---Lilith’s POV---
It was just like those nightmares I had earlier, when she had just left us. I always believed that mom would come back to us, that she made a mistake. Clearly she didn’t because I could see that she didn’t want to be here right now, though she was arrogantly intruding on our lives again.
My hands automatically tightened on dad’s legs, fearing that my- no, that this woman was going to take me away from him. She didn’t deserve to be called a mommy. She might be my mother through blood but she wasn’t a mommy.
Not anymore.
The necklace tingled against my skin as a calming sensation poured over my body, like a soft cotton was being drawn over my features. That combined with Dad placing his large hand on top of my head made me relax a little, knowing that we weren’t in this alone; Caitlin was here as well and I knew that she would protect us from whatever my mom had planned.
I started looking at her, really looking at the woman that was standing in the middle of the foyer, one hand arrogantly placed on her hip. Her blood red manicured nails stood in sharp contrast to the barely there black lace dress she was wearing. Her eyes were scanning the faces around her before she looked down at me with an ice-cold glare before her lip barely curled up in a devious smile.
“I would’ve thought that you would have jumped to the occasion of having me in your presence again Ethan but judging by how stiff you’re standing there, its quite the opposite.”
Dad scoffed, his hand keeping me safely behind him while he glared at his mate. “It wasn’t me that left this house, not looking back at your mate or your child! And for what Deidra? Why did you leave us?”
The woman sighed softly, shaking her head from side to side before she tilted it to the side, letting the silver-blonde curls obscure her face. “You wouldn’t understand even if I told you to. And why are we discussing this in front of your slaves? Let’s talk in private, shall we?”
Deidra didn’t wait for a response, instead she walked further into our home, shouldering past my new friends with a sneer on her face before she was standing nose to nose with Caitlin, who refused to budge. Deidra glared at her and I winched, whimpering softly while I clutched my dad’s leg even harder.
Caitlin had stepped in front of my mother when she had changed her direction towards me. And it seemed that now, she was the one my mother had targeted her anger on. She looked down at Caitlin past her nose, nostrils flaring in anger and disgust before she glared at my dad and me.
“Well, judging by this you weren’t so heartbroken after all. Replaced me already? By a mere, filthy human?” She screeched, head snapping back towards Caitlin as she slowly circled her.
I could feel the jealousy pouring of the woman in sickening waves, along with Caitlin’s apprehension, everyone’s confusion, distrust and anger, making me feel sick to my stomach.
The necklace shivered against my throat, letting me know that Caitlin was protecting me against this barrage of emotions, threatening to overwhelm me. The worst part was that I could feel my dad’s emotions being at war with his common sense.
Dad’s mating bond was twisted and mangled but was still intact, so whatever his mind was saying, his body and instincts were yearning to be with his mate again. He was struggling to keep himself grounded while he stared at my mother, who had come to a halt behind Caitlin, the venomous anger and jealousy washing over me made me feel feint.
Dad must have sensed my hold loosening on his pants, because he looked down and quickly steadied me when I swayed on the spot. His jade eyes darted from my face towards his other half, scowling as he obviously read my mind. His anger didn’t help but I saw him flinch when he realized that too.
“Deidra, leave Caitlin alone. She’s an honored guest here and I will not tolerate your insults towards her.” He sighed and eyed me again before stepping away as he stated, “We’ll talk in my study. Alone.” He added when Leo wanted to interrupt him.
Leo frowned but nodded when he looked down at my pale form, instantly stepping closer when Deidra glanced over Caitlin’s shoulder towards me. A wicked gleam entered her eyes before her features turned blank, a victorious smirk stuck to his face.
She bumped against Caitlin’s shoulders roughly, pushing her to the side before she followed dad up the stairs while everyone around us stared after them in shock. Leo growled lowly in his throat before he looked at his sister.
“Her presence here brings everything we worked for at danger. What if her demonic lover follows her here?” Lilly nodded her head before tilting it to the side, tapping her chin for a second before jutting things of her hand. “We need to up security, check the perimeter more often and make sure that Lilith remains safe.”
Everyone looked at me with a worried gaze before Caitlin stepped up behind me. “She is safe. Trust me on that. Its you guys I’m worried about.” Her remark made me look up, her black hair flowing down elegantly while the blue strands illuminated her face brightly.
“What do you mean Caitlin? Why would the others be in danger because of my mother being here?” I asked in a hushed voice, still feeling weak from the amount of emotions that had swept over me in such a short timespan. Caitlin looked down at me with a cautious smile before sighing.
“I fear she didn’t come here on her own accord. I think her lover is behind this but for what, I can’t say. All I know is that she’ll try to squeeze our secrets out of us one by one. I’ll do my best to protect you guys but Ethan will be the hardest; he still has the bond with her.”
Leo looked at her with a grave expression, the stress and worry pouring off of him rather strongly before he nodded slightly, pushing past the others so he could get outside, probably to shift and scan our lands for any trespassers.
