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Barters N Garters Library
Back Into Hell
by
Moon Mistress
a/k/a
Lisa Beth Darling

Chapter Two

Well, I was there and I saw what you did
I saw it with my own two eyes
So you can wipe off that grin,
I know where you’ve been
It’s all been a pack of lies
In the Air Tonight
Phil Collins

“We should have called first.” Calla complained as the three of them stood freezing on the front stoop of the new house they’d bought for Nick and Annie at Christmas. She still had the chalky taste of the nasty shake rolling around in her mouth; the one Daniel made her drink before she could have her morning coffee. “It’s very early and…..” she started to walk down the steps and was caught by both of them. Daniel on her right and David on her left each gently but instinctively reached out and grabbed an arm keeping her on the porch.

David pushed the doorbell. “I know ya’ll can like walk through walls or sumthin’, but’a it’s nicer to knock.” He clarified. Yep, walk through walls, travel through space, hell as far as David knew they could do anything they set their minds to and he wasn’t far from wrong.

“Yes, much.” Calla agreed standing closer to Daniel and the warmth his body offered. Almost February and still another six inches of snow fell overnight. Wasn’t winter ever going to end this year? It didn’t seem so. “You’re sure you called the school?”

“No, I didn’t call the University. For the last time, Cal, they don’t even know you’re awake, they would they think you were coming in to teach class?” Daniel explained.

From inside the nice little house came a shuffling sound and soon Colleen was pulling the curtain back to see who was knocking. “Mom!” She cried flinging the door open as wide as her arms.

Wanting nothing more than to wrap her own slender arms around her Daughter, Calla took one step back. “It’s so good to see you!” She cried as tears wet her eyes. “Not until the doctor says it’s ok, all right?”

“Aw, Mom. You look great, your hair,” she reached out to touch it but Daniel hugged her instead so that Calla wouldn’t have to step back again. “Hi, Dad.” She hugged him tight and kissed his cheek. “You ok?” Cole whispered in his ear.

“Yeah, fine. You?”

“I’m ok…”

“You gonna come in?” Nicholas said in a booming voice.

“Nicholas!” Calla almost ran to her Son and threw her arms around him. Colleen couldn’t help but feel a harsh twinge of jealousy and tried desperately to remind herself that the only reason her Mother didn’t embrace her that way was because she was trying to protect her Daughter. Just as that twinge passed a wave of nausea came over while she watched Nick side step her open arms.

“Mom, you look good.” He said in a stiff voice. “Dad.” He managed in a tighter voice with an acknowledging nod. “What’s he doing in my house?”

It was clear to her that her Son did not wish to be embraced by his old Mother. “Where’s Annie? The babies?” Calla asked still half-heartedly holding her arms out to him.

“Upstairs.” He said without looking back at her but tossing his long locks in the direction of said steps. “What’s going on?”

“Ah,” not being able to understand why Nicholas was being so rude to Calla, Daniel cleared his throat, “we have to talk to you.”

“Make it quick, I got a class in an hour.” Nick, shirtless, fresh from his bed and his Annie arched backward and then stretched with his arms over his head, showing off that Olympian physique of his, which was just perfect for working in a gym and earned him a good deal in tips. Planting both palms flat on the ceiling and both feet flat on the floor he stared at Daniel. Like his Grandfather, Lord Ares, Nicholas Ares Jackson was thee epitome of Olympian Male Perfection. “Hurry up, I gotta get going.”

The way he held himself and the tone of his voice, Daniel finally understood what was pissing off his Son this morning; like Ares, Nicholas watched what he should not have last night. “In the kitchen, let’s go.”

“Him?”

“You’re all right here by yourself, aren’t ya?” Colleen asked trying to lighten the mood. “Come on, Mom, let’s go up and see the babies.”

“And Annie.”

“Yeah, Annie too.” Mother and Daughter made their way out of the living room and up the stairs leaving the men behind. “Both of you know? I see your Brother is very angry with me. Nice display he put on just now.” She sighed. “Does Annie know as well?”

“I don’t know, I don’t think so and Mr. Big Stuff will get over it,” Colleen coached. “You really do look great today, Mom. Your hair, it’s auburn again and your skin’s all pink, your eyes are bright. You don’t look like a zombie anymore.”

“Oh, well, I suppose that is good news.” Calla joked.

Suddenly Colleen stopped at the top of the stairs and turned to face her Mother. “Listen,” she reached out to take Calla’s hands but she pulled away. Colleen reached again and grabbed Calla’s fingertips. “Stop that.” She scolded. “You’re my Mom, I love you, I don’t ever want to lose you, got it? So whatever you had to do to get well again is ok with me.” Coley said with earnest eyes. “So long as it doesn’t involve drinking blood or…..”

