Hallows: Black Death

Rage, Jealousy, Guilt and All The Fun Things In Between

I Prevail- Bow Down

B.B.:

I tuck the gun into my coat pocket and climb out.

There's a bright red custom 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle parked in front of the warehouse. The hood is painted a shiny flat gray shade. It has a gray leather interior. Jesus Christ. This is a beautiful car. My dad and I are both staring at it in awe. I'm not big on cars but classics like this are everything. My mom grew up around them and when we would go out to Cali to visit my grandma, my uncles and cousins would take me cruising.

"You have a really good eye, princess," Victor steps out of the warehouse with Damian following behind him. I felt him before he stepped out. He's calm for the most part at least, that's what I'm picking up on.

"Is this yours?" I want to badly reach out and touch it but he looks like the possessive type and as much as I'm trying not to be. Princess is a good girl and I won't touch it until he lets me.

"It is," he steps over to me. He looks me over hungrily. My dad lets out a low growl but doesn't comment when Victor pinches my chin to look up at his pretty face. If it bothers Victor he doesn't react to it. "Would you like to take a ride with me sometime?"

"Yes, please," I nod. My face is heating up with this little touch. He smiles liking that he has an effect on me.

"You look really pretty today, B.B. I haven't stopped thinking about you since we met," he says softly as he closes the distance between us.

"Thank you," I pull away and turn my attention to Damian. "D,"

"B," he smirks but the gesture doesn't reach his eyes. "Who is that?"

"This is my dad," I introduce them. "Dante Blackstone. Dad, this is Victor Escobar and Damian Stockholm. The Reaper and the Crow of Daemon,"

"How is this possible? If he were alive he wouldn't have the curse anymore," Damian shakes his head.

"He's not alive. He's-" I look back at him. "Something else,"

"Boys," my dad greets them with disinterest.

"You're here for war if we don't give you what you want, aren't you?" Damian changes the subject back to business.

"I want the kid and I want to talk to Mariah," I state.

"I'm not letting you near her," he shakes his head. Victor doesn't say a word. Which tells me that whatever she had to say was of interest to him. "The kid is inside,"

"Bring him out," I wave him off. His eyes flashed black very briefly.

"You're not in Hellbourne right now, babycakes. Don't talk to me like I'm one of your lackeys," he scoffs. I laugh.

"Oh, sweetie," I step into him. "Did you finally free your balls from the tight grasp of your little devil? Do you think you mean something now that your stone is turning a new piece? Go get the f*****g kid, Damian. I'm not f*****g around," a hiss works its way out of my lips. "Now,"

"Go, D. She's all snake right now," Victor steps closer to us but doesn't come any closer to me.

He's skeptical now. He can probably feel the coldness leaking out from inside of me. Good. I mean it. Rodrigo could have f*****g died and there is no way in hell I'm going to let any of it go. Damian backs off a couple of steps before giving his back to me. I watch as my father's mamba follows behind him as I turn my attention over to Victor. He smells amazing. A part of me likes it but there's a part of me that doesn't. He showered just before coming here. It's suspicious.

"What were you washing away?" I ask, leaning into him to take in the scent of his expensive soap.

He doesn't move when I step closer and place my hand flat on his chest. His eyes don't meet my expecting gaze. A boney hand wraps itself around my throat as I start jumping to conclusions. Just like her and Eve. Oh, sweet little Eve is rattled. Her fangs are bared and the reaper is fuming.

"Whoa, whoa," my dad comes over to me and places his hand on my shoulder. "Back away, B.B.,"

"What. Were. You. Trying. To. Wash. Away?" I repeat each word through gritted teeth. I shrug my dad off of me.

"I'm not scared of you, princess. I don't belong to you," Victor smirks. "I was with someone. A girl and I wasn't washing anything away to hide it,"

"Belladonna," my dad says my name carefully. "Calm down. Don't f*****g bait her, kid. She's in murder mode right now,"

"Let go of me, puto," we all turned to see Damian dragging Luis out by his hoodie.

