Heya all,

Thanks so much all of you who fanned! Nearly at 1900 Fans! That is just sooooooooooo awesome! I can't tell you all how happy that makes me!

Also this chapter is dedicated to katiehorse6, thanks for your help! :) Also everyone else that helped me with my questions, I'll really try to credit all of you but it's hard to find the right messages and usernames in my inbox -.- So if you feel like I missed you, it wasn't on purpose, just let me know and I'll rectify the oversight. I'm incredibly grateful to all of you!

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Love,

Robin

My gut tightened in anger as I spun around and dispatched of another opponent. Where was that bloody wolf? Where was Thornten or even his son Edward? I needed Amelia or an opponent that wouldn't die so quickly!

Around me I saw that the battlefield, formerly a perfectly maintained and groomed garden, was littered with bodies. Demon's and shifters and vampire's all piled over each other and scattered about.

Jaden was still prowling about and I could see Seratin flashing around in the shadows, deadly and silent like a viper. I didn't see Sammuel anywhere but I could feel his powers in the air so I knew he was around somewhere.

Throwing back my head I roared, a challenge to all my opponents. 'Come out and face me you cowards! You want my territory? You want my Mate? Kill me then!'

But as I turned and surveyed the area around me I realized that everyone had fled, at least all the leaders of this bloody attack had. No Thornten or Edward and even that wolf Devon seemed to have disappeared.

Well at least I'd managed to kill the Demon, that was a relief for sure.

I turned to face the big house and frowned at the complete ruin it had become. Part of the second floor gone and cracks and tears splitting the building apart. It looked like it had been shaken by a huge earthquake of sorts and only bits and pieces of it had remained standing.

Muted but alive I could feel the bond between Amelia and me now although it seemed like it was still impossible to reach her mentally or to locate her. I knew she was breathing but in pain and that knowledge made me see red around the edges of my vision.

I wanted to kill the Demon all over again because I knew he was responsible for her pain! And I wanted to tear Devon to pieces with my bare hands because I knew he'd wanted to put his grimy hands on her again.

A flash of light caught my eye and I let out another growl as I realized it was the beautiful wings of light from Tlanextic. How did he get into my territory? Again!

I was about to launch myself up into the air with a leap so I could grab the Arch Angel out of the sky, to hell with the consequences, when I noticed the dark shape in his arms. He was carrying something...

No someone. Two people even!

He was flying away to land out on the road, away from what remained of the battlefield. Near the Crone where she stood with a thoughtful, reverent look on her face even as she cast spell after spell to contain the raging Demon the size of a huge Dragon.

Lysander had it in a chokehold with both his front claws and he was biting down on a part that appeared to be the Demon's throat. Still the creature struggled.

My legs were already moving, breaking out into a run towards them before I'd even given a conscious command to do so. I urged my body to move faster.

Tlanextic had dropped his burden to the hard ground gently, one of the people he'd carried Eliza. The partly Siren girl was covered in grime and dust and even blood and she staggered when the Arch Angel let go of her.

Dropping to her knees and shaking with tremors that seemed to be part shock and fear and part exhaustion. Still her eyes went to the other form on the ground, concern creasing a dust covered forehead.

'Is she alright?' Eliza asked hoarsely.

My attention was on Amelia. Her leg at an odd angle and her clothes much in the same disheveled and grime covered state as those of Eliza. She was deathly pale and blood from a gash above her eye had painted the left side of her face completely red.

Her chest was heaving as if she was struggling desperately to breath properly, the sound painful and labored.

I was already on my knees beside her, skimming first one hand up her broken leg. Barely touching her but blasting her with power to heal and knit the broken bone. As my hand reached her hip I felt more bruises that I instantly healed.

It also seemed as if many of her muscles had suffered from over exertion, as if her entire body had been put under massive strain. I soothed away those aches wherever I found them without pause.

Reaching her chest I felt a sharp pang of worry shot through me, I couldn't find the reason for her labored and painful breathing... There were bruises on her back and she'd clearly bit her tongue but other than that?

