Exchange

Ch 20

Trinity pov

I run like crazy following every demon I see pointing, and it takes forever. I know time is getting close and I start crying trying to push myself that much further trying to get to the palace. I know I’m going the right way as it’s slowly getting closer. When I come to the next demon they are pointing to go away from the palace. I stop and point towards it and they insist to go down in the aisle away from the palace. I just drop to my knees screaming my frustration because I can’t go away from the palace. There’s no time to keep doing this. I just try to gather my thoughts when I hear some scurrying.

I look up to see the demon and others slowly crawl towards me and cautiously crawl up wrapping their arms around me to try and comfort me. As freaked out as I am, I feel so much comfort yet with them. I just wrap my arms around them and start bawling. The emotions I have felt through everything seem to be making their way to the surface. I can feel someone touching my face wiping away my tears and opening up my eyes to a demon staring into my face. They insist and point down the hall away from the palace and I know that I have to trust them.

I take a deep breath and I slowly stand up as the demons scurry away along the ground and nod my head, and start running again. I keep going in what feels like circles and see the next demon pointing again towards the palace. I internally take a deep breath and quickly pick up the pace. I know I need to hurry and get here as fast as I can. I keep running full speed and soon feel myself flying through the air when I put my hands out to brace myself when I hit the ground hard.

I feel a daze come over me when I try to slowly get back up. I start pushing myself up into a sitting position when I feel like all my energy has been zapped from my body. I start looking around and see him standing there leaning against the wall. I quickly try to get myself to a standing position, but fail miserably. I scramble as fast as I can when he says nothing but starts walking towards me.

“What do you want? Why are you doing this?

“Don’t think I don’t know that you’ve had help along the way! Fucking little scum helping the little damsel in distress. Pathetic but I do have to admit cute on some level. Why do they want to help you? Because your Baphomet’s daughter?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Oh Trinity, how stupid do you think I am?”

I watch him get down on the ground right in front of me and is face to face with me. His nose is barely touching mine and I can feel his hot breath sweep across my face and neck. His smell hits my nostrils and sends me back to that day that he rejected me. I never understood what I did that was so bad at the time to make him hate me so much. I see his hand reach up and I instantly stiffen up, making him stop.

“If I wanted to kill you right now I would’ve done it already. Besides that wouldn’t be any fun now would it. You smell just like I remember. That smell drove me crazy and you have no clue how much I wanted to grab and run off with you. Except I was a little tied up at the time. So to get out of it I had to do what I had to do.”

“What did I do to make you hate me so much? Why did you treat me like shit?”

“Because, I knew you were going to be my mate and had hoped I could end you before you found out. If that didn’t work which it didn’t, I was hoping you would then want to reject me. So the moment you saw me and knew who I was, I had hoped you were going to reject me. Then I saw that look on your face and knew you weren’t going to. So I did it.”

“Do you regret it? Trying to kill me, and then rejecting me?”

I see him stare at me intently when I start to see his eyes getting misty. He jumps up and walks off towards the palace.

“You have thirty minutes left to get to the palace. From now on you will have no help!”

I start to panic and quickly stand up trying to get my balance. Once I steady myself I start walking as fast as I can while I continue to clear my head. I see a wall coming up and see no demon pointing the way. I start to panic looking around when I see nothing on the walls. I have to know what way to go. I get frustrated and hear a noise and quickly turn, switching to my defenses when I see that a rock has fallen down to the ground.

I turn back and while my eyes are white I see an arrow on the wall. I flip between my normal eyes and it disappears. I flip back and sure enough there is an arrow on the wall. They must know how to get a message across that Raston can’t see. So I switch back and start running full speed. When I come up to the next section sure enough there’s another arrow on the wall. I run as fast as I can and see the palace getting closer and closer.

I turn a few more corners and see a field with the palace right in the middle. I bolt for it running at full speed. The moment I get to the door I slam into it trying to open it as fast as I can. The door won’t fucking open! It’s fucking locked! How the hell am I supposed to get in? I run back and start looking around for an alternate way to get in. I try the windows and everything is closed tight. I start screaming at the top of my lungs hoping someone would hear me.

“Jesus Trinity! What the hell are you yelling for?”

I quickly snap my head towards the front door and don’t see my dad standing there. I quickly run up and yell through the door banging on it.

“Yes I can hear you out there. I don’t know how you are supposed to get in because I can’t get out. I can’t open it or I’d have left by now.”

“I’ll figure out a way dad just hang on!”

I back up and run around inspecting every window I can and not one is open. I can’t even pry one open even an inch. I go all the way around as fast as I can and when I come back to the front Raston is standing there. I switch to my defensive mode when he just smirks at me.

“What’s wrong, my love? Can’t get to your dad? Such a shame isn’t it? You have yet five minutes to spare before his life ends, then you will be taking his place. I mean let’s face it, it’s not your dad who I want. I want you, and only you.”

“So then let my dad go and take me in his place.”

“Trinity, don’t you dare make that kind of deal! I would rather perish here than have you stuck here!”

“Yes, Trinity you should listen to dear old dad! You should let me die, and then you can go back to your miserable, pathetic life.”

“No! I will not let him die! Take me instead!”

“Trinity! Don’t you dare!”

“Dad, I’ll be fine!”

I walk up to Raston and look up into his eyes. I can figure out from here what I will do but I need to get my dad out.

“Raston, take me instead of my dad. I’ll stay here in place of him, but just let him go.”

“Done!”

I watch him snap his fingers, and in an instant the door is thrown open with my dad running out. I see him run straight for me when Raston snaps his fingers and he’s gone. I know he sent him back, and now I will have to figure out a way on my own to end Raston. I feel his hand grip around my arm yanking me towards the house. I try to fight but for some reason I can’t do anything.

“What did you do? Why can’t I do anything?”

“How stupid do you think I am Trinity? Did you actually think I wouldn’t have made preparations for your arrival? I feel like playing a while before I do anything with you. So I will see you when dinner is ready. You will not have the option to not join me.”

I just nod as I’m shoved inside the house and the door is shut. I instantly try the knob and the door is locked. I can hear him laughing as he walks away and I just lean my forehead agains the door. I’ve just made a deal with the devil, and now will have to beat him at his own game.