He's the guy in the dark blue-gray denim jacket, over by the juke-box. He should order fish and chips with a dark beer to drink. He'll be here for several hours.” She didn't look happy about the info, as only once had she actually been able to save someone from one of her visions. Then her life had turned to shit...she wondered if perhaps this time it'd be her life to save Jo's.
“Okay, well then I'd better get back and make sure no one gets hurt. Just try to calm down. Head out and get a little bit of air if you need to, just make sure that you remember the shotgun is in my car. You said it'd be several hours, so we've got time.” Jo's voice was firm, but still kind, as she slipped into hunter mode. Ava was a civilian, and she needed to be protected from the dangers that she may know about in visions. Seeing was different than actually being in the action. Jo would do her best to keep Ava out of the action as much as possible. Ava already had the keys to get into the Lancer, and just needed to be there for when Jo threw the holy water and said the short chant.
“I know, it's just the last time I changed my visions...I lost Brady. Don't want anything else bad to happen.” Ava replied with a quiet waver in her voice as she clung to Jo's keys. The clinking noise seemed to calm Ava down a little. Jo nodded and sent her outside to just breathe for a little while.
The Yellow Eyed demon seemed just like every other customer. He flagged her down as she headed back to the bar and she walked over to him, “Hey, uh...Jo” he said as he squinted at her name tag before continuing, “Can I get some of your famous Fish and Chips? And a Sam Adam's Boston Lager?”
Jo wrote down everything and nodded. “Sure thing, hun. Have it out to you shortly.” She went back behind the bar and put his order into the computer, and sent it back to the cook through the window. After that was done she pulled out a clean pint glass and filled it with the draft beer that he wanted. She set it down on his table and he grinned at her like a lot of men tended to do. “Careful darlin' I'm hard to handle.” she said with a wry smile as she turned to head back to the bar again to make sure everyone was happy and full up on drinks.
“Of that I have no doubt, Joanna.” The demon muttered as he sipped at his beer and waited for his food. He could wait for a long time, and Ava needed to be tested. Sam as of current was a much better candidate, though Azazel would never place all of his eggs in one basket so to speak. He had been testing his children for years, some of them washed out of boot camp so to speak, as Max Miller had.
Ava sat out in Jo's Lancer for what seemed like eternity, just trying to calm down. She fell in and out of fitful sleep, tormented with her fear of what was going to happen. The glimpses her powers were giving her were incomplete and jumbled. She woke half a dozen times and checked her watch and the sky, waiting for it to get closer to closing time.
Every time she woke, she would grab onto the shotgun and look around the parking lot, counting the cars with quick darting eyes. First there were ten cars at dinner, then six cars for happy hour, then four for closing. Ava picked up the gun and slid it into her coat, which hid most of the weapon. The tip of the barrel peeked out from under the hem, but the bar was dark enough that she doubted it would matter. She made sure to snag four more shells for the breach loading shotgun, enough for six shots. She hoped she wouldn't have to reload the damned thing.
Ava worked up the nerve and headed inside the bar. She worried that she might be too late, but when she pushed the back door of the bar open and walked inside, everyone seemed fine in the kitchen. They looked at her a bit funny, but didn't say much as she headed forward. She was supposed to distract the demon while Jo grabbed the holy water and chanted the ritual.
She peeked out once and saw that the bar was mostly empty, but when the door opened, the man was watching Jo with wicked intent. Ava made a face and grabbed the shotgun through her jacket, she didn't think that it would affect her as much as it did, but she was about ready to just start shooting at the damn demon now. It took a minute or two for her to remember that shooting him wouldn't actually kill him or anything really, just piss him off. So, she waited quietly in the kitchen for the bar to clear out.
Sure enough, people started clearing out as Jo cut them off with a simple, “Get home alive, I know you drove here and you've had plenty. Get on home.” The patrons left peacefully enough, due to the fact that they were regulars and never pissed off Jo. She had a mean right hook.
It was time. The demon was the only one left sitting in the bar at all now. Ava stepped out from the kitchen and gave Jo a one-armed hug, “Hey sweetie, just wanted to let you know that I came back to get you a bit early.” Giving her a hug let Jo know that she had the gun under her jacket. Jo nodded and smiled, kissing Ava on the cheek.
