Hi there, all! :D

It's been a month and I'm still breathing…barely! I've been SUPER busy with work and school assignments, not to mention I accidentally became addicted to 'American Horror Story'. It's been a whirlwind! But, I've been trying my best to make this chapter SPECTACULAR! And I hope I succeeded. Let me just warn you all- this chapter is over 25,000 words. I didn't mean for it to be this long, truthfully, but I planned everything out that way. Grab a drink, because you're gonna be here for a while! (if you can make it! ;p)

Also, another warning. There is a mass killing scene, and I tried to make it graphic! If you don't like blood, gore and Buttercup as a bloody, crazed, flesh-eating demon, just skip over the song part of this chapter. It isn't TOO vital to the plot, so you're at no disadvantage ;)

THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who reviewed! I know it's frustrating and yes, I do notice you guys holding out on the Greens reunion- I swear I'm not teasing you, it's all for a good reason! But we WILL get there! I want to get there as much as you all do, trust me :D! Reviews motivate me, and I'm aiming for AT LEAST once a month for a chapter submission, because I'm keen! So THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU :)

Quick notes for those who asked ;) -

Aqua Star: You're sharp! I hope most of your questions get answered in this chapter, you seem to be one step ahead of me in planning :P
BUT
Butch can't concentrate on Blayze's necklace… because there's a soul in there ;)

TheRedWolf: Naw! Poor Bliss! She's little so I try to leave her out of the 'scarring-for-life', she was asleep, BLISSfully unaware :P I'm glad you like Rome though, I have to admit he's a fun one to write… even though he's annoyed most of the time ;) Hope this chapter gives you just as much… pleasure? ;D

AwesomeNumber0: Hey you're not the only one :P

solaif79: I'm glad you like Rome- even though I kinda made him almost insufferable in this chapter ;) But just so you know, Cass isn't the marked one, Buttercup is. ;P

...

Ten: Diamonds Aren't Forever

…

One month later
…

Buttercup

.

The forest wasn't so still any more, but I kind of liked it that way. On my regular nights on guard, it didn't seem as tense- like my life wasn't about to flash before my eyes, or my throat was about to get ripped out.

"Can you sense anything?" Tyler hissed at me.

There was a definite breeze in the air that rustled the thick clouds of leaves above us. An owl hooted excitedly off into the distance, which caused my partner to jump. Tyler was on full alert, but I only ambled behind him, ears prickling at the scents that floated under my nose. The two of us reached a clearing and stared around at the trunks of the pine trees, the shrubs that littered the ground and the early morning fog that drifted above the mossy forest floor.

Our prime hiding place for our evening guarding duties had been a lot quieter in the last month, not that I would tell Tyler why.

He still insisted that we patrol the perimeter regularly. While I wasn't complaining, he refused to even acknowledge any 'friendly' demon presence that managed to wander into our sights. It didn't happen often, it was mostly Cain hanging around, not-so-subtly checking if Tyler was a threat to his weird 'relationship' with Jayden. Tyler hated the sight of either demon, even though Cass and I had become neutrally accustomed to their presence. Rome hardly spoke to us, but both still hunted and managed to keep any threats at bay. I hadn't sensed a demon, except them, since they arrived.

"Would you just relax?" I hissed at Tyler once more as he held his shotgun at the ready, perched on his shoulder. He whirled around to glare at me, but I only shrugged. "I can't sense anything, did you want to do another circle around the camp?"

"Yeah, maybe." Tyler's glare narrowed and glinted slightly in the limited light. There was a clear chill in the air unfiltered by cloud cover. The stars stood out clearly against the dark blanket of sky. I could tell my friend was irritated; he had been the past few weeks. There were darkened shadows under his eyes and he kept rolling his shoulders. "Are you sure there're no demons around?" His voice lowered and he added bitterly "Even friendly ones?"

Again, I heaved my shoulders. A nagging chill scraped by my shoulder, as if the pull in the night air was becoming too strong. I had to bite my lip at Tyler's knowing look. Cain was hanging around again, I could sense him by now. He had this dopey way of emotion- every now and then I felt a ripple of anger, then… amusement? Curiosity? He wasn't good at masking his presence and I had a feeling he got distracted easily. My heart seemed to flicker whenever I picked up a sense of Cain around, like I was catching his enjoyment. Honestly, it was better than picking up the blind bloodlust that most demons project. Anyway, I could tell Cain was nearby, watching us.

But Tyler didn't need to know that. For the first time in a long time, I was quite calm. My heart beat a little slower and I laughed with my companions a lot more. I even managed a few jokes with Jayden every now and then. To be honest, having two demons hanging around acting like living flytraps made this world seem like a vacation.

And… I was getting too used to it.

"I can't sense any…"

"Good." Tyler dropped his gun to the ground and leaned it against a tree. While I was on the ground, he remained standing and utilised his height to leer over me, shoulders hunched and hands buried in his pockets. "I need to talk to you about something."

His eyes searched my face for the longest time. I resisted the urge to look away, but I still had to jiggle my foot to release some tension. I hated hiding things from Tyler, and that look he gave me always saw too much. It's the downside to knowing someone since elementary school.

"I don't trust those guys." He got it over with quickly. "Let's face it, they're demons, we're human. We're on the losing side, here-"

"Come on." I felt my stomach clench at that. My family was on the line. "We have a fighting chance, I mean-"

"Let's be honest…" Tyler talked over me. "We're only surviving out here. If we were to go against an army of demons we would have no chance. Why would they want to help us? What reasoning to they have?"

"They haven't… given us an exact reason…" I pondered out loud. "They just…promised."

"Or they know who you are." Tyler growled at me. "I wish demons were on our side, BC, I really do- but they have so much more to gain following the Ruffs- demons are ruling the world under the Ruffs control! Why would they go against them? It's paradise for them up here!"

"I don't know why we're still standing here then." I shrugged, trying my best to shake off the heat of Tyler's words. Does he not think I've thought of this already? "If they wanted to rat us out to the Ruffs I bet they could get a good reward, but instead they're here helping us out and they've said they can teach me how to take out other demons-"

"Wait, what?" Tyler jumped in front of me, eyes blazing. "They want to teach you shit? You know they could be sabotaging us!"

"They're not, okay? They've had plenty of opportunity to kill me-"

"You're more valuable alive-"

"Nobody knows who I am!"

"How do you know that?" Tyler collapsed next to me on the ground, looking down at me with those stern eyes. Even behind the glare, I could see the flicker of worry. It caused my stomach to clench with uncertainty and guilt. "BC, these guys are powerful. They have weapons! What if they're just trying to assess you as a threat, weaken you and get some secrets from you, then sell you off to the Ruffs? Butch would pay big money and give a lot just to see you, you know that."

I stiffened at the name. Tyler rambled on like it was nothing, but the name of my children's father still chilled me to the bone. I hated admitting I was afraid of him, but there was always that spark of fear that closely followed the burning anger within me. Revenge was first, yes, but it was harder to focus on the fear that still dwelled beneath the surface, dousing my passion and replacing it with doubt. He'd killed me before, I bet he's quite keen to do it again…

"And I bet they would be even more, if they knew about Emerald-"

"Don't." I jumped at how dark and hoarse my voice sounded. The anger was quick and it flowed too easily. Tyler must have noticed the dark gleam in my eye because he jumped too. I made an attempt to clear my throat. "Don't even talk about that, Ty."

"But it's a possibility, BC." Tyler fidgeted sheepishly. "I worry about you guys. You're not only one of my best friends, but you're one of the few hopes we have of surviving in this fucked up world. If anyone needed the Powerpuff Girls, it's now."

A lump rose into my throat at that name of the past too, and I couldn't resist a hollow laugh. I tugged at the blades of grass so he couldn't see my face. Hearing my old identity- the name that held me together all those years with my sisters- was almost too much to take.

"Yeah, well… we failed the people of Townsville on that one."

"That doesn't mean you haven't lost who you are…" I felt Tyler's hand on my shoulder. "And I bet your sisters are holding onto that… you were made for a reason, that reason's still there…"

"You sound like the Professor." I sniffed stupidly as the grass in front of me blurred in the light of our flashlights. There was a tiny itch at the back of my head, nudging at my ear. I shook it off, blinking away the moisture clinging to my eyes. "If…if he were here…"

"It's hard…" Tyler's sneakers clenched on the dirt in front of me. "I don't know where my parents are-"

"It's a world of loss…" I sighed.

"It fucking sucks."

"Tell me about it."

Another niggle seemed to scratch at my ear, near the back of my head. I tried to shake it off again, but it persisted- the shadow of a dark thought. Making up my mind, I put my hand on Tyler's shoulder.

"You look exhausted." I told him firmly. "Go to sleep. I'll finish the last hour- I'll be okay, trust me."

There was an argument brewing in his stare but it eventually diminished at my own knowing look. He gave me a brief hug before disappearing behind a few scattered shrubs, following a worn trail that led back to camp. I only had to wait a few moments before the annoying niggle in my head appeared from behind a tree.

"I don't like that guy."

I stared up at Cain with what I hoped was a stern expression. He and I had become quite friendly in terms of comfort, but we still regarded each other with suspicion rooted in what I guessed was upbringing. He was still a demon after all. However, even with his clear power, I could tell his weaknesses within a few meetings with him. He easily trusted people and had the capacity to let things slip out.

I watched as his sharp blue eyes trailed over where Tyler had left. His fingers ran over the thick chains that crossed his chest almost longingly.

"Not jealous, or anything?" I suggested. He attempted a careless glare.

"No. Why would I be? He's got nuthin' on me-"

"Just tell me what you're here for, Cain."

He seemed to pout at the loss of not being able to whine. He whined a lot. I guess demons aren't allowed to complain about petty relationship-style stuff, because Cass and I were subjected to it almost nonstop last week. Jayden this, Jayden that. I had no idea exactly what 'relationship' a Lust Demon was supposed to get into, but it sounded like Cain thought he and Jayden were married, or something. Regardless, I can safely say Lust Demons obsess harder than teenage girls reading romantic vampire fiction.

"Rome wants to see you." Cain kicking at the loose dirt brought me out of my thoughts. "Tomorrow morning, at sunrise if you can. He's been planning something for a while, and had a thought that you might want to get in on it. It's about the Ruffs."

The Ruffs. The name was like a bell tolling in my head, my thumping heart chiming along with it. It was loud in my ears, so loud I was sure Cain could hear it. I thought hard about that. Tyler's words still rang in my head, the dreaded warnings I knew all too well.

But the thought of Blayze, and of the Chemical X just hanging over our heads- the key to unlocking my sisters and the hopes of our old powerful image of a trio… I finally had the power of three back again, the chance to get back my baby and my family. The thought of danger, the thought of being so close to the fire I could be once again scalded by the force, for once in a long time it didn't scare me. It didn't cause me to flinch, or back away. Instead I was only fuelled by the flames, the thought of finally getting close to the dreams that seemed so far away.

"I'll be there."

Cain only nodded. "Cool. That means I have to be somewhere…"

I cocked a brow at him. Cain usually was pretty easy to scrutinise, but he was looking bored. It reminded me what my goal was in finding out information in the first place.

"Wait." I growled at him, standing as he made to leave. "I have a question for you."

Cain shuffled awkwardly on the spot as he adjusted his chains. "I'm usually not the best at answering questions…" He mumbled. I only shook my head.

"It'll only take a second. It's about Jayden."

"Jayden?" He perked up immediately. "Did that Tyler guy-"

"No! Get your mind out of the gutter." I hissed at him before lowering my voice and creeping closer. "Jayden mentioned- a few months ago- that he knew where to get Chemical X."

"Chemical X?" Cain frowned. "What's that? Like a drug?"

"Well, no-"

"'Cause I got him out of that." Cain took on a serious tone, folding his arms stubbornly. "It was a good exchange."

"Exchange?"

"Those demons, the ones hooked on whatever they were getting, were gonna sell him out. They found someone else with drugs at a cheaper price, but we cut a deal with 'em. I saved him."

"So…you don't know where someone could get Chemical X from?"

"I dunno what you're talking about." Cain's face crinkled in suspicious confusion. "I've never heard of that drug before. Is it new?"

"No, don't worry about it." I shrugged, trying not to let the sinking disappointment get to me. "Thanks anyway, Cain."

.

.

It was a late night at the club.

Brat snarled at the lip prints, still sticky on her glass. She slammed it down and reapplied the glitzy paint to her lips, folding her legs as she spun her stick back into her favourite tube of sugar-scented lip gloss. Once it was slipped back into her boot she turned her attention back to her sister, who was nursing her own stained glass of spirits.

"What?"

"I'm just saying…" Berserk snarled at the blonde, blood red lips curling unpleasantly. "It really isn't hard, Brat. They may be demons but they're still men."

"Hey, you don't know how tricky it is." Brat pouted into her vodka. "Butch is still messed up about the whole Green Puff thing. He won't even tell me what happened!"

"For God's sake…" Berserk huffed at her sister. "Just show some cleavage! Rub at his ego! Men like the Ruffs are easy! If he gets difficult, suck his dick! He'll be putty in your hands."

Brat shook her head, her blonde pigtails waving furiously. "Butch isn't like that! He's protective of his kid- that boy gets in the way of everything! He's always worried about him, it's hard enough to get near him, let alone sleep in his bed and get him off!"

"Well find some way." The red Punk told her- her sharpened red fingernail pointing into her sister's face. "We're getting into that fucking castle and getting some fucking authority. This club isn't enough anymore and I want some fucking recognition."

"I'm trying!" Brat moaned. "I didn't know it would be so hard to get into a guy's pants- but Butch isn't making it easy! He's still hung up about what's-her-name. The kid doesn't make it any easier-"

"I'm sick of excuses already." Berserk poured herself another shot from one of the bottles beside her. "Just get it done."

"You can talk…" Brat scoffed, glaring at her sister from her heavily lined eyes. "It's not like you're getting anywhere with your seduction techniques."

"I can have Red any time I wanted." Berserk hissed back. "He's just turning me off with all his 'Daddy' crap. I just haven't put in any effort-"

"You mean he has his mind on the Pink Puff-"

Brat ripped herself off of the couch just in time as the glass whizzed past her skull, smashing against the wall behind her.

"I'm ten times that prickly little ginger bitch!"