He's tied up with expert knots. I laugh knowing that Victor was the one that tied him up. There's a little handmade dream catcher hanging off his rearview mirror. I step away from him not wanting to do anything rash where he's concerned. What the hell is this? It's worse than my need to wrap my hands around Luis Jimenez's f*****g throat and watch the life drain out of him. I push the anger I'm feeling toward Victor and I focus on this feeling instead. Just the sight of him tells me It'll be intimate. His eyes are on mine knowing that I'm the one that will deliver the cure to the sickness inside of him.

"Hello, Jimenez," I greet him.

"You," he growls when Damian pulls him up onto his feet. He has a collar around his neck with a leash attached to it. I smile when Damian steps towards me and hands me the end of the leash.

"For you," Damian says when I take it.

"You know how to flatter me, D. You know me as well as you know yourself but I'm in a position that doesn't need coaching. I handle that myself. We both know the ending result of this," I tug on the leash a little testing to make sure that it won't snap if I pull on it too hard.

"No amount of money you give me will be enough for me to give her up," he shakes his head.

"Okay," I nod. "Then I'll keep thinking,"

"Bella," he reaches for my arm but my dad growls at him. He takes a step back, letting it go.

"How are you feeling, Jimenez?" I asked. He looks like he took a great beating. I think I owe that to his dear brother.

"If you kill me my brother will come after you, perra," he spits in my direction barely missing my boots.

"This brother?" I ask, lifting my hand out in front of me.

A crow dives down from one of the lamps and lands on my hand. It's a baby. I pull her into me. She lets me stroke her back as the shadow hiding behind the Chevelle makes himself known. I let the bird take flight as she swoops around the small circle we've created and lands on Rodrigo's shoulder.

My heart is fluttering in my chest. He's wearing a black-on-black Valentino suit. His diamond studded earrings glisten as he steps into the light. The rings on his finger glisten as he reaches for his new best friend. I can't fight the smile tugging at my lips. Ro is absolutely gorgeous and he f*****g knows it.

"f**k," Victor growls as Rodrigo makes his way over to me, completely ignoring him.

"This is for you," I hold the leash out.

"Oh, this is cute," he says taking it. With one hard tug, he drops Luis face-first onto the grovel. I smile when Luis starts a stream of Spanish curses. "You are a romantic at heart, Bonita. I like that in a woman,"

"Thank you," I grin rocking forward and back in my boots. He looks me over taking me in. His pierced tongue peaks out as he lips and reluctantly tears his gaze from me.

"Luisito," he looks down at the bundle on the floor groaning. With a kick of his fancy-ass shoes, he pushes Luis onto his back. There are little pebbles embedded on his forehead. This is his first official feed and I get to see it.

"Rigo," he looks up into his older brother's eyes. There's so much hate in the way he's looking at him. "You really going to let this, puta come between us, Hermano?"

"Que estas haciendo, Luis?" he asks him putting his foot on his chest. Luis groans at the added pressure on his arms tied to his back. His breathing is coming in short little pants, in-out, in-out, speedily. I have to admit that I'm enjoying this a lot.

"What do you mean?" he chokes out. He is genuinely scared of Rodrigo. His pupils are fully dilated. What the hell is this? Why am I so excited? I didn't think it would be this way with him. I expect it from Lucien and Carson because we're part of the same stone.

"Why are you over here?" he asked. "Mariah, Jose, Stacy. Is Papa putting you up to this?"

"Stop f*****g around, Rigo, and let me up," he shakes his head.

"Vamos, pues," he pulls his phone out and proceeds to make a call.

"I like this kid," my dad leans closer to whisper in my ear. "He reminds me of Ashley our senior year. You're going to have a great time with this one,"

"You're my father. Should you really be saying that?" I ask.

"Oh, come on," he rolls his eyes. "You can turn that off for your dear old dad, can't you? It's our first hunting trip, Pinky. Lighten up,"

"Shut up," I roll my eyes. He laughs as the phone begins to ring.

