A Day in the Life: Universe Centennials

by moofestgirl

it is about a crossed-over Child of the Sun who falls in love with Stanton. the Atrox wants to make her his bride. she desieves him and...well you'll figure out the rest on your own! (FINISHED) rated R for sexual content.

2. Whole Story

A Day in the Life: Universe Centennials By: Misty

Chapter 1 Moon Light Sins

Misty stood by Stanton, it was the first night of the New Moon, a time when Followers where out and on the prowl. She held her hand out in front of her, concentrating hard, then before her a blaze of fire appeared. She looked up to her lover, Stanton, then back to the fire and stepped into it, not burned but warmed by her own flames.

She lifted her face to the sky and spoke a prayer to the sun god Helios, "O father of the sun, I need thy guidance. Show thyself and let thou see thine fiery domain. Let thy speak thine words unspoken." The blaze roared around her, she shuddered wrapping her arms around herself and tucking her chin to her chest, her eyes closed tight.

"Thou may speak thine words unspoken my child. Open thine eyes and see thine face and thine fiery domain. Tell all thou needs to tell." A voice whispered to her. She opened her violet eyes to gaze upon a man. A man who's every being was fit to surpass the beauty of Zeus himself. His golden unicorn horn captured the flicker of fire around them, and his yellow hair curled neatly and handsomely around his face. "Speak thine words child." His voice soft, barely above a whisper, but she could hear him ever so clearly even with the crackling flames around them.

"Y-yes..." she stammered trying to find the words she studied night after night but instantly forgot.

"I know that thou ist in love with evil. Thine choice thou chooses ist thous, not thine." He said, in that same understanding loving whisper.

"Father...I don't want to make my choice...I want to stay with my love." She finally said, even though it wasn't the words she had practiced.

"And thou loves thine back?" he asked his fatherly concern for her showing plainly on his face.

"Yes, very much so." She looked away from him, staring at the blazing fire that was the sun gods heavenly domain.

"Alas thou must chooseth on thine own." He repeated and put his thumb under her chin and lifted her head up so he could see all the beauty in her flawless face.

"I want to stay with Stanton, I want to devote my life to the Atrox to be with my love..." she said quietly, gazing into his amber eyes, captivated by the flames dancing in them.

"Lecta..." he whispered against her cheek, feeling the silky whisper of the fiery wind on her cheek.

The fiery background started to swirl around her and Helios, finally disappearing with him leaving her standing in the original fire with an outstanding warmth and understanding. She stepped out, the warm blaze disappearing behind her. She walked up to Stanton and he wrapped his arms around her slender waist kissing her forehead softly. He turned them into a silhouette and skipped over the shadows to the beach where a band of Followers and Immortals would be waiting to start the ceremony.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Stanton and Misty reappeared on the beach; the salty wind whipped at her black and white plaid cheerleader style skirt, and her purple tinted hair and chilled her bare stomach and shoulders that was covered by nothing but a bra like tube top. She knew Selene, Goddess of the Moon, was mad at her brother Helios.

"Come, the Cold Fire awaits." Stanton said leading her toward the crowd of Followers and Immortals. She followed after him, leaving the print of her feminine knee-high, high-heel combat boots behind her in the frosted sand.

She stepped up to the edge of the fire, the rocks containing it where covered with frost. She moved her hand through it feeling the caressing coldness of the inferno, it hissed at the warmness of her body. She looked up at Stanton, who was on the other side of the fire looking back lovingly.

Someone behind her tapped her shoulder making her turn sharply, it was Tymmie, he held a box to her with the same design as her Sun Amulet that was given to her at birth. He opened the box, and she reached behind her neck and unclasped the necklace and placed it in the small gem stone covered box.

The sparks behind her scattered into the air like a thousand red butterflies, calling her back with the scream of a banshee. She turned around, and wrapped her arms around her stomach feeling her hideous scar that was slashed across her by her father when she was young, for the last time. She stepped into the fire the cold blaze covering and caressing her soul and body. The Followers and Immortals around her chanting "Lecta." She lifted her head to the sky as icicles covered the design Stanton gave her the first night they met. It was a bundle of grape vines that covered the right half of her body. The flames hissed and grew as it burned her mortality away. She loved the cold evil feeling that rushed though her spine, its touch across her back was arousing and soon she forgot where she was, lost in the whisper of the flames. Soon the inferno died down satisfied and fed. She opened her eyes and lowered her head to look at Stanton, her eyes tainted, filled with malice. She stepped out into his arms, she looked up at him with a loving evil inside her. But she was also filled with a hunger, a new hunger. She licked her lips feeling her new elongated canines, she was thirsty, and water wasn't going to satisfy it this time. The need for human blood soon filled her. She looked at Stanton even more hungry than she was, wondering what his blood would taste like trickling down her throat.

"You may have all you want once the Atrox has spoken..." he whispered to her sensing her hunger and making her very disappointed. He turned them into a shadow again and reappeared in the Atrox's lair in the Tartarus.

Chapter 2: Curse of the Shade

"Stanton..." a voice said, it was low and gurgly.

"Yes?" Stanton said, his voice becoming rough and unwanting but still sleek and captivating.

"You have brought the Daughter of Hekate, and Helios to our side. And she came without struggle..." he said his voice becoming more clear and seductive wrapping around her and filling the empty hollow space.

"I came of my own free will..." Misty said, half frustrated with the Atrox's rude comment. "I don't take orders..."

He ignored her and went on, "For this, both of you shall be rewarded..." they now saw his face clearly in the blinding darkness.

"Rewarded?" Stanton asked his confusion astounding.

"Yes..." he said matter of factly. Then a dozen or so hooded figures circled around them and a single spot of light shown on Misty and Stanton. "Stanton. Remove your shirt." It said, Stanton unbuttoned his black shirt and let it fall off his shoulders behind him revealing his sleek muscular upper torso, Misty waited for her order to take her already revealing tube top off. "I do not believe in insulting women...even on the dark side they are valued creatures..." he smiled evilly at her and a sigh of relief escaped her lips.

Then two people from the inner most circle stepped behind them, both wearing the Phoenix Crest, and also holding a metal pendent in their hands. They placed the pendants between their shoulder blades, the cold from the metal made a shiver go down Misty's spine, but Stanton stood, unfazed and still. The members now pressed the still cold pendants into their backs, making the skin around it bubble as it sank deeper and deeper until it disappeared beneath, the members stepped back into their spot in the circle. Then two more members came, both with the Azure Crest, they placed a hooded cloak over their shoulders, silk on the inside velvet on the outside, the hood was loose as the hem of it draped over their eyes only revealing their mouths. Then these members also stepped back onto their spot in the circle.

"Both of you known as Stanton and Misty, will now be known as Princess and Prince of the Night..." the Atrox said finally, he then disappeared along with the darkness and the Cincti, leaving Misty and Stanton in the heart of a layered circle of Followers and Immortals all on one knee.

"You, arise!" Misty shouted, not being able to control her hunger any longer. A young Follower right in front of her stood, "come closer..." He stepped in front of her; she licked her lips while cupping the young boys face. "You came to the Atrox because you thought you had no purpose, do you still feel the same way?" she asked, her mouth clearly shown in the dim light as she spoke softly to him.

"Yes." The boy said, there wasn't a hint of fear or nervousness in his voice.

"Would you like to have a purpose?" she asked another question, her hunger rising.

"Yes." He answered again suddenly feeling scared and the need to run filled him.

"Good..." Misty leaned forward and placed her lips against his neck, smelling his blood through his perfect skin. She opened her mouth and sank her canines into his jugular vein in his neck. His warm blood seeped into her mouth as he cried out in pain. The others around them watched astounded, wondering if they would be next. Some also watching Stanton's devilish smile.

When she was done she licked her lips slowly savoring the creamy taste of blood down her throat. She dropped him with a thud on the ground, turning to dust once he hit and she whipped at the blood at the corner of her mouth.

"Shall we..." she turned her head to Stanton, who was pleased with her effect on the others, and they both disappeared into the shadows of the New Moon.

Chapter 3: The Fire Still Glows

Misty and Stanton reappeared at the Dungeon in Downtown Hollywood. Word spreads fast in the land of shadows so everyone was waiting for them there to celebrate their exception into the Cincti. Everyone except the Initiates, Followers and Immortals who wanted out of the Atrox's evil hold.

They walked in; Misty still hungered for the taste of blood but holding it down with great difficulty. The small run down manufacturing building that was turned into a club for them, and it was unusually packed with Followers and Immortals from other countries. They came from France, Canada, Japan, Australia and many more places just to celebrate the crowning of the heirs to the Atrox's throne. If he would ever fall. The aura of evil that surrounded them quickly filled the room, notifying the others of their presence. Misty pulled Stanton to the middle of the floor to dance, the punk music pounded through her, shaking her insides.

"This is how you wanna spend your first day?" Stanton asked a little annoyed because he hated hanging around this place, "Wouldn't you rather hunt?"

"Hunt? For what?" Misty asked confused but half listening as she moved her hips against his sensually, the beat fast and it was hard to keep up.

"Initiates..." he replied his annoyance with her wanting to stay buried from sight.

"Can't we deal with them later?" she wined. "This place is packed with Followers who are conncidering on leaving the Atrox. Let them have one more night of fun. And plus we where just crowned, kick back have fun for once Stanton." She said changing the movement of her hips to mach the song and also changing the subject.

"But I can't help but feel that--" but he was cut off when she placed her finger over his lips.

"Then later...we'll have our own fun..." she teased him moving her finger and kissing him softly, surprised by the evil shock that passed through them.

He finally gave in and danced to. Around three o' clock AM the crowd of Followers and Immortals started growing in number, and the Dungeon became so tightly packed that no one could leave unless they could turn into a shade.

Misty looked up to Stanton and said to him using her mind powers, Stanton...lets go...I'm getting hungry again... he knew what she was talking about by hunger and they both turned into shades and left, meeting out side the Dungeon in the dingy light of the street lamps.

"Where would you like to feed?" he asked her, tracing over the design on her face.

"I'd like to take up your offer on hunting Initiates..." she said looking around for one but not sensing any.

"They are having a meeting tonight...in the park by the lake. They're going to try and conjure the Cold Fire and become mortal." He said returning her gaze to him, his blue eyes piercing and cold but to her they looked caring and love struck.

"Good I'm starved..." she moaned thankfully as they vanished into the shadows once more.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~*

They reached the lake at the park and easily spotted the Initiates because of the cold radiating from the fire. They immediately spotted Tymmie out of the bunch; he had been at Misty's Lecta and now had her Sun Amulet. She purposely made they bush they where hiding behind rustle to get his attention, it worked and he started walking straight towards them.

Misty dove into his mind and cleared it of everything and he fell to the ground his breaths cavernous and frothy. She crawled over to his half dead body and placed her lips on his neck like she did with the other young Follower. She smelled his blood through his unspoiled skin and sank her teeth into his jugular vein, savoring the taste of flesh and blood on her aching canines once more. She drank until he was nothing but a hollow shell of skin and bone. She sat up on her knees and his body turned to dust before her and whipped the blood from her lips on the back of her hand.

"That was nice..." she said almost hissing, and an evil grin on her face, eyeing the others very closely choosing her next prey. Watching their movements and listening carefully to their voices.

"Mist...why don't you go check up on your father?" Stanton said temptingly sensing her thoughts. She nodded, still not facing him and disappeared into the shadows leaving for her old house where she could feed off her no longer needed father.

Chapter 4: No More Than An After Glow

Misty reappeared in her bedroom, the blue-clouded walls and the yellow flower comforter no longer appealing to her. She was here to feed and nothing more. She knew her father would be home any moment to hurt her like he always did, but she was waiting for him too. She sat on the edge of her bed and waited like she usually did. About 5 minutes later her father walked in, cheeks flushed and half drunk, the way he usually appeared after partying. Misty lifted her head to him, grinning menacingly showing off her fangs.

"Don't be lookin' at me that way..." he warned, swaying dangerously while teetering on his heels.

"What makes you think I'm looking at your ugly ass?" she asked knowing how to push his buttons and obviously doing so.

"Feeling brave tonight are we?" he asked her, now steady and firmly planted on both feet.

"What makes you think that?" she asked, her grin becoming more menacing, while her need to feed was covered by her need for revenge on her life long enemy.

"You can't do anything to me...you need me..." he teased, not feeling the evil that radiated from her under the dark moon.

"I never needed you..." her anger rising for no reason, probably the anticipation of hurting him or possibly even killing him rising and starting to burst out, "I was only using you to get to my goal." She said calming down playing out her little game just so she could see the fear in his eyes when she burned him to death

"Your goal?" he almost laughed, "You where just here to get me more money...you never had a purpose or a goal!"

"Ah...but that's where you're wrong...at first I was a Daughter of Hekate, and Helios my goal and purpose was to defeat the Atrox. Now I'm the heir and daughter to the Atrox, and my goal and purpose is to defeat the sons and daughters of the ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses of Mount Olympus. You're just a minor obstacle..." she stood and slowly walked toward him wondering how he would react to her intrusion.

"You can't hurt me..." he said, Misty could sense his fear already and thought now was the perfect time to strike.

"But I can...and it will be most painful..." her grin turning into an evil smile as she stepped every so close to his now trembling body. "You see, when I joined the Atrox I got new powers while keeping my old ones. So, how would you like to die? Burned? Frozen? Captured in your own mind? There are endless possibilities..."

She loved the fact that her father was now terrified, his eyes where wide and fake smile fading into a frown. But his fear of her couldn't satisfy her need to hurt him severely.

