"Test her and guns get drawn. . . like cartoons"

+1+

“Callum, I think I'm impressed”

I pull down the hood on my sweatshirt  and survey the large warehouse. On the outside it’s small and unassuming but the inside was flanked with assembly lines so pristine Henry Ford would be jealous. The air smells like molten metal and sweat.

Isobel folds her arms. She seems unsure as she surveys the surroundings, her shades and hood are still pulled up.

“So. .. you’re actually making guns, Callum”, she asks approaching the crates.

“No, that’s too big of an operation”, He says. I notice him smiling nervously when he talks to Isobel or any female for that matter, It almost humanizes him, “We are just making the ammo.”

“The ammunition?”, she says

He pushes open a military grade create and nestled inside a case is a freshly polished set of solid gold standard bullets.

“White gold”, he says, “It's the only element that can slice through supernatural skin and cause damage.”

"So I hear", Isobel says.

Callum hands the smoothbullet to me, it's cool to the touch and strikingly artistic in its make. I slip it into my pocket and take in the rest of the warehouse where Callum has begun his resistance.

The warehouse is empty except for us and Dante who nowadays seems to be anywhere Callum is. The stained concrete floor holds dozens of tables and an assembly line probably previously used to gut fish. The metallic smell is overwhelming and outside the dregs of the Hudson river aren't fany better.

In a matter of weeks Callum had turned out quite the operation. He was only lucky Helios hadn't tried anything yet. Helios had been oddly quiet as of late,  I can only assume he is waiting for us to make the next move.

"How many Brothrer volunteered to help you ?"

"14", he said, "It wasn't that hard since we lost the shops. We work in graveyard shifts, it's easier to sneak around the borough. Helios has less SGI prowling the streets then."

“And Helios has no idea you are doing this in Brooklyn ?”, I ask

“Nope.”, he says,  "That’s not even the best part."

I follow him and Dante to the back of the warehouse and up a flight of stairs. I get winded towards the top and fall behind. Isobel slows down too so it looks as if I'm at least faster than her.

When we finally reach the top Dante and Callum are standing in the same relaxed arm-folded pose, with their matching shaved heads and black sweatshirts. They whisper back and forth to one another, they seem to have connected over their mutual dislike of me.

“There”, Callum says pointing north, “We can see Queen Anne’s . Keep an eye on Helios without him realizing.”

He gestures to the binoculars around his neck and I peer over and sure enough I can see the rooftops and courtyard of Queen Anne's pristine neoclassical buildings.

“You’re keeping tabs on Hmelios?", That's smart. I think but don't say out loud.

“It’s easy. You take the roofs you can get as close as you want, he never looks up. I followed him 3 blocks during his afternoon run last week. It's the last place they think to look on account we can't fly.”

“Callum, just so we are clear, if Helios finds out you are doing this in his backyard he will not hesitate to kill all of you.”

I'd said this more than once to Calllum since his dream became realized.  I'd even said it again as Isobel and I had pulled up hoods and hats to enter Brooklyn, then taken side streets and alleys just to make it to the docks.  It was impossible for me to hide my scars, despite the hour Isobel spent putting make up on me that I decided to block out.

“You don't get it do you, Prince", Callum said, "I’m working on a plan to take care of Helios for good.”

“A plan that involves all those bullets ?”, I was uneasy about the prospects.

"A plan that save our asses”, he says, "We just need more time. We just need more resources."

I lowered my eyes, I'd manage to do some crafty accounting to give Callum some money to fund this endeavor, but based on his volume it was clear he had found other methods. Methods I was to afraid to ask about.

"Callum, I'm serious I'm letting you do this as a precaution. A last resort. I don't want to hurt anyone if we can avoid it."

Callum holds his hands out as if I'm speaking gibberish.

"So, Paris. Let's say you get Helios right where you want him. All his guards all his men--gone. you wouldn't kill him ?"

"No. . . I wouldn't", I said, "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

"You've been saying that a lot", Callum argues, "When are you going to realize it has come to that."

+2+fidelity

When Isobel and I leave we make sure to pull up our hoods and slip on our shades.

“Do I look indistinguishable.  ?”, I ask tilting my wayfarers.