I healed the gash on her face and the concussion her brain had suffered and only then did I notice the black stain on her throat, spiraling outward and covering a tiny fraction of the mark. I knew it was the word Loyalty that had been damaged, stained with that black.

What was that?

I tried to remove it with my healing power and found that I couldn't... There was something there, something foreign, magic of some sort.

The Demon's.

This was the Demon's doing for sure. Was this the poisonous effect of the Demons nails? I cursed myself for my lack of knowledge, fear a tight band around my heart. A different kind of fear.

But that was momentarily washed away when my beautiful Ams opened her eyes and smiled.

*

With a relieved smile I looked up at Nathaniel, my mate and the love of my life. He was glorious in Ancient Celtic armor even with the black and red blood that covered him. His eyes were dark and stormy, worried, but they flashed warmly when he noticed my smile.

'Hey,' I croaked to him, trying to reassure him that I was alright. He'd healed me because there was no longer any pain except the burning in my throat. That was the Demon's doing and I wasn't sure what it was but I knew it wasn't fatal.

Sitting up I swayed a little and with shock I realized I still couldn't feel Nathaniel through our bond... Was that Devon blocking it still?

Nathaniel bend down further so he could hold me tightly to his chest, breathing out heavily and then breathing in my scent. 'I'm so glad you're safe again!'

So was I of course but I still felt restless, it wasn't over yet. Someone was still masking my bond with my Mate and it had to be Devon. Where was that bloody wolf?

I pressed myself into Nathaniel's chest, ignoring the hilt of a dagger digging into my stomach. Over his shoulder I looked around, scanning my surroundings even though one eye was still closed, the dried blood gluing my eyelid to my cheek.

One side of my view was partly obscured by Tlanextic's imposing wings of light; it was a relief to know that he'd come to my aid. The Arch Angel was trying to hide his own look of relief but through our faint connection I could feel it loud and clear.

Next to Eya stood Eliza and she looked determined and a whole lot scared but an ancient looking, wrinkled woman had clasped a withered hand over her shoulder. I was sure it was the only thing that kept her from bolting.

That had to be a Witch and maybe even the Crone, she looked wise and omniscient. I think she would have scared me too if not for that warm look on her face.

I could see more of Nathaniel's people as they made a defensive line around where we stood. Yet it appeared the battle was a moot thing now.

Lysander, as a huge Dragon was rounding up the last of Thornten's men and an occasional stray wolf from Devon's pack. It appeared these were offered the chance to surrender.

Jaden was also there but he was hardly visible all the way across the field of destruction. In a flash I thought I saw Seratin and a beautiful imposing woman dressed in leather. Sammuel was nowhere to be seen though, but there was enough familiar faces.

The Taoiseach were taking care of the last remaining Demon's with ease.

All was well now. See that? I told my brain yet the uneasy feeling in my gut didn't ease and neither did the pain in my throat.

'I killed him,' Nathaniel said, his voice betraying nothing of how he felt about that. It made me realize how much I relied on the bond to read him. How much information usually instinctively seeped through to let me know what went on behind his cool and controlled demeanor.

'Who?' I asked and my voice was incredibly husky and soft. Everyone heard me though and I knew they were all wondering the same.

'That Demon Lord a ghrá mo chroí,' he replied and this time I could hear his loathing for the creature clearly.

My father was dead? I reached up and touched my throat gingerly. Then why did my throat still hurt?

'Raïm, that's what Jessica called him,' I heard my self say, surprised I twisted so I could look my mate in the eye.

There was a collective silence behind and around me, interrupted only by a fierce roar from Lysander in the distance. Then there was an orange glow as the remains of the mansion burst into flames.

'Are you certain you heard that right?' that was Tlanextic moving in closer. Tension and worry rolling off him in waves and this time I think everyone could feel it. Not just me.

Nathaniel's grip around my waist tightened when I nodded slowly. 'Yes, that's what she said and he didn't correct her.'

From somewhere a handkerchief had been produced and my Mate deftly used it to clean the blood from my face. 'That means we can't be certain he's dead. Seratin, find me his body!'

