Hammett stood in the door way of Sanctuary with the tressa just beyond the doors, he knew better then to attack; not only would the Peltier's kill him but if he survived he would bring the wrath of the famed and brutal Savitar down upon himself. Sera felt like she was caught in a time warp, she felt like she was being catapulted from the days when they were children and cubs together, when Hammett her older brother would be standing by the trees watching his little sister while she swam. Then to the night she saw him cutting through the front door of their hide out, to now. Why she had left him alive she wasn't sure. There was no sufficient answer she could give herself. Sera felt Dev's hand shackle her wrist and she was pulled behind him, his broad back obscuring her from view, numbly she followed, she could fight and kill all the tressa, take out Bowen and her cousin without a single thought. But faced with her brother, who had become the object of her every nightmare, he was able to stop her in her tracks and completely immobilise her.

"No need to protect her, brother," Hammett said to Dev, his tone was so friendly but it frightened Sera more. It was obvious that he was unstable. "I mean her no harm."

"I'm not your brother," Dev growled, his lip curled in disgust, "my people don't kill their own."

Hammett let out a hearty laugh that gave Sera a cold shiver, it was as if he actually found Dev's words funny. She studied her brother from behind her mate, he hadn't changed much yet had altered in so many ways. He had taken after their mother, thick dark blond hair falling handsomely over his eyes, eyes of a marvellous, kindly brown. Yet his build resembled that of their father who was very muscular and thickset.

"Are Arcadian's what you call your own then, bear?" Hammett asked, with genuine curiosity. "Are you a traitor to your blood like my fool of a father was?"

He sniffed the air like he was savouring the smell of freshly baked bread. "Ah, mated. Of course. And I thought you coming from a good line like the Peltier family would have fucked her then cut the bitch's heart out. You're a disgrace."

"Because I don't kill people I pledge my loyalty to? That's not disgrace that's honour. Talk about my mate like that again and I'll rip you apart."

For the first time since stepping into Sanctuary, Hammett's face twisted into an ugly mask of revulsion, revealing his inner hate and darkness. But Dev carried on heedless of the fury he was provoking.

"Get out, you warped piece of shit! You give he name of the Katagaria a taint we don't need! No Katagaria I know would ever kill their mother or father, that's shit humans pull. We fight and kill for survival, not for the fun of it! Perhaps you have more human in you then you care to admit."

Hammett snarled and Dev grinned, "touch a nerve, did I? Now get out and don't come back before I wipe the floor with your pathetic ass!"

"What's wrong, little Sera?" Hammett shouted, leaning to look around Dev, "can't you fight anymore? You bested me once, little girl, but not again. I'll cut you down like Blake did our dear Arcadian mother!"

The words pierced like knives to her heart, but it shocked Sera out of her daze, still baffled by his unreasonable hatred she stepped out from behind Dev, her clothes transformed from her casual, Howler's T-shirt and jeans to her battle attire. Black and tight fitting, with holsters made for guns and ammo, a sword strapped securely to her side and, her favourite, kick ass black army boots. She gave Hammett a humourless smile, her brother raised his eyebrow.

"Well, well, look at Lara Croft."

Sera laughed, low and evilly, "she models herself on me."

"She tries," Dev said, leaning his hip casually on the bar, Sera glanced over her shoulder at him and blew a small kiss. "Thanks, honey."

She turned back to Hammett and walked forward until she was in touching distance, she deliberately raked her eyes up and down his person, her face showing just what she thought of him.

"So, are you going to be typical like you always were and tell us in a vaguely Igor- esque manner all your plans to kill me, or for once in your life are you going to be original and just try and beat me?"

Hammett's blasé façade rapidly withered away and his snarl twisted his features, making him ugly, reflecting his inner evil.

"You always were a snotty bitch! You think because you are human you are better then us, all of you did. And our idiot father would have given his soul to be human, he hated what he was. Blake came back and he told us what your kind were like, what you did to the Katagaria -"

"They never hid from us the horror of the outside world, Hammett!" Sera shouted back, her voice of reason drowning out his hysteria. "Mama and Papa just wanted to make a better future for us, one where we weren't killing our brothers for things that couldn't possibly be their fault. Don't you understand, it was never about their kind or our kind, it was about all of us, together as one. God, Papa never hated his heritage, he was just loved our mother more then all the talk of Katagaria or Arcadian superiority, he wanted none of it, none of us did. I was proud to be a part of the Strati just as I was to be born sentinel!"

Sera stared at her brother, her face showing her shock and disbelief and his reasoning, his thinking. She felt sorrow for the young cub Blake manipulated but in her was a unforgiving rage for the bear that he was now, that refused to see what was wrong with his logic.

