Author's Note: Hey guys, long time no see. It's been a while since I've updated but I have some valid reasons why. On Dec 2nd, I tragically lost my beloved six-year-old schnauzer to Cane Toad poisoning. My dog, Dexter, got ahold of one in his mouth and was dead in 25 minutes. It was one of the most traumatic things I have ever experienced in my life. I was rushing him to the vet as he was dying and sadly, he was pronounced brain dead on arrival and I had to put him to sleep. This really fucked me up to be honest because it was so sudden and random. Next, my laptop wifi card died and I had to get it replaced so I had no computer for 2 weeks. Finally, it was midterm time for my middle schoolers and I was very busy. Sorry if I sound so abrupt, but I'm still dealing with the death of my dog. I hope you guys like this new chapter. Peace.

•~•

~A few days later~

Amy scratched her head after hearing her husband's latest plan. The two were sitting on the front porch discussing their next move. "So, wait, what exactly are we doing again?" she inquired.

Shadow sighed. "Throwing a party," he answered.

"And you really think a party is due at a time like this?" she challenged. "We still have that crazy spirit on the loose, not to mention all of its followers!"

"Exactly," he noted. "Which is a why a party is a perfect trap to lure out and expose them," he smirked.

Amy blinked a few times in puzzlement at his logic. "And just how exactly do you know this..?"

"Creatures from all over town have been invited to our party as a ruse to unveil their true motives. They think this is nothing but us celebrating our victory of destroying Infinite. I've invited the covens from downtown, Sonic's pack from the Mystic Ruins, not to mention all the vampires from Station Square," he explained.

"Wouldn't a follower of Infinite's be an idiot to show up?"

"They'll simply think it's a party for a good laugh and a good time, and more than likely try to seek intel themselves. Don't think too hard on it, love. It'll work," he promised.

"I think this is just an excuse so you can decorate and throw another big shindig," Amy mumbled under her breath. "You love hosting big events after all."

"A party?" another little voice chimed in. Shadow and Amy turned only to see Faith bounding towards them out the front door. "Am I going, too?" she squealed in excitement, clasping her hands together hopefully.

"I'm afraid not, little one," Shadow confessed causing Faith's beaming smile to fade into a deep frown. He patted her softly on the head. "This is for adults only."

She stuck out her lower lip in a pout. "But I promise to be very good," she pledged.

"Trust me," he smiled. "I believe you'll be on your best behavior, it's the others attending that I'm worried won't be," he theorized.

"Don't worry, baby," Amy piped in. "You wouldn't have much fun anyway. It's just going to be a lot of people hanging around and talking about boring adult stuff. You'll have much more fun hanging out with Miss Mary," Amy assured with a sweet smile.

•~•

At Mighty's house, Silver and Mighty stood before a large map of the city plastered on his living room wall. Mighty had done his mourning and was ready to get back into action. The two studied the map and the different colored strings pinned down on certain sections of the city.

Silver raised a brow as he stared at something peculiar. "What is the meaning behind all these pins with the red thread?"

"I did some research and found out that every time this thing tries to revive, it attempts to do so in these four locations."

Silver looked disturbed by one particular location. His hand reached out and pointed to one of the pins on the map. "Why here? This is the address of our home."

Mighty shrugged. "Not a clue, I'm still working on a theory."

"I see," he mumbled. "Well, what else have you learned?"

"This thing has been haunting the city for a long time. Before today, the only thing I knew about it, was that it was a spirit practicing very dark magic, and was trying to desperately get back into our world. That's why it tried to sacrifice those kids."

"But what about its attempt to kill Sonic and Shadow?" Silver inquired.

"Well…" he started. "If those two died, then it absorbs all of their power," he answered.

Silver sighed, feeling his fist tighten at his sides. "What is its main objective?"

"It's a ghost," he shrugged. "It wants access to this world, so it whispers to the desperate who will listen."

Silver turned to look at him. "There have to be others, someone else, someone who could speak to us of its desires, of its weaknesses."