"Okay!" Brat dusted the glass from her hair. "Jeez…"

Berserk grabbed a fresh glass, her blood-red eyes blazing. Brat could tell thoughts were racing through her head, probably more of her schemes and plans. She'd been telling her younger sisters for years now that they had to get closer to the Ruffs. Before the Ruffs' children had been born, the sisters were allowed in and out of the house as friends. Now that there were little ones to protect, the Punks' lives were 'better served' helping to manage the clubs and nightlife that fuelled the boys' status. Since then, Berserk and Brat had watched from a heated distance as the boys rose to fame without them. While Brute was happy satisfying her bloodlust with all the extra violence that spread, the redhead and blonde Punks wanted more. They always did.

"You know, I've been thinking…"

Brat looked up at her sister's sudden purr, watching the way she tilted the glass against the limited light of the bar. Her blood red eyes widened eagerly.

"Maybe it's time to be a bit more…aggressive… in our methods."

Brat fidgeted. While Butch, admittedly, was hot- it was getting hard for Brat to take so much rejection. Butch was so emotional and high swung the blonde Punk felt there was no room for her to bask in the luxury of fame and power- not when the Green Ruff was so pissed all the time.

"But Butch won't have any part of it, Blayze is-"

"Oh, fuck that fucking kid. Fuck all of them!" Berserk's fingers tightened on her new glass. Brat looked ready to dive again. "He's six years old! What can he fucking do about it? Put him to bed."

"You don't get it, Butch is really worried about it, 'cause he got hurt-"

"All I'm hearing is excuses, Brat." Berserk glared at her sister, causing Brat's cheeks to flush with sheepish heat. "If Butch is having kid issues, you take care of it."

"But he doesn't let me-"

"Then make him a better one. A new baby…" Berserk cackled into her glass, the lip of the glass smacking against her teeth. "Maybe a little Punk will get his mind off of things."

.

Butch

.

It was late, and for the fifth night in a row I couldn't sleep. I hadn't slept in a month unless a bottle or body slept beside me. It's pathetic, believe me I know.

But that thought doesn't help me sleep.

I tapped the base of my glass on the edge of the bed frame, the far lights of the city blurring around me as I slipped in and out of reality. Without any sleep, I couldn't tell what was real and what could be a vision of some warped dreams. All I could taste was whiskey and bile. My stomach clawed in hunger too, and my brain seemed to seize at all the pain soaring through it. Everything hurt.

As ceremoniously as I could, I threw up the bottle as high as I could and watched as it sailed down to the floor at the other end of the room- the fragments exploding and scattering across the ground. It was surreal- like little bits of stars and light flickering on my floor… or little knives that could slice open my skin. I watched them for a bit, willing the water in my eyes to drain away.

I don't cry. Not anymore.

It had been a month. Blayze's scrapes sealed up after a few days, his bruises faded only days after that. There was still a mark on his eye I hated seeing. I hated it, because I couldn't fix it. He would barely look at me, let alone speak to me. It stabbed straight at the heart every time he looked away from me. It's like I was fucking poisonous to him.

It fucking sucks being a parent on your own. I went to his bedroom almost every night trying to talk to him, only to see his blank face staring at me, eyes lowered and bottom lip drooped into a permanent, disappointed pout. I put my arms around him and he just sits there, still and stiff. He doesn't even hug me back. I kiss him and love him and plead with him to talk to me- nothing.

And I can't do a fucking thing about it.

I kicked back the sheets from my bed and stumbled back onto the ground. My head was swimming with throbbing pain and blurring thoughts. I curled my fingers around the neck of the bottle by my bed and made my way over to the door, my numb feet peeling across the cold floor.

I slipped through the shadows like a gust of air, only the light mist of emerald green following me as I flew. Blayze's door was before me in a matter of seconds. My knuckles paused over the wood before I pushed the door open without a sound and slipped inside.

My son was nothing but a bundle of blankets in his giant bed, but just seeing his face for the first time in days was enough to send my heart soaring. His pale face stuck out harshly against the silk pillows and I leaned over to take him in, watching him snore.

He had dark shadows under his eyes, like me.

I wanted to push the strands of hair off his forehead, which was gleaming as though he'd been sweating. He looked sick, and there was a clenching pain in my stomach at the thought I couldn't help him. Not when he hates me, not when he sees me as some monster who only hurts him.

And he doesn't even know the half of what I've done.

I caught myself just when I was about to cry. My throat seemed to close up and my eyes swelled up so the dark blurred around me. Blayze's tiny shape under the covers twitched and moved, shifting his legs and frowning in his sleep.

I zoomed out as fast as I could without making a sound, letting the door snap shut behind me once I was already down the hall. Stumbling back, I flew up a flight of stairs and somehow ended up right in front of a door I knew too well- the door I always ended up at in the end. Stupidly.

"Why?" My voice echoed up the stairs and bounced around the walls, sounding pained and slurred. My boot hit one of the covered dressers near the doorway and a flash of pain went through my foot. I slammed it again into the cheap woodwork, splintering the whole thing. "FUCK YOU!"

I stared around at the room. It was dusty, but there was a well-worn trail through the whole room where I always ended up. I always dragged down to the farthest corner in the end, in a ball of despair and shame. Amongst her things that I couldn't even look at but still couldn't get rid of. She was fucking haunting me. I stomped over to my familiar corner, pressing my face against the cool wall and growling again. My words tumbled out before I could stop them, like an open wound.

"Why'd you have to go? You fucking left me here. You should have fought. You've beaten me before. You're stronger than that. You're stronger than that, fucking damn fuck! You never should have gone. If-If you'd had stayed, it would have been better. Blayze'd...he'd be okay. I would've-would've been better- Fuck- I just- I-I loved you- we would have been happy. But you- you couldn't fucking fight. You didn't stay. You should have stayed. You-"

It didn't sound like me, but bleeding out like that felt like the belt around my chest loosened several notches. It was relief with a sting. My boots dragged up against the scratched floorboards and I hugged at my knees, pushing away at my swollen eyes as the sharpened guilt stabbed at me.

It's not your fault.

The bottle crashed to the floor and once again I was left in a fucked up silence where all I could hear was the depressing voices in my head. I felt my teeth snap into my chin as I bit back what I could, but blood dripped down into my lap as I couldn't hold back what needed to come out.

It's my fault.

.

.

It had been weeks since Emerald first held the necklace in her palm and stashed it under her pillow, but every day it seemed to weigh down on her more. She couldn't sleep, it was as though the stone was whispering in her ear, stabbing her head and refusing her peace. She was becoming drowsy, restless and paranoid. Her mother had noticed, and held her closer every night, worrying, but it wasn't like Em to let any weaknesses show. She was used to being her mother's rock, the secret security blanket. She was the most powerful one in the group. She couldn't let them down, not when people like that boy were around. She still hadn't told anyone, and it kept her awake at night staring up at the stars wondering whether he'll come back and get revenge. Maybe he'll bring friends. She didn't want to admit she brought that threat upon her family, her only friends. A beat, like a heartbeat, ticked away under her ear. She was sure it was the stone, but it could be the sound of her own blood thumping in her head.

Without stopping to think, she pushed herself up and grabbed it from inside her pillow, staring at it sitting in her palm. It was still black- it didn't reflect the sun, or any of the light around her. It was just black, no reflection, no light… just a dismal black. And it was cold. And heavy. It seemed to have a soul all of its own.

She didn't like it. While it was suspect when she first stowed it away, she was starting to regret ever snatching it at all. Maybe they were tracking her- maybe the demonic necklace itself was starting to seep into her with evil demon magic.

Her fingers closed around the polished rock. She had to ditch it.

So she could finally sleep.

She unzipped the flap of the tent and poked her head out to stare around the camp. It must have still been early, as a chill hung in the air and only a few figures huddled around the smoking promises of a fire at the communal pit by the church. Emerald only lingered for a second- sliding her feet into her slippers as she fiddled with the metal zipper of the tent- before darting off out of the clearing and into the forest.

The young girl didn't know what path she was following, but her feet fell into footsteps that were already implanted into the fallen leaves. It was as if she was following the heat sensors in her brain, linking her to a scent she already knew.

It wasn't long before she stumbled over a thick tree root and came to the edge of a steep ravine, which hosted a trickling river. She stared around a fallen log and found a familiar hulking figure below, with wild blonde hair with red tips that stuck out at all angles.

Cain seemed different to Emerald. Maybe it was the haze of sleep that still messed with her brain, but she could swear he seemed…brighter. Like there was a glow about him. He was at the bottom of the small depression and sitting by the river, leaning against what looked like a mound of black, matted feather that blended into the mud. His chest was covered in mud too and he was growling to himself, untangling the thick set of chains that he always seemed to carry with him. Undisturbed, Emerald climbed over the log and began the descent down to see him.

"Hi Cain!"

It was a sudden flurry. Cain first yelped, stumbled back, there was a blur of movement and he was suddenly standing, his chains looped around his wrist and his eyes burning a dark black- narrowing in on the small girl.

"Oh!" He dropped his fists, chains clanking and his cheeks darkening to a deep pink. "It's you."

"Of course it's me." Emerald blinked innocently, seemingly naïve to the embarrassment she'd caused him. She frowned, rubbing at her eyes again. The light that surrounded Cain before seemed to have disappeared and she dismissed it as a trick of the light. She looked harder at the bank, too, and saw there were no dark feathers there. "What are you doing?"

The side of Cain's mouth lifted into a half smile. Em saw that he had a dimple in his cheek.

"I'm getting ready to go on a mission."

The young Puff immediately brightened.

"Oo! Really!? Can I come?"

"Nah. You don't want to." Cain shrugged, dropping his chain onto the ground and instead grabbing for his shirt, laying sprawled out onto a rock. Emerald gave him her own half-smile.

"Why? Cause I might get hurt?" She winced at the excuse her mother had given her countless times before. She looked taken aback when she saw Cain shake his head as he slipped on his shirt.

"Oh, we'll definitely get hurt…" He was talking as if he was discussing his favourite colour. "It's not fun, Em. I'll definitely take you if we get a fun mission- but this isn't one."

"…Oh." Unable to say anything interesting to that, Emerald instead picked up a nearby pebble and threw it into the trickling stream. The pair watched the water for a moment before Cain issued the young girl with a sudden suspicious glare.

"So why'd you hunt me down for?"

Emerald hesitated. She'd lost her fire already and couldn't look him in the eye. But the amulet was burning a hole in her pyjama pants and she couldn't take the heat anymore. She shoved her fist into her pocket and summoned her worst glare.

"You can't tell anyone." She told him firmly, eyes narrowing. "Promise?"

She remembered the look Rome gave her after her fight. He had sensed something was wrong about her. That's why she picked up Cain and immediately headed his way. Just as she suspected, instead of that fierce look of Rome's, Cain's face only lightened and tilted in his innocent, curious way.

"Okay, I promise." He shrugged, but rolled his eyes in reluctant resignation. "Kinda bound to loyalty, after all."

"Good." Emerald simply said. And with that, she pulled the black stone from her pocket and crossed the river, treading lightly on the thick stones that held her above the water. Cain leaned closer to her as she stepped up to him- and opened her hand.

Cain frowned, not brave enough to reach out to the little girl. The stone sat, plain and still, in the child's hand- but even Cain could see it held no light.

"Where'd you get that?"

"I…took it." Emerald admitted, sighing as she did so. The words 'found it' had been on the tip of her tongue, but seeing the look in Cain's bright blue eyes took the lie out of her almost instantly. She could tell Cain was onto her. "From…a demon boy."

"What?" Cain hissed at the thought someone had slipped past him. "Who?"

"I don't know." Emerald let out a little moan. "But it's been driving me crazy! I didn't want to hurt him, but he fought me! I just want to get rid of it."

Cain's eyes seemed to flicker, but he reached out and curled his fingers around the strange stone. It was freezing- ice cold- to the touch. He lifted it from her hand and instead secured it away in his own pocket. Emerald watched the entire action, her heart lifting as the stone did from her palm.

"I'll take it…on one condition."

A lump rose in the girl's throat and she attempted to swallow it down.

"Uh-yeah?"

Cain's eyes seemed to harden. "You have to tell your Mom."

"But-!"

"I'm gonna take it, but only 'cause it's less likely to hurt me, rather than you. You gotta watch what any demon gives you, you know."

"It's just a necklace…" Emerald growled at him.

"It's not a normal necklace. It feels strange, you know it does."

Emerald hugged at her arms, reluctantly nodding. "Yeah, I know."

"So you'll tell her?"

Emerald's lips twisted, but she stared back up at the hopeful blonde with determination. "I promise."

They shook on it.

"Now I gotta go." Cain grabbed his chains and threw them over his shoulder, jumping up the steep embankment with Emerald right behind him. "I gotta meet your Mom and I'm already late."

Emerald took his hand again to help her up. He lifted her up and placed her back onto the fallen log. She turned to him and tried her best smile.

"I'll keep a look out 'til you get back."

Cain smirked and took off, yelling back at her as he disappeared into the forest.

"Don't forget your promise!"

.

Buttercup

.

It was way too early. It was barely dawn- the sun hadn't even fully risen. There was only an inch thick of light peeping out from behind the ridges of the valley. There was still an icy-cold night breeze rushing through the trees. Did I mention it was way too early? I was on the highest point near camp, too. Just overlooking the valley- higher up on the Cliff-side that overlooked the lake. Staring, wondering.

I was actually wearing a beanie- one of Cass' I took back when it was a frostbitten winter. I was cuddled up in my heaviest coat too, trying to hug my legs so the wind wouldn't seep through the rips in my jeans. The longer I waited, the sharper the chill in my chest got.

"You're a hard person to find."

I jumped, boot slipping off the rock slightly, as I stretched myself to look back and up at the voice hovering over me. The wind whipped around Rome, his black-tipped hair fluttering and his clothes shaking in the breeze. He was dressed in what looked like a navy hooded trench coat and mud-splashed black jeans with utility boots. His hood was up and his face was as eerily calm as always. He tilted his head at me as I awkwardly got to my feet.

"I was starting to think you stood me up."

He scoffed loudly. "You're not exactly out in the open."

I scoffed back even louder as I climbed up. "I would've thought you could find me, you being such a great hunter and all."