"Bueno," a dark mysterious voice answers.

"Como estamos, Papa?" Rodrigo answers him.

"Emanuel," the voice greets him happily. "Que milagro, Hijo?"

"Todo bien, Papa. Aqui tengo a Luisito,"

"Mijo, como andan?" the man laughs like the idea of his two boys calling him while they together please him.

"Bien, Papa," Luis tries to steady his breathing.

"Que bueno, que bueno. Como les puedo ayudar?"

"Papa, Rigo anda bien loco con una puta ricachona," Luis rushes out in one breath. Rigo lifts his leg and kicks the s**t out of him. "Me esta pegando!"

"You f*****g p***y," Rodrigo kicks him again. The man on the phone makes an annoyed sound in the back of his throat that almost makes me laugh. Brothers.

"Ah, cabrones se andan peliando otra vez," the man growls angrily. I clasp my hand over my mouth trying to keep my laughter quiet. They both look at me. Luis in annoyance and Rodrigo amused. "Que esta pasando, Emanuel?"

"Papa, Luisito anda mal," Yes, Luisito is very wrong.

"No le agas caso, papa," Luis tries to defend himself.

"Aver, que esta haciedo pues?" the man demands annoyed.

"Violo a una ricachona con un groupo de pendjos de la academia," Rodrigo explains what his little brother and his friends did to Stacy without drawing it out. He gets right to the point.

"Hijo de la chinga. Pos que vas hacer, Rigo. Cosas pasan," his godfather is trying to tell him that sometimes s**t happens. I roll my eyes and look down at Luis.

"No eh terminado," Rodrigo gets serious. "La muchacha es una de las del Diablo. La amiga de su novia. Y pos vamos a tener funeral para la Chona,"

"Que?" the man pauses. He hadn't told him about their sister dying but he just told him that Carson, Lucien, and I killed his sister.

"Closed casket, Papa," he adds.

"Hijo de su puta madre," the man shouts.

"Anda corriendo con la negrita otra vez," Rodrigo adds Luis's situation with Thompson to top it all off.

"Papa, Papa," Luis shouts. Rodrigo kicks him again, a little harder this time. I hear the crack just before Luis cries out in pain.

"Como vas remedar la situacion, Pajaro?" that's not the same tone as before.

This man just tucked his personal feelings for the boys back and is all business. I imagine this scary Mexican papa is stroking a thick mustache and twisting the ends of it between his thumb and index finger. Maybe checking his freshly manicured hands for dirt. Who knows, he has a vibe and I am digging it. That's the man that taught Ro to be who he is now.

"I know the rules," Rodrigo says. "I'll take care of it,"

"Porque no me abres la casa? Y ahi te alcanso en la manana?" he asks. Rodrigo looks up at me as if asking if his papa coming into town is acceptable.

"Did you want to watch?" Rodrigo asks his papa.

"No, no, mijo. Me voy a llevar a Chavelita para que me ayude con los dos funerales," he clarifies.

"f**k," Luis groans.

"Preguntale al guero si le puedo llevar a su novia un regalito para su pobre amigita?" he asks about me. I smile.

"f**k yes," I nod.

"Que si dice," Rodrigo smirks.

"Y esta bonita, Rigo?" he asks with a laugh.

"Oh, yeah. Very," he answers looking me over.

"Orale mijo. No mas no te vayas a meter en problems con ese Diablo culero,"

"Of course, not," he reassures him. I love how they talk about Carson as if messing with him would be the worst possible thing imaginable. I turn back to the darkness along the tree line where Carson is and smile. These scary Mexican dudes are scared of him. What the actual f**k?

"Orale pues, mijo. Hablanos mas, wey. Tu madrina y yo tambien te estranamos, chingada,"

"I promise to call more, papa. Give mama a kiss for me," oh, they're his godparents. That makes sense.