Mighty took a seat on his sofa. "Do you think this person might show up to your party?"

"I'm counting on it and I'm counting on you, too. Help me find them."

•~•

Once returning home, Silver strolled up the walkway of their home, only to notice many compelled mortal workers busy setting up for the big party. Silver walked around the side of the house, noticing all the banners, balloons, and gorgeous table displays on set. He spotted his younger brother, working out back on a large piece of ice, carving it into an elegant swan. He chuckled, seeing Shadow's artistic side coming out once again and shook his head. "You've really outdone yourself this time," Silver praised.

"Thank you." Shadow looked up from his work briefly, holding his ice carving tools in hand. "But it's such a shame these linens will soon be red with blood," he said facetiously.

Silver stopped just beside him, taking in Shadow's progress of his ice display. "Violence must only be as a last resort, otherwise, it will only weaken our position," he reminded.

Shadow shrugged innocently. "Yes, well, I'm a creature of very specific habits," he replied holding out his ice pix.

"Brother," Silver reprimanded playfully. "Please remember the plan tonight is to create a false sense of security—A little music, a little champagne, some stealthy reconnaissance, but absolutely no bloodshed," he made explicit.

Shadow huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Very well…But they threatened me and my child, so bloodshed will be inevitable."

"And how do we protect Faith from all of this?" Silver questioned. Shadow faltered in his bold bravado and walked over to a nearby food station. Silver watched his retreating figure and frowned. "She absolutely worships you, Shadow. She must not see the monster within…"

He lowered his tools onto the table and rubbed the skin between his eyes as he kept them closed. "I do not wish for her to see me as a monster, but I cannot sit idly by, while threats to our family go unanswered."

"I promise you, they won't," Silver assured. Shadow felt a hand on his shoulder and opened his eyes. He turned to look at Silver and watched as he gave him a warm smile. "Now, let me do this, please. Should any turmoil arise, should anyone dare to disrupt our kingdom, let them answer to me," he pointed.

Shadow nodded, confirming his approval of his role. "I leave it up to you, then."

•~•

Later that night at the party, Silver stood at the entrance of their home, greeting their guests. The backyard was completely packed with all types of supernatural creatures. There were vampires, werewolves, and even witches all in one location. Everyone was dressed to the nines in handsome black suits, ties, gorgeous cocktail dresses, and ball gowns. Hendrix and his coven stood in one area of the backyard talking to Caleb and some of Sally and Sonic's pack, while other newcomers mingled around the snack table or dance floor.

In the meantime, Shadow and Amy conversed with a group of witches from another section of town, while Sonic and Sally talked to a group of vampires from the rural parts. The atmosphere was lively and upbeat as some guests danced on the dance floor, while others ate and drank. A compelled mortal band set up on a portable stage, played lovely jazz music for all to enjoy.

Breaking away from Amy's side for a moment, Shadow wandered over to Mighty who was currently introducing himself to different guests and shaking their hand. After parting from a handshake, Mighty turned, only to nearly bump into Shadow. "Making new friends?" he inquired with a coy grin.

"I'm not shaking random hands for nothing," he responded.

Shadow took a sip of his drink. "No signs of Infinite's followers then?"

Mighty shook his head. "Not yet, but what is your contribution to this plan?"

"I'm playing host," he grinned before heading back into the crowd and disappearing.

Mighty groaned by Shadow's response and went back to work talking to multiple different individuals of all types. Unbeknownst to him, Lupe watched Mighty introduce himself to a group of werewolves in the crowd and shake each of their hands. She kept her eyes fixated on him for a moment before diverting her stare to another partygoer. Sonic stood by the snack table and laughed as his wife shared a private joke with him. She watched as the chipmunk whispered something in his ear that had in his stitches. The blue hedgehog was her target, now she just needed to wait for the right time to strike.

