*Seraphine's POV*
I can't believe I done that. It is true in ways, I do worry for him and feel bad when he's upset I do have a connection with him, despite my constant denial, but love is a strong word. Maybe some day I will truly love him, after all, it's obvious that I'll be with him the remainder of my life. I'm not going to ever be able to get away without him or some other demon searching for me it seems. Yeomorah, his son, possibly even Ezekiel who I can't bring myself to trust. My dad! My own dad. It's better this way though, to just submit to it.
Besides, I am lonely. I'm pregnant and confused. Here though, it's safer for us. The baby will have more than just me to teach and protect it. To love it. If I am killed or die, it'll have Nox and our families to look after it. If I run now, anything could happen. I can't risk it. The portal was so tempting when I seen it wavering. I knew I could have escaped right there, but heaven knows what was on the other side. At this point, I am used to people pushing me around and being cold. I've dealt with it ny entire life. I have concluded that my compliance here might get Nox and his family to favor me as well, I could really use that support system in addition to mom, Axar and Alexavier.
If he could only treat me how he had yesterday and the day we returned here, I could be happy like this.
"Seraphine, may I sit here?" I look up to see Ezekiel looking to me anxiously. I sigh and set my fork down.
"You may." He sits eagerly and offers me a little bouquet of greenery tied with a stem. I manage to smile.
"I'm glad you like them. I picked them this morning. I always forget the beauty of this realm. I only wish the flowers were in bloom." He hum hauls around and I finish eating, listening for him to address the elephant in the room. "You don't truly want him do you? He's insufferable. I've been caught up by Ivara, and she has filled me in on everything. So, why Seraphine?"
"It's better this way, for everyone involved. I'm already expecting, and I can't just run away. How would I work and support myself like this? I'm a monster, and I'm pregnant. It's not good for the baby to live in the streets as I did after first leaving from dad-"
"Can we walk please? I'd like to talk in private. We'll stroll outside together. Let me get you a coat and shoes." He leaves without awaiting an answer. He doesn't seem to have ill intent at the moment, so I decide to listen and give him a chance.
He slides the coat over me and I tske the shoes from him for fear he'll insist on putting those on me too. I can still do for myself. We walk through the house together, and out the door. I feel dwarfed by him as we move in sync, side by side and I notice a little spot under his eye.
"You noticed? We share that. None of the other children, grandchildren or great grandchildren share that with me. You seem to favor me more than any, even with that absurd green hair."
"I like green." I shrug. He laughs.
He watches my steps like a hawk as I tread the stone path around the massive house with him. If there's any dampness from recently melted snow or objects in our path he quickly moves me around them or removes them from my path. His coordination is impressive, he glides me over the obstacles as he continues to make eye contact and tell me about our family history and his past. We do several laps, and he often picks on me either imitating a pregnant waddle or pulling a low overhead branch to his head to mock my green hair.
"It's only recently moving some, I'm not even big enough to waddle!" I scold and shove at him. To my shock he falls back and groans, but quickly catches himself before he lands and straightens himself. "What kind of sorcery is that?" I gasp in amazement.
"We are agile, Seraphine. Agile and flexible. Strong and fast. Why, if you weren't so round about the middle-" He pets my belly. "You could likely do that too."
"Thanks!" I snort. He grabs my shoulder with a feather light hand and stops me. He motions to a garden bench and I follow him.
"I admire what you are trying to do. You are soft of heart, resilient and dedicated to those you care for. You are a forgiving type. Will you truly be happy here?"
"Happiness can be mental as much as physical, at least I have plenty of food here and I'm warm and safer. As long as he isn't being an enormous asshole, I can deal I think."
"Do you love him?" I sigh.
"How would I know? It's going to sound stupid, but I've never had love. Felt love. How would I know if I loved him?" I almost whisper, a bit ashamed.
"Don't slump like that! You don't shy away or feel shame in yourself, you're a good woman. Be proud and confident in yourself and your experiences. Now then, that we have your jaw up looking like a fair representative of my bloodline, let me help you decipher. With your grandmother, I knew I loved her from that first moment. We had a connection. I felt such an urge to make her proud. I forsakes everything for her. I was cast down for her. I regretted nothing. I only gave, I gave and I gave to her. I made excuses for her coldness after a while, I tolerated more from her than I would have anybody else. She betrayed me, and even after all that I still felt guilt to deny her. All I wanted and craved was her approval, I would have moved heaven and Earth for it. She came to me once, injured from her new lover and I tended her wounds even though she hurt me." I have been here myself, feeding a weak Nox when he had lashed out at me or cut me down with insults. I was drawn to him even in my terror that first night. He was beautiful there, even if he could have killed me. Even after watching him kill, I want him happy and healthy. No matter how repulsed I've felt towards him, I always buckle. I killed a woman out of jealousy for him.
"I think I did once, but then he became repulsive to me. Even after all he's done if he suffers or hurts, I fold. I died, to keep him from harm."
"I'm going to tell you this here, while we are alone. You are my blood, daughter of my own daughter. If you want to leave here, at any point, I'll take you away from here. You would live in my castle, like royalty. You can feed any ways you'd need. If you need blood, I have expendable servants. I have friends in just as high of status who would be delighted to court you. It's true, that I am weaker than I should be now, but make no mistake when I tell you that I am capable of worse things than you ever imagined. I would feed Noxodius to Nomias, and pack your bags over their bodies should you ask me to do it. You are never tied to this place, you can do as you please, but be happy." I am flabbergasted, so I nod and manage a soft thank you.
