Chapter I:

The End of the Beginning

"I'm so glad we got married." Anya told Aiden, her handsome husband of three months, as she sat straddled on his lap. That was her favorite part of shagging with him (besides other, more obvious, things); when they were done and he'd just hold her for a while. She loved feeling the warmth from his chest on hers, and how he'd play with her hair.

Just running his fingers through it sent chills down her spine, but she loved it. She giggled and cocked her head to one side as one became too much for her to handle.

"You always have been too ticklish." He said as their eyes met.

"Did I ever tell you that you have the most beautiful eyes?" Anya asked as a smile spread over her face.

"No." he sarcastically lied. She had told him that too many times to count already, but he loved being reminded and she loved reminding him.

"You have the most beautiful eyes in the universe." She said staring into the dark green orbs she'd fallen in love with. Oh, how they made her swoon. But just one look at her and knowing that she was his was enough to make him at peace with the world no matter what was going on.

"Have you been to the whole universe?" Aiden asked cocking an eyebrow.

"No, but I know that no one has prettier eyes than you. And if they did I'd leave you for them." Anya teased. A squeal of surprise escaped her lips as he tickled her sides suddenly. She slapped him playfully on the arm.

"Aiden, don't do that to me. You know I don't like it." She said in her sad voice with her big watery sad puppy eyes. It worked every time to get what she wanted. She only hoped it wouldn't wear out.

Arlen had taught her how to do it. At first she needed to bring it down a couple of octaves, and then she couldn't get the face right. But, practice makes perfect, and that's just what she'd done.

Aiden put his arms more tightly around her. Ha! Score for the whining girl!

"I'm sorry." He apologized.

"Regret is a mixture of curiosity, fear, and oh yes, and let us not forget Nuclear physics." Anya quoted from her friend.

"Is that good or bad?" Aiden asked.

"Depends." Was her reply.

"On what?"

"I'm not sure. Ask John. I just think it depends on something." Anya stated. At that moment the door burst open, and a blinding light consumed the room. Anya heard a deep roar, and she was thrown across the room headfirst into a wall.

Her vision was blurry, but she could make out a large demon tearing into Aiden who had also been thrown into a wall. She was immediately filled with anger.

She let out a scream, but it sounded more like a battle cry than anything. Static flickered around her fingertips and grew larger and larger until there were two-foot balls of lightning surrounding each hand. Her eyes turned a fiery red, and then went black. Her hair got darker and darker until you would almost think it was black.

"Get away from him, you bastard!" She yelled at the demon. It turned its head just in time to get hit with one lightning ball. It screamed in pain. The sound made Anya cringe and cover her ears. The ball in her other hand went out so as not to hit herself with it. The demon fled from the room, still crying out in pain.

Anya's eyes and hair went back to normal, and she saw Aiden on the floor bleeding badly and gasping for air. She ran to him and knelt down. She cradled him in her lap holding his head up with one hand and running her thumb on his cheek with the other.

"Everything's okay now." She said, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"I'm here. You'll be okay. Everything's alright..." she kept repeating more to reassure herself than to help him. She leaned down to place a gentle kiss on his forehead. He tried to smile, but winced in pain from all the cuts.

"Anya?" He said weakly.

"Yeah, baby. I'm right here." The tears came faster now.

"I love you." He said then closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I love you too." She choked out.

"Okay," she tried to compose herself, "I need to take a look at those cuts. I'm gonna take off your shirt." She told him as she started to pull up the tattered material.

"Normally, I like hearing that, but not right now." He said half in a whisper. He winced in pain as she uncovered a severe gash on his chest.

Arlen flew into the room a little out of breathe, but she regained it quickly. She stumbled back when she saw the scene.

"Anya, what happened?" she asked as she walked over to her sister. She looked Aiden's wounds over quickly.

"Those don't look normal. I think we need to get him to St. Mungo's."