SEVEN

Scott hadn't let go of me since he'd entered the room. Abaddon and her demon had vanished, leaving us to "reacquaint ourselves and think over her offer."

Scott and I sit across from each other on the floor in the middle of the room. Hazel lounges in one of the arm chairs while Nyx is busy pacing back and forth, pounding her fists against anything she approaches.

"Nyx, cut it out," Hazel groans. "You're making me motion sick. Abaddon said there's no way out; 'nothing gets in or out without her say-so'," she quotes.

"Zachariah did this to Dean once," I mutter.

"You're dodging the subject, Amanda," Scott chides. "What's going on? Why are you dressed like that?" I glance down at my dress. It's red silk, with a low-cut neckline and a slit up the left side (to easily access my demon knife). In Scott's time, only whores wore things like this. "Who are they?" He looks over at Hazel and Nyx. "And where are we?"

I squeeze his hand. It hurts on the inside. "That's a lot of questions."

He looks me deep in the eye. "Amanda, please."

My heart breaks a little more. I sigh sadly. "Scott," my voice catches; "this isn't easy to explain. I should have told you long ago, but…" I take a deep breath. "It's been two days since you saw me, right?" He nods. "Well…it's been thirty years since I saw you. This is the year 2013." As soon as I say it, everything else floods out. Scott keeps his mouth closed while I speak, though the more I talk, the more his eyebrows knit together. Nyx and Hazel listen as well; I've never told them my whole story.

"My real name is Marcia Sofia Kamzoil. I was born in the year 1889, in Russia. Our family was Jewish; we lived in a small Jewish community in the village Anatevka. In 1905, the Tsar made an edict that forced us from our homes. Mother and I moved to Germany; my brother, Motel, and his family came to America. After a couple years, we, too, made the move here. I was 18; I changed my name to Eva. Mother made a break with her sewing career working for a professional tailor in California. Eventually, she got enough money to open her own shop; she tried hiring me, but I was no good with sewing. I was more of an adventurer. It was during that time I met my father." I look up into Scott's eyes.

I take a deep breath. "My father is Lucifer–the fallen angel." Scott's eyes widen drastically, but he lets me continue. "I did some things for him–a few favors–and in return, he gave me a spell that would make me immortal. I was nineteen.

"Then World War I broke out; Mother worked to make and repair soldiers' uniforms, despite the high status she'd earned. I helped with the Red Cross, as a nurse on the battlefield. As a Nephilim–half-angel–I had similar abilities to the angels; when I became immortal, they grew stronger, and I gained new ones. One of my…powers is the ability to heal.

"Mother died a few years after the war; I inherited her house, the business, and part of the fortune. Of course, by then, many of the citizens in the town had begun to notice I hadn't aged in almost a decade. So I left; I sold the business and used the money to buy two other homes–one in Kansas, and one in Ohio. I would move every decade or so, once people started looking at me funny; I'd change my name and my appearance and cycle through my three homes. I've had a lot of aliases. My first move was to the Kansas house, where I became redheaded Alice; in the 30s, I moved to Ohio and changed my name to Dorothy. I was Ruth in California in the 40s, Robin in Kansas in the 50s, Kim in Ohio again the next decade, Ithaca when I moved back to California in 1874, and then Amanda in Kansas. I moved there about three years before meeting you."

"And what…happens? Do we get married?" His voice is barely above a whisper. He's afraid of the answer.

I stare at our entwined hands. His engagement ring glints accusingly at me. "It was the day we had the cake testing; the last time you saw me. I was kidnapped and tortured by demons for information. I…I held out for three days before they broke me. Then they let me go. When I got back to my house, you…" I can't bring myself to say it. Scott's death is the greatest burden on my conscience; my deepest regret.

"You must've come looking for me again," I continue. "There were demons watching my house. When I got there…everyone was dead. Even…even you. I don't know if it was the demons or the hunters, but by the time I found you–" my voice cracks.

I look up at him again. Tears roll down my cheeks freely. "Not a day goes by where I don't regret the decision I made. If I had just given Azazel what he wanted…" Scott reaches a hand up and brushes the tears from my cheeks.

"You can't blame yourself, Mandi."

"But I do, Scott! You…died. I could've been there. I could have saved you." I hang my head. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"For bringing you into this. For not telling you sooner. For everything. I should never have let myself fall in love with you."

"Don't say that," he lifts my chin. "You know that's not true. We're meant to be together. It's–"

"Destiny," I finish. "Yeah. No one knows that more than I do."

"I love you, Amanda. Marcia, whatever your name is. I love you because you're you. I don't care that you're…what? A hundred twenty?"

I laugh. "Hundred twenty-four."

He makes a goofy face. "It doesn't matter who you were, who your parents were. You could be an alien for all I care!" He cups my face in his hands. "I love you." I break out crying again, but this time, they're joyful tears. I fold myself into his arms and release all the built-up tension I've harbored for the last three decades. For a moment, I can almost imagine we're back in 1987.