"I promise," the man repeats mockingly. "Oh, I promise" he scoffs. "Cabron. Andale pues. Buenas noches, mijo. Dios lo bendiga,"

"Igualmente, papa. I'll see you tomorrow," Rigo looks at his brother after his godfather gives him his blessing.

"Papa," Luis cries out but the line goes dead.

"How did you get like this?" Rodrigo asks his brother. "You used to be a good kid,"

"f**k you," Luis shakes his head. "You don't know s**t about me, Rigo. All you care about is la familia. A la familia no se le dice que no. A la familia no se le esconde. A la familia no se le miente. You f*****g hypocrite. You're not even a Jimenez,"

"You tell anyone about that?" he asks him.

"What was I going to say? Hmm? Papa your favorite godson isn't even your blood? You want me to kill him? He's my papa too," he looks away.

"Oh, no. This just got sad," I put my hand over my chest. They both look at me or well, everyone is looking at me.

"You f*****g b***h," Luis shakes his head. "What did you do to him?"

"Me? I didn't do anything to him. This is all you, buddy. I mean you had everything. All of it. He was ready to kill me at the pizza parlor. Me, Carson, Lucien all of us. For you. You went to the best school in Hellbourne. You had everything you could possibly need and you f****d it up. Why is that?"

"Just f*****g kill me," he shakes his head. I put my hand up to stop anyone from taking a shot at this kid. I go over to crouch down across from Rodrigo. I wrapped my arms around my knees tightly to look into his eyes.

"How are you doing, big guy?" I ask him.

"I'm good," he nods.

"Yeah? Why don't you take a step back? Let me finish this for you,"

"No, no. Don't let this freaky b***h kill me, Rigo," Luis pleads. Rodrigo stands up without breaking eye contact with me. "Rigo, Rigo!"

"That's enough," I say.

I cover his mouth cupping it so he doesn't bite me. His eyes go wide when Eve slithers out from under my sleeve and he stops breathing when the Reaper places her blackened hand on my head. It's not my Reaper, she's standing next to Rodrigo petting the cute little crow on his shoulder. It's my father's. The savage thing with my mother's face.

"What do you want to do to him, B.B.?" my dad asks. A wild image flashes in front of me. Luis standing in the gas chamber back in my lab where the mannequin stood. Tied to a chair, a piece of duct tape over his mouth, and tears streaming down his face. We'd all enjoy that. All of us. Except maybe Rodrigo. "Good choice,"

"I don't know. We'd have to drive with him all the way back. It feels like a drag, no? Wait, can you read my mind?" I ask looking up at him.

"Yes," he smiles.

"Is that new?" I do not want to be able to do that. f**k no. The last thing I need is to be able to see the f****d up s**t others have in their heads along with my own.

"Yeah," he sighs. "Useful but not my favorite thing,"

"You can hear everything in my head? All of us?"

"Only when she touches you," he points at his insane-looking version of my mother. I don't hate it. It scares me that this is what his Reaper looks like but I don't hate it.

"Oh, I thought it was all the time. Scared me for a bit," I shook off the potentially embarrassing anxiety that was building up. He laughs.

"Parades her boyfriends in front of me but draws a line at fantasizing over them in her head," he smirks.

"Yeah, that's what I'd hate for you to hear," I say sarcastically. That's not it at all. Sexy daydreaming is mild compared to all the other things I hide.

"Are we done here?" Damian asks.

"James, why don't we take little Jimenez back to the house? We'll start the popcorn," my dad pulls his reaper away. James materializes out of nowhere and comes over to my dad.

"Yes, sir,"

James pulls a roll of tape out of thin air and stretches it open. He crouches down in front of my classmate. I removed my hand and he quickly covers Luis's lips with the tape before he could scream. He pulls him up and tosses him over his shoulder like he weighs nothing and I imagine it's terrifying for a man to be handled this way. To be Luis Jimenez's size only to realize that even being as big as he is, there are people out there who can still dominate.

"He's coming with us," I informed Damian and Victor. "Now, about that chat,"