"This is to good!" she yelled still walking toward him. Her hand was in a fist and a fireball quickly formed around it warming every aspect of her soul, "Guess you're going to die by flame?" she sighed and punched him straight in the chest. Not only was the impact of her punch strong, but the flames on her hand engulfed him and seared his skin and muscle and bone. She smiled half at her newfound freedom, both with evil and with out her posing father. The other half was happy just to watch her father's screams shatter the stillness of everything around them

"So I guess you weren't hungry after all?" she heard Stanton say as he appeared behind her, smiling at her short-lived revenge and ever lasting freedom.

"It started out that way..." she smiled and smoothed her hands up his chest and around his neck loving the sleek ripple of his strong muscles under her small hands.

He wrapped his arms around her waist. He leaned forward, their lips inches apart breath mixing, he leaned forward and kissed her. His tongue tracing over her lips and savoring the taste of her mouth. Stanton pulled back, a sly grin on his face.

"Your lips are like--" she stopped him by placing a finger on his lips.

"Like poison...I know. To any one but you..." she smiled and kissed him again, loving the shiver down her spine and the tingle from the poison on her lips.

Chapter 5: Confessions Of An Insane Mind

"Why'd you come?" Misty asked Stanton still clinging to him taking in the warmness of his body.

"The Atrox wanted to see you again..." he said holding her close as if someone wanted to steal her from him.

"Why me?" she asked wondering if she had already done something wrong, and worried that it might be worse.

"The Atrox thinks in mysterious ways..." Stanton said kissing her one last time loving the taste of her and letting his lips loiter.

She stepped back from him and departed in to the dreariness the moonless night cast across her bedroom.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"You asked to speak to me?" Misty asked into the gloom of the Tartarus trying to hide her anxiety of what thing she could have done to displease him so soon, but failing miserably, her hooded cape back on her shoulders.

"Don't be so nervous my child..." the Atrox's sultry voice came from the black abyss. He stepped forward reaching under her hooded cape cupping her cheek with one hand.

"What did you want me for?" she asked daringly still not believing she had done anything wrong.

"Because I to love you..." it confessed, caressing her cheek his hollow eyes gazing into hers.

A shocked expression came over her face, half flattered and half scared that he might try something. Her body was trembling, and nothing in the world would be calm enough to stop it. He stepped closer so that she could feel the cold and evil that radiated from his body. The Atrox moved a hand around her waist, she was so nervous now she was afraid he could hear her heart pounding in her chest. He leaned forward, and she knew what exactly he was going to do next. She had to think of something to say back to him and fast before she regretted letting him touch her like that.

"I-I love you to...but as a father figure...not as a lover..." she whispered shaking her head.

He stopped leaning forward and glared at her, his compassion for her turning into complete hate and remorse toward Stanton. "Then..." he said finally, "he shall be removed from the picture..."

"But I--" she was silenced by his finger covering her lips.

"Removed..." was the last thing he said then disappeared back into the black solitude of the Tartarus. Her image also becoming nebulous and finally forming into a shadow. And I'll be sending people from the Cincti to destroy him... he said across her mind. If I can't have you no one will...

Chapter 6: Sub-Rosa ((Latin for 'in-rose' meaning a well kept secret))

Misty resurfaced near Stanton, who was still in her room, a look of complete terror on her face.

"What happened? What did he say?" Stanton asked holding her shoulders comfortingly.

"He's...the Atrox is going to try and kill you..." her eyes gleamed from her tears building up, she buried her face in his muscular chest, and digging her nails into his forearm. "And he's sending people in the Cincti to do it..."

"Why?" he asked whispering against the top of her head, one of his hands on the small of her back, the other caressing her lilac tinted hair lovingly.

"Cuz he loves me to..." she sniffed finally starting to cry on him. "He told me in my mind that if he couldn't have me...no one would..." she said between sobs.

"I'll just go to him--" Stanton started saying.

"No you can't...he'll just kill you there..." she said pulling away but still holding on to his arms. Her mascara was running down her cheeks and her lip was quivering.

"I'll resolve this there." His empty but loving eyes looking back at her.

"No!" she yelled starting to cry and pushing her face into his chest again. "I won't let you go to the Tartarus...not unless I go with you..."

"Wouldn't it be--" he stopped because she had pulled away again and looked up to him with all her love and care for him, begging him not to go, "You win...I won't go..." he said finally, holding her tight against him.

"And I'm not leaving you alone...so we're sleeping here tonight..." she said, "Now turn around so I can change..."

He did so and she changed into her black pajama pants that had little penguins on them and a tank top to match that had a penguin on it that said, 'one by one the penguins steal my sanity' and she got into her twin bed. Stanton got in with her but with all of his cloths on, he wrapped his arms around her relaxingly and kissed the top of her head.

"Promise you won't leave?" she asked looking up toward him.

"Promise..." he said looking down at her.

"Good..." she said and soon fell asleep on him.

Chapter 7: The Stranger

Misty woke the next night around nine o' clock PM she hurt from the long day before and couldn't quite place what had happened until she noticed Stanton wasn't next to her. She listened closely to everything around her and watched the shadows for any unusual movement. Then she heard two voices coming from down stairs, one was Stanton's, the other couldn't be placed with any face she had seen. She got up quietly and crept down the blue- carpeted stairs to get a closer look.

"I have orders from the Atrox..." the unknown voice said, sounding very irritated like he had been trying for countless hours.

"You'll never take me!" Stanton yelled back.

"I don't plan on--" he stopped in mid sentence when the stairs creaked. He looked up seeing Misty's foot where the stairs met the upstairs floor. "There's the lovely princess now..." the person smiled as she realized he had spotted her and finished walking down the stairs and stood next to Stanton.

"What are you doing?!" Misty yelled, surprised that the Atrox sent someone so soon.

"Well what does it look like I'm doing?" he asked, a smirk on his face.

"If you're taking him you're taking me..." Misty said back, not wanting to leave Stanton alone with the Atrox fearing for his life.

"That was the second part of the plan..." he said smoothly, enjoying the moment.

Misty glared at him, trying to penetrate his mind so they could get away but his mind was blocked.

"This will go nicely and Stanton might not get hurt if both of you come without a fight..." he said wanting them to attack.

"Head mistakes versus heart mistakes..." Misty said walking toward the man in the Cincti, her heart full of regret for her choice but she didn't want to risk loosing Stanton. The man smiled not anticipating this and waited for Stanton.

"Common Stanton...you wouldn't want her to get hurt now would you?" he said taking one of her hands and gently placing it against his lips.

Stanton stood there, and Misty looked back at him longingly.

"Then we use force..." the man said and two other Cincti members appeared and grabbed Stanton's arms by the elbow and the wrist. Misty tried wrenching her hand from the person holding her but another appeared and grabbed her other arm. They all disappeared to the Tartarus.

Chapter 8: Hope Is Such A Waste

They reappeared in the Tartarus; Misty's hair was tangled from trying to free herself from their grip. Stanton and the men holding him appeared a few feet back.

"Let him go you basterd! Let Stanton go!" she cried over and over trying to free herself from the men's strong grip.

"Calm down love..." the Atrox spoke softly as he walked up to her in the dingy black abyss.

"Not until you let Stanton go!" she yelled again. "Just let him go..." she mumbled falling to her knees, weak and crying, her arms still being held in the air by the two men.

"I can easily kill Stanton you know?" the Atrox said bending her heart to his will.

"You can't he's an Immortal..." she mumbled again lying to herself, knowing what he said was true.

"But he's not immortal to attacks from me or the other members of the Cincti..." he said almost laughing.

"I'm not being your bitch if that's what you're implying..." she said shifting her violet eyes up toward him, his beauty stunning and she couldn't take her eyes off of him.

Oh father sun...she thought trying to seek guidance with the God of the Sun, thinking the Atrox wouldn't know.

"Calling Helios won't do you any good...you belong to me now..." he said, knowing that to was a lie, but said it anyway hoping she would give up.

"A father never deserts his daughter..." she spat at him and started again aloud. "Oh father sun, show thine self to thee. Let thou see thine fiery domain, and gaze at thine face once more. Let thou speak thine words not spoken..." the Cincti and Atrox laughed at her attempt but suddenly stopped when a fiery rush of wind formed around them, taking Misty's soul to Helios's palace on the sun.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"Speak thine words once more child..." was the first thing Helios said his voice mixing with the warmth of the fire and setting her cold soul ablaze with warmth.

"The Atrox wants to kill my love..." she spoke softly to him.

"Deceit and lies must often be used child to achieve thine goals..." he said, his sultry voice wrapping around her, caressing her every being.

"But the Atrox can see my lies...and tell if I deceive him..." she said looking into his amber eyes, captivated and lost in their caring for her.

"But the Atrox also trusts thee..." he said, "Go child, do thine duty and save thine love..." he didn't give her time to reply before the fire started swirling and wrapped around him leaving her back in the Tartarus.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"And what did the almighty Helios say?" the Atrox asked teasingly.

"Love is dense...it ways down the soul." She lied to his face, "He said I shouldn't love either...but I should also follow my heart..." She said, amused by how easily the Atrox was confused.

"Your words make no sense girl..." he said standing obviously frustrated.

"My point exactly..." she grinned sensing his hatred for multiple meaning words.

The Atrox glared at her also sensing her likeness to confuse those she doesn't like very much. "So you don't like me?" he asked, a fake whimper in his eyes.

"What ever gave you that idea?" her grin broadened as she shook her head.

"This is some kind of trick to confuse me..." he asked uncertain of his answer.

"So close and yet so far..." she said wondering if this could one day be some kind of torture for the Initiates that where caught and not killed.

"I love a woman who knows her opponents mind..." he said sharing his desirable fetish.

"Only all to well...only all to well..." she spoke soft, leading him further and further into her deception.

Goddamn he's been living in the past to long...but his minds to shrouded by his love for me to see my true intentions. I must get Stanton out of here...so he can have his way and I mine... her thought of having ways made he shutter, and didn't want to think what kind of evil fetishes he hadn't filled in the millions of years he's been imprisoned.

"Phoenix...release Stanton...for the time being..." he smiled as the two Cincti members holding Stanton dropped his hands by his sides and without a second glance Stanton had already dissolved, gone to find Dicyple for help.

"What about me?" Misty asked, her arms aching from the lack of blood circulation.

The Atrox nodded and the Azure Cincti members holding Misty dropped her arms and disappeared with the other two members. She brought her hands in front of her rubbing her wrists to get the blood back to them. She stood and looked at him her terror for him replaced by her fake need for him.

The Atrox looked at her, disgusted in her choice of clothing and with a wave of his hand changed her penguin pajamas into a long silk black spaghetti strap dress that clunk perfectly to her body, commenting every curve. "Fit for a queen..." he smiled at his unique but old sense of fashion.

"You know I have no desire to stay with you..." she said wanting to leave the haunting darkness of the Tartarus.

He stepped closer to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her softly, "I know that..." he said one hand stroking the small of her back the other up on her shoulder. His fingers running along her spine was arousing and he could tell by the way she moved to get out of it, but he held her tighter.

"A mans strength is judged by how tightly he holds on to his woman..." she smiled confusing him yet again, a sultry deceiving smile on her face as she got lost in his cold black eyes. "And you..." she started again, "aren't very strong at all..."

"You don't even know...I almost put an end to Lucifur himself..." he said his words wrapping around her, smooth against her skin and hatful against her heart.

"But that's the point..." she said with a sweet innocent smile that seemed to please him too much, "you almost killed him...Lucifur still lives..."

"But you see it's his fault for leaving me there half dead...or he wouldn't have almost died himself..." he said going to kiss her again to stop the horrible talk of his past.

She pushed him away from her but he still held tight to her waist, "Going back to the point of this meeting...I have hope in mine and Stanton's love for each other...and I don't plan on changing my view...not even I where to be sentenced to death by the almighty Atrox himself...my love for Stanton shall stand and I shall not waver..." she said disgusted in him, she pulled from his grip stepping into the black abyss yet again.

But before she disappeared into the shadows the Atrox spoke once more, "Hope it a waste child...let it go..."

Chapter 9: Itsumo Anata ((Always You in Japanese))

Misty reappeared at her house, the silky black dress still on her sleek figure. She sat down on her bed suddenly aware of her promise to Stanton that was now broken. How could she? How could she just sit there deceiving the Atrox as she did and not once think of Stanton?

"Sub-Rosa..." She said aloud to herself, "Latin for 'in-rose' meaning a well kept secret..." the words stung the back of her throat like a hellish sin that even the darkest person or thing would call unforgivable.

She laid down on her bed bending her knees, covering her eyes with the back of her right hand and her left lay at her side. She had forgotten she needed to feed often to sustain her unearthly need for blood. But she didn't want to disgrace her mouth with a gift the Atrox let her taste. She'd rather die a thousand deaths than give the Atrox that kind of pleasure, but her canines pounded with pain and she had to have something to drink. So without thinking she brought her hand that was over her eyes to her mouth and bit into her wrist. Digging her canines into her own flesh, feeling the pain she had already set on two others, hating herself for feeding on her own blood. She pulled her fangs out, her mouth covered in blood, and before her eyes her wound healed with a painful shock to her nerves.

She sat up, using her arms for support, and looked out her window. The moon still hidden in the shadows, she looked up to where it would be hanging. "Hekate...guide my love sick heart..." she whispered then laid back down. Her eyelids heavy and her head throbbing.

"Mist...long time no see..." she heard a voice in the darkness of her room. She sat up and looked around, her vision not adjusting well to the dark.

"Who's there?" she said aloud. Not fearing what ever lingered in the dark, knowing her power could surpass it.

"Dicyple..." the voice said slinking through the dark to her, filling her body with the same feeling she got when with Stanton.

"D-Dicyple?" she stuttered not being able to believe her ears. "What do you want?" she spoke again, her voice now stiff.

"Somewhere to hang..." he said lying.

"You're a horrible liar..." she said standing, "What did you really come for?" she crossed her arms on her chest.

