Fate's Path
Shopping Trip

When Kiera dragged Chris back into my room, I was happy to head out the door with my best friends. Chris has been cleaned up nicely. His pinkish-white hair was still wild, and his pale skin tainted with only a few scars, his hoodie had even been replaced with a new dark blue one, and he was grinning. Since I had first found out that Chris was in danger, I have been longing to see his bright smile and now I finally could. “Can we take Seymour?” I asked, wrapping and arm around the dog, as we both have those well-known puppy-dog eyes. Chris laughs and nods, Connor does the same, Kiera is too busy petting Gideon on the head. She glances up quickly and nods, then stands and leads us outside. I almost cough in shock as I see that all around the house is a huge green lawn. A gate separates us from the rest of Hell. Responsum is standing beside the metal gate.

“I have enchanted the gate with a portal spell. When you open it, the portal through the gate will take you wherever you think about. Seymour will go with whoever has a hand on him. Here are the places you should check out.” He starts pointing at the top one. “It’s Walmart. You can get as much normal food and things as you want. I recommend you get clothes and other necessities. This one is for Piper to get blood and I ask that you get me ingredients for my spells as well.” He doesn’t waste time before opening the gate and shoving us through. Responsum slides a piece of paper into my leather jacket’s pocket. I hug Seymour close to me and squeeze my eyes closed.

The portal grips me in a white light that I can see as red on the back of my eyelids. My stomach drops and I think I may hurl but I land on hard ground and my gut fixes itself. I groan but my eyes snapped open at the feel of burning concrete. The sun was blinding but Seymour knocked the shock out of me with slobbery licks.

I let out a laugh. Connor’s face loomed over me as he pulled me up. I looked around us and let out a breath as I saw Chris and Kiera. Seymour has a leash on and I raised an eyebrow. “When did you get that?”

'Responsum must have slipped it on him when we were going through the portal.' I heard Kiera think as she linked arms with Connor. “Come on, please? I want to try and replace something with you.” She tugged on his arm after bending down to grab Seymour’s leash, and he went with her without a fight. I watched them go and shrugged. Chris and I were quiet at first before I broke the silence.

“Chris, I am so sorry!” I blurted out as we looked through the frozen meat section. His head turned in my direction as he dropped ground beef into the cart.

“For what?” Chris asked, turning back to the meat. I stared for a long moment at a pack of bacon, trying to figure out what to say or how to say what I want to say. What am I supposed to say to him? I know Kiera dragged Connor away to the other side of the store so I could have time alone with Chris and now I don’t know the right words to say. Just tell him how you feel, Piper. I continue on down the meat aisle after him. I sucked in a breath and let it out with a shaking sigh. I just have to say it! It shouldn’t be this hard. He is my brother and one of my best friends.

“Chris.” He stops and turns to look at me. “I am sorry because I didn’t protect you! You were taken. You were tortured.” I felt a sharp pang in my chest as I remember the shape he was in when I found him. I nearly ran him over with the cart but he didn’t so much as blink as he placed a firm hand on the cart to halt it. “It’s all my fault!” I tighten my grip on the cart’s handle, almost crushing it.

“Piper. It’s not your fault. It never was. Why on Earth do you think it is your fault?” His voice was soft and loving. I grimaced. Maybe he didn’t see the note? As if hearing my thought he says. “I saw the note, Piper. I had to watch and listen as they carved up Kiera’s arm. I know he did everything to us to get to you. Despite that, you still found me, and I don’t blame you for a single thing. I would do it all over again if it meant you weren’t hurt as I was.” Chris didn’t move from where he stood. His eyes met mine, as they had when I saw him after everything Max had done. His eyes were full of so much emotion; pain, sadness, and love. But not a single amount of anger or regret was present.

“But I would. I would have changed it. I would have changed everything.” I blink rapidly to keep the tears from falling. He flinched and I quickly released the cart handle so I didn’t break it.