“Absolutely, average, Mr. Prince “, Isobel

“Thank you Ms. Charter, I think if we take the subway we can avoid being noticed. I doubt the SGI takes the subway.”

“Uhh, I hate the subway”, Isobel sighs taking my hand.

“Says the girl who owns a car in NewYork city.”

“And I am damn good at parking it too .”, she adds.

We turn the corner, my eyes shifting from side to side. Looking for an unmarked white BMW or flash of gray.

"Wait", Isobel says casually, "Shouldn't you change you last name to King eventually"

"What--oh, no", I slow down our pace, " Titles aren't inherited until after marriage when a child is produced."

"That's so weird. I can't think of any other culture that does that."

"Well, in a world where death is a constant it insures there will be an heir. It's why the gendercide was such a smart idea. It insured I'd never be King. It effectively ended my families monarchy."

" . . . is it wrong how fascinating I find that ? Is it wrong that supernatural history like that kind of turns me on ?

"Isobel.", I say even though I'm sure I'm blushing furiously

"Sorry", she whispers not really meaning it.

 I survey our surroundings one more time and stop midstep to face her. Before she can say anything else I kiss her and can't believe I've gone all day without doing it. She relaxes and brings her arms around my neck, balancing on the tips of her toes.

"Isobel, this may not be the best time, but I want you to go to Boston with me next month. I need to sign some legal papers to transfer the company to my name. It'd be for the weekend. . . "

"Are you sure. I' mean with all that's going on."

"It needs to be done. Might as well get a respite out of it."

"Oh, A weekend in Boston. Can we take selfies where the Boston Tea Party happened. Maybe visit Paul Revere's house ?"

"I suppose. Although you know how I feel about history."

"How ?"

"You know. . . been there lived that."

I'm rewarded with a small laugh and she reaches up to kiss me again. It's the most alive I've felt since the funerals.

“RIGHT”, a voice shouts and we break apart.

I step aside as a male jogger comes up on my right. Isobel doesn't give it a second thought, but I realize that guy with the cropped white hair looks very familiar.

Shit.

“Is, I--”:

My world gets dark quick as someone ties a bag over my head and two people throw me into  a car trunk. I crash into another body I instantly recognizing it as Isobel’s

“Paris”, I can barley hear her, "Paris where are you ?"

I feel around until I can grab her hands, she is on the verge of hyperventilating.

“It’s okay”, I lie straight through my teeth, “It’s okay”

I feel with my feet where the headlight might be and ram hard against it,  I hear one of the lights pop out but it's impossible to scream over the tightly tied bag.

“Paris”, she sounds so scared and there is nothing I can do about it, "I think we're on top of. . . I think.. . .

As we are thrown around the trunk I can feeling something beneath us, I realize we are lying on stacks and stacks of rifles.

+3+

Fresh air hits me like a train, I immediately look around to see Isobel tied up in a chair next to me. Isobel moves a little so I know she is okay, or at least alive.

I force myself to look away from her and take in our surroundings. The smell of chlorine , sweat and cologne are overpowering.It looks like we are in some sort of makeshift gym, with dim lighting and free weights. I get the sensation there is a pool somewhere behind me.

“Is”, I say fighting against my restraints, “Are you doing all right ?”

“Yes . . .”

She struggles in her chair, her lips are pressed together holding in her fear.

“It’s going to be okay”

"Oh, God Paris. I'm so scared.", Her voice breaks at that point.

"No, don't do that, Isobel. I'll protect you"

Inch by inch I try to scoot the chair over to Isobel, throwing my entire weight into it. I try to use my feet to move faster but they are tied together. I misbalance  and my chair tilts face forward to the floor.

“Paris" Isobel shouts as I slam into the floor.

“I’m fine, baby”, I say my lips brushing against the grimy tile.

I struggle to set myself up right when the chair is launched back and lands hard back upright.

“What the--

Seraphina steps around me and with one hand shoves my chair further away from Isobel’s.

“You just can’t follow orders can you, Prince”, she says in a deeply menacing tone. A white athletic shirt and shorts are covered in sweat and cling to her. There is  also a very shiny dagger in her hand and she flips it over and over again, absently catching the tip then releasing it again. I recalled seeing Helios do the same thing.

“I don’t take orders from you or Helios. ”, I say

“You will”, she threatens, leaning in to whisper it to me.

