Chapter 13

True to his word Damien returned two days later. He knocked leisurely on the door and waited just as he had on his first visit. I learned quickly that he would not enter unless expressly told to do so. It was a nice change from Lycher who knocked solely due to courtesy.

I was on bed rest, as my bleeding had returned, and so I was unable to answer the door. Thankfully Saninna hardly left my side and so Damien was not left standing for long.

She walked briskly to the door and opened it with a flourish. "You're back."

"Good morning, pretty lady," He said, boisterous. "I said I'd be back in two days and I'm not in the habit of lying."

"Daddy will have your head if he heard you call me pretty." Saninna said, though she sounded all too happy to hear the flattery.

"Uh huh." Damien sounded unimpressed. "Can I come in?"

"You may." I said and watched as he walked through the door and hastily moved to my side, taking a seat on the chair.

"Hey gorgeous." He said brightly. "Everything okay?"

"I am far from gorgeous." I mumbled with a smile.

"Agree to disagree." He said, slowly reaching for me.

He turned my face to look at him and ever so gently placed an item on the bridge of my nose. My vision cleared instantly and I found myself staring into his eyes. I was captivated by the dark pools of brown that shone so innocently for such a hell bound creature.

"Are you going to answer my question?" He asked gently, bringing me back to myself.

"Lycher placed me on bed rest." I answered, lowering my head. "The bleeding returned."

"Bleeding?" He questioned, looking over to Saninna for answers. "What bleeding?"

"It's a side effect of the remedy." Saninna said, an edge of panic in her voice.

"I make every remedy that passes through here." Damien said coldly. "None of my remedies have side effects. Why are you lying to me Saninna?"

"Daddy said it was a side effect." Saninna defended.

"What remedy did you take?" He asked softly, turning to me.

"I am unsure. It was small, purple and tasted of blueberries." I answered and watched as all color drained from Saninna's face.

"Should I leave before he shows up then?" Damien asked, curiously.

"No one is expected to arrive." I said, slightly baffled at the question.

"Are you saying your lover doesn't visit you?" He asked and my eyes widened in shock. How had he come to such an outrageous conclusion? Who would DARE spread such lies?

"Who told you I had a lover?" I asked, furious. "I have NEVER willingly lain with another, so who said otherwise?"

Damien's face went through a variety of expressions before settling on horrified. He jumped from the seat so quickly the chair fell to the floor with a loud bang that caused me to flinch.

"I'm sorry." Damien apologized, looking around, trying to avoid my gaze. "I shouldn't have assumed."

"What does a lover have to do with the remedy I took?" I asked, making to stand only to have Saninna grab my shoulder and force me to stay seated. "Damien, look at me."

Damien turned his eyes to me and he looked so lost it nearly tore at my heart. I wanted to see his stunning smile, not his heart broken expression.

"There's only one reason that remedy was made." Damien said, all but whispering. "And that's to-"

"DAMIEN!" Saninna yelled so loud her voice echoed through the room. "Watch your words."

Damien looked at Saninna pointedly. "You and Lucifer have no right to keep this hidden." He seethed.

"Someone tell me what in God's name is going on." I shouted, throwing the sheet off me and leaving the bed.

"Verin" Saninna began, closing the distance between us and reaching to touch me.

I took a step to the side, evading her touch and watched her face fall. I did not enjoy upsetting her but she had been lying to me for days and the trust I had built with her came crashing down around me.

"What's wrong with me?" I asked, deathly quiet.

"Nothing's wrong with you." She insisted, reaching out to me once more. "Everything's fine now."

"Damien?" I whispered, voice breaking. "What's wrong with me?"

Damien ran a hand through his hair and sighed audibly. Given the fuss he had made, I knew he would not lie, but I was curious to see if he would say anything at all.

"You have to understand, there is nothing wrong with you." He began, eyes pleading for me to believe him. "This doesn't mean anything's wrong with you."

"Damien, please." I pleaded. "What's happening to me?"

"You were-" He swallowed and tried again. "You were with child, Verin."

""You're joking." I said, slightly hysterical. "This is a joke, you're joking. It's not funny."

"He's not joking, Verin." Saninna whispered, looking over at me with pity.

"You're joking…why would you…why would you…this isn't funny. It's not even possible."

"It's possible, Verin, because you were born altered." Damien said, holding my hand comfortingly.

The world went silent and my vision went black as shock assaulted my system. That was a physical impossibility. It was a lie. He had lied to me.

Damien was saying something but I could not hear him over the thunderous sounds of my heartbeat thumping in my ears. I slammed my hands to my ears, trying to deafen the noise.

What if this heartbeat was not mine? What if it was the heartbeat of the parasite I carried? Had the remedy failed? Was it still inside me? Could I tear it from my flesh? Would that even help?

I felt arms wrap around me and pull me into a strong chest. I felt a hand rubbing my back and words trying to soothe me, but it was all meaningless as I beat on the chest of the person holding me and screamed.

The door to my room burst open, splintered wood scattering every which way. I flinched at the noise and the arms surrounding me tightened their hold.

"What is going on here?"

Damn it all to hell, it was Lucifer. He was the last person I wanted to see in the midst of my breakdown.

"Damien told Verin everything." Saninna shouted.

"You had no right." Lucifer roared, storming over and prying me from Damien's arms. "Did you even consider how this might affect the healing process?"

"You were wrong, Lucifer. You should never have kept it a secret!" Damien yelled, defending his actions.

"You don't get to tell me what I should and should not tell my own child."

"How long were you going to keep this from me?" I asked, voice hoarse from screaming, and my mind a mess. "Did you think I would never learn the truth?"

"No." Lucifer said hastily. "I just wanted you to be ready before we told you."

"You lied to me." I whispered. "You all lied to me. You kept this from me and made me a fool for believing every lie that came from your mouths."

"We just wanted to protect you." Lucifer defended, lowering his head in shame. "I'm sorry."

"I don't want to be here anymore." I cry, tears streaming down my face as sorrow and frustration flow through me. "I want to go home."

"It's not home, but you can come live with me." Damien suggested.

"Verin is going nowhere." Lucifer insisted. I looked up at him, tears falling freely from my face.

"I either die here, in this room, or leave." I threatened. I would be damned if I allowed Lucifer to ruin me anymore than I already was. "Either way, you will not have a child any longer."

"Verin." Saninna pleaded. "Please…I'm sorry."

I took a step towards Damien, ignoring Saninna. "I was brought here with a mask. Do I need it?"

"Yes." Damien nodded. "If it's the type of mask I'm thinking about, it's used to filter the air so you can breathe."

I nod and turn to Lucifer. "Where is it?"

"Are you really about to leave with someone you hardly know?" Lucifer asked, disbelieving.

"I know you about as well as I know him, and he has yet to lie to me." I pointed out, walking towards my wardrobe to look for the mask. "And anywhere is better than here. I am sick of being afraid all the time."

"What is there to be afraid of here?" Lucifer asked, shocked and confused. "I am Lucifer, no one would dare harm you while you live here."

"Your order killed my ada." I shout, glaring at Lucifer. "You are what I am most afraid of and what I hate most. You destroyed me so you could bring me here and play the role of father to a child that never needed it."

Lucifer was left speechless, for which I was glad, as I continued my hunt for my mask. Under a pile of clothes at the bottom of the wardrobe, I found it. Placing it on my face, it adhered instantly as it had before.

I walked over to Damien and reached out my hand to him. "Let us leave."

Damien nodded and grabbed my hand firmly in his. I took one last look over at Saninna as I felt magic surrounding us.

"I trusted you."