"I heard about your dilemma...Stanton told me..." he spoke soft as if treading on cracking ice.

"It's not a 'dilemma'..." she spoke in an undertone now, her voice low and barely audible. "Where is Stanton?" she asked wanting desperately to know.

"That's top secret..." Dicyple said loving the tease.

"Stanton is currently being looked for by the Atrox...to be destroyed because the Atrox loves me..." she said sighing and laying back down on her bed. Her head was now hurting more that it was. "Just go..." she said placing her right hand over her eyes again.

"He wants to see you..." Dicyple said going on, not obeying his princess.

She sat up on her elbows again. "Where is he?" she said with a sense of urgency in her voice she couldn't hide.

Dicyple grinned, "One kiss and I promise I'll take you before the Atrox finds him..." he placed a bargain.

"You gotta be shitting me!?" she said not surprised by Dicyple's remark. She shoved into his mind without warning; he was now too weak to hold back her attack. She plunged through his mind as fast as her psyche would take her until she found where Stanton was in the middle of a cluster of other important thoughts.

Thanks...she said across Dicyple's mind. She pulled back out of his mind grinning. "It's a cures to be powerful..." she said as a blush rose over Dicyple's face.

"Then can I at least have a kiss?" he begged, his hollow eyes glimmering with his vein love for her.

"One and that's all." She scolded him. "But it's a thank you for showing me where Stanton is...got it? I still don't love you..." she said and he nodded as he sat down on her bed.

"One kiss...promise..." he said to her. He leaned over her and cupped her head gingerly gazing into her deep violet eyes savoring his only kiss with her. He leaned down on her placing his lips on hers. He took in every bit of her he could not wanting his only kiss with her be for nothing. He broke the kiss, licking her lips one last time, surprised she let him have her for his moment.

I still love you, you know that? He said softly across her girlish mind.

I've known that for a long time... she said back in the same soft whisper.

And you know if Stanton ever hurts you, you can come to me? He said.

I will... she promised. "Wait..." she said aloud, sitting up and ruining his moment. "You should be...I totally for got...but you'd be...dead...by now. The poison is supposed to have an instant effect on anyone I kiss..." she gasped, not wanting to believe the thought that crossed her mind.

"What?" he asked. "What's wrong Mist?"

"It kills instantly whom ever I do not love...but those I do love, deeply, and truthfully, with all my heart will be caressed by the poison and their life spared..." she couldn't believe it. She was also in love with Dicyple, how could it be? She couldn't stand the way he followed her around trying to cross her over, or when he cornered her in Planet Bang trying to win her love.

"That means I'm the second choice..." he said a sound of triumph in his voice.

There is no second choice! She snapped across his mind and disappeared into the shadows, not giving hers time to melt in causing a painful jolt of electricity run through her body. She left to find Stanton hating her self for not telling Stanton her ignored hidden love for Dicyple. She had always wanted to kiss him, to feel his full lips on hers and his hand caressing her back, but always denied herself that she really did love him deep down, knowing if Stanton hadn't entered her life she'd be saving him not Stanton. She shoved the thoughts of him from her mind hating her deception toward her real true love.

Stanton is my real love...she said to herself following the path to where Stanton was that she found in Dicyple's mind. Dicyple's just...he's just in the way! She scolded herself for disgracing her love for Stanton. Knowing that only he could satisfy her lust.

Misty looked across the cement floor to her lover. She hated the way her doubt showed so clearly on her skin and radiated from her hollow violet eyes. Her purple stained drum set still stood in the far right corner, the hinges where rusted and stuck, and the chrome plating on the stands didn't glimmer like they used to. Also, close to her drum set, sat her old desk, with papers, pens, and pencils with half written songs and half conjured thoughts from when she was in her old band. All the way across the old, small manufacturing building was her mini ramps on which she used to skate board with her Element deck and neon pink wheels. She suddenly longed for the feel of her Vans gripping the grip-paper on her deck, but her focus was returned back to Stanton when he spoke.

"Mist...your plan...what where you thinking?" he spoke, she could sense his longing to hold her close start to fade.

"Helios said lies and deception will let you...no...us live through this..." she said wrapping her arms around herself and could feel the fierce build up of hot tears in her eyes.

"Crying only makes things worse Mist...you know that." Stanton said his voice becoming harsh and cold like it had before he fell in love with Misty, his fierce blue eyes like blazing ice, cold with hatred of the whole world locked inside.

"I-I know S-Stanton..." her tears where caught in her throat preventing her from speaking clearly.

"Then why didn't you tell me?" his voice becoming harsher still.

"Stop it...just stop..." her voice calming as her tears streamed freely down her cheeks, her voice no longer caught in her throat. "You know I love you and only you Stanton...I kept it from you then with the intent of telling you later, because you know if I told you then the Atrox would have found out and killed you for sure..."

Stanton looked at her, softness returning to his clear blue eyes, he stepped forward until he was only two feet away from her. He reached his arm out to her wanting to puller close but when he did she stepped back.

"You wouldn't trust me once...what makes you think I might not ever trust you?" she snarled through her teeth, her purple eyes becoming so dark they looked black.

"Because Misty Phoenix dear...I know your mind to well and you know mine just to..." Stanton said as kindly as he could.

She looked at him, her eyes still cold and hard but knowing he was right. She lifted her heard toward him figuring this might be the last time they meet. "You're right Stanton..." she confessed, but taking all her effort to do so because she hated to admit she was wrong. "And plus I figure this might be that last time we meet..."

"Good..." Stanton said as he stepped forward again this time wrapping an arm around her waist, feeling the silk on the black dress, the other cupping her face tenderly. "I don't like being mad at you..."

"I would have told you sooner but I couldn't sense you anywhere after I left the Tartarus..." her eyes shifted over his angular face remembering it for maybe the last time.

"So we're cool then?" he asked her.

"Yeah we're cool..." she grinned at his ocward terminology.

"Good..." he said then kissed her softly then disappearing into the dimly lit place so the Atrox couldn't pin point his location.

Chapter 10: Innocent Mind

Once Stanton disappeared she tried to turn into a shadow but couldn't. She was stuck, stuck in the musty old radiator smell of the small manufacturing building that she used to practice on her drums in. Then the Atrox appeared behind her, his aura so evil that it caused her thoughts to scatter throughout her mind.

"Hello love..." the Atrox said, his voice crept up behind her.

Misty turned and looked at him, the black dress curled around her, she hid her fear deep inside her. "Hello..." she said back to him as sweetly as she could, but it was still cold, teasing him.

"I won't fall for that again..." he said, "Your deceptions cannot fool me..." his smile almost to evil for him.

"I'm not deceiving you..." she smiled, walking slowly towards him, her arms dangling at her sides.

"You're not very good at hiding things..." he looked down at her as she stopped in front of him.

"Or maybe that was my lie?" she teased him, her fangs glistening as she grinned at him.

"Maybe it was...maybe it wasn't..." one hand was caressing her cheek the other was on the small of her back.

The Atrox leaned down to kiss her, their lips only inches apart when Misty said, "O but I was..." she pushed her lips against his. Her poison lips tingled and she could feel his need for her. She tried to pull back, thinking of Stanton made her stomach turn, but when she tried to pull more memories of him forward she noticed there weren't that many. The more she thought about him the more she noticed that they where disappearing, being erased from her mind. She smoothed her hands to his shoulders forgetting she ever knew a man named Stanton and her mind was totally focused on the Atrox.

Then another evil presence from a Phoenix Cincti member appeared in the room. The Atrox broke the kiss and looked over her to the man dressed in a black hooded cloak, but he still held tight to Misty's waist. Misty moaned as some of her memories of Stanton came flooding back into her mind with a painful mental jolt.

"My lord...I bring good news..." the Cincti member said, his yellow eyes glowing from under his cloak.

"Yes..." The Atrox said annoyed at the sight of him.

"Stanton has been located...and captured my lord..." The hooded figure said, Misty's eyes shifted up toward the Atrox and back to the Cincti member, fear in her eyes as she clutched his shoulders tight.

The Atrox grinned evilly sensing her fear for Stanton. "Tell me..." he said.

The member motioned towards Misty, wondering if he should say it in front of her.

"Tell us..." He corrected himself, as he stared back at her, malice in his eyes.

Misty looked at the Cincti member. She wanted to know where Stanton was. He couldn't have been captured, she had just seen him, and she would have sensed any Cincti member that went after him.

"Now!" the Atrox yelled getting impatient.

"He's waiting in the Tartarus..." the member said then disappeared.

"Come my love..." the Atrox said, thinking he had whipped her mind of every memory of Stanton.

"Yes..." she said sensing his thoughts and trying to kiss him again but he pushed her back.

"Later..." he smiled at her desire reading her disappointment as they disappeared to the Tartarus.

Chapter 11: Lunar Bondage

In the Tartarus Misty saw Stanton with one arm chained to one poll, and the other chained to another poll parallel to it. His shirt was torn from his struggle to get out, and his body bleeding from the beating he received on his way there.

"Where did you find him?" the Atrox asked when he saw him.

"We found him in the past my lord, and we captured two males who seemed to be helping him..." one member said as two other members brought in the two males.

"I'm no't a guy!" one of the people said, it had a girlish British accent and they where both dressed like pirates. "I'm a gurl!" she screamed again.

"And if you're a girl...what is your name?" the Atrox asked.

"Arias A. Turner." She said stopping her struggle so Misty could notice she had golden brown eyes and beach blond hair with tan skin.

"And he would be?" the Atrox motioned towards the other person.

"He's my brother...A. Blake Turner..." she motioned towards a boy with an angular face, tan skin, emerald green eyes and dirty blond hair that was pulled into a pony tail. He also had a British accent.

"We're pirates and we don' take to kindly to bein' kidnapped." Blake said, his green eyes angry.

"And your ship would be called?" the Atrox teased.

"The Dragon Mist..." Blake spat at him.

"Love..." Misty looked up at the Atrox, he was holding her with one arm and she was half turned around with both hands on his chest. "If you're going to do away with them can I talk to them one last time?" she looked at him lovingly, "Stanton to?"

"You can have him for thirty minutes...then we'll take up where we left off..." he smiled at her and she smiled back. He left, turning into a shade along with the other members of the Cincti that held Arial and Blake and the Tartarus, leaving Misty in the place where she used to practice.

Stanton fell from the chains that held him and they to disappeared leaving him on the cold cement floor. Misty ran to Stanton, kneeling down on her knees and caressed his bruised face with her soft hands.

"What did he mean 'take up where we left off'?" Stanton moaned his wounds filled with blood.

"I-I'm going to-to let the Atrox have me..." she started crying, Stanton lifted an aching hand to her and caught a tear.

"Let him...I still love you, and if he erases anything-everything-I'll restore it..." his voice low and could hardly be heard; he put the hand that caught her tear over her cheek. She brought her hands up to her face, holding his hand there letting it catch more tears.

"We've he'rd your pains Madam, and we woold like to know if we coold be of an'a 'elp?" Blake's soft British accent said to her, she turned her head to him.

"I thought pirates were ruthless scoundrels?" her dried tears still on her face and her eyes where red and puffy.

"I'm Cap'ain Blake Turner..." he said smoothly and sort of jokingly, "I dooses wha' I pleases..." he smiled.

"Would you stay with Stanton and make sure his wounds heal?" Misty asked.

"Woold?" Blake's sister Arias said, "Whadda me'n 'woold'? Of coarse we wi'w!" she smiled at Misty.

Stanton sat up with great difficulty taking the hand that was on Misty's cheek down. Misty refused to let him sit up so she pushed him back down.

"If you're not going to let me sit up to kiss you, come down here..." Stanton motioned for her to bend down to him. She cupped his face and he wrapped his arms around her back and they kissed maybe for the last time until this whole thing was over.

"I love you Stanton..." she said before she left.

"I love you to..." Stanton said, he had never confessed it to her, he had always said he 'more than liked her' but now sense they might not ever meet again, the truth comes out.

She smiled at him then looked up to Blake, "Take care of him..." Blake and Arial nodded then Misty disappeared back to the Tartarus.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"I'm back love..." she called into the darkness.

"Pick a scenery..." was the first thing he said as he appeared in front of her, his arms already wrapped around her and ready to go further.

"The park in LA at night...by the lake..." moving her hands up his chest. "And love..."

"Yes?" he asked her his voice carving her.

"As my request for becoming yours...could you...let Stanton live?" she asked.

"Last request for becoming mine...?" he thought, "Yes I'll leave him be..."

She looked at him doubtfully, "I swear it...and as my request to you..." he copied.

"Yes?" she asked him the same.

"Could I change those vines on your body?" he asked kissing her neck.

"M-my vines?" she asked, "I love these vines..." she protested.

"Then we'll just change them..." he said and the vines came together forming a snake on her arm then it slithered up her body and stopped under her right eye and followed the curve of her cheekbone to her ear then went down her neck and in between her breasts. "That's much better..." he smiled as the scenery around them changed from dark and damp to soft and calming. They where in the park in LA near the lake no longer standing but laying on the lush green grass that covered the park.

He continued to kiss her neck while moving the straps to the dress she still had on down her shoulders, he tugged at the now loose dress and pulled it down to her hips, revealing her chest to him. He pulled the dress all the way over her hips and down her thigh. The Atrox then removed his black hooded cloak.

He kissed her and she felt a painful jolt in her mind, forgetting she ever had grape vines that covered her body and that she always had the snake going down her chest. He kissed her again and her last memory of Stanton in the manufacturing building disappeared. Misty's breath now came in short gasps as the Atrox began to slowly thrust his lower body into hers. The Atrox's kisses slowly moved down her neck as his thrusts quickened as more and more of Misty's memories of Stanton left her mind.