Rome offered a hand but I chose to avoid it and cling at the rock myself. He stuffed his hands back into his pockets and narrowed his eyes.

"You're downwind. Hard to sniff out."

"Huh…" I looked back down at my spot as I wandered back into the shade of the trees. "So I was."

I was expecting a smart remark but when I looked back I saw that Rome was instead smirking to himself. He looked surprisingly human when he grinned without showing his sharpened canines.

"You're funny."

I resisted my own urge for a proud smile. Instead I waited- feet planted and my arms folded expectantly. He leaned against a tree, his tall, muscular frame curling against the trunk and his boots scuffing at the earth.

"Look, I know you don't trust me." Rome started slowly. "But… I thought you might be interested in joining us hunting down some demons."

"Hunting down demons, huh?" I frowned. "Why would you do that, hunt down your own kind?"

Rome cackled, propping himself up on the tree and tilting his head at me.

"Because we hunt runts. Those scum of the Earth that shame the name of 'demons' when really they are mere demon-human hybrids of lower circle rats."

I felt an eyebrow fly up my forehead. Rome spoke way too fast, his eyes were sparkling far too much. "I think I've met a few of those."

"It's basic stuff, killing them." Rome informed me bluntly. "Easy. Like cockroaches. But if you want to pick up some tips about killing higher levels, like the Ruffs, that's where to start."

"I already-" I bit back the lump that was swelling in my throat. "I've…killed lower levels before."

"Easy, huh?" Rome's eyes held mine. "It's kinda addicting."

I didn't want to agree with him. Instead I focused on his boots.

"Think of it as survival training." His voice lowered to a smooth honey-like tone, the same I use when I tried to coax Emerald into a bath. "A way to best access your…strength."

I kicked at the dirt at my feet. The words fell out of my mouth before I could suck them back.

"I don't want to access my demon side, if that's what you want."

"Being a demon isn't so bad… when you're fighting for your life and all." He actually winked at me. When I only stared in shock his grin split into a laugh. His shoulders hunched and he bounced on the tree. "I'm just teasing you, you know."

"Funny." I snarled.

"There's a spot about seventy miles away, up on the highway into Citiesville." He threw his head back towards the lake. "Cain's already scouting up there. I trust you can fly up there to meet him, if you wanna join us in taking out a few Ruff-following oxygen thieves."

At the mention of the Ruffs, a chill that had nothing to do with the cold shuddered through me.

"I've never hunted with demons before…"

"I don't doubt that. But you have nothing to be scared of."

"I'm not scared-!"

At another glance of his smirk, I dropped off before I could say anymore. Instead I closed my eyes, thinking this through, before I gulped and tried again.

"You just haven't given me good enough reason to trust you yet."

"Trust me?" Rome took a few steps closer to me, hands buried in the pockets of his coat. "I haven't killed you yet, hun. But I can."

"'Cause that would really gain my trust." I didn't budge. "Not killing me doesn't prove anything."

"But me inviting you to slaughter our own kind does." Rome tilted his head toward mine, our foreheads almost touching. I was forced to stare into his eyes- swarming with darkness and sparkle that almost dazzled me. "I promise you'll learn a few things. You might even thank me later."

I tried to ignore the hunger in his eyes, but it was hard when the warmth of the rays were already scorching my face. My head was in a light daze and all that was before me was the promise of blood, of a fight. I hadn't fought, had skin-on-skin hard, conflicting pain and blood, in so long. And I hated to admit that it hurt. It was like an itch I couldn't scratch.

"…What's the catch?"

"What catch?" Rome cocked an eyebrow. "You want to find out more on the Ruffs or not?"

My eyes narrowed and I tried not to give too much away. "…I want to fuck up the Ruffs' order as much as you do."

He let out another bark-like laugh. "I doubt that, sweetheart. But the enemy of my enemy is my friend. We'll find out more about the Ruffs, I promise."

A sick, forbidding lurch once again rumbled in my stomach. I didn't like the look in Rome's eyes- instead of the solid crimson they were darkening again. They looked hungry and his shoulders seemed to be swelling- as though he was growing in size just to leer over me. But at the lure of the Ruffs- getting closer to finding out exactly how to defeat him- was one I couldn't pass up, not if I wanted to sleep ever again.

"Fine." I bit out, hating myself for it. "I'll find Cain. Highway to Citiesville, right?"

"He's there. Right by the bar. After mile marker 89." Rome pulled back with ease, lips twitching into a knowing grin. "I'll be right behind you."

I didn't ask how, I just turned my back on him, but my skin prickled as I felt his eyes on me. My chin grazed my shoulder as I wandered out into the open, into the cold air. He was still watching me. Without another second hesitation, I stared out into the open air of the cliff and took off running, leapt off the side and took off into the open air- soaring as far away from the smirking demon as fast as I could.

.

Cass

.

"Where are you sending her?"

Rome looked around in shock, a dark shadow crossing his face before his eyes landed on me. His chin stuck out at the sight of me, so he could look down his nose at the mere human in front of him with disgust.

"That's none of your concern." His eyes rolled and my heartbeat soared. Buttercup was nothing but a fading speck in the sky.

"Of course it's my concern! What have you done with her?"

He ignored me, of course, and proceeded to slam into me with a sharp shove of his shoulder as he ploughed by me. "Humans. Twitchy little paranoid creatures…"

I followed him, eyes narrowing. My hands were curled into fists and I was trying my best to still them. How could one demon make my blood boil so much? This guy got to me like nobody else did.

"Are you going to hurt her?"

Rome whirled around to face me, eyes lidded. Usually they were a mix of red and almost gold, but they were definitely darkening at the sight of me. The specks of gold stuck strong, but the rest of his eyes seemed to harden into dark orbs of coal.

"Why would I do that?" His voice was silky, almost a mocking purr. My spine seemed to rattle as it hit me like a burst of ice.

"You said you were going to meet her." My own eyes froze on him, refusing to budge. Staring into his face, I couldn't feel the tips of my toes. I could barely move. My skin seemed to tingle at the vibes spreading from him. "I don't trust liars."

"What makes you think I'm lying?" Rome spat at me. "I've done nothing but remain loyal to you, I haven't done anything to you. Yet you're still fucking pitiful."

I didn't back down, despite the fact he was now leering so close to me we were almost nose-to-nose. I could smell him, the scent seemed to send vibrations of heat off of him onto me, even though it was a cold morning I was pleasantly toasty next to him. It was almost like a smoky honey smell, but gritty like fresh dirt. His jaw ticked and it knocked me back into his gold-speckled coal pit stare.

"I'm anything but pitiful." I sniffed. I hated the quiver in my voice. "I'm loyal to my fucking friend! I care about her, more than you can ever imagine! If anything happens to her I will fucking kill you, I don't care who you are. I won't let you try anything with her."

He scoffed and his teeth flashed at me. It was a burst of smugness that only infuriated me further.

"Watch me."

I watched him. I tried one of my best glares, one I modelled off of Buttercup's. I didn't care who the guy thought he was- he didn't know me. But I was ready to show him. He closed his eyes, the strands of his black-tipped hair dipping into his face. There was a seemingly peaceful silence between us, broken only by the sounds of the forest. His eyes opened again, and promptly widened on me. I blinked. His eyes narrowed. I cleared my throat.

"Are you-"

"Shut up!" He suddenly hissed at me, stumbling back. It actually looked like I scared him. A flash of panic shot over his face, almost like a twitch, before he swung around and stumbled away a few feet. He sent me a furious glare over his shoulder. "Just go away for a second!"

I cocked a brow, which only seem to tick him off further as he quickened his pace. I yelled out to him. "Are you supposed to be doing something?"

"Shut up!" he screamed at me, losing himself completely. He stomped off in a huff. "You're fucking annoying!"

"What?" I stomped after him, rounding a tree. "Why-"

But he was gone.

.

Butch

.

The table under my glass looked warped- blurred from whiskey and ice. I twirled my glass in my fingers, drowning in the cubes and liquor. My head was just a throbbing mess. I couldn't look away, especially when all I got when I looked up was a bunch of empty faces- aimed at Brick with his long-winded, boring drawling lectures on how we needed to 'better rule' our inferiors.

"So what you're saying is there is a lot of potential out there?"

"For brute force, yes, but not many skilled hunters can be trusted-"

"What do you mean by trusted?"

I drowned the rest of my glass in one gulp, the liquor scorching my throat and the ice clinking in the glass. My tongue swiped at my lips as one of the demon's voices carried across the table.

"Well, hunting is an emotional thing. It's easy to get carried away and just feed, or…you know, play around with victims, especially if they're human-"

"So it's not an efficient way of finding out information?"

"Not exactly-"

Words were bouncing around my skull, echoing and fading out. All I could do was focus on the polished marble of the tabletop and the dried blood under my nails. I rapped them against my empty glass in a steady, calming rhythm.

I tried to talk to Blayze this morning. That is, after I woke up in a haze of a hangover with agonizing back pain… in that same position against the wall in the attic. Her picture was in my hand again, looking up at me with those sunken eyes. The same glare that stared at me at the breakfast table this morning.

"Butch!"

An elbow dug suddenly into my ribcage and my eyes slipped up to eye the several demons hanging around us. When everyone seemed to acknowledge I was paying attention I let my gaze fall to the table again. I hated the fact my little brother kept pushing me to keep my focus when it used to be Brick and I keeping Boomer's head in the game.

I rubbed my damp palms over my jeans, catching at the rips in the denim. It was hard to contain my twitching in situations like this, an animal-like urge sprouted within me as soon as the doors closed just to run and rip the throats out of anyone I came across. Since Blayze was hurt it's only gotten worse. Like an itch you just couldn't scratch.

I really didn't think Blayze had this much power over me.

Brick's voice powered through me again.

"What we need is a network of who the higher levels are around here, are there any that could be-"

"While news hasn't spread about the empire just yet, it is true that more demons are escaping the Underground."

"And they support us?" Boomer asked.

Edge nodded.

"Yes, if they come to Earth they must bow to who is in power, that is within the confinements of demon law… unless…"

I looked up then, well aware of the silence that had captured the room. Brick was two spots up from me, staring hard at Edge, who had just trailed off completely.

"Unless what?" Boomer asked, his own eyes narrowing.

Edge hesitated, scratching at the back of his head before rolling his shoulders.

"Unless they originate from another circle… a deeper dimension, I suppose. It sends demons crazy down there… they're not even supposed to survive."

"Circle?" I scoffed. The bourbon I had for breakfast earlier was messing with my head, but that couldn't be the reason I was so confused. Nobody ever mentioned a 'circle' before, at least while I was sober. "What do you mean, circle? And how would they get out, if they're not even supposed to live?"

"Like, within Hell." Edge explained. I noticed the demons around us had gone quiet and seemed to have shrunken away from the table, heads bowed. "See, there are several circles within Hell, the first of which is really close to Earth, so demons can easily escape from there. But, if they're further down…there are more spiritual gates. Guards, they're not meant to escape- they're meant to be a form of torture."

"Oh, right… I read about this…" Brick scratched his chin, but it didn't seem to erase the concern in his face. "And Him is currently located in the Fourth Circle, correct?"

Edge nodded. "Right, and that is the limit to which demons can escape. The rest are locked within such a torturous state it's almost impossible to escape. But, the further they go down, the more they are loyal to…to…eh… the ultimate of evil."

The rest seemed to nod, but I seemed to have missed it completely and leaned towards my younger brother.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Boomer nudged me again, hard.

"Shut up."

My eyes rolled to the ceiling as I slipped back into place. There was no point to this shit. We still haven't come any closer to finding any rebellion- all the humans we found ran off scared, not a single insult or defiance came our way. I think the 'demon hunter' Bullshit was just a chance to scare us, and it didn't work. Neither did the 'ultimate' of evil. What was it supposed to be, the devil? We still didn't get the fuckers who got Blayze and nobody out there knows we even have any kids.

So what I need to know was how the fuck my kid got hurt. And those questions weren't being answered. Before I could gather my thoughts I'd slammed my fist on the table and it shook the whole of the room.

"I don't give a shit about any of this!"

"Shut the fuck up, Butch!" Boomer hissed to me at my side. "You want more security for Blayze or not?!"

"What the fuck is more security gonna do? We don't even know who fucking hurt him! Or why he was so fucking hurt in the first place-"

"If he's not healing, you know it had to be someone of common blood who hurt him, right? Or a demon…with superior powers." Talon blinked stupidly across from me, his gaze shifting around the table before sheepishly landing on me. "I mean, it's none of us-"

My chair crashed to the floor and my palms slammed onto the table. "THE FUCK ARE YOU SAYING!?"

"Talon has a point!" Edge threw his arm out between us and stood up too. Boomer's own hand slapped across my chest and slammed me back as Edge tried again. "It's something to consider, okay? We don't fucking know what happened-"

"Then you're not doing your fucking job!" I bit back. "If someone is after my kid I wanna be there to rip their throat out!"

"Wait!" Brick snarled over me from the head of the table, his eyes flashing as he turned back to Talon. "What do you mean, superior powers?"

Talon's gaze shifted to me, wide-eyed. "I mean… some demons are designed to hurt other demons-"

"What?" I spat. "We're all in this together! Why the fuck-"

"I mean, I'm a higher level- not as high as you." He grumbled. "If you hurt me, I'd heal in a few hours… but below me, they'd heal in a few days, or weeks. Some don't heal at all. But… if someone was…higher than me…" A flash of annoyance crossed his face. "If they took a chunk out of me, it'd stick for a while."

"Some blood doesn't heal." Knox murmured from the side. Edge shoved him roughly.

"Don't talk of that shit."

"What shit?" Boomer hissed, eyes narrowing. His glare was jumping from either demon, who looked sheepish at the sudden attention.

"He means true creatures of Hell, from the deepest circles." Edge shook his head and rolled his eyes. "They curse, not kill. But they can't even set foot on Earth… if they even exist. I've never even heard of one."

"I don't give a shit about any fucking creature, unless it's hurting my kid!" I was ready to tear my hair out at how fucking incompetent these so-called killers were. "Just fucking find me something!"

"We got it, Boss." Knox spoke up next and the guy beside him nodded nervously. "That's why we need more hunters- from inner circles, they can probably smell out whatever's hiding-"

"Then get on it!" I threw my glass over their heads and heard it shatter to the floor. Before I could make another move the door opened and both Brat and Berserk slipped in. Their sniggers floated over our heads like a tinkling bell.

