Bite Me.

Animosity.

The meal had been going good, until Temperance decided to bring up Sera's father.

The brunette ignored her politely the first time, not wanting to start family drama in front of Alastor but Temperance was persistent.

"Our family only hurts the longer you draw out the case, Serafina." Temperance chastised.

Alastor's eyes watched Sera closely, noting how tense her shoulders became, and prepared himself to make an example of the woman should Sera wish it so.

"I'm not trying to hurt anyone, mother." Sera said quietly, putting her forkful of Jambalaya down.

Sera didn't look up at Temperance, taking on the role of the submissive in this instance. It didn't set right with Alastor, Sera was usually sassy and abrasive, not afraid to stand up to him; a demon. Yet she cowered in the presence of this woman.

"The hell you aren't." Temperance growled, brown eyes glaring into the girl that looked nothing like her.

Sera's eyes flicked up to her mother, and Alastor relished in the newly replenished fire that burned in her green depths.

"If I wanted to hurt anyone in your family, I would've said so much more to the fucking police you self serving pompous bitch." Sera ground out, voice deepening in hostility.

Temperance stares at the brunette in shock before standing abruptly and raising her hand.

Faster than Sera could prepare for, Temperance moves to slap her. But a hand grabs her wrist before she can make contact with Sera, and the brunette looks up to see Alastor standing protectively behind her, his hand gripping Temperance's wrist hard enough that his knuckles were white.

A hand settled gently on Sera's shoulder, and she relished in the warmth Alastor's human form seemed to give off.

"She belongs to me, therefore I will protect her. Even if it's from her own mother." Alastor ground out between gritted teeth.

His grin was tense, and he fought not to give up his disguise to rip the woman to shreds in front of Sera. Temperance laughed.

"She's not my daughter, and I'm glad."

Alastor's eyes flashed with curiosity, but it's overlooked as he lifts his hand from Sera's shoulder with a gentle squeeze before he yanks the elder woman towards the front door.

Alastor tosses Temperance and her waist coat out into the humid Louisiana night heat, growl forming in his throat as his eyes shifted to crimson and he glared at the woman. "And don't come back. Ever." He said threateningly before slamming the door shut.

-♡

When Alastor returned to the dining room, he found the room empty, his own plate of food still on the table.

He heard clinking in the kitchen and followed the sound, finding Sera cleaning up. He peered into the trashcan to find she had discarded nearly her entire meal, and his brows furrowed.

"Darling?" He called out, smile becoming tense as she jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Shit, sorry you scared me." She mumbled, pausing what she was doing.

His hand meets her lower back, slight sparks dancing up his palm but not harming him.

"Aren't you hungry, darling?" Alastor asked, the hand on her lower back was firm but gentle.

"..No." She mumbled, moving to put some leftovers into the fridge.

Alastor's eyes narrowed, his grin tightening as he leaned closer to her. His hands encaged her against the fridge, meeting the cold metal on either side of her head and pressing his front against her back.

She shivered against the warm temperature his skin fed to her, even more so when he growled into her ear.

"I don't appreciate liars, my dear."

She visibly swallowed, the little bolts of red that danced along his skin where it made constant with hers beginning to pinch and shock him at her feeling threatened.

He noticed this and his brows furrowed.

"I-I'm sorry.." she said, but it came out as a whimper.

Alastor didn't appreciate how vulnerable she sounded, but ultimately sighed before the static ambiance in the room eased itself. He rested his chin on her head with a bleat, ears furrowing and pinning against his head as he coaxed the anxiety away from her mind.

"Do not apologize my dear, it is not your fault." He hummed, his claws raking gently up and down her arms.

Gooseflesh scattered the skin under her red button up, and he moved his chin from her head to her left shoulder. She felt his red ear twitch against her head as it tickled from the feel of her hair, making a very small smile perk her lips.

The top two buttons of her shirt were still undone, and as Alastor muled over this detail he could faintly see the tips of lace designs from her bra. He closed his eyes tightly, swallowing as he fought the image and it's implications away from his head.

"Why don't you go get comfortable and I'll start some cookie batter?" He hums questioningly, fighting heat away from his cheeks.

She hums lightly in response, her stomach grumbling in response and making heat light up her freckles cheeks.

"Okay.." She answered as he chuckled and released her.

"Do send Seth down, he must be starving!" Alastor chirped, his usual ambiance having returned as he took the leftovers out and began spooning it onto a plate for the small boy.

Sera hummed in acknowledgement, smile softening as she realized Alastor must really care for the boy.

-♡

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