“Don’t do that.” I was about to ask him what he was talking about, but his bright eyes stopped me. They seemed to almost glow all the colors of the rainbow. It took a moment to see he was using his power on me. Grabbing each part of my demon soul and silencing me. I couldn’t even be mad, I was just relieved to have him back. “Don’t shed any more tears.” He slowly removed his hand from the cart and stepped towards me. I almost expect him to hug me but instead he furrows his brows and squints at me. “Aren’t your eyes supposed to be brown in the land on the living?” He asks, releasing his hold on my soul.

“Yes. Why?” I raised an eyebrow, and, after making sure no one was watching, he created a mirror out of nowhere. “Vain much?” I teased him, glad when he chuckled. He opened it and turned it to me. A mirror was reflecting a picture of me back to myself. My eyes went wide and I covered my mouth to conceal a gasp. “M-my eyes!” They were bright red. The chocolate color was completely gone. There wasn’t a single other color within the irises. I started to feel light headed when I pulled my hand away and saw my fangs. Had they been out the whole time? Or did they just come out in my distress? I caught myself on a railing that lined the meat aisle. Chris reached to steady me as he examined my panicked eyes.

“If it makes you feel better, you can hardly tell the difference.” He smiled, trying to cheer me up. After all of this, he is still trying to help me.

I take a deep breath and force myself to return the smile. I nodded. “I think I may know what we are buying next.” He gave me a curious look and I pressed my lips into a thin line before whispering so no passerby would see my fangs. “Colored contacts.”

Chris laughed. “You sure recover from shock fast,” He said and straightened his back. He started to push the cart, wincing when he looked at the handle.

“What?” He started to walk away from me. “Chris?” I called after him, replaceing it hard to run at a human pace to catch up to him. The second I touched his shoulder, he started whistling and walked faster. I nearly tripped in my hurry to keep up. “What the hell? Chris?” He still didn’t respond but had an amused expression on his face. “Christopher Kuro!” He finally looks at me.

“You haven’t called me my full name in... ever.” Chris smiled but he looked suddenly troubled by a thought. “Is your last name Kuro then? Since we are siblings. Or is my last name Gale? It's a thought that has been nagging at me since I woke up.” He wrinkled his nose, deep in thought.

“My full name is Piper Scarlet Gale-Kuro. I don’t understand why mother and father had to name me something where the words did not flow together!” I throw my hands into the air to emphasize my point. It slipped my mind that he had avoided responding to me question, veering into the subject of our shared last name.

“Piper Scarlet Gale-Kuro.” He said my name slowly, one word at a time, before he started laughing again. “Hey, it’s better than having Yvette as your middle name.” He shrugged.

“You know. I haven’t thought of that until now, but you are so right! I will never complain about my name ever again!” I erupted into a fit of giggles as I dug my fingers into the fabric of his new hoodie. Chris waited patiently until I stopped laughing, then kept walking as if nothing had happened. I nearly ran into several shelves of products in my attempt to hide my eyes from any humans.

Chris stopped, and I nearly tumbled into him. “Which eye color would you like?” He lowered some options for me to see. I let out a low hiss.

“Really, Chris?” I took a moment to shoot him a glare. He had showed me three colors: Red ‘I have enough of that’, Vibrant green ‘Dude, I’m not a Lupin!’, and Pink ‘No, just no. Does he even know me?’

He smirked but held out three other ones: Orange ‘I had no idea that was an eye contact color’, Violet ‘That’s better’, Chocolate brown ‘Finally!’ I snatch the chocolate colored ones out of his hands and nod. Chris groaned and my gaze flickered to him. “Can’t you choose something cooler than that? Like yellow? Or a light pink? Or even black!” I rolled my eyes.

“Shut up. This will blend in more.” I move to go pay quickly but he groans again and I turn to him. “What’s wrong?” My expression is worried until I see a huge grin spread across his face.

“Can’t you pick blue? You always wanted blue eyes and now you have the chance. Are you just going to waste it?” Wow. He is better with words than I ever imagined. Maybe he could use that against Max? I grimace at the thought. How could I even think about letting him try and negotiate with that psycho?

“You only say that because your favorite color is blue.” He gave me the puppy dog eyes that I hated because I can’t resist. "Fine! I’ll pick blue.” I placed the chocolate color back and slid the bright blue off the shelf. “Happy?”

