Hi, here's chapter 4 sorry it took so long I had finals. I hope you still like this story let me know if you want Will added to the story later on. I don't own HDM only the plot or any OCs. This chapter is a bit tense near the end sorry in advance lol. As always, read and review and tell me what you think and thank you for your support. :) ~Serria Spell23

Ch.4-Sacrifices

Lyra laid in bed, eyes shut, feigning sleep. "Pan," she whispered, reaching her hand out stroking his wildcat fur as he lounged on the pillow beside her.

"What? You should be asleep both of us should." My daughter shook her head it bobbed lightly as she tried not to doze, her eyes still half-asleep. Pan sat up and nuzzled Lyra's hand. "What is it?"

"I dunno, Pan, I just sense that Mrs. Coulter and Uncle Asriel know each other better than they're letting on."

Normally, I would say you're jumping to conclusions but this time I agree. I've watched their daemons' behavior around each other it's familiar and instinctive they don't even have to think they're on autopilot."

The girl raised her eyebrow. "Why and how come we were sent to our room?"

"Adult talk, Lyra, don't ask me."

In my bedroom, I listened to the unmoving, peaceful aura of the flat, hesitating to interrupt it. Asriel leaned over and kissed my neck as was his routine to awake me on slow mornings—or so it had been when we were in the middle of our affair. The simmering lust nearly consumed us but somehow we did not give a damn we knew it was selfish to put out needs before Lyra's however, that was the narcissistic part of our personalities kicking in.

"Good morning, love. How did you sleep?"

I smirked, "Wonderful once you relaxed me. I suppose I should thank you."

My friend propped himself up on his elbow. "Is that so, Marisa," he muttered, "what did you have in mind?" He bit down tantalizingly into the soft skin of my neck—gently so that he did not leave any marks—but enough to elicit a moan from my lips.

"Asriel, are you mad we have to see if our daughter's up." Rising from the bed, I turned away, hoping to hide how much I wanted to stay entwined in my lover's embrace. I blushed, sighing out of frustration, untangling his hand from around my waist. "Don't please can we just try to act civil in Lyra's presence keeping in check our arguments and seduction attempts?"

As if sensing my internal debate, Asriel stroked my cheek, chuckling to himself. "Oh, Marisa before we do that kiss me." His challenging tone got under my skin and I felt the temptation to smack him.

"What would that do?"

"Nothing but quench your thirst…for me."

I slapped Asriel across the face, refusing to grant the request. "How dare you imply that I am the only struggling with my immoral urges, you bastard! You may pretend you are impervious to my charms because you always initiate our encounters however that's false."

I stood up, striding into the doorway of our daughter's room. She rolled over and eyed me. "Yes Mrs. Coulter…what are you and Uncle Asriel bickering about now?"

"Nothing, dear," I soothed, "I came to ask if you wanted breakfast."

Lyra chuckled uneasily, Pan's cat eyes glared at the golden monkey by Mrs. Coulter's feet, hissing warningly. My daughter's gaze caught her daemon's, communicating wordlessly her uncertainty and semi-disgust of her latest eavesdropping session. She picked Pan up, holding him close to her chest and followed me robotically from her bedroom.

Going into the kitchen, I began to prepare the coffee. A few moments later, Asriel wrapped his around me and nuzzled my neck. Almost dropping the coffee grounds, my hands shaking, I briefly turned my head and kissed his lips chastely. He grinned, reaching over me to press the power button, stroking my post-passion hair do, permitting himself to lean into me to inhale its scent. Lilac and mint with a hint of cranberry. "Asriel, remember what we discussed," I protested, pouring the dark, sluggish liquid into a mug, clutching the handle gingerly in my grasp. My lover grabbed a cup of his own, taking mine into the sitting room and placing both on the coffee table in front of couch. He gave no sign that he'd heard me until he sat next to me and handed me my coffee intuitively.

I raised an eyebrow, pondering if I was that predictable or robotic that Asriel had my routine down to a science. Every time I thought Edward made an effort to understand me or my habits he lied. I blinked stubborn tears away as I remembered. My friend pulled me closer, letting me rest my head on his shoulder. "Yes, of course I do, Marisa but Lyra will understand in her own time. I love you."

You know I hate that phrase, Asriel! It's filled with false hope."

"What would you prefer me to say love? I'm not Edward I'm not going to hurt you."

I let out a bitter laugh. "Ha! You already have multiple times. I don't know why I put up with you?"

My lover smirked, kissing my temple. "Simple Marisa because I know you sometimes better than you know yourself.

"Mhm," I mumbled. Our daughter sat in a chair silently eating her breakfast, periodically glancing at us and the behavior of our daemons. They caressed each other as Stelmaria playfully dug her claws into the golden monkey's fur. Lyra was transfixed by the action wondering what caused them to act like that. I smiled sweetly in her direction, a motherly tone entering my voice. "Close your mouth dear, you wouldn't want to catch flies." The girl snapped her jaw shut, her expression twisting into a pout.

"Mrs. Coulter, I en't stupid I know you're hiding something from me." Pan ran up Lyra's arm in his ermine form hovering at her neck, casting a buffer between us attempting to guard her the information he innately knew.

"Clever girl, well Asriel do you suppose we should tell her that we have been lying to her for…oh I don't know her entire childhood?" I said, meeting my lover's eyes with a light, tinkling chuckle.

"Indeed my dear," he replied, kissing my hand tenderly drawing a choked moan from my lips. Clearing my throat rather nervously, I shifted on the sofa, my gaze—hypnotic as ever locked on Asriel—charisma dripping from my gestures, prior to addressing our daughter my fingers trailing his forearm. I stopped the natural dance our bodies fell into resting my friend's hand on my waist, lacing our fingers together. "Well, these are tame shows of affection considering our track record" Asriel whispered, seductive and husky in my ear as he tangled a strand of my hair around his other index finger.

Coughing nosily, I rolled my dark blue eyes Pan spared Lyra a semi-revolted glance but stayed quiet. "Lyra, there's something you don't know…about your parents. They are not dead like the Master was instructed to tell you. They're actually alive and you were kept in the dark as per our instructions."

She sighed, her attention not really on us. I figured once Asriel and I dropped the bombshell she'd perk up.

I smirked a little to myself I almost felt remorse for what I was about do—this dramatic reveal would indefinitely scar our daughter and turn her against us but sacrifices must be done. No matter how painful the aftereffects were. I exchanged a look with Asriel fleetingly then for the first time in years we rode the same wavelength as we said the truth in unison, "We're your parents, Lyra."

The eleven-year old remained deathly silent however as I cast her daemon a warily glance, I noticed that he had transformed into a leopard a shape that I'd never seen him in. Although, he was trying to protect her and I did not blame him. His tail wrapped gently around Lyra's waist, guiding her to her room. She glared over her shoulder at me, betrayal and heartbreak within our mutual look.

"How could you?" she mouthed before she slammed the door.