Upstairs, Silver and Shadow stood side by side as they surveyed their guests down below. Shadow leaned his arms against the railing, growing impatient by the minute. Mighty passed through the bustling crowd of guests, watching each individual like a hawk. "You seem rather confident that Mighty will succeed in his mission," Shadow spoke, observing him from above.

Silver crossed his arms over his chest, remaining stoic. "Mighty is an expert and powerful witch, motivated to expose evil and protect his flock," Silver rebutted. "He knows if he does not succeed, then we'll be forced to kill everyone here to figure out who is a snake in the grass…He does not want that to happen."

Mighty continued to prowl the crowds, looking for any sort of clue that would lead him to a follower of Infinite. He stopped in the middle of the dance floor when he spotted a grey-bluish wolf in a revealing black cocktail dress, leaning up against one of the walls. Her eyes seemed to be quite fixated on someone in particular. Mighty followed her gaze picking up that she was staring hard at Sonic. Suddenly, her eyes parted from the blue hedgehog and locked with his. The two stared each other down for a moment far apart in the crowded room.

The longer he stared at her, the more he began to pick up some sort of dark energy surrounding her person. There was something incredibly dark and twisted with her aura, which led him to believe she had some sort of connection with Infinite—not to mention she also adorned a necklace with a shard of that same piece of crystal that Aurora had been gifted.

After a few moments, Mighty looked away and up at Shadow standing on one of the balconies. Mighty nodded his head, signaling he had found someone worthy of interrogation. Shadow met his gaze and gave a curt nod, picking up on their silent exchange. The ebony hedgehog looked in the crowd at the person Mighty had signaled his attention to. Once he spotted the target, he turned to look at his brother. "That girl, the one up against the wall," he gestured with a head bob. "She's one of them," he announced quietly.

Silver looked in the direction, studying the girl carefully. She didn't seem alarmed that her cover was revealed; instead, she sauntered around the dance floor, past other guests in no hurry. Shadow began to head for the stairs to confront her, but Silver was quick to stop him. "Shadow," he spoke, causing him to halt in his tracks. "Remember the deal we made…"

Shadow grumbled under his breath as he was reminded. "Well, if you want the first crack at our foe, be my guest."

Silver signaled Mighty in the crowd, beckoning a finger before nodding his head in the direction of Lupe. Immediately, Mighty picked up on his cue and headed straight for Lupe to retrieve her.

Downstairs, Mighty made his way through the crowd and gently tapped the wolf on the shoulder. The greyish wolf spun around to face her admirer. "How can I help you?" she asked innocently.

"My name is Mighty," he introduced sticking out his hand for her to shake. Lupe extended her hand out and shook it in return out of courtesy. However, the moment their hands made contact, Mighty felt the coldness that came with her exchange. He had never felt anything so cold, iniquitous, puissant, and arcane in his entire life. It almost felt draining to keep skin-to-skin contact. It was as if his life was being drained away by her touch. Mighty pulled his hand away immediately feeling relief from their greetings.

"My name is Lupe," she smiled fraudulently, picking up that he had sensed something about her.

"Lupe, huh?" he parroted. "Well, Silver would like to have a word with you," he began. "He's very interested in getting to know you more."

Lupe raised a brow, intrigued by the invitation. "Oh, really? Is he too shy to come down and use a one-liner on me," she joked.

Mighty shook his head and smiled sheepishly. "Oh, it's nothing of that sorts. It's more business talk than anything…"

Lupe's expression peaked in interest. "How intriguing, lead the way."

•~•

After getting her to commit to the meeting, Mighty escorted Lupe upstairs. He opened the study doors allowing the female wolf in first. Lupe entered the study with a glass of champagne in hand and looked at her surroundings with scrutiny. Inside the large study, Silver stood at the center of the room waiting for their arrival. Figuring this was some sort of trap, Lupe decided to continue playing along feigned ignorance. "Mighty tells me you requested a private audience?" she asked, acting surprised.

"Private, yes," Silver confirmed. "You see, we've come to realize that you may not be just who you say you are."

