Hallows: Black Death

Cymbeline?

Pierce The Veil- Disasterology

B.B.:

Black Death is a type of reaper that can grant a desire so as long as the price is met. I'm talking about masses of reaps at once and or a specific soul. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what my dad could have wanted so badly to make a deal like the one he had and now that I know. I can't help but feel guilty. But I'm also relieved. If it had been for something stupid like power, I'd find a way to get rid of him for good. It's a biased way to look at the situation, I know that but he's my father and I am his daughter. It's starting to look like the apple didn't fall far enough from the tree.

"You up?" the tap on the door gets me to sit up. He pokes his head in and smiles when his eyes land on me. I hope I don't get used to that any time soon but it is adorable.

"Can you sleep?" I ask.

"Yeah, flesh and bone. Just like you," he taps his chest. The blackness in his eyes is gone. He's really himself. As if he never died. How long do I have him? "Up, James made breakfast and your guys are pulling in,"

"I've been up," I nod. I wasn't able to talk them out of leaving last night but they left early in the morning while I was out on my run.

"Question and I f*****g hate myself for it but can you get more of that?" he asks pointing at the half-smoked blunt on my desk. He walks in and snags it.

"Yeah," I laugh. This feels a lot like it did when Ashley first got back. I hope not because I don't know if I could give him that. At least, not without completely dying on the inside.

"Thank you," he spins around on his heels and walks right out.

"I'm going to want my lighter back," I call after him.

"It was mine first," he laughs pausing in the doorway.

"Yeah, well you're dead so nothing belongs to you anymore," I scoff. He lets out a barking laugh before slamming the door shut.

I get ready for the day and rush down to see Luc and my dad talking about the weed in his hand. They both look at me. Lucien smiles in a way that makes my face flush. We haven't spoken about what happened at the party but things don't feel as heavy as they were. I look down at my burned arm. It hurts. I had to wrap it in plastic to shower. I took the bandage off because it got a little sweaty.

"Would you like me to wrap your arm, Miss?" James asks. I nod taking a seat behind my dad's desk. I start up my computer and reached for my iPad in the drawer.

"Does this ever get old?" my dad appears behind me.

He's quiet. Comes out of nowhere. I don't remember him being that creepy. At least not with me but maybe I just wasn't aware of the dangers before. There were none but now, I'm not sure what it is I'm dealing with here. He looks, smells, and speaks like my father but he's been gone a very long time now. What has he been up to? Why is everything around him so... dark?

"Never," I smile as I run the numbers on Damian's account. "It's gotten easier actually,"

I've been skimming the smaller companies to build up a good amount before I go for the bigger ones. I know I promised two million but this account has a dash of luck to it or maybe I'm trying a little extra because I don't want him to get mad at me for touching his Crow. I had a dream about Victor last night and I woke up with a throb between my legs. I want to blame it on the weed but I can't. That's not what the weed was designed for. This particular strain is for creative minds. The ones that can turn the panic of our minds into a work of art. Poetry, literature, art, music, and all the greatest pieces of history.

"Show me that mad science," he turns his head slightly to face me.

"Mad science?" Carson asks instantly catching his attention.

"Oh, you haven't shared your little hobbies with your boyfriends?" my dad goes around the desk and takes a seat across from me. "Oh, yeah. She's a real Dr. Frankie Stein,"

"What is he talking about?" Lucien asks.

I laugh because I know exactly what he's doing. He's diverting our attention. The only other person I know that knows how to do that with ease is Carson. A little trick he picked up from my sister. The two of them used to take turns distracting me growing up. They'd steal my candy staches and fastest RC cars. She'd always wait until I was done building them and they would break them before I got a chance to see how fast I could get them to go.

"If you can find my lab, I'll tell you whatever you want," I shrug. "You're not allowed to tell them, dad,"

"Aww come on, Pinky. Blondie over there likes watching his birds peck people to death. The other one ties up his victims. They both like watching you work. Remember kids, there are no secrets in the Stone," he chastises. The guys think he's charming but they're just as wry as I am. If not more. Especially, Carson. He seems a lot more alert, like he ready to jump in front of a bullet for me.

"I wasn't aware of a lab," James places a tray in front of me. Toast and eggs. Butter and powdered sugar. Black tea.

"You can help them look for it," I shrug as I butter my toast and then sprinkle sugar on top.

Carson stands up and walks directly to the entrance as if he knows. He stops in front of my nook and glances back at me. He takes a seat and sits back watching me as I continue to eat my breakfast. Fucker. I hate that he knows me so well.

"It's not upstairs or the basement," Luc smirks, meeting my gaze. "That leaves this room. That right there is your favorite spot. Lift the cushion,"

"It's not under the cushion. That's too easy," Carson shakes his head.

He leans back looking around the small space. I take a sip of tea when his fingers brush against my collection of Shakespeare art editions. I smile and set it down before I continue to eat.