“We weren't doing anything”, I lie through my teeth for Callum. Fucking Callum, “Isobel just needed to visit some friends. That's all-”

“Don’t lie to me”, Searphina cuts me off.

“Sera how can you do this ?”, Isobel fights her restraints, “Paris told me what happened last year.”

Sera’s eyes cut to me.

“He did ?”, she kicks my chair around to face Isobel.

“Yeah”, Isobel continues, “He saved your life after you took that bullet for me. You wanted to stay down there and die but Paris saved you and this is how you repay us.”

Isobel doesn’t even notice the half coy expression Sera gives me. I had told Isobel everything. . . except that I’d kissed Seraphina, or maybe she had kissed me and that maybe I’d saved her because I wanted to kiss her again--

I shake my head not quite sure where that came from.

“Helios has made it very clear about how he feels about Demons in his territory”, her voice cuts through my rogue thoughts.

“Do you do everything Helios tells you ?”, I asks

“You're a problem Prince”, she says ignoring my questions, “A problem I don’t need.”

I don't meant= to but I give her a curious look. A problem I don't need. I

“Searphina.”

I turn to see Leon is also in the room, he is tall and broad with a very rough look about him. He actually looks a little hungover and pissed off. I hope I can use that to my advantage.

“Helios is on his way”, Leon finishes, "Leave them be."

“I’m going to save Helios the time.”, she says more to me than Leon.

She walks behind my chair and I jump when her hands grasp the front of the chair on either side of my legs.. She’s leaning over me, her long hair falls over my shoulders.

“What are you doing ? Seraphina ? Ser-”

She digs her sneakers into the ground and grasp the chair harder, she raises it a couple inches off the ground and it clatters down a few inches forward

“Sera ? Stop-", I beg and I hear Isobel begging to.

Seraphina reaches down again, this time lifting the chair and moving it little bit farther before dropping again.  Frustrated she steps around the front and grabs the chair from the front and starts dragging it forward as if it and I weigh nothing.

“Stop it, Oh my God. Stop. Stop her”, Isobel’s voice is frantic and high. I gather she is talking to Leon who seems to have some supervisory control. He just shakes his head and watches the door for Helios.

I realize she is dragging me over to the pool and the more I try to resist the restraints the tighter they get.  She drags the chair to the very edge of the pool and turns it so I'm facing the clear blue water. I’m glad I don’t have to see Isobel see me like this.

“NO. You bitch”, I hear Isobel's chair fall over and what sounds like Leon up-righting her.

Sera ignores Isobel and tilts the chair so it balances on its two front legs, I can feel the spray and stench of chlorine. I try to hold my breath in anticipation.

“Please don’t do this”, I say calmly, “Ple--”

+4+

Shelter

The water feels really good at first, the splash of cold and the feeling of being surrounded by a calm (although artificial  ) blue. It feels so good.

Then I start to panic realizing I’m still tied up. I wonder how long I can hold my breathe underwater.

1 minute ?

The only problem is I really want to breath. My lungs are begging for it.

I stark kicking against the restraints but they don’t budge. My head is burning and my body is reacting to the loss of oxygen. I’m screaming on the inside trying to convince my body if it breathes it will suffer. The instinct to breathe is the hardest thing I've ever resisted.

My body ignores my brain and I open my mouth to breath. Instead of air I’m suffocated by water. I feel full and bloated. My vision is blurring and I”m trying so hard to breath but all I’m doing it taking in water.

Water

water and more water

I realize the burning isn’t the water. I’m crying. I don't want to die like this. So slowly.

I breath in more water, desperate for air, My body is shaking.

When does death come ?

It's so quiet

That part is nice.

The blue is nice too.

I relax

Finally an Angel comes to take me away.

---

Air hits me with a full force and my lungs force out the water and take in the sweet sweet oxygen. Bright lights start down at me and I sit up vomiting at least a gallon of water.

I hear Isobel crying, something I don't think I’ve ever heard and never want to hear again.

My chair is pulled up and I see Helios emerging from the water shirtless, he rings out his hair before tying it back. He makes a motion to Leon and then smirks at me.

Oh, God.

Helios saved me ? Why ?