“Nope,” Calla frowned, “I’m fresh out of virgins I’m afraid.”

“Cute.” Colleen cracked and they both laughed. “I know you’re worried about Nick, but I promise, he’ll see all of that soon and he’ll come around. I love you, Momma.”

“I love you too, my darling Daughter.” Just for a second Calla risked reaching out to trace her fingers along Colleen’s face and touch her pretty strawberry hair. “When the doctor gives me a clean bill of health I am going to give you such a hug you’ll think your ribs are breaking.”

“With those toothpicks?” Coley pointed at Calla’s arms. “I doubt it but it’ll sure feel good to get a hug from you again.” Cole smiled wide then turned the conversation serious. “You’re going somewhere, aren’t you?”

“We have to visit with your Grandfather for awhile.” Calla said.

“Why?”

“Your Father and your uncle have agreed to do something for him.”

“You’re like a trip to the dentist, ya know that?” Colleen complained.

“I make your teeth shiny?” She asked hopefully.

“No, you make ‘em hurt.” Coley bitched then grinned. “OK, you don’t wanna tell me fine, you don’t have to. You’re the parent, I’m just the kid. BUT if you need me for something…..”

“I know where you are.”

**

In the kitchen Nicholas was being very uncooperative. “Look, Dad, it’s really not my job to put Mom back together every time she takes a walk off the deep end. I got a life, I got school, a wife, a job and this house. You do expect me to take over the mortgage payments, don’cha? And I kain’t do that if I’m not pullin’ down a paycheck.”

“So you won’t do this for her? How about for me?” Daniel asked. “All I want is for you to stay at your Grandfather’s house for….I don’t know….a few hours tops,”

“And keep an eye on her and be her little babysitter. Like I said, I got better things ta do. ‘Sides, it ain’t my place anyway. I’m not the one who promised Umpa I’d go off on this wild tangent.” Nick held up a thick hand as Daniel’s lips parted. “Yeah, I know all about it, Pop. Umpa filled me on, well, between Umpa and Zeus, I suppose they done filled me in on just about ev-er-y-thing.”

“Oh and when was this?”

“About an hour before she got shot.”

Daniel couldn’t help himself. The look in Nicholas’ eyes and the tone in his voice. “Did you shoot her on purpose?”

“Oh, well, gee, fuckin’ thanks, Dad.” Nick huffed. “No, mabbe I shudda done that but it was an accident. Not that you’d believe me anyway.”

“Until now you haven’t given me a reason to disbelieve you. What did they tell you?”

“Everything you and she never did.”

“Like……”

“Fine, like that son of a bitch out there. Ya know, yer brother, the one that dragged her off to Connecticut and raped her in a pile of broken glass.”

Daniel could have kicked himself in the ass. The only reason Ares knew that story was because he’d told it to him just before agreeing to go to the Underworld and get the younger Calla. Even a blind man could see where this conversation was about to go.

“You let him fuck her last night. YOU GOT OFF ON IT! You’re depraved and so is she. I don’t want to be around either of you and I sure don’t want my wife near you.”

“No one would ever do anything to harm Annie.” Daniel reminded him and saw something dark and sinister flash in his Son’s eyes. It was swift and fleeting, Daniel hoped it wasn’t what he thought it was. “Did you see your Mother today? Really look at her, Nick? Did you notice the gray is gone from her hair? Or that she’s got that rosy color back in her cheeks? Or….”

Nicholas snorted an evil little chuckle. “Which cheeks, Dad? She oughtta have color in ALLLLLL of ‘em after all that humpin’ and bumpin’ and grindin’ and suckin’. Hell, she oughtta be in another freakin’ COMA after all that, little slut.”

“What did you say?” With his blood pressure rising and knowing this was one of the last things they needed right now Daniel just had to know how far Nicholas’ hatred of his Mother went. “One, your Mother is not a slut. Two, what happened last night isn’t any of your concern. Three, you shouldn’t have been watching. What other lies did Ares tell you?”

Lies. That’s what Cole said too. Why were they both so goddamn blind when it came to Calla Jackson? “Fine, you wanna know, here it is. Umpa told me that when we thought she was dead, when Cole and me were little and we bawled for our Momma because we thought she was dead and gone, that little whore actually run off with her lover, good old Kanan……”

“Lover?” Daniel shook his head. “Did you just say….no, you can’t possibly have just said…..LOVER?” That was it, Daniel had enough of this and he couldn’t listen to one more disgusting hateful word of it, he hauled off and punched Nicholas in the jaw. “Shut your mouth! Your Mother never chose to leave you, me or your Sister. She never would. Kanan forced her to go with him….”