“Well, it'll be a little bit yet, we still have a customer to deal with, but if you want to help out, go clean off those tables for me, would you?” Jo asked, and handed a washcloth to Ava.
Ava wandered over to the tables, which was a bit difficult to do with a gun under a ladies jacket, but she managed. She started cleaning the booths along the wall first, knowing that Jo was getting the holy water. She heard the man stand and walk with heavy boot clad footsteps up toward the bar.
It was time.
She grabbed the gun and turned, holding it in what she thought was the right way as the demon had it's back turned to Ava. She held up the gun and watched as Jo threw holy water in his face, he winced backward and moved to throw Jo, then Ava shot the gun, feeling it rock back against her hand hard. She watched the demon turn to face her, and Ava readied herself to shoot again as Jo started the ritual.
“Jam tibi impero et præcipio maligne spiritus! ut confestim allata et circulo discedas, absque omni strepito, terrore, clamore et foetore,” the demon tilted his head to one side as if he was using willpower to remain where he was, even if his body really wanted to leave. Ava shot him again, but her aim was off and she watched as Jo faltered in her recitation and grabbed her right shoulder. The momentary lapse had the demon turning even further as Ava struggled to reload quickly, breaking open the shotgun with shaking hands.
The demon threw Jo to a wall and grinned. Ava forced her hands to go faster, dropping the other two shells but she got the damn thing reloaded. “Hey! Fucker! Get away from her!” She yelled, holding it up despite the fact that her hand was shaking on the grip but she pulled the hammers back anyway and walked forward, looking braver than she felt. The next shot had Jo still pinned to the wall but able to speak. The demon was looking at Ava again, though he wasn't moving away from Jo.
“Asque sine omni damno mei tam animæ quam corporis, absque omni læsione cujuscunque creaturæ vel rei; et ad locum a justissimo tibi deputatum in momento et ictu oculi abeas; et hinc proripias,” Jo chanted. The demon screamed and contorted in inhuman ways, like that creepy chick in the Grudge movie, before appearing to dissolve into yellow smoke. Jo immediately dropped from the wall, leaning heavily against it.
Yellow-eyes was gone, thankfully. The banishing ritual that Ash had set them up with seemed to have worked, for now. Jo only hoped the hex bags worked as well. Blood trailed down Jo's right arm where Ava had nicked her with the cone of rock salt and was bleeding quite a bit now, a small but steady drip off the end of her finger tips. Jo looked at the wound and shook her head, it was shallow and would heal, but rock salt hurt quite a bit when you got shot with it.
Ava fretted about Jo while she fetched anything that her...new friend(acquaintance, lover-to-be?), needed. The first aid kit from her lancer, some whiskey to sterilize the wound, some clean rags, warm water to wash the blood off of her arm, and a cold one for Jo to drink afterward. Her younger, lover-to-be(maybe if her vision was true) took the whole process so calmly, even if she did look a little bit shaken by Yellow-eyes' appearance. She was still breathing to tell the tale about it tomorrow.
“Well, that settles it, Ava...we're going to have to teach you how to shoot a gun. Can't worry about you fillin' me with rock salt every time you have a gun in your hand. Also, it'd be good for you to be able to protect yourself with the handgun I'm going to give you, in case somethin' comes looking for you again.” Jo's voice was humorous but serious at the same time somehow, making a joke out of how bad Ava's aim was, and being serious about something coming after her. Ava nodded and watched as Jo finished washing out the wound and patched it up, the hole was tiny and wouldn't need stitches...though there was still a lot of blood. Ava still had a hard time looking at blood since Brady, she tried very hard to not wince and throw up.
Ava drove them both back to Jo's apartment in the Lancer, since they hadn't made the hex bags for Ava's beetle yet. Truth be told, neither of them wanted to risk the hex bags not working and then be ambushed alone.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Finally tired of sleeping on the couch, one night Jo walked into the bedroom as Ava was getting around to sleep and said, “Ava, I'm tired of sleeping on the couch...I figure we're both adults, we can sleep in the same bed and be alright. You think?” Since Yellow-Eyes, Ava had admitted she was running low on funds and couldn't afford to stay in town too much longer, and Jo had of course offered for her to stay. Being a good host Jo had offered up her bed so that Ava didn't have to sleep on the lumpy old sofa in Jo's Living room-dining area.