Leon walks around and takes off my bindings, I have lost all feeling in my legs but I immediately rush over to Isobel where Leon has started untying her.

“You okay--”

She silences me with a warm kiss. Her cheeks are stained with dried tears and tinged red.

“Paris--I was so. . scared. I didn’t think---Are you crying ? “

“No. I just I’m glad”, I said, “I”m glad it was me and not you--”

She just brings her lips to mine again, because I feel like I’ve been given a second chance.  

“That’s enough”, Helio’s half hardly yells.

“Helios”, I say not leaving Isobel’s side,“I promise you we are not up to anything. You have to understand--”

More lies.

“Please”, Helios says. “I killed 16 of your brothers last week. Ruined your company's reputation and you expect me to believe you walking around my territory dressed like the Unabomber for nothing ? I'll let you go this one time ”

I stiffened. Was he on to Callum ?

“Consider this a final warning Paris. If you don't sign my exit agreement and leave this city in six month, next time I’ll let Seraphina kill you for real. Followed by your girlfriend and then your Brothers. Understand this, Paris. You die on my terms.

When he says Seraphina's name  I realize she is still in the room sitting on a set of mats. She looks very closed to pissed off.

“I’m not going to sign it. I’m not going to give in.”

“Why are you so stubborn.”Helios says, “Leon see them out.”

Searphina pushes off the wall and strides over to Isobel and I. She puts her arms around Isoble’s neck  pulling her back so hard Isobel's hand grip around her arm. Seraphina holds the tip of her knife to Isobel’s throat, then up to her mouth

Helios sees this and gives her a warning glance to Sera. It's then that I noticed there is a new alpha tattoo on her shoulder. It looks fresh.

“Next time you insult me, Prince, I give you matching smiles”, she traced the line of a smile on Isobel’s perfect skin.

“233 ?”, I ask

“What ?”, Seraphina answers.

“I’m guessing how much you bench press. I’m assuming that’s it since I’m guessing that's how much Helios weighs.”

Out of the corner of my eye Helios and Leon share a glance, Helios smirks. She releases Isobel and keeps her very icy eyes on me. Isobel takes my hand then turns at the last second.

"Hold on", Isobel says

 I think Isobel is going for Helios instead she stops right in front of Seraphina and slaps her so hard it reverberates across the room.

Seraphina doesn’t react to Isobel hitting her, she doesn't do anything which is scarier than anything else. Somewhere in the background Helios makes a short laugh. Leon curses into his hand. I pull Isobel through the doors and get as far away from this place as I can. It's not until I get back that I realize the bullet I had taken from Callum was no longer in my pocket.

+++

“. . . Helios untied me and we left. He doesn’t seem to know about Callum or the ammunition, but he seems suspicious. It's a good thing Isobel was there or else I would have had no explanation. See Callum, this was a bad idea.”

“That’s not all”, Isobel says

I look up from my hands where she is seated behind Lysander, Damien, Callum and Jona. Honestly I hadn’t wanted anyone in the Brotherhood to know Seraphina had gotten the jump on us, but Isobel was adamant.

“Helios told her to save you.”, Isobel continued.

“What ?”

“After Sera pushed you into the pool Helios came in. He was angry  and told her to get you out of the water and she just stood there.  He dragged her over to the pool and she still disobeyed him. Then he jumped in and saved you himself. She wanted to drown you.

“What are you saying ?” Lysander asked.

Lysander sat slumped in a wheel chair. Sequestered to the infimary he'd had a long slow battle in front of him. He had caught a face full of the blast before hitting the ground. He'd been declared dead at first until someone saw a glimmer of breath.He had been thrown so hard he broke both legs and smashed the right side of his jaw. When he spoke it was a little harder to understand him.  Even though he never said it, I think he was out for revenge more than any of us.

“I think she’s dangerous. She has a history of killing people and I think she might be our biggest threat.", Isobel continued

I know this should be the part where I tell them that Seraphina and Father were close. That she saw him like a father and would never truly want to harm us. That she'd helped us with Isaiah and we perhaps owed her that. Who knows ? Helios may have come along and changed all that, so I say nothing.

“I agree”, says Callum, “Sure we could take out some of Helios' SGI men or his  personal guards but that wouldn’t hurt as much as taking out his guard and girlfriend in one shot. It could be what finally gets this war into action.”

