A big giant thank you to forgottenforever who pointed out that I had accidentally uploaded chapter 16 of Rogue rather than chapter 16 of Morning Star! It was bound to happen having both fics going at the same time, I'm just surprised it hadn't happened already!

Please enjoy!

Chapter 17

Donatello wasn't sure what had happened. One minute Nightmare was touching her soul, the next Katherine appeared where Nightmare had been. She had collapsed into a ball of wretchedness that had nearly broke his heart. He had talked to her and told her how sorry he was that they hadn't saved her. That she was the bravest person that he had ever known. Everything and anything he could think of.

Katherine's form had switched back to Nightmare as she stood. But there was something in her eyes that had been missing before, and Donatello knew that Katherine was back. She was still Nightmare, because she had experienced over 2000 years of ruling Hell and being a goddess, but there was something that now resided in her eyes, that he would think of, as human.

Dontatello looked at her in concern. "My soul is fixed, your turn." She said as he felt her push.

He felt slightly disoriented. He shook his head to clear it and settle his stomach. He looked around him. It looked as if he were in his workroom. All of his tools and lab equipment were just as he had left them. Raphael's motorcycle, and truck were behind him. The motorcycle was covered in the tarp he had placed on it when he had diagnosed Raphael's blindness as being permanent.

He walked over to the tarp and gently touched it. Memory flooded and raged through him plunging him into the moment when he looked at his brother's badly slashed face. Raphael had thankfully been unconscious. It had taken over 100 stitches to sew his brothers face back together again. The swelling around Raphael's eyes had been so bad that it had taken nearly two weeks for the swelling to go down. It had taken a month for Raphael to open his eyes and regain consciousness. Another two weeks before he realized that his brother's eyesight was never going to return.

He let go of the tarp, the memory fading.

"Well isn't that heartwrenching." His voice said from over his shoulder.

Donatello turned around quickly as he looked at himself, or not himself. This version of himself wore a black mask over his eyes, a black turtleneck, jeans and a long black leather trench coat. He was leisurely swinging his bo around in one hand.

"Sentimentality will kill you every time." He said. "You should be smart enough to know this, but your soft heart always did get us into trouble. You just had to save the girl didn't you?" His dark self chuckled. "Not that I am complaining. After all, you let me out, and now I am so much more that I was." His eyes glowed golden-red. He smiled viciously revealing his sharp canines.

"You're my demon." He said softly.

"And they call you the genius." He said with a shake of his head. "At least Nightmare will let me out to play every once in a while. You never did." He said almost sullenly. He smiled then. "So now that you are here I am going to assume that Nightmare sent you in here to try to...how shall I put this, fix me, if you will. She no doubt wants us to cease the lovely Jekyll and Hyde impersonation we are doing and finally become one consciousness again." He shook his head. "But truthfully, I don't think you can handle me. Do you think you can handle doing what needs to be done? Can you become the monster Nightmare needs you to be to protect her with your life?" He asked angrily.

Donatello shook his head. He swallowed through the lump that was in his throat.

His dark self snorted. "I didn't think so. All those brains and you still don't think very logically do you?"

"I think more logically than you do. All you want to do is rip bodies apart, kill, and destroy. A killing machine with no conscience! All you want to be is Nightmare's faithful pet!" He growled in disgust.

Dark Donatello threw back his head and laughed. "Of course I want to be her pet." He said with a shake of his head. "You have no idea how powerful Nightmare actually is. You have no concept of how lucky you are to serve her. She loves you, and me. She loves us so completely and absolutely, that to bask in the warmth of her approval and love is the only thing I wish from her, for all eternity. But we won't have that long." Dark Donatello grumbled.

"You're talking about what Nightmare is planning." Donatello said as he studied his darker half.

His dark self rubbed his eyes with his thumb and finger. "No kidding. Very astute. Though I suppose you were technically buried deep within your own consciousness when everything went down in the Sacred Circle of the Primeval Forest, which means absolutely nothing to you." He said with a shake of his head.

