The Desire of a Hybrid

Chapter 48- Fast Car

The next day I had my hands on the steering wheel of Robbins' car, driving stoically up the motorway to North California. Dev was slouching around in the back with an impressive expression of boredom; Robbins had a map out above Il Libro Dei Demoni for extra navigational support; and I was focused intently on the directions the Satnav was giving us. It was the only thing I could do to occupy my mind in the silence of the car. 

The quiet was my fault, however. As soon as I'd told Darcy and Dev that Carmen had left, I hadn't been able to meet their eyes, much less keep up a conversation. The embarrassment and the anger of being made weak and vulnerable just caused too much shame within me, and their reactions didn't exactly help. Dev had been completely cold and callous to the news, unable to share a shred of compassion for what had just happened to me- the hug in my bedroom clearly forgotten; whilst Robbins had looked at me with an expression of pity which was worse by far. I'd rather a lack of sympathy than too much any day.  

Driving was at least some way of diverting my thoughts, but it wasn't working as much as I wanted it to. The ache in my chest still felt unbearable, and after getting over the initial shock of her departure I couldn't help the sting of betrayal within either. 

She told me she wouldn't leave. So why did she? 

It was a question I'd toyed with over and over again last night before I fell into a fitful and restless sleep. The reason we'd been fighting yesterday was mainly because of her refusal to leave my side, so I didn't understand how she could just go like that. What the hell was going on there? 

Maybe she had been lying, and I couldn't believe I'd come to that conclusion considering how honest she was with me, but it was the only thing I could think of. Maybe she didn't really love me at all. Maybe she was just looking for a chance to leave. 

I was also worried about her. My anxiety for her was another emotion I couldn't help, but this one was a bit more reasoned. I knew she said that she was safe, and she might have been, but there was still a chance they could find her. 

And then I would lose her again, but in the worst way possible. 

I couldn't let that happen. 

Then again, I had no power to stop it. She'd just told me she was staying with a friend, but that friend could be anyone anywhere. She was out of my control now. I had no way of keeping her safe. 

I made a right turn and we were off the highway for the first time in a while. The white Maverick that was originally behind me sped on, whilst a black SUV with tinted windows took a sharp right towards our direction. 

We drove on for another hour in complete silence, lost in our own thoughts and troubles. Robbins had put on the radio for a bit but after one crappy song after another, she quickly switched it off, although I kind of wanted her to keep it on. It could be another form of distraction for me. 

"We're nearly there," she finally spoke up, breaking the quiet, after ten minutes of driving down country roads. She gestured to the Satnav. "There's not much around here, but I'm guessing the place we want to go is an abandoned monastery nearby." 

I nodded. She was probably right, although I had no desire to meet the American version of the Italian Guardians. They probably had demon destroying guns instead of knives. 

We lapsed into silence again, and my heavy thoughts came back to me. I tried not to sigh out loud and voice the frustration within. Why didn't she just go to the Safe House like I'd asked her to? Was she that stubborn? Was she that against doing something I wanted? I was just trying to keep her safe. 

I frowned. I knew Carmen. I'd seen her in a dangerous situation before, and she had been very agreeable to my demands to save both of us, even when she didn't understand what I was. She wasn't a foolish girl, well, for the most part, and she didn't have a death wish. Surely if she was planning on going away, she would have gone with the most safest option for her. 

I shifted in my seat and I began to grow suspicious. This didn't add up. None of it. The whole damn thing. Something was amiss. 

We drove past a load of trees until the road sat against a massive expanse of dried up grass, a field that in the Spring would be teeming with life and greenery. A crumbling building sat tucked away right in the corner of the gigantic field and by the distance the Satnav was showing us, I guessed that it was our destination. 

Finally.

I glanced in my mirror and I noticed suddenly that the Black SUV from earlier was still following us, but it wasn't alone anymore. I could make out at least two behind it, maybe more. 

I let out a curse. I'd been too preoccupied with my own thoughts to notice that we were being stalked. "Dev, can you try see who's driving the car behind?" 

"Why?" 

"Just do it," I growled at him. 

"Nah." 

I was about to lose my shit with him when another black SUV came barrelling down from the opposite direction of the one way road, heading straight for a purposeful crash. I swerved to the left and sped down towards the monastery, pumping the gas furiously on dry grass. 

The cars behind us followed suit and I heard gun shots from behind. 

"Keep your head down!" I yelled as I heard the back windscreen smash. 

We all ducked and I struggled to keep going, guiding myself by instinct. I heard another shot and the Satnav crumbled to the floor as a bullet crashed through it. 

Robbins let out a shocked gasp. "Who the hell is shooting at us?"

"Demons probably," I growled out, hearing more bullets hit the body of the car. "I'm surprised they haven't attacked us before." 

"But how did they know we were coming here?" 

I scowled. "That's a brilliant question." 

"Uh Roman," Dev piped up, sounding anxious. "I think they're aiming for the tires." 

As soon as he said it I heard the sinister hissing sound of a mighty puncture. The two back wheels must've been hit as the boot started to droop and scrape across the ground. The car began to spin out of control and I was forced to slam the breaks, bringing the death trap of a vehicle to a sudden, crunching stop. 

The five SUV's following us parked themselves in a line behind us and I sighed, glancing at both Dev and Darcy with a sharp intake of breath. 

"I guess it's time to meet our maker."