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Chapter 19

Forfeiting

Regina lies in one corner of the large cavern, she seems propped up but at the same time lying on something covered in silk. She's wearing a dress so thin and transparent that Emma can see the outline of her full breasts with her nipples pressing through. Her hair is tousled in disarray and her thick lips are parted as she heaves. She isn't restrained yet her arms are above her head as her palms open and close around the silky sheets. 'Why is she just lying there writhing around?' Emma can't believe the places her mind goes to at times and suddenly she feels utter guilt at her emerging thoughts, which can't help but point out despite the circumstances and her worry, how beautiful Regina looks.

Emma immediately runs for her when Rumple hastily pulls her back. "Wait."

Emma is fighting him to let her go wondering if he's lost his mind, "Are you crazy? We need to get her and go."

"She's not alone dearie. Look." He points to what looks like nothing to Emma.

"There's no one there. Have you lost your mind Gold?"

"Look again!" As Emma focuses her eyes she notices movement around Regina. The silk blankets seem to rise and fall. Regina's dress appears as if it's being lifted higher and her skin dents at her thighs as if someone were touching her. She moves her neck from side to side as if trying to avoid something but she's moaning as her eyes roll back into her skull. If Emma didn't know any better it looks as if she is experiencing pleasure.

In a flash she sees the perfect outline of a hand underneath her dress squeezing and kneading Regina's breast. Emma sees red! She angrily charges again but Gold still holds her.

"What the fuck is he doing to her?!"

"Emma wait!"

"He is raping her!"

"In a way... yes they are, we need to get them off of her. They are killing her." At Emma's bafflement he further explains. "It's not Hades. It's the three slaves. They are succubi! They are draining her of life as they simultaneously give her pleasure... it's what they do."

Emma feels her face is about to blow off from the heat of her wrath. She makes a move to pull her sword.

"Your sword won't kill them. A succubus can regenerate by taking another's life force making them almost impossible to kill. And anyway they are probably enchanted by Hades. I will create a distraction and draw them to me. You pull Regina off of there."

"What if they take you?"

"I am the dark one Ms. Swan. They can certainly try." For a change Emma is deeply rooting for Rumpletstiltskin. "Give me a few moments. Move in once they've released her. I will meet you after."

Emma impatiently waits as he runs off. Regina's mouth is agape as her chest rises and falls quickly. She feels like a voyeur witnessing Regina being "pleased" but her eyes are glued to her. It's taking every ounce of self restraint she can muster to not run and free her from her sexual prison. Emma feels her heart quicken as she sees in the distance Regina's bare legs part, fighting to come together again. She can't take this any longer. She's running to Regina, sword drawn for battle when she notices a wind pick up as the three women start to manifest their bodies again and are seemingly distracted by something. They climb off of Regina and run in the direction that caught their attention...undoubtedly Rumplestiltskin.

Emma puts away her sword as she comes upon Regina. Upon closer inspection she sees how incredibly pale she looks. Her mouth is dry and she has bruising over her neck and wrists. 'And bite marks? Are those bite marks?' Emma swallows the lump in her throat as she blinks away the tears. She gently reaches for Regina's face as if she were a porcelain doll that she could easily break. At the contact Regina jerks her head back startling Emma. Regina barely whispers a "No" while nodding her head from side to side.

"Regina...hey it's me. Open your eyes please." Emma is still holding her face and trying to reach around her to pull her from this strange platform.

As Emma gathers her cold body she feels Regina's head momentarily fall forward onto Emma's shoulder. Regina has no energy left in her.

"Emma? No!" Regina begins to push her away. Emma doesn't understand why she's being rejected.

"No... shush it's me! It's Emma. I'm here to take you with me." In the struggle Emma falls back onto the floor with Regina crashing down on top of her. Emma manages to turn Regina on her back, face up, as she holds her. 'Great she's completely limp! How am I going to lift her?'

Regina reaches up and puts her hand over Emma's chest, trying to push her away but barely making any pressure, "You have to go. Emma he'll kill you. Please. You have to go now. Leave me!"

"No! Regina I haven't come this far to lose you too. Help me lift you. Put your arms around my neck. Come on... I know you can!"

"No...it's useless. I'm dying. But you have to go. Emma please I won't watch you be drained of blood. He'll put you in the cellar. You have to get home to Henry. To our son." Regina is sobbing now as the day she said her goodbyes, sending Henry and Emma with new memories into the world. Her throat hurts so badly from her racking tears but she can't stop. She's so afraid for Emma right now.

"You are not dying! I will not let you die! I freed the people in the cellar. Come on... Help me." Emma is panting as she props Regina up on her knee ready to carry her away.

