You're reachin' out
And no one hears you cry
You're freakin' out again
'Cause all your fears remind you

Another dream has come undone
You feel so small and lost
Like you're the only one
You wanna scream
'Cause you're desperate

You want somebody, just anybody
To lay their hands on your soul tonight
You want a reason
To keep believin'
That someday you're gonna see the light

Desperate

Cole's POV

Seven Months Since John's Death

I looked around nervously. I had been here before. But all the times I'd been here nothing good had ever come of it. I didn't want to be here, this was useless.

I turned at the sound of a screech owl, calling to me, giving me strength, encouraging me to continue. At least that's what I wanted to believe. I took one last sweeping glance around, scanning for an enemy. And in this creepy graveyard there were plenty of places for them to hide.

The fog was drifting eerily along the ground. As if this wasn't already creepy enough, now I couldn't see to put one foot in front of the other. I stepped cautiously through the graveyard conscious of where I put my feet, careful of flat headstones, laid out for the criminals of the Deep South.

I glanced at the headstones as I made my way towards the old mausoleum. Jeffrey Princeton, Emmalyn Tregre, and countless others that had been laid to rest in this old cemetery. I reached the door to the mausoleum, and ran into a solid impenetrable wall. I turned back, anxiety choking me. I'd failed I couldn't reach him. I was locked out, excluded. Humans didn't belong there, unless they'd made a deal.

I glanced back at the sound of a wheel turning. The lock was opening of its own accord, the pins and tumblers were clicking into place. The doors creaked open, revealing a straight drop and a rocky outcropping down into the depths below.

I took a sharp breathe then started the downward climb into the Hell dimension. In what seemed a matter of minutes I'd slipped twice but still managed to safely reach the bottom, without killing myself.

I took in my surroundings quickly needing to move along before I ran into any demons. I drew in a sharp breathe as a pair of demons moved past me conversing quietly. They hadn't seen me. I hurried along down the path they'd come, paying particular attention to the route I was taking and familiarizing myself with any available landmarks. It was Hell though everything looked the same, a hazy orange glow covering everything, stone walkways, rocky outcroppings for walls.

I followed the pathway unerringly memories were coming back to me the longer I was down here. Yes I'd been here before I was following a pathway to a single person one shining soul whose light was dimming even as I hurried along the path.

I rounded a corner, as a demon was slipping from the cell, as he exited I breezed past him. Once inside the cell, it took a minute for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, and once they had I wished they hadn't.

I saw John suspended with his arms bound over his head, his entire weight being supported by the chains binding his wrists. A demon circled him, gruesome, seductive, terrifying, and ultimately there was something so horrible about the scene before me I couldn't bring myself to look away.

John had his eyes closed, and his head hung low, he wasn't moving. Of course he wasn't moving, moving only brought more pain.

I'd felt everything John had gone through in Hell and intellectually I knew what all had been done to him, but seeing the aftermath, the once proud, strong warrior I knew was broken beyond repair. He was a shriveled shell of the man I had known, and I couldn't believe it.

I opened my mouth in a silent scream of horror, denial burning through my mind and rage coursing through my veins.

I woke abruptly, my heart beating out an uncomfortable tattoo against my ribs, my mind still screaming in denial. I moved cautiously at first I felt as though someone had abruptly slammed my soul back into my body. My throat felt raw and scratchy, and sweat coated my body, drenching the sheets around me.

Then I heard the wail of the baby. My cries of horror had woken him. I rubbed a hand across my eyes, rubbing what little bit of sleep I'd managed to get from them, before throwing back the covers and padding barefoot into the other room.

JJ was crying, his big brown eyes scrunched closed, and his mouth open letting out a pitiful whining cry. I reached into the crib picking him up, and held him close to me trying to provide comfort. Having any, sleep denied to you by mommy's screams had to totally suck. I know it did for me.

"Shhh. Shhhh." I soothed pacing the length of the room and rubbing his back soothingly, trying to get him to stop crying. So far nothing was working. After five minutes with no success, I decided it was definitely time to change tactics.

I moved from the room with JJ in my arms, going into the living room, so I could at least get a bit more comfortable. I moved JJ from his place at my shoulder, so he could nurse.

Aha. That did the trick. Once he'd finished, I took a moment to cover myself again, before standing to take the now silent and content baby boy back to his crib. "There baby, now your happy and you're gonna get some sleep and let mommy get at least a few more hours, huh?" I said, quietly. I raised him to my shoulder taking a minute to check him before I set him down.

Don't forget to burp him, or you won't be getting anymore sleep. John's voice filtered through my mind quietly stealthily.

I bit my lip lightly. Oops. I almost did forget not that I was going to let John know that one.

I felt a tiny burst of amusement; I'm in your head you know. He said softly, I could almost picture his face with a mocking grin in place.

I rolled my eyes, before grinning myself. Shut up. I said taking a few moments to enjoy the teasing. Who knew how long it would be before I would get to experience it again.

The demons were getting relentless in their torture their primary focus seemed to be on getting John to break. So far, he'd refused. There had been a few bumpy spots and the time he'd been forced to endure alone while I'd dealt with Sam being possessed and Beth losing the baby, couldn't have been easy on him.

After that ordeal he'd spent hours burrowed so deeply in my mind while I just talked about everything and anything that came into my head. I tried desperately to stay away from the nightmarish events that had transpired, but he was so firmly entrenched in my mind that it was impossible to keep the knowledge from him.

I believe it was a testament to how bad things had gotten in those few hours for him in Hell that he didn't even bother to inquire about it he simply took it all in and processed it all on his own.

I set JJ down in the crib and turned away, flipping the light off at the door. I stood for a moment at the door in the hallway just watching JJ drift off to sleep.

I turned at the sound of a trashcan being blown over outside, what the hell, there wasn't supposed to be any weather tonight. After Sam had attacked a few days ago, I'd unpacked all my weapons and placed them strategically around the house in easy access areas, that gave me decent vantage points without exposing me to the nasty hunting me.

The door in front of me blew open and a heartbeat later, a figure crossed the threshold into my home. Silently, I pulled a gun from under the table by the door of the nursery. Holding it rock steady in front of me, my finger poised ready to squeeze the trigger at a moment's notice.

I rounded the door of the nursery hoping to get a better view of the intruder. When I couldn't, I spoke, hoping to throw them off guard.

"I've got a newborn baby who tends to fuss. For your sake, you had better hope he doesn't wake up." I warned, in a low voice.

At the sound of my voice, the intruder paused. As I made it down the small hallway, I flicked on the lights to the living room, holding my gun rock steady. I almost dropped it in shock.

"Hello Nicole." My mother's voice sounded, softly.

Karen Singer's POV

March 1st, 1988

"Well you just gonna stand there, or hand it over, Bobby?" I asked softly, staring at my husband in the doorway. Cole was asleep, so the house was quiet and my husband and I had things we needed to discuss.

"What the hell?" Bobby asked in disbelief. "Karen?" He asked glancing out the door behind him, ensuring Cole's door is closed.

"You were expecting Farrah Fawcett?" I asked jokingly.

Bobby glanced back towards the door leading to Nicole's room before stepping into the room and closing our door. "No, she makes sure to call first." He said grinning at me.

I grinned again, color sweeping through my cheeks. I should have been expecting a response like that. Cole's teenage years were going to be fun.

"Gimme." I said licking my lips and motioning to the glass of wine in Bobby's hand.

Bobby moved towards me offering me the wine glass. "You're beautiful." He said softly.

Taking Bobby's hand, I smiled at the compliment. "Quit sweet talking and come here. I feel like…. We haven't talked in ages." I said softly.

My gaze dropped as Bobby's voice took on a husky quality, a pitch that sent heat soaring through my veins. "I know exactly how you feel."