I looked up at Caitlin and stretched my arms out, feeling somewhat happy that she instantly picked me up and pulled a strand of loose hair out of my face to tug it behind my ear.
“How re you going to protect the others Caitlin? If you give them a feather like you did with me, my mother will know for sure what you are.” She frowned, thinking about it for a moment while I saw Devon standing close to his girlfriend, a worried expression on his face.
“Not to bother you guys or to seem impolite but uh…isn’t it dangerous to have that woman around? Why doesn’t Ethan just kick her out of his home and be done with it?” I looked sadly at Devon, who probably thought it was because of what he said because he started to apologize but I shook my head.
“Mom and dad weren’t just a couple like you guys, they’re mates. Their bond isn’t easily broken and when it does break, it needs to be accepted from both sides. Dad never could, he always blamed himself but couldn’t put it behind him.” I stated in a soft, sad tone, making the others look at me in sympathy.
“Which means…that Deidra still has a hold on him?” the young girl asked before Caitlin nodded her head as a reply. “I’ll protect everyone here but I’ll have to be careful so she won’t detect it. She’s already influencing Ethan as we speak but I can’t stop that if he’s a willing victim. He wants to fix his bond, but unknowing to him, she’s making him her prisoner.”
---Caitlin’s POV---
Three days passed and Ethan was acting…weird. It was as if he was fighting with himself while Deidra stayed more on the background, walking through the mansion as if she owned it and barking orders at the humans as if they were some lowlifes she met on the street.
All the humans had their protection, save for Devon but I had been searching for him today to give him a feather of his own as well. I had been lucky so far, because Deidra didn’t have the slightest inkling that I was anymore than just another human.
The sunlight was shining brightly and I smiled when I finally spotted Devon as he was working with Nicolas outside, digging a hole to place a Japanese Maple tree, one of Lilith’s favorites. They stopped what they were doing when they saw me approaching and I smiled at them, nodding once at Devon when he gazed at me with a questioning look.
You see, I had developed a small tactic so I wouldn’t be caught giving my charge their feather. Deidra had been stalking the mansion and its grounds, eyeing us like a hawk would his next meal. I had simply focused the thought of materializing the feather in my hand and reached out to touch the one I would give it to.
In the exact moment I touched them, the feather would appear and instantly change in a bracelet or necklace, so it only seemed that I was giving them an small gift instead of revealing my secret.
Devon patted the dirt of his hands while Nicolas leaned on the shovel he had been digging with and winked at me. A soft gleam of silver made me look at his wrist, the bracelet gleaming in the sun created a smile on my face. He smiled back and moved his hand a little, making the jewelry jingle softly.
Focusing back on the task at hand, I quickly grasped hold on Devon’s hand, feeling the rush of power go through me as my mind made a pathway towards his own thoughts and emotions before I felt tired. Pulling my hand back, I revealed two rings, each made of a white gold feather curling around the digit.
“Thank you…but why two?” he breathed out, glancing up at me in confusion. I smiled and tilted my head slightly before gesturing with my chin towards the necklace that already gleamed on his throat. “The same reason why I gave Amelia two necklaces.” His eyes filled with understanding before he smiled again and surprised me by hugging me tightly.
“I don’t know how I can say this but…you’ve really been the best thing that could ever happen to us.” The affirmative grunt coming from Nicolas backed up his statement and I smiled, feeling warm and appreciated with their kindness spinning around me.
“Don’t look now but the bitch is coming over.” Nicolas breathed out with a groan, stretching his back before he continued digging up dirt out of the hole and throwing it on the edge. Devon quickly placed the rings on his fingers and copied his friend, cautiously looking up when we heard Deidra approaching us.
I turned around and sighed, almost feeling the emotions swirling around that woman as much as Lilith could. Deidra was now wearing some silk dress that fanned out around her legs with a large split in the side, going as far as her thighs before it went in a corset, hugging her figure tightly.
“Why is she dressing up like that? There’s no-one here to seduce…unless…” my thoughts were interrupted by the clicking of high heels as Deidra sashayed towards us before coming to a stop before me, glaring over my shoulder when Devon and Nicolas stopped for a second to look at her.
“What are you looking at? Back to work you worms!” They both shared a look but quickly did as they were told. Deidra, obviously pleased with her actions, smirked and turned her sights on me again. Her eyes caught my attention and I frowned slightly, curiosity sinking in. I recognized that look in her eye, the darkness swirling there in the depths, only visible for those who had seen it before.
“Hey, you! Don’t you dare ignore me!” she spat before slapping me in the face. I acted like any human would and stumbled to the side before clasping a hand over my cheek, hiding the fact that there wouldn’t be an angry print on it since my kind could take a lot more than that.
“Don’t you dare and start to cry, you pathetic little human. Now do as your told and get inside! Keep that sniveling little brat away from me or so help me, I’ll do things I’ll never regret!”