Dark Donatello walked over to his computer desk and threw himself into the chair. He huffed out an irritated breath. "You are so smart and know so much, and yet here you, struggle like a newborn babe trying to make sense of the impossible."

"That's because this isn't my world. This world, Nightmares world, makes no sense at all!" He said in irritation.

"That is because you are trying to make sense of it. You are trying to make sense of it by using mortal reasoning. And you are now no longer mortal. Once you accept that, it will begin to make more sense. It is a world where reality is overlaid with irrationality. When you feel an earthquake you know it is because tectonic plates in the earth are shifting. But what you must realize, is that it is also because Gaia is moving shifting, sleeping, stretching, any number of things. The storm that rages and comes out of nowhere on the open sea, is the result of shifting winds and tidal changes, but it is also the result of Neptune's anger. It is both at the same time. Wrap your head around that and you will begin to understand that there is not just one reality, there are many."

Donatello glared at his dark self. "What is Nightmare planning, what did I miss while I was...sleeping." He said because he had been dead and then not. He didn't remember anything in-between.

His dark self sighed. "Nightmare messed up the balance of the Universe. In multiple ways actually. Firstly she exists, which she shouldn't because she should be dead. Secondly because of her existence the barriers between worlds is thinning. Betwixt and Between exists between...everything. It exists between life and death, Heaven and Hell, the time between when the sun rises and the night retreats, where land ends and the sky begins. It holds our worlds together, but it must always remain separate or else there would exist no more places Between. The whole world would cave in upon itself. Thirdly, she is too powerful. As I said the gods have no idea what kind of power she has the ability to summon. If the gods knew they would be shaking in their little booties. Especially considering they tried to Destroy her." He shook his head. "She won't forget that, and when the gods try again, and they will try again, because the gods are too stupid to learn for their mistakes, well, the result will be one more piece on the chessboard that Nightmare needs to do what she plans, and she only has 16 years before what comes to pass happens. That is her mark, 16 years from the moment the Child is born."

"Sixteen years until what?" Donatello asked the dark sticky feeling of dread filling him. His dark self looked at him like he was an idiot. Not that he blamed him. "How do you know so much? If you are me how do you know all this?" He asked.

"I exist within you now, but I am a demon. I was nothing. A spirit pulled from place to place by the wind. Forever drifting, tumbling and searching for something, anything. I was so insignificant that I was not Known. No name, no power, no influence over anything. Mortals could not even hear me when I whispered in their ears, the secrets of the Universe. But Nightmare chose me, summoned me, picked me. A spirit that was so insignificant, so powerless, and gave me a chance to be something more, to be by her side and serve her." His darker self stood.

Donatello stepped back as menace slowly rolled off of his dark self. "And they believe you to be the smart one."

Donatello heard growling coming from behind him. He looked over his shoulder at the shadow that was staring at him. It was in the shape of a dragon the size of a really large dog. The shadowy shape was crouched and waiting to pounce. Malice, anger, hunger, rage, and thirst, prima,l carnal urges rolled and danced along every tense cord of muscle in the demon that faced him. It's eyes glittered red and contained ancient knowledge that was so vast, so unending that it had become simple. Mate, live, feast, kill, die. It was all that it knew.

Donatello was yanked back, the thick wood of his dark self's bo crushed his throat as his body slammed against his darker self.

He struggled against the iron grip of his dark self while his dark self chuckled with dark anticipation.

"Let us see who will win." The demon looked at him and pounced.

Claws ripped and dug into his flesh as he screamed. Pain blossomed and crawled through every part of his body until there was nothing left. There was was nothing. He had lost. He had fallen to the demon. Emptiness stretched before him. An eternity of nothing but the dark empty yawning realization of his pathetic failure. He knew he was weak. He had always been strong in both body and mind, but in spirit, he knew he had never had the strength, the fortitude needed to exist in a world where spirit was more important that any amount of muscle or brains you possessed.