She dug her nails into the Atrox's shoulders as he whispered across her mind, relax...it will all be over soon... she didn't know if the pleasure or the mind splitting pain in her head would be over, but she relaxed anyway, letting the pleasure over whelm her. All the while her last memories of Stanton became nothing but blurs and disappeared.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"Blake..." Arias's soft accent echoed across the empty small manufacturing building.

"Yes Arias?" Blake said like a proper gentleman rather than a bloodthirsty pirate.

"We're no't in Brita'n anymore are we?" she looked up at the cross beams above her that held the roof up.

"No I thank no' Arias..." He said, sitting next to Stanton his legs crossed.

"You're not even in the same time period..." Stanton mumbled, "This is he twenty-first century..."

"Well tha's a big difference ain't e'it?" Blake smiled at Stanton trying to lighten the mood.

"Wha's the storay?" Arias asked walking around the square building.

"I turned Misty over to the Atrox a few days ago, we had been in love for three years until her Lecta ceremony when she got her immortality and we didn't have to hide our love any more. But the Atrox was in love with her and wants to kill me so he can have her..." Stanton said closing his eyes and going back to the past. "And now..." he was on the verge of tears, but he held them back not wanting to look weak, "She's giving her body to him to save our love..."

"Man tha's dea'p..." Blake said, not quite sure on what to say afraid his mouth might get him into trouble. "Wha's the Atrox an'a way?"

"The Atrox is a shadow of the night, he can shape shift, turn into a shade, read minds, erase emotions, and thoughts as well as many more things..." Stanton said, "He almost lead Lucifer to his down fall in and epic battle between Followers of the Atrox and Demons from Lucifer. Lucifer, deciding to take pity on an old friend left him on the holy battle field half dead, only to almost die him self, after thousands of years when the Atrox was back at full strength. The Atrox was then imprisoned in a box that the God Mercury carried on his back. He stopped in the land where Pandora and her husband Epimetheus lived without a care in the world. Mercury left the box there thinking it was in good hands while he went to get help to carry the box to Mt. Olympus, but Pandora was so intrigued by the box that she opened it and released the Atrox into the world. The last thing to leave the box was Hope, Selene's young daughters. Selene's brother saw her struggle and sent his only daughter and his three sons to help his sister. To this day the Atrox is still building up a massive army of Followers and Immortals to take over the land of light and cover it in hate. And every seventeen years four new Daughters of the Moon are born and one year after that the three sons of Helios and his only daughter are reborn too, and this cycle goes on until one wins..." Stanton finished his epic tale and looked up to Arias who was now standing above him, and Blake who looked astounded.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Then with one last thrust the Atrox released a warm liquid into Misty's body as she to felt a sharp pain there and secreted her own sticky liquid. Misty now lay under him motionless and he lay on top of her just as still.

"Misty...love...go check on Stanton, and those other people..." he told her kissing her neck softly, following the curve of the snake.

"Awww..." she wined, "Now?" her arms curled through his long black hair that was thigh length and had never been seen by anyone until now. It was soft and silky as it intertwined through her fingers.

"Yes now..." he smiled at her not wanting her to stop caressing his hair but afraid that Stanton might be plotting against him.

"Do you think...I could eat something?" she asked tucking his hair behind his ear as he kissed her.

"Eat..." he said moving his hair to the left side of his neck leaving the right side exposed to her fangs. Misty leaned forward not sure if she should, "Go ahead..." he tempted her.

She sank her fangs in the Atrox's neck, she pulled back with a start and whipped at her mouth and then looked up at him astounded. "It's...black...?"

"Would you prefer red?" he asked.

She nodded, "Yes..."

"That girl...Ariel..." he said thinking of Arias's name.

"It's Arias love..." she corrected him.

"Well...have her...she's linked to me in a way...lost tie I think?" he said.

She nodded and licked the black blood off of her teeth then disappeared to where Arias was. She appeared there, her black hooded cloak on her shoulders, covering her naked body. She walked towards Arias and backed her into a corner. Arias fell to the ground and backed her self farther into the corner even though she couldn't. Arias held up a cross that was around her neck to Misty.

"Crosses don't work..." Misty said grinning, she bent down and bit into Arias's neck taking all the blood she wanted. When Misty was done she disappeared back to the Atrox, he was still laying on his stomach waiting for her. She appeared back under him.

"Stanton's doing fine..." she said licking her lips again.

"You didn't even look to see if he was still there..." the Atrox said jokingly.

"You know me to well..." she smiled sweetly, a red tint to her teeth from the blood.

The Atrox kissed her tasting the rest of the blood in her mouth, "And you know nothing about me..." he smiled at her.

"I don't do I?" she said wanting to peek into his evil mind.

"No peeking..." he teased her more.

She looked at him a slight pout in her eyes. "But love..."

"Some things would taint your mind to much...and we don't want that now do we?" he said petting her hair.

Chapter 12: A Life Remembered A Memory Unwanted

"Wha' was tha' all about?" Arias asked.

"You should be dead...that's all I know..." Stanton was now leaning against a wall.

"Dead?" Arias asked. "You mean she's a vampi'a?"

"If that's what you want to call it sure...she's a vampire..." Stanton said, his wounds had finally stopped bleeding.

"We'w tha's wha' we call 'em in Brita'n..." Blake said to him.

"Well you're not hurt are you?" Stanton asked concerned.

"Na...i' kinda tickled..." Arias said rubbing her neck.

"Tickled?" Stanton asked confused.

"Yeah ya know when ya laugh...'haha!'?" she said trying to jog his memory.

"I'm not stupid..." Stanton glared at her.

"You look et..." she stuck her tongue out at him.

"If I wasn't in pain right now I'd beat you..." Stanton moaned clutching his side.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"You're lying again..." the Atrox said playing with Misty's bottom lip as he held her close in the Tartarus.

"Lying? I haven't said I word..." she smiled.

"Your mind tells me lies Misty." He smiled back at her.

"I haven't told any lies..." she said still convinced, but she hadn't known the Atrox was in her mind, finding her forgotten plan to deceive him.

"Then if you are sure you're not lying then I can kill Stanton?" he asked.

"But you promised..." she said.

"If you really have changed and you do not love Stanton any more you will let me kill him."

"You promised..." she repeated herself.

"You still love him don't you?" the Atrox asked as he grabbed her jaw and threw her to the cold hard ground under them. "But he wasn't there...He didn't save you..."

"It doesn't hurt if you hold still..." she mumbled to herself, remembering the night when the shadowy ghost like figure saved her.

"That's right..." he grinned, there was no more love in his eyes when he looked at her.

"Be a good girl and hold still..." she mumbled again, staring at the ground. The day when her father almost killed her was brought to the front of her mind.

^v^v^v^v^v^v^ ((flashback))

"Come back here Misty...daddy isn't gonna hurt you..." an evil voice crept down the stairs in the two story house.

"Go away..." she mumbled.

Her father opened the door to the downstairs bathroom to see her sitting in the bathtub curled in a ball, one hand was behind his back holding a knife. A frightened eight-year-old Misty ran under his legs and back up the stairs to her room, his footsteps thundering after her. She hid under her pink- laced bed trying to escape her father. He came in the door soon after her and lifted up the mattress to the bed.

"It won't hurt if you hold still..." he said and brought he knife down on her cutting a gash across her stomach, she screamed and cried for the sun god Helios. Then instead of the comforting flames that usually cradled her, it was a cold shadow, it wrapped around her father and knocked him out and the shadow left, healing her wound on the way out.

^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v

"You saved me that day?" she looked up at the Atorx unconvinced.

"I saved you that day..." he said, "And where was your loving Stanton that watched over you from birth? He was no where to be seen..." he said with a devilish smile on his face.

"He still loves me..." she said unsure.

"Name one thing he did that was so loving?" the Atrox teased, knowing she couldn't because he erased her memories.

"I-I can't..." she mumbled again.

"That's right..." he said as Stanton appeared, hooked back to the chains he was once in, but he had no additional wounds. "Now will you let me kill him?" the Atrox asked.

"Where's Blake and Arias?" Misty asked, fearing the horrible things that Atrox could do to them.

"Torture my dear...shear torture..." he smiled evilly.

"You didn't--?" she wondered but was cut off.

"Torture from the inside out..." his smile becoming more evil at the thought.

Chapter 13: Last Breath

"Stanton?" Misty said standing, her focus to Stanton, forgetting that Arias and Blake existed for that moment. She stared into his longing blue eyes. As soon as she said his name a blur of images cut into her mind, she crouched down, into a feedle position, a slight whimper escaped her lips as more and more memories came to meet her splitting her skull open.

"What are you doing to her!" Stanton yelled trying to break free of his bonds to help her.

"It's you who's doing it..." the Atrox laughed.

"Me?" Stanton asked stunned.

"Yes you. It's her memories of you she's receiving..." he said, no sympathy in his words.

Stanton looked from Misty to the Atrox, disbelief spread plainly on his face. He watched Misty's now writhing body on the cold black ground of the Tartarus, her fingers intertwined in her hair trying to pull it out.

"Stop it!" Stanton yelled, "Leave her be! It's me you want to destroy!"

Misty's spasms stopped and she lay motionless on the ground, her eyes closed, she was unconscious. The Atrox laughed as he disappeared with Stanton's chains. He ran to her. Kneeling at her side. Her violet eyes blinked open and she lifted a shaky hand to him, he grabbed it with both of his and brought it to his lips, kissing her fingers.

"Hekate's waiting for me Stanton..." she said weekly, her voice barley above a whisper.

"No Mist...you belong here..." he protested, tears now streaming down his face, not caring that his love saw how week one so strong can really be.

"Don't cry for me Stanton." she smiled weekly at him. "Hekate's a good mother she'll take care of me..."

"Don't talk of death Misty...it makes it come nearer..." he warned, his voice clear even though he was crying.

"She will guide my soul and we'll meet again...in the--dark of the--moon..." her eyes closed and Stanton let out a long sob.

"Mist...don't go...please Hekate let her live..." he begged the goddess of the dark moon.

Chapter 14: Daughter Of The Dead

"Misty...my child..." a seamless soft voice called to her as she stood in a white and black sparkling mist.

"Yes..." she said, her voice ghostlike.

"I am Hekate...your mother..." she said as a tall finely figured woman stepped toward her. Hekate's long black hair sleek and shimmering behind her and her dress dragged on the misty ground as she walked toward her daughter.

"Mother?" she asked confused in seeing what her mother actually looked like.

"Yes. I guide the souls of the dead. And you are." She smiled sweetly.

"I am..." Misty said confronting her dead body.

"And I have come to send your body back. Your time was not now. You must go back." She said and she stepped closer to her daughter and cupped her face.

"Not my time?" Misty asked confused.

"It was not your time to die." She smiled at Misty. "Your time was not now." She repeated.

"My time was not now." Misty said matter of factly.

"You will die different...and only then will we meet again." Hekate said.

"And only then will we meet again." Misty said back.

"I await your death, daughter, but I do not wish it upon you." Hekate said as the white and black mist disappeared and Misty was left in the Tartarus in Stanton's arms.

Chapter 15: Mortal Hell

Misty's violet eyes blinked open to see Stanton, his head to his chest holding her tightly against him. "What the hell happened?" she said, she sounded half asleep, she was unsure if seeing Hekate was a dream or not.

"Mist?" he opened his eyes, dried tears on his cheeks.

"You're crying?" she smiled, to weak to let out even a small laugh.

"I knew Hekate wouldn't let you die." he smiled back at her and leaned down to kiss her. His lips felt soft and warm on hers in the cold darkness of the Tartarus. A soft tingle on her lips as he licked them softly and met her tongue.

"Hekate's my mother..." Misty smiled then kissed him again. "Just like Helios...she would never desert me."

"I have no family to care for me..." he said, lost in her purple eyes.

"I'm your family. I care." she looked back into his deep-sea-blue eyes, it was like the waters caressed her as she swam out to sea.

"You are, aren't you?" he said matter of factly, his words a slight whisper as they tickled her cheeks. "Common..." he lifted her up off of the ground. "Where would u like to go?" he asked.

"My bed..." Misty moaned, noticeably tired.

Stanton smiled at her; he disappeared to the old manufacturing building where Misty used to practice. His car, a sleek black convertible Masda Speed MS5, was parked around there somewhere. Stanton had no trouble carrying her, even though he was still weak himself, the soft silk of the black dress hung past her feet over his right arm, her head cradled between his left forearm and his chest.

Misty had fallen asleep on him by the time he found his car on a street corner. He opened the passenger's side door with his mind, also a power of his, to mold, shape and move metal. Stanton set her in the seat, careful not to wake her, her head tilted, facing the driver's seat. He walked around the front of the car and got in. He pulled down the sun visor and the keys fell onto his lap. He stuck them into the key slot and turned them, the engine revved and started. A strong powerful roar came from it as he stepped on the gas. He felt to weak to stay a shade all the way to Misty's house, four blocks away from there.

He drove down Grover Boulevard where Misty's French style home was. Vines crawled up the pillars that held up the awning over the front door. The small bushes and flowering plants, lining the front of the house, made the two-story home look complete. Complete and serene on the outside, horrid and scrutinizing on the inside. The way it used to be. Now, no lights shown through the windows, and the shadow of her father cast no raging anger and no shouts came from his drunken mouth.

Stanton got out of his car and closed the door, then walked over to the passenger's side and lifted Misty out of the seat then walked up to the front door. He broke the lock with his mind, using his metal binding powers again, and stepped in. The house smelled of cigarette smoke, because her father used to smoke, and the smell of whisky, rum, and many other alcohols wafted his way. He walked up to her room, her father's ashes still lay in front of the door. He stepped around them and laid Misty on her bed, her dress commented the curves of her naked body beneath the sleek black silk. Which made him want her even more. He kissed her forehead then he lay down beside her, wrapping his arms tenderly around her waist as his nose nuzzled her hair, taking in the sweet fruity smell, of the shampoo she washed her hair with, as he fell asleep.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"What's wrong! What are you doing to her!?" Blake yelled, he and Arias where with the Atrox, they were in a vacant lot in Down Town Hollywood.