They nod tersely in agreement.

"How do you even know she is his girlfriend ?", I provide without thinking

"I've followed Helios' on his afternoon runs. . . trust me."

I shake my head

“No, we should go after Helios--”

“Someone is always protecting him, Callum said.

“How about the one of the other SGI ?”, I suggest, "I think that Leon is pretty high ranking."

“Or that pregnant Angel”, Callum suggest

“You really have been watching them haven’t you.”, I eye Callum

“No”, Isobel interjects, “That’s to cruel, Callum.”

“Fine,  his girl it is then.”

“I agree”, says Jona watching me.

“Third”, says Ashe

“Me too”, Isobel says though it's forced

Lysander pushes his chair back and rolls out the door which I take as a no, which just leaves me out voted.

“How are you going to do it “, I ask. I figure this is Callum's expertise, “Shoot her ?”

Callum flipped open a pocket knife.

“She could bounce back from that, no. We slit her throat.”.

There is a very long silence but who am I kidding ? I don’t think Helios considered the pros and cons when he blew up those shops. Before he killed all those people.

“You should do it”, Isobel says quietly.

“What ?”, I realize she is talking to me.

“I know, I’m sorry Paris it’s just I think it will send a message. She almost tore us apart and I can't get over that.”

“And if I fail ?”

“Don't fail”, offers Callum  "Ill go with you. There is a way to sneak into the main campus. I’ve seen a little blonde girl sneak out every now and then.”

“Is that what you want ?”, I say this to Isobel, “For me to be a killer.”

“I just want you to fight back. Fight for us.”

“Isobel, I will always fight for us. Believe me.”

I roll up my sleeves and take the knife from Callum.

"Is this what it takes ? Is this really what it takes ? An act of violence for everyone to feel safe."

"It's the only thing we haven't tried", said Callum

A problem I don't need

A problem I don't ned.

I

"Okay,",  say, "I'm going to need something to practice on"

Ariel

+5+

Every now and then I smile at the girl in the kitchen. She is petite with hair with so many shades of brown it's a little distracting. She is quite and moves around me to finish preparing the meal for the evening. It's a big task now with the addition of the SGI, they seem to eat twice as much as we do.

She has a name, but I don't know it. For as long as I can member she's been working off her punishment from Anne, like the handful of other lower angels in our community.  Sometimes you can glimpse a tongue that isn't there, but I don't like to think about that.

 Most of the girls being punished eventually runaway or go mad. A few have accepted their punishment but as far as I know no one has ever served their full time and made it out alive. The truth is I should be one of this girls. I should be working along side her without my tongue.

Letting Caden into our community and my heart. Allowing him to take those apples. . . telling him our secrets ? That was wrong. I should be punished. I should be punished. This should be me.

"I'm almost done", I said sweetly, "Then I'll get out of your way"

 With so may earthly temptations and excitement how can I blame girls like her. . . or like us for doing bad things ?

I line a basket and pop the warm muffins into the basket and toss in a few extra cloth napkins. I find the biggest prettiest muffin I can and set it on the counter.

"Here, I'll leave this one for you."

She doesn't react to the gesture and spending so much time around Searphina I'm used to not receiving reactions.

I'd remembered to dress conservatively in a long white dress with cap sleeves. When I make it to Helios' mansion the door is  open. The main floor is empty, all of the men go on a run every morning and have breakfast before receiving their daily orders from Helios. They work almost like clockwork and make it look so effortless.

"Lost ?", I see a man with shaggy hair and beard lacing up his shoes.

His shirt says Faust on it,

"I'm looking for Seraphina.", I say

His face twist into an unpleasant impression. It was no secret that the other SGI hated Seraphina. Once Helios took notice of her, it was obvious he favored her.

Aria said the fact that they didn't like her was just how men had always been and they’d get over it. Callopie said it was because Seraphina was crazy and murderous. Hippolyta said it was because she had seduced Helios because of his power.

Seraphina said they were all right.

"Upstairs to the right", Faust says.

Before I can squeak out something awkward about giving him a muffin he seems to have forgotten all about me. I know Seraphina's room is to the left and that Helio's room is to the right. I debate whether I should leave but I carry on.