I smiled lightly. "Listen, I have something I want to say to you." I said. "No excuses this time, okay, just sit Bobby." I said. I dropped my gaze as a small amount of hope flared, when Bobby joined me on the bed.

"I thought about this a lot." I continued, "I've really sat with this, I…" I trailed off, losing my nerve. I glanced away, my gaze on the clear night sky shining through our window. I had to get this out I couldn't afford not to. "You know Cole asked me for a little brother or sister today." I said trying a different approach.

"She did, did she? What did you tell her?" He asked.

I smirked, "Told her the stork might bring her one if she was a good girl."

Bobby chuckled, "No wonder she's been acting so weird all day. I was starting to wonder if she was getting sick or something."

I laughed. "No she's hoping for a sibling or two to boss around." I smiled even wider as a new thought occurred to me. "You know she's almost old enough she'll be able to babysit by the time the little one is up and running."

"You were serious?" Bobby asked incredulously.

Confused, I paused. "Yeah…. I actually thought we would have had our kids closer together but there's a silver lining to having them this far apart." I said with a wry grin, not noticing my husband's sudden discomfort.

"Karen, baby, I love you, but I have to watch myself around Cole." Bobby said softly reaching out to take my hand.

I frowned at him, almost laughing his concerns off. "Don't be ridiculous. You're great with Nicole." I said softly, bringing his hand to my lips. Bobby smiled softly at me, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. I leaned forward pressing my lips to his and my grip on the wine glass loosened. I pulled back as the glass shattered on the floor.

Smiling, I moved to get up, but Bobby grabbed my hand, pulling me back on the bed with him.

"We can't have any more kids, Karen." Bobby said softly, averting his face from mine, as if he was ashamed. I brushed my fingers across his face, smoothing the lines of worry marring his forehead.

"Sure we can. It'll work out for us as it's meant to Bobby. Why do you let this bother you so much? Kids are supposed to be a happy carefree moment between two people that love each other." I said pitching my voice soft trying to be supportive and let him know I was there for him.

"No honey, you're not listening to me." Bobby said his expression turning serious, with heavy guilt flashing through his eyes. "We can't have any more kids." He said, pulling his gaze from mine and dropping it to the shattered glass on the floor. "I can't have any more children." He said.

"What do you mean?" I asked, curious now.

Bobby looked up his gaze hesitant, he glanced away, then back at me, his gaze hardening. "Karen, honey, I had…" He stopped short, "I had a vasectomy." He said the words coming out in a rush. Almost in a single, breathe.

I paused, I'd already come up with an argument for anything he was going to say well anything except for this. "I don't understand." I said softly, confused. "What do you mean you had a vasectomy? When? Why?" I asked my voice rising by the minute.

Bobby grimaced, his eyes closing in shame. I couldn't believe it. "March. March 25th, 1978." He said his voice lowering as he dropped my gaze.

"Nineteen… Nineteen seventy eight." I said my voice coming out in a whisper. "We didn't even know I was pregnant at the time." I said rising from the bed, I paced towards the window.

"Karen, you have to understand, just let me explain." Bobby said rising from the bed to follow me. "I break everything I touch. I didn't want children. I was too afraid, I'd turn out like my good for nothing bastard father!" Bobby said his voice cracking as he fought to explain.

I just stared at him. Or rather past him. "We didn't even know I was pregnant, until a month later." I said numbly. I felt as though someone had drenched me in icy water. I was cold a bone chilling cold. The cold of a warrior with their back against a wall and no other way out.

"You knew I wanted kids!" I snarled a new thought coming to me. A thought that would sign my death warrant if any other found out. Not only mine, but Bobby's too. "You married me, knowing I wanted kids." I said accusing Bobby of a crime, he hadn't known he was committing.

"Dammit Karen, you know what my childhood was like." Bobby said his face darkening. "I couldn't subject a child to the monster my father had created." He turned away from me running a hand along his face.

"Our whole life. Our vows it was all a lie?" I asked. I needed to know for sure.

Bobby refused to answer me. He just stared at me, and with that small telling silence, my heart broke.

"I can't believe you." The words came out softly, so quiet to the rage and fury I was currently feeling. "I hate you…" Bobby flinched as though I'd struck him. "Everything was a lie, our whole life, our vows." I repeated this time knowing.

Bobby stood uncertainly, unsure of where to go or what to do in this moment, knowing there was no way to make this right.

"I don't understand." I said, pausing trying to collect my chaotic panicking thoughts. "You're a good man, you're a great dad. Why didn't you just sit me down and tell me…" I trailed off, not bothering to continue with that train of thought.

The silence stretched on for so long that Bobby, felt it was safe to leave the room. He'd almost made it to the door before I spoke again. "What does that even mean, you break everything you touch?!" I asked, or rather screamed.

He didn't have an answer I was sure he wouldn't.

Turning I paced back to the bed, unable to bear looking at him. He was the love of my life, and he'd betrayed me.

"What kind of excuse is that?" I snarled, the last words coming out as a hiss, as I caught my heel on a piece of the wine glass.

Sitting abruptly on the bed, I pulled my foot inwards. Bobby took a few steps forward, trying to come to my aid, but I held out my hand stopping him. "Just stay away from me!" I yelled, so unbelievably mad I wasn't sure how we would ever get past this.

Bobby needed to leave now. When I pulled the glass from my foot, my demon would heal me… Bobby couldn't be around to see it. It would be too weird for him to understand, as much as I loved my husband he was so small minded, and unable to accept new things. So I said the one thing I knew would hurt him so bad he would leave me, even injured. "You broke my heart Bobby! Are you happy?!" I snarled. "Just go away!"

The next thing I heard was the door slamming. Then minutes later, I heard the front door slamming as well and the truck roaring to life. Only then did I manage to pull the shards of glass from my foot.

Then I released my tight hold on the demon within, so I could at least get rid of one source of my pain. If only I could get rid of another source so easily.

Cole's POV

Present Day

I couldn't believe my eyes or my ears. It had been so long since I'd heard that voice.

My mother, no the demon using my mother's form, circled the room, keeping as much distance between us as she could. And as foreign and wrong and evil as it felt, I remembered my training, and the harsh invaluable lesson I'd re-learned earlier in this week, you can't trust anyone, especially not family when it came to demons.

She walked around the couch, her hands coming to rest on my journal on the table set up directly behind it. She flipped through a few pages, her gaze leaving me dismissively, to focus on what I'd written.

Most likely, it was the latest of my dreams from hell. Since Pamela and I had worked a spell to bridge the gap between John and me, I'd begun recording everything I could about my nightmares. I wasn't sure if I would ever get the chance to use it, but I would have the knowledge in case the opportunity ever arose.

"You know you shouldn't read someone else's journal those thoughts are private." I said, wanting her attention back on me. Whatever she found in my home, she would take with her back to hell, and she could use it against me.

She looked up with a mocking smirk. "I know. But it was just too tempting all my little girl's thoughts open and honest, waiting to be discovered by her nosy mother. It's an avenue we never got to explore." She quipped.

An eyebrow rose in shock. "You're joking right?" I asked softly. "Another avenue we never got to explore…" I said trailing off to be sure that I had her attention.

"Hmm?"

"All the hormonal teenage years." I said. "The fighting, the boys, so why start now." I said cattily. What the hell, was she doing here? What did she want?

She sighed, the sound was almost wistful, and if I hadn't known it was a demon in there I would believe that by some miracle my mother was back with me. However, I knew better, it was a demon, using my mother's form, and I was a hunter. Born and raised to kill any supernatural creatures I'd come across.

"That's right, we never did get to talk boys did we?" She said with a mocking grin, before turning back to my journal.