"Don't worry...you'll be in the same pain shortly." The Atrox said an evil sultry smile spread across his needy face.

Blake looked up at him with a menacing glare as he held Arias in his arms. Her fingers where tangled in her matted hair, clutching her skull. Her body pulsed strangely against him as her mind was tortured by the Atrox.

The Atrox pushed into his mind sending painful mental jolts through it as he also tortured Arias. Blake's grip on Arias tightened as he held her closer to his chest, his mind thrumming with pain.

*~~~~~~~~~~*

Misty sat up with a jolt, waking Stanton as she did so.

"What's wrong Mist?" Stanton asked sleepily.

"Arias and Blake! We forgot about them!" Misty yelled, panic in her voice.

"Awww fuck..." Stanton moaned, rolling over onto his back and covering his eyes with his hand as if he had a headache.

"Major fuck Stanton!" she yelled again and turned into a shade with him, appearing at the same vacant lot.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Stanton sent a mental wave at the Atrox, his head turned, irritated to see Stanton as the Atrox dropped his hold on Arias and Blake.

"Leave them be!" Stanton ordered. "Your fight is with us!"

The Atrox turned to them, his back to Arias and Blake. "You're right." He said smiling as he pushed into Stanton's mind and tortured him like he did with the others. "I have control of you Misty..."

"You do not control me!" she yelled at him. Stanton's screams for mercy suddenly became louder.

"I don't control you, huh?" he mocked her.

"No you--" she started but suddenly self and empty coldness inside her. Her irises had vanished, leaving her overly dilated pupils. She looked down at the ground and noticed she could no longer see her shadow in the faint light the street lamp cast across the vacant lot. The hair on her body prickled and stood on end as she wrapped her arms around her for warmth. Misty looked at the Atrox, a void sadness in her eyes. "You--you took my soul..." Her voice was monotone and a raspy cavernous undertone. She fell to the earth with a light thud, her once plum eyes now a glossy, lucid black.

Stanton looked over at Misty through the needle like sting and affliction in his mind.

"Mist...no..." he mumbled through the pain. "Stay here...Hekate sent you back not for you to die again..." He let out a painful overly loud moan as he crumpled to his knees again.

"She's mine again..." the Atrox said, an evil smile on his face as he glided over to Misty and picked her up. Her body lay wilted in his arms, but the black silk still hugged her as if she were still animated. He disappeared, bringing her to a room in the never ending Labyrinth where the Minotaur resided.

Chapter 16: I Want It Back

At the Labyrinth the Atrox laid Misty down in a bed covered in silk and velvet pillows of many colors. The king size bed had white silk sheets and comforter and an overly draping canopy made of see through white silk held up by the enlarged stands on the mahogany bed frame. The bed had a matching bed side-table, it too was mahogany, it had a white silk cover and crystal- beaded tassels on each of the pointed ends of the cover. On the front there was one drawer that had a clear crystal knob on it, the contents are unknown to the Atrox and the world. Also on top of the table there was a naked ivory statue of Aphrodite, the Goddess of love, on her shell that she rode down Mt. Olympus on, and the off white water that the ivory formed splashing behind her.

"What are you doing?" Misty asked her voice still monotone, her body pale white, and lost without her soul. "What did you do to my soul?" she asked again in the same droning voice.

"You're mine...permanently..." the Atrox smiled.

Misty felt hot tears catch in her throat as she looked up to what would be the ceiling of the top of the Labyrinth. It was a cloudless midnight sky that was beyond her reach. The moon didn't show, just the stars as they blinked and sparkled with an unsurpassed beautiful. The tears in Misty's throat never came to her soulless black eyes.

"Give me my life back." she mumbled, her bottom lip quivering violently.

"At what cost?" the Atrox asked tracing his index finger over her stomach, down her thigh and back up to her belly-botton.

"Stop it." she ordered not wanting him touch her

"Make me." He teased her now tracing his finger along her stomach and chest.

"You can't have my body..." she said, unable to fade away to Stanton, to be embraced by his strong, loving arms.

"You already gave it to me." he said lifting and examining her hand, bending her fingers to his will.

"Let me go." she demanded, her voice now fading.

"Don't speak." He told her softly as the rest of her voice had gone astray. "It will do you no good to call anyone. For all of the creatures I created live in this Labyrinth. They roam forever looking for those who escape, and those who do...lets just say I have a personal hunter..." He smiled. "You want your soul back, you either find a way out of here or pledge your love to me and then kill Stanton. With your own hands..." he stood and vanished leaving Misty with her thoughts.

Across from the bed there was a half-length mirror. It had a golden frame with gems and diamonds in it. She could not shake the feeling that it was calling out to her since she entered the room. Telling her to come and look into it. Misty finally gave in and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, she couldn't feel her body moving, thinking it as still laying motionless in the silk bed. Misty walked wearily over to the mirror, staggering, trying to keep her balance, the black dress sagged on her sunken body. When she reached the mirror, after what felt like a life time of endless walking, she didn't even get to find the source of the voices before her eyes closed and she fell, face forward, into the mirror, cracking the reflecting glass. She shards of broken glass penetrated her forehead as she leaned forward on the now broken mirror. Misty's blood ran down her nose to her mouth where the droplets of warm, crimson red blood, dripped into her semi open mouth. Her eyes shot open as she stepped back and watched her reflection return to normal, she reached up to her head and touched the cut that was oozing blood, it followed the hills and valleys that made her perfect face.

Misty turned around and looked at the side table drawer next to the bed. The crystalline knob cast a rainbow glow across the stone room even thought the only light came from the stars above. Misty walked over to it and pulled the mahogany drawer open to see a turquoise stone with two bands at either end of the small but long cerulean stone. The bands on the stone had the Greek language written into them, the words were too small to see, and Misty could not read the Greek language. The stone was hooked to a thin golden chain. Misty picked it up by the chain and watched the blue stone twirl and sway neatly in the tranquil air of the stone chamber.

"This..." she spoke aloud to herself, "might lead the Atrox to his demise..." but she had to get out first.

Misty sat down on the edge of the bed, the indigo stone clutched in her fist as she looked up to the luminous stars. One shot across the sky, a shooting star... she thought absent-mindedly to herself and smiled, but as she followed the star across the sky it never stopped. It looked like the star was coming toward her; she watched it with intense curiosity. As it came closer to her it got smaller and smaller, she held out her hand to catch the tiny burning ball of matter, but when it hit her hand it passed right through to the stone floor. The small gleaming ball started to shine brighter and grow as she watched it. It grew so big it was tall enough to be a man of between eighteen and twenty-one. Then the out line of the figure started to come into view, it was a man and he was very muscular and covered in what looked like ancient Greek armor. Misty studied his features, from his angular face all the way down to his shackled ankles.

Shackled ankles? Misty thought. Why would he have shackles on...unless...

"Penelope? Is that you?" the man said, his voice low and very attracting.

"No..." Misty spoke back, 'no' was probably the only thing she could say then as she peered into his chocolaty brown eyes.

He put his hand on the hilt of his sheathed sword as his eyes noticeably became menacing. "Who are you then?" he asked, his voice no longer tender as if he where speaking to his child or wife, but threatening as if speaking to a foe and or trespasser.

"M-Misty..." she stuttered.

"Why are you here?" he asked yet another question, his sword already coming out of its sheath.

"The Atrox brought me here." her head now turned to one said and the arm that didn't have the hand that held the stone attached to it was covering her face, waiting for the swoosh of the blade cutting through the air. Instead she heard the scratching sound of the sword going back into it.

Misty peered over her arm to see his eyes lain upon her, still filled with vein anger, for what she did not know. Misty lowered her arm and looked back at him with the same intense glare, mad at him for wanting to slay her when he didn't even know her origin. "How are you here?" he asked again.

"I already told you! The Atrox brought me her." she snapped at his ignorance.

"Why did he bring you here?"

"He wants my love when it's already been given to someone else." Misty crossed her arms across her chest.

"Have you joined with the Atrox?" he asked yet another question and Misty's patience was running out.

"I am Princess of the Night. My love is given to the Prince of the Night. And I want you to stop your twenty-question game and let me put my two cents in!" she had no idea her voice was raising.

"Ok then." He agreed and he crossed his arms across his chest.

"Who are you?" Misty asked him.

"Hector." He said bluntly.

"Why were you in that star?"

"I was cheated into thinking I had defeated the Atrox and he gave me these shackles and I put them on and now I am bound to him and the universe and am only aloud on the earth when he calls upon me." He said as flatly as he could but Misty could tell it angered him to talk about it.

"Do you know the way out of here?" Misty asked now standing in front of him.

"Yes, I do." He said again.

"Tell me." Misty ordered him.

"What's in it for me?" he asked.

"When Stanton is Lord of the Night I will have him free you and you will be set to rest, dear Gladiator." She said, a sly smirk on her face.

"Why do you want out?" Hector asked.

"So I can have my soul back." She said, hector studied her for a minute finally noticing he had no aura of life or death. It was like she was poised between the living world and the phantom world.

"Come then, Daughter of Evil--" she cut him off with a glare.

"I am not evil's spawn!" Misty shouted. "My father is Helios, God of the Sun! And my mother Hekate, Queen of the Dark Moon! I refuse to be under the impression that I am evil's kin!"

"Very well then, Daughter of Helios..." he bowed solemnly. "Come closer, and I shall take you to a far greater plain. Where the living and the dead frolic through time." Hector stepped toward Misty and wrapped his arms around her. It felt like, to Misty, that Stanton was over her, his loving arms caressing the small of her back as he kissed her. This was not Stanton, but Misty went with Hector to the Far-Plain any way because of that reason. Stanton was somewhere either getting beaten, or he was already dead. If he was dead, she would see him at the Far-Plain.

Chapter 17: Most Cherished Of Angels

They reached the Far-Plain. The sky was a whirling tie-die void of light pastel color. Lush green grass met the tie-die sky along with a clear sapphire pond.

Hector released Misty near the pond. "The Far-Plain Misty, bathe in the pond and cleanse your body of the evils that have stricken it."

Misty did not argue when he told her. When Hector left her she stripped herself of the silk black dress. It fell to the ground and she stepped out of it and into the cool waters. The soft liquid was still around her submerged body. The shallow current of the water passed over and through ever crevasse of her body. Misty ducked under the icy cool water, but it did not seem cold on her.

Misty stepped out of the water onto the bank of the pond where Hector stood holding a dry tunic. Misty rung her hair of water and it slid down her back to her heels making a puddle on the ground. Hector walked behind her and wrapped the white cloth around her once then clipping both corners over her left shoulder with a pendant that was half a moon and half a sun and the sun's curving triangle rays circled both halves. The almost paper thin cloth clung to Misty's wet body, showing every curve.

"Come." Hector said taking her hand and leading her to the edge of the Far- Plain where she looked into a black abyss of space and stars. "Your Stanton, as you call him...is still alive. He is searching for a way to get your soul back." Hector pointed to a place in the black space and it enlarged to a hologram of the La Brea Museum.

A sigh of relief escaped Misty's lips when she saw Stanton in the Museum. It looked like he was doing something. Planning, maybe? No. his actions where to cautious and alert, like he was sneaking. Misty looked at his surroundings. A Museum, why? Why would he think she was there? Then Misty remembered that the Secret Scroll was there. It had been taken from Catty, on of the Daughters Of The Moon, and it was placed there. Was Stanton searching for that? But he knew that only the Scroll Bearer, Catty, and the Scroll Keeper, Chris or Chrysippus, were aloud to touch it without dealing with the curse.

"What's he doing?" Misty asked the question to Hector even though she knew the answer.

"He's trying to free you from the Atrox by destroying it. But if eh does that he'll destroy you because the Atrox has your soul." Hector said warningly.

"Then we must stop him!" Misty said franticly.

"You can't. You are stuck here without your soul..." Hector said fading off, watching Stanton's cat-like stealth in the hologram that surrounded them.

"Then how do I tell him?' Misty wined.

"I will..." he told her as Stanton took the Scroll and vanished.

"I cannot stay behind an do nothing!" Misty said her voice rising.

"There is nothing you can do." Hector said, his voice still calm and collected. "If you leave this place without your soul you will die, and be lost in space."

"I'm already dead." She glared at him.

"When a soul goes to the Far-Plain and leaves by forcing itself to it is lost in space. In your case you area body on the Far-Plain without a soul, the opposite, so if you leave without a soul your body with be lost in space. And if Stanton defeats the Atrox your soul will be destroyed with the Atrox." Hector explained.

Misty looked at him, understanding he had to tell Stanton. "Will you get my soul back?" she asked.

"I will." Hector said, "Now I must go to stop Stanton from reading the Scroll. Stay here and the hologram will change as I move around."

Misty nodded, "Sure..." she said solemnly.

Hector vanished in a flash of bright light to earth leaving her in the colorful place. Misty sat on the ground, her legs crossed as the museum changed to the Tartarus.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"Whaddaya mean her soul will be lost?!" Stanton yelled.

"Misty's body is on the Far-Plain with no soul. If you destroy the Atrox her soul will be lost because he has it." He said coolly.

"Then how do get her soul back?" Stanton asked, his voice calming, but still full of rage.

"You must steal it..." Hector said, a devilish grin forming on his angled features.

"So you have a plan?" Stanton asked.

"Indubitably..."

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Misty watched Hector and Stanton's confrontation with no sound. For it tacks much longer for sound to travel across space than light. Misty had to guess what they were saying, but figured it was going well because Stanton hadn't started throwing punches.