And then the moment breaks.

"Look, this is sickeningly adorable and all," Nyx moans, "but patching up your sappy relationship isn't getting us any closer to busting out of here."

I look up at her in annoyance. "Nyx, it's been thirty years since my wedding. Can I not have five minutes with my fiancé?" Scott smiles at me lovingly.

"No," she replies, hands on her hips. "No you cannot. You know why? Because we're stuck in a box under the control of some psycho-ginger-Barbie and I'm bloody fifteen again!"

"What does she mean?" Scott asks, confused again.

"I'll give you the summary, since someone–" I glare pointedly at Nyx "–is impatient. Nyx and Hazel are my sort-of half-sisters. Nyx is a child of the Greek god Hades, and Hazel is the daughter of Pluto, his Roman personality; he also happens to be Lucifer, depending on his mood. So that makes us technically related.

"Nyx has an awful habit of dying." She rolls her eyes. "Dad brings her back to life every time–for some reason, always at age fifteen.

"Earlier, I was abducted by a demon–again. That was the woman you saw when you got here. Her name is Abaddon. She's something called a Knight of Hell–one of the first, worst demons. She was an angel, but she was turned by Cain himself. She and my father's right-hand-man–Crowley–are fighting it out for control over the underworld's underground. And she wants my support. Nyx and Hazel tried to…rescue me, but got caught."

"Oi!" Nyx interrupts, "I was a bit distracted."

I raise an eyebrow and stare at her for a couple seconds. "This is a lot to take in," Scott breathes.

I look at him and give his hand a squeeze. "I'll be honest, this isn't anything close to how I imagined telling you. I was actually planning to do it a couple days after the cake testing," I added, looking down. Nyx and Hazel exchange glances; they don't think I see. But I do; I notice everything. I know what they're thinking: I'm not normally like this–at least, I haven't been for decades.

"Well, are we all having fun yet?" Abaddon's voice comes from behind me. All four of us leap to our feet and face her; I stand protectively in front of Scott. She takes notice with a smirk. "Don't worry little Nephilim. I won't hurt him. That is–as long as you give me what I want."

"You rule Hell?" I growl. "Never."

"Oh and I suppose that glorified salesman does a better job?"

"He at least tries to keep order–the way my father originally intended. Hell isn't supposed to be a place of chaos. Hell has rules, Abaddon–rules you seem to love to break. You take souls before their time–and without deals, might I add. You send demons out into the world simply to kill and wreak havoc."

"That's their purpose," she snarls.

"No it's not," I reply curtly. "Not pure chaos. They're meant to bring terror in certain times, in certain places, and to certain people. The rules, Abaddon–centuries ago, each demon was assigned to a certain fear or terror. Or do you forget, Queen of Locusts?" She flinches. I smile. "That's right; I know who you were. I was raised Jewish. The demons aren't like your army of insects, Destroyer. They are not a ruthless killing machine. That is why I cannot support your 'campaign'," I make air-quotes with my fingers. "If you controlled the ranks, you wouldn't rest until all of humanity is damned. 'Sheol and Abaddon are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.'"

"You have no right to quote the Bible at me, Child of Hell," she hisses. "I was there. I was Cain's right hand. I took orders from Lucifer himself!"

"Wow," Nyx mutters, "dropping names like a Pachinko Machine."

Abaddon looks at Nyx for perhaps the first time since my genius sisters got themselves caught. Her appearance flickers, like a mirage. She fades back and forth between a busty redhead dressed in leather and an old, winged hag with leathery bat wings and oily black hair. "A Greek," she hisses. Her voice comes out strangled, like two people trying to speak into one microphone.

"Apollyon," she growls.

"Pah!" the figure spits. She now holds the resemblance of her Greek form stronger. "I thought you were all wiped out."

Nyx crosses her arms. "We survived." Apollyon's eyes flicker to Hazel.

"You're not Greek," she sneers. She leans forward slightly and draws in a breath through her nose. She recoils and hisses. "Roman. How did you three come across each other?"

"My old man is Hades," Nyx replies curtly. "Hers is Pluto."

Apollyon's lips draw back into a sneer. "Sisters."

"Oh, look, the old bat's got some brains."

Apollyon rolls her eyes. "As much as I'd love to continue bantering with you for comic relief, you are not my main concern right now, child." She turns back to me and her appearance again becomes that of Abaddon.

"No," I say simply, crossing my arms.

"You may want to reconsider," she growls, snapping her fingers.

"Amanda," Scott says behind me. I turn. Abaddon's demon sidekick has his arm around Scott's shoulders, and a knife pressed against his throat.

"Let him go," I spit at Abaddon.

"Well, now, that would be the opposite of my plan, wouldn't it?" she smiles cruelly.

"Why, you–" Nyx starts to stride forward, but two more demons appear and grab each of my sisters by the arms.