"I think it's a little late to start that now don't you?" I asked cattily.

"I don't think so. After all I am your mother." She said giving me a knowing grin.

I reached for a bottle of water, taking off the lid as though I was going for a drink. "Yeah about that," I said trailing off, to move closer. When I was within striking distance, she looked up in time to get a face full of holy water.

Karen's POV

March 2nd, 1988

It was almost six a.m. and Bobby still wasn't home my fury was slowly ebbing away to be replaced with anxiety and fear. There was no way they could have found out not this soon maybe by ten a.m. but not now.

I tried to calm my racing mind with a little channel surfing. I found myself watching the news for signs of anything. A car wreck on I-95, some wacko with a pistol, a drunken disorderly arrested for a bar fight.

As the newscaster came on camera, a new story started up. The screen flashed with images of a crime scene. A devils trap drawn out, with a chair in the center the newscaster had leaked crime scene evidence…

I sat up a little straighter, paying attention; there hadn't been any other hunters near the area, of that I was certain. This meant he was back. It was time to see who had managed to survive the attacks.

"If anyone has any information regarding this man, you're urged to come forward a confidential tip line has been set up with the Yankston PD. Any information to apprehending this dangerous criminal are greatly appreciated. Call 555-992- 2364."

I turned away from the TV putting it on mute as I heard the deadbolt scraping in the lock. Bobby stumbled through the door a minute later.

I think we need to talk." I said sternly, moving to stand in front of Bobby with my hands on my hips in full nag mode.

"About what?" He said rolling his eyes and sighing heavily.

Oh he knew damn well what. "About last night Bobby. My God, you owe me an explanation as to why you never bothered to tell me you were getting a vasectomy! I mean don't you think that I deserve that?" I asked, struggling to give up the fighting side of my attitude.

I needed to remain calm and level headed if I was going to get anywhere with Bobby.

Bobby sighed again, pulling out his wallet and keys and leaving them on the table by the couch, before turning to me. "I love you Karen. You know that. If I wanted to have more kids I would want to have them with you."

He stepped closer to me, pulling me in close to his body, trying to soothe me. There wasn't any point this wasn't going away so easily. "I would want a house full of siblings for Cole, but I don't want more children, and now I can't have any so there's no point in discussing this any further." He said giving me a peck on the cheek, before turning around and stumbling up the stairs.

I rolled my eyes blinking back tears. Fine if he wanted to leave it at that. We would leave it at that.

Cole's POV

Present Day

One thing I definitely missed about hunting with a partner was the help getting the demons subdued. My mother's body was surprisingly heavy, even for a skinny, five four woman. Not to mention she refused to cooperate, fighting me even in her weakened state.

I finished securing her to the chair in the devil's trap, and stood watching her carefully. She eyed me warily her gaze darting from me to the gallon of holy water in my grasp.

"Who are you?" I asked, in a tone that a few typically ignored once. No one was dumb enough to do it twice.

She struggled visibly with her bonds. "I'm your mother." She said, attempting to free at least one hand.

I watched her struggle apathetically, she wasn't getting loose. "You're lying." I snapped.

"I'm not lying to you Nicole." I lunged forward when she used my given name, backhanding her hard across the face. My parents had ever been the only ones to call me that and John. Since his death, my father had never made that mistake again. "I am your mother." She said panting as she continually failed to loosen her bonds. I drew back my hand to strike her again.

"My name is Karen Marion Singer; I was born in Maricopa County, Phoenix, Arizona, to Aileen and Mark Graham." I paused all of the information she was giving me was correct. No demon would have taken the time to learn about a dead meatsuit. Would they?

She drew in a quick noisy breath of air. "I died March 3rd, 1988." She said in a rush.

I narrowed my eyes at her. Demons lied. I'd learned that lesson the hard way earlier in the week, or rather re-learned that lesson.

I lifted up the holy water, dousing her in it. I expected the usual sizzle and the smell of steaming flesh; instead, shrieks of agony were the only sign of discomfort.

She screamed, the sound was almost as bad as nails on a chalkboard. "A hunter, a hunter came to exorcise me!" She screamed. "I faked it!"

That small statement, I faked it, set me back on my heels. What the hell? John had been quiet, just losing himself in my mind. He got so few moments of peace; I was hesitant to call on him for this. Just the same, I needed to know.

Can they do that? I asked him, I'd never heard of anything like it.

Honestly, I have no idea. He said with the mental equivalent of a sigh. The demons had left him for the day, but they would soon be starting up again. I could feel the tense awareness, and the trepidation, through the connection John and I shared.

The demon looked up at me, and I lowered the holy water just a bit. We need more information. I couldn't agree with John more.

"What do you mean you faked it?" I demanded. I set down the holy water, and some of the tension left my mother's posture.

"I wasn't possessed by a demon Nicole." She clarified. "I have always been a demon." She said, settling into her bonds.

"You're joking!" I growled, fury pushing close to the surface, there were way too many reveals all happening at once, I needed a second to process all of this.

"In the old days we were known as the Erinyes by the Greeks, Romans called us Dirae or Furiae. In modern days we've become known as Furies." She explained.

"You mean, like mythology?" I asked stunned. "The dog faced women from hell?"

"We're more like modern knock-offs, the M.O. is the same though." She said with a wry smile.

"Fantastic. You punish evil-doer's. Doesn't that make you good?" I asked skeptically.

Easy honey. She has been responsible for my torture for years now. John's voice filled my mind harshly, warning me not to trust her.

"Typically most furies will go after a shoplifter, as soon as a murderer and we tend to take immense pleasure from our kill." Karen said with a sadistic smile.

"So why the hell are you here?" I asked. "I tend to stay within a vaguely legal realm." I said, and then I wished I'd chosen my words more carefully. Who knew what she would consider evil? I doubt that she saw in shades of gray.

"I'm here to help you." She said, and I fought not to roll my eyes. Yeah cause I was totally going to fall for that one.

Karen's POV

March 2nd 1988

"If he cannot have any more children, then your use for him is done." My mother's voice sounded over the other end of the line.

I rolled my eyes at my mother's old attitudes. We lived in the modern day's not ancient times when the great creators walked among us. Why did things have to be so black and white?

Why did we have to have duty and honor so ingrained within us that we were no longer allowed to think for ourselves or have desires of our own? Why did every single thought or action have to be for the good of the whole, why couldn't we just live for ourselves.

"I want to stay here." I said firmly, refusing to yield. I wanted to live with my child. I didn't want to raise her with all the demon nonsense. I wanted her to be normal, instead of having her demon activated from the time she hit puberty so she could aid in the mass production of demons.

"Careful Kayen, your duty is to your family." Mother's voice had taken on a hard edge. An edge that typically had me jumping through hoops to please her, to keep her swift and brutal retribution from falling upon my shoulders.

"I understand mother." I said hurriedly, trying to deflect the brewing fury, I felt coming from her at such a simple statement. "I've produced a child; I wish to stay here until she's old enough to embrace her demonic side." I said trying to convey a truth; one I knew I did not want for Nicole.

I didn't want her to know what it felt like to kill at such a young age. She was my little girl, my baby not a straight up killer.

I wanted her to be a normal young girl for a while longer, even if I knew it could never last.

I wanted to be the one to train her. I'd never before been interested in training, but with Cole that had all changed, everything had changed. My mission had become something I no longer believed in.

I knew I wanted to train Nicole, but not to be a demon, I couldn't see her, so sweet and innocent and full of life, becoming a merciless killer. She was too treasured to allow her light to seep from the world. If I had to, I would turn my back on everything I'd ever known, my own family even, to keep Cole from them.

