---Caitlin’s POV---
Everything that I worked so hard for to achieve was slowly crumbling down in front of me. The tension in the mansion was so thick you could run into it, everyone wore grim expressions and if there was any small talk, it was always cut short with a grunt before they went on with their lives.
I could feel everyone under my protection but Ethan’s still needed time to kick into gear. With my protection in his skin, he would be save for all eternity, or for as long as I existed. Off course, being immortal would mean till the end of time but I was immortal, not invulnerable.
My feet tapped silently against the floor as I went out to look for Lilith. She was the one who was taking this the hardest. Surprisingly, Ethan was always seen around Deidra and was acting more cold and distant towards the humans, myself…and his daughter.
I sighed softly as I knocked on the door and pushed it open. The sight was heartbreaking; Lilith was sitting on her bed, clasping my protection between her tiny palms while she stared out of the window.
Even when I walked in her line of sight, she didn’t react or move her eyes. She simply kept staring into the distance with that tormented look in her eyes. Eyes which lost that vibrant spark of life, the joy of interacting with her father or even that spark of curiosity that belonged to a growing child.
All of that was lost over the span of a few days.
“Lilith…” I murmured, gently caressing through her hair. Nothing. Only a small puff slipped past her lips as she sighed heavily. My gut clenched in suspicion, especially because everything started to change after that horrible woman slipped her way back into Ethan’s life.
Deidra comes here and instantly, Ethan changes. He’s hardly seen out the confines of his room and when he does leave, Deidra is stalking him like a shadow. I was lucky to place that protection on him when I did.
His whole aura felt…wrong. Dark. I almost knew for certain that Deidra must’ve slipped something in his system to react this way. Something dark and ominous.
Something demonic.
“How is she?” Leo whispered softly, making my head snap around to his hunched profile in the doorway. I shook my head slightly as his eyes searched the room, stopping at the untouched plates of food.
The werewolf stepped inside and shook his head, his usually upbeat attitude gone and exchanged with this pale husk. “She’s getting so tiny.” He whispered softly as he glanced between me and Lilith. “And so sad.”
“Off course she’s sad, she misses her father and she feels everyone’s emotions in the mansion. I know you feel miserable, having your hands tied without being able to do anything.” I said softly, feeling a spark of anger in my chest.
Leo made a small disgruntled sound from the back of his throat as his hands slowly fisted. “But why would Ethan do such a thing? In all the years I’ve known him, he’d never go back to Deidra.”
I nodded, gently placing a kiss on Lilith’s forehead and catching a small waft of her orange-blossom scent. My mind was already weighing the pros and cons of what I was going to do; my powers weren’t fully recovered after shielding the property from demonic entities.
“That’s because it’s not Ethan doing this. I have a feeling that Deidra isn’t the only unwanted guest here.” I confessed, walking out of the room with Leo close behind me. I saw his expression morph from confusion to understanding and rage.
“Deidra’s lover? The Demonic Prince? But how?”
“I don’t know the specifics but I do feel that something’s wrong with Ethan. His whole aura has changed and that’s not possible unless something serious, something life changing happens. The only other alternative is that something, or rather someone is using Ethan as a husk.”
Leo’s distraught expressions quickly made me reassure him, “He isn’t dead! But he’s locked away deep inside himself and is probably fighting over his own body. We need a way to give Ethan the upper hand so he can expel the demon inside of him.”
He took a few calming breaths as we walked down the hallway. “But how? We can’t go against his wishes and that…that woman isn’t making it any easier.” He spat out in disgust. My hair trickled over my face as I leaned my head forwards, thinking.
“I don’t know.” I confessed, feeling angry and helpless all at the same time. We rounded the corner to find most of the humans inside, and my eyes narrowed on Deidra as she was cornering Amelia, whom seemed terrified.
When I saw Deidra’s hand flashing up, I didn’t think, I acted. My body moved through the room in time to catch Deidra’s hand on the downswing, preventing the vile vampire to bitchslap Amelia across the cheek.
The poor girl was shaking, her back pressed against the wall as she slowly slid down. This stress wasn’t good for her baby… I then looked at Deidra and glared down at the vampire, who was giving me an equally disgusted look.
“Let go of me.” She hissed, yanking her hand out of my grip before she spun back to Amelia. “Get up and do your work, you miserable little human. Worthless.” She huffed as Amelia quickly ran off towards the kitchen, quickly followed by her boyfriend.