'Yes my lord,' the dark man replied softly. I hadn't seen him but he'd obviously been close by.

Nathaniel pulled me to my feet then and tilted my chin up so he could look at my sore throat. The hissing that escaped him couldn't mean a whole lot of good.

'Has Sammuel been found? I want the clean-up to start now and as many soldiers as needed returned to their posts. The rest remains to guard us here.' Scuffling around us and with my sight restored to both eyes I could see people around me dart away.

The old witchy looking woman pulled up her sleeves and turned to face the burning house. She was preparing to cast some sort of spell it seemed, mumbling softly and frowning as if concentrating intently.

Tlanextic and Nathaniel where the only ones that didn't move. Except for a scattering of warriors painted with blue and ocher around us. Obviously these were the men remaining as our guard. I wondered who'd been responsible for their colorful appearance.

Beside me Deidre moved into my field of vision, clad in black leather and painted just like the warriors around her. Short swords similar to the ones Nathaniel carried hung in sheaths at her hips. Both blades blackened with blood.

Her fiery red hair hung in ringlets about her face, it made her look both soft and fierce at the same time. However her liquid silver eyes were huge and her face was as pale as snow.

She'd come to fight but something had shook her to her core.

'Raïm you said?' the woman's voice warping the name strangely. As if she was much more aware of the origin of the name and the linguistic cadence that belonged with it.

I nodded, my throat burning, 'Yes, what's wrong? Are you okay?'

Reaching out a trembling hand she touched my shoulder. A low rumbling growl made Nathaniel's chest vibrate against me but he cut off the aggressive sound abruptly. 'Careful Deidre, I won't be able to control all of my baser instincts right now.'

She withdrew her hand again and then leaned heavily on Jake who'd appeared beside her with an intent look on his face. 'Raïm was the Demon that murdered Deidre's family and held her captive before she was made.'

Shocked I clutched to Nathaniel's warmth as I remembered the tragic, horrifying story of the redheaded girls life. She'd never mentioned the name of the Demon when she talked about her past.

The Demon had come and demanded her hand in marriage. Then when she and her family had refused a slaughter had ensued and Deidre had been the only survivor. She'd told me that she'd often wished she'd died then, along with her family.

It was hard to reconcile the thought of the man that had fathered me with this monster. Despite the fact that I knew he'd raped my mother and done countless other horrible things. Even despite the fact that he'd hurt me, tortured me almost when I'd been locked up in that basement before. Not to mention what he'd done to Hayden.

Hayden!

'Where's my brother?' I asked urgently, that Demon wasn't after me. He wanted Hayden.

Nathaniel picked up on my fear and spun to bark out orders to the remaining guards, no doubt also communicating mentally with his Taoiseach. 'I had Elliot bring him to my stronghold, there he is completely safe.'

But I knew before he'd said: 'If they arrived.'

'Devon,' I said. 'He went for Hayden, that's why he's not here. Of all the opponents today he was the one least missed. I heard Jessica tell him the Demon had another job for him.' I recalled the momentary distrust and then the slow forming glee on his face as he realized what Raïm wanted him to do.

We were all already on our feet and moving, Nathaniel slinging me up onto his back. Tlanextic spreading his wings and launching himself into the sky. Jake and Deidre spun around and became blurs as they ran as fast as they could towards the Flynn residence. Nathaniel, burdened with me was only a fraction of a second later as he followed them.

We arrived at the house in record time and it was immediately evident that something had happened. The front door was splintered completely and there were scorch marks on the lawn as if huge fireballs had struck the ground.

Nathaniel cursed loudly in Gaelic, 'Where is Missy?'

Just then Tlanextic landed: 'The boy isn't here, I can't feel him.' He sounded more worried than I'd ever heard him before and he wasn't trying to hide that fact at all. As if he'd given in to the more primal urge to protect his offspring.

'Over here!' Deidre yelled, waving her arm as she pointed to a pile of rubble, something that appeared to be the remnants of a garage. The remains of a car were visible just outside of it, smoking and the prone body of Missy lay beside the driver's door.