"Not now, sweetie," Abaddon smiles. "the grown-ups are talking." Nyx opens her mouth to say something–probably to cuss the demoness out–but a strip of duct tape appears over her mouth. Her eyes spark angrily above it. Abaddon paces around me and saunters towards Scott. "Now how did an old maid like you end up soul mates with such a cutie?" With an ephemeral snap, I unfurl one of my wings, blocking her path.

"Don't touch him," I growl. She turns her head and smirks.

"I don't need to." She reaches a manicured hand out and pushes my wing out of the way, continuing her orbit around Scott, the demon holding him, and me. "You know, your story is legendary. It's all Heaven and Hell talked about in the eighties. Well, besides little Sammy."

"What are you on about?"

She rolls her eyes. "You're soul mates, babycakes. You two crossed paths and fell in love on Heaven's orders. Like a certain pair of ex-hunters I know. Oh and then poor little Scotty had to die," she makes a sarcastic pouty face. "Isn't that just tragic."

"Shut up," I snap. "You don't know what it was like."

"Oh but I do. I was there."

"You–"

"Abaddon," a voice snaps behind us. We all turn to see who it is. "Causing problems again are we? Didn't we talk about kidnapping people?"

Abaddon laughs once. "Crowley. You've got balls, showing up here. Outnumbered, might I add."

Crowley glances lazily at Abaddon's demons. "Yes. Deserters. Well, I assure you, they will be handled. Once I take care of you."

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

"You missed your appointment with your father. He sent me to find you. And would you look at the mess you've gotten yourself into, Princess."

I roll my eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you, Crowley, don't call me that. It makes it sound like I'm your daughter."

"You can thank me later," he replies. "Well?" he roars at the demons. "Release them. Your king commands you."

They stand still, glancing at each other. Abaddon laughs. "They don't follow you anymore, Crowley."

"Well. Then I guess they're against me." With a flash of silver, an angel blade drops out of his sleeve. In the blink of an eye, he stands behind the demon holding Scott and jabs the blade through his shoulders. The demon's eyes and skin flash red, and he crumples to the ground. A second later, Crowley dispatches the one holding Nyx. I run to Scott's side and pull him away from Abaddon, throwing myself between them and spreading my wings. Glancing around the room, I see that the third demon has disappeared. Nyx and Hazel join me, standing on either side.

"This isn't over," Abaddon hisses.

"It is for now," Crowley bites back.

Suddenly, we're standing in the dark field again; a slight reddish tint colors the sky to the East. The boys and Reyna are deep in tense conversation. When we appear, Reyna is the first to notice us, and she swears in Latin. Scott collapses to the ground as soon as we materialize. I crouch down next to him and drape my arm over his shoulders. "Breathe," I whisper to him.

"What the hell?" Dean shouts. "Crowley?"

"Hello boys," the demon responds casually. "I believe you've met my employer's offspring. If that's all you need," he looks down at me, "I believe I'll be going now." Before anyone has the chance to stop him, he puffs out.

"What's going on?" Castiel demands. "Who's this?"

I ignore them, focusing my attention on Scott. I rub his back until his breathing returns to normal. "Amanda?" he groans. "What was that?"

"That was demon travel. It's a bit like teleportation–via funnel."

"Amanda?" Dean says, confusion weighing his voice. "Cas said your name was Jane."

I turn my attention to them at last. "It was–well, for a couple weeks, anyway."

"Who are they?" Scott asks, looking up at the hunters and Reyna.

I sigh and help Scott to his feet. "Boys," I address the Winchesters, "this is Scott Collins. He's from the past–my past–1887, to be exact. Abaddon thought it a good idea to bring him to the present to coerce me into joining her 'campaign,'" I make air-quotes with my fingers again. "Crowley showed up barely in time to get us out before anyone got killed. Scott, this is Sam and Dean Winchester and the angel Castiel, my uncle, of sorts. They're monster hunters."

"Winchester?" he asks, his brow creasing in confusion. "Isn't that the name of the family that used to live down the street from you? The house that burned down, right?"

The boys and I flinch in unison. "You…" Dean whispers, "you were there?" I wince again. Silence hangs deafeningly in the air.

Taking a deep breath, I look up into Dean's eyes. They're strikingly green. I feel a pain in my chest where my heart should be. "Yes. I was there that night. I moved to Kansas in the summer of '86, about four months before it happened. I didn't know who Azazel was at the time. He wasn't what brought me to Kansas. It was a coincidence. That night…" I sigh. "I felt his power; he was a strong demon. I traced the signal to your house, but…" I shake my head. "I was too late. All I could do was call the police. And Azazel disappeared. It wasn't until the spring of '87 that I met him. He captured and tortured me for information on the location to a sealed entrance to Hell."

"The Devil's Gate," Sam mutters distastefully.

"Yes. I helped Samuel Colt create it."

"You?"

"What? Is that so hard to believe?"

"Well, it's just…being–"

"Hellspawn?" I laugh. "Right. Because as the Heiress of Hell I need to detest humanity like my father, right?"

"Hey, guys," Hazel suddenly says, "sorry to interrupt, but…Nyx is gone."