Chapter 18: Satan Never Sleeps

"We must speak with the master of deceit to find a way to get Misty's soul back." Hector said, his tone stiff.

"And that would be?" Stanton asked confused.

"Lucifer..." Hector said another smile creeping across his fine features.

"Lucifer?" Stanton asked still confused.

"Yes. The Devil, ever heard of him?" Hector was stunned at Stanton's stupidity.

"Devil?" Stanton asked again.

"Hades you dimwit!" Hector yelled.

"Oh him...yeah I know him..." Stanton said finally realizing who Hector was talking about. "So we're meeting Hades? How could he help us?" he asked.

"He's the one who almost lead the Atrox to his downfall." Hector said.

"Lets just go see him and get this whole damn thing over with..." Stanton grumbled.

"My thoughts exactly." Hector disappeared without another word to Stanton.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"Been waitin'. " Hades said, a smirk on his evil, god like features.

"Waiting..." Hector corrected his grammar.

"Any who," Hades continued. "I have what you desire." He said temptingly raising an eyebrow.

"Misty's soul?" Stanton said hopefully.

"Duh! You don't think I'd let that bastard get his hands on such a beautiful soul?" Hades asked surprised.

"Can I have it back?" Stanton asked holding out his hand.

Hades took Stanton's hand into a handshake, "Hi I'm Hades. Lord of the dead and I hate em'. "

"I want Misty's soul back! Can I have it?" Stanton asked getting impatient with Hades' insolence.

"No you may not have her soul back. I'm not an idiot you know, everything I have in my position comes at a price." Hades said his joking spirit fading into the dark underworld lord in the Greek legends. "Lets strike a deal sonny."

"Deal?" Stanton asked confused, Hector stood in the back and watched.

"Deal, yes. I get Misty one week out of every year, the time when Demeter gets her daughter, Persephonei, back; also the beginning of spring. I will have Hekate, Goddess of the dark moon, fetch her on the day she is to come." Hades paused to let what he just said soak into Stanton's mind.

"Hekate? That's Misty's mother." Stanton said pondering the matter.

"So she is." Hades smiled showing his many sharp teeth. "Hekate will guide Misty down here the day of. And she will stay a full one hundred and sixty- eight hours before she is lead back across the River Styx, and back to LA...with you." Hades said the compromise as if he had been practicing it for decades.

"And if I don't?" Stanton asked wondering of the consequences.

"And if you don't..." Hades' words began to speed up, "Misty stays on the Far- Plain for ever and you die at the Atrox's hand." Hades smiled when his statement was over.

Stanton looked wirily at Hades.

"Do we have a deal?" Hades held out his hand for a shake.

"D-deal..." Stanton stuttered unsure.

"Yes a deal. Did you honestly think I would let you walk out of here with Misty's soul free of charge? What do you think this whole conversation was about?" Hades laughed heartily.

"I'll take your price." Stanton said finally realizing that this was the Devil and wondered why he hadn't even thought about not having to pay a price. Misty was what the Devil wanted and it was either her or nothing.

"Good lad." Hades grinned. "Catch." Hades threw the bottle to Stanton and he reached above his head slightly to catch a hexagon shaped vile with a skull shaped cork. The contents were a midnight purple, the same color purple that tinted Misty's hair, and was a thick gooey substance that stuck to the edges of the vile. Stanton stuffed it in his pocket and started to turn on his heel to walk back through the tunnel and cross the River Styx but Hades stopped him.

"So you'll take my offer?" Hades stood and walked toward Stanton.

"Yes, I will." Stanton said turning around again to face Hades.

Hades held out his right hand to Stanton for a shake, Stanton grabbed his hand and shook it once as a bright light burst through their fingers, which where tightly clasped together. Hades grinned behind the haze of light and Stanton stood, a look of sheer hate on his face.

"I expect to see her real soon..." those where Hades' last words before they where automatically transported back to LA, Hector was with him.

Chapter 19: Send No Blessing

"So how are we supposed to take it to her?" Stanton asked.

"I'll take it to her." Hector said taking the hexagon shaped vile. "You cannot go."

"Why?" Stanton said demanded his answer.

"Because you are neither shell nor soul." Hector said bluntly.

"Bring her back soon." Stanton said.

Hector nodded and disappeared back to the Far-Plain where Misty was waiting for him still sitting where he left her.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"Misty." Hector called into the colorful abyss.

"Yeah?" She called back, standing in her spot.

"Got it." Hector smiled as he waved the small vile around in the air.

"Well give it here!" Misty demanded holding out her hand to him.

"But first, there is something you need too know." Hector said and Misty dropped her hand to her side. "Hades gets you on week every year after Persephonei leaves the Underworld, the first week of spring."

"What?" Misty asked confused.

"Stanton made a deal with the Devil." Hector said simply, "And you are do too see him in only a few months..."

"What?" Misty asked again, perplexed, still not comprehending what Hector was telling her.

"You have to go to the--" Hector was cut off by Misty.

"I know what you said!" Misty yelled, mad that Stanton would do such a thing. "Why would Stanton do such a thing!?"

"To get your soul back. Unless you want to be stuck on the Far-Plain?" Hector stared at her.

"Fine. Hand it, and get lost." Misty commanded.

"Yes your highness." Hector said sarcastically, and bowing.

"Don't use that tone with me." She shot back. "I'm the one that's going to convince Stanton to set you free...and he obviously can't do that when you're dead." Misty then popped the skull shaped plug off of the vile and poured all of the gooey liquid down her throat. The lilac liquid tasted of bitter plums when it first hit her tongue, making her gag as it slid slowly down her throat.

When the vile was empty Misty recapped it and said, "Now may I go?"

"Just use the power of the shadow to disappear back to earth." Hector told her, "And what of our deal?" He reminded her.

"It will be bestowed upon you once the Atrox is defeated." She said bluntly then started to vanish when Hector spoke again, walking toward her.

Hector wrapped his arms around Misty, cradling her body and holding it tight. "You really are like the Angel Gabriel. You are, The Most Cherished Of Angels." Hector ran a thumb under her eye, Misty looked up at him, confused and bewildered at his statement and his touch. "This world would be and ugly place without you, Misty, but thankfully the beings of this universe have someone so beautiful to gaze upon, if they ever should." His hand stoked her hair as he kissed her forehead. "Save this universe from destruction, so that if someone should see you, you would be alive, and not a constellation in the heavens." He whispered against her forehead then let her go and she disappeared to her bedroom in LA.

Chapter 20: In Cold Blood

"Misty?" Stanton asked looking up, he was leaning up against her door.

"Stanton." She said running to him and wrapping her arms around his waste.

He wrapped both arms around her shoulders and said, "I'm sorry Mist."

"Anything's better than staying in that place." She lifted her head from its' spot on his chest and smiled at him.

"Ok then. You ready to kill this shadow?" Stanton asked looking into her purple eyes.

She nodded, "Yeah. You still got the Scroll right?"

"I do." He pulled it out of his back pocket, it was folded and crinkled.

"And what of the curse?" Misty asked him.

"Catty died...and so has the curse." He kisses her forehead. "We'll need help on this you know?"

"Yeah I know. Dicyple and Kyle?" Misty asked knowing that would be their help.

"Not Kyle. I don't want any of my future Followers hurt. Especially if that future Follower is a friend." Stanton said as they disappeared for The Dungeon where Dicyple might be.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

When Misty and Stanton appeared at The Dungeon Dicyple was already waiting for them.

"I heard. Word travels fast through the world of darkness, but faster by wind and water." Dicyple's wisdom about something so free shocked both Stanton and Misty; they wondered why he wasn't also smart in other areas? "Sure I'll help. The Atrox killed my parents then turned me over. Said something about me being to young to die...go fig right?" Dicyple shrugged and smiled.

"And it's gone..." Misty mumbled to herself.

"What?" Stanton asked her and she glared at Dicyple, "O...that..." Stanton smiled to, despite the turmoil he knew they'd be going through soon, maybe to soon?

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"Well? Call him and read it!" Dicyple demanded, being his impatient self.

"Shut up Cylo! It's not that easy." Stanton yelled in a whisper at him. "Go Mist. Try and lure him out, and when you do I'll read the Scroll."

Misty nodded and walked into the black cascade of darkness. Black wind whipped around her, slitting her exposed skin, chilling her to the core. The Atrox appeared, an angry expression in his lustrous black eyes.

"What?" He said through clenched teeth, his hollow gaze seeing straight through Misty's soul. "How did you get back here?"

Stanton...read the Scroll before he kills me...Misty said in his mind, but still knowing the Atrox could hear her.

Uh right...Stanton said back to her. "By the power invested in the gods that bound you many years back. I bind you again to your pure evil shadow, to the realm of the dead. You shall haunt the realm of the living no more." Stanton said his voice rising, "I bind you Atrox from doing harm against other people and harm against yourself." He then chanted a number of times before the Atrox realized what he was doing but it was to late.

The shadow of the Atrox broke out in flames and his skin started to melt from his bones. The Atrox grabbed onto the top of the tunic Misty still had on and screamed, his voice shrill, and so high it was hardly audible, "If I go she goes to!" the blob now screeched. The hands of the Atrox melted off of Misty's tunic and to a puddle on the floor where it dissolved, and his bones, that still clenched the tunic, turned to dust and the black robes that set on his shoulders fell to the ground. The black robe then liquefied and started to spread.

"Common guys lets get outta here!" Misty yelled, as the thick, black liquid blob got bigger and bigger.

"Right." Dicyple said and was the first to leave.

"Chicken shit." Stanton said to the now dissolved Dicyple and he to disappeared along with Misty.

Chapter 21: The Replacement

All three appeared back at the Dungeon, as soon as they appeared the music stopped playing and everyone stopped dancing.

Then the DJ, on the stage shouted, "All hail the new Atrox!" and every person in there took a deep bow and stood back up, then the DJ shouted again, "And his queen, our first, our Atra." And every person there sank even lower in their bows for their first queen.

"Well this is most unexpected..." Misty looked around, eyes wide with amazment.

"Unexpected indeed, my lady." A young Follower stepped forward, he must have been about fifteen or sixteen, "And my lady's hunger is gone to?" "Wha—yes...yes it is..." Misty felt around her mouth for her canines, they where gone, but she still tasted the poison from her lips.

"Your lips are still poison because our lord wishes it so." The teenage Follower said again.

Stanton grinned, "I liked it."

Misty looked at him suspiciously, then looked back to the Follower. "What's your name?"

"Nathan...my lady." He said, bowing deeply.

Misty looked into his hazel eyes, that were only inches above hers, and said, "What is thy desire?"

Nathan grinned, "One kiss from my lady."

"Kiss? It would kill you." Misty questioned his request. She turned around to Stanton.

"Nope...only to Infinites." Stanton winked at her.

Misty looked back to Nathan, "You had better hope you're not an Infinite." Misty grinned at him.

"If I was I wouldn't be at the Dungeon bowing down to the lord and his lady." Nathan smiled back.

"Fair enough..." Misty said and stood up on her toes to kiss him. He pulled her close and ran his tongue over her lips and tasted the inside of her mouth. He broke the kiss, Misty was blushing.

"I haven't been kissed like that since...well...I last got kissed by Stanton." She smiled up at him again, her cheeks still pink. Misty smiled at him one last time before she walked away and the DJ started playing again and the people started dancing.

The beat was fast as the rock music pounded through her chest, Stanton walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, his hands settling on her stomach. She moved her hips against his to the fast beat of the music, lifting her hands above her head as they wrapped around Stanton's neck.

I never thought beating the Atrox would have been that easy? Stanton said to Misty, his words were a silky caress as the thought crossed her mind.

Neither did I...but he's gone. That's all that matters. Misty said back her thoughts a honeyed wave in his mind.

Misty could tell he wanted her, there, but made him suffer. You're horrible you know that? Stanton said sweetly to her mind.

The worst. Misty smiled at to herself.

When can I have you? Stanton asked her as he held her tighter against himself.

When we're sure the Atrox is really gone. Misty said as she turned in his grip to face him, she could feel the hills and valleys in his abs. Her hips quickened to the new beat of the song that played, she knew Stanton wanted her, he would just have to wait. He had just been acknowledged as the new Atrox and her as the first Atra of the shadow realm, she wanted to enjoy the first of their new freedom with the others, and plus she had a promise to keep wit Hector, but that could also be saved for later.

Chapter 22: New Magic

Only hours later were Stanton and Misty back in the Tartarus, surrounded by the many Cincti members that answered to the first Atrox.

"As the new Lord of the Shadow Realm, everything that forms in the night is at your command. Every sin, every shadow, and even every creature." One Cincti member of the Angelic Crest said to Stanton.

"And as our first Atra, Mistress of the Shadow Realm, you have the power to control all others. Including: every poison, every element, and in addition you are the official Queen of the Dark Moon." Another Cincti member of the Mushin ((reaction without thought)) Crest said to Misty said bowing.

"I thought Hekate was the Queen of the Dark Moon?" Misty asked.

"She is the Goddess of the Dark Moon." The same Cincti member said to Misty.

"Gotcha." Misty said, a little to happy.

"My Lord and Mistress. The Bonding Inferno waits." A member of the Phoenix Crest said to them bowing.

"What kind of fire is that?" Misty asked.

"It's how Immortals pledge their eternal life to another." Stanton explained.

"You mean like getting married?" Misty asked, wondering who was getting married.

"Yeah." Stanton said.

"Who?" Misty asked and the Cincti members around them grinned with amusment.

"Guess." Stanton said and drew her close, his touch craved her as he stroked her hair.

"Stanton..." Misty sighed looking into his eyes.