“Immensely!” He beamed and I couldn’t help but smile. He was like Kiera in some ways. Not as energetic, but his smile is bright enough to light up one’s entire day.

“Okay, come on, dork.” I ruffled his hair and he gladly followed after me. I used a credit card that Responsum must have slid into my pocket with the paper to pay for the contacts and all the meat, some vegetables and bread that we grabbed. I didn’t even stop to wonder how a demon, who lives in Hell, was able to get a debit card when he only eats human flesh. I shivered at the memory of seeing him eat that first morning. As we walked out of the store to either wait or meet Connor and Kiera, I leaned closer to Chris. “Did we end up telling you what Responsum eats?” He shook his head. I told him, and Chris looked like he might puke. I nodded and laughed. “That is the same reaction I had!” We both stopped as we heard a high pitched giggly laughter. I flinched. “Ouch. Must be Kiera.”

Chris nodded. “Must be. Come on. Oh, by the way, you broke the cart.” He removed his hands from the handle for the first time since he had started to push the cart. I saw large indents of my fingers and cursed. Chris flicked his wrist at the things within the cart and they all suddenly lifted. I crossed my arms over my chest, ignoring the indents in the cart handle.

“Show off.” I grumbled as we made our way to our friends. I grinned the second I saw Seymour. “Seymour!” He turned and ran to me, nearly tackling me. I giggled. “I missed you too, buddy!” I scratched him behind the ears, and massaged his face between my fingers, his tail thumping on the ground. I gave him a kiss on the forehead before standing to face my three friends staring at me.

“What? He’s totally my dog! I have the right to kiss and love on my dog!” I planted my hands on my hips, daring any of them to say anything. They didn’t. Seymour and I pushed right past them.

“Where are you going?” Connor asked me, I turned and opened my mouth to say I had no idea, but Kiera answered for me.

“She has no idea.”

I looked at her, my expression bordering on annoyed. “I can answer for myself!” I turned back to Connor and smiled. “I have no idea.” They all laughed and the sound made me smile. How did Do I deserve as much happiness as I feel in these moments? I don’t think I do. I feel like I have been given it because of my mother. I hate that feeling, like I’m being favored because of where I come from. “Okay, fine. Lead the way.”

I sent Kiera and Chris back to Responsum’s house so Connor and I could talk. I needed alone-time with each of my friends. Kiera had blessed me with precise timing with my brother and politely asked to not go to a blood store. Chris said he wanted to visit with Kiera and get caught up. I think it was just an excuse to give Connor and I time alone. However, I did think it was good to do the same for them. I was always close with Connor, while Chris and Kiera were practically inseparable. It isn’t that either of them liked the other like that per-se, they just had a connection. It also helped that their truly special powers complimented each other. While Connor and I walked to the next store, I thought I could feel several soft punches I knew Kiera to only give. I thought about this when I knew that both Chris and Kiera were in Hell with Responsum. They told Seymour to go with me so I happily walked down the street with the dog mirroring my happiness with a skip in his step. “Ow.” I grabbed my arm quickly but the random burst of pain from a Kiera punch was gone.

I lifted the sleeve of my jacket to see a tinge of red on my arm. “What’s wrong?” Connor asked me with a raised brow. He was standing on the opposite side of him. Seymour pauses to look back at me with big adorable eyes.

“Nothing, I just think I felt Kiera punch Chris.” I rubbed the red spot. Connor smiled as if remembering something. “What?” I looked at him but his attention was fixed on Seymour who had started trotting.

“Bound by Blood, remember?”

“Yeah, But I didn’t think it meant this bound. Like a binding spell.” I thought for a moment before pinching my arm, hard. I would try again later so I could see his reaction. But if we were bound then how come I couldn’t feel all the pain he had gone through? Was it too much pain for even a spell as powerful as a binding spell to register? Binding spells have to fully understand the pain or feeling to send over to the other person. So if the spell, or whatever it truly is, couldn’t register the pain, just how much pain did he go through? Clearly more than he was letting on.