"Arcadian's aren't the only kind that kill without thought, Hammett," Dev said, his voice melodic and soothing, pushing into everyone's mind after all the shouting and rage, it was like a balm on a burn. Sera ached to listen. Loved him even more then she thought possible for his open mind and accepting heart. "You've demonstrated that fact well enough, that even Katagaria are sometimes the brutal killers sentinels make us out to be. You are one true animal that should be pronounced a slayer."

Hammett growled and stepped forward, Dev was up off the bar instantly snarling, Hammett froze and spat on the floor at Dev's feet.

"You lucky you have your precious walls and Savitar to hide behind, Peltier, otherwise I would break your neck for that!"

"Let us step outside and we'll see why these walls mean little to me. I'm calling you out, bear, for the offence you have done my mate and her family, you are going to die!"

Hammett laughed again, Sera rolled her eyes she was getting pretty tired at the misbegotten humour.

"You think you can take on me and all of my tressa?"

"Your showing yourself as a true coward that you need your tressa behind you to defeat me, little cub," Dev jibed, "but no, I don't think to take all of you on alone. Though no doubt I could."

At the same moment Colt appeared from around the bar, Dev had sent a psychic call out to his brothers as soon as Hammett had stepped in to the bar, Colt stood on the other side of Sera so Dev, Sera and Colt were all shoulder to shoulder, making an immovable wall.

Dev's chest filled with pride, Colt may not be his brother by blood, but then blood wasn't always thicker then water. The Arcadian growled like a true bear and let his Arcadian markings show across the right side of his face, they were as deadly looking as they were exotic and he wore them proudly.

"What's up, little sister?" Colt said, not taking his eyes off Hammett, who had taken a step back but looked no less cocky and smug.

"Nothing much, just the usual assholes," Sera let her own markings show, Colt grinned and winked at her.

"This is it?" Hammett mocked, "this is what I've got to beat?"

"You'd be a fool to believe it," came Remi's voice from behind Hammett, Bowen and Lenipia sank further in to the shadows, Hammett jumped and turned so he's back was to Bowen, where he could keep both sets of his opponents in sight. "Though they could probably take you down without much help. Especially the girl," Remi looked over at Sera who answered him with a grin of her own, "Hades could take some torture tips off my sister in law."

"Fine, if this is all you've got, lets take it outside." Hammett said, making his way swiftly to the door so his back wasn't exposed for so long.

"This isn't all we've got asshole," Colt shouted to him and Hammett paused outside the door, "its just all we need!"

Dev laughed evilly and it shockingly mirrored Remi's, they were more alike then Sera thought … With his brothers and mate behind him Dev stepped out into the late summer sun and faced Hammett.

Hammett stood in the soft sunlight, him and tressa crowding the street, Dev had forgotten about the pedestrians and tourists that would gather. He looked over at Sera to see if she was showing signs of fear or fatigue but he was glad to see her face hard, her mouth set in a determined line.

Can you do this, Sera?

Sera looked over at him briefly then fixed her gave back on the man that was once her brother.

Definitely. Her answer came in a cold voice, laced with hard resolve to end this.

"Good," Dev muttered, then he growled and stepped forward shifting whilst Colt shielded the magical activity from the humans who would walk past as if nothing were happening. It took energy to remain human in daylight if you were a Katagaria, only the powerful could do so, both Remi and Dev transformed into their bear forms which would make them ten times stronger and more lethal. Colt and Sera stayed in their human forms and Colt unsheathed Sera's sword from her side and adjusted his stance to meet the on coming attack of bears, whilst Sera manifested another and run into the battle.

Hammett dodged Dev and allowed one of his minions to try his best to take her mate down, judging by the look of the misguided tressa his best just wasn't good enough when facing her mate. Sera laughed and swung her sword while Hammett launched himself at her.

Dev spotted Sera and Hammett circling each other, Sera had her sword held up like the pro she was, her whole body tense for attack. His heart almost dislodged itself from his chest when he saw Hammett run at her, his huge bulky bear form, still fast and agile, vastly outweighing her slender frame. Dev delivered a fatal swipe of his claws to the young bear he had been toying with and made his way over to Sera, having to pause now and again to take out one of Hammett' bears. It didn't occur to Dev that he was killing his own kind, as far as he was concerned Sera was his only kind, he wanted no more of this war with the Arcadians. His brotherhood with Colt and his love for Sera was evidence enough that he could see past his prejudices, the world Sera had described to him before her brothers and Blake had destroyed it sounded so very tempting to him.