“I could snap your neck like a twig. I will too! If one more person hits me I swear I will. Why does everyone think it’s all right to hit me? I ain’t a freakin’ punchin’ bag.” Nicholas shoved Daniel away from him while nursing his sore jaw. “Umpa says that’s just wot she told yew, Kanan didn’t kidnap her and you’re a damn fool if’n you believe he did. He says she needs a strong hand and she likes it that way.” Standing here arguing, feeling the sting on his lower jaw and watching his Father’s eyes, Nick felt as though he’d never be more wrong in his whole entire life not even if he lived to be older than his Great-Grandfather. That didn’t stop him from plodding forward.

“He said WHAT? You believe him? Your Grandfather hates me…he has ALWAYS hated me. All he wants is to possess your Mother so she’ll make him the progenitor of some Master Race. He’ll do anything…say anything… to get what he wants, including filling your head with lies. Look around you. Look at this house. Do you think it was my idea to buy you a house? Never mind that how about the fact that you’re standing here bitching? The only reason you can do that is because you’re alive. Do you have any idea what your Mother went through just to bring you and your Sister into this world? Any idea at all? How long she waited for the two of you?” Daniel shook his head.

“No, I don’t. Nobuddy tells me nuttin’.” Nicholas said in a dark voice.

Daniel couldn’t take listening to him anymore. Couldn’t stand here facing what a ungrateful brat his Son turned into. “Put it this way, if you think for just one teeny-tiny second,” he got right in Nick’s face while holding his thumb and forefinger a quarter inch apart or less. “Just one little second that you’re Mother would ever willingly turn her back on you or Cole, then you’re the fool and I feel sorry for you. My Wife deserves a better Son.” Daniel walked away leaving Nicholas alone in the barren kitchen.

The house was unfurnished and uncarpeted and in such places voices carried. When Daniel came out of the kitchen looking like he was either gonna bust something or start crying David already knew what it was about. “Go find year wife, Danny, make sure she didn’t hear none a’ dat.” He said walking past his brother. “I’m gonna talk at dat boy.”

“Forget it Davy, it’s useless. He knows what happened last night and he’s furious.”

“Too fuckin’ bad. Wot done happened last night ain’t none a’ his bidness and therefore, he ain’t got no right to an opinion on the matter.” Sauntering into the empty kitchen he found Nicholas leaning up against the sink with his arms folded across his chest.

“What the hell do you want?”

“Yer Daddy, my brother, he’s what’cha call a non-violent sorta fella, just like yer momma tends ta be. But me?” David pointed to himself and then took note of Nicholas’ swelling bottom lip. Maybe Danny wasn’t so non-violent after all but then again teenagers had a way of pushing their parents’ buttons. “I don’t hold wit that so’s I gots no problem wot-so-ev’a ‘bout knocking your dick in the dirt. My advice; grab some wood, boy.” He pointed to the floor. “I gots a few things ta tell ya ‘bout good old Kanan and you’re gonna listen seein’ as how I knew the man intimately and all and yer Grandpappy didn’t.”

“Why should I believe you?”

“Believe me or don’t, dats up ta you. But you are gonna listen ta me, boy.”

“Why should I?”

“Lemme tell yew sum’thin’. If’n Danny or me talked ta our dad the way yew jus’ did, we’d be sore for a week! And if’n we ever, and I do mean EVER said anything like yew jus’ did ‘bout our momma, our dad would see to it that we never saw another sunrise. So no matt’a wot Callie and Danny say…I am your real father, boy and you are going to listen to me. Now sit the fuck down Let me tell yew da un-a-dull-ta-rated truth ‘bout good old Naganti Kanan. Den, aft’a dat, yer gonna come wit us and make sure yo’ Grandpappy keeps his goddman hands off’n his Daughter while Danny and I are gone.”

**

Upstairs Colleen was busy dressing Lilly for the day while Calla was in the bedroom Nicholas would soon share with his wife, who, at the moment, wasn’t looking all that well. “Annie, my dear, are you all right?” Calla asked nearing the bed. “Are you not feeling well today?” At first she thought she’d have to speak a little louder but then Annie’s pretty blond head and blue eyes turned toward her.

“Hi Mrs. J.” She said in a very meepy tone.

“What’s wrong my dear?” Calla asked settling herself on the edge of the bed. “Did the babies keep you up all night?” Annie looked just awful, her hair was all askew and her eyes were dazed and bloodshot, as though she’d been up all night or crying, Calla was genuinely concerned for her as she took the young woman’s hand.

“Hey, honey.” Daniel said from the doorway. “Hi, Annie.” He looked away from the sight of the pretty blonde woman-child lying in the bed on the floor. “I don’t think Nick is going to come with us.”

Calla, still holding Annie’s hand, smiled and looked at her Husband. “That’s all right, Annie’s not feeling well, and he should stay home with her anyway.”

“But….”