Helio's highest ranking men had rooms upstairs. Helios was to assign a room to Aria, but rumor had it that Leon had convinced him otherwise, claiming it would be a distraction. It was only a rumor and Aria was hurt to find she would have to endure her pregnancy in the dorms. She said Leon probably thought it was best she be around  women. If the rumor was true.

I took the stairs one at a time, turning slightly on a corner.

"Nothing" said a voice I recognized as Leon's, "He said nothing ?"

"Yes", said Seraphina

I peeked around the corner to see them standing by Helio's bedroom door. Leon was leaning back with his arms crossed. Seraphina was standing straight and tall against the other side, she hovered just a few inches taller than him.

Leon looks standard SGI in his tight gray shirt and gray camoflauge pants. Seraphina has on a form fitting bright white jumpsuit.

"You tried to drown The Demon Prince and Helios said nothing to you ? Searphina you're being promoted you can't be so reckless."

"You didn't try to stop me", she said.

"Stopping you from killing people, isn't my job", he said only half serious.

"Helios understands my fury and temper. He understands my frustration with them. I also didn't ask for this. . . promotion"

"You need to control yourself.", he says in a mentoring tone.

"Control ?", she says, " You are hardly one to speak. . .I'm not the one with a child on the way, Leon"

He sighs, realizing she is trying to change the subject.

"If you keep getting away with pulling shit. . . it won't help the others accept you. What did that Demon Prince do to you anyway ? I mean he's so. . . .insignificant.."

"Nothing", she said as if trying to figure it out herself, "He's done nothing. I simply . . ."

They fall into a comfortable silence, keeping their back to Helio's  door. I take a deep breath and step around the corner. I get so nervous around the men. Especially Leon, as he was Helios' second in command.

"Hi", I say as if it's nothing, "I made some muffins."

I don't launch into detail about how there was a rumor that Helio's didn't let his guards eat until Helios did and Helios often slept in , trusting Leon to make sure everyone did his bidding. Leon looks at Seraphina then back at me, as if he's not sure what to say. As much as I'm uncomfortable talking to him, Hhe's just as unsure about a teenage girl. It's kind of funny and I can't help but to smile.

"It's cranberry orange.", I put a muffin in a napkin and hand it to Leon first. He smiles cautiously.

I take a plate out the basket and hand it to Sera, setting a small set of dessert silverware next to the muffin.

Leon eyes her with a raised eyebrow as she sinks to the floor with her ankles crossed and starts cutting the muffin with a knife and fork.  I'm so envious of how she never seems to not care what anyone thinks.

"I--I--I think it's so romantic", I blurt out, looking up at Leon

Leon slowly shifts his gaze to me, still holding the muffin at an awkward angle.

"Um, you and Aria. I just thought I'd say that. I mean the baby. . . I just think it's really really really romantic . . ."

He raises his eyebrow and looks down at Searphina as if she can explain why I'm still here, talking about his love life, but she doesn't look up from her plate.  Caden always said I was a bit to overenthusiastic about romantic things.

Caden

I scold myself for almost going the entire morning without thinking about him. I'd gotten up so early I hadn't even  looked at his picture this morning. The guilt is a little jarring.

"Um, I should go", I decide, "Calliope is working on her jewelry this morning. I promised I'd help"

Seraphina effortlessly stands and kisses my forehead.

"Thank you", she says

"Fuck", A voice comes from behind me, "How young is to young for you ?"

It's not Helios, but it sounds an awful lot like him and looks like him . This man has the same long hair and angled features but he is shorter and not quite as handsome.The man in question is shirtless and I can see by the tattoo on his back that he is Helio's beta guard.

"You room is that way, Titus", Leon says, "You should be sleeping off the night shift."

"I smelled muffins", he says as if that solves everything. He smiles but there is something unpleasant behind it.

I'm to afraid to speak so I just offer the basket to him.

"What do you do to these poor girls to get them to cater to you", He says to Seraphina sticking his tongue out in what I'm guessing is a suggestive  manner.

She remains impassive and Leon looks very annoyed.

"Titus. . . move along", Leon's voice get serious.

"I'm fucking talking to you, woman", Titus says ignoring Leon.