She was unconscious and a wooden stake had been driven through her belly. Silver wires glittering across her throat and wrists, bands with runes of magic that forced her immobile. It was clear she'd tried to struggle free, had tried to remove the stake from her body.

Just a few feet away from her lay Elliot, also unconscious and bleeding heavily. Blood a dark, already congealing pool around him. Drag marks made it obvious he'd tried to get to Missy, despite the bloody lacerations and scorch marks that covered him almost from head to toe.

Only when we reached him did I see the true horror of what had been done to him however. His right arm was completely missing...

A shimmering shield in front of the stump told us he'd cast a spell to stop the bleeding, only to succumb to the pain and other injuries just before he could reach Missy and remove the containment bands.

Nathaniel knelled beside Elliot after one look at his sister but he knew he couldn't undo the magic that held her. So he send his healing powers through the young Witch's ravaged body. Elliot actually jolted violently with the force of it.

'He had no heartbeat,' Deidre whispered, her face ashen. 'Were there no guards left here?'

'There were, but a Galamut was with the Raiders. Look at the scorch marks. They were overpowered,' Jake explained softly. He was pale too and his voice sounded strained as his eyes darted from Elliot to Missy and back again.

Deidre hissed in shock, 'Galamut?'

I didn't know what it was but the redheaded girl seemed to tremble in absolute terror and fear. If that was the reaction to just a name, this creature had to be just as bad as Raïm was evil. I swallowed back bile in my throat as my heart convulsed painfully.

They obviously hadn't had a chance...

Color had returned to Elliot's face, if only slightly. Yet in response to that Missy started to regain consciousness, her arms weakly struggling against the silver bands and blood bubbling up again around the entry wound of the stake.

Tlanextic was standing beside her and with sure hands he pulled out the stake in one quick, fluid motion. She screamed and her legs twitched wildly for a moment. It was clear that the stake had shattered her spine.

Nathaniel was beside her in a flash, blue fire leaping from his hands even before he reached her. It filled the gaping hole in her middle, knitting flesh back together so rapidly that we could see it move.

The fire also licked across the silver bands and soon they sprung apart like locks that popped open. When that happened it made the sound of breaking twigs.

Immediately Missy moaned: 'Elliot?' Despair and intense fear covered her face and drenched her voice.

'He'll live,' Nathaniel barked out as he shifted her to stretch out more comfortably on the ground, his movements jerky and ungraceful for once. Yet tender all the same as he stroked his sisters face.

'I can't feel my legs,' she moaned again, in surprise this time. It was clear she'd never experienced anything like this before. At least there was no pain then and that was a relief, I didn't want to imagine the agony of a stake through your belly.

'They are healing deifur og, it's alright,' my Mate was smoothing his hands over her face gently now, reassuring her. While Jake knelled on her other side started doing the same, murmuring softly in ancient Gaelic.

It looked like something both men had done a thousand times before when Missy had been a little child. Scared of a nightmare or a shadow beneath her bed.

'I'm so sorry...' Missy's eyes found me a little away from her and they were wide and big and full of sorrow. Calmer under the gentling touches.

'They took Hayden. HE took him!'

'I know, we'll find him,' I tried to sound brave. Even though I was shaking on the inside but I knew it would only upset Missy now if I showed her my own fear. My friend had been through enough for now so I'd lock the panic up inside me until I could be alone.

'NO! They're going to kill him! I'm so sorry, please forgive me...' she then started wailing as if in intense mental pain. Tears rolling down her ash stained cheeks as if she was already mourning for my brother.

'You fought to protect him the best you could! You nearly died, Elliot nearly died! What more could you have done?' I said, yet the despair I was feeling myself made my voice sound shrill and my words were laced with fear.

Missy didn't reply but kept wailing in agony even though the stake wound in her middle had nearly closed by now. Nathaniel wiped his hand over her face in a quick but practiced gesture and she fell quiet immediately, fast asleep.

With a grim look on his face my Mate turned around and gathered me in his arms. 'We will find him Ams, I won't let the Demon hurt Hayden.'