"You've never shown a single interest in training. Your sister has tried to ask for your aid with some of the younger girls. You've turned your nose up every time." Mother said suddenly curious. "What has prompted this change of heart?"

Dread filled me at her words. She knew. And if she knew everyone would know. "Nicole is different from the other girls. She shows a true warrior, a rare individual, with the tenacity to hold out to keep fighting." I said, pausing for a moment to consider my next words carefully. " I believe she would lead the charge upon the heavenly host herself, if trained right."

"She's very stubborn, Karen." Mother commented.

"Not stubborn, she's a natural born leader, she could command, she won't fall in line because we beat it into her. If anything I believe we need to take a little care and caution with her." I said trying to explain my fears.

"We need to lead her to this gradually; she could be extraordinary, but only under the right circumstances. If we force her into this we could end up creating a monster, someone who would unravel centuries upon centuries of hard work." I cautioned. Mother wouldn't believe it though. She never did when I warned her of certain individuals. There were certain personalities who needed to be brought into the fold gradually, to push them, could cause them to turn on us.

Over the years, this had happened a few times. Young women would come to us, we would finish their conversion, teach them our ways. But if certain measures were too harsh, or their own individual wills too strong they would need to be dealt with.

I'd flat out refused to teach the women our ways, so my job was hunting the Furies who had turned on us, denying our ways, refusing our mission. They had to be exterminated and I was the best at my job.

"The girl needs to learn her place. She will be brought into the fold as scheduled." My mother said her tone hardening into a finality that made her the domineering matriarch of our line.

I did my best to hold my tongue. I had to submit, or I would be terminated as well. Going against our goal was deadly to anyone. Even me.

"Now, Kayen, you need to begin looking for another male." I rolled my eyes. Not again.

"Yes ma'am." I said stepping once again into my role as dutiful daughter. Better to just agree with her, then to risk beginning the third world war.

"He's no good to you anymore. I don't understand why you stayed with him nine years, when you clearly knew he wasn't providing you with children." She said in full nag mode.

"I..." I began opening my mouth to explain my reasoning, but my mother was having none of it, running me over and continuing to speak.

"Obviously you can stay with him until you know you can carry children with another human male." She said.

I closed my eyes my grip tightening on the phone. When I opened my eyes again, I glanced in the window over the kitchen sink, my eyes were black. Was she trying to provoke me?

"I…" I said, once again I was going to attempt to explain my actions to my hardheaded mother, and yet again I was cut short.

"Your father's home Karen, I'm going to have to call you back." She said. I sighed in relief, although I hoped it sounded a little more like irritation. With my recent string of horrible luck though it probably didn't.

Cole's POV

"You didn't answer my question." I said irritably. John for the moment was quiet, listening closely.

"I did." She said, sounding just as irritable. "I'm here for you. To help you." She reiterated.

I rolled my eyes pacing away from her. "Yeah right." I scoffed.

"Dammit Nicole, I'm your mother. Why is that so hard for you to believe?" She snapped rolling her eyes impatiently.

Rage coursed through me. If this truly was my mother, where the hell had she been why leave unless she'd been running from something? And who the hell did she think she was she didn't know me. What gave her the right to come in here and act like she knew me like she had any form of clue who I was. I pressed my trembling lips together, so furious I was seeing red.

"Don't you dare call me that!" I snapped. "You have no right! None!" I snarled my voice raising. In a fit of rage, I lashed out catching her with a fist. Her head snapped to the side with a resounding crack echoing through the house.

Her head hung awkwardly to one side for a moment, before she righted herself, opening her mouth wide to work out the crick I'd created in her jaw. "Oh. Wow thanks. You have no idea how long I've been trying to work out that kink." She said with a slight grin.

I frowned a bit, completely stumped. What the hell? She was insane. An ear-splitting wail filled the night and I rolled my eyes, great. Just great.

"Huh. You weren't kidding you really do have an infant." She said, frowning, and trying to look behind her down the hall.

I moved around her going down the hall to the nursery. This was unbelievable. Maybe it's better that you take a break? John suggested.

Oh shut up! I snapped, furiously.

Once in the nursery, I looked in on JJ, he seemed okay if a bit frazzled, probably from the screaming. Great for the second time during the night screams had woken him, this was no life for a baby.

He appeared quiet now, already drifting back into sleep. I looked at him letting the sight of such a sweet innocent soul calm my nerves. I raked a hand through my hair, completely at a loss for what to do.

I took a few deep breathes, calming myself. What should I do? I asked John.

For starters, I think you should get back out there and talk to her. He said calmly.

Why? I asked.

Well because she has been responsible for my torture for a few decades now, and I think, it would do you some good to talk to her. He said. Look I'm not saying believe her or even trust her, but it might not be such a bad idea to see what exactly she wants from you.

I rolled my eyes giving off the impression of a brat stamping their feet. Not fair. I whined. I don't wanna. Can't I just exorcise her? I asked hopefully.

If what she said earlier is to be trusted, then apparently an exorcism does absolutely no good for her. He said.

I sighed wearily. Oh yeah, I forgot about that. John, what if it really is my mom, and not just a demon using my mom's body? I asked.

From what I understood your mother was a typical salt and burn, sweetie. At least that's what your dad told me.

He did? I asked. Dad and I had never talked about mom dying.

Yeah from what I've heard, and getting anything from him is worse than pulling teeth, he and Rufus salted and burned her. Rufus apparently stuck around for a few months, teaching your dad about hunting.

So if she was a salt and burn, how could a demon reanimate her body? I asked.

Nicole, you should ask her these questions yourself. You'll get more than just theories. I sighed rolling my eyes. You're a fat lot of help.

I made my way back into the sitting room, where my mom was. I checked her bindings as I walked behind her, making sure she was still nice and tight. "So if you really are my mom, prove it." I challenged.

She looked up at me from beneath wary eyes, and then licked her lips. "Okay." She said rising to the bait.

Karen's POV

March 2nd, 1988

I got out of the car, looking towards the gazebo, looking for the man I'd spoken with on the phone. Rufus Turner, I wasn't even sure that was a real name, I just hoped he could get the job done for me, and quickly.

The only person I saw around the park that didn't look like they belonged was a dark skinned man wearing an old blue jean jacket that looked like it had seen better days. He was watching the children playing on the playground.

A quick glance told me for sure that he was the man I was looking forward to meeting. Either that or he was a child molester, and in that case I would make it a priority to kill him, and slowly.

I approached the man cautiously, Nicole tugging urgently on my arm to be turned loose to play with the other kids. Pausing, I turned and crouched down eye level with Cole, "Okay little one, mommy has to go meet with a friend, so why don't you go and play, huh." I said, pulling the sleeves on Cole's long sleeved shirt up.

Her face brightened instantly, and she took off towards the other children, leaving me to deal with the massacre of my entire family, and an unfamiliar hunter. He would be the wild card in this equation.

"Thank you for meeting with me." I said taking a seat beside the man on the park bench, watching as Cole ran off to play on the jungle gym.

"Not like I had much of a choice, you mentioned demons to me, here I am." The dark skinned man said softly. He gave me an appraising glance probably wondering how I knew about demons.

I didn't much care what he thought. Only that he went where I needed him to go. I had to keep her safe, and I would do whatever it took, even if it meant turning on my own family.

"There's a nest, in Phoenix." I said softly, glancing at him, if he failed, I needed to be ready to run.

The man met my gaze, "Ma'am I don't do airplanes." He said looking around watching others at the park. Typical paranoid hunter, I had to work to keep a straight face.

"Surely you know others who are in the same line of work you are?" I asked.

"I might know of someone. Usually I'd like to work this out by myself but I'm already in the middle of a job." He said.

"Of course."