He didn't know how Katherine could ever love such a weak creature as himself. How she could ever have trusted him to be able to win against something that was so old, so ancient, and so filled with all of the carnal, feral forces of the universe at its beck and call?

He had failed her. Again. All he had ever done was fail her. He was useless. The demon would protect her, be able to do what needed to be done, with no thought no conscience, no moral compass to distinguish between right and wrong.

A thought struck him them. He was to his demon as Katherine was to Nightmare. She needed his humanity as much as she needed her own. She needed him. He hadn't failed her yet, he needed her and she needed him.

He thought furiously. He could win, he could stare into the darkness and win. Because he and the demon had points in common. He just had to accept that he would need to be strong, he would have to accept and be okay with becoming the monster Nightmare needed him to be, and yet still have the strength of will to say No.

He would have to kill, he was a warrior, he knew the risks of battle, of war, the consequences and the sacrifices that needed to be made. And they were involved in a war, he just hadn't realized it. They were in a war against gods, against the primal forces of the Universe, against otherworldly beings and against Fate herself.

He and his brothers were just too blind to realize that Nightmare was fighting for her life, and he was going to be there by her side when the final battle erupted around her. Because he loved her. His love was more than the demon could ever understand because his love for her was more than just duty and need and worship. He loved her with his very soul, and he was going to be by her side.

HE WAS GOING TO BE BY HER SIDE!

Donatello gasped as he opened his eyes. Power raged and flowed through him in a torrent of images, smells, tastes, sounds and feelings. He felt as if he had been blind to the world and now every visceral sense was ringing with true clarity.

Donatello swallowed as he tried to control impulses that warred with needs he had never before experienced.

He Hungered.

What he had felt before was nothing. The hunger he had felt was only a small part of what his mortal mind could grasp. This need inside of him, this desire, this instinct had teeth and claws and an insatiable lust for flesh, for blood, for destruction, for power. And he wanted it all.

"Breathe Donatello, breathe." Nightmare's soft voice drifted through his Hunger induced haze.

Donatello looked into her eyes and was caught by her green gaze. Thoughts tumbled around in his head. She was his Mistress, without her he was nothing, but she was so much more than that. She was his world, but then, she had always been his world.

"You have never known this Hunger Donatello. It rips and claws at your body, mind and soul. There are so many hungers that are waging war within you, and you must learn to control the Hunger. Because it is now a Beast that lives inside you.

Donatello shook his head. "I feel like I am burning from the inside out." He said in a strained whisper.

Nightmare smiled at him. "I am glad you conquered your demon Donatello, but now you ARE the demon."

Fear flashed through him, but he stomped it down. He was still him. He knew he was still who he was, just slightly different.

He looked at his Mistress, his lover, his goddess, his Devil, his soul mate. He rolled on top of her, pinning her to the soft mattress.

"Is this how you feel all the time?" He asked softly as he studied her face. He looked at her as if he had truly never seen her. Her skin was opalescent, not actually being made up of just white, but rather too many colours to begin to even name. All softly blended together to give her the beautiful white skin she possessed. Her hair was the same, possessed of too many shades and hues all blending together to make one whole. Her green eyes glowed at him, luminous in their intensity, in their beauty. He traced the edge of a furry ear, the soft curve of a ram-like horn, touched the gentle softness of obsidian coloured feathers.

He was left in awe of her. That such a being as she had chosen him, had decided that it was he that was worth spending an eternity with.

Possessiveness clawed and burned through him. She was his.

His lips drew back from his teeth. A low growl was issued from his throat.

"Your body will always burn with Need Donatello. Thirst, Hunger, Lust, violence, blood, flesh, every tiny need magnified a thousand times. But you will learn to control it."

"You are mine." He growled at her.

"Yes, I am. forever and always, but you are not the only one in my heart Donatello."