Ava turned and looked at Jo, standing there in her shorts and tank top, which made Ava self-conscious suddenly, as she was wearing a baggy pair of Chicago White Sox sleeping pants and a t-shirt. She crossed her arms over her midsection and nodded in response. The younger girl was in better shape and was so much prettier than Ava felt. Jo was as lithe and graceful as a dancer, and Ava felt like an awkward and clumsy old maid. “Y-yeah, sure. It is your house after all.” She said as she turned around and immediately slipped under the covers.
Jo noticed the awkwardness and pursed her lips before she flipped the lights off and walked to the other side of the bed that Ava wasn't sleeping on. The silence stretched before Jo whispered, “Night, Ava.” It would take a while before Ava could really get to sleep, with lingering visions in her head. It didn't help that Jo's hair smelled of vanilla and pomegranate.
Ava stood in a street alone, surrounded by old empty buildings. It looked like an old ghost town from a John Wayne movie. When she was little she had watched old westerns with her dad. “Hello there, little lady.” writhed around her from nowhere. She jumped and turned around, seeing the Yellow-eyed demon in the middle of the deserted street.
He tilted his head to one side and grinned, holding out his arms like he was showing off his brand new home. “How do you like it, Ava? I'm thinking of vacationing here, I think you'll learn to love it.”
“Ava, wake up...Ava!” he mouthed the words, but Jo's voice came from his lips.
Jo wrapped her arms around Ava tightly, when she bolted awake screaming for the second night in a row. It had gotten bad enough that even Jo's chaotic neighbors banged on the adjoining wall. Ava's hair was matted to her face with sweat and her breathing was rapid and shallow. “He saw me this time, looked right at me and said my name.” The first time, Jo had started awake to Ava screaming bloody murder and had run to see what was wrong to find the woman in bed looking around and seeing things that weren't there in her sleep. Brady, was the name she'd been screaming last night.
Jo's hands rubbed her back, trying to soothe the remnants of the dream away, though she knew that it would never be that easy for Ava. The older girl was shaking like a leaf in fear, seeming so much smaller than Jo, despite two inches of height and a curvier frame. She still seemed so small at moments like this. “Shh,” she soothed cradling the older woman against her shoulder, just like her mother had done for years when she, herself had been young and small. “It'll be alright, Ava, it's over now. He's gone.”
She wanted to say, 'It's just a nightmare.' Even though she knew it was a lie. Ava's ability made it more than likely that it wasn't a dream. Ava sobbed into Jo's shoulder, wrapping her arms around Jo and clinging to her like a lifeline keeping her from drifting out to sea. It killed Jo to think there wasn't much she could do to help. A hunter was supposed to be able to help people in need and to save them from the things that went bump in the dark.
“I don't think he's gone, though. I can almost feel him watching me, even now. It's like he's in my head.” Ava's voice shook, and she sniffled a few times, finally calming down enough to talk. The dreams had gotten so much worse since she'd saved Sam Winchester, since she'd lost Brady. Since the yellow-eyed monster had walked into her life and taken everything from her.
Ava snuggled tighter against Jo, still calming down, though she started to nuzzle at Jo's collar bone. Her breathing leveled out more as she did so, comforted by the presence of another human being. Though, it was more the fact it was Jo's presence that made it comforting. The yellow-eyed demon frankly scared the daylights out of her, and since Jo was so decidedly not the demon, so opposite in fact, it was accentuated even more.
As they sat there, Jo kissed the top of Ava's head, her hands pulling the hair back from her face as it was still stuck there. Ava smiled a little and returned a kiss to her shoulder. When she did so, it was a little bit of electricity along her lips and a flutter of heartbeat against them. Jo didn't move for a moment, holding her breath and stilling her hands in their circular motions on her back.
Ava paused, and tried to pull back though Jo didn't let her. After another few moments of awkward stillness, Jo's arms relaxed and she started kneading at Ava's back. The knots in Ava's back from tossing around relaxed under expert fingertips. She sighed and relaxed further against Jo's shoulder. “Remember, he can't find us with the hex bags.” She murmured against Ava's hair, rocking the scared woman just slightly.