My eyes snapped towards hers at the threat aimed at Lilith, my free hand curling up to a fist but I spun around towards the mansion before she could see the anger and disgust in my gaze.
Forcing myself to stay in a human pace, I sped towards the mansion and instantly felt towards my connection with Lilith, who was upstairs in her room, simply sitting on her bed. I sighed and started my way up the stairs, passing Ethan’s room as I went.
Surprisingly, the door opened and I nearly collided with Ethan as he stepped outside. His hair was disheveled and he looked as if he needed a wink of sleep desperately. The skin under his eyes had darkened and they were bloodshot.
“Ethan, are you…are you okay?” I asked, stopping in my tracks to wait for his answer. He stared at me for a moment before nodding, though I could see that his eyes were swirling with a hidden emotion.
They were deep and dark, emotions battling against each other before he sighed and moved to step around me. I reacted on instinct, knowing this was my only change and reached out, holding his wrist tightly in my hand for barely a second but it was enough.
Ethan twirled around, that same emotion darting in his eyes before he backed up. “Don’t touch me Caitlin. I’m not feeling so well so please…refrain from touching me.” he stated, his voice sounding as tired as he looked while he seemed to struggle to say those few words before he turned around again and disappeared.
Although I was worried, I couldn’t help but smile as I glanced at his writs. Just there, under the skin, was a protection that I had never used before. I had placed an Angelic Charm underneath his skin, protecting him for as long as I lived.
With that small smile still stuck on my face, I made my way towards Lilith’s room, knowing that time was running out. Ethan might be fighting against Deidra’s hold but I feared something much stronger was at work here.
“Caitlin? Hey, where have you been? I tried looking for you but…I ran into her.” My smile slipped away as I saw the child on the bed, perking up a bit with my presence but a haunted look in her face. I instantly knew what that meant.
“Lilith, what are you feeling? Is your dad in danger?” her little body twitched as she cuddled into a small ball on the bed, her blond hair falling over her face but not before I saw a barely there nod.
“I- I can feel him, his pain, his anger and most of all his desperation. He’s fighting, so hard but he’s losing. Its as if something is trying to take over-“ she gasped before she looked my way as I seated in the middle of her room, legs in Indian style while I placed my hands on each knee.
“What are you doing?” she asked in a low, almost monotone voice, the same voice she used once, when I just met her. I closed my eyes and slowly breathed out. “Doing what I was born to do; Protecting what’s worth fighting for.” I breathed out while gathering all the strength in my body.
---Nathan’s POV---
The air felt chilly, forcing me to shove my hands in the pockets of the dark blue jeans while I picked up the pace. Small particles of Caitlin’s essence flowed around me, making me sigh in relief, as I knew I was still on the right track.
Zeke walked up beside me, looking around the grassy green hills and the few trees before he glanced back warily. We had encountered a few creatures so far and even spotted a few demons in the distance but luckily, we were able to keep our presence hidden.
The sight of those demons made me fear for Caitlin’s life though. Demons didn’t have the same emotions nor did they have the morality of the common human. They followed their own laws, which were very few as they simply went after what they wanted, when they wanted it.
I sighed and stopped to take a deep breath, feeling the particles in the air brushing against my face while I closed my eyes, spinning my head from side to side before I opened my eyes.
“The trail is stronger, she has been here for a while, somewhere close by.” Gabe and Zeke perked up on that, instantly looking around more lively before we managed to detect a fairly good hidden house between some vines.
I got a rather bad feeling though as we rushed closer; the trail wasn’t active, so Caitlin wasn’t there but I could sense something else than humans had been here. When we entered the house, I knew we were too late.
“Something has captured both her and the humans…but the humans managed to remove her chains.” Zeke stated as he inspected the dent of the chains in the dirt before standing back up.
My eyes took in the surroundings, the upturned chairs and tables, dust kicked up in the corners, indicating a struggle. Strangely, there was barely no sign of the attackers but judging from the turned over tables, the humans must have put up a fight.
Crouching down, I inspected the closest, barely there marks and sighed, reaching out to detect the life form that left this behind. It was dark and ominous, pulsing brightly with an eternal strength. I snapped my head up with a snarl coming from my lips.
“Vampires. Caitlin and the humans have been captured by vampires!” the expressions on Gabe’s and Zeke’s faces became troubled before they shared a look. “We need to hurry. We don’t know how long she’s been in the care of these humans before she was captured but if the vampires have her, the demons might find out sooner or later.”
Gabriël stepped out swiftly as he spoke, reaching everywhere he could to follow the vampires’ essences to track them down. As soon as his eyes opened, he glanced back at us. “Stay hidden, use limited amounts of power and don’t attract any attention, got it!”
We all nodded and rushed out, running faster than any human possibly could while we kept a watch on our surroundings. It was time that we were reunited with Caitlin, because I had a dreadful feeling that something bad was going to happen if we were too late.