country road, take me home

southern charms. }

Ash took Jason’s brief time away to enter her room and explore it a bit. Unsurprisingly, their guest room was larger than her current bedroom (which wasn’t any more than a bed if she was honest) and it even offered a view of the greenery that surrounded the plantation. Outside, it was quiet – quieter than the small town in which Ash was living and practically silent in contrast with the urban buzz she was most used to, yet she found the calm to be eerily pleasant. Perhaps her day wouldn’t turn out to be a total wreck after all.

When Jason returned, she thankfully accepted the clothes that he’d brought, nodding at his request to clean her bloodied shirt. “Oh - right, of course. Let me just change real quick and I’ll bring it right out.” Sure enough, the redhead retreated into her room for a minute to strip off her dirtied attire and replace it with the shirt and sweatpants provided by Jason. Both items were rather large on her, but she wasn’t complaining. Then, she opened the door to deliver her soiled yet neatly folded flannel shirt to the hunter. “There you go. If I need anything else, I’ll let you know, but I think I’ll be alright from hereon out. And– thanks, again, for the millionth time. I probably sound like a broken record by now, but–” her shoulders lifted with a shrug, “what the hell. Goodnight, Jason.”

The next morning was the same as any other. Jason was up and half dressed in his pants and tan sheriff’s shirt. His hair was wet and disheveled as he drank coffee and yelled at his sister to get her ass to school on time. “Can I drive the car to school?” she had asked him, even though she knew her brother was not reasonable after having only one cup of coffee. “Jules- you’re not drivin’ and that’s final. You can walk, your feet aren’t broken.” He took another large gulp of coffee and sat down at the kitchen island as he read over his notes for the day’s hunting activities.

Charlie had gotten up around his usual time and had put together breakfast for the entire household. He had been the one to make the coffee that the town sheriff would consume, and he was also the one that had spiked Jules’ tea with stress relieving herbs..but to no avail. As the girl grew closer to the age of 18 the more her body grew immune to his magic. “Julianna he is right. You do not need the car today, and the weather is perfectly suitable for walking.” Jason nodded his head in agreement, and motioned for Jules to start walking towards the door. “Jules if you’re gonna have an attitude this mornin’ i’m not in the mood for it. We’ve got a guest in the house, so go be a teenager somewhere else.”

“All my friends drive to school! It’s not fair!” Jules yelled at her brother, loud enough to have her voice reverb around the walls. She stomped towards the front door and let out a long exasperated sigh. “Yeah well- actin’ like a spoiled brat ain’t gonna get you a car any faster- AND IT’S NOT GONNA GET YOU ANYWHERE WITH PRACTICE TONIGHT!” of course Jason’s yelling was followed by the slamming of the front door followed by a loud muffled scream coming from outside. Jason looked back at Charlie who just shook his head. “What? Ya gotta admit I handled that better than last time.” Jason took another drink of his coffee, taking in the last few dregs of caffeine before his whole day would be turned around by the fresh hell of the council.

southern charms. }

“Oh…” She should have figured that. With a house so large, it would be a waste not to make use of all the extra room from time to time. Though, she couldn’t quite fathom what it must have been like as a boarding house– certainly not as quiet as it was currently. She followed Jason down the hall to her new temporary living space and peered through the opened door with a smile. It was nothing elaborate, but it was better than having to spend an anxious night alone in her apartment. “Thanks. I think I can manage that. You wouldn’t happen to have a spare change of clothes, would you? I wouldn’t typically be bothered, but–” Ash glanced down at the lower hem of her shirt where a few small splatters of blood had made a stain. Imperfect attire was a norm for the aspiring archaeologist, but the idea of walking around with demon blood stains on her shirt just didn’t sit right.

Jason wasn’t sure what to do about spare clothing. Ash didn’t look like she would fit into his sister’s clothes. Jason did know that Charlie had just done laundry though- and Jason knew the witch wouldn’t mind if he stole his clothes to help a woman in need. “I think I might have somethin’ for you. Feel free to move around the house- just stay outta the basement. Charlie’s lab is down there...even I don’t go down there if I can help it.” Jason turned around to head towards the laundry room behind the kitchen. “I’ll be back in a moment, just gonna get your clothes.”