"Romeo and Juliet was Delilah's favorite," Luc goes over to him. "You quote it so people know where it's from but your sense of literature is darker. Deadly even with a little romance. Macbeth?" he pulls the book out. "No? Hamlet?" he hands the books to Carson. "No,"

"Try Titus Andronicus," Carson suggests. That's a good one. I have to give him credit for it. Not a lot of people actually knows it exists.

"Nope," Luc drops the book on his lap.

"No?" Carson meets my stare with challenge. He sits up to set the books down. He turn around to look at the titles before he turns to look at me. "B.B.," he smirks. "Cymbeline? You? Really?"

"Shut up," I roll my eyes as he reaches for it.

The back of the shelf slides open to reveal the darkness behind it and the lights of my labs begin to flicker on. I haven't been down there in weeks. Since I started staying here and because I am a little in love with the New City H.L.R building right now. I set up a feeding system for the toads I have in there. The two of them fist-bump one another as the peer inside.

"I dusted these the night before yesterday. Miss Blackstone, color me impressed," James goes over to the guys to get a peek of his own.

"Did you come back from hell to torment me, dad?" I ask, finishing my tea. He chuckles.

"Maybe," he shrugs. "Why don't you show the boys your toys while James and I pay the toad a little visit?"

"Sure," I nod. See, he's trying to distract us and it's working. I honestly don't want to get caught up in anything that involves ghosts unless the ghost in question is my sister.

"Is it okay for you to be out during the day?" Lucien asks.

"Only Hollows and demons can see me," my dad slips my Ray-Bans on his head. "James,"

"Yes, sir," James walks over to the door. I stop my dad before he walks away. I grab him by his black flannel. Mom never threw his things out and well, I didn't want to either. I don't. They'll probably stay in my parent's bedroom forever.

"I'll be fine, B.B.," he taps my hand.

"I'm not worried about you. Don't kill her yet. I want to know what she's doing,"

"Belladonna," he places his hand on his chest as if he were shocked. "You look like you're all business but you like playing games. Ash didn't stand a chance against you, huh? You just got away with whatever the f**k you wanted, didn't you?"

"Not even the cops are immune. Ask papa Espinosa," Carson scoffs.

The smile on my father's face fades. Black begins to leak into his eyes like ink falling to water. I gasp when his hand shoots out, wrapping itself around my mouth. His fingers dug into my cheeks hard enough to make me whimper. Carson pulls a gun out from the inside of his hoodie aiming it at my dad's face. I put my hand up stopping him before he comes any closer. My dad doesn't let me go. The warmth in the room is gone replaced by the cold of his endless darkness. In an instant, our playful banter goes up in smoke.

"Espinosa is still coming around here?" he growls. The tip of his split black tongue slithers out from between his lips the same way Eve's does. Carson isn't putting the gun down. He acutally looks ready to pull the trigger. "You care about him? Do you even know who he really is?"

"Dad," I place my hand on his wrist gently.

"He's not a good person, B.B. He's the worst kind of predator Hellbourne has to offer disguised as a f*****g hero," he growls pulling me closer. Carson pulls the hammer on the back of his silver gun. My heart is racing like never before. "I forbid you from going anywhere near that motherfucker. Do you understand me, Belladonna?"

"Yes," I nod. He lets me go, I stumble back, my hands instantly going up to my face to try and ease the ache he left in my jaw and cheekbones. He growls dropping the glasses over his demonic eyes.

"I will not be repeating myself, Belladonna. Do not let that motherfucker in my house again. He might not be able to see me but it doesn't mean I can't touch him," he yanks the door open and walks out. James looks back at me worriedly. I wave him off. He gives me a single nod and follows my dad out.

"Are you okay?" Luc asks coming over to me. I open my mouth and flex my jaw until it pops. Carson finally puts his gun down. He opens his hoodie to put the gun back into the holster hidden in there. Is it wrong that I think that's hot as s**t?

"I'm fine," I push off the desk and go over to the entrance of my lab. I sit down on the nook and slid into the opening. The floor lights turn on as I walk inside.

"That's not the first time he's done that," Carson states.

He's not wrong. My dad's always had a temper. He's never beat me or hurt me but he has always been rough. Even with my mom but I think it excited her more than it scared her. Me? Well, he terrifies me. He always has but my love for him is stronger. He's my dad. There are just some lessons that soft-spoken words can't teach. Not that I ever listen to anyone who treats me like I'm made of glass. He never did.

"Has he ever hurt you?" Luc asks.

"Never," I answer truthfully. "He's just like that,"

"B.B.," Carson puts his hand on my shoulder. I turn around to face them and smile.

"I'm serious. That's how he is when he's upset. Espinosa and my dad go way back. They used to be best friends. Don't ever bring him up in front of my dad ever again. He won't hurt me but he won't have a problem with hurting one of you. No Espinosa, no mayor Halestorm, and one hundred percent, never mention Audrey Delioncourt in front of him,"

"Rosa's mom?" Luc asks. I nod.

"If he finds out she's alive and that her daughter is a spitting image of her, he'll kill them all,"