Chapter 23: Cemetery Club

Stanton disappeared holding her, and they reappeared at the La Brea Cemetery, underneath a statue of an angel holding out her arms. A blue blaze rose off the ground as Cincti members surrounded it and other loyal Immortals. Stanton took Misty's hand and lead her to the Bonding Inferno. The members that surrounded it parted and let them pass, Stanton stepped in first and pulled Misty in after him.

Stanton pulled her close and held her tight against him. He looked into her purple eyes, magnified in beauty by the blue flames that surrounded them. Misty stared back into his sapphire eyes, and saw the indigo fire. Stanton gently lifted her head toward his as he tipped his thumb under her chin and kissed her. His tongue met hers and he tasted it with a burning need. He searched her mouth, tasting the poison and savoring every last bit. Then the fire died down, not any more a clear shade of blue but a deathly evil shade of red, the color of blood danced around their feet as they kissed still, for all the rest of their evil kingdom to see. The cheers of the Immortals a faint whisper to Misty as her mind was ablivious to the world around her, she wanted Stanton to hold her forever, and forever wasn't to far away.

Misty's hand clutched his forearm to keep him close, not wanting this kiss to end. Stanton finally breaking the kiss, licking her lips on last time before he stared deeply into her features, and Misty looked, just as eagerly, back at him.

"And now?" Misty asked him, wondering what they would do now that they controlled the Shadow Realm.

"Now, we party." Stanton whispered to her and the Immortals in the background cheered once more and started dissolving into black mists to the Dungeon, and to other places to cause a mess.

"Then tell me. How does one such as us, 'party'?" Misty asked as Stanton, again, lead her out of the small, dieing fire coals.

"We do what we please. The night, she is ours, it is dark and Hekate is in our favor." He smiled drawing her near in his left arm and pointing toward the moonless sky with the other.

"Hekate favors no one, Stanton." Misty corrected him.

"I know that, but she's in our favor, she approves of our eternal bond." Stanton said to her, tipping her chin with his thumb.

Misty shifted her eyes toward her mother, the moonless sky, and smiled then looked back to Stanton, "So she does." By this time everyone had left, even the Cincti, the cemetery was quiet and the trees rustled in the light breeze.

"Lets go." Stanton dissolved with her to her house.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"What are we doing here?" Misty asked him.

"Change." He ordered sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Just because your Lord of the Night does not mean you can treat me like the Immortals." She scowled at him.

"Sorry..." He grumbled.

Misty smiled and stripped herself of the torn and tattered silk white tunic and put on a bodice-like maxi-mini electric blue dress. She combed out her hair and applied blue make-up to match her dress and slipped on her knee- high boots to match. She then put on elbow high gloves that cut off at the second knuckle, and painted her newly filed nails electric blue too. Last she put on small hoop earrings with glowing blue beads on them. She presented herself to Stanton and he whistled, already limned in all black.

"Now we ride." Stanton said as Misty slipped her arm into his, in a lock, and they disappeared to the Dungeon.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

The Dungeon. A run down, radiator smelling manufacturing building. Who would party at a place such as this? Only the purest of evil comes here to party. Those not willing to submit to the dark stay away, and those who dare enter are turned over. So that all the evil that has been suppressed for many a year would be released on this unsuspecting universe we call home. No person would dare come out and play on such a night when Hekate's side of the moon shown not in the star dotted sky, and her sister, Selene, is far from her moon palace.

Stanton pulled Misty into the smelly building by her hand, leading her into the throng of glitter covered female Immortals and Followers, and the smell of musty cologne wafted from the males adding to the stench.

Then Kyle walked up to them right before they entered the mess of evil in the middle of the building. "Hey Stanton!" Kyle called, Stanton and Kyle hit their fists together, Misty stood by. "I heard...wow...I mean! So what are you gonna do no that your 'Lord of the Shadow Realm' huh?" Kyle asked dancing around as he said 'Lord of the Shadow Realm'.

"Kyle..." Stanton sighed shaking his head.

"And the Mistress." Kyle said taking Misty's hand and kissing her fingers. "I've only met you once love."

Misty blushed, "Kyle you've met me more than once you know that." She said smiling as he bowed, still holding her hand gently in his.

"Santon." Misty said to him once Kyle let go of her hand. "What happened to Arais and Blake?"

"When the last Atrox was destroyed they were sent back to the past. They'll remember not of it." Stanton smiled at her as Kyle looked at him weird, studying Stanton's funny wording.

"What was all that old timey shit Stanton?" Kyle asked him, Stanton shrugged.

"Mist, you go dance. I need to talk to Dicyple." Stanton craned his neck to see over the crowd.

"You mean Cylo? He's over there." Kyle pointed to a small crowd of Follower girls around him.

"Thanks..." Stanton said unsure and vanished over there and all the Follower girls stopped fighting over Dicyple and bowed to Stanton then left back to the dance floor.

"Shall we dance Mistress?" Kyle asked Misty holding out his hand for her to take. Misty took it and they headed out toward the dance floor where they got tangled in a throng of sweaty bodies.

Chapter 24: Devil's Candy

Misty's week with Hades came and went quickly, and when she was back no one spoke a word of it. Fearing for their life, for she could end it with a snap or slow and painful. Stanton was the only person brave enough to ask.

"How was it?" He asked teasingly.

"Do you want an early retirement?" She shot at him, plum eyes glaring.

"I was just kidding." He wrapped his arms around her waist, and kissed her brow, "Glad you're back."

"I tried to get him to let me come back sooner." She grinned, "But he didn't buy into it."

"That's my girl." He smiled and kissed her again. "How's about we head to the Dungeon?" Stanton asked.

"Sure." Misty said. They disappeared there.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

As soon as they got there Kyle caught Stanton and the indulged in a conversation, so Misty went out and danced alone. Someone tapped her on her shoulder making her turn around.

"Would you like to dance?" the person asked. He had stunning green eyes that mocked Stanton's sea blue ones, and he wore all black.

"Why not." Misty said feeling a strange aura from him.

The song quickly ended, leaving them still together. Misty turned around to him.

"Would you like a kiss?" She asked.

"Why not?" He said back, Misty stood up on her toes and kissed him, not letting him taste her. At that very moment the boys veins turned blue and started to pop inside him and his skin turned to glass, finally shattering to ashes. He was a pile of ashes on the ground, only his cloths and a small piece of rubbery skin left. The skin had the word Infinite tattooed on it.

Misty bent down and picked it up, feeling Stanton's arms around her waist when she stood. Other Immortals gaping at them. Stanton shot a glare at the DJ and he must have got some mental wave because he started playing again. Misty and Stanton danced.

"The kiss huh?" Stanton said in her ear during the song.

Misty smiled, "I wanted to see what it would do."

"Well now that you know what it does to Infinites...would you like to find out what it does to me?" Stanton asked teasingly, implying more than he said as he held her tighter to him.

Misty spun in his grip, now facing him. "You ask if you can have me. But I'm already yours." She said slyly, cupping his face, kissing him softly as they disappeared back to Misty's room.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Stanton let go of her there as he reached forward and undid the one small button on Misty's small tube-top, letting her bust show. Stanton then reached behind her, unzipping the zipper on the back of the skirt she wore, letting it fall to the ground in a small puddle of fabric at her ankles. Her black panties shown along with her naked chest as she reached down to unlace her high heel shoes from her leg, letting the strings fall on top of her skirt. Stanton also undressed himself showing his black boxers and bare chest. Stanton pressed himself against her, feeling every crevasse of her body as he kissed her, cupping her head in his hands as his kisses moved slowly downward to her neck.

Stanton moved her slowly to the bed and laid on top of her, still kissing her neck and holding her head with one hand as the other moved down to take off the other clothing that blocked.

Stanton's kissing stopped when he lifted his head to ask, "You're ready right?"

"Stanton. I've done it other times you know? But I must admit, no others' body felt this muscular..."

"I try..." He smiled at her than began his painless thrusts into her body.

As Stanton's thrusts quickened Misty's breath came in short, pleasure filled gasps. She held onto his shoulders tightly, digging her long nails in to his sleek skin on his back. Misty's back arched as she cried his name and climaxed, the muscles in her thighs tightened as Stanton thrust nearly two more times before he reached his end, and sent his seed into her body to soon fertilize an egg. He lay on top of her still, his head in the hollow of her chest between her breasts, breathing heavily catching his breath, she doing the same.

Misty fondled his dirty blond locks as she asked him, "Do you wonder if we can have kids?"

"I wouldn't doubt it." He smiled and then kissed her belly, "Hopefully we will."

"Coming from you, that's a really weird statement. A man wanting kids? Who'da thunk?" she said smiling.

"Kids like me...the cannot sense the evil that surrounds the Immortals or us...they are oblivious to the maximum of our power and if they did they would fear it not." Stanton said now gazing into her purple eyes.

"And if you turned a child into and Immortal as an infant what would happen?" Misty asked.

"It would surly die. In the old testimonies of ancient evil a child is not to be turned until it turns the age of the youngest parent...in our case, you, because you were turned at the age of eighteen the child will die if it is turned before then." Stanton informed her.

"I really gotta read this old testament don't I?" Misty asked him smiling at her own ignorance.

"Yes you gotta." Stanton copied her term.

Chapter 25: Unordinary Child

It's a wonder how in only a few days you can go from a prince to a king, and once you were king you made a child with your love. Well that's what happened to Stanton and Misty, only few days after Misty was turned into an Immortal she and Stanton were made Prince and Princess of the Night. Only few days after that Stanton gave her her child.

Eight months did pass and in those nearly half the population of Infinites were dead and Misty's belly was nigh as small as it used to be. Misty and Stanton spent most of their time in the old home Misty used to live in, wanting their child to grow to be eighteen normally, but knew it wouldn't turn to their favor. The name for the child, was it a girl, would be Clytie. The name for the child, should it be a boy, would be Austin.

Misty's promise to Hector had still gone undone but nigh did she forget it. So they decided once the child was born they would lift the cures on Hector.

Brandon, Misty's maternal twin, came from France to check on her. Upon his finding out she was the Mistress of the Shadow Realm he almost lost it. He nearly feinted when he found out she was married to Stanton. But you can't keep your siblings innocent forever, so he supported her decision, no matter how wrong he thought it was.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Misty walked down the blue-carpeted stairs, in her crimson red silk pajama set, rubbing the sleep from her eyes while yawning. "What's up Brandon?" Misty asked her brother as she sat down across from him, leaning her head on Stanton's shoulder.

"I see you're awake." Brandon smiled.

"Why what time is it?" Misty turned around to look at the digital clock on the stove, "Two o` clock? It's not like I'm gonna age in a day." She said putting her head back on Stanton's shoulder. "So what ya'll talkin' 'bout?" she said taking a long drag from Stanton's cup of coffee.

"The fact that there are four new Children of the Sun." Brandon said resting his head on his fist while his other hand was wrapped around the coffee mug, "and that they'll be after you two, and there's not much I can do. And Helios, even though he blessed your crossing, cannot hide you from the fate that might befall you."

"Yeah. Yeah." Misty waved a hand at the situation. "And it's not like it will take them another gazillion years to kill us either. And also since both of us are in our human form, and not bound to our shadows, we can do twenty times as much damage than if we were in shadow form. Not trying to make that a threat or anything, Brandon, but you know it's true." Misty no longer looked sleepy, but as if she had been awake for a few hours.

"Yeah I know, but I can't shake the feeling that more than just the Children will be after you." Brandon said as his finger circled the rim of the cup.

"And who would that be?" Misty asked, sitting up straight now, more apprehensive.

"The gods...more likely than not." Brandon looked up from his cup.

"What would they want?" Stanton piped up.

"Your child...probably. As long as the child hasn't turned over and become part of the dark side they'll be after it, I can almost guarantee it..." Brandon looked at Misty and Stanton's worried looks.

"But what would the gods want with our child?" Misty asked, her arms wrapped around Stanton's arm that was closest to her.

"It's The Devine, Mist." Brandon said, he looked down to his cup then continued, "Born of a Follower, and a Child of the Sun that are Mistress and Lord of the Shadow Realm. It is The Devine Child, and every higher being in the universe will be after it. That's why I came back to LA, because I sensed something was about to happen, and I thought I would inform you. But upon finding out The Devine Child would be your own, I feared for it's life...and yours, Mist..." he looked up to her, all the worry in the world plastered on his face.

"The Devine? My child? Please Brandon." Misty said not wanting to believe a word of it.

"I'm being serious Mist, Stanton. Neptune will be the most aggressive about it, hiring anyone who will risk his being for him." Brandon said.

"Who would risk his life for a child?" Stanton asked.

"If the price is high...so is the reward, this I can assure you." Brandon said.

"What reward could possibly be high enough?" Stanton asked.

"In the world of the living, and those who believe in the higher power, the gift of Immortality is envied. And those without it will do anything to get it." Brandon informed them.

"What will Neptune do with our child once he gets it?" Misty asked wrapping her arms around her over sized belly.

"He will probably sacrifice it and become the most powerful god in the universe. If he gets his hands on both the mother and the child, he can sacrifice the child and have the mother become his Bed-Slave." Brandon told them.

"Bed-Slave?" Misty asked him, a bemused expression on her face.

Brandon looked over to Misty, glaring, saying two words only, "His 'toy'."

"That's nice." Misty glared at him.

"Of which he will try to do." Brandon said still looking at Misty.

"Perverts..." Misty mumbled.

"Well, I mean. What would you do if you had all the power in the world and u had captured The Devine Child and it's mother?" Brandon asked Stanton.

"Bed-Slave." Stanton smiled then looked down to Misty, "Sorry Mist, most logical choice. But I already got The Devine Child and it's mother." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head, she smiled.

"And the only way you can get her back, is if you kill him, and that won't be easy..." Brandon said to them. "Protecting this child should be your top priority, both of you, and you can never be to careful."

"No longer is he 'Brandon Church the Lightning Wieldier', but now he's 'Brandon Church the Future Seer'..." Misty said sarcastically.

