House on the Hill

Chapter 8

The demon beside me watched Cassandra with his hollow black eyes, while I was sat uncomfortably next to him, staring at my cup of tea to avoid Felix's gaze.

"I have been informed that you specifically asked for me." Cassandra started, glancing between the demon and me. "Truth be told I do not understand why..."

"You are the highest ranking witch on this continent and I require your services." The demon spoke, his tone void of all the earlier softness.

"And what would those 'services' include?" Felix raised his eyebrow.

"To keep your mouths shut about me and my mistress."

"And who are you to order us around?!" A pink haired girl asked, suddenly screaming at us and making me flinch.

"I am Amy, one of the 72 demons from the book of Solomon." Amy answered.

A deadly silence fell over the crowd. Even Cassandra was silent.

My head throbbed from the scream the pink haired girl let out, and from the conversation that went on between Cassandra and Amy.

"Why do you need us to keep quiet?" Cassandra broke the silence. "I can assure you we won't utter a word but still, why?"

Amy glanced at me and I averted my gaze. This is a topic I'd rather evade with every fiber of my body, but it always seems to follow me.

"Bad men will come." I said, still not meeting anybody in the eyes. "And when they do, you will be the first people they come to for information."

"And if you don't give them the right answer, I can safely confirm, you will not be seen alive again." Amy added, with the most screwed up smile yet.

Cassandra only blinked and got the idea that we won't tell her anything else. She nodded her head in understanding and glared at the people around her.

"Get useful and go prepare dinner." She said a bit to harshly. "Our guests must be starving."

"I don't want to impose on you anymore than I already have." I said, finally looking straight into her eyes. "I would like to rest."

Cassandra nodded and motioned for Alicia to guide me back to the room I was in before. As Amy stood up and helped me up, I turned to look at Cassandra.

"Thank you for helping us out."

"Honey, you shouldn't be thanking me." She smiled.

Alicia took my hand in hers and guided us back to the room. She left me inside, telling me that the dress was now mine and to not even thing of giving it back. Sitting down on the bed, my mind traveled further back to when I first met Felix and Alicia. I'd never have thought they'd be witches.

"You should get some sleep." Amy said, gently brushing away my bangs.

"I'm afraid Amy... What if they find me?" I started panicking.

"Then I will protect you like I always do." He smiled.

"I don't want any more people dying for saving me... They don't deserve it... I'm not worth it."

"Don't talk like that." Amy sighed. "You are a very special young lady. Don't doubt yourself Eve."

I nodded weakly and Amy smiled. He then gently tucked me in and went to walk away, but I caught him by the sleeve. He shook his head, his red hair flying about, and laid down next to me. As much as I was terrified of him, I still depended on him too much.

After all, he did save my life.

* * *

The next morning was the most ugliest morning in my life.

After waking up, curled up like a ball in Amy's side, I changed into my clothes from yesterday and stuffed the dress into my bag. Amy did not wish to leave me, so we decided it would be best if he were to become invisible to my family's eyes. But what hit me most, was the daily newspaper with the headline 'Teens killed in a premature prank, investigation in process'.

And so the death threatening phone calls from my father had begun in the early hours of dawn.

"Aren't you gonna answer that?" The pink haired girl asked me annoyed.

I only looked up at her bored and continued eating. Cassandra wouldn't let us leave without at least having breakfast with them. My phone continued to vibrate in my pocket and I pulled it out and took the SIM card out, breaking it in half out of anger.

"So..." Cassandra said, testing if I would snap at them and sighing in relief when I stayed quiet. "I hear you are an artist."

"Where did you hear that?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Alicia told me you draw beautiful doves. I am curious to see what kind of technique you have."

"Only thing she can draw are birds that shit on people." Strawberry milkshake head snorted.

"Do you sell your art?" Cassandra didn't pay attention to the overly confident girl.

I nodded my head and strawberry milkshake started laughing like a maniac. This produced a narrow eyed glare from me and a cold look from Amy. The people at the table were surprisingly quiet, which made me think about this girl a bit more. What is her status in this coven?

"She sells her art of bird shits?" She wiped a fake tear.

"Eve's highest ranking sale was a picture worth 500.000$. It was a portrait of a girl." Amy began talking. "I think you humans named the picture The weeping maiden."

"You sold a painting for half a million dollars?!" Dylan, the blonde goth who Kylie drooled over, kissed the floor with his mouth.

"Yes. She sold paintings from 1000$ to 500.000$." Amy smugly grinned at strawberry milkshake.

The girl was fuming with anger because she just got owned. Alicia was giggling from across me, while Cassandra smiled. I have a weird feeling about her smile.

"Would you mind doing a painting for our coven?" She asked. "We'll pay you of course."

"I don't mind making a painting for you, but you don't have to pay me at all." I smiled, making everyone stare at me. "Consider it a token of gratitude."

Alicia smiled at me, her round eyes glowing.

"Great. Then I shall ask you to paint our goddess, Morrigan."