As she spun back around, I felt a sick feeling in my stomach. Things were going to change here and I didn’t know if it would end well.
For me.
---Ethan’s POV---
It felt like I was stuck in a cage, inside my body. I could barely move, I could barely breath and yet my body seemed fine. Every time I had started to struggle, fighting back against this crushing weight, it almost seemed as if more weight was piling up, there was more darkness to fight against.
“Oh shut up, will you? You’re giving me a headache.”
Flinching at the way my mouth formed words without me actually doing it, I felt anger bubbling in my chest. “This is my body, you have no right-“ I was cut off by a laugh, the scenery from outside moved as I walked away from the window and back towards the mirror.
“No right? Hah! I have every right. You’re just a pawn in my master plan, Ethan. You should feel honored to be a host of my entity.” Asmodeus barked in a laugh as he stared down into the mirror, a twisted smirk curling my lips, as HE was the one in complete control.
Honored? I should feel honored to have been pushed in the depths of my mind, trapped under his power as his soul was slowly corrupting mine, crushing it under his will? The demon didn’t seem affected as I tried to struggle again, pressing my back against the invincible wall I was pressed against before I fought to get Asmodeus’ presence out of my mind.
He only snorted in amusement, twisting my face to the side before his fingers traced my sharpening features. “Oh Ethan, you aren’t looking so good. Aren’t you happy that I brought your mate back home?” He sneered before stopping, as if hearing something.
“Hmm, something’s happening downstairs. Let’s have a look, shall we?” I could only shout in silence, fighting with all my might as Asmodeus walked us downstairs, where we heard heated voices arguing. I could easily pick out the voice of my former mate but I was a bit surprised to learn that the second voice belonged to Caitlin.
In a way, I was happy that Ash couldn’t fully read my mind; he hasn’t figured out what Caitlin was and that was reason enough to keep fighting. I wasn’t going to reveal her secret to the demon or my dumb excuse of a mate.
“What’s going on down here?” Everyone stopped as Ash spoke through my mouth, gaining Caitlin’s attention. She stared at us with knowing eyes before her eyes zipped down to my wrist. I remembered her grabbing it a few days ago but why would she-
Protection.
I could cry with joy, knowing that now I too was protected and that Ash would soon be forced out of my body. But the knowledge that he was still in me and in full control was making my skin crawl with disgust.
Deidra grinned at me and clicked on her ridiculously high heels towards me before she curled herself around my form. Even Ash was feeling annoyed with her, something that she clearly couldn’t see as she sneered down at Caitlin.
“This human is grating my last nerve. Always meddling and stuffing her nose in others’ business.” I sighed at the whiney voice of Deidra as she pierced an accusing finger through the air, and I could feel Ash suppressing rolling with his eyes.
Seriously, was she a child or an adult vampire?
But I was shocked to the core when Ash simply grinned wickedly before he did the one thing I didn’t think he’d ever do.
He banished Caitlin from my house and property by simply stating, “Your presence is lo longer required nor wished on these lands. Leave and never return unless you have my permission to cross the borders.”
As if she was pushed by an invisible wall, Caitlin was shoved out of the room under a muttered protest and she would keep moving until she crossed the borders. My heart was thumping wildly before Ash let out a surprised grunt as I shoved a him.
Kicking and punching away, I panted and suddenly let out a loud gasp as I felt extremely sick. I shivered, gagging as the nausea rose even more.
With a sudden gasp, I was flung backwards, fully in control of my body before I crash-landed into the floor with a grunt. Deidra let out a surprised squeal and I could hear the werewolves snarl in anger as Ashton took form in the middle of the room.
He seemed disoriented for a moment before his head swiveled around and pinned me with a dark stare.
“How…” His eyes landed on my wrist, his own hands rushing over the skin of his wrist before his head shot back in the direction where Caitlin had disappeared. “Off course.” He released his wrist and grinned at the warlocks and wolves surrounding him.
“Well, it was nice to visit you guys but I can’t stay and chat. Deidra dear, it was nice knowing you but…” Asmodeus shrugged his shoulders as he glanced at the shocked woman, “To be completely honest, I never really loved you. You were only there for my title and my power, not who I am.”
He made a wave towards the crowd and left with a grin. “She’s all yours. I have an angel to catch up with.”