Jason headed out to steal clothes from the dryer. He knew that Charlie was far too tall compared to the witch. Grabbing a shirt from Charlie’s laundry, Jason searched his own clean laundry and found a pair of sweatpants that he didn’t think he’d miss for a few days. Folding the clothes as nicely as he could, Jason made his way back towards Ash. “Bloodstains are an occupational hazard. I know how to get them out though. If you give me your shirt- I’ll have it clean for you within the week...I’ll probably have bloodied items myself.” he tried to alleviate the awkwardness about the demon attack from earlier. Jason was so used to demons, but it was hard for him to remember that others were not as wary about the supernatural as everyone else in the town.

“If you need anything overnight, mine and Charlie’s rooms are upstairs. Just leave Jules alone- she gets bitchy easily...and i think those are all the house rules so far. Welcome to the plantation, and welcome to town.” Jason gave Ash a courteous smile.

southern charms. }

“Well, if you’re insisting…” Once Jason had gotten his slice of pizza, Ash stepped forward and did the same, primarily driven by her own lack of a later day meal. She usually wouldn’t go within ten feet of cold pizza, but today was far from a regular day. Taking a tentative bite, she leaned back against the kitchen wall facing the hunter. He was generous– almost too generous. The last thing Ash wanted was to feel helpless after having been left at the mercy of a demon, yet every time she tried to offer a bit of her own help, her saviors waved the matter aside to increase their hospitality. However, she also sensed that refusal was out of the question.

“Wait, you– you want me to stay? Here?” The food in her palm lowered as her stare gauged the man’s reaction. Ash was surprised, yes, but her voice included no tone of refusal, merely nervousness. “Are you sure? I don’t mind– not at all –but I don’t want to intrude either. I mean, I hardly know any of you and it feels like all I’ve been for you thus far is trouble…” In that moment, her gaze dropped guiltily to the floor, a quietness creeping into her voice. She hadn’t traveled so far from home to be a burden. Alas, her luck didn’t appear to agree with her ambition.

“Don’t worry about intrudin’. You’re not intrudin’, this place used to be a boarding house back in the day. Charlie used to put up all types of folks.” Jason took another bite of his pizza and started walking down the hall. The hallways were covered with pictures of Charlie throughout his many years- as well as pictures of Jules growing up, and pictures of her with Jason and Charlie. “Follow me, I’ll show you to your room.” the exhausted sheriff lead Ash down the hall towards a room at the end of the hall. Opening the door quietly, he turned on a light to show a small room with a dresser and television atop of it. “Here you go- bathroom is down the hall on your left, linens are in the closet on the right. Stay here for a few nights- get the supernatural out of your system, and lay low in case that demon had any friends in the area.”

southern charms. }

Ash was glad to know she didn’t have to worry about the walking dead, but she did produce a little huff at Jason’s assumption that she couldn’t handle a gun. “I’ve been told I’m a great shot actually, thank you very much. But if it eases your conscience, fine. I won’t go near any guns.” True, she’d never shot anything live, but she had been to the range a few times with her uncle, and he was one of the best damned shots she’d ever seen. The remark was quickly forgotten, though. She was far more interested in the mystery that she posed herself and what the two men might be theorizing thus far. “What is it you guys mean by extra, exactly? I mean, is that normal? Humans turning out not to be completely human?”

Sighing at the business-like request, the redhead wasted no time answering. “Well, I was hired about a month ago and moved over here almost immediately from school in Charleston. About… a week and a half into the job, I started feeling more drained. It was always exhausting, but usually I could take a nap and get over it. From then on, it was like I could never fully feel rested. And, no. I’m all on my own. Besides you, Margaux’s really the only other person I know.”

Watching as Jason walked into the kitchen, Ash suddenly realized that she hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast, and despite her traumatic experience, food sounded amazing right at that moment. “Starving,” she admitted, leaving the couch behind to stand at the edge of the kitchen. “If you’re not bothered to cook, I could order pizza or something. It’s the least I could do for, well- everything.”

“It’s not too far fetched to believe that a human is not all human. Usually everyone has a little bit of supernatural in their blood- it’s just determining if that little bit is enough to show through.” Jason wasn’t the expert on the subject. Charlie was far more schooled in that kind of knowledge. “Charlie would be the better one to answer those questions. He’s more brain- I’m more brawn.” he rummaged through the fridge and pulled out a pizza box that held half a pizza in it.

