The Unknown Number

Ninety-three - Devil

Erik's POV

Looking at my watch, I saw that it was 6am. I had allowed myself to sleep for an extra hour. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to go for a run then manage to get back in time for work however all I can do is try. Quietly crawling out of my bed, I changed into a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie. I walked into the living room then opened the front door and found myself eye to eye with a woman. Stepping back in shock I exclaimed "who the fuck are you?"

Everything about this woman seemed to make my blood boil, her strictly cut brunette hair, her cold glaring eyes, and her unamused expression plastered over her face, contorting her muscles so they looked like they were etched into stone.

"I was beginning to wonder if the inhabitants were dead, I've been waiting outside for 6 hours." She sneered.

"You do realise, at night time, people like to sleep." I grumbled.

She ignored me.

"Is this where Charles Francis lives?" She asked.

"Yes it is." I confirmed.

A soft pitter patter of feet made me aware of how loud this woman was, evidently she had woken up Charles.

"Eri, who on earth is talking to you at this godforsaken hour?" Charles chuckled, getting out two mugs.

"Ah Charles there you are." The woman stated.

All the colour drained out of Charles' face as he caught sight of the woman in the doorway.

"Are you not going to say hello to your mother?"

Charles had frozen, I'd never seen him like that before. Walking over to his side I bent my head close to his and whispered "Schatz, are you alright?"

He couldn't respond. The shock had paralysed him.

Eleanor's door opened and she strutted out dressed in her business attire. At the sight of her mother she turned to me and asked, "Erik, why is there a shrieking, old devil in the doorway?"

Their mother howled with rage "how dare you, I am a woman of God not a devil."

"That noise you just made said otherwise." Eleanor grinned, "honestly I thought the elusive species of fork-tongued lizard bitches were extinct."

Somehow those few insults had brought Charles out of his silence, winking at me, Eleanor kissed Charles on the cheek then mumbled "come in Charles, you little princess needs her knight in shining armour."

Charles stood up then walked over to his mother, shoulders squared and looking more confident than I had ever seen.

"What, did you want." He asked, his voice colder than I'd ever heard it, it was almost frightening.

"I've been informed that you're engaged so I came to collect my wedding invitation and I wanted to meet the woman who will become my daughter in law."

Charles laughed. It wasn't the beautiful, musical laugh I was used to, instead it was cold and humourless.

"You think you're coming to my wedding. Dear me Barbra, I always knew you'd go senile in old age."

"How dare you."

"Oh I dare. You will not be coming to my wedding, you will be too busy being trapped under a house in Munchkinland. And as for my fiancé, well you've already met him."

Walking over to Charles I wrapped my arm around his waist.

"So you're still...one of those." Barbra grimaced.

"One of what exactly."

Eleanor grinned at Charles' tone while I had to try not to show any emotion at the sound of it. It was low, frosty and dangerous (and also extremely hot).