Lupe smirked coyly. "And who do you think I am then?"

"You're the high priest for Infinite," Mighty answered bluntly.

Lupe shot him a piqued expression. "You seem to have made up your mind about me quite quickly." She began to saunter around the large study, glancing at the many books presented on the shelves along the walls. "You act like you had no part in this, but clearly you must have known your girlfriend was involved in this, too." Mighty scowled just from hearing her mention his deceased girlfriend. "I wonder if Infinite will show you appreciation by appearing as your dead girlfriend," she smirked.

Giving no other exchange, Mighty outstretched his hand, sending a powerful mind attack in her direction. Lupe cried out, feeling the infliction hit her. She clutched the sides of her head momentarily but was quick to send out her own mind attack, stretching her right arm in his direction. Suddenly, Mighty felt the repercussions and groaned feeling his brain attacked.

Watching their feud, Silver quickly intervened. "That'll be all. Both of you!" he bellowed. Both Lupe and Mighty ceased their attacks and glared at each other from across the room.

Lupe wiped the blood trickling down one of her nostrils with the back of her arm and Mighty did the same, wiping away some blood from his own bleeding nose. Silver stood right in front of Mighty's viewpoint of Lupe, looking stern in his expression. "Your services are done here, Mighty. I've got this under control now," he promised.

Backing away hesitantly Mighty turned on his heel and left the study, leaving Silver and Lupe alone. Once the door was closed, the silver vampire pulled out a handkerchief from the inside of his suit and flicked it out. "Here," he said, and extended his arm out with a peace offering.

Lupe accepted the gesture and took the handkerchief and blotted up the residue of the blood left on her face. "Take a seat," Silver offered, gesturing towards the two sofas. Lupe did as he commanded and graciously sat down on one of the sofas. Silver mimicked her actions, sitting on the sofa across from her, leaving just a coffee table between them. "Now, let's start again."

•~•

Downstairs at the party, Blaze wandered over to one of the tables set up for mingling, when she spotted Mighty downing a drink. The armadillo looked slightly peeved as he reached for one of the waitresses carrying a tray filled with more alcoholic beverages. He swapped out his empty glass with a full one as the waitress passed his table. Frowning by his apparent emotional drinking binge, Blaze approached him. "How did everything go up there?" she questioned, standing by his side.

He threw another drink back and swallowed the burning substance. "Don't know. Silver's still up there cutting a deal," he surmised with a careless shrug. "Either way, I really don't have much to talk about right now."

She knew Mighty in moments of frustration or sadness, didn't care much to share his feelings. He was more the type to do so once he had cooled off. It was something Blaze had learned in their friendship over time. "That's fine, but I still want to thank you for helping my family. It means a lot. You've done so much to help us."

He smiled weakly. "Of course. I'm just trying to keep my people and all supernatural children safe from harm by this…thing."

Blaze rubbed his arm reassuringly. "Talk to you later once you've cooled off?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, just give me a couple of hours."

•~•

Back upstairs; Silver was getting down to business with Lupe. He picked up on the hint of red peeking out on her right shoulder. "You hold that tattoo, as well?" he began.

Lupe looked to her tattoo that was slightly exposed by her sleeve. She moved the fabric to cover it up. "Yes, I do. What does it matter to you?"

"What does it mean?"

"Those that bear it, show their true allegiance to him," she explained. "It's a symbol of our devotion to his great power."

"He," Silver repeated in intrigue. "Tell me what it wants," he demanded softly.

"It has laid dormant for quite awhile so it needs to feed," Lupe answered.

"The poor thing," Silver noted dryly. "You know, I understand it has a penchant for innocent children."

She chuckled lowly, crossing one leg over the other. "Only as hors-d'oeuvres. It prefers the power channeled by the death of someone like you," she motioned. "You know, old, ancient, imbued with magic," she listed. "However, it doesn't need to feed on you, your brother, or your precious niece. Sonic will do nicely, too," she alluded.

Silver raised a brow, standing to his feet. "And why would I give you Sonic?"