I didn’t even realize when Seymour and Connor had stopped. I ran right into Connor’s muscular chest and literally almost fell backwards. He caught me by my shoulders and stopped my fall. Connor smiled and helped me stand straight. What is it with me and needing males to help me? Even my own brother had to help steady me! I pushed myself away from Connor and marched into the shop. I don’t want to seem weak, now do I? I falter for a moment. This is how I used to be, and it never got me anywhere good.

Connor followed silently after telling Seymour to stay and taking his leash from me. Seymour actually tied his own leash to a fire hydrant. I don’t know how he managed that but when I glanced at him, I swear he was grinning. A small bell rung once the door closed, and I jumped at the small sound.

“Excuse me?” I called in a raised whisper. “Anyone here?” A short curvy man poked his head out from the wall. Literally the wall. His head appeared from inside the wall, outlined in a dark blue mist. He beamed and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

“I will be with you in a second!” He said in a cheery voice. The little man disappeared into the wall. I glanced at Connor and he met my confused expression. I heard a sawing noise and turned to see a door being formed. It went up to my waist and I had to resist from bending down to see if I was even small enough to fit through the short door. Before I got the chance to give into temptation, the door flung inward. The little man stepped through and I realized the door was probably made just for him, the tips of his hair sticking straight up brushed against the top of the door. I raised an eyebrow as the door slammed shut behind him and erased itself as if someone had taken an eraser and just wiped the wall clean of the oak door. The man beckoned us over to a tall counter. He disappeared behind it and walked up a mini staircase to reach the top so he could look at us. He smiled a big happy smile. “Welcome to my shop!” He straightened his dusty red vest and purple button up shirt. “My name is Mister Doylie. How may I help you?”

It took me a moment to realize he was talking to me. I handed him the folded up piece of paper. Mister Doylie looked over the list before dropping it onto the counter and disappearing in a small poof of blue smoke. I looked at Connor again but his eyes were on something else. I jumped when the man popped up behind the counter again. He hummed a tune that sounded weirdly familiar. It was only when he silently sang that I realized it was a lullaby my father had sang to me. “Moon river, wider than a mile.” Then his voice melted back into a soft hum. My mind drifted back to that night. The night of the car crash. Things about then are so fuzzy the image of crawling to my stepsister is already faded. One thing that still burns bright about that night was how my father was singing that Lullaby to Josie and I. Back then I thought nothing of it, now I am not so sure. What if he was trying to tell me something?

“Miss?” Mister Doylie stood at the counter again. He had handed the three brown paper bags to Connor who was wrinkling his nose at something inside one of them. “Would you like anything else?” I sniffed the air before deducing that there was not a drop of blood in the bags.

“Blood please.” I smiled sweetly and felt one of my fangs press against my lower lip.

Mister Doylie gulped and nodded a bit too fast. “What Blood type?” I didn’t even have to think about my answer. I beamed, I had rarely been allowed to pick my own. You may not think so, but each type tastes different! I can’t explain them all but it’s a vampire thing.

“Type O-positive please!” I said with a happy voice. I bounced on my toes as he briskly hops off the counter and scurries straight through a wall. I turn to Connor and he smiles at me.

“You are adorable.” My cheeks burn bright red at his words. I shift my gaze to the bags of things for Responsum and narrow my eyes at them. I am still blushing fiercely so I decided to try and take my mind off of how fast my heart is currently beating. I hold out my hand palm up and summon as much magic as I possibly can into my fingertips. A small red light sparks from finger to finger before shooting out and circling one of the bags. The bag slowly lifts out of Connor’s grip.

With much effort I manage to move all three bags to sit on the counter. I face Connor with an excited squeal but he is no longer several steps from me as he was moments before. He is so close I can practically hear his thoughts. My eyes lock on Connor’s and I am relieved to see the bright green. I have to tip my head back slightly because he is pressed so close to me.

“Connor? What are you-?” I am cut off by his lips, excitement fills my entire body as his knuckle grazes my cheek before sliding down to the small of my back. I string my arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

Just as the world started to fall away a voice breaks us apart. “We only have ten pints but I take it that can last you a while?” I pushed Connor away and turned back to the counter. Mister Doylie examined Connor while sliding plastic air tight bags into a cooler. He squinted then gave a quick nod. “Yup. He’s part demon all right. Let me guess, Responsum’s son?”

