Bits of concrete slide under my shoes, scraping along the floor as I take a slow step forward, my senses on high alert.

A noise sounds behind me and I turn, focusing on it and dismissing it quickly when nothing happens.

My steps are silent as I stalk my father, my blood hums a familiar tune as I turn another corner.

The beat of my heart pounds rhythmically in my chest, thumping in time with the lyrics rushing through my mind.

"Cause I am, I am
A little wicked
I am, I am
Hands red, hands red
Just like you said
I am, a little wicked"

I start to hum unconsciously under my breathe, my blood pumping in my ears.

Something crashes further ahead of me and I start to walk towards it, steps leisurely pounding against the concrete floor.

"As I lay me down to sleep
I will not scream, I will not weep
If he should die, before he wakes
I pray the Lord, his soul to take"

I turn a corner and catch a glimpse of dark fabric before it disappears behind another door and only then do I hasten my steps.

I turn the corner, almost stumbling a the sight of the body sprawled out in front of me.

Romeos sightless eyes stare up at the roof, his blood spread out around him like a pair of wings.

Stepping past his body, I continue walking, listing for any sign of my father, my heart aching for Sebastian.

He'd said Romeo was here when he was on the phone. Romeo was alive. And I can bet anything my father was the one who killed him.

My hands run along the adjacent walls, fingertips finding grooves and cracks and running over them without a flinch.

I smile slightly as I near a door, the telltale sign of someone just having entered it noticeable in the way it sways slightly.

My emotions leave my body as I block everything out but the thought of his death.

I kick the door open with a booted foot and narrow my eyes at the sight of my father before me.

Samael stares back at me, the man standing behind the barrel of a gun.

"You're not leaving here alive." I tell him. "I don't care if I die too."

He ignores my words, not even looking towards me as he looks around the room, as if searching for something or someone, an emotion floating past his eyes that I can't pinpoint.

"Your sister didn't deign to bless us with her presence?" Samael says smoothly. His features are painted with distaste. "She's always been the weak link." He shakes his head, hissing under his breath.

He walks almost calmly back and forth across the room, as if he doesn't even notice the gun trained on him.

"Where is Sebastian? What have you done with him?"

"Where is Clay?" He asks, ignoring my questions.

"He's not coming. Neither cares about you enough to watch you die."

Samael laughs, the sound grating on my frayed nerves.

"I've alway admired your attitude, Lilac." He shakes his head, his fingers tightening on his gun and mine do the same in retaliation. "They don't even know you're here." He adds.

I shrug, not agreeing or denying.

He tips his head back, a manic laugh tumbling from his lips and my brows furrow, eyes following the path of the blood dripping from his nose.

Samael lifts hand, wiping at the drop, his eyes almost wild. "All my children, united against me." He spits, "How sweet."

"Are you almost done?" I tilt my head at the man, growing bored of his villain monologue.

"Sweet Lilac, you've always reminded me of your mother." He says almost wistfully. "I killed her for her attitude too."

My heart tightens in my chest at the knowledge, even if I had always suspected.

I push the subject of the conversation back on track, ignoring the pain in my chest, "Where is he?" I prompt.

My father looks into my eyes, his deceptively clear of all emotions. "Where is who?"

"Sebastian."

Samael grins, the smile harsh, another splatter of blood dripping from his other nostril.

I watch the droplet fall, my eyes flicking back up to my fathers before he wipes it away.

He laughs, "Do you know what happens when all three substances are inserted into the bloodstream?"

My gaze goes to the drying blood on his upper lip, "No, but I think you're about to tell me?"

"Smart girl."

His lips lift into a gruesome smirk, and he reaches behind his back, slipping something from his pocket as my hand tightens on the gun, watching him warily.

He chucks the items at the ground, the three vials rolling to a stop at my feet and I quickly glance down, noticing the three different sizes before flicking my attention back to him.

I lift a brow, "A gift? For me? How thoughtful."

"All my research has led to this, the ultimate weapon." Samael says, his voice almost wistful. "All the trials and tribulations. The failures."

I cock my head to the side, a smile climbing up my face when I notice the blood dripping from his right ear.

"Have all three ever been injected into the same vessel before?"

Samael cackles, "No, the Doctors never got that far into the research."

"I think I know why." I mutter, flicking my chin to his left ear, the canal now filled with the same blood as the right.

Samaels face scrunches and he lifts a hand, wiping at his neck, swiping at the blood.

He blinks, bloody tears lining his lashes before they tumble over and roll down his cheeks, a river of red rivulets running down my fathers face and neck.

The gun he holds clatters to the ground, a choked noise exiting his lips as his legs give out from under him, knees crashing to the floor.

His hands lift, encircling his throat, nails clawing at his skin like he's trying to dig up something from beneath the thin layer of flesh, it tears under his ministrations, nails filling with blood and grime.

"What's happening?" he gasps, clawing at his throat, those wild dark eyes of his on mine, fear the most prominent emotion in the dark depths.

"You're dying." I mutter.

He chokes out a word but I don't care enough to listen, stalking closer so I can kick his gun away from his reach, crouching down in front of his failing body.

"How does it feel to be weak, father?"

He whispers, enclosing his fist around his throat. "It hurts." He grunts, "Please, kill me."

I tilt my head back, seeing the earnestness in my fathers eyes and blink, "No."

His face grows a deathly shade of blue, the blood a stark contrast to the cool shade.

I stand back, leaning again the wall as I count the seconds for my father to die, my eyes holding his the whole time.

I thought it would be quicker then this but it takes almost ten minutes for the full affects of the drugs to consume him, completing blanketing any life he had in his eyes, the body crumbled uselessly to the ground.

Sighing, I push off the wall and stride closer, holding a finger to his neck for a full three minutes, just to be sure there is no wayward beat of his heart.

Standing tall once more, I exit the room. Moving quickly through the rooms to find Sebastian.

Lifting my phone from my pocket, I dial his number, listening intently for the ringing tone, almost sagging with relief when I hear it.

I jog down the hallway, following the sounds of the phone before finding the room, pushing into it. My knees almost crumbled at the sight of Sebastian slumped against the wall, his hand holding his stomach in one hand and the other his phone.

He's unconscious, face slick with sweat and dirt, two bullet holes in his torso. One in his chest and the other his stomach.

Crashing to the floor beside him, I grab his shoulders, shaking slightly.

He grunts and I whisper, "Sebastian?"

His eyes flutter open and he groans again, lifting a hand to place it against my cheek, the skin now still with his blood.

"Come on." I mutter, helping him sit up, "I'm getting you out of here."

"You're alone." He murmurs.

"Yeah." I reply, shifting closer.

"You lied."

"You can yell at me about when your not dying, let's go."

"Romeo-"

"That's not important right now." I mutter, tucking myself under his arm and beginning to walk.

"Keep the pressure on your stomach. Okay?" I push from the room, Sebastian half dragging behind me.

"We don't have far to walk." I mutter more to myself then him.

I take the longer way, even though its worse, just so Seb doesn't have to see his brothers body.

Walking the hallway to the entrance is excruciating, my leg buckling under the weight of Seb twice before I fix myself, continuing to half lift half drag him.

"We're not going to make it to the hospital." He hisses out, the words too low.

Pushing at the door, I almost sigh to be out of the building but my car is still so far away.

"Yes we are."

Grunting, I adjust my grip and continue on, droplets of rain falling and slipping over my face.

"C'mon" I mutter.

"Lilac, I lo-"

"Seb-"

He stops and I have to stop with him, not having the strength to move without his help.

"Just, please let me say it." He cuts me off, the words short and laboured. "I love you. I think from the moment I saw you, I've loved you."

My eyes fill with tears and I watch his eyes grow unfocused. "No, you have to stay awake."

"It's okay." He whispers.

"No, it's not." I mutter, "Because I'm angry at you and you've just told you love me and now I'm just angrier."

He lifts a weak hand, smoothing the wrinkles between my brows. "Don't be." His hand drops. "You don't have to say it back."

"I do." I swallow, the weight of his body dragging us both to the ground, rain soaking us to the core. "I do love you." I lift a hand and push his hair from his forehead so I can see his eyes clearly. "But you have to stay alive."

"I'm trying."

"Try harder." I lean down, smoothing my lips to his, tasting salt on them as my tears fall, mixing with the rain water. "Please."

He doesn't answer and I lift up, a sob wrenching from my chest at his closed eyes, lifting a hand to slap his cheek softly.

"No." I hiss, standing up and grabbing him under the arms, dragging him towards my car. "You are not dying. I refuse to let you die."

Sobs lift from my chest with every backwards motion and I drop, exhaustion piling onto me. "Please!" I sob, "Please, wake up. I can't do this alone."

Thunder explodes across the sky and rain falls harder, chills rushing through me.

"Please." I whisper.

Lightning flashes and bathed us both in a bright glow and I blink a shiny the onslaught, vaguely seeing a car heading towards me, their lights bright and focused on us