"Could hear you from outside, Butchie." Brat pouted at me and nodded to the door. "We need your help out here, c'mon."

I couldn't hold back my twitching. Anger was coursing through my system, thick like mercury, and I was ready to spill blood.

"Fine." I kicked my chair back further and stomped out, so hard I felt the entire room quake. "I need another fucking drink anyway."

.

Buttercup

.

I followed the highway that rested on top of the mountains, just nesting within the quilt of pine trees below. The bar was easy to find- although it was small. It was a predominantly wooden structure with what looked like a metal sheet roof. I landed a few hundred feet away from it alongside the road, straining my ears for any noise that could hint at sabotage. As soon as my boots hit the dirt, I heard Cain's voice. But it was a slow, melodic coo. It sounded warped with that deep voice of his. Instead of following the road, I skipped up the bank and into the cover of the trees, from where his voice was floating from.

"One two tree, one two tree tree… One food tree see see…"

I paused. I could feel him nearby, his heartbeat was steady and solemn- but loud in my ears. The rest of the highway was deserted. I crept closer to the sound, but stopped. One thing these guys had taught me in the last month, they were crafty. I looked up instead. Cain's boots were hanging from the branch above me, swinging along with his 'singing'- which only grew in bad pitch and deafening volume.

"IIIIII gonna see from the champagne and fleee…!"

"Cain!"

He jolted and swung, landing in an ungraceful heap in the dirt near my feet. He jumped up in a rush and issued me with a fierce snarl.

"What the Hell! What is it with you and your freakin' kid and sneaking up on people!?"

I had to tilt my head. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing…" Cain's cheeks heated. "Just don't scare me like that."

I could only sigh, rolling my eyes to the hazy sky. Instead I pointed to the headphones on his ears. "What the hell are you doing? Were you singing?"

His pink cheeks darkened to a darker red. "No."

"You know…" I bit back a laugh with difficulty. "It's 'swing from the chandelier.'"

This didn't help Cain at all, he only looked more confused than usual. "What's a chandelier?"

I gave up and shook my head. "Don't worry, forget it. Where's Rome?"

Cain's frown deepened. He actually looked around with worry. "That's weird. He was supposed to be here by now-"

Without a second of warning, Rome suddenly appeared. Literally, like out of thin air- looking annoyed- right next to Cain. Cain blinked in slight shock, but it was nothing compared to my leap of horror and my ungraceful stumble back onto the dirt. My heart almost leapt out of my chest all over again. Rome didn't even seem to notice. He only rubbed the back of his head- scuffing up his messy red hair- and gave his brother a sheepish glare.

"What took you so long?" Cain asked him, oblivious as usual to the stare. Rome gritted his teeth.

"Got held up. Couldn't concentrate."

For some reason, Cain grinned at that. I dusted myself off as my stomach twisted into a tight knot. Heat rushed to my face and my hands clenched into fists.

"What the fuck!" I screamed at Rome. "How did you do that?"

Rome's eyes lidded, shooting me a bored expression. It only caused my blood to heat up to boiling point. Fear and fury rocketed through me like a burst of adrenaline and I was starting to tremble under the pressure. Since when did demons transport like that? In a blink of an eye?!

"Do what?"

"Just…appear! Like, in the blink of an eye! What the-"

"All Lust Demons can do that." Rome talked over me easily, and I was so pissed off I actually couldn't talk through anger to fight back. "I thought you would have learned that from your stupid textbook. And it's not just anywhere, it's only to people you have a significant connection to."

"You kinda have to know the person really well." Cain shrugged. "Like, almost listen to their heartbeat, be one with their thoughts-"

"Don't make it sound gay!" Rome hissed at him, stomping past both of us. "It's because shared a womb. That's it."

"That's what I said-"

"You made it sound gay! You're a fucking idiot!"

I had to cock an eyebrow at that. "You guys do sound like an old married couple-"

"Shut up!"

I frowned at that, watching the way the two bickered at each other. It made me think, and then I couldn't hold back the sudden thought that burst into my head, a steady rhythm that sounded a lot like a song.

"I think I…knew another demon that could do that."

…

'Cause I'm broken when I'm open
And I don't feel like I am strong enough

I opened my eyes, and he was right there in front of me. My lips parted, but no sound came out. The music was now deafening. His jade eyes were dewy, he was crying like I was. I froze, knowing in my heart this couldn't be real- he was just haunting me, he was just a product of my fears. He simply blinked at me, gazing at me with those brilliant eyes. I couldn't feel anything, just my heart thumping in my chest.

'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away

He reached across to my cheek and stroked it, his eyes never leaving mine. I just stared back, completely spellbound. How was this happening? Was it even real?

'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away

He gaped at me, as if trying to tell if I was really there. Suddenly he kissed me. His soft lips caressed mine in a sweet, loving way and I kissed back, tears running down my cheeks. It felt so right…it felt so real.

He broke away, his green eyes now wide and dark, searching my face. The song was ending. I closed my eyes again, reaching up a finger to touch my tingling lips. When I opened my eyes again, he was gone.

…

"No." Rome's voice cut into the music like a needle scratching against a record. "Only lust demons can do that."

"But-"

Rome's crimson eyes darted to the sky again. "I think I would know."

Another shot of anger straight into the gut. I clenched both my stomach and my fists once again and tried to keep my face still. Showing that he got to me would just be proving his theory that all humans were over-anxious.

"Fine. Whatever. Now what the Hell did you bring me here for?"

"What the Hell do you think we brought you here for, fucking ballet?" Rome seemed to be snarling at me with just as much emotion as I was holding back. Something had clearly pissed him off, but like a true demon he couldn't handle his emotions. "We're taking this bar on, it's a clear hangout for demons and we need to find some information if we're gonna go after these so-called 'royals'."

"We're…" Something seemed to stretch in my throat and I was finding it suddenly difficult to take a breath. "Actually going after the Ruffs?"

"We're after who help them, first. Traitors. Scum." Rome grumbled, staring down his nose at me. "Got a problem with that?"

My nose wrinkled at the very thought, but I was ashamed to say my heart was thumping hard against my chest like a vibrating rubber band. The thought of starting this race before me- I thought I would never see the end. When I started my journey of rebellion against the Ruffs I guess I did start out small, going against the ultimate rulers of this world, after all, but the thought of Blayze and my sisters waiting for me was what pulled me through. I guess I never really believed I could do it on my own, where I would even start in going against them. Now someone was actually giving me a chance to get to the Ruffs- and my own baby and family- and I hated to think it, but I doubted I was strong enough. I wasn't even as strong as these guys, and I wasn't used to being the weak link on the team.

I forced my head to the side, shaking it strongly as Rome's glare pierced me.

"No, I'm ready."

"Good." Rome stomped off through the trees, heading back to the bar. Cain dawdled, so I followed first and Cain trekked behind me. I turned to see he wasn't as annoyed as Rome was, he was more or less neutral. I nodded to the music player in his hand.

"What's with the music?"

"Music hits demons pretty hard, it can change their emotions." He shrugged. "That's how we reel them in, you know."

"With music?"

"Yeah, demons love screaming. It attracts them."

I felt the heat drain from my face. Rome stopped and both Cain and I halted behind him. Rome's crimson eyes turned to glare at me, and I could tell they were darkening to a sickly black.

"You haven't given into your demon urges before, have you?"

"Wh-" My mouth fell open. My heartbeat grew almost deafening. "I…I don't-"

"Like, really given in." Rome snarled over the sound of my racing heart. His voice had taken on that freaky primal growl again and he was close to vibrating with how hard he was twitching. His eyes were swirling and I couldn't help but get lost in them, almost a hypnotising night sky of black. "Hungered for blood, the desire for a heart to stop in your hands, the want for someone's life essence to drip from your lips-"

"No!" I tried hard to snap out of it, but the heat was rising in me. It clashed with the numbing chill that coated my skin. Cain's eyes dug into my side but I couldn't move. "What are you-"

Rome grabbed my arm, yanking me out of the shrubs with him and pulling me into what looked like an empty car park. A dilapidated bar stood before me, with a flickering neon sign and a peeling wooden roof. Rome yanked me towards it, shaking in anticipation.

"You're gonna have to."

.

Butch

.

Hanging with the Punks was never the blast it used to be when we were teenagers, but at least the booze made up for it. They had some pretty overstuffed couches in their private quarters above the club, too, which helped with the pain still bouncing around in my skull and through my joints. My eyes were feeling heavy from the warm air radiating from the bar and the continuous whiskey shots. Brat was doing her best to put me to sleep too. Not only was she talking, but she was running her long fingernails through my hair, which sent my mind into a pleasant haze as I nestled the back of my head into her lap.

"You've been working so hard, Butchie. Maybe you need to get out… let's go on a vacation!"

"Can't leave now…" I grumbled to her. "Too many threats."

"Which is why it's the perfect time to leave." She cooed to me, rubbing her fingers into my scalp. "Get Blayze away from it all for a while, away from all the stress…you deserve a break-"

I tried to growl, but I was so drowsy it came out more like a grunt. "Gotta watch over everything. Can't lose respect. Brick knows the game."

"Of course he does, baby, I just don't like to see you so stressed…"

"Neither do I…" A syrupy voice floated above me and another pair of fingers stroked at my chest. Berserk's wretched perfume hit my nose and I almost choked. "You know I love you guys, don't want you working too hard-"

"Get the fuck off me, 'Zerk." I heaved her off me. I faintly made out a little hum of glee from Brat. "I'm trying to fucking relax."

"Ugh." Berserk's sweetness dropped and her bitch-tone was back on track. "Asshole."

"Love you too, whore." I propped my boots back up on the arm of the chair and Brat went back to stroking my hair. I could happily doze off again. It had been so long since a proper sleep, Brat's lap felt like a feathery pillow of heaven. The body heat of another human being didn't hurt either. Made me forget for a while how screwed up my life was getting- especially when I could close my eyes and pretend she was anyone.

"Can I get you another whiskey, Butchy?"

My heavy eyelids flickered again in discomfort. Another throb of pain shot through my skull.

"Let me fucking sleep already-"

The door slammed shut and Boomer's voice cut through my dozing.

"Butch! Are you sleeping?"

My eyes shot to the ceiling and another pulse of pain throbbed through me. I tried my hardest to talk through gritted teeth. "I was."

A mop of blonde hair hung over me and my brother snarled at me in a low snarl.

"Did you get the stuff?"

"Boomer…" I groaned. "I'm sleeping-"

"Ugh." Boomer pushed from me and instead snarled at both of the girls. "Fine. What'll it be?"

Berserk rattled around and I heard the familiar bottle slosh around and slap into Boomer's palm. He threw back a wad of cash.

"Just love your loyalty, Boomy!" Berserk squeaked at him. It made my skin crawl at how high-pitched her voice could go, and how sickly sweet she could be.

"Yeah, whatever…" Boomer's sneaker slammed into my side and another shock of pain went through me. "Butch! We're going."

I let out a groan again and fought to rise. Brat's hand pushed me back down and I sunk back into her lap.

"No! Don't go, Butchy! You need rest-"

"He has to get back home to Blayze." Boomer snapped at her sharply. "You know, his kid. Come on, Butch."

I pulled myself up again and Brat clung to my arm, fingernails digging in. "Butchy, can't you stay for a little while-?"

Boomer grabbed my other arm and yanked me off the couch. Maybe it was all the booze in my system or the slow ticking of a hangover stewing in my head, but I suddenly found it quite comforting to be thrown around like a ragdoll. Brat pulled from one end and Boomer the other, but in the end my brother yanked me successfully to my feet and Brat was left pouting on the couch without me.

"Well, can I come see you later, Butchie? We can hang out, I can help you relax-"

"Butch needs to help Blayze train." Boomer growled over any reply I had. He turned to me, navy eyes stormy. "Right?"

"Blayze still doesn't wanna talk to me, you know that." I hissed at him.

"Then try harder." Boomer growled back at me.

"Easy for you to say!" I slammed past him, my head humming in pain. "Once your little princess starts training, then you can tell me how fucking easy it is!"

"That's unfair." Boomer was trailing behind me. "Bliss isn't old enough, you know that-"

"Fucking spare me." I rolled my eyes to the ceiling as we made our way to the lower level of the club. Even though it was already early there were a crowd of demons already milling around the bar, prowling for drink and meat. "You don't know Blayze, okay? He can hold a grudge. He's barely looked at me in weeks."

"He's only just healed…" Boomer was following me hopefully still. "You gotta give him some time, he'll come around-"

"I bet when he does, he'll just ask about his fucking mother again-"

"Woah!" Boomer grabbed my arm again and shoved me back. I slammed against the wall, my head spinning again. "What? Blayze is asking about-"

"Shut up!"

Boomer's head tilted forward. He must have forgotten that I hate hearing her name. My heart began to pulse, hard, in my skull and I was trying to keep steady.

"You can't blame him for asking that, Butch."

"I've told him it's just us." I hissed at him. "He can't ask about her, when I've told him it's just us."

"It's his mother, Butch." Boomer really looked older in the darkened light, his eyes seemed to gleam out of the darkness and straight into my soul. "You're gonna have to tell him, one day."

My heart seemed to sink, right passed my stomach, dropping to the floor.

"Not about what happened!" Boomer quickly backtracked, eyes widening as he probably saw the look on my face. "Just… where she…is-"

"You want me to tell him his mother was killed by a demon? That'll go down well."

Boomer held up his hands and tugged at the ends of his hair. My little brother actually looked as tired as me. "Just… do whatever you think feels right, Butch." He headed to the front door without another word, slipping passed the women and demons on guard. I stared after him, eyes narrowed and head throbbing.

He had to leave me with that.

.

Buttercup

.

Cain yanked open the door without a second thought, but as I walked through I saw from the rusty metal sticking out from the peeling frame, the door had been nailed shut. Walking into the actual room itself was surreal- silent yet full of electricity. Tables were upturned, bottles had been smashed to pieces and liquor was splashed all over the hardwood. Fans dangled from the ceiling, wires splaying out from the blades and the stage was a shambles, with the speakers thrown to the floor. Rome walked through the destruction without a second thought, kicking chairs out of his path. His eyes trailed over the bar and finally landed on me.