Lupe watched as he wandered over to a drink station and popped open a bottle of scotch. "As patriarch, I'm sure you'll make the right decision on your family's behalf. "That and I have a weapon that can take down an Original," she teased.

His halted his actions momentarily, his amber eyes hardened on her. "I don't believe you."

"Oh yeah?" Her hand reached into her clutch pulling out a small dagger with a green vine with large thorns entwined around the blade. Silver stared at it as she held it up for him to see. "Infinite helped me create this when Shadow spilled some of his blood from that fight the other day. It will take down you or your brother with ease, care to test it?"

He scoffed at her. "So what, one measly weapon? The moment I get my hands on it, it'll be all over. You won't be able to use it against me."

She smirked coyly, tucking it back inside her clutch. "Who said I only had one weapon that I could use to kill you. I only brought one with me to the party, but I have many more hidden away for safekeeping."

"Clever girl," he commended, upholding his unruffled demeanor.

"Now, since you've been so sure of yourself, I'll also be taking Mighty Armadillo as a show of good faith."

Silver finished pouring them both a glass of scotch. "Mighty?" he repeated in befuddlement.

Lupe stopped in front of one of the large windows looking out onto their large porch down below. She watched other party guests dance, talk, and drink the night away. "Sonic was business, but Mighty is personal. He's done nothing but tries to stop Infinite in its tracks and now it's rather angry."

Silver walked over and handed her one of the glasses of alcohol, which she graciously accepted. "Unfortunately, if I betray Mighty, the covens will declare war on my family."

She took a sip of her drink. "Well, at least with the covens, it's a fight that you have a chance at winning. Regardless, my terms are set: Mighty now, and Sonic later, and your family will be spared. So, what do you say, Silver? Do we have a deal?"

While he held his own drink in his hands, his right index finger tapped the glass in thought. It all sounded way too good to be true, and even if he truly considered it, could he really give up Mighty—someone who had done nothing but help them in their time of need? Coming out of his thoughts, he hummed in contemplation. "I must say, it is a compelling offer…Murder in exchange for clemency. If only I could believe that you would uphold your end of the bargain."

Lupe grinned knowingly. "You're even more perceptive than your reputation suggests."

He smirked in arrogance. "I've been around for quite some time. I'm no fool, now what does it truly want?"

She walked closer towards him, swaying her hips with each stride. "Why freedom, of course. A spirit cannot manifest the true depths of its power without a good sacrifice."

He remained unfazed as she stopped just inches in front of him. He kept his eye contact locked with hers. "And in what fairy tale do you think that I would allow that to happen?"

Carefully, she laid down her glass on a nearby ledge and looked up at him dignified. "My offer was a courtesy, Silver. Infinite will take what it wants. Sonic and Mighty will be ours regardless, but if you insult us further, we will take your entire family," she warned. Silver only smirked, infuriating Lupe even more. Clearly, he wasn't fazed by her dire threats. "You still doubt our power, don't you? I'm telling you right now, Infinite will not be stopped."

Growing angered by her maddening voice, he had heard enough. Silver smashed his whiskey glass against the side of her head and sent Lupe flying towards the floor. The wolf landed on her side with a thud. Wincing from the stinging pain, she touched the side of her face, seeing more blood drizzling down from her temple—bits of glass embedded in her face. "You bastard…"

Silver bent over and grabbed her by the back of her hair and lifted her off the floor with ease. "Ahh!" she hissed, feeling him grip her locks tightly. She tried to undo his powerful hold on her hair, but it was no use. "Unhand me, you heathen!"

"I'm not finished with you yet…"

Forcefully, Silver guided Lupe out to the balcony and pushed her up against the railings as he continued to hold the back of her head with one hand. "Ladies and gentlemen!" Silver announced loudly, gathering everyone's attention. The entire party ceased talking and all eyes flew to the balcony where the two stood in a spectacle. Two of those people happened to be Shadow and Amy who had been sharing a slow dance. They parted the moment they heard Silver's voice.