Seraphina doesn't react and Titus get very very close to her, turning her face so he is breathing on her

"Titus", Leon says again, "Go to bed"

Titus shrugs nonchalantly. I can tell he doesn't want to listen to Leon but Leon very clearly out ranks him.

"I bet Helios would move me off the night shift, if he wanted to fuck me a night, too.", he says in a menacing voice to Seraphina.

"Well", said Leon, "You know Helios give him two or five hundred more years and I'm sure he'll want to experiment."

Titus gives that leary smile again and takes a small step closer. I'm a little enamored at how Leon is defending Seraphina.

"You don't deserve this, you know. This should be mine", Titus unzips her sweatshirt  exposing a new alpha tattoo, I hadn't even seen that. I recognize the white tank underneath it as being one I had made for fun, it says "Angel" on it in rhinestones and is a size too small.

"We've spent years together endured shit you can't even imagine. You don't get to come out of nowhere and expect us to accept you. One day very soon Helios is going to find out you are nothing and--

She shoves Titus away from her and he slams into the stair railing. Leon seemed ready to yell at them when Titus pushes off the railing and pulls her to the ground. wrapping  his arm around her neck and pulling her back into a headlock.

"I'm going to need an apology", he says

He pulls her up from the the floor, and when they are both standing she shifts her weight pulling Titus over her shoulder, and he crashes into the floor. This causes Leon to curse and I feel really anxious, but can't move. Titus picks himself up and throws a punch but she ducks, her hands tensing into fists.

"Got to protect your pretty face--", Titus taunts but before he can finish she hits him the jaw.

He grabs her hair and pulls her  down to the floor and he manages to get in one kick before she knocks him off his feet. Leon continues to shout while they wrestle.

Titus is on top of her, and his hand slips into her pants where he unhooks one of her knives out the holster on her thigh.  He pulls it out and points it at her chest aiming at her heart.  Her hands warp around Titus' wrist causing the knife to shake as they struggle.

I'm stuck to my spot and yet no one seemed to remember I was there.

"ENOUGH"

Everything stops at once as Helios, half asleep, emerges from his bedroom door.

"You two break it up", he says half heartily while yawning

Seraphina and Titus instantly break apart, not making eye contact with Helios. Helio's eyes sweep over the pair of them, he glances at me and settles his gaze on Leon

"You need to do a better job watching over your subordinates", he said to Leon, "Titus, You should be getting some sleep. . . and you come  with me."

The last command  was directed at Seraphina. Titus flashes a victorious smile as Helios had just demonstrated exactly where Seraphina stood.

"Titus", Seraphina calls to him and he turns.

Before Helios or Leon can stop her she tightens the grasp of the knife in her hand jams it into Titus palm. He lets out a string of loud curses.

"Touch me like that again", she dares him and then pulls it out, "And I will put this through your heart."

"You bitch", He says holding his hand.

"Watch it", Helios grabs her roughly by the arm. It' the first time I'd  heard  him discipline her, "We don't injure our fellow men."

"He'll be fine", She says and kisses Helios in a way that causes him to forget all about Titus.

Titus curses his way all the way back to his room,  Leon keeps his head down as Seraphina leads Helios back into his bedroom.

Soon it's just me and Leon.

"Um", I started, "Aria's been asking for you. I mean not personally but she just says she hasn't really seen you. I mean we know you are busy protecting Mr. Helios. . .  but I think she'd like it if you--"

He held up his hand at me and that gesture stopped me mid sentence.

"I will, when I have time. I just need you to stop talking for a second."

"Sorry", I said

"It's. . . er not you. It's. . . well you see what I have to deal with. And you know what the worse part is ?"

"What ?"

"It's only Monday."

Author's Note

I like to say Paris get his inner Alan Gray on in this chapter. He get thrown into  a  mysterious car and almost dies in a pool and  now he has to murder someone. Actually a lot of that wasn't intentional. Interesting. Helios has a slight Rayne Washington vibe and Sera has a slight well. . . Sara-ness to her. Am I just plagarizing ?

Ever notice in Lux Paris spends half the time making sexist jokes aimed at Seraphina. . . he get's back to doing that in this chapter, don't hate him he's defensive.

Also much like his picspiration (Cillian Murphy)  Paris also has a tendency to get kidnapped, bound and have a bag put a over his head.