"This is perfect."

"Perfect?" I stared around at the scene, wondering if I missed something. "There's nobody here!"

"Yeah." Rome shrugged, indifferent. "Perfect to get 'em in. They'll think it's safe."

He walked over to the stage area, kicking a few bottles aside and wrenching open the back door. I looked over to see Cain stretching behind me, reaching his arms up and over his head and cracking his shoulders. He looked as though he was preparing for a light jog.

He saw me looking. "Ready for this?"

"N-no!" My grip tightened on the handle of my blade and my voice came out a tight rasp. "Cain, what the Hell? What do I do?"

He frowned, as usual portraying his neutral expression of confusion. "You're a demon. This is just … what you do."

"But I-"

A piercing wail pinched my ears and I had to slap both hands to my skull. It sounded like feedback from the speakers. It only grew louder and louder, rattling the walls and sending shockwaves through the floor. As soon as it started, it stopped- and a loud, mournful screaming took over.

'We will never sleep,

It blasted through the floorboards and rattled the walls- vibrating from the speaker that was planted on the ground and those still attached that hung around the ceilings. Sweat beaded on my forehead and my heart hummed deep within my throat.

Cause sleep is for the weak-'

"Rome!" I screamed above the song, yelling out to him. "I can't do this, I don't think-"

'-And we will never rest,

Rome appeared from the back room, his face still. He thundered over, pulling his crossbow from his back as he went.

'Til we're all fucking dead'

I stared up into his face, hopeful for some kind of mercy. I didn't know what he dragged me into, but the piercing shriek of my decision thundered around me in the empty bar. It seemed to vibrate, loudly… too loudly for me to even think clearly.

'We will never sleep
Cause sleep is for the weak
And we will never rest
'Til we're all fucking dead'

"Too late now."

'We will never sleep
Cause sleep is for the weak
And we will never rest
'Til we're all fucking dead'

I slapped a hand to my burning face. It was a painful reality. I was really here. The music was real and raw in my head, in my skin. It was on fire. The demons paced around me and I could feel their heartbeats, their thoughts. We were throbbing and beating together and pacing this place like animals. I had to get out. I couldn't do this.

'We will never sleep
Cause sleep is for the weak
And we will never rest
'Til we're all fucking dead'

I gritted my teeth as my blood began to boil. I could feel Rome next to me and his heart was louder than mine- he was excited, he was keen for blood. Cain was breathing hard and it made me breathless. My head was cloudy and I couldn't keep it in.

'We will never sleep
Cause sleep is for the weak
And we will never rest
'Til we're all fucking dead'

I could hear them around us- around the bar- swarming and humming and buzzing like crickets. They wanted in. The screaming, the song- it had pulled them to us like moths to an open flame. I turned to look at Cain for any sign of mercy, but he was slipping his chain from his shoulders. His eyes were a pitch black.

The bloodlust. It was too strong.

"Ready?" Came Rome's low wolf-like growl.

I turned to one of the boarded up windows, where the shadows began to loom closer. Demons were here. The door began to rattle. My heart leapt in excitement and I tightened my grip on my blade's handle and my back hit the bar.

"Ready…" Cain snickered beside me. One of the windows smashed, a smattering of glass hitting the floor. I could taste my heart in my mouth now, warm pulses of blood and sweat roaming in my mind and sending sweet sensations of pleasure straight through my veins.

'We will never sleep
Cause sleep is for the weak

I licked my lips.

"Ready."

And we will never rest
'Til we're all fucking dead!'

The door smashed open, and a herd of angered, black-eyed faces swarmed towards us.

.

.

Bruiser tore through the hallways of his home as quietly as he could, hear thumping hard in his throat. He finally skidded to a stop at a quiet corner and he clung to one of the pillars, panting hard. He rubbed at his hot face and listened hard for anything coming his way. It was hard with the blood gushing around in his ears.

A creak echoed from behind him and he scrambled in a rush to hide as best he could. He rattled the nearest door handle and fell into the room, smacking into the floor. He pushed his face back into the thick wooden panel, listening out for any footsteps.

"Hiding?"

A jolt of panicked electricity seemed to shoot through him and he scrambled for the doorknob, but a hand snapped down on his before he'd managed a proper grip.

"Shh!" Blayze hissed in Bruiser's ear. Bruiser still cowered, looking over to see his cousin's sharp mint green eyes blaring down on him. "It's just me."

Bruiser tugged his hand out of Blayze's grip, unable to stare into his face. The two cousins were now alone in a room together for the first time in a month. Bruiser still couldn't look Blayze in the eye after being so brutally beaten by him, and Blayze shared the same shame every time he looked at his little cousin. Once so close, the two had done their best to keep their distance while they both healed. Bruiser was too nervous to ask how Blayze ended up with all of his scars, though.

The two heard footsteps at the other end of the hall and Bruiser began to tremble. Blayze grabbed his arm and yanked him off to the far wall. From the look of the room they were in, it was purely another sitting room with a small collection of treasures. Bruiser resisted in his cousin's hold, fearful tears welling in his eyes, but Blayze only hissed at him.

"Do you want to get pulled in for training? Calm down or they'll sense you!"

"Sense me?" Bruiser whimpered. Blayze only narrowed his eyes, straining his ears to hear what might be going on. He 'shh'ed his cousin again and pushed him behind one of the giant statues by the fireplace.

"Just stay calm." Blayze told him firmly. "Pretend you're sleeping and try not to think about stuff."

Bruiser nodded and tried his best to soothe his racing heart. Instead he curled up on the soft rug and took deep breaths, the same way his mother taught him how to calm down. He blocked his ears too, for good measure, when the door slammed open and his father stomped in.

He pushed himself into the corner of the statue, his eyes screwed shut and a sob welling up in his chest.

"Blayze!" He heard his dad boom around the room. "Have you seen your cousin? He has training."

Bruiser took deep breaths in his nose, out his mouth, just as his mother told him to do when he was scared. He heard his cousin's voice.

"Sorry, Uncle Brick. I haven't seen him anywhere. He's still scared of me."

"Fucking figures." Bruiser heard his father hiss under his breath. "Anyway, your Dad's looking for you, Blayze. Better not keep him waiting."

The door slammed shut and Bruiser was left listening to his own panicked breaths and his father's fading footsteps. He felt a hand on his arm.

"He's gone."

He peeled one eye open to glance up into his cousin's face. Faintly, he could make out the light purple that shadowed his cousin's right eye. Bruiser's marks had faded by now. His stomach clenched at the thought his older cousin had faced worse than Bruiser had, and what Bruiser went through was painful enough. Now that they were looking at each other, Bruiser found he couldn't tear his gaze away.

"…Thanks."

"It's okay."

Blayze backed away. He couldn't think of anything else to say, and staring into Bruiser's wide red eyes reminded him too much of the last time they were face-to-face. He remembered smashing his fist into Bruiser's cheek, in his eye, his crying and his father egging him on. It made him feel sick. Fighting wasn't the same anymore, which is why he was up in one of the spare rooms away from his father and training in the first place.

Bruiser watched his cousin's shrunken form on the couch. He'd grabbed a random book and was now flipping through it. It was something he'd never seen him do before.

He fiddled with his shoelaces before approaching his black-haired cousin, his eyes wide and caring. He tried to think of his mother and what she would do when it came to stuff like this.

"Are you okay?"

Blayze frowned, glaring up at his cousin from over the top of his book. Bruiser started at the familiar icy glare, but stood his ground.

"What are you talking about?" Blayze grumbled at him. "I just saved your ass."

"I know…" Bruiser stared at the ground, running his foot along the carpet. "But I was just ask-"

"I'm fine." Blayze spat at him. Bruiser actually flinched at that.

There was a tiny 'click' at the door opening and Bruiser made to hide again. Before either boy could move, a streak of blue and a flash of blonde hair sneaked into the room, the door clicking closed as Bliss flattened herself against the door.

"There you are!" She squeaked happily and skipped over to the two boys. But her eyes were on Bruiser, and seemed to avoid Blayze completely. Bruiser's cheeks coloured and he glanced back at the rug again as Bliss closed in on him, looking as bright as ever. While the boys looked dishevelled, her hair was pulled into two neat braids with matching blue bows. Blayze eyed her with a faint twitch in his left eye.

"What do you want, Bliss?" Bruiser grumbled at his younger cousin. Bliss seemed to twirl on her toes, staring up at the room curiously before going to grab Bruiser's hand.

"Come play with me, you can help me colour again!"

Bruiser's eyes flicked over briefly to Blayze before blurting out a reply.

"No! I don't colour-"

Bliss' ice blue eyes widened pitifully. "But, you did yesterday-"

Bruiser only shook his head, his face heating up. But Bliss caught his sheepish glare and turned to her older cousin, still eyeing her over the pages in his book.

"You don't need to be scared of him no more." She sniffed in Blayze's direction before staring pointedly back at Bruiser, arms folded. Blayze's book slammed to the ground.

"What?"

Bliss turned to see Blayze had jumped off the couch and was now leering over her, a tick in his jaw and his hands tight fists. Bliss eyed them wearily.

"I said…" She growled at him, her eyes flashing. She held her stance a lot more firmly than Bruiser did, and he could only watch her in horror from the side. "That he doesn't have to be scared of you no more! You're just a big bully!"

Blayze's bottom lip drooped. His glare narrowed and his heartbeat came in steady, hard thumps against his chest. Bliss- his little blonde cousin- was hitting him pretty hard, and they hadn't even thrown punches yet.

"I'm not a bully!" He spat at her, pointing at Bruiser over her shoulder. He flinched. "I said sorry to him!"

"You hurt him!" Bliss sneered. She remembered faintly something her mother had mumbled one day, when she seemed sad. "Sometimes sorry isn't enough when you hurt somebody!"

"Shut up, Bliss!" Blayze barked at her, unable to think of anything else. "You don't know anything! You don't even know how to fight!"

"I don't wanna fight!" Bliss yelled back, puffing out her chest. Despite the tremor in her voice, she was doing her best to show the boys just how tough she could be. "I don't wanna be like you!"

Blayze's stomach seemed like it was twisting in knots and it was starting to hurt him. He tried to shake it off, but it shocked him how cold Bliss' words were, how much they stung. He twisted his lips with determination and stared hard at her, wishing she knew what it was like.

"You're gonna have to fight, you know." He hissed at her. "Your dad's gonna make you."

"He is not!"

"He is!" He matched her tone. "We all have to fight, they make us! It's not my fault!"

"It is your fault!" Bliss wailed, loudly. "You hurt Bruiser! You're just mean, and you're a bully!"

"Shut up!" Blayze snapped, unable to still himself. The ticking and thumping of his panicked heart was getting into his head and she had no idea how loud she was being. He shoved her, hard, and she fell back onto the ground. He didn't mean to knock her over- he really didn't think he had that much strength. He stared at her on the ground, saw the flash of black that shot through her eyes, and immediately his heart sank. "Uh- Bliss- I-"

"DADDY! UNCLE BUTCH! UNCLE BRICK! BLAYZE IS UP HERE! HE'S UP HERE AND HE'S HITTING ME!"

Bliss' wails- magnified by her sonic scream as well as her favoured genetics in shrieking volume- pierced not only the walls but the floors throughout the manor, breaking through stone, concrete and whatever managed to get in her way. Both Blayze and Bruiser had no chance. All they could do was slap their hands over their ears and groan in pain- knowing there will be a pierce shrill echoing in their ears for the rest of the day.

The door slammed open and for the second time Brick stomped into the room, eyes aflame. He narrowed in on Bruiser in the corner and made a beeline for him. Butch followed him in, eyes falling on Blayze and his mouth straightening into a stern, thin line. Blayze could feel the icy cold glare on him, but he couldn't look away from the terror on Bruiser's face as his father closed in on him.

"NO!" Bruiser wailed as Brick grabbed his arm. "Dad, please no! Don't make me-"

Brick only rolled his eyes and threw him over his shoulder, stomping out of the room with Bruiser's wails fading down the hallway. Butch didn't need to take another step. He just nodded to the spot beside him in the doorway. Blayze finally caught his eye and got the message. He dragged his feet across the carpet and stood dutifully beside his father.

"Come, Blayze."

Blayze only nodded, resigned to his fate as he followed his father and uncle- and screaming Bruiser- toward the training room once again.

.

Buttercup

.

As the panic squeezing my chest seemed to take over, it seemed as though the reality of the demons closing in on the edges of the bar seemed to blur around me. Their faces- some hungry, some confused, seemed to fade into one. Their eyes were soulless and empty and seemed to seep into me, clawing at my very soul and rattling the cage that was my body. I stepped up to line up with the demons on either side of me.

Rome made the first move, grabbing one by the throat and throwing him to the other side of the room. I didn't even get to see his crumpled body hit the floor, another charged at me and I threw my blade into his jugular vein. My heart pounded loudly in my temples, echoing in my skull so hard I could barely see- the body was a blur and only the veins seemed to flicker in front of my vision. I aimed at the next, ripping into his skin and throwing it as far as I could. Warm blood graced my fingers, running down my arms. His body twitched and flailed before me but I turned to the next, grabbing his throat with my other hand. I squeezed, his pulse throbbing against my slippery palm, before I ripped that out too. The song hummed in my head and I was lost in the screams of both the demons and the song.

I have loved, and I have lost.
I have turned, and I have tossed.
I have listened, and I have watched.
I've gave into this for long enough!

Another body flew by me and I ducked to the dirty floorboards, throwing my blade into a random foot. A scream filled my ears and I yanked the sharpened steel from the bone and instead threw it up into the screamer's throat- blood showering down upon me and showering my face in red droplets. That body thudded to the ground too.

I have lost, and I have loved.
Sleep has stolen far too much.
Close your eyes, but not just yet
Sleep is just a cousin of death!

I ran, throwing and pushing any limp or twitching body I could- straight into the ones now cowering into the corner. My throat was raw from screaming and my shirt was soaked in blood but I slashed- any warm piece of flesh I could I tore it open. There was a symphony of pleas and curses but instead all I did was stab harder, slash faster. Skulls smashed to the ground and I stomped them deeper into the wood. I heard Rome behind me, cackling. I joined in, my heart soaring as I was splattered with warmth.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again
If you think you're alive then you're better off dead

The tempo was louder, faster and I picked up speed, my fingernails digging into skin and ripping out flesh, bone and muscle. I felt beating hearts fail and gasping last breaths, I desperately ripped into more- digging and slashing and cutting what I could.