Shadow stared in awe. "…What in the hell?"

Amy squinted to get a better look at the female in his clutches. She placed a hand on his right arm. "Shadow, what is he doing?"

"Not a clue," he whispered back.

Once he had complete silence, Silver continued. "Ladies and gentlemen, we appear to have an errand girl of Infinite in our presence." He smashed Lupe face first into the iron railing making her cry out.

"You'll regret this, Original!" she spat, bleeding from her mouth. Guests downstairs gasped in surprised by Silver's sporadic brutality.

Downstairs, Blaze also happened to watch in complete horror at her husband's actions. She placed a hand to her chest as she watched him treat the unknown female like mere scum. "Silver, what are you thinking?" she whispered to herself.

Upstairs, Lupe wiggled in his grasp to try to break free. "Let me go, you wretched vampire!"

Silver ignored Lupe's complaints and kept his eyes on the crowd while he held her down. "She's a disciple of the very darkness that threatens to devour our city, your loved ones, and mine."

Suddenly, Silver lifted Lupe by the throat and held her out over the edge of the balcony, allowing her to dangle precariously high above. Lupe kicked her feet out, trying to find solid ground beneath her. "Now, whether or not you despise us, my family will do everything in its power to remove this scourge from our city. I recommend you do the same, or else…" he foreshadowed. In an instant, Silver's free hand struck through Lupe's chest cavity, making a ghastly crack that all heard down below.

The crowd gasped and screamed in horror as they watched Silver pry Lupe's beating heart out of her chest. While he clutched her heart, he released his hold on her throat, allowing her body to fall down below. Lupe fell onto the hard concrete beneath her, making a sickening crack.

Shuddering from the horrific sight, Amy turned her back on the scene and covered her face with her hands and leaned on Shadow for support. Shadow wrapped an arm around his wife, consoling her over Silver's violent act. At another section of the party, Blaze covered her mouth with her hand and backed away from the sight.

Silver held up Lupe's once beating heart and allowed it to fall out of his hand and splat onto the ground below him. Many of the guests seemed extremely disturbed by the sight and began to leave the party.

•~•

Turning to head back inside the study, Silver was not surprised to see both Sally and Sonic in wait for him. Sonic grabbed Silver by the collar and pulled him close to his angered expression. "What the hell, man!?" he seethed through grit teeth. "Why'd you kill her, she was on our side!"

Silver remained unperturbed by Sonic's violent shaking. "Were you not listening? She was a follower of Infinite," he answered.

"That can't be right!" he bellowed. "She was the one who was trying to help me vanquish him from my body," he argued. "She was mistaken for her crimes!"

"Once again, you're wrong, hedgehog." Silver pried Sonic's hand off his expensive tux. "In actuality, she was coming for both you and Mighty," he pointed. "In fact, she was bargaining your life as a sacrifice for Infinite just minutes ago," he elaborated.

"What?" Sally gasped. "I-I can't believe it…"

He glared in her direction, irritated by her doubts about his word. "But it is," he shot back. "The only reason she was even here tonight was to take out your husband. She was stalking him tonight as food for her savior."

Sonic's countenance dwindled. "I just…I trusted her."

"I'm sorry for the sight you saw tonight. I didn't intend to have it go that way, but she gave me no other choice." He smoothed out the wrinkles in his tux. With that, he turned on his heel and left them to their thoughts.

•~•

After his conversation with Sonic and Sally, Mighty found Silver washing off his hands in one of the bathrooms downstairs. All the guests at the party had left, and there was trash all over the backyard and inside the house. "That was one hell of a show you put on, Silver…One hell of a show."

Silver turned off the faucet and turned to look at him, showing no signs of remorse or regret. "I did what I had to and you're quite welcome. After all, Lupe wanted you dead."

Mighty crossed his arms over his chest. "So, am I supposed to thank you?" he asked with a shrug.