“No need to order pizza- I’ve still got one in here from last night. Take what you want- it’s leftover night anyway.” Jason took a cold slice of the pizza and bit into it immediately. He hadn’t eaten anything since the night before. He’d done nightly patrol and then of course he’d been in the town register vaults all morning doing his research on the demon- and then he saved Ash. There hadn’t been much time to eat in all the ‘excitement’ of his job.

After having a bite of pizza, Jason looked a little concerned about the redhead being on her own. “I don’t normally do this- my home is pretty private- but seein’ as how you’re all alone here in town- I’m offerin’ you a temporary guest pass to stay here while you regain your strength and we can figure out how it is you aren’t dead yet.” Jason sat down at the island in the kitchen with his pizza and gave Ash a small smile. “That is- if ya’ll don’t mind Jules’ attitude, my crazy hours- or Charlie.” the hunter couldn’t help but feel responsible for Ash’s soul. If he’d not given up on the demon hunt when the bodies stopped showing up- he would have caught it sooner and possibly spared her the knowledge of a more dangerous world.

southern charms. }

Ash was confused as soon as Jason brought up the term Salem witch, but she rolled with it, reasoning with the information provided as best she could. Greater evils was a bit much to process so soon, however, and it showed in the nervous way she gulped down the next sip of her tea. Nevertheless, she continued to sit and listen, as attentive as a child on the first day of school, desperately trying to soak up the knowledge of concepts she hardly understood.

By the time he had finished, the tea was completely gone and her bruises, though she couldn’t see for herself, had begun to fade. Soon, the only evidence that she’d been attacked would be the frazzled mess of her hair and the subtle paranoia she would have to overcome in regards to her new awareness of the world’s monsters.

After a slow nod, she set down her mug and eyed the hunter thoughtfully. A long breath was released and then she let loose with her questions. “Alright. Witches, hunters, demons– anything else I should be aware of for now? Should I stop practicing my spells? Or maybe I should just buy a gun– Do guns even work on demons? Are ghosts a thing? Or zombies? It would really suck if I dug up a zombie by accident, man. I am not about the whole brains-eating thing.”

Jason held up a hand to stop her nervous spout of babbling. “No, no, there aren’t zombies...and don’t get a gun. You wouldn’t be able to handle a gun- and they don’t work against demons anyway- not unless you have the right bullets.” he wanted to make sure she didn’t go out and put herself in any more danger than she already had. “I make it a point to register all supernatural beings within the town- and they’re all just trying to lead a normal life as best they can- but sometimes outsiders sneak in and cause disturbances. I’ve been on that demon’s case for weeks. I thought he’d skipped town since you hadn’t dropped dead yet- but I do have to agree with Charlie..I think there might be something extra going on with you.” he knew she’s mentioned performing spells, but she didn’t feel or seem like a true witch. If she was then Jason could assure that Charlie would have known on sight.

Eying her up and down, Jason decided to go through his list of questions first. “As Sheriff of this town- I do need to have your help in an investigation. I need to know when you were hired, when you started feeling tired and drained, and I have to ask if you have family in the area that you can stay with- or friends or anyone for the time being. I don’t think you should be left alone after an ordeal like this- especially if your first instinct is to get a gun. As acting Sheriff I don’t think I’d like to get a report about you accidentally shootin’ yourself.”

Getting up off the couch, Jason took the empty tea mug from Ash’s hands. “You hungry? I could eat.” he walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge.

southern charms. }

Ash couldn’t stop herself from giggling lightly at the way Jason and Jules yelled back and forth. She was unable to make out the teen’s retort, but amazingly, he heard it just fine. Thankfully he clarified with his incredulous expression. “In my experience, it seems anyone outside of a teenager’s friend circle is a jerk. You shouldn’t feel too bad.” With a shrug, the redhead continued sipping her tea.

Looking up as he made introductions, the young woman recalled her shy smile. He was certainly right about one thing– her world had been changed for good, and she still wasn’t entirely sure what that meant. “Yeah, no shit. You can say that again.” The tea was briefly rested near her lap. “It’s nice to officially put a name with a face. Mine is Aislin, Aislin Ivers. Everyone calls me Ash. Though– Red’s not a bad name either. I’ll be honest; it’s growing on me.”