Connor shoved his hands into his pockets. “Yes sir. I take it you know my father?”

Mister Doylie groaned. “Do I ever! That demon has tried to steal some of my ingredients as if they belong to him!” He huffed But his expression shifted to a pleasant calm as he looked at Connor. “I can tell you are different. Responsum doesn’t really understand human life but I can see you have walked amongst the living. You have even felt love, I can only wish Responsum still had that.” His eyes filled with sadness as he finished helping us. Connor pulled a wallet out of his pocket and opened it, then slipped out five one hundred dollar bills and put them on the counter. Mister Doylie’s eyes widened. “But this is way over your total!”

Connor picked up two of the bags, barely looking at Mister Doylie while he said, “But it is to make up for what my father did. We are going to try and teach him how to be in human civilization. Promise.” A spark crackled in Connor’s eyes and I knew he would keep the promise, even if it was a small one.

I fished for the keys Kiera had slipped into my pocket earlier. “How does this thing-?” I jabbed it at the air and a crack of white light appeared. I yelped and yanked my hand away. The light vanished and I gave Mister Doylie an apologetic smile. “Sorry. Probably shouldn’t do that here.”

He shrugged. “We have a place built in for portal transports. Grab your dog and meet me in the back room!” He jumped right off the counter and landed with a loud thunk.

I scanned each wall. “How?” Before my question could be answered, I heard a familiar bark. I spun on my heel to see Connor had already grabbed Seymour while holding the two bags. I decided to try my magic, it is better to practice, isn’t it? The power flowed through me and out into the air, sparking on my fingers. I had complete control. I grimaced as I struggled to lift the remaining bag and the cooler. A bead of sweat rolled over my brow. I gave up, collapsing and barely catching myself on the counter’s edge. I pushed myself upright and glared at the items I had failed to lift.

“Piper. Maybe you should just carry the cooler the old fashioned way.” Connor added the third bag to the mini stack in his arms. I grumbled but lifted the blue cooler with the handles and started in the way Mister Doylie had headed. That’s when I realized, I was staring at a wall. Connor came up behind me and my breath hitched at the feel of his chest against my back. My cheeks burned as I tried to push the feelings away. I failed to not focus on our proximity, and try to figure out how to meet Mister Doylie in the back room.

Thankfully, Seymour saved me from needing to think. He bounded right at the wall. “Wait, Seymour!” Seymour disappeared beyond the wall. He yanked on the leash, which in turn yanked Connor forward so we slammed into each other. We were sent spiraling. I flinched, expecting the impact against the wall that didn’t come. When I finally opened my eyes, I found myself looking up at Connor. One of his hands was tightly wrapped around my wrist, the other one was against the small of my back. The simple touch sent a jolt of electricity up my spine.

I pulled my wrist away from him and allowed him to steady me. I feel like the past couple of days, at least one person has constantly needed to steady me for any number of reasons, and it was really starting to piss me off.

Something about my feelings must have showed on my face because Connor frowns. Mister Doylie makes a high pitched whistle sound and we jump away from each other. I turn and follow him into a room with a normal sized door. He must have adjusted it just for us. Mister Doylie waves a finger and our bags (plus the cooler) float through another door. We must have dropped everything at some point without realizing.

“Into that room. Close the door. Teleport.” It sounds as though he is listing off a list of ingredients for a potion rather than showing us to a portal room. Nonetheless we follow his instructions. I poke the air with the key and the crack of light appears as it did before. This time, though, it formed a keyhole and, as I started to turn the key, an entire door appeared. It was completely gold. I laughed, Kiera must have found a way to get him to change the color of this door too!

I turn the knob and push it open. Connor moves to carry all our things through the portal after Seymour but I hold up a hand. “Connor. Go tell them we are back. I can take care of all this.” He seems disappointed but does as I say, slinking through the portal and disappearing. “Seymour!” The dog pokes his head back into the room and I smile. “Take this inside.” I hand him a paper bag and he grabs it with the utmost of care. I lift the remaining two and grab the handle of the cooler, slightly thanking the god that made a cooler on wheels, and step through the portal and back to Hell.