*Seraphine's POV *

          I can hardly believe my eyes as Samael steps before me, blocking me from view and harm. Grief practically emanates from his pores. That's when it clicks. Mom. Despite all of his sins against her, he still loved my mother. But he has never loved me, has he? Why start now? He could never stand to be near me, and over the years I had stopped trying to make him bond with me. I don't quite know what to say to him, how to thank him or if I should, so I just hug him from behind. His arms shoot up in defense, and he stiffens for a moment to glance back at me. He reaches across his opposite shoulder to tap my head.

         "Ivara loved you. She always did, even before she knew you." He stalls for a second, knowing that we are safe with Narius charging. He will have their attention for a moment. "You are an alright kid." I squeeze him again before he grumbles for me to get off.

         We stand, focused on the scene ahead, as Narius hits dead center of Yeomorah's chest. I immediately get to work, concentrating to puppet him. Nox will be devastated. I know this will likely be the nail in the coffin for us, but at least we might get to live. Narius was going to die, he had lost it over Livienne and I know that his disoriented state would've made him easy picking for one of the giants before us. I feel bad for his family, but I feel no guilt for protecting myself and baby.

            Through Narius, I manage to tear the side of Yeomorah's neck. Yeomorah is too caught up with Nehemiah to deflect the attack, but he quickly moves to guard his throat. That's when I send Narius lower, striking the damaged goods and sweeping his legs out from under him. On his way down, he eviscerates Narius's body before I can get him to flee so I relinquish my hold. Nehemiah is on him in seconds, livid over his son's 'death'. Lucien abandons Alexavier and rushes to save his father, only to be slain. I startle as I watch him drop to his knees, Alexavier withdrawing something from his back. Yeomorah's father disappears from before Ezekiel and I scream so loudly my lungs could burst. Samael throws himself between the two, and lays sprawled and bleeding.

          "Dad!" I screech.

           I narrowly avoid being shoved aside by the giant man as I rush forward to protect my father. I kick ferociously towards this man as he tries to lift me from Samael. I scream into his face, watching his flaxen hair whip violently. Having distracted him, I jump up and dig my claws into his face and sink them deep into the flesh. He brings an elbow hard across my face, and I barely turn my body in time to land safely as I'm swatted away. The man turns to Samael again, only to have Alexavier on his back. I scan the floor for my piece of bar from earlier and I crouch with it before running and hurling it. It impales the monster right into his side and I follow, kicking the bar farther in and diving over his shoulder only to be caught.

          I drive my foot hard into his face as Alexavier constricts his neck. He tries to throw Alex off and I once again go for his legs. Alexavier is finally tossed away. This giant man catches my foot midair after it strikes the don't flesh of his face. I cry out and slash the man's arm, twisting and turning to free myself of his hold. His fingers digging into my ankle as he holds me out like a dirty sock. I shiver, furious in my humiliation. I let myself fall down to his leg and I wrap my arms around his thigh so he cannot pull me up. I bite him. He shakes my legs and tugs at me violently, and I let go to snap back up to his face raking an eye. I crash as the man releases me and roars. His voice so deep that it shakes the room around us. He's done playing with me. I jump to my feet only to be caught again. He throws me by my arm and I skid across the floor, feeling flesh peel away. My arm is throbbing and I cradle it. The aching on my abdomen is worse now, and I fear for my child. I need to run.

          "Who are you?" I ask the man. This catches him off guard, and he pauses before me.

          "Asmodeus. How are you what you are and yet you don't know me?" He scoffs.

          "I lived as a human. I only recently learned what I am." I admitted, grateful for the distraction. It gives me time to plan.

          "Is that how you ended up here, in such a state?" He eyes my belly, and I look away knowing not to hold his eyes long. I nod.

         "You favor Ezekiel, tell me what you are to him."

         "Granddaughter. Ivara, she was my mother." His demeanor does not change, though I know he likely seen her demise. "Why does your family hate mine so much? I don't even know. I haven't bothered anyone." I see Samael rise slowly to his feet, clutching the juncture between shoulder and neck where he was torn. I want to heal him, I need to heal him, but I know he is preparing to heal himself. I just wonder how serious it is.

          "Magdalena, your grandmother. It doesn't matter though." He grins at me, and tilts his head menacingly. "Because you will perish for your stunt back there, green one. You can go straight to Hell and send my greetings to the strumpet herself." He is gone in seconds and I feel him over me before I can refuster what's happening to me.

         I try to force him off, but his hands lock around my throat and he stares into my face as he prepares to end me. I scream into his face, but unlike lesser demons he us unphased. He raises me from the ground into to the air so far out that I can't strike him with my limbs. I tear skin from his arms as I try to free myself of his hold and my vision blurs. Sanael stirs and I try to warn him to stay back. Asmodeus opens his jaw and his forked tongue rolls out with thick foamy drool. He's going to eat me. Nox had told me before that demons were flesh and soul eaters, and that fear was a high for them but not a 'food' source as it is for incubi and succubi. Black veins pop against the stinking flesh of the being holding me as I struggle in vain.

         "I love you." I snap my head over to see my father's mouth move.

         I mouth the words back at him as my head swims. My limbs are spastic and do not heed my commands. I'm falling in slow motion as my arms flail to try to catch myself. I'm too disoriented and I land hard on my sides. Asmodeus and Samael send tremors in their wake as they collide and exchange bows. Fist, teeth, tongue, horns and limbs. Asmodeus's side glints as they tumble. Samael squeezes him and wrenches anything he can like a gator doing it's death roll. Nehemiah comes for me out of nowhere, and in my wounded state I am too sluggish to avoid. He slashes level with my throat and my screech of surprise dribbles out.