Urged to drink the tea once more, Ash sighed and brought the mug back up to her lips, taking a solid drink of the stuff to prove she wasn’t neglecting it before she continued to speak. “So– you said this stuff isn’t just tea; it’s a potion. Does that mean Charlie is- a witch? And what does that make you? He said everyone in the house was ‘more extra than ordinary.’” On a quieter and more reserved note, she threw in, “And he doesn’t seem to think I’m completely ordinary either…”

“Charlie is more than a witch- he’s a Salem witch. He’s spent all his life movin’ from one place to another- and finally he’s got sanctuary here and I won’t let ‘im leave because he’s too valuable to the town. His magic is part of what keeps this place protected from greater evils than that demon today. That was a walk in the park compared to what can really be out there.” Jason realized though that his words might have a frightening impact on Ash. Backtracking quickly, Jason figured he would put a lighter spin on things. “But the thing is that there are ways to counteract all the evil in the world. There’s me for instance. I’m part of a uh- a different species of human- if you can believe that. I mean- I am human...but I’m really not.”

Jason struggled to find the right words to explain himself. “You see....I’m what we call a hunter. I’m the guy that goes out and takes care of the things that go bump in the night when they start thinkin’ they can go on a kilin’ spree and no one will give a rat’s ass. I’ve got my own set of skills and abilities to match my opponents- and that’s why I became Sheriff of this town here.” Giving Ash a small side glance, he hoped he wasn’t giving her too much information at one time. “And Jules- the grumpy teenager upstairs- she’s my legacy. It’s my job to train her before I wring her neck.” he muttered the last part under his breath.

“I know you’ll probably have a lot of questions- and I”ll try to answer them as best I can. So...if you’ve got more- let me know.”

southern charms. }

Ash mulled over Charlie’s words in the silence, broken only by the occasional sip of her tea or the crackle of the fire. It was surely no surprise then that when the sudden obnoxious entrance of a blonde teenager interrupted the piece, the poor girl nearly jumped out of her seat. Fortunately, her little jolt didn’t spill any of the tea. Wide chocolate eyes fixed on the teen, as curious as they were stunned, but the comment she received bubbled up the awkwardness once more and left her staring down sheepishly into her mug as she pretended to take another sip.

She much happier to hear Jason’s voice shout after the girl. While Jules trudged upstairs, Ash lowered the mug from her lips and peered over toward Jason, offering a small smile. Since he’d been gone, a bit of color had returned to her cheeks and she didn’t appear nearly as jarred as she had originally. If she was being honest, it was an unexpected comfort to witness the domestic scene. The girl’s grumbling attitude as she climbed the stairs was endearingly reminiscent of Mikey when a rehearsal didn’t go his way.

“A little bit, yeah… I hope I’m not intruding too much.” Scratching at the edge of her mug, she glanced back in the direction of the stairs. “Is she going to be alright? She sounds like my little brother when he blanks on his lines at a rehearsal.”

Jason sighed loudly and took another bite of ice cream before he got back up off the couch and put the ice cream away. “She’ll be fine- AS LONG AS SHE KEEPS HER GRADES UP- OR SHE’S NOT GOIN’ TO TRAININ’ ANYMORE!” he shouted loud enough for his sister to hear. There was a loud but inaudible shouting coming back from the second floor of the house, though Jason was able to hear what his sister was saying with clarity. Turning around he looked at Ash incredibly, “Can you believe that? I’m the jerk because she can’t keep her English grades up.” he shook his head though to stop himself from getting distracted by his sister’s attitude. She could get under his skin when he let her.

“I’ll go talk to her. You attend to your charge.” Charlie got up and let Jason take the floor. Once the witch was out of the living room, Jason looked over at Ash with a small smile. “I don’t think I got to mentionin’ before, but I”m Jason Herbert- town Sheriff. My jurisdiction is....more than what most Sheriffs can handle. But I should warn ya that your world is never goin’ to be the same again.” He looked down at her tea and saw that it wasn’t fully drunk yet. “Seriously though- drink the tea. Charlie whips up a helluva healin’ potion. That’ll take care of the bruisin’ on your neck in no time.”

southern charms. }

“I’m not offended by it. Neither of us exchanged names, and given the freak occurrence, I probably would have jumped to the first observable name I could gather too,” Ash remarked while she fiddled with a loose string on the corner of the blanket, casting the occasional glance into the kitchen to watch Charlie, but also doing her best not to stare. He was harboring her in his home, after all, and she had had quite enough of the supernatural for one day. Trying to reason how he could bring water to a boil with a touch of his finger was not a game she took current interest in.

