Before she can do just that, I snatch her phone with my power and bring it to me, “I’m truly sorry, Isla, but you can’t do that. For all we know, the authorities are in their pocket.” I hate doing this to her, and Bel would be furious if she were here.
She looks at her phone in my hand, then back at her hand, muttering to herself, “How…” looking back up at me, she questions, “How did you do that?”
“Magic,” I think Fritz might enjoy riling her up, as there’s no way he’s just this dense. “We,” he gestures between us, “are demons, we can do magic.”
At this, she starts laughing hysterically, doubled over, hands on her knees. Then she stands and wipes her eyes, “You got me, I almost shit myself being so scared,” she looks around, raising her voice again, “Come on out, Bel, you got me! Hardy har.”
At the lack of humor on our faces, she says, “No. That shit’s not real. It’s not real.” I allow myself to grow to my true form because we don’t have time to ease her into this. Bel didn’t want her to know, but it’s a little late for that. She screams bloody murder before shaking her head, falling into true hysteria. “No, no, no, no no nonononono,” she mumbles, “Itcan’tbe real.”
I change back into my human form, righting my clothes before we continue this conversation. At this point, Isla cannot so much as look at me, and the last thing I want is to cause her more discomfort than necessary.
“Look, I. We-” Fritz starts.
“Don’t call me that,” she jams a finger in his direction, “You don’t fucking know me, you don’t get to call me that.”
“My apologies. Isla. Honestly, I am truly sorry. We had hoped you didn’t need to find out, as did Bel, but-”
“She knew?”Shit.I shoot Fritz a look, and he shrinks back in shame.
The pain written on her face turns the knife in my heart. We are destroying their friendship, one lie at a time, just by being here. I’m not entirely sure if Isla’s tears are from her friend’s deception or her disappearance. Likely both.
Suddenly, she blurts, “Who?! You saidsomeoneandthey,but who the fuck isthey?” she screams, voice cracking at the final word, tears falling freely.
“Sanctus Scutulis,” I answer, “Demon hunters.”
“And I suppose Bel is a fucking demon, too?” she deadpans, likely plotting our death herself. I can’t say I blame her.
“No, just… us.”
“And they took her because you’re both fucking her?” I cringe, unsure how much to tell her. Maybe full honesty is what she needs right now, but fuck, I’m not good at this.
“Technically, I have not had sex with Bel. Yet.” Isla narrows her eyes at him, and I fully understand the idiomif looks could kill.
“Well,technically,” she mocks, “that little detail doesn’t really fucking matter, does it? She’s gone because of herinvolvementwith the two of you. Am I right?”
I nod, head hung with guilt. I walk over to where Bel left her phone, knowing I’m going to cause a new wave of tears. But no one knows our girl better than Isla, and she’s far more clever than most mortals. Honestly, we are lucky she’s here. If anyone can find Bel, it’s her.
“I’m so, so sorry,” I tell her, my own voice thickening with the tears threatening to appear, “I didn’t know she was in danger.” I hand her the phone, ignoring Fritz’s protests about what she will find.
She sobs aloud as she looks at the photo on the main screen, crying out for her friend, giving voice to the sentiment we all feel.
“We are going to do everything in our power to find her,” Fritz says solemnly, “She’s the only thing that matters to us.”
“Where were you, then?” she asks in a small voice, “What was more important than being right here if you care so much about her?”
“Killing Bel’s rapist,” Fritz answers proudly, and her head snaps to him so quickly I fear it caused her whiplash.
“Youwhat?” Looking back to me, she reiterates, “You killed him?” I nod, “And it took you two days?”
“I would have preferred it take longer, to be honest.” Fritz continues to run his mouth, “I think he should have suffered more.”
She considers his thoughts for a minute, before looking back and forth between us. “You tortured him to death for two days, over a crime he committed nearly a decade ago? Because he hurt Bel?” she asks with disbelief in her voice.
“Yes,” we say in unison before I add, “And I would do it again.Anyonewho hurts her dies slowly and in exquisite agony.”
Through her tears, she starts to grin, “These fuckers are so toast.”
I sigh a breath of relief until she adds, “I’m still pissed. And you three haveso muchexplaining to do. She lied about you,” she gestures to Fritz, “a trip to Vegaswithout me, and apparently knowing about the supernatural. The supernatural that I was convinced wasn’t real until just now.”