Watching Sera, Dev knew her tactic, she was using his size against him, whenever Hammett lunged at her, she would swiftly and efficiently side step him. Dev could see Hammett tiring before his eyes, his movements becoming slow and sloppy with exhaustion and anger, Sera side stepped him again this time bringing her sword down upon Hammett, laying open his side in a stinging shallow cut. She repeated the action again and again until bleeding and exhausted Hammett looked ready to collapse, even amidst the sounds of battle Dev heard Sera's words clearly.

"You were never a match for me, Hammett," she said looking down at him sadly, he hauled himself away from her but Sera pursued him. She didn't see the need to drag out his execution, she just hoped she had the spine this time to do it.

You fear me!

"Past tense, brother. I once feared you, I feared the capacity of your evil but never your skills. I magnified what you were until you seemed invincible. I'm not a child anymore, I'm not afraid anymore."

Sera spoke the truth, from the bottom of her heart, her fear was gone. Sera glanced up and her eyes briefly connected to the bear watching her, the bear who had given her her freedom, he was standing still in the centre of chaos, he and his brothers had subdued the tressa and the street was now smattered with bodies and awash with blood. Sera looked back to her brother, panting on his side as he waited for the death blow.

Sera raised her sword, preparing to give him his warriors death though it was more then he deserved, she would let him have the honour of it rather then letting him be ripped apart by her mate. Sera wasn't sure why and she didn't want to examine it too deeply; after this day she wanted to lock the memories away and think of nothing but the present and the future.

Forgive me!

Sera didn't pause. Her mind filled with the memories of her mother's love, her father's kisses, the childish smiles of her brothers and sisters and most of all her twin, Aden. Goodbye Aden. Goodbye Hammett. Sera plunged her sword.

"Not this time," Sera whispered as the sword pierced Hammett's heart accurately, wiping the last traces of life from his body, he gasped, growled, shuddered, died.

Dev made his way over to Sera, she let her sword drop from her limp fingers and she sank to her knees, burying her hands and face in his fur whilst her arms held him tight. Dev changed to human form, it was draining his energy to do so after exhausting himself with fighting but he was still able to pull it off. She would want to be held now, he knew that, she would never ask for his comfort but she would need it more then want it. Dev flashed clothes on to himself and settled her into his lap, he watched her eyes stare at the blood soaking into the denim, he kissed her curls.

"We should really clear this up," Sera said her voice showing her strain, she made no move to get up only tucked her head under his chin and snuggled closer, closing her eyes on the sight of her brother's dead body.

"I'll clear it," Dev said firmly, then gave a wan smile, "with Remi and Colt of course. You'll go upstairs and shower, then sleep."

"I can't sleep, I don't think I will be able to just yet." Not without you, Sera said silently to herself.

Dev held her tighter, rubbing his chin on her hair, "then maybe you can go inside and tell your cousins they can come out from under the tables."

"Cowards," Sera muttered without much malice, but she got to her feet anyway and moved back to Sanctuary.

Dev stood up and looked over at his brothers that were toeing the dead bodies, Remi curled his lip and looked up to watch Dev's approach.

"What's wrong?" Dev asked, pinching the bridge of his nose making a mental list of things to do, like making sure no one saw anything before they were shielded, that was the biggest problem.

"Nothing," Remi muttered, "just never thought I would fight over an Arcadian."

Dev weighed up whether or not to be offended on his mates behalf and found he could not be bothered, Remi was unlikely to change. His only hope was to mate to an Arcadian with one hell of a big family that he had to be apart of. Yeah, now that would be a good dose of medicine for his grouchy brother.

"So your saying you wouldn't fight for me?" Colt said, faking offence, with his hand spread over his heart as if it had been pierced by a bullet or something. Remi gave Colt a droll look and Colt shrugged looking unperturbed, he looked at Dev and grinned.

"You would," it was a statement not a question, Dev snorted.

"Maman would kill me if I didn't."

"Nah, it's 'cause you love me, man."

"Homo," Remi murmured and turned to walk back to Sanctuary, it was Colt's turn to give Remi a look of his own. Colt watched Remi thoughtfully before turning back to Dev.

"Ah, he loves really, deep down … under all that grouchy bastard exterior. How's your mate?"

"She's fine. She'll be fine," Dev assured Colt and himself.

"Yeah, she will," Colt agreed and slapped Dev on the back, "she's got us now."

They had begun walking back to Sanctuary, without looking at his brother Dev whispered, "thanks, Colt."

Colt gave him a look, it was a combination between angry, disbelieving and amused.

"What the fucks wrong with you? We're family. No offence but your in-laws are messed up, Peltiers and Theodorakopolis know what it means to be family."

With a definite nod of his head Colt walked off with the idea that he had put any weirdness floating around in Dev's head straight, Dev laughed and run to catch up with Colt, magically cleaning up the street and sparing enough energy to catch Colt in a headlock.