          I manage to roll and try to get my feet beneath me, but he grabs around my waist with his claws cutting deep. I slam my head backwards into his. My father's deep anguished groan takes both of our attention. I thrash wildly and leap from Nehemiah's grasp. I close the gap between Asmodeus and I in seconds. I hit his back, squeezing my legs as best I can around the large man to steady myself and I swipe his knife. I growl out, moving without thought as I stab and stab into the back of Asmodeus. The knife burns in my hands, searing my palms yet I don't release it. I know without being told that Samael is dying below us. This is all the hope I have of saving him. I cling tighter as he begins to try to rid himself of the oest that is me.

            "Get off my dad, you bastard!" Foul, blackened blood oozes as I drive farther into the shoulder blades. I wrench the knife sideways as the man convulsed and slings me off. He falls onto his hands, hovering over my ashen father who wheezes unnaturally. I shake myself off and tackle the man again, arms around his neck where my knife finds target. With one last effort, he dislodges me and we drop sideways. My leg is trapped beneath the dying man. From my position here I see Samael.  I reach for him as I thrust my leg free. I dig my heel into Asmodeus's face as insult as I scoot towards my father, taking that special knife with me.

         My arm is injured, my hand is burning like fire, my sides, my throat and back are all killing me. Squeezing pressure radiates across my hips and lower belly. Dad is almost still when I get to him. I throw myself across him, forehead to forehead. I work tirelessly to try to heal him. His wounds are too deep though. He rolls his eyes at me and tries to make me stop.

        "Y-you need to stop. Ivara..." He whispers. "I want to go to Ivara." He coughs and wheezes again, his skin is white now where it once was dark and healthy.

        "Thank you. For...all of this. I love you. Even when you didn't love me. I'm sorry-"

         "No...sorry. I am...I...I'm proud..." He tries to smile but his muscles tense and release.

         I hold him tighter, he grips my arm tightly as he passes. My tears fall onto his face. Now, I have lost both parents. And even though most my memories with Samael are painful, it hurts to know that now he is gone. It isn't my proudest moment, but I take the energy left behind. I am hesitant, but I leave his side. The room is full of bodies now, as I stand. Faces of those I don't know line the floor as well as several that I do. My dad, Lucien, Narius, Livienne, Asmodeus, and my brother? My knees buckle as I stare at the mangled body of my brother. When did this happen? Who did this?

         Noxodius and Yeomorah, with several surviving henchman I suppose, are battling Ezekiel, Nomias, and Nehemiah. Mileva guards Axar as he uses his screams to mess with new guards who try to enter. He looks exhausted, and I notice he has several injuries himself. He and Alexavier had become good friends, I imagine he got his wounds trying to save him. I pay no mind to the murderous looks Mileva sends me. I can't be bothered to care. They can all hate me if it makes them feel better. I suck in a deep breath, and I wait for my moment. Ezekiel is weary, he needs this knife. Even weary, he is stronger and more experienced in combat than I. If this thing can off Asmodeus, and he wielded it on his side, then it must be special. It must have something about it.

           My original plan of possessing Yeomorah or Nox is not going to happen. I'm too tired and the opportunity has yet to present itself. This is my shot. I see Yeomorah stumble, and I rush headlong to Ezekiel's side. Ezekiel grounds Yeomorah in minutes and I make it just in time to shove the burning knife into Ezekiel's hands. He doesn't hesitate or show any discomfort. He is mechanical and fatally accurate as he wields the knife, despite Yeomorah's desperate attempts to block and cover. I do not recognize the symbol he appears to be carving. Yeomorah stills, and his head falls to the side. Noxodius stops and he shakes his head, taking in the scene around him with his own eyes.

          "Nox! Are you alright?" I go to assess him, but Nehemiah blocks me. Noxodius's eyes fall on Narius, and he stiffens.

          "What happened? What happened to him?" He roars. I open my mouth to speak, only to be cut off by Nehemiah.

          "She..." Nehemiah points an accusatory finger at me. "Killed him."

          "I did no such! He was trying to kill me and he and Samael-"

          "You killed him?"

          "No! Samael killed him. He killed my mother, he was going to kill me-" I try to approach him and he motions me back.

          "My brother is dead, Seraphine. Your family caused this. My brother is dead and this, this is your fault."

          "So is mine! And my mom, and my dad. Do you think I wanted anyone to die? I risked my ass to try to get to Yeomorah so I could protect you. You were possessed and trying to kill your own. You would have killed your brother. You even attacked me." I try to near him again and he steps back.

          "Stay away from me. I'm not ready to deal with you right now." His words cut, and I turn on my heel and walk away.

         Ezekiel pulls me under his arm, and Axar rushes towards me. We walk together, as we go to kneel by Alexavier's body. The building is silent. The remaining men no doubt having fled. As I look over his fallen body, all I can think about is Noxodius's words. How he had insinuated this feud was my fault in the past. I close my eyes to stop my guilt from escaping. The adrenaline wears down and has left me feeling beaten and foolish.

         "Chin up. We have survived. His death, all their deaths were not in vain. We are worn, we are grieving, but we also should be proud. I'm proud of you, Sersphine." He looks to Axar. "And of you too." Axar begins to cry and I pull him into my chest.