"Where exactly is this nest?" He asked pulling out a small notebook from his jacket pocket and a pen from the inside pocket. He took down the information, nodding. "I'll see what I can do." He said quietly.

"One more thing." I said hesitant to add the latest bit, they would know someone had turned on them if I added this information, but if I didn't add this information Hell itself would spit them all back out immediately.

Rufus turned back to me his gaze questioning. I pulled an old piece of paper with the words imprinted upon every Fury before birth, the words that would banish us to Gehenna. I was proud of myself, my hand shook as I handed Rufus the page, it was barely noticeable, and it went undetected by the hunter, as I handed over the one thing that would ensure we wouldn't rise again.

Rufus' dark shrewd eyes caught everything more he sensed my hesitation. "Okay," He said, softly. "I'll see what I can do." He repeated.

I smiled at him, shaking his hand. "Nicole, come on sweetie we're leaving." I called.

Cole let go halfway across the monkey bars, and landed in a crouch hands up, helping her to balance. Such a simple maneuver that hundreds of children preformed every day to keep their balance, I was determined that she would never have to know how to defend herself.

Watching her run towards me so bright and happy, reaffirmed my belief that I was doing the right thing, the only thing.

"Ready to go home?" I asked her.

She looked at me pouting and shaking her head. "Okay well how about this. We'll come back later when it warms up a bit? How does that sound?" I said.

Cole just shrugged, no longer interested in what I had to say. "It's not cold." She said looking up at the hunter, who had shrugged his jacket on in preparation to leave.

The hunter, no Rufus, flashed her a smile, his teeth white in contrast to his darkly pigmented skin. "I don't know about that little lady, I'm cold." He said, trying to help me out even though in all fairness it couldn't have been any colder than sixty five degrees.

Cole scrunched up her nose at him. "You're a wuss." She said snippily, in a princess to peasant tone.

I rose both eyebrows in shock, reprimanding her sharply. "Nicole!" She didn't even look phased by me getting onto her, she simply shrugged it off.

Shrugging it off, I turned back to Rufus with an apologetic glance.

He waved me off with an easy wave. "Don't worry about it. It's fine. Kids huh?" He said in consolation.

I grinned ruefully. "Yeah kids." I said with a light laugh. I reached out snagging Cole's shirt as she turned away to go play again. "Not so fast minion, we're leaving."

"All right, I'll find out who I can get to do the job and I'll let you know." Rufus said.

I nodded at him, grabbing Cole's hand so she wouldn't try to run again. Setting off for the car, I made sure Cole was strapped in the front seat, then turned back to get in on the driver's side, with one last look at Rufus who was watching us leave with a peculiar smile on his face.

Cole's POV

Present Day

I shook my head instantly rejecting the story that I was hearing from my mother. I'd known Rufus ever since I was a child, that much was true that much I knew, but I'd met him the same day he'd later exorcised the demon from my mother.

I'd met him before the madness had started.

Narrowing my eyes at Karen, I focused on something else, something easier to deal with besides the fact that Rufus had known about my mother before she had died.

"You turned your back on your family?" I asked, leaning one hip against the sofa.

Karen shrugged apathetically not caring that she had in one fell swoop marked her entire family for death.

"They were your family!" I said furious. "Hell they were my family, family I never got to meet because you turned on them, and had them all exterminated like cock roaches or mice." I snapped. I took a breath, before opening my mouth ready to go at her again, only to be cut off.

"I sold them out to protect you, you ungrateful little brat. Everything I did was to protect you!" She snapped at me once again straining against her bonds as though they were the only things keeping her from jumping up to argue with me.

"You're full of crap. There is no reason on earth you would need to protect me!" I snarled. "Especially not after almost twenty years." I turned away disgusted. "Not only that but you came from Hell! Who the hell does that? How did you do that?" I snapped, turning back towards her demanding an answer.

Karen took a deep breathe, forcing herself to calm. "I had to protect you." She said her voice coming out calm and collected. "They wanted to train you, teach you our ways, and turn you."

"They couldn't have done that, not without forcing a demon to possess me." I replied, but in all, honesty I had no clue whether that was the truth or not.

"The Furiae gene, runs in our family, Nicole. They don't need demons." She said softly.

"Wait! Don't say another word!" I said, turning away from my mother "Not one more word." The words came out as a whisper; I took in a deep steadying breath, trying to calm my racing heart. "Does this, am I…" I was hyperventilating any second now I felt as if I was going to go crazy and try to murder her six ways from Sunday, good thing she was already dead.

I swallowed, and took another deep breathe drawing air into my lungs. "Am I a demon?" I asked.

Of course, you're not a demon Nicole. I fought the shudder that wanted to ripple through my body, terrified of the answer. What did he know? I was the one who was still here raising a child if I was going to sprout horns and grow a tail I needed to know.

I turned to Karen, meeting her gaze squarely. She looked smug, a smirk crossing her kindly face; her eyes were sparkling with satisfaction. Then abruptly it all faded, almost too quickly it was gone. "No you're not a demon." She said softly. "The gene runs in our family, that doesn't mean we're all demons."

Karen's POV

March 3rd, 1988

"I'm going out!" Bobby said, irritably. We'd just had another fight. This was the third one in three days.

I sighed, watching his back walk out the door, while I stayed home with our daughter. I'd done the right thing. I knew I had. In a few days, this entire mess would be over.

Things would get back to normal. And our family would be able to heal from this temporary rift that our fighting had caused.

A short head of blonde ringlets came running into view. "I'm done mommy." Cole said. Her voice sounded bright and perky, but her gaze looked guarded.

"Really?" I asked skeptically. I reached around her back feeling for tags. Her night shirt was on the right way, and so were her pajama pants. "Let me see your teeth." I said sternly.

She grimaced baring her teeth to me. They smelled minty fresh. "Okay you little hell raiser, time for bed." I said. "You'd better beat me there."

Nicole turned from my side and whirled down the hall streaking for the stairs. I smiled after her, content for the time being. After the horrible things I'd done in my life I was ready for some peace.

Even if I could no longer have any children of my own, I could be happy with only her and my husband.

I followed Cole up the stairs and into her room seating myself beside her on the bed.

"I love you baby girl." I said tucking Cole in, and kissing her forehead.

"Love you too, mommy." She said, "Since daddy's not here, will you stay with me for a bit?"

I thought about it for a bit. "Okay." I agreed with a grin. When Bobby and I were fighting, Cole and I usually spent a lot of time together. She was going to be a total momma's girl.

"Just a little while though. And then you're going to bed!" I said.

Cole nodded her eyes bright and excited. I pulled back the covers getting into bed with her, and Cole settled in the crook of my arm. I brought my hand up to stroke her hair back, soothing her to sleep.

"Mom?" She questioned. "Why do you and dad always fight?" She asked.

I closed my eyes tightly. I knew that Bobby and I had not exactly hidden the fact that we were fighting but I hadn't known Cole had caught on. "Honey, daddy and I love each other very much." I said softly.

"I know mom." She said in a bratty tone, rolling her eyes. "But you didn't answer my question." She said.

"Dad and I just..." I trailed off not sure how to answer her. I opted for lying. Well almost lying. "Your dad and I love each other. Sometimes people fight. And that's a part of the passion."

Cole crossed her arms, hugging her self. She looked like she'd rather be talking about anything else. "I don't ever want to fall in love." She said, her brown eyes looking troubled.

I smiled down at her, smoothing her hair back. "Sweetheart of course you do." I said softly, kissing the top of her head.

"No I don't mommy. I don't want to fight. I just want to be happy." She said. "And the only way to do that is to never fall in love." She reasoned.

Tears filled my eyes and I blinked them back. I cleared my throat of the tears clogging it, so I could speak. "Cole, baby I want you to listen to me." I said waiting until her gaze met mine.