Several hours later, Ava finally went back to sleep, but wouldn't let go of Jo. Jo kept the monsters at bay, and hopefully she could continue to do so. The young hunter didn't mind so much.
Jo nudged Ava awake the next morning, “C'mon, time to teach you how to shoot.” Ava grumbled and rolled back over to try to get more sleep, so Jo got up and let her for a little while. There was no harm in a few more minutes, saved in fighting over the shower anyway.
Ava was pouring herself a cup of coffee when Jo got out of the bathroom, toweling off her hair in a bra and a pair of jeans. She looked over her shoulder and half smiled. “Morning, figured I'd get coffee on while you were in there, so I wouldn't be such a raging bitch. Not a morning person anymore since I can't seem to get a good night’s sleep to save my life.” She didn't bother putting any milk or sugar in her coffee and just started sipping on it black.
“Well, shower's free, should still be plenty of hot water, the neighborhood sucks, but the super tends to make sure everything half works.” Jo replied, pulling a cup down for herself as she watched Ava head toward the bathroom. “Towels are under the sink!” She called after Ava, who nodded in response and shut the door behind her.
While she was in the bathroom Jo grabbed shotguns, and three calibers of handguns. Since she lived in a bad part of town she had reason to keep actual bullets, so she snagged several boxes of those as well. The rifle would wait for another day, since a handgun would most likely be what she'd give Ava to carry around with her. Jo doubted that the woman would go hunting with her. Ava seemed like she wanted to just be a regular person again, which was difficult when the dark came in and decided that you couldn't.
Once the duffel was packed with the tools for the day she looked up a shooting range in the city limits. There were several, and she found one that seemed to be a bit less likely to ask too many questions if the guns had no serial numbers and the shotgun was just slightly less than legal for a sawed-off.
By the time she'd done that and finished getting dressed, Ava was out of the shower and getting dressed. “So tired I didn't even take my clothes in with me. I'm a zombie before my shower.” She did seem much more conscious and ready to face her day. Jo politely made sure to turn her back when Ava finished getting dressed. Not having a bedroom door made things a bit interesting when privacy was a concern.
Jo really didn't try to glance back, really. It was reflex when Ava said, “So we're going shooting?” in reference to the guns in the duffel on the bed that Jo turned and nodded. She didn't see anything graphic, but jumped and turned back around.
“Yeah, figured I'd show you how to use a gun properly, since I bet your hand is bruised up this morning from the shotgun.” Jo's face had to be bright red at the moment. So, she busied herself packing them a light lunch and focusing on anything other than how pretty Ava was.
Once she got that out of her head and her face had stopped burning with embarrassment, everything was wonderful. They drove to the range and chit-chatted about music and the fact that they both hated radio commercials, and people who couldn't drive or use turn-signals. Jo felt that it was actually nice to have someone around for more than a few days. Most hunters were solitary by nature and didn't like other people being around, simply due to the danger of the job and the paranoia that came with the territory.
Jo didn't get that feeling from Ava. Even if she was still two thirds a civilian and was a bit of a bad shot with a sawed-off; Ava was pretty close to a friend. Jo had never been close with other girls, even when she had been younger. Other girls had been too prissy and weak for her liking. Why play jump rope when the boys liked to wrestle and fight? After grade school, it had been hunting on the weekends with guys rather than movie nights and nail painting with the girls.
Ava had seen the darkness and had stood up to fight back, not to mention she was actually pretty funny when someone cut her off on the road. Lady had a bit of a sailor's mouth at times.
Once they got into the range and set up, Joanna got right into teaching Ava how to shoot, which drew the eye of the few other men who were there shooting. Two young, attractive women standing close to each other with weapons? No question; they stared. “Alright, now, make sure you hold onto it pretty tightly, but not so much that you're gonna smother it.” Ava adjusted her hold on the grip of the twenty two pistol she was holding. Jo checked her stance and nodded, putting the ear phones over first Ava's ears and then her own. Then she tapped Ava's back to let her know to start shooting at the target.
She missed several times, but with a few more mags of ammo, she started to get closer to center mass and kill shots. Then it was how to clear and check the gun for safety and onto the nine millimeter. Hold, aim, shoot. Jo noticed that when Ava shot at the target she didn't ever stop until the clip was empty and she would still pull the trigger one more time to be sure.
