Demon Heart

Chapter 17.1~Poetry

AZA

The back's of Aza's legs bumped into the stair behind her as she lurched back. Her bottom lip started to shake. "Ms. Danes," She whispered.

The woman shook her head. "No, not here. You," her stare passed back over Lucis and Del. "All three of you, go upstairs. We're going to talk."

Aza glanced back at the brothers, but Del's expression was blank and Lucis's was tense as he gave Evabelle's mother was a pained look. None of them moved.

"GO!" Ms. Danes shrieked, making Aza jump. "Or I will call the police, right now!"

Lucis gave Aza a nod, and she slowly slid past each Anahalian and lead the way back up to Evabelle's apartment. They moved in silence as Ms. Danes informed someone of the mess by the stairs before hurriedly following them up and unlocking the door. She jerked her head forward. "Go on,"

The three of them entered and stood in the entry, awkwardly glancing around. Aza didn't find any sign of Thom. He hadn't been with his mother, so maybe he was out with friends. It made her glad to know she wouldn't have to see both the Danes' broken faces.

"Sit," Ms. Danes quipped, gesturing toward the couch. They did as they were told with Lucis on one end, Del in the middle, and Aza in the other corner beside the side table where she could see the newspaper with several coffee rings on it. Evabelle's mother straightened up to full-height and glared down at them all. "Now you're going to tell me the truth," She directed at Aza, but she slid her gaze over to the boys and said, "And you're going to tell me how you two are involved."

Aza turned her head to look to Lucis, but Ms. Danes snapped her fingers. "No, you only get to look at me. If these two have hurt you or Evabelle, I don't want you listening to them."

Aza shook her head. "No, they haven't hurt us. Look, I can promise you that Evabelle is saf...alive and well." She changed her mind from saying 'safe' since that was certainly not true. "She's healthy. We haven't been abused or anything."

Ms. Dane's breathing was shallow as she stared a little bug-eyed at her daughter's best friend. "Then where is she?" She asked slowly, her voice cracking.

Aza closed her eyes and bowed her head. "I can't tell you that."

Ms. Danes let out a cry and shook her fists at the ceiling, cursing the heavens. Then she swept forward and knelt in front of Aza, grabbing her hands. "Please, Aza. You can tell me. Please, please, please!"

Morgan Danes had always been so collected and put together. She had been proud and always stood upright. In many ways she reminded Aza of Calandra, but now this woman was unrecognizable. Her dark sleek hair, always up in a bun, now lay lank and limp around her shoulders. Her contoured face was something that had given her a regal air was now gone as all the little lines and wrinkles, shone plainly and seemed deeper. Her eyes, sometimes distant and cold, but always loving and protective, now seemed so utterly lost and shattered that Aza's own eyes started to burn.

The small blonde slammed her eyes shut. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," her fingers curled tightly around the older woman's, but they were quickly wrenched back.

Ms. Danes turned away her entire body shaking, and her hand over her mouth. "I let her go to that party," She whispered. "Then I waited for her to come home. I was drinking coffee to make sure I stayed awake, but I still ended up asleep. I woke up the next day to find Evabelle gone. I went to your apartment and your stupid uncle wasn't there, but I knew you were gone too. I've looked e-everywhere. I called the police. I--"