A/N: Hey guys! Oy! I haven't updated in over a week, and I'd apologize but I've done that so often lately, I feel terrible for it. Forgive me! Hopefully no one has forgotten about me... :\
Sarahtaco: Wow! That's incredible and I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far! I hope you continue to enjoy it!
Anouki90: I'm glad you enjoyed it! It was a fun chapter to write for so many reasons. We'll see what happens.. :)
CharmedOpal: Thanks!
Lizardmomma: Glad you liked it!
Okay, so again, I'm so sorry for the delay and I hope everyone is still around! Enjoy, read, and review!
...
When Rebecca awoke, she felt as though she had been run over by a truck. Which, given that she had been electrocuted, was a fair analysis.
She ached all over, every muscle, every bone, every fiber of her being was sore in ways she could never have imagined possible. She had a throbbing headache and a bitter taste in her mouth, as if she had been hit in the head with a baseball bat and then bitten her tongue in the aftermath. Her heart pounded in her chest and her breathing sped up, as if fear and panic were only now just settling in.
Which made sense, since she had no idea where she was, and she was only now beginning to take in her surroundings.
She was in a large bedroom, with bland white walls, dark oak furniture – and no windows. She also noticed the lack of a bedroom door. Yet, oddly, the room had a closet and what looked like a rather large and fancy bathroom.
"Ahh, you're awake."
Rebecca jumped, nearly falling off the plush King bed. She grabbed the wrought iron headboard for purchase, her eyes finally settling on Carsaeus, who stood a good distance away from her – in the spot, she guessed, where a door should have been.
"I was worried I had delivered too sharp a blow," Carsaeus explained, stepping closer, stopping when Rebecca tensed up. "Or that the shock had been too much for your system. I should have guessed it would take more than that to take you down."
"Was that your goal?" Rebecca asked bitterly, finally standing. She moved to the end of the bed and crossed her arms, glaring at him angrily, speaking in a firm voice, while inside shaking with fear; she had no clue where she was, or whether or not her cousins would be able to locate her. Was she even still in the Underworld?
"Regrettably, no," he replied, and Rebecca scrunched her face in confusion, unsure if he meant he regretted not killing her, or he regretted he hadn't thought of it before now. Carsaeus held a glass of clear liquid out to her, and she made a face. Did he really think she would take anything from him?
"I do not intend to kill you, Rebecca," he continued. "That is not how I want this to end. Despite what you think of me, you are still my daughter and I still rather no harm befall you. And this, I assure you, is just water," he said, moving closer and placing the glass on one of two bedside tables.
Rebecca scowled. "Riiiight. And why should I believe you? You are a demon," she said, slowly, enunciating every word, making sure he heard her clearly.
The look Carsaeus gave her was enough to shut her up; it held anger, hatred, loathing – so many emotions mixed up, Rebecca couldn't tell them all apart.
"You seem to forget, so easily, that you are part demon as well, dear daughter." His eyes flared with emotion briefly – emotion that Rebecca couldn't read - before disappearing a fast as it had appeared. "You will do to remember that. It would be best if you learn to respect those who have more power than you. It could save your life."
"Threatening my life conflicts with your earlier statement," Rebecca said firmly, keeping her head held high. "You said you don't intend to kill me, remember?"
Carsaeus smirked. "Yes, I remember. I said I do not intend to kill you, correct. But if I must, then I will. As you pointed out yourself, killing you will be better than letting you reunite with your cousins, especially if you refuse to embrace your true nature."
There was a moment of silence. Carsaeus let his words sink in, while Rebecca took a moment to compose herself, heart pounding with fear. The only hope she had left was that, deep down inside, some part of him wouldn't want to hurt her; she was, after all, his flesh and blood and, even with demons, that had to count for something. Now, she felt cold at the idea that that might not be enough to keep her alive.
"I truly don't want it to end that way, Rebecca," Carsaeus finally said, his voice softer than before. "You may believe what you wish, but I truly don't want it to end that way. But I will do what is necessary, and I hope you can understand that."
Rebecca opened her mouth to argue, but Carsaeus held up a hand to silence her.
"Anything you need, you may simply say aloud, and it will appear," Carsaeus continued. "Though, of course, this excludes anything that could help you escape. Food, water, bathroom necessities, extra blankets – just ask for them. I will be by later, to check on you. Until then..." He snapped his fingers, and he was gone.
Rebecca collapsed on the bed, frustrated. Every minute that went by, she feared more and more that she wouldn't make it out alive.
...
When Katelyn shuffled into the kitchen, Corrine was sitting at the table working on a spell and Melinda was at the stove, mixing ingredients for a potion.
"You okay?" Corrine asked immediately, seeing the look on her cousin's face.
Katelyn opened her mouth, ready to blurt out everything that had happened – the whole conversation with Cole, and the fireball that she had created and still didn't want to think about - then frowned and shook her head.
Corrine threw Melinda a concerned look, but neither of them pressed.
"Okay," Cole said loudly, clapping his hands together as he entered the kitchen. "Where do we stand on potions and spells?" He sounded too cheerful, and Katelyn glared suspiciously at him while keeping a healthy distance.
"I'm working on the potion," Melinda informed him. "I combined the spell to vanquish the Source with the spell to vanquish... Well, you."
Cole frowned, then smirked and nodded.
"I made it stronger, though," Melinda continued. "I doubled all the ingredients and added a few more select things that will add extra oomph."
"Good," Cole nodded his approval. "Carsaeus isn't any stronger than the Source or... myself... But he's damn near impossible to vanquish. You'll need all the power you can get."
Corrine brushed her long raven hair from her face. "I'm working on a spell to rekindle the Power of Four. If we have any hope of vanquishing Carsaeus, we're going to need our powers intact."
"Nope," Cole said, shaking his head.
"What do you mean, nope?" Katelyn demanded.
Cole glanced in her direction before dismissing her and returning his icy stare to Corrine. "'You don't know that Rebecca is still alive. You can't rely on that. You need to be prepared for that, and you need to be ready to fight without her."
"I don't believe that," Corrine said firmly. "I don't believe she's dead, and I refuse to believe it."
"Then that will get you killed," Cole said simply, shrugging.
"Why would he kill her?" Melinda countered. "Doesn't he need her?"
Cole shook his head. "No. If I know him, he'll want her alive but he'll kill her if it comes down to it, especially if he feels like he's stuck in a corner."
"You never did explain how you know him," Katelyn pointed out suspiciously. She cocked her head to one side. "Care to share?"
Cole gritted his teeth, glaring at his daughter. "No." Again, he dismissed her and focused again on Corrine. "Be prepared to fight without her, or don't fight at all."
Corrine scowled, but nodded. "Fine."
"You can't be serious," Katelyn cried. "Cor..."
Corrine closed her eyes, fighting back tears, before looking to Katelyn.
"I'm sorry, Kat, I really am. I want to believe Rebecca is still alive and okay, I really do." Corrine rubbed her temples, the beginning of a headache forming. "But Cole's right... We have to be prepared for everything."
Katelyn looked to Melinda, silently pleading with her, but she looked away and continued tinkering with her potion.
"Okay, then," Cole said finally. "Enough wasting time. Finish preparing your spells, and then we attack."