“If you need him for something, take him.” Annie said quickly and pulled the blankets tighter around her naked body. “He’s not doing anything today anyway.”

Daniel spoke up. “He said he had to work and go to class.”

Now Annie raised her eyes to look at both of them. “Nicky doesn’t have classes today and he doesn’t have to go to work for hours and hours. If you want him or need him for something, by all means…..take him.”

Calla didn’t need to hear anymore than the cracking in Annie’s voice and that detached distance in her pretty blue eyes. Not my Son, no, not my Son. I brought him up to be a gentleman and to respect the women in his life. Not my Son. Not my Son….. She glided over to where her Husband stood. “Why don’t you wait outside for a moment, my love?” Seeing the puzzled look on Daniel’s face she added, “A bit of girl talk.”

Daniel nodded. “All right, Annie, if you say so, we’ll take him off your hands for the day.” It didn’t appear that either Calla or Annie had overheard anything said in the kitchen and for that Daniel was very glad. It would break Calla’s heart if she heard Nicholas talk about her like that. “Where’s Brigid?”

“In the other bedroom, they….Nick and Cole, they brought the beds and the crib and bassinet here last night with their,” Annie touched her head to indicate the twins’ special abilities.

“That’s good, you had a comfortable place to sleep last night. Get some rest, Annie. We’ll be back in a few hours.” Feeling very uneasy, Daniel left the room but only wandered as far as the next room where Colleen was tending the babies.

“Annie,” Calla said gently while resuming her place on the edge of the bed. Nicholas wasn’t a little boy any more. In fact he was far from it. He was a very fully grown man with wants and desires of the same. It was clear he was completely aware of what transpired last night, might such knowledge, such sensations, cause him to….lean on his wife? “I know I’m Nicholas’ Mother, but still, you can talk to me. You can tell me anything. Is there something?”

“I’m ok, Mrs. J.” Annie sunk down on the under the blankets and rolled over on her side away from her Mother in-law. Or I will be. But I understand that you had a really exciting night last night.

“Annie, I know our family is a bit….out of the ordinary, shall we say? It’s difficult to adjust and to understand, but honestly, if there’s ever anything you want to tell me, even if it’s about Nicholas, you know that you can always come to me, don’t you?”

“Sure.” Annie mumbled.

“Colleen too, you can talk to her if not me.” Calla didn’t want to push the young woman any more. “All right then, Daniel’s right, get some rest and we’ll get him out of your way for a few hours.” Without thinking about it Calla laid a kiss on the back of Annie’s head before leaving the room. When she walked into the room where Daniel and Colleen were chatting she was on the verge of tears.

“Cal, you all right? What’s wrong with Annie?” Daniel asked as she entered the room.

“Trust me, my Husband, you don’t want to know. Let’s get Brigid and get out of here.”

“Get Brigid?”

“Yes, they have classes…..”

“So they’ll drop Brigid off at daycare.” Daniel interjected.

“Please, let me take her with me. She’ll keep me company while you’re gone.” Calla said with a hopeful smile. Suddenly the floor below their feet started shaking as though a giant were approaching. Calla dashed out into the hallway to see what was happening. It was not a real Giant but Nicholas bounding up the stairs. He was shaking his head, mumbling to himself and wiping blood away from his mouth and tears from his eyes. Looking up he saw his parents at the top of the steps.

“Just gimmie a few minutes, a’ight? I need to talk to Annie before we go.”

“Are you all right?” Calla reached out to grab his hand. “Nicholas, look at me. Who hit you? David?”

“I hit him.” Daniel admitted without remorse.

“You struck my son?” Calla turned to face her Husband without letting go of her Sons’ hand. “How could you do that?”

“I had it comin’.” Nick said in a soft voice, with those deep dark bloodshot eyes he gazed at her up and down. “Don’t be angry with Dad. Look, jus’ promise me that when we get back from Umpas’ that you, my Mother, ‘ll sit down with me and have a real long talk. I’m tired of every’buddy else tellin’ me things that should be comin’ from you.”

“You can ask me anything.” Calla told him still holding his big mitt in her small one and that was the truth. She’d been waiting for him or Colleen or both to ask her questions since they returned from Avalon but neither of them did. So why now? “What’s happened while I was asleep?”

“Lots.” Nick bent down and kissed the top of her head. “Jus’ a few minutes and I’ll go with you, ok?” He didn’t wait for an answer, Nicholas just walked away and let himself into the bedroom where Annie, sore from the waist down and still reeling from her own experience last night, was waiting for him.

At the bottom of the stairs watching the scene above stood David with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his blue jeans.

End Of Chapter Two Of
Back Into Hell
Continue to
Chapter Three

This story and all stories in the Barters N Garters Library series are copyrighted to Lisa Beth Darling these stories may not be transferred outside of this URL in any fashion.