As he sat down beside her, she took the mug gingerly in her hands, curling one around the handle and another against the side, simply savoring the warmth while she could. “Yeah, I’ve seen my fair share of hospitals and psych wards. I’m pretty sure anyplace is better than being locked up in a maze full of nurses and over-drugged sob stories.” The low grumble into her mug elicited a more defensive shadow in the girl, one that drew her attention inward until the other addressed her directly.

Raised brows and a faint scoff preceded her response. “Me? Stronger? If I was that kind of special, I think I’d know about it.” She then sniffed tentatively at the tea and took an experimental sip. Finding it pleasant, she took another, and added, “But I was going on three weeks, since you’re wondering.”

“Hmm...interesting..” Charlie looked over to the fire as he thought to himself what that could mean. “You never know what specialities your body could be hiding. I tend to think that no one is ever just ordinary- there is always a little extra lurking in the shadows.” Charlie looked at Ash with a small smile. “I myself am a bit more than extraordinary, everyone in this house is more extra than ordinary.” Charlie sat back on the couch, letting Ash drink her healing tea in silence.

In the silence, the front door opened, and the loud audible sigh of Jules could be heard coming towards the living room. “I hate him! I hate him, I hate him!” she pounded her feet into the kitchen and found her left over carton of ice cream in the fridge. Turning on her feet, the 6 foot tall blonde teenage turned around and saw the redheaded girl on the couch with a blanket wrapped around her. “Fleece shock blanket? Shit- that must’ve been one badass demon.”

“Watch your language!” Jason walked in behind her, getting more and more pissed off at his little sister with every word. “Jules..” Charlie cautioned. “Go to your room- we have a guest.” he gave the teenager a stern look and she turned on her heel and walked away. As she passed her brother, Jason took the ice cream container out of her hand and let her grumble all the way up the stairs to her room.

“You need to talk to her- she won’t talk to me anymore.” Jason sat down and took a bite of the ice cream he’d confiscated. “How you doin’ Red? Feelin’ any better?”

southern charms. }

Ash had wrapped herself up in the blanket and sat silently through the entire ride to what she assumed was Jason’s home. The fleece was comfortable, but it didn’t do too much to ease her state when she felt as though she was being handed off from one mysterious situation to the next. When she got out of the car, she eyed the man on the porch– Charlie, the sheriff had said –cautiously. Despite his kindness, he seemed intrigued by her, and if Ash had learned anything today, it was that she shouldn’t trust first appearances.

She looked up at the man while introductions were made, then proceeded to tighten the wrap of the blanket around herself. After just having survived an attack by a ‘soul sucking demon,’ her savior and the only person she hardly knew at that point was leaving? Fortunately, his… friend picked up on this as well, or so his gentle arm suggested. Oddly enough, it was the first gesture that genuinely breathed some relaxation into her form. An unexplained warmth warded off the chill the demon had left, and thanks to it, she began to recover her senses.

With a nod at her host, the redhead wandered inside the home along with him. As instructed, she settled down in the coziest spot she could find, which just so happened to be the corner of the couch nearest the fireplace. Again, her legs were pulled up to where she sat, yet this time they rested at her side so she could maintain a loose grip on the blanket that still hung from her shoulders. Only once she had finalized her position did she at last speak up, her voice a tentative melody of soft tones. “Red isn’t my name. It’s Ash.” Her eyes lingered on the fire a moment before flicking to Charlie. “Why did he bring me here and not to a hospital? No offense.” She had a hunch she already knew the answer, but nevertheless, it was far easier to start off with small talk.

Charlie closed the door behind him with a wave of his hand before heading into the living room and finding the redheaded stranger settled into a comfortable corner of his couch. The living room was open concept, and allowed for the witch to be able to observe the girl while he waltzed into the kitchen to begin brewing a potion to help with the bruises along the girl’s neck. “I assumed your name was not Red. Jason tends to name people based off of observation rather than by a christened name. It’s a horrible habit that he refuses to break. It makes him less than personable at times.” as he spoke he was mindlessly mixing together ingredients into a loose tea container.