I'm not sure what else to say. He leads me by my arm to stand, and we talk as bout the differences in realms. I ask him about Gods and anything that comes to mind. He is lighting fast at thinking on his feet, and his responses are thoughtful and clear to grasp. I believe I could talk to him all day. I can't help but sense his guilt occasionally as he watches me with softer eyes.
"I can't believe I was going to kill you, and here you are grown now. I try not to think about the others, but looking at you now I wonder who they all would have been. Moments like this reaffirm my decision to kill Magdalene."
"I'm sorry." I am in over my head as I try to comfort him. How do you console someone who had to chose between their own life and another's? Selfishness of that primal a level is key to our survival. As we near the house, I think I hear commotion. "Do you hear that?" I ask Ezekiel.
"No. Let's turn back and walk another lap? If you are cold, you may have my cloak. It's mostly for decoration I admit." I notice his unease.
"I-I think something is going on. We should go check to see if everyone is alright. It sounded like-"
"It was. I think you should remain outside with me. I don't think you need to see if it is something unpleasant."
"What if it's Axar or my brother?" My heart is racing as I conjure up mental images of Axar, mangled in a tub like Barima was when I found her. I run to the door, Ezekiel pushing ahead of me to open the door.
"You'll stay behind me." We go in and immediately we hear demonic bellowing, panicked voices of staff and Nomias shouting furiously at someone. I hear Axar yell "Stop!" And I nearly run up Ezekiel's back to try to get around him.
"Axar! Are you okay?" I can't help but scream to him. I just need to know and I'm not close enough to see anything. Nomias yells for Ezekiel to keep me back. This is when I know something is wrong, terribly wrong.
"Seraphine. Stay behind me and stay here. Whatever is going on, they are handling it. Your brother and Nomias are taking care of things now." I groan and lean against the wall. Ezekiel stands guard watching for anything to come our way. The screams pick up again. Male. Definitely male! They cut off as footsteps rush towards us and I immediately see Adam the head chef. I notice he holds his throat.
"Come here!" I call to him as I approach.
"G-g-get...away..." He drops to his knees, blood coating his shirt.
"I can heal you. Please!"
"You'll...you'll..." I try to avoid his flailing arm and kicking as I lay him back. I snatch his hand away as he spits in my face. I place my hands over his throat and I concentrate to heal him." The wound didn't cut all the way though the vein, I believe, but it looks so bad. I can only hope this works. I look into his eyes which are blown with terror, and I whisper to console him. The bleeding slows, but doesn't stop all the way. I try another approach. I can captivate his panic to strengthen myself, feeding from him might help me to keep him alive. He's unconscious now, but alive. The bleeding stops and a superficial wound remains. Not completely healed, but well enough to spare him I hope.
"Can I take him to the staff rooms?"
"Not yet. I'll place him on the day bed in the main room. It's closer to us. You'll follow behind me." He lifts Adam up, and cautiously moves farther into the house. It feels like an hour, but we've only went maybe twenty feet.
Once inside the room, he lays Adam carefully onto day bed. I snatch up a throw blanket and pillows to position him comfortably and keep him warm. It hurts to see him like this, especially the way he reacted to me. Thus man had treated me so well. He have me conversation and so much good food. I know I must be extra work on him.
Ezekiel guards the entrance of the room while I stand sulking over Adam. It plagues my mind to think that he hates me now, because he thinks that is what I am too. But aren't I? I've killed before. He has all rights to hate me. I should never have ran from Noxodius the second time. That brought Yeomorah into this, and us here, and thus this event. I should have just accepted my fate for everyone's safety long ago. I have caused every bit of this and whatever else has transpired a bit ago. My sides cramp with stress and I move to sit down in the floor. The fighting begins again and I hear things broken and toppling over. This only adds to my nerves, and my hair stands on end.
"Seraphine." My head swivels wildly, trying to find where Nox's voice is coming from. I can feel him now, but still can't see him. He sounds like he's coming from the hall. With him comes the unmistakable smell of death.
"Look out Seraphine. Look out into the hall, darling." Ezekiel blocks me.
"Stay back." Ezekiel warns me.
"Look out. You'll want to see what I have."
"Sit down. Go sit."
"Fine. I'll give you a hint." A woman cries out.
"STOP!" I wail.
"I'll stop when you look out, otherwise, she dies."
"I-I have to see. He's going to-""
"STAND BACK!" Her cries are louder and gurgling. I wince and hold my head.
"STOP! I'LL LOOK! STOP!" I plead through tears. I can smell her blood now.
"Shut up and sit down. SIT!" he shoves me away.
"I'm begging you! Please jus-"
"One..." I slam Ezekiel's back and try to wedge past him.
"Two..." I lunge underneath his arms. He shoves me away again.
"Thr-"
"Nooooo!" I shriek. My cries mingle with the womans as I dive under Ezekiel's legs with my claws sank into the door frame. "I'm looking. I'm looking." I struggle to keep my head out the door.
"You're too late. You'll learn to listen." The hallway is bloodied now. Entrails spill from the woman who he holds upright by the hair of her head. Noxodius's eyes are that infamous red and I howl and scream. The walls shake but he remains unphased. Ezekiel snatches me from under him and flings me behind him.
He runs after Nox, and I hear Nomias now too. I crawl back into the room where I vomit and cry into my knees. All I had to do was look out. They don't face Yeomorah till next week. We deal with this for another entire week. We will not make it. This is all my fault. I hold my aching sides and I beg whatever's listening that myself, or nobody else suffers the same fate as that girl. I can't help but think I'm going to leave this world the same way.