The forty-five gave Ava a little bit more trouble. A big gun in small hands was usually a bit of a pain in the ass to shoot, but Ava tried anyway. When it kicked in her hand she jumped and laughed. Jo laughed and stood behind her, bracing her torso. Her hands were wrapped around Ava's to show her how to adjust for the increased kick of the larger calibers.
The men kept staring. It was kind of annoying at this point. Jo tapped Ava’s earphones before pulling her own down around her neck. Once Ava had done the same she asked, “Want to grab some lunch? We've been here a few hours and we can take a break if you want?”
Ava smiled and nodded, packing up half the gear so Jo didn’t have to carry it all. They walked together out into the lobby of the range and sat on a bench as Jo pulled bagged sandwiches out of the duffel. “You're doing really well for a fairly new shot, to be honest Ava.” Jo said around a mouthful of peanut butter and jelly.
Ava's grin could light up a whole town, Jo was fairly certain. “Really! So awesome.” She bounced a little bit too, which endeared her to Jo just a little bit more. The rest of the day was just fun, even if they do toy with the emotions of the guys at the range and get a little too close; even if Ava enjoyed Jo's fingers through her belt loops to align her body square to the target.
Jo didn't ask about the scars on Ava's hip. Parallel lines that were fairly old scars, she could feel the raised flesh through Ava's thin shirt. Everyone had secrets they didn't talk about openly, even civilians. It was one thing Jo could understand.
They both enjoyed the looks they got. It was all in fun. The end of the day had Ava's hands sore from shooting all day and the two of them laughing over beers in her apartment. Jo didn't sleep on the couch again.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Ava almost screamed when she saw Sam...who wasn't Sam, look at Jo like that. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it wasn't Sam, something was wearing Sam Winchester like a dress that didn't fit quite right. Her hand reached into her bag and pulled out the gun that Jo had taught her to shoot just a few weeks ago. She could almost see it under his skin.
He had Jo tied up to a pole and was talking to her about something. Thankfully he hadn't seen Ava yet in the kitchen. Ava had taken to just parking in back of the bar since she wasn't really a 'patron' anymore. She just showed up when Jo was working at some point. The guys in the kitchen all knew her by name and didn't bother her about coming in the back way. It was now just a habit that Ava had developed, even after the store closed. Thus, the reason she was able to stay hidden back in the kitchen and peek out to see Sam Winchester looking about ready to rape Jo.
She reached into her purse and pulled out the nine millimeter she kept there, feeling it solid and heavy in her hand. She'd gotten to be a pretty decent shot with it, too. She checked the rounds in it, and found that they were iron, should be good enough since they had been dipped in holy water, right? She didn't know what was making Sam look like that, but it sure as hell wasn't him.
She took aim, and fired once, but missed. The demon inside of Sam turned and saw her standing there, shaking a little. “Oh, another one of Dad's experiments. Seriously, how many does he have?” he laughed and flung Ava back against the metal door to the walk in fridge in the back and knocked her out cold.
Ava swam in and out of consciousness for what felt like forever, hearing vague voices shouting and then running. Jo was there checking on her then, pulling her to her feet and getting her into the car. Ava heard gun shots in the distance, and turned to look toward the docks, seeing one of the two of them drop into the water.
“Dean, shit. Ava, lock the doors, I'll be right back, when it's safe.” She vanished from sight. Ava did as she was told and waited for her to come back. It took almost fifteen minutes, but she did come back, with blood on her top.
Ava looked at it, and then started to look around for wounds. “You alright, hun? You were gone for a while...” She trailed off, she'd been worried about Jo's safety after about five minutes...with that thing that was wearing Sam still out and about, also with her head throbbing and everything moving a little at the edges still.
“Yeah, it's Dean's blood. Had to patch him up, sorry it took so long for me to get back out here. He was bleeding pretty badly.” Ava nodded; then winced at the motion as her head swam again. Jo took them both home and iced Ava's head and her own cheek due to a nasty hit from Sam.
“You okay, Jo?” Ava asked as the infomercials started and Jo still didn't look like she was comfortable; at least judging by the gun on the coffee table and the salt along every entrance to the apartment. Jo almost jumped when she was spoken to, moving the ice pack from her face and nodding a little.