As he mixed his healing tea together, Charlie wordlessly summoned a cup full of water to his side. Dipping his finger into the water, just an inch, he muttered under his breath to make the water hot enough to brew. Once the water was to his liking, he replaced his finger with the concoction of loose tea and brought the mug to Ash on the couch. Sitting down beside her, he held out the mug for her to take. “Hospitals don’t tend to specialize in demon attacks, and they tend to record more than they should down on paper. Not to mention if you were to say what had truly happened to you- you would be placed in a psychiatric facility. This is a better alternative.” Charlie sat back on the couch and looked up at the ceiling for a moment before returning his gaze to Ash.

“It’s interesting...pardon me for wondering but how long had you been working at the cemetery? The last dead body we found was weeks ago- and they only lasted for a week themselves before they were consumed. I sense that you’re stronger than most though.” he didn’t want to overwhelm the poor girl with too much information- but his curiosity got the best of him. “Oh- and do drink the tea, it should bring you some relief,” as well as heal her from the inside out.

southern charms. }

Ash knew she deserved the look she got. It was half the reason she’d chosen the field that she was in– morbid humor was just slightly less horrific when it came from the mouth of one who worked with the dead for a living. However, her mask of humor was no sign of recovery. If she hadn’t been asphyxiated by the demon, she might have hyperventilated as well. So she said nothing in response to the Sheriff. A tiny nod as he pulled out his phone was all he got while she settled her gaze back upon the floor, arms drawing her legs more tightly toward her chest. Admittedly, her eyebrow ticked up a tad at the half of the conversation she picked up and inevitably returned her attention to the blond.

His kindness was surprising given he’d just shot and stabbed the dead man in front of her– but he had also saved her life. “No, I don’t think he’s gonna mind either,” she managed a petite but spiritless smile as she took his hand in her trembling one and rose to her feet. “And yeah– a blanket would be nice.”

#ash #this is so long!#i'm so sorry!

With her hand in his, Jason lead the redhead back towards his patrol car. Opening the trunk of his car, there was an emergency road kit, blankets, a spare tire, a few miscellaneous objects, and a large toolbox that actually stored most of his hunting gear. Of course his many guns were kept at his home or at the Sheriff office until they were needed. Picking up a blanket, he handed it to the girl and closed the trunk. “Wrap it around you. It’s made of fleece. It’s supposed to make you forget about the shock, and if you have questions wait until we get to a safe environment before you start coming back to your senses.”

He got back into the front seat of the patrol car, and once the girl was situated he began to drive back to his home. The drive was about ten minutes, but when he drove into the driveway there was a small three story plantation style house to greet them. Standing on the front porch was a rather tall man, about 6′5″, with dark brown hair. He was dressed in a neat cardigan and slacks, his arms folded across his chest as he waited for the sheriff to get out of the car. “What happened?” the taller man asked as Jason got out of the car. “Demon attack- this one is the latest victim.” he opened the car door for the girl to get out.

Charlie’s interest piqued when he saw Ash get out of the car. “Interesting. how long had she been exposed to the demon’s power?” Jason rolled his eyes at the witch, “I don’t know Charlie. We didn’t get to do much talking, I was a little busy killing a soul sucking demon. Why don’t you make her tea and talk to her yourself?” Jason gently urged Ash forward towards Charlie. “Red, this is Charlie. He’s goin’ to take care of you. He’s gonna ask you a few questions- try to answer them as honestly as you can. That’ll help him to better heal you.” With introductions out of the way, Jason turned around to go back to his car. “where are you going?” Charlie called out behind the hunter. Jason turned around as he continued to walk to his car, “Someone’s gotta pick up Jules- and you’re busy so it’ll be me.”

Charlie nodded his head and looked toward Ash, observing her blanket. “He gave you the fleece blanket- you must be in serious shock. He never gives that one out, it’s his favorite.” Charlie then put an arm around Ash and muttered a small spell under his breath the help relax the girl a bit. “Come inside, pick the most comfortable place you find and we’ll get started.”

southern charms. }

Before Ash could make out what was happening, a throbbing pain struck the back of her head and a crushing force restricted her neck. A chill ran down her spine and throughout her body, raising goosebumps across her skin. She wasn’t a heavy individual to begin with, yet the power holding her up against her will was extraordinary. She strained to catch a breath, her hickory eyes straining open at the sound of the other’s voice. She was hesitant to follow his instructions at first, overcome with shock, but soon that endangered adrenaline kicked in and she stared the demon down, nasty hiss and all.