"An alliance between you and I is essential. This enemy is a dark force. It can't be bargained or reasoned with. I don't bargain anymore and I'm done with reason," he argued, trying to get his point across.

"If that's what you believe will work, fine. Just a heads up though, I think you need to speak to your wife. She seemed pretty upset with your little show back there," he suggested before walking off.

•~•

Following his suggestion, Silver searched for his wife throughout the house. Eventually, he found her in his bedroom, along with Amy consoling her near their fireplace. "What's all this, then?" he questioned, staring at the strange scene presented before him.

"You really can't fathom why Amy's in here trying to calm me down after what I just saw?" Blaze snapped in irritation towards her husband.

Silver seemed rather taken aback from her reaction, he knew she'd be upset, but he had no idea she'd be this furious. She had seen him slaughter many people since they had been together. So what made her feel these emotions? "I don't understand," he mumbled, furrowing his brows together. "What's so different about this time?" he asked stepping further into the room.

"You looked like an absolute monster up there, that's what," she asserted. "That girl may have been an enemy, but there was no need to make some sort of sick show out of her exposure and death. It's something I'd never expect to see you do. You're better than that, Silver!"

Realizing this may be a conversation that the two would like to share in private, Amy awkwardly backed up. "Uh, I'm going to let you two talk this out on your own…" Quickly, Amy backed out of their bedroom and shut the door behind her.

Now in private, Silver vented his frustration. "Look, I thought you realized this before you married me, but I've always been a monster!"

Blaze shook her head, denying the possibility that he might be right. "No, you're wrong…"

"Perhaps in your lifetime I haven't always been, but long before you were even thought of existence, this is who I was. I tried to tell you that I was years ago after my mother exposed my true persona. Remember, I had wanted my darker self locked away behind that damn red door…"

Blaze bowed her head, trying to reason his decision to embrace the darker side she had thought he had put behind him. "I-I just don't understand why you're letting that version of yourself out now…I thought we had worked through putting that other side of you to rest."

"We did at one point, however, I brought this side out because of Faith," he began. "Faith looks up to Shadow as a role model, a protector, and as someone who can do no wrong in her eyes. Shadow has always been more monstrous in his lifetime than me, but he can no longer be that person in front of his daughter," he explained. "That's why I'm willing to be the monster he can no longer be, in order to keep her and the rest of us safe," he finished justifying.

Blaze crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. "You know I don't like this side of you, Silver," she scolded. "You truly believe this is what is needed to accomplish protecting our family?" she challenged.

He nodded confidently, staying stoic as she stood before him. "I do, Blaze."

Feeling her heart sink by his answer, her countenance dropped. Blaze ran a hand down her hair. "I have to be honest with you right now, because you are my husband, and we have shared all our secrets with each other throughout our relationship. However, I don't think you're going to enjoy hearing what I'm about to say."

Silver remained composed, swallowing the lump in his throat. He was prepared to hear some brutal honesty. "Go on then."

"You used to use violence only as a last resort—something you'd apply to protect your loved ones, the defenseless, or to defend yourself. Yes, perhaps that girl needed to die, however, I don't think it needed to be broadcasted to everyone attending our party. You lowered yourself to their level with your actions tonight. And to be honest, I'm quite terrified at the person I'm looking at right now," she finished; feeling tears well up in her eyes.

Silver felt his heart shatter at the moment. Never had he intended to frighten his wife or make her feel fearful of him, but this was something he knew, deep down, whether he liked it or not, that had to be done. "I'm sorry you feel that way," he replied softly. "But if you expect me to say I'll cease this type of behavior, you're mistaken. This is what I have to do now."

Once again, that was not what she wanted to hear. Right now, this was breaking her heart. Blaze wrapped her arms around herself and ambled slowly towards the other side of the room. "You know, I heard what you had considered doing the other night," Blaze mentioned, confusing Silver even more.

He watched as she walked over to her dresser and pulled out her pajamas for the night. "What exactly did you hear?" he questioned.