"Your dad and I are very happy." I said, smoothing back her hair, I chose my next words carefully. "Soon all the fighting will be over." I said reassuring her that the fighting wouldn't last.

I closed my eyes, against the wrenching sensation as another family member was banished to hell. The sensation was horrible a deep wrenching tear in the fabric that held our collective demonic minds together.

"Honey, I want you to fall in love." I said, smiling down at her, she glanced up at me her dark eyes wary, but they contained a small glimmer of hope. "I want you to be so in love, you can't think about anything else. I want you to be with your soul mate. I don't want you to be with a man because it was decreed, or because you feel obligated to anyone." I sighed, I wasn't making any sense. Cole had nodded off to sleep and snuggled up to me anyways.

"I want you to have everything I could never have." I said softly. "I want that so badly for you baby girl." I said. I grew quiet watching Cole sleep.

Cole's POV

Present Day

"I don't understand. I don't want to hear about that night." I said forcefully. That was the last thing I wanted to hear about. Those memories were mine and mine alone, this demon had no right to know them, none.

"I want to know why do you think you have to protect me!" I said forcefully.

"Yes you do Nicole." She said her gaze searching mine, begging me to hear her. "This is exactly what you want to hear." She assured me.

I shrugged, I was sure I didn't want to hear any more about that night, but if she insisted, I would have to listen.

The smile that crossed my mom's face appeared sad, as if she had recalled something disheartening. "Tell me about the man Nicole." She said her voice gentle, sweet. For a moment, I could almost believe I was talking to my mom again.

My guard was already up. I was prepared for it from anyone else I wouldn't have missed a beat and denied any man. However, from a demon, one I knew had been interrogating John, to look for me, I couldn't deny it.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I said trying to deflect that telling statement.

"Don't lie to me." She said softly. Her gaze met mine with a smug smirk, the satisfaction I saw reflected there made me want to hit her, again.

I took a steadying breathe, rolling my eyes to shake off the nerves I was feeling. I shouldn't be feeling anything. I swallowed hard, collecting my thoughts. Deciding what exactly I wanted to tell this demon.

"He's none of your business." I said, stubbornly.

"I proved to you who I am." She said, keeping her voice soft, nonthreatening. "I can't help you if you don't tell me who he is."

I stayed silent for a heartbeat.

"You love him?" She asked. She waited a minute, allowing the silence to stretch in such a way that in the past had never before failed to make me squirm.

She rolled her eyes, growing tired of the quiet game, and opened her mouth answering her own question. "You have to, the only way you could have formed such a strong connection to bridge hell, is if you're mated." She said making it a statement.

I only understood half of what she was saying. Nevertheless, my interest was piqued. What was she talking about?

"What does that mean mated? You aren't making any sense." I said slowly, thinking over her mindless gibberish.

She rolled her eyes, looking unamused at having to answer my questions. "This…. child you have, is it his?" She asked drawing out the words.

I didn't want to answer. I didn't want her to know anything about my son. However, at the same time I wanted to know what she meant.

I nodded slowly clenching and unclenching my jaw. I felt John in my mind; he felt about as tense as I did. He had to know what she meant too.

"What do you mean mated, mom?" I asked, hoping that acknowledging her, as my mother would tap into some long lost sense of maternal instinct.

"You're able to bridge the gap to hell, because of the connection you two have." She said.

I rolled my eyes, I already had figured as much, way before her visit. "Tell me something I don't know." I said dryly crossing my arms and leaning against the couch. I felt a tiny bit of my anxiety slip away, and with it my guard lowered. She wasn't getting loose and even if she did she was in the devil's trap.

"How old is your little girl?" She asked.

I raised an eyebrow. "Girl?!" I echoed incredulously. "Have you met me?" I asked gesturing to myself. "What in the hell would I do with a girl?" I asked rhetorically.

She scoffed at me. "Well it can't be a boy." She said.

I remained silent allowing her to work it out for herself.

"There's no way it can be a boy." Her voice sounded strong and self-assured of that fact. She straightened herself as much as she could within the chair.

At my continued silence, she narrowed her eyes at me. "That's not possible!" Her voice rose, astonished.

"There is no way genetically you can produce a boy." She said; temper coloring her voice as though she was getting pissed off at the thought of me having a boy.

"Well you better believe it." I said placing my hands on my hips. "He's a month old." I said answering her previous question.

"That is not possible!" She repeated for the second time.

I shrugged at her smirking. I could find my sick sense of humor in her raging denial.

"The mating is supposed to produce female children. Not males. You're screwing with me." She said looking at me.

I raised an eyebrow. "That's the second time you've mentioned mating, I'm not a dog. Now are you going to tell me what that is or do I get to have some more fun." I said picking up the now half-empty jug of holy water.

She smirked at me not in the least intimidated by my threat. That smug telling look, it wasn't good for her health, it only infuriated me more.

She eyed me; smirk still firmly in place before she opened her mouth.

I approached her carefully, raising the holy water, however a part of me didn't want to use it on her, a piece of me wanted to have my mom back. However, a stronger piece of me stamped down the hope that this really was my mom and not some demon messing with my head.

"For Christ's sake keep your damn panty hose on!" She snapped, rolling her eyes irritably. I lowered the holy water, waiting. "The mating, obviously is…. It's a connection. A link. It pairs the genetic coding that can create a flesh and blood demon with a compatible human counterpart." She paused, taking in a breathe.

"The compatibility manifests itself as a… A connection a bonding. Many humans would call it love at first sight; it's as if you've waited your entire lifetime, searching for one person who completes you."

"Fantastic. A demon that believes in true love now I've officially seen it all!" I said, turning my nose up and sneering at my own mother.

She mocked me with a sweet, innocent smile, and then her eyes grew dark with anger. "You turn your nose up at me but even demons need a partner, we're not all black widows." She said. "Many of our kind have been able to find a mate that completes them."

I rolled my eyes, scoffing at her comment. What the hell did she know she'd turned on her own family then abandoned the one she claimed to be protecting.

Taking a deep breathe I rolled my shoulders, forcing myself to remain calm. I couldn't lose it now, I had to remain calm, so I could continue questioning her, and eventually I would have to find a suitable solution I couldn't just leave a demon held captive in my living room, especially not my deceased mother.

Taking another deep breathe, I opened my mouth, getting us back on track. "What did you mean when you said you wanted to help me?" I asked softly.

"That's going to require going through more of what happened the night I died." She said.

I sighed, readying myself to relive even more torture. "Go for it." I replied, finally willing to listen if this was the only way to find out what she meant then I would relive the worst night of my life.

Karen's POV

March 3rd, 1988

I turned off Nicole's light, and shut the door, when a voice echoed through my mind, shattering my small moment of clarity and peace.

Kayen! My sister's voice echoed, coming to me from a great distance. We've got issues. She said her voice coming through on a strong wave of worry and even fear. It's a hunter. She said the impression came to me of running, she was fleeing whomever Rufus had found to go to Phoenix.

Feigning concern, I touched her mind worry uppermost in my mind, masking my true horror that I had turned on my own family.

Karen. This hunter he has the containment spell. She said her worry coming through the link. How the hell did a hunter get their hands on the containment spell? She said.

She'd made her way into another room, slamming the door and locking it behind her. As she'd turned to shut the door I caught glimpses of the hunter through peripheral vision, tall, broad shouldered intent on his task of ridding the world of even more demons.

He was freaking perfect for the job. And apparently he'd acted fast catching them off guard.

How many has he gotten to? I asked Jess trying to keep her calm.