“Yeah, I'll be alright, just a little wired is all.” Jo replied with. Ava smiled sadly and shook her head, figuring this is how she had to have looked when she saw her first monstrous thing. She moved her head a little more and was pleased to have the world not go tipping over like a carnival ride.
“Well, I'll rub your back if you want. You look super-tense.” Ava replied, turning to face Jo on the couch. Jo seemed to think about it, before nodding and turning so her back was facing Ava. Jo easily unhooked her bra and slid it out from under her tank top, tossing it in the general direction of her bedroom door.
Ava scooted a little bit forward and massaged at Jo's shoulders first, feeling how tense they were. Jo only sighed happily and let her head hang forward a little ways, eyes relaxing around the corners and not looking so hyper-aware. Ava moved down her friend's back, trying to get the hunter's tense muscles to relax, hoping that it would do the same for her frayed nerves.
Once Ava worked her way down to the base of Jo's spine, the girl was almost putty. Ava pulled her closer and rocked her a little bit, shushing her a few times before finally gathering her up and putting her to bed. Jo rolled onto her back a few moments after being lay down and shimmied out of her jeans.
Ava changed into her sleeping clothes as well and climbed into bed next to Jo. She knew that the bump on her head was going to require some major Tylenol tomorrow, but at least she didn't have a concussion any longer.
“Good night, Ava.” Jo said sleepily as she curled up against Ava's chest, an arm thrown around her waist. Ava murmured a similar reply as she pulled Jo against her in a hug. They slipped off to sleep easily that night, happily. They were both beginning to call it a usual thing. This happiness was unusual to both of them in the recent months.
Ava rolls over into Brady's arms, he is warm against her and surrounds her with his smell. He seems to just barely wake up when she snuggles tighter against him. She doesn’t remember how she got here, but did it matter? It was just a long day, she is happy to see him. He wakes up a little bit more and tightens his arms around her, “Hey baby, you alright?” He asks, voice thick with sleep.
“Yeah, sweetie, just wanted to be closer to you.” She replies, kissing his lips softly, which he responds to with a happy moan and a suggestive squeeze of her side. She deepens the kiss and slid her nails down his ribs lightly, both tickling and scratching him just a little. He slips his hands up under her tank top and kneads at her flesh playfully.
“I've missed you baby, so glad you're back.” He says huskily to her between kisses and licking at her lips. Ava thinks that something seems a bit strange, but doesn't stop. His hands are familiar but more needy than they usually are.
She feels a coldness from somewhere, but it goes away quickly. He pulls her shirt over her head and moves his lips to her nipples pulling first one and then the other into his mouth and licking at them until they harden, making her back arch and her breath come out in ragged pants. “Brady...” She gasps as her hands pull at his boxers ineffectually, he grins and teases her some more, pushing her hands away from him and moving his mouth lower, placing feather-light kisses along her waistband.
He pulls them down and then removes his boxers. Ava's clutching at his back as he presses into her, stretching her entrance. It's a good pain. Ava lets her eyes close, and her hips roll, allowing him deeper into her. As he responds, she feels another sort of movement in her stomach, contrasting to her own movements and making her stomach roll a bit unpleasantly. She still doesn't stop.
He grunts and moves against her faster, pressing as deep as he can go, she feels a rush of warmth on her chest, and opens her eyes confused as to what it is. Blood pours from Brady's ruined neck, and he still presses into her over and over, even as she screams and tries to fight him off. Brady grins a demon's smile and says in the yellow-eyed demon's voice: “Come on! You can't hide from me, darlin'. I always know where you are.”
Ava hits at the corpse of her husband as hard as she can, but he doesn't move off of her, merely thrusts harder. Ava turns her head and closes her eyes, praying that someone would come to save her. A hand grabs her chin and forces her face to turn back. “Look at me, Ava.” He says, and she has no choice but to obey. When she opens her eyes she's looking up at the demon. She screams, and he just laughs.
Jo woke up the next morning to an empty bed. Only a bit of sulfur at the windowsill and on the pillow a broken hex bag, Ava was nowhere to be found. Her beetle was parked on the street where she'd left it, her clothing in her bag...keys and purse on the coffee table.
FIN