I'VE SAID IT BEFORE AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN
IF YOU THINK YOU'RE ALIVE THAN YOU'RE BETTER OFF DEAD!

Cain grabbed me and pulled me out of the way of a swinging axe. I saw his chain wrap around the demon's face and blood splattered over my face- along with what felt like membrane and pieces of skull. I grabbed at the bloodied axe on the ground and started swinging. I hit a cheek- hit the soft part of the brain. Someone was laughing. I think it was me.

So throw your diamonds in the sky,
we'll stay gold forever

A demon ran in front of me and Rome caught him in the back of the neck with the edge of his bow. He crumpled, but still flailed and punched, roaring in anger, so I jumped on him and clawed into his face, ripped into his eye sockets and yanked out his hair. Someone jumped on me and my throat stretched from the screaming. I felt Rome beside me, his heart beating in sync with mine, and he hacked into another- throwing the demon so hard he splattered next to me on the ground.

So throw your diamonds in the sky,
we'll stay gold forever!

The drums and the screams became one, a giant bloodbath of beautiful blood and grime. The body under me dropped and I slammed to the ground with it, slipping on the flood of crimson. Blood splattered over my hair and another body fell before me. I aimed my blade and shoved it deep into the thick skull. It was a girl and she stuck, frozen in a scream. My ears rang with the music, sparks flying through my brain. It was addicting, magical. I my heart was humming with life and I was drunk on the blood.

I can promise you one thing,
Death will take us all!
I can promise you one thing,
You will die alone!

The air was thick with blood and I grabbed another neck as another crowd of demons swarmed in on us. I could taste their fear, their pleading, their confusion. I could hear their heartbeats- their pulses firing up before stopping completely. I threw down anything I could- blood, muscle and bone clenched in my fingers. I wanted to destroy everything in sight. I only grabbed for more, leaving my blade and instead clawing into them with my own fingers.

We're all going to Hell,
We may as well go out in style!

It was electric, and I couldn't help but swim in the air of death and destruction. I ducked and dived out of Rome's swing and threw up my blade into a random ribcage, listening to the bone splinter and crack and the scream of terror. I watched his movements and mirrored them, dashing after the ones he missed. He was using his bladed bow to tear and rip into any body he could find. More demons flooded in as others tried to escape. With a clink of a chain near my ear Cain roped them back in, laughing along with me.

Death is a promise,
And your life is a fucking lie!

There was a heavy, thumping beat of the drums heaving through the floor and pounding in my ears. I hoisted my blade back up on my back and grabbed a body on the floor, twisting his chin and watching him scream in pain. Another body slipped in the blood next to me just as I was rewarded by the snap of his neck. I let him drop and moved onto the other, but Rome's hand slammed onto my chest. My black eyes stared up into his.

We will never sleep, 'cause sleep is for the weak
And we will never rest, 'til we're all fucking dead

"No. Leave this one."

We will never sleep, 'cause sleep is for the weak
And we will never rest, 'til we're all fucking dead

Cain was at my side too, and every other twitching body around us seemed to fade into nothing. I slipped my blood-soaked hands through my hair. My chest was heaving and my tongue was drenched in the heavy nectar of blood. Cain's eyes were wild and black- lost of all blue. I turned back to the demon, who was skidding back on the ground on his back, his heels slipping on the blood as he tried to crawl.

"P-please, n-no-"

Both Rome and Cain's hearts beat in my head, like the three of us were one. I was drunk at the feeling, heated at the sensations around me and the sight of the bodies piled up around us- slaughtered in a matter of seconds- was a thought that easily swam in my mind. I stood proudly and reached over my head to grab the handle of my blade again.

I refuse! I refuse!
I refuse to close my eyes

"You're moving too slow, Rome." I faintly noticed my sharpened teeth nicking my lower lip. "Let me kill him, please-"

"Let me do it…" Cain's low growl sounded next to me, his tone thick, like syrup. "I'll slit his throat… sloooowlyyy…"

It was intoxicating and I could feel myself twitch. My knuckles tightened as I snatched up my blade.

A thick silence echoed around the empty bar, now bathed in bright red splatter. The demon's chest was heaving with his rasping pleas, which we all seemed deaf too. His face was a sickly grey and his dark, oily hair hung in his face. His teeth were broken and jagged and a twisted, sick feeling twitched within my stomach the longer I looked at him. I wanted to rip his throat open.

"Look I can help you guys, just don't kill me. Please don't send me back!"

Rome stomped forward and flipped open a six-inch long switchblade. His dark eyes swarmed over the twitching, whimpering demon. Without a warning he swooped down and slammed the blade straight into the demon's foot- pinning him to the floorboards. His scream washed over us and sent warm tingles straight up my arms. My lips twitched at the sight of the demon's veins swelling and twitching at the pain.

"ARGH NO WHAT THE FUCK YOU FUCKING-"

Rome stepped forward again and he lifted his boot to rest on the hilt of the knife. The demon's nails scraped at the floor in desperation.

"Where are those fucking mutant Ruffs hiding out? Your fucking leaders?" Rome demanded in a low growl. "I know you know, you fucking piece of shit."

"I don't know anything!" The demon pleaded with him. "I don't follow them! L-look, I d-don't know where th-they're hiding, I'm not part of the army! I'm loyal to the true leader, the- ARGH GOD STOP! ENOUGH!"

Rome's boot lifted from the knife, which he'd been crushing back into the demon's foot, blood fountaining from the reached down to tug it out, heaving the blade so a cascade of blood seeped across the floor, reaching my shoe. Sweat poured from the demon's ashy face and tears leaked from his eyes. His eyes jumped from all three of us, probably looking for a hint of mercy. He didn't spot any. He began to cry, very badly. Loud, choked sobs wracked from his chest and he whimpered like a common coward.

"I s-swear, I'm loyal to the true leader! I don't follow, I don't even-"

Rome's knife jabbed down again, this time slicing into the captive's thigh. The demon's body jolted into painful, sharp spasms and he tried to kick out, but another waterfall of blood seeped from his leg, and Rome only tilted his head innocently at the demon's whimpers.

"I'll keep travelling up, fucker. Next stop is your dick."

The demon's eyes widened and his throat bulged in a gulp.

"L-look… th-they hang out a-at this club. L-Lust. That's all I know! That's all I know, I swear!"

"The demon's screams jolted a thought into me and I threw my arm out into Rome's side. He gracefully stepped away so the writhing demon and I could be face to face. My words came out in a rough snarl that didn't sound like me, but it didn't hold me back

"Who gives them Antidote X?"

"Wh…what?" The demon's watery eyes gazed up at me, twitching in agony. Blood cascaded into my foot and the demon was holding back sobs. I heaved my boot into his side to shut him up.

"YOU FUCKING HEARD ME! WHO SUPPLIES THEM!?"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

"DON'T FUCKING BULLSHIT ME!" My lungs stretched in my chest and the scream scorched my throat. Years of heat and fury finally were released into the air, straight into a guilty demon's face. Spit flew from my mouth and my hand snapped over his neck. I stared straight into his pleading eyes and hissed as my fingers tightened. I felt his pulse rocketing against my fingers and a delicious burst of delight shot through me, the thought of his life essence seeping from him at my hand. "I know they're still getting the antidote. Don't fucking play with me, or I'll take my time ripping out every single one of your fucking arteries."

"Let me help." Cain's fist reached over my shoulder and he licked his lips. "I'll chain the fucker to the ceiling so we can use him as a pinata."

"Then we'll drag him straight back into the pits of Hell…" Rome cooed over my other shoulder. The demon's eyes jumped in terror. "Straight back into our circle-"

"NO! NO!" The demon's head flopped from side to side in desperation. His throat trembled in my palm. "Look, th-they get- I heard th-they get it…from the Punks!"

My hand fell from his throat and my heart thumped in my skull, blurring my eyes and leaving a dry taste on my tongue. Memories drifted in and out of my consciousness as everything else seemed to drift from me. I seemed to drop away.

The Punks.

Punks.

…Powerpunk Girls.

"What?" Rome's sneer cut into my revere. "Who?"

"I know who they are…" I whispered, sure they couldn't hear me. "And they will fucking pay."

.

Bubbles

.

I was trying hard to get into one of the books Blossom loaned me, but I could barely focus on the first chapter. I had to have read the same sentence at least seven times before I even noticed. I slammed the book closed after only half an hour, rubbing at my temples and burying my face into one of the couch cushions. So much was racing through my head, throbbing through my skull, a book wasn't going to make much difference. Sadly, I was nothing like my sister when it came to reading for a stress relief.

A pair of thick fingers curled around my shoulders and while my heart did lurch in my throat, I was too sunken with exhaustion in my chair to jump. Boomer's lips brushed on top of my head and I sunk further into the chair at the sound of his deep, rough voice.

"I'm worried about you."

"Don't be." I ran my finger along the pages of the closed book in front of me. I heaved a sigh, rocking his head against mine. "I'm just…thinking about Blayze."

"Me too…" I heard him shuffle around the side of the chair and stand beside me. I still didn't look up. The feeling of Boomer beside me, hovering over me, was guiltily comforting. But still, we hadn't spoken properly since our fight. Even I knew it hadn't been the same, despite how many things he bought me… nothing could make up for the fact there was still a big secret between us, a black hole right in the middle of the trust we could have in our relationship. I ran a few fingers through my hair, massaging at my scalp.

As if he could read my panicked thoughts, Boomer's hand crept forward and cradled my knee.

"Look, baby… I'm sorry about the fight we had. I know I scared you."

All I could do was nod. That, and focus on the tears welling up behind my eyes and trying to hold them back. I stared at his hand, his fingers stroking my knee. My eye caught the thick darkened silver band on his ring finger.

"I wish there was something I can do to make it better…"

I bit down hard on my lip, but I couldn't hold back. I'd been biting my tongue over countless dinners, staring into his face and willing for someone to point out the obvious- but I saw it clearly in my nephew's eyes. What needed to be done, what needed to be said.

"Butch isn't over Buttercup." I blurted it out, and it felt as though the balloon tightening and growing in my chest had finally deflated. What was now flowing out of my mouth was too much to hold back. "Blayze told me. He has photos of her."

His fingers stopped on my leg and I pulled up my head to stare into his eyes. They were still, studying me closely. His lips parted slowly. "W…what? Photos?"

I nodded, my fingers trembling in my lap. "Blayze saw them. He wants to know more about her."

"Did you tell him?"

It felt as though the dagger in my heart had been twisted. I tried not to wince, but I had to pull my gaze from his face and focus back on my hands, clenched together in my lap.

"What could I say?"

My voice had gone dangerously deep without my permission. I saw Boomer lean back but I didn't drop my glare. A flicker behind his eyes told me he knew he'd gone too far.

"If you don't tell Blayze…" I told him slowly, deliberately, so he'd remember it. "Then I will. You may think I don't deserve to hear about my sister, but he deserves to hear the truth about his mother… What I can guess, anyway."

Boomer pinched the bridge of his nose, a sigh escaping him, but it sounded more like an airy growl. "Babe, you do deserve to know. It-it's just... It's not like that! Please don't say that-"

I only leaned back, folding my arms and bracing myself for the regular hurt. My heart swelled painfully in my chest. It was the same kind of pain, over and over. I wanted to believe Boomer really did like me, that I was special and deserving of the way he treats me… but this other side- the one I hate to believe is the true side- that comes out, it only makes me stiff with hatred. The fact my 'lover' –the father of my child- would hold back on my own sister, caused my blood to run cold.

"Look, that's not what I needed to talk to you about." Boomer insisted, grabbing at my hands with newfound neediness. He held them tightly and I went limp in his grip, my eyes lidding as I stared into his widening eyes. "I need to ask you something, we need to talk."

My eyes lowered again to my hands, my diamond ring glinting back at me. It used to wink with so much light, but it felt as though it was a fading star- like me.

I shrugged, but he didn't weaken his grip. "So talk."

He searched my face, but clearly didn't find what he was looking for because his throat trembled and he began in a quivering voice.

"We should try and have another baby."

I yanked my hands out of his but he held on tight, eyes widening even more.

"Hear me out, Bubs, please? We were so close after Bliss was born. It's killing me, not being so close to you. I just want that back. I wanna see your smile again. Will you do it baby? For me?"

A sigh shuddered through my chest and tears really did leak out of my eyes. With my hands trapped I couldn't push them away, so they trailed down my chest in wet streaks and caused my cheeks to flush a dusky pink. I had to look back into my husband's face, those wide, expecting innocent blue eyes- and say something.

"I'll…" My voice came out a dull croak, but I pushed through. "I'll think about it."

Boomer's face seemed to flicker, a flash of despair settling into his darkened features. He finally released his hands on mine and gripped his own thighs instead, rubbing his palms against his jeans.

"I don't want you to think about it..." He murmured in a soft growl. "This is something I really want."

I lidded my eyes again, watching him through thick lashes.

"What about what I want?"

"I give you everything you want!" He raised his voice, snapping his glare onto my face. "But it's not enough. You still see me as the bad guy."

My pulse skipped. I held out my arms to the empty room I was in- surrounded by books, toys and soft furniture... but otherwise empty.

"I'm stuck here, Boomer. Without a sister and without any friends. The world is a mess thanks to you. I don't know what you want from me."

Another flash crossed his face, but his lips tensed into a snarl and he gripped harder at his chair.

"I want what we used to have. You did love me, I know you did." His stormy eyes cut into me. "You said you did."

I nodded calmly. I didn't want him to know my own storm was raging within my chest, my heart racing at a million miles an hour. I tried to think back to that boy in the woods, the one with the deep cerulean blue eyes- so open and honest. Hating himself, finding a saviour in me. I was important, he was true. We had a whirlwind of what felt like love, back when I was a teenager. It was only sealed with secrecy- meeting and hiding it away from everyone else. A cliche Romeo and Juliet I still look back on with a mix of longing and regret.

"I did."

He jumped to his feet, towering over me. I had to crane my neck just to look into his face. "You still do."