Most of us, I think there's only a handful maybe a few more than that left. We'd gathered to go over new hunting techniques so with one or two utterings of the containment spell, the weakness had set in, then the banishment. There had been at least fifteen of our demons in that meeting so he took out a big chunk of our numbers there. She said her voice was shaking, even within her mind she was scared.

I grinned to myself, impressed this person was good. He'd hit them hard, damaging their numbers and fast, giving them no time to even adapt to what was happening.

I breathed a sigh of relief that my daughter would be safe; she never would join their ranks.

I pushed further into the connection to see what exactly Jess was doing. She was hiding Amy, leading her through all the back ways while the hunter continued tracking down couples and demons in within the warehouse.

As she hid Amy, I felt an icy cold trickle of deadly awareness ooze through the connection. Our force was here, Jesse said, even the young ones we were going to turn, we'd collected as many of our kind as we could to help the young ones survive transition. She stopped, cut off abruptly as I assume Amy made a run for it reaching the tunnels and running for her life.

I caught small glimpses of Jess whirling to face the threat, and a panic squeezed my heart in a tight vice-like grip as I considered what I'd done. I'd murdered my entire family, and I was with my sister, for her last few moments. What had I done?

I'm sorry Jesse! I said crying out through the link wishing I could make it to her. We'd been through a lot together.

You bitch! She snarled, the vibration echoing through the link the realization that I was the reason behind the entire attack coming to her. You've destroyed us all!

I closed my eyes as I felt the bone chilling paralysis grip her, preventing her from pushing through and fighting back. I centered on her, my mind reaching and expanding throughout hers seeking the connection, the threads I would need.

I paused shortly, staring through my sister's eyes, into the eyes of her enemy. I repressed a shudder this man was dangerous. Who knows how many hunters had been given the information necessary to take out the Furiae?

I cringed at the thought, I would need to be even more cautious. Panic and now a new emotion, something I wasn't used to feeling was threading it's way through my mind. Terror. Mind numbing, chills running down my spine, that was what I was feeling as my sister took her last breathe, the promise of retribution running through out her mind as her essence was forced into a prison.

Coming back into my own body, I realized I'd been leaning against Cole's door. I scrubbed a hand across my face, shocked at the wetness I found there. Even more shocking was the amount of remorse and sorrow I felt for what I'd done.

Waves of angry emotions were directed towards me, a small anthill in comparison to what I was currently feeling. Until I realized as the seconds ticked by it was growing stronger, and it had a target. Me. My family.

This wasn't the plan. No one was supposed to survive. They were all supposed to be dead. I swallowed past the lump in my throat, but even that was difficult. I reached a hand up drying my tears. Turning, my hand on the knob to Cole's room, I opened the door softly as I could.

Cole stirred as I woke her up. "Hey little one." I said my voice pitched low and soothing, trying not to alarm Cole. "Wanna do something really special, just the two of us?" I asked, faking a bright bubbly smile.

She turned, rubbing her face into the pillow clearly wanting to go back to sleep but she couldn't. I took her hand gently, as she sat up rubbing the little bit of sleep she'd gotten from her eyes. I smiled softly down at her, knowing what I had to do.

I lead her through the house, as quickly as possible, watching for the glare of the headlights through the windows facing the drive. Bobby would be out for another hour or so. We could be gone by then and we'd be safe. It would break a good man's heart but it would save my daughter's life until I could eliminate the final threat to us.

Taking Cole into the living room, I pulled out the blade that passed down through the generations. I grit my teeth knowing that this had to be completed; otherwise, any Furaie would be able to find us. It didn't mean I had to like it.

Cole looked up at me with wide eyes, her anxiety clear. "Shh. This is only gonna hurt a little bit okay?" I told her reassuringly. Cole didn't look convinced, but she didn't move. To her credit she didn't make a sound either but the breath hissed out from her lungs audibly.

Carving the symbol took time and precision, halfway through, I began to lose my nerve. I'd gotten myself into this mess to keep Nicole safe, and here I was harming my own daughter. However, this truly was for her own good.

The sigil would keep Nicole from being detected by any demon, Furiae or otherwise. Now it was time for the final marks to be completed, but I paused. I heard a whisper of sound by the entrance of the library; from the kitchen side I turned my back on the sound dismissing it.

I shrugged it off, continuing. I called forth my demon, embracing the icy darkness, allowing her to guide my actions to protect us both and my daughter as she had protected me countless times before.

I felt a wrenching sensation as a small sliver of her broke off and entered into Nicole. Looking through tunnel vision, I saw my beloved daughter's eyes go black, and the sigils on her arm began to close, as my demon worked to heal her.

I lifted the knife, carving the final marks in place. Jumping out of my skin when a hand grabbed my arm from behind, I whirled prepared to defend myself.

"Cole, get out of here!" Bobby's voice sounded. He sounded shocked, and furious.

"No!" I cried out, trying to struggle away from him, reaching for Cole's arm, she'd just slipped through my grasp. I wasn't done. I had completed the sigil to keep her hidden, but with a piece of my demon still inside of her who knew what could happen. "I'm not done; I have to keep her safe. They cannot find her." I said desperately to Bobby. "Please you have to understand." I begged him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing Karen?" Bobby snarled the fury in his voice put me on alert.

"Let me go!" I snapped right back, my eyes fixed on Nicole. I had to get to her. Bobby stepped back, as I turned on him, brandishing the knife in an effort to protect myself. He grabbed for the hand with the knife in it, pulling it back and driving it high into my chest. I cried out, the pain was excruciating, and my pain had an unexpected side effect, Bobby released me, but not the knife, he pulled it out and drove it into my chest repeatedly. When he prepared to drive the knife in a sixth time, I flung out an arm in desperation, telekinetically throwing him backwards into the kitchen.

He hit the kitchen table hard, smashing it to pieces, but he rolled out of the debris, taking two large steps toward Cole. Before scooping her up and running for the pantry.

Shortly stunned I reached up grabbing the hilt of the knife, before jerking it out of the wound in my shoulder. My wounds immediately stopped bleeding, patched by my demon. We would worry about healing them later the important thing was that I didn't lose any more blood.

I walked softly into the kitchen heading for the pantry where Bobby had locked himself and Cole inside. I tried the handle but it wouldn't budge. Infuriated, I began gouging great chunks in the wood, trying to pry the shuttered half door off. Or pull them off through sheer force.

The front door burst open, kicked in so hard; I imagine it left a hole in the dry wall behind it. Inwardly I rolled my eyes. Could this protection detail get any harder? Rufus Turner rushed me, dousing me in holy water, and I laughed, really? I flung out my arm tossing him into the far wall, the man was quick though, and my favorite comfy recliner, smashed into the wall cracking the window above it.

He began the words in Latin, and I immediately felt the effects. I fought the weakness, the dizziness, the undeniable paralysis. I turned unblinking eyes onto the hunter responsible for my death, I had foolishly handed him the weapons to do so.

Cole's POV

"Anyways. We all know the ending." Karen said her voice going from pained and emotion filled, to brisk, and matter-of-fact.

I turned wide eyes to her, shocked. And for the first time I was ready to believe her.

"Everything I've ever done was to protect you." She said her voice softening.

"And torturing John in Hell?" I asked. "That was to protect me also?" I queried. I frowned turning away from her. There had to be more to this. She couldn't just want to protect me. She had to want something in return. I just had to figure out what it was.

John brushed his mind against mine, and not for the first time I longed to have him here with me, to be able to lean on him, the way I used to instead of constantly having to be the strong one.

Karen smiled a sharp, sadistic gleam in her eye. "Honey, I've tortured every demon who's ever run across you and been sent back to Hell. I mean it when I say I do only have your best interests at heart."

I was getting sick of this and it seemed to me we were going around in circles. I just couldn't believe her, not entirely. Something about this whole mess was off.