Regina is pleading with her, "I won't make it. They took too much."

"How can I save you? What do I need to do? A healing spell!" Emma closes her eyes and imagines her white light enveloping Regina and giving her life again. But when she opens her eyes Regina is still lying there, looking weaker than she's ever seen her.

Regina feels warm for a second as Emma's magic forms a blanket over her shivering body but she quickly realizes it's not working to heal her.

"It won't do. I drank the blood wine. Only drinking it can save me Emma."

"Then I'll get some! You'll drink it!"

"Emma stop. Please, I can't anymore. I won't save my life through an evil deed again. He tricked me. Please tell our son how much I love him."

Incredulous, Emma takes out her sword and uses it to cut the right palm of her hand. She puts her hand over Regina's mouth urging her to drink the blood. "You are not taking anything that isn't being given freely to you. Drink it please."

Regina shakes her head refusing to do so. But Emma urges her and is begging her, "You are not giving up! You are not allowed to die Regina! I do not allow you to die!" Emma realizing Regina has never responded well to orders decides to use the only tactic she has left...unadulterated honesty, "Please. I need you to come home with me. I can't do this without you." Emma feels her own throat ache at the tears that she has been fighting fall freely. Regina Looks up into the pleading sad eyes of the Savior, her best friend and realizes she wants to live. As selfish as it may be she wants to go home with Emma. She wants to take Henry into her arms once more and go on walks with him again. She wants their usual family dinners with him and Emma as they make her laugh over some silly story. She wants to be with her family. She's not ready to give up. Looking into Emma's eyes, feeling so deeply cared for, somehow she knows she has so much to live for.

Regina takes Emma's bloody hand and greedily sucks on it. But after a few seconds she makes a face of displeasure and turns it away.

"That'll never work Savior. Not even the blood wine can save her now although you'll make a tasty addition to it."

"Hades. You fucking son of a bitch! I'll kill you!" Emma has never wanted to destroy anyone as badly as she wishes with all her might she could destroy Hades.

"Tsk, tsk tsk. If only you could." He teases her and smiles widely knowing he has already won.

Emma sees Gold being dragged in by the three succubi with Cora, Killian and Mila in tow.

"Regina!" Cora runs to her daughter and kneels by Regina's other side.

"Mother?" Regina can barely keep her eyes open but she feels hurt at the realization that her mother is in hell.

"I'm here sweetheart. I have always been here watching over you." Her face quickly morphs to that of Persephone then returns to Cora's.

"But?"

"Hush now. You must rest. Don't try to make any sense of this yet."

Emma takes advantage of Cora watching over Regina to rise and approach a mocking Hades.

"Do you really wanna fight me Savior? Do you actually think that you will defeat me? I mean you may be the Savior and all but I am Hades, ruler of the underworld, King of the damned." He laughs. Emma looks down and realizes her father's sword has disappeared again. 'How can this keep happening to me?' She shakes it off knowing nothing can stop her.

"You know for being so powerful you sure blow a lot of smoke up your own ass," As she says this she punches him across the face and and starts to throw her magic at him full blast.

All hell breaks lose...literally. Rumple starts a fight of his own agains the three slaves; Hook and Mila are battling against the hell beasts.

Emma senses her magic wavering against Hades and he hasn't even broken a sweat. She can't do this alone but Gold can barely control the three women and Regina is down for the count. Thoughts of what he's done to Regina enter her mind and she finds renewed strength against him. She screams and heaves with everything she has but Hades is pulling her towards him. Emma feels her heart racing a mile a minute and her stomach churning from all the force she's using. She's having trouble breathing but she knows she can't stop. She cannot give in.

As hard as she gives it Hades ultimately pulls her in and has her by her throat! Emma is dangling in the air, suffocating, unable to detach herself from his hold on her.

"I have been waiting so long for this moment. Your blood mixed with my wine will keep us immortal forever!"

"No! Hades wait!" Regina calls out from the floor.

"Regina what are you doing?" Cora is trying to hold her daughter's weak body as Regina struggles to sit up.

"I will give myself to you willingly Hades! Under one condition."

Emma is mouthing the word 'No' but it is lost on mute lips. Hades drops her to the ground. Emma grabs at her throat desperately seeking oxygen so that she may find her voice.

"I'm listening Lole."

"You must release them. All of them. Gold, my mother, Emma and her pirate all get to go back and I swear to you I will be yours."

Both Emma and Cora shout, "No!" at the same time. But Hades quickly and triumphantly shouts, "Done!" He waves his hand and in the blink of an eye flicks Cora away and straddles Regina. Emma helplessly looks to her horror as he joyfully plunges his hand into Regina's chest and pulls out her beating red heart.