Her shock numbed down the effects of the gunfire, the stabbing, the light, and the dead body that fell between them. When the demon had abandoned its hold on her, she had dropped pitifully to the floor, only seating herself back up against the wall once she was pretty sure the thing was dead– or at the least, gone. Quivering hands wrapped around her knees as she fought to stablize her breath. Bruises had begun to form around her neck, her skin had taken on a jarred pallor, and the chills had yet to leave her system, yet her foot was able to stick out and poke the corpse testingly. A momentary stillness possessed the room for a long second before, once again assured of the demon’s departure, a bit of color was able to return to her cheeks.

“Guess you guys are gonna need a new mortician now, huh?” Humor was her method of coping with the shock that still afflicted her, physically as well as emotionally.

Jason just looked at the girl like she was deranged. “That was not what I was expectin’ to come out of your mouth. Usually people hyperventilate- or scream- I had one person pass out on me. That was fun...” he looked over at her though and saw that her skin was already bruising. “Come on- this will still be here later. We gotta fix you up first.” Jason pulled out his phone and dialed quickly. “Charl- no I’m not picking her up, you’re pickin’ her up. I don’t care she can walk. Get home- I’ve got a job for you.” hanging up the phone, Jason looked over at the redhead. “Do you need a blanket? I keep blankets in the car- they really do help get over demon attacks.” He offered her his hand. “Let’s get you fixed up, I don’t think your boss is gonna mind if you miss work.” seeing as how her boss was now a dead body on the floor.

southern charms. }

The redhead peered down into her lap at the other’s observation, fingers fiddling nervously as her thought rattled about. “I know, but I enjoy it, despite everything it takes from me. And it’s just a temporary job anyway, something to keep me on my feet until I can graduate and settle for something more permanent. I’ve been looking into entry level positions as an analyst at the FBI and CIA, actually.” She threw a small smile in his direction then, completely unaware to the warning he was trying to give.

When the arrived, Ash exited the car alongside the blond, stringing her bag over her shoulder for the trek out onto the grounds. She was puzzled as to what business the sheriff had at the cemetery, but curiosity aside, she did have a job to do. “Really? Well, good luck to you then. And thank you. Maybe someday I can repay the favor.” A wave of her hand and she parted for the gate, not bothering to glance back. She would have gone right to her work if only she hadn’t forgotten that her boss housed the key in his office.

Sighing, Ash turned around and trodded after the path the sheriff had taken. Her entrance was met by the sudden crash of her chauffeur back through the office doorway, as if he’d been pushed by an invisible force, and out of his mouth came a string of words that she shouldn’t have heard outside of the movie theatre. At first, she halted at the shock of it, but a few seconds later, she hurried forward to the sheriff’s side, weird knife and all. “Holy shit! Are you okay? What do you mean demons? What the hell was tha–” her eyes drifted to the office interior, an action which she instantly regretted. There was her boss, but in place of his usual steely grey eyes, a pair of solid black irises grinned back at her in a sickly glee. The redhead gulped dryly at the succinct realization. “Oh– that demon…”

Jason saw the redhead coming to his aid, which was a bad idea. He didn’t have much time before the demon spotter her and took her for its own. Jason had just enough time to see the demon use its power to pull her up and against a wall while it sized her up for yet another soul sucking meal. “Hey- Red! Keep looking at him- in the eyes! They love that. Just...stay still...and don’t scream.” he tried to keep her calm as the demon let out a guttural hiss come out of its mouth.

While the demon had its back to him, Jason pulled out a gun and fired it five times into the demon’s back. The bullets were filled with holy water, and would pack a sting. The demon immediately let go of its prey and clawed at its own body to stop the pain surging through its body. While it was distracted, Jason pulled out the blade from his jacket and thrust it through the demon’s chest. Its eyes flashed, and soon a large light engulfed the room as the demon was sent back to the underworld and its body was left lifeless on the floor in front of him.