"Helios found out what was happening and gave these powers..." Brandon said sheepishly.

"So, father knew to? And I'll bet mother new also?" Misty asked him.

"No, sister, Hekate had no idea of what was to came." Brandon closed his eyes. "She would have surely told you and altered the future."

"But for the better I'm sure." Misty said.

"No." Brandon replied solemnly, "if it were for the better you would already know, and I wouldn't be here right now."

"Well what about your wife back in France?" Misty asked concerned for her well-being.

"You are more important." Brandon said sadly.

"No I'm not! You have a wife across the Atlantic and she will surely hate you if you come back eighteen years later!" Misty was now standing and yelling. "Stanton. You will take Brandon to see his wife when ever he wishes." She ordered her husband, Brandon looked from Stanton to Misty, bewildered at what was going on.

"It wouldn't be wise for him to leave you unattended...even for a fraction of a second..." Brandon said.

"Then one of the Phoenix Crest shall take you." Misty was now sitting down with great difficulty, but being helped by Stanton. "I will not stand idly by and watch your relationship crumble because of me, Brandon, I may be Mistress of the Shadow Realm, but I sill have my ability to feel ashamed." Misty was now settled back in her seat.

"Thank you sister." Brandon said.

"It's no biggy Brandon, as long as I'm not the cause of your relationship's demise I'm perfectly okay." Misty said resting her head in her hands.

"So you don't care as long as you're not the cause?" Brandon asked her, a little amused.

"Yup." Misty said leaning back in her chair.

Chapter 26: Night Blooming Flower

The last month of Misty's pregnancy went by slow, and not for the better. The excitement, and the process of getting ready, was tiring, especially on Stanton. Also the precautions that were needed to make sure the baby wouldn't be taken from them. The baby's room, Misty's old room, was cleared out and redecorated with a crib and a changing table, also any other baby needs. The house was baby-proofed, just incase the child had powers that might do stuff.

The day of the baby's birth went by painfully slow for Misty, but tiring and slow for Brandon and Stanton. The risks they took of having a hospital birth were many, like the baby having magical powers and hurting or killing the doctors, killing Misty, killing it's father or uncle, and the worst of all: Neptune comes down and takes the baby in it's most vulnerable moment in life when no one can protect it. But they took the chance and decided to protect the baby with or with out killing anyone else in the room but themselves. And so it was.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"Alright. One last push and it'll will be out Mrs." The doctor birthing the baby said to Misty over her moans of pain.

Your evil energy is rising Mist. Calm down or they might not give us the child if they find out if they don't die first. All Misty heard was Stanton's voice in the back of her mind as she held his hand.

You do this and try to keep calm! She shrieked in his mind, squeezing his hand tighter and felt the bones in his fingers crumble.

Sorry Mist. Thinking of the kid. Stanton said his eyes shut tight as Misty pushed one last time and then heard the wails of the infant child.

"It's a girl Mrs. Phoenix." The doctor said as he handed it to the nurses to clean. "Do you have a name for the infant?" he asked

Misty nodded, and breathlessly said, "Clytie Phedra Phoenix." She was still holding Stanton's hand when she said it, he knelt down beside her and kissed her hand over and over.

You took it better than I thought. He smiled.

Shut up. Misty said back to him as the nurse set the baby in Misty's arms.

The baby opened her eyes and looked up at her mother. Mommy? She said to Misty in her mind.

Misty slowly turned her head to Stanton, eyes wide, "What Mist?" Stanton asked confused.

The baby has mind powers. Misty said to Stanton using her own mind powers.

"Is there anything wrong Mrs. Phoenix?" the doctor asked.

"Oh, no, doctor, thank you." Misty smiled.

Misty looked back down to her daughter and tried to push into her mind but pulled out when the baby instantly started crying, ok, she can go into our minds but we can't go into hers...that's grand. Misty said to Stanton.

"Mrs. may I see the child to finish cleaning it?" one of the nurses said taking the baby from Misty.

"We need the father and mother of the child to sign here please." The doctor handed Misty a clipboard with Clytie's birth certificate on it. They both signed their names and handed it back to the doctor.

"Is there anyone that you want in here besides your husband Mrs.?" one of the nurses asked her.

"Uh, yes, a man named Brandon Cloud out there waiting on us." Misty said, still holding Stanton's hand.

"What is his relation?" the nurse asked again.

"Maternal twin." Misty replied.

"Why do both of you have different last names?" the nurse asked suspiciously.

"We were both put up for adoption and adopted by different families." Misty told her.

"Ok thank you." The nurse left to show him in.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"Brandon Cloud! Is there a Brandon Cloud in here?!" the nurse called into the waiting room.

"Right here!" Brandon shouted back standning.

"Your sister has delivered and she wishes to see you sir. Follow me." The nurse commanded him and led him into the delivery room where Misty was.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"Oh Mist!" Brandon cried as he walked quickly over to Misty, wrapping his arms around her making Misty lose her hold on Stanton's hand. "How you feelin'?" Brandon asked her letting go of her and kneeling at her side.

"Tired." Misty moaned.

Brandon laughed a little at her comment, "So what did you name it?" Brandon asked Misty.

"We named her Clytie Phedra Phoenix." Misty said to him, proud of the name she picked out.

The nurse walked over to Misty with Clytie in her arms, "Sir, would you like to hold her or would you rather me give her to the Mistress?" she asked kindly to Stanton.

Stanton reached out his arms for his daughter, he held her close to his chest, cradling her in both arms, "Hey Mist." Stanton said to her.

Misty stopped talking with Brandon and looked up at him, "Yeah?"

"She's got one blue eye and one gold eye." Stanton studied his daughter's eyes more closely.

The doctor walked over to him and looked into her eyes and said, "So she does, well then." He walked away muttering to himself about it.

"Sir." The nurse indicated to Brandon because both him and Stanton looked up. "Um, visiting hours are over, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"No prob." Brandon stood up and kissed Misty lightly on her forehead, then kissed little Clytie in the same spot to, "See ya tomorrow." He blew a kiss to Misty before the nurse closed the door.

"What about me?" Stanton asked still holding the baby.

"You can stay for a few more hours because your wife has just given birth." She said absent mindedly as she went about doing something else.

"Good. I didn't want to be left alone here." Misty sighed, indicating more than she said toward Stanton.

Don't worry. You forget, I'm a shadow, I'll be here until you leave tomorrow. Stanton said to Misty softly across her mind.

"Excuse me Mrs. will you be breast feeding or bottle feeding?" the nurse asked.

"Bottle, I'd rather not have my nipples chewed raw thank you." Misty smiled at the nurse, the nurse smiled back blushing.

Stanton handed Misty the baby and the nurse brought her a warm bottle and Misty fed the baby as Stanton sat on the edge of the bed and they conversed about the child and other things using their mind.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Dawn came soon for them; Stanton left the shadows to inside the hospital doors and checked in so it wouldn't look suspicious. Brandon would leave later, around the time Misty was permitted to go home.

"So, what do you think it means Mist?" Stanton asked her.

"I don't know. Do all infant Followers have mind powers?" Misty asked him a question too.

"Not that I know of." Stanton replied, picking up Clytie and a warm bottle of milk and started feeding her.

"She hasn't done it since then, and she hasn't hurt any of the nurses or doctors." Misty said sitting on the edge of the bed.

Just then Misty heard a knock at the door, "Yeah!?" She shouted to it and the doctor walked in.

"Hello Mrs. Phoenix how are we doing this morning?" He asked her pulling up a spinning chair to sit in from of her.

"Fine doctor." She said smiling.

"Well just to be sure I'm going to do some last minute check ups before I let you go." He said standing and putting the pen he was writing with in his pocket.

"Sure." Misty said back.

"Have you brought another set of cloths for her?" he asked Stanton.

Stanton nodded.

"Good." The doctor said to him turning back to Misty and running his tests on both her and the baby.

Not even a half an hour later Misty and Stanton, along with their new baby Clytie, stood out side the hospital. Misty held the baby as Stanton wrapped his arms around her, the baby was sandwiched comfortably between them, their image turned hazy, like a thousand gnats swarming around that spot, as they turned into a shadow and glided to Misty's house.

Chapter 27: Last Exile

It was a week later, the baby had been sleeping with Stanton and Misty and Brandon had been sleeping in the guest bedroom down the hall. No one had come yet, and they thought no one would come. But they spoke too soon.

On the first Thursday Misty would be home Neptune sent a message, and a highly homicidal one at that.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

It was three AM, the baby was hungry and everyone but Misty and Clytie were asleep. The TV was flashing the news reruns and Misty was half asleep holding her daughter.

A smoky mist started to form in front of the TV, awakening Misty. The black mist formed into a hooded black figure. It reached out toward Misty and she screamed awakening the baby and it started to cry.

"Give me the child." The figure demanded reaching out its hand to take Clytie, its bony finger covered in slimy goo.

Stanton came running down the stairs in his boxers, half asleep, and yelled, "What's going on!" but when he got to the living room his eyes opened wide.

"Stanton help!" Misty screamed and the baby's cries became louder.

Stanton stood still, his eyes now glowing red as more shadows filled the house, filling with Immortal shadows. The human forms of the shadows appeared at the ready to protect their Queen and her child. The shadowy figure looked up, pulling it's hand back with a snap, as all of the Immortals in the room threw everything they had at the figure. A mix of fire, ice, lightning, water, earth, wind, and many other elements swirled into one, obliterating the figure. Misty still sat on the couch, eyes wide ad she stared at the spot that the figure had been in. Misty stopped staring and looked down at her baby, still crying, and tried to comfort it with soothing words but it kept crying.

Misty stood up, the baby finally stopped crying, and she walked over to Stanton, pressing herself against his bare chest, feeling the warmth from his body, the baby cradled between them. Brandon finally walked down the stairs, rubbing his eye, all the Immortals turned and looked at him, getting ready to strike again.

"Leave him. He is of no harm to our queen and her child." Stanton said when one of the Immortals had Brandon against the walls trying to breath. When Stanton told them to stop, the Immortal strangling Brandon didn't.

Misty looked up from Stanton's chest and glared at the Immortal, she shoved the baby into Stanton's arms and walked over to him. Misty tapped him on the shoulder and the Immortal didn't do anything, he just kept staring at Brandon.

"Your lord told you to stop." Misty growled at him.

"He is a former Child of the Sun." the Immortal said, Brandon still struggling.

"Your lord told you to stop. Do it. Before I make you." Misty said again, her teeth clenched. When the boy didn't stop Misty's eyes glowed with rage and the Immortal burst into flames. His body didn't burn but his soul did. "What do you have to say for yourself?" Misty said, still angry.

He didn't answer.

"I said what do you have to say for yourself!?" Misty asked again becoming impatient.

He fell to the ground, eyes clenched shut, "My Lady..." He gasped.

"Yes?" Misty said.

"My Lady...forgive me...please..." he begged.

"Are you begging me?" Misty laughed, "Answer."

"Yes...My Lady..." He said again.

"That's what I thought." A grin spread across Misty's face as the fire left his body. "What is your name?"

"Michael...Pent..." He said gasping.

"Well Michael Pent," Misty spat at him, "If I ever see you again, I'll kill you for what you did to my brother. As you every well know I am a former Child of the Sun, spread the word that Brandon Church is to be treaded with the same respect as your Lord and I. Is that understood?"

Murmurs of, "Yes my Lady." Were said across the room.

"Good." Misty spat at Michael, still on the floor. "Good night to you all." Misty walked back over to Stanton as the Immortals disappeared back to what they were doing. "This night is done Stanton. Lets go back to bed." Misty turned from him and walked backup the stairs, Stanton followed suit, holding Clytie in his arms.

"Thank you Mist..." Brandon murmured, massaging his throat.

Misty stopped walking up the stairs, "Stanton, help Brandon back to bed. He could not even fight off the newest of Immortals to our collection...he didn't even use his powers to try and fight him off...he does not deserve my attention...not now at least..." Misty turned and took the baby from Stanton, then finished walking back up the stairs.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"Sorry for what I said last night Brandon." Misty said sitting at the table in the kitchen, Brandon was sitting across from her.

"No, you're right. I got my powers back, and didn't use them...I should have..." He mumbled looking into the brown liquid in his coffee cup. "That monster last night was the first of Neptune's capturers...he'll send more, more powerful ones too."

"I know." Misty said back to him. "If you're so intent on saving the world use your powers to protect your niece. Just like every other Immortal in the world. I love this child more than any mother could love their own child, and I will not give her up without a fight..."

"Yes I know."

"While you're here you don't need to stick around me all the time I'm pretty sure Michael still lives in LA...you can go visit him?" Misty suggested.

"I might..."

"Does your wife know about all of this? Your secret, my secret, the Atrox?" Misty asked.

"Yes..." Brandon replied, "She was a Daughter of Neptune, who tried to kill the Atrox. But unlike Selene and Helios and the others, Neptune lets his children keep their memory."

"Do you wish to go back and see her?" Misty asked.

"Could I?" Brandon looked up from his cup.

"Sure. I'll be right back, don't move." Misty said then disappeared to the Tartarus and brought back Inden an Egyptian of the Serpent Crest.

"Who is that?" Brandon asked questioningly, not sure of his nature because he looked mighty evil under the black hood of his cloak.

"This is Inden an Egyptian of the Serpent Crest." Misty said, "Remove your hood, Inden." Misty ordered him.

Inden pulled the hood off of his head and crossed his arms in front of himself. "Yes M' Lady..." he said, his long black hair pulled back into a braid and a headband on his brow, "What do you wish of me?"

"I wish you to take Brandon to his wife in France. Bring him back in two fort nights." Misty said.

"Come." Inden commanded Brandon, Brandon stood and Inden put one hand on Brandon's shoulder and they disappeared.