She gathered her clothes up into a pile in her arms, nestling them against her chest before turning to look at him. "I heard you considered killing those innocent children to stop the spell from hurting Faith."

There was no point in denying the claim. After all, it happened to be true, no matter how fucked up it sounded. "You're correct, I did consider it, and if it came down to it, I would have done it."

Blaze closed her eyes momentarily; blinking away the tears ready to pour from her eyes. From all the things she had heard Silver admit tonight, it absolutely disgusted her. She could feel her stomach churn just at the thought of Silver slaughtering children just to keep his family safe. "I can't do this anymore," she mumbled in a near whimper, trying to stifle her distress.

Silver's ears lowered, hearing his wife so crestfallen by his admittance. "…Blaze," he called out. Silver watched as she fled past him and towards their bedroom doors. "Where are you going?"

She rested her hand on the handle of their door. "To the guest bedroom. I don't think I can sleep in here tonight," she answered. With that, she opened the door and closed it behind her leaving Silver feeling devastated.

•~•

After their argument, Silver headed outside to see what his younger brother was up to. He spotted Shadow knelt down in the backyard, hovering over the bloodstain where Lupe's body had laid on the concrete. Shadow had a bucket of soapy Clorox water next to him, along with some gloves, and a hard brush to scrub away the stain.

Shoving his hands into his trouser pockets, he stopped just behind the ebony one. "Where's Lupe?"

Frowning, Shadow rose to his feet slowly from his crouched position. "Oh, I don't know?" he started off sarcastic, "Currently burning in a dumpster!" he screamed irately.

Scoffing, Silver turned his back on Shadow, knowing he was about to get an earful from his younger brother. He had already heard enough from Blaze and didn't need a revival. He sighed dully, "Here we go…"

Shadow marched up behind him. "I'm quite confused tonight with the events that played out," he started. "I was told to avoid bloodshed but suddenly you became the town executioner! What the hell were you thinking?"

"—Just let me handle this," Silver assured calmly.

Shadow crossed his arms over his chest. "And why exactly should I do that?"

His amber eyes bore into his ruby ones. "Faith," he answered simply.

Shadow shook his head. "You see…it's precisely because of her that I have to assert my involvement. So, brother, tell me what you've learned from this witch."

Silver picked up one of the abandoned glasses on one of the many party tables. "This thing wants to be reborn," Silver began. "This morning, Mighty said that whenever it resurfaces, it does so in four distinct locations. I can't tell why."

"—It's looking for something and I'm pretty sure we have one of them," another voice chimed in. The two brothers looked towards Amy who walked towards them.

"What do you mean?" Silver inquired.

"I just went to help clean up the study and found an empty box tossed on the floor. Whatever was inside is gone." She handed the antique looking box over to Shadow. "Any idea what was inside?"

Shadow blanched as he looked at the empty containment. "My mother, she had a necklace that she held very dear to her. It was made out of skeletal teeth…"

Amy made a wry face at the description. "Um, ew!" she shuddered.

Ignoring her disgust, Shadow dragged a hand over his face starting to form the pieces together. "We've seen this time and time again. When a witch wishes to be reborn, its remains are required to complete the spell. What if that necklace was the remains of Infinite..?"

"So, was Lupe's true purpose of attending this party to get to his remains?" Silver surmised.

"Who took it though?" Amy wondered. "Lupe is dead and we would have found it on her if she had successfully taken it."

Shadow sighed. "One of her moronic followers probably snuck in while Silver was holding court with Lupe. She definitely had this all planned out."

"But why is she after a hideous necklace made out of teeth," Silver inquired, still lost on where this was going.

"You told me earlier this morning that Infinite always tries to return in four different locations. Perhaps those locations are near the remains she needs in order to revive?" he speculated. "Remember, one of the locations was our home."

Amy's eyes widened in panic at the thought. "Then he's already got one-fourth of bones claimed. Where the hell are the other three?"

Shadow looked out into the darkness of the woods behind their house. "Good question."