He growled lower. The rumbling of his chest sounding like a bass drum. He closed his eyes as he fought against every instinct that was screaming through him.

"I want to make you mine Nightmare. Truly mine. Please." He begged because if he didn't he felt as if he was going to burn to nothing but ash.

"I can't Donatello. I want to so badly, but I can't. I made a promise, and besides the time is not yet right. But I want to touch you, and I want you to touch me. I crave your touch, I need your touch."

He already had stripped her of what little clothing she wore by the time she finished talking. His own clothes had been torn off and shredded by Nightmare's frustrated and hurried movements.

He kissed her with pent up need and passion. He was overwhelmed by the need to touch every little bit of her.

He spread her legs and plunged a finger into her. She gasped in shock as he continued his assault on her mouth. He stroked her until she was gasping and begging him for release. Her skin was glowing softly with pale light. Her green eyes, dark with desire, were glowing a bright intense moss green. He buried his face in her neck and bit hard. She froze as her salty, warm, coppery blood filled his mouth as he drank it down.

He knew that his body wanted sex, and blood and that even though he knew he could eat mortal food, he didn't want to. Nightmare arched beneath him as she called out his name in pleasure.

"Renfield said something very true Donatello." She whispered in his ear. " 'The Blood is the life." Nightmare said softly as she bit hard into his neck. He pulled away slightly in shock at the pain that blossomed and rode through his body. He nearly screamed in agony as his very veins screamed in pain as the blood was forced and pulled from him. His breath hitched then as the pain rolled into a pleasure so sharp, so intense, that his body felt as if it were breaking into a thousand tiny pieces. His world shattered as his orgasm crashed through him.

He pulled away from Nightmare as he looked at her. He passionately kissed her bloodstained mouth.

His mind had stopped functioning a while ago, but he was pulled back to reality by a soft wind that stirred the ties of his mask. He looked at the vast forest that stretched out around him. Trees bigger than anything that existed presently on earth, surrounded them. He recognized the center of the house, but it was different, so very different.

He could hear the gentle lapping of water nearby. He felt as if he was being watched. A creature glided through the dense forest. Pure white wings were arched back against a white leonine back. It's tail moved slowly from side to side and it's intense blue eyes looked at them from a predatory raptor's face.

He watched as the pure white griffon that slowly stalked towards them, began to change shape until there was a beautiful naked man standing beside them. Gentle white wings pulled closely to his body, his lion's tail languidly moving back and forth.

Donatello's lips pulled back from blood-stained teeth. He let out a growl that rumbled deep in his throat.

"Hello Gabriel." Nightmare said as Gabriel knelt next to Nightmare on the soft cool grass they now lay on.

"Hello my love." Gabriel said as he curled up beside her.

Donatello continued to growl low in his throat. "I summoned him Donatello, quit growling."

He stopped growling. He closed his eyes and tried to shake the demon part of his brain a little. Though no matter which side of his brain he was thinking with, he still didn't like that there was another, very naked man, laying beside the woman he loved.

Gabriel looked at him. "We are two sides of the same whole you and I." He said softly.

Donatello studied Gabriel. His eyes widened as he realized that he could see blue chains that bound Gabriel. He was not bound in the same way, but he was bound with a promise as well. He was her Familiar as well.

"Is Samael your Familiar as well?" Donatello asked in shock.

"No. Azazel is the Second Prince of Hell and my consort. Gabriel is not my Familiar, he is my servant."

Gabriel bowed his head his long golden ringlets shifting slightly. He looked at Nightmare and Donatello could see the naked need and lust that entered the other man's eyes.

Nightmare ran a finger down Gabriel's chest and the man shuddered with need.

"The circle needs more power." Gabriel said after a moment.

"I know." Nightmare said as she stood up. White robes covered their bodies.

Nightmare touched his and Gabriel's shoulders. He let out a scream as power was ripped and channelled through him.

Kinda enjoyed Dark Donatello, though I think he kinda sounds a little like Raph...hmmmm