"Are you going to tell me why you've come here?" I asked I was going to beat this horse to death until I got a different answer. "Or are you just screwing with me?" I said, my voice growing hard again, I was nothing if not stubborn, I'd perfected it.

Karen hung her head in defeat. "Have you not heard a word I've said?" She asked rhetorically. "I've answered that question five times over already." She said wearily.

"That's great make it an even six." I said crossing my arms and eyeing the holy water.

"You're my daughter Nicole. I want to keep you safe. I want you to be able to have a normal life a family. Not be bogged down by all this demon crap." She said her voice rising defiantly. "I don't care what I have to do to keep you safe. I've turned every demon who's ever run across you into demons so fierce, Hell itself wouldn't dare spit them back out." She said dropping her voice to a lower pitch, practically purring from the satisfaction that she'd tortured souls, molded them into psychotic supernaturally enhanced murderers.

I rolled my eyes; she was definitely a braggart, now I knew where I got it. I turned away from her, looking over the table where the holy water was. If I wanted to get a different answer from her, I was going to need a different scare tactic.

My gaze zeroed in on a knife, I'd left soaking in holy water. I wasn't a huge torturer. I was sure I sucked at it. My expertise tended to be that of a nurturer. But I was a hunter and my job was to keep people safe, I could do what it took to keep others safe, and now she knew I had a son. I had to know the real reason she was here, and then find a surefire way to keep her from my son.

A bitter, metallic taste filled my mouth. With my back turned, my gaze flickered, showing a moment's hesitation. Steeling my resolve, I reached out filling the comfortable handle of the soft wood in my hand.

Turning I tightened my grip on the knife, before stepping forward quickly. I slid the blade of the knife in between Karen's ribs. Her cry of pain, was sharp, and her eyes turned black as the holy water burned her flesh wherever it touched.

"What the Hell are you doing here?" I growled.

"I… I'm here to protect you!" She cried, panting her answer. She watched me, her gaze dark as I withdrew the blade she groaned gnashing her teeth together to keep from making another sound.

Leaning on the table, I placed the blade back into the holy water. I turned, blade in my hand. Drawing my hand back, I prepared once again to stab my mother.

Her eyes darted from my face to the knife advancing in her direction. She struggled against her bonds, pulling desperately at them. Leaning over her, I brushed the knife along the side of her face, stopping below her left eye.

"Don't think for one minute I will not kill you!" I said softly. "And with a direct access line to what they're doing to John in Hell, I have a lot of ideas." I added.

Her gaze widened, fear shimmering in her eyes. Then her face broke a little laugh coming through. "I'm sorry." She said grinning. "I just can't. You look so cute trying to be intimidating."

I narrowed my gaze, fury flowing through me. She was going to make this easy on me.

A wail split the night, and I turned my head in the direction of the nursery. I heard a sharp snap, as I turned back towards Karen; she narrowed her eyes at me, flinging me back across the room.

I landed hard, rolling to keep her in my sights. I still had hold of my knife soaked in holy water, and I rolled coming to one knee.

Karen snapped the remaining ropes as if they were nothing, the rope binding her feet next. I watched her apprehensively as she stalked towards me from the center of the devil's trap. Sighing in relief I realized the Devil's Trap was still intact. She was still contained.

Stopping at the edge of the pentagram, Karen paused waiting until I tore my gaze from the edge of the circle to meet her gaze. Her eyes sparkled with promise, and unable to help myself I smirked at her knowing there was no way she was getting out of the Devil's Trap. However, she crouched down and pressed a palm to the outer circle, breaking through the binding magic as if it wasn't even there.

My eyes widened in shock, disbelief making my heart pound hard against my ribs. Wait that wasn't disbelief it was fear. My child was in the same house as a demon one that I had no way of containing, and no way of sending back to Hell.

I lunged to my feet, desperate to stop her from going anywhere near my son. Apparently she didn't want to go anywhere near him. I reacted, lashing out and catching her across the face.

She grinned at me, smirking as blood coated her teeth. Then her fist smashed into my face, forcing me away from her. Away from the hallway that would lead to my son. I grit my teeth, forcing myself to react, refusing for one moment to show weakness.

Karen was fast though faster than I'd given her credit for. She followed up the first blow with another, and another, each blow delivered with no time to prepare myself. I stumbled falling to one knee, trying to stay on my feet.

I looked up at Karen one eye was already swelling shut from the beating I'd taken. I grit my teeth against the pain as she wrapped a hand around my throat, squeezing hard enough to get my attention and cause spots to appear before my eyes.

"I've done everything I could to keep you safe for the last two thousand years. I have no problem adding one more miserable soul to that list." She said softly.

I swallowed forcing air to move through my lungs. "You won't break him." I said struggling for every breath of air; I could squeeze into my lungs. "I won't let you." I snapped, breaking her hold on me with an elbow to her arm.

I gasped, drawing air into my lungs. I lunged for her desperate to get her out of here. She swung at me again as I ducked to avoid her.

I reacted, catching her wrist, and turning it around behind her back, forcing her face down on the table. She struggled, slipping from my grasp and whirling around flinging me back into the wall.

The breath left my lungs in a rush as my back met the wall. She advanced on me, her arm outstretched using telekinesis to keep me in place. I struggled trying to free myself as she spoke in low tones.

"You need to do some homework on the demon you're facing before you try to take me on again." She said with a small sadistic smile. "For now though, I'm going to go back where I came from and have some fun with my favorite toy."

I grit my teeth struggling harder against her hold; it was no use I wasn't getting free. I stopped struggling and just watched the emotions crossing my mother's face. She had been so beautiful when she was my mother, and I suppose she still was, yet all I saw was the terrifying reality of a soul so twisted and ugly from their own sins, there was no hope of saving her. I wasn't sure she even wanted to be saved.

With a hard grunt, I hit the ground and forced myself to my feet, staggering wildly around looking for Karen. She was gone probably on her way back to hell.

I am so sorry. A single tear slid down my face as I reached out to John, terrified of what I would find.

John was alert, I could feel his heart pounding so hard it was probably being bruised by his ribs his mouth was dry, and his legs didn't want to hold him, but he was on the alert, waiting for Kayen to make her way back to him.

It's all right Nicole. I knew what I was signing on for. John said softly. I'll make it out of here. He added.

I swallowed, knowing that he would I had every confidence in him, and in myself I wasn't entirely sure how but somehow I would make sure he made it out of Hell. I wasn't going to let him rot in Hell.

Author's Note:

Song for this chapter: "Desperate" by Stanfour.

Hey guys I know many of you were probably wondering if I had died. I have not…

Needless to say I have been super busy. I completed the four week LVN program my school had offered then I had a choice: should I take my LVN NCLEX or my RN NCLEX? While I was waiting for the money to come in so I could pay 325 no matter which exam I decided to go for, I began taking a Government class for my Bachelor's. I decided upon my RN, I wanted to shoot for it one last time. So on 12-6-2014, I once again sat for my RN Boards. And I am so ecstatic to announce I have passed! That's right I am finally a registered nurse! It has been a very long battle and now I am facing a different fight, getting a job. Although it is a challenge I am sooooo looking forward to.

Now I am having some serious health issues, so that is slowing me down also, I'm looking to take better care of myself than I have since my own assault in '09, so with the beginning of a regular diet and exercise program, I am hoping to get into a regular writing schedule too. I am making no promises, but with some dedication I can get into posting every two weeks, maybe every week. I'll be able to get caught up because I still have a lot of story to tell. Anyways I hope you guy's enjoyed this chapter. Some may think it has come out of nowhere it has NOT. I've been thinking along this storyline since I began setting it up with John in Hell. I really hope you all have enjoyed it. Bye guys