Putting the blade away, Jason looked at the body and patted it down for identification. Pulling out a wallet, he saw the man’s body was from three states over. “Shit- now I gotta fill out paperwork...again.” he muttered to himself before standing back up and dusting off his person. It was then that he looked over at the red head and realized she was a witness. “God- dammit today is not my day.” he rubbed his temples for a moment before looking at her. “You okay, Red?”

southern charms. }

“For the last few days this week, at least,” Ash admitted sheepishly, scratching at the base of her hair behind her neck. “Bit of both, to be honest, but it’s kinda in the job. I mean, digging out graves is pretty tiring in itself.” Grinning at the sheriff’s acceptance, the girl beamed. “Awesome, thank you! Lemme just grab my bag and lock up.”

Once she had retrieved her canvas backpack from the shop and locked up with the spare key Margaux had left her just in case, Ash hurried over to the passenger side of the patrol car, slid into the passenger seat, and fastened her seat belt, finally able to sigh a breath of relief. “Going on three weeks now. It’s pretty hard to find well-paying jobs while you’re still in undergrad, especially in this field, so when I heard there was an opening, I jumped at the chance.” she answered, glancing aside at him with a shrug. “I’m not surprised. Combine the exhausting work with long hours and a thankless boss– if I wasn’t so goddamned stubborn I’d probably have ditched within the first week.”

“I know you probably don’t want to hear this from me, but you might want to find a new line of work.” he said quietly. “I just mean that there are other job opportunities out there for you that would pay more and wouldn’t leave you so tired. Just an observation.” Jason truly didn’t want to have to deal with yet another drained body at the cemetery. he was growing tired of digging more graves for lost souls. It had been a few weeks since he’d had to deal with a body- but that all made sense since he was sitting next to the next victim. He wouldn’t allow that to happen though. This redhead didn’t deserve death.

After a few long minutes in the car, Jason stopped at the cemetery and put the patrol car in park. He got out of the car, locking it behind himself once the redhead let herself out as well. “it just so happens that I’ve got a job to do here as well. Enjoy your work.” he nodded his head toward the redhead before he took out the small box in his jacket pocket that held a magical blade within. Holding the blade in his hand, he kept it out of place as he entered the office of the cemetery manager. Making quick work of everything, Jason held up the blade and was met with a brute force that knocked him back into the doorway. “Shit- goddamn demons! Go back to hell, and stop sucking the souls out of my innocents!”

southern charms. }

“Ooh, yeah. Rough gig,” she chuckled at the Sheriff’s revelation. Small towns always did seem to have the strangest goings-on, after all. But with her simple black glasses, messy red bun, faded olive jeans, tan flannel shirt, and baby blue sneakers, Ash hardly looked a threat. Hopefully that would work in her favor. Not everyone had the best reaction when she revealed her own profession. “How about the old cemetery over on the edge of bayou? I’m an intern, and if I’m late again today, my boss is gonna kill me.” Pun-intended.

“You’ve been late a lot then, I take it?” Jason asked, inquiring a bit further. “Just tired from all the work you’ve been doin’, or just tired from life in general?” he had to ask, seeing as how the cemetery was where trouble was brewing within the town. “Y’know since I’m headin’ that direction, I could give you a ride. Hop in.” he knew that the apothecary would be protected from thieves. He’d helped Margaux set up the wards around the apothecary when he’d first moved into town almost 9 years previously.

Getting into the patrol car, Jason waited for the redhead to strap herself in before he drove off. “How long have you been workin’ at the cemetery? Not too many people apply there anymore.”

southern charms. }

Ash had no idea what to make of the peculiar blonde patron. He seemed nice and certainly familiar with Margaux and her shop, but his actions left the redhead puzzled. She said nothing to oppose him. Instead, she followed him and peeked around the edge of the store room door. What could he possibly be retrieving from beneath the floorboards? Drugs? Money? Margaux was a sweet woman. Certainly she wasn’t involved in anything illegal… right?

“Hey, wait!” Ignoring the twenty stuffed in the tip jar, the newcomer hurried to the front entrance and leaned out of the doorway, calling after him. When she spotted the patrol car, eyes widened and her curiosity deepened, though her thoughts and suspicions were concealed beneath a far simpler inquiry. “You’re a cop? I know you must be busy, but– well, Margaux was supposed to be back fifteen minutes ago to give me a ride to work and I’m gonna be late if I don’t leave like- right now. Would you mind giving me a lift? It’s not far, I promise, and I’d totally owe you one.”