I looked down, then I looked away. I let the silence drag on around me, only faintly concerned with the sharp breaths Boomer was taking in, growing steadily anger the longer my lips remained sealed. Both his arms snapped onto my chair, caging me in.

"Right?"

I cleared my throat and gently trailed my eyes from his hand- still the ring flashing at me menacingly- to his scarred arms, up his bulging biceps, his shirt, neck, jaw and I finally found his face. His eyes stared down into mine, darkening into a threatening navy. I blinked.

"MOMMY!"

The door opened behind me and I rose without a moment's hesitation, breaking Boomer's glare and shoving him away from me. He tensed, but fell back without a fight as soon as we caught the sight of our daughter running towards us, her face crumpled in distress.

"Baby..." I swept her up in my arms as soon as she was in reach, petting her braids and staring into her face. "Are you okay? What's wrong, Angel?"

She sniffed, tilting her chin up at me as she settled on my hip. "Blayze pushed me. And Bruiser won't play with me no more."

"It's okay, baby girl..." I jiggled her on my hip and gave her a smile. The sight of her baby blue eyes, even filled with tears, gave me more comfort than the sparkle of my diamond ring- any day. "They're just boys, after all. I'll play with you."

Boomer's own hand curled around me and cupped Bliss' face. I froze, my hands tightly around her, while Boomer's thumb stroked at her cheek. Bliss stared up at him, pushing her bottom lip further into a pout.

"The boys are always mean to me, Daddy."

"I'll sort 'em out, Angel." Boomer cooed at her. He touched the tip of her nose cheekily. "Besides, you're gonna have a new baby brother or sister to play with you soon."

My bottom lip fell numbly while Bliss' face seemed to light up, her eyes widening in shock and her tiny lips becoming an excited 'o'.

"Really!?"

"Really, Angel." Boomer's darkening eyes swept from Bliss' face to mine. "Isn't that right, Sweetheart?"

Bliss blinked at me expectantly, her mouth agape her dimples deepening into a smile. All I could do was nod, despite the fact my chest was squeezed so tightly I felt I might pass out.

"That's right, baby."

.

Buttercup

.

It was surreal, listening to my heart beat slower and slower until it began to hum to a sound I could finally hear over. Everything else seemed to melt into place. The bodies around us grew cold and the sky began to darken. I took a seat on one of the bar stools as soon as the air seemed to start cooling around me. Everything seemed to calm, fall back into place. I knew what was happening, I was coming back into my human self.

I propped my elbow up onto the bar as Rome and Cain circled around the place, dragging bodies and ruffling through their pockets. I watched them for a while so I could catch my breath, but as the stench of blood became too strong I stared back at the bar- where a cracked mirror still hung opposite me.

Staring into my blood-dripped face, my sweat dried hair, it was hard to recognise myself. My eyes were lightening back to their original shade- but that was the only thing I could see that reminded me of my old self. They were barely visible too- hidden beneath my stiffened bangs and above my crimson-stained lips.

"What the Hell is this stuff?" Cain mumbled from beside me. I turned to see him holding a huge bottle of Jack Daniels. My lips twitched.

"It's whiskey." I told him, biting back a smirk. The tangy sweetness of blood twitched on my tongue. "You drink it."

Cain looked it over again with a scrutinising stare, but eventually nodded. He threw off the top and tipped it to the ceiling, gulping it down. I actually almost fell off my stool.

"Woah, Cain. Cain! You're not supposed to drink it…that fast."

The bottle dipped back down and Cain swallowed loudly, his eyebrow cocking. "Why not?"

"It kinda…" I stared back at the bottle, with now a quarter of golden liquid missing. "Never mind, give me that."

He handed it over and I took a quick sip. Sure, it burned down the walls of my throat- but when it hit my stomach it was warm, comforting…like a hug. I took another gulp. By the time I handed it back to the blonde demon it was already half empty and my head was swimming with pleasant warmth once again. It seemed to hit Cain too, because he had this sloppy, dazed smile plastered on his face.

"What are you doing?" Rome appeared at the other side of the bar, his glare washing over both of us. I answered, as Cain was gulping down again.

"Cain found some whiskey, we were just putting it to good use."

"Whiskey?" Rome's nose twitched in what looked like disgust. "As in…alcohol?"

But, in my shock, he actually grabbed it from Cain's hand and sucked on the bottle himself. Cain immediately launched himself over the counter, whining loudly.

"HEY!"

The bottle was suddenly empty, and with that Rome threw it across the room. It smashed against the stage and he let out a very un-Rome-like whoop. Cain and I both stared as he began rummaging around for another, glass bottles rattling underneath.

"What's up with you?" I hissed at him. "Are you drunk?"

"Demons get drunk much easier." Cain hissed at me under his breath, disguising it as a long cough. Rome threw him a dark glare and Cain broke down in giggles, his forehead planting on the wood of the bar to stifle his snorts.

"We may have a little human in us. Shut up." Rome's cheeks flushed as he pulled out a bottle from under the bar and slipped that lid off too. I watched him gulp that down, eyes closing. Cain scampered over the bar next to me, diving down toward the floor. More glass bottles rattled. Despite the macabre, steel-like murderous focus of the two demons only a moment previously, the two had turned into drink-desperate frat boys in a matter of seconds.

"Oo!" Cain squealed, smacking his lips together as he pulled out a black-tinted bottle and held it up in victory. "Wine!"

"Is that red?" Rome's lightning-fast grip snatched out, but his aim was off so he ended up smacking Cain instead. "Gimmie!"

Cain swatted back, kicking out and holding the bottle as if it was a newborn baby. "NO! MINE!"

"You don't even like red, you fucking-"

"I saw it first! I saw it first!"

"You only want it cause I want it! Now gimmie the-"

But Cain vaulted over the bar and stumbled back into the stage. Rome stared after him with his crimson eyes blazing furiously. But he didn't move. Instead he tightened his grip on the bottle of rum in his grip. I stared at him for a while, taking a guilty pleasure in seeing him looking so annoyed. He cracked open another bottle and I had to growl at him.

"Did you seriously just come down here so you could drink?"

Rome rolled his eyes and slammed the bottle back on the bar.

"No, we got some good info- didn't we?" he waved the bottle around as he spoke. "My brother and I haven't had a drink in ages. The fact the demons meet in bars was a happy coincidence."

"Sure." I grumbled, cradling my chin in my hands again. Thoughts were running too quickly in my head and I couldn't slow them down again. I knew I had to get home soon, but being covered in blood also drenched me in heated shame. At least I knew being surrounded by the bodies of all the demons in a fifty mile radius, we were at least safe. Rome slid a bottle over to me. Despite my better judgement, my fingers curled around the glass.

It was another brand of whiskey, one I couldn't recognise, so it was probably a good quality. Rome's deep red eyes reflected in the amber and I had to stare up to meet his gaze. For once, his gaze actually held on my face without the slightest glimmer of a snarl or smirk.

"Just relax, Buttercup." He told me. "Let loose for now. We'll talk it out later."

I attempted a smile, tightened my grip and tipped the contents of the liquor down my throat.

.

Butch

.

"Come on, Bruiser!" Brick, instead of glaring at his son, stared down at the stopwatch clenched in his fist. "You're still seven seconds slower than Blayze!"

I looked down to see Bruiser, arched over and panting, clutching at a stitch in his side. His cheeks were a bright pink and sweat was beading on his forehead. He stared up at both of us with wide, disbelieving eyes. Even all the time he'd spent running away from Blayze he probably never ran so much in his lifetime. My brother was showing no mercy.

"Dad!" Bruiser rasped. "I can't fly anymore!"

"Don't back out on me now." Brick hissed at him and reset the timer. "One more time. Ten laps. Go."

Bruiser began trembling as he gulped for air, sounding more choked up by the second. My heart clenched for the little guy as his eyes seemed to well with tears. Brick gave a loud sigh.

"Suck it up Bruiser."

"But I can't! I'm tired!" Bruiser's bottom lip shook in warning. Brick hit the reset button on his stopwatch, acting as though he couldn't hear him.

"When I count to three you start."

"But Dad-"

"One."

"Please, Daddy-"

"Two."

"But-!"

"I'll go."

My neck snapped as I locked on Blayze, who suddenly spoke up. His cheeks were still pink from his run and his hair a sweaty mess, but he was staring up at his uncle with a newfound fire in his light green eyes. Brick's glare dragged from his son to mine.

"You've already set the time, Blayze." I growled at him before Brick had the chance to. "Go work on your energy blasts."

But Blayze didn't even look at me. His glare hadn't dropped from Brick's face. It was starting to chip away at my thumping heart.

"I'll go instead of him."

Bruiser only shook harder between the two, looking from his dad to his cousin and resembling a trapped rabbit. His eyes were wider than saucers. I stepped forward before the situation got any more tense and grabbed Blayze hard by the shoulder.

"Blayze" I hissed in his ear. "Stop talking back. Just do what you're told!"

He shoved off me, roughly, and stumbled back as he wrestled out of my grip.

"No!" His eyes finally met mine- narrow slits of sour green. They were almost grey. "I'm not hurting anybody anymore! I don't wanna hurt people anymore!"

"We're not making you hurt anyone!" My heart raced in my ears and I fought hard to stop myself from twitching at the panic in my voice. It felt like we were drifting apart further every day. "It's training! Fuck, Blayze! I just wanna help you!"

"We're tired!" Blayze screamed at me with sudden vigour. "And we're hurt! We don't want to train no more!"

"We all have to do things we don't want to do!" I barked back at him. "This is for your own good, Blayze!"

"It didn't help anyway." Blayze sneered at me bitterly, his face clouding over. "I still got hurt! Training doesn't do anything!"

"Is that what this is about?" Brick drawled from beside me, his own eyes narrowing. I stiffened, defensive at his sudden input. "You think you'll lose again if you're really put to the test, Blayze? You're still hurt over losing?"

Blayze's entire face seemed to tick and twitch, but I couldn't tell if it was from anger or sadness. He avoided my face completely and instead stared off to the side with that stone-like glare, his body heaving from yelling so much. I rubbed at my jaw, desperate for anything to make it right. The anger and desperation was rising within me and it had been so long since I let go, I didn't want to do it in front of my own kid again.

"Look, Blayze. You don't have to be scared-"

"I'm not scared!" Blayze shrieked at me. "I just don't wanna do it!"

"WHY NOT!?" I yelled back, arms out. "You don't do anything else! It's what you were made for! This is what you're meant to do!"

"Meant to do?" Blayze's frown deepened. "You mean that's the only reason you had me? So I could fight for you?"

My hand slapped at my forehead and I tried my best to claw back at some of the control that was diminishing within me. "That's not what I mean-"

"BUT IT'S WHAT YOU SAID!" Blayze's scream was piercing now and he was stomping on the ground, his fists trembling as he held them to his chest. "THAT'S ALL I AM TO YOU!"

"SHUT UP BLAYZE!" I matched his volume. "You don't understand! I'm try'na do what's best for you! Just do it!"

My heart was racing so hard and fast I could taste it. It was a familiar, sickening feeling taking over me again and I couldn't bite it back. I saw Blayze take a step back, dragging that knife-like stare over me, judging me, taking me in. His lips were moving, but my ears were ringing so much I didn't catch what he said. I swallowed at the throbbing lump in my throat and tried again, the words scraping out of my dry mouth like a diseased cough.

"What did you say?"

"I said…" Blayze snarled at me, teeth gritted in defiance. "I bet Mom wouldn't treat me like this."

A crushing silence slipped between us, like someone had hit the mute button. Not a breath was heard- even Brick seemed to be stunned into muffled shock. Bruiser's jaw dropped to his chin, Brick's red eyes slowly widened in alarm at what was said. Who said it. About her. To me.

My heart started slowly, thumping and ricocheting in my chest, tightening and growing like I was about to throw it up. As usual, memories of her swelled within me, growing and suffocating and taking over me like a fucking virus. The familiar guilt crawled on me, cold and poisonous, twisting in my stomach and tasting like bile in my mouth.

And still Blayze was glaring at me, challenging me. Staring at me with her eyes- like she was ready to reach into my chest and rip my heart straight out of my ribcage.

"Really?" My voice came out like sandpaper- rough and faint, like a disgusting whisper.

Blayze's chin jutted out, boldly defiant. But he still didn't pierce the stiff, cold silence between us.

The guilt clawed within me, a revolting lurch in my stomach crawled up my throat and I couldn't hold back the numbing cold that overtook me. My glare locked into his, staring straight into the cold green stone and refusing to look away.

"Your Mom wouldn't give a shit, anyway." I hissed at him in a voice that wasn't mine. "She's dead."

.

Buttercup

.

The air was thick and warm, with the last rays of sun blaring down on us before the chilling shadows of the forest caught us in the darkness. Not that the three of us were noticing the weather. The entire bar sparkled with promising laughter- with Cain especially gliding around the tables under the hanging ceiling fan, trying to dance. Instead he was knocking into chairs and hitting the tables edges. But he didn't slow down. His hands were outstretched and he was trying hard to stay on his toes, but his hulking figure made him stumble every few feet. It was funny, seeing someone built like a dinosaur doing the work of a ballerina.

"Point your toe!" I yelled out, my voice slurred with whiskey. The half empty bottle hung in my grip. I fought hard to stay on top of the bar stool I had made my home. "And then spin!"

Cain wasn't paying attention, instead he was humming a song in his head that probably only made sense to him. He kicked and spun, smacking into the wall and starting all over again. A giggle burst out of my lazy lips and I closed them around my bottle again, knocking it back and setting it on the counter. Rome's crimson eyes met mine again as he took a spot beside me.

"You better slow down…" His eyes were sparkling as he stared into me, probably seeing more than I wanted him to. "You're not used to this like we are."

Despite my attempts to remain still, a hiccup escaped me and another giggle wracked through my body without my permission.

"I'm fine." I told him, waving a hand. "Just relax. I can handle this."

I made a grab for my bottle but missed. Rome was watching me and his stare felt like a hot poker on the side of my face. But still, the tingles in my body were pleasantly relaxing, like a bubble bath. For the first time in a long time I felt carefree, like I was floating on a cloud. It was back to being careless, like I was a teenager again and it didn't matter what I did, I always had my family and my friends to keep me in line, rescue me in the morning.

I missed those times.

"It doesn't look like you can…" Rome's voice had lowered to a steady coo and he scooted closer to me. The earthy smell of flesh washed over me again and sent hungry signals to my brain, which I tried to shake off. Rome's voice cooed in my ear again. "I think you're getting a little drunk, actually."

Another snort escaped me and my fingers wrapped around the neck of my bottle. I nodded behind me as another table crashed to the floor.

"As long as I'm not dancing like him, I think I'll be okay."

Rome cast a casual glance off to his brother, who was shakily picking himself up off the floor.

"…Being around him, that's as normal as he can get."

Another laugh shuddered my chest. I leaned against the bar, breathing in the scent of the wood. Years of drinking patrons had left the wood looking scratched and stained, but it was surprisingly comfortable. I heard Rome's voice again.

"I guess you're used to this kind of thing, right?"

I pulled my heavy head from the table, enough for my face to crunch in confusion. Rome was giving me a look of steady, severe seriousness… it unnerved me, and caused ripples of worry to shake in my stomach. His eyes, still a mix of black and red, were glimmering at me. The bottle shook in my hand and I took another drink to still myself.

"Used to it?"

"You." He watched me closely, eyes dropping only to snap back to my face again. "You're from royalty, after all. You're used to luxury."

"Royalty?" I choked on the words. If his face wasn't so deathly still and his glare so severe, I would have let out a laugh. "I'm not royalty! I'm far from royalty!"

Rome let out a sigh, and even in my drunken haze of carelessness I could see his hand caressing the blade that was hidden in his jeans.

"You have powers beyond what regular demons do. You are royalty. I can tell." His eyes grazed over my face again, narrowing. I only realised then how close he was to me. "You can fly, you create energy blasts, and defence shields. It's clear what you are."

I shook my head, dizziness swelling in my brain and Rome's glare igniting my face. "No…you don't understand at all. I'm not a full demon, anyway-"

"Don't lie to me, sweetheart."

He was too fast. It was sudden, but I couldn't catch him in time. Rome's blackened eyes were inches away from my face, his nose brushing against mine. The bar hit my back and my elbows slid helplessly against the tabletop. Both his hands snapped down on either side of my shoulders. I stumbled at his hold but he already had me pinned. I felt shrunken and had to crane my neck to look up at him. Cain floated around the background, ignoring both of us.

"I know what you are." His voice rasped out in a deadly snarl, his teeth sharpening as I stared into his face. Everything slackened within me, Rome's own face blurred in and out of my consciousness. "You're marked! And you reek of their blood!"

"N-no! I'm not-" I couldn't stammer a defence in time. Rome's hands clapped onto my arms and held me down, shackling me to the bar. His hot breath brushed over my face and it caused my suffering heart rate to double. "Rome-"

"You're marked by a Ruff! I can smell him on you! You're working with them, I know you are!"

"NO!" My palms slapped onto his chest, his muscles twitching and vibrating beneath my finertips. I tried hard to pull away from his burning rage- radiating against my skin- and instead I looked up into his face, my own teeth gritted. "You don't get it! I don't belong to him!"

"Oh, you do." His teeth flashed in front of me again and his grip tightened, my body twitching at his vice-like hold. "You have Ruff blood in you! That's what's giving you those fucking powers!"

"NO!" I finally screamed, pain coursing through my throat. The whiskey soared faster in my veins and blocked the anger in my chest, instead only a daze of annoyance filled me and I slapped one of my hands against his shoulder. I let out a groan and actually leaned against him, too full of pain and sadness at the point I felt I reached the end of my tether. Tears actually sprang to my eyes and I let out a sob as Rome flinched, drawing back while I finally let loose.

"I'm not a part of him!" I screamed into his chest. "He fucking stole me! He took everything I had! He fucking killed me while I was pregnant!"

"Wh-" Rome's voice was heard faintly against my ear. "I-"

"I'm Buttercup! The Powerpuff Girl!" I pulled myself off him and fell back against the bar. My face was wet with tears and hot with dried blood but I didn't care. I screamed at him, right into his black eyes. "I have powers from Chemical X! Just like my sisters, only their strengths are being taken away by those fucking RUFFS! I'm not a demon, I'm NOT! I just have demon blood, my daughter's blood! It saved my life! But I'm not a fucking demon! I NEVER WILL BE! I'm a mutant, created by the greatest Professor this country has ever seen..." I was breathing hard and I had to stop, propping myself up on the bar, still caged in by Rome's arms. "But I'm no demon."

I breathed hard, my pants echoing in my ears and my eyes closing from the dizziness of both my screams and the whiskey still coursing through my veins. It took a few moments for Rome's voice to finally get to me.

"So that's what makes them so powerful?" He murmured, more to himself than me. I looked up to see him frowning, his entire face crumpling in a troubled expression. There was a new spark in his eyes now, shimmering with a hopeful glimmer against black. "Chemical X?"

I let out a sigh, which shook my entire body. I hastily scrubbed at the tears clinging to my face. "They think I'm dead, that's the only reason I'm still alive and not locked up with my sisters."

His eyes snapped to mine, and I finally saw the streaks of red within them instead of an empty black. "So that's why you asked where they're getting that stuff? It's making them weak, isn't it?"

"It stifles the Chemical X in our blood." I murmured back, my voice hoarse from the screaming and booze. "It's keeping them from rebelling. We were the only ones who were built to defeat them."

Rome's frown deepened as he studied me closely, his eyes scanning my face. One of his arms finally dropped from the bar and instead cupped the back of his neck, rubbing it as he continued to glare at me.

"So… Emerald is-"

I heaved another shuddering sigh as I collapsed back onto the bar. I rubbed at my head, the numbness in my brain getting to me more than ever.

"She is Butch's, yes…along with-" A sharp pain rose in my throat and I tried to swallow it down but my voice still came in a harsh whisper that scorched my throat. "Along with B-Blayze. My son… he's with him. I'm trying to get him back. I want my baby back."

Unable to say anymore, I actually raised my arm and pulled down my leather band. My tattoo, the scrawled script of my son's name, flashed in front of his face.

"Your son?" The disbelief in Rome's voice hovered above my ear. "Buttercup, he killed you? He killed the mother of his child?"

"Yes…" I shook my head, trying to stop the pain getting to me. It was spewing out of me and I couldn't hold it back. "I was pregnant, he didn't know. But Emmy- she healed me, she brought me back from the dead-"

"Oh fuck." He snarled. His fingers were now tugging in his hair and as his shoulders tensed as I deflated against the bar. "Seriously? That's why I smell Ruff on you? That's why you have his mark?"

"His mark?" Subconsciously, my hand went to my shoulder, where all those years ago I woke up with those cursed initials etched onto my skin. The ones that didn't fade. I was marked? Like Jayden?

"So you're not in league with them?" He hissed to me through his teeth. The very words caused a lurch of sickness to throb through my stomach. I felt my very eyes flicker with sparks and a flash of darkness cross my vision.

"I want to kill them. After I release my sisters and get my baby boy back."

"You don't get it, Buttercup." Rome growled at me lowly, right next to my temple. His teeth scraped against my skin and sent chills through my numb skin. "He's marked you, you're linked to each other…You have a blood bond. You're fucking cursed."

The words hit me hard, especially when they were snarled against my face like that. The words were sharper than his teeth and his growls reverberated from my skin, heated from his breath.

"But if that's it…" I looked up to see him glaring at me through lowered lashes. "Maybe I should just fucking kill you. You're linked to them, now."

Despite the anger boiling in my chest, the alcohol swimming in my system must have hit some senses within me. I wrestled back a sob and tears burst in front of my eyes.

"Maybe I should be dead, right?" A warped laugh escaped me as well as a few tears. "I'm tied to Butch, the fucking most psychotic demon leader of this fucked up world. He's the fucking father of my children. Imagine that, right? A fucking psychopath as a father. I'm a fucking walking failure, paired to a fucking killer. And I still fucking think about him. He's my fucking mate. That's just so fucking pathetic."

"You worried how you'll feel?" Rome's voice came out of the blur. "You love him, being the father of your kids?"

I shifted my shoulders, my face on fire. The weight on my shoulders was pushing down upon me and it was crushing my chest.

"That's the fear, right? Something fucking messed up like that. Demons fucking mess with you. I'm fucking cursed, a fucking cursed mutant."

For a long time, I heard nothing. Rome's eyes shifted in and out of my focus and I was starting to feel weak again with the pressure and the booze swimming within me. I felt a sharp metal against my neck, nuzzling against my jaw. I was only faintly aware that Rome was holding a knife to my neck, threatening that thin piece of skin that guarded the main vein of my jugular. I closed my eyes, the thought to fight back fading further and further away, right into the back of my head.

Maybe I do deserve this, killed just like the rest of them. I am a demon after all, and marked by one of particular evil. Maybe I am cursed, doomed to be taken from my kids and my family.

A clatter of metal sounded from the floor and I opened my eyes. Rome was inches from my face, his eyes the colour of fresh blood once more. His arms caged me against the bar again and his shoulders hunched against me. In his face, I saw a new burning passion that both thrilled and scared me at the same time. It was exhilarating, staring into those eyes with so much newfound life. I sniffed back the tears drying on my eyes.

"I promise you'll see your kids again. I'll make sure you get to your son safe."

The band around my chest lifted suddenly and a new life seeped into my lungs. I swelled against the bar and my hands curled around his hard arms.

"What?"

"I'm gonna help you, I promise. We'll track down the Chemical X and get it to them. I'm gonna help you, Buttercup. Just like you're gonna help me. We'll fucking tear them down. We'll tear them all down."

I don't know if it was his deep, authoritative voice thick with protection- one I hadn't heard since the Professor died- or it was the promise itself, but more tears burst behind my eyes and I couldn't hold them in anymore. My chin fell to my chest and salty droplets fell down my face and onto the floor. I drooped down off the chair and my chest pressed into his. When his arms actually wrapped around my back, drawing my heart into his, it was the first time I ever felt so warm. Warmer than whiskey. Locked in Rome's hold was the actual moment I felt safe.

"Come here…"

I dropped onto the ground with him, with his back pressed against the bar. I fell onto his chest, my eyelids drooping and my system finally shutting down. His knees propped up on either side of me and I slipped into a comfortable spot in his arms, my ear resting against his thumping heart. He cradled my head against his chest. With the alcohol sparking through my veins and the tickle of his hand in my hair, it was the first time in a long time that I wasn't the one who was doing the protecting.

Instead, I was the one being protected.

Faintly, as I drifted off into the darkness, I could hear footsteps stumbling around me. Cain's voice floated around in my brain, seeping through the alcoholic fog.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

"I know…" Rome's chest rumbled under my cheek. My head lifted as he heaved a sigh. "This may complicate the plan."

I dropped out of the room before I could hear any more.

.

.

Blayze lay in his bed in a cocoon of blankets, his face a mess of tears and his eyes swollen from his sobs. His father had sent him to bed coldly, but he was secretly glad for this small mercy. What else could he do? Dwell on the fact his mother, all he wanted in his life, really had been ripped away from him? He couldn't even look his father in the eye, especially not with those blackened orbs staring down at him cruelly. It wasn't like his father at all. He felt like an empty shell, like he lost both his mother and his father in the same night. All he could do was shut his eyes, hoping to hold the tears that were leaking out of his already swollen, raw eyes.

He drifted out of his cold room and further into the blankets, slipping into a restless sleep. His mind was too full of her- the image of her eyes, frozen in a picture and lost forever. It was hard to think he would never see her in person.

He tried hard to imagine her now- as he drifted into another plane of consciousness. It was hard, but he squeezed his eyes and tried. He thought about her long black hair, her light green eyes. If he concentrated enough, he could even hear her laugh, feel her skin...

Blayze's eyes fluttered, and he wasn't sure if he was dreaming.

A figure was lying on his bed, someone faded and weightless. The bed didn't even dip, and he could barely make out who it was in the dark light. He let out a groan and recoiled into his blankets as he thought of his father- but then the light around him seemed to brighten.

The body had a dip in the waist, a definite curve to the shoulders and, splayed out in front of him, was a thin wrist- with black written across it. He'd seen that word before- he was positive it was his name.

He sat up in his bed, and the figure shimmering before him seemed more prominent. It was a lady, definitely not all there, but she was in his bed, laying next to him. A smile was on her face, black hair splayed across his pillows. He knew that face. The scent, wavering in front of him. He knew that smell. He rubbed his eyes, blinking hard.

"Mama?"

She opened her eyes, her eyes a mirror of his own. His heart skipped a beat, his mouth fell open at the sight of her. He reached out, shaking from head to toe, and his fingers grazed her own soft ones. A smooth, graceful smile spread over her angelic face- the light spreading over him like a flickering fire.

"Blayze."

He jolted in his bed, grabbing his pillows and splitting his eyes open to the same darkened, cold room. His hand was across his bed, reaching, but it was only to an empty blanket. A nudge at his back caused him to whirl in shock, a pair of blood red eyes staring up at him from beside his bed.

"I'm sorry!" Bruiser squeaked in apology. "I thought you were having a nightmare, I wanted to say I'm sorry about today..."

But Blayze wasn't fooled that easily. He stared back to where the figure had been- where he had felt her hands, seen her face. She'd been there, in his room.

He could still smell her.

.

.

Yes, Cain was trying to sing 'Chandelier' by Sia. Then he was trying to dance to it. He is an airhead, that one, and secretly a free spirit :P Don't tell Rome, but he is my favourite.

The song during the demon slaying was 'Diamonds Aren't Forever' by Bring Me The Horizon- I guess it's one of their older hits now, but it was always locked into the playlist for this story, the way Oli and the guitar goes crazy in that song was the perfect frenzy that shows just how feral Rome and Cain get, and just how much power their energy can lock onto Buttercup's. Just for clarification- she DID go as crazy as them. She can keep up! She can get pretty BADASS :D

The title worked well with Bubbles' own dilemma, I had to giggle at that :P

I hope I didn't pump in TOO much for you! Lots happened in this chapter :P Might be a while 'til the next one, but I promise it won't be another two month wait. I have some major essays coming up in the next few weeks, but if I leave this story too long I get withdrawals.

Not to mention, there are some awesome, dedicated readers out there who won't let me give up :P

I LOVE YOU ALL! :'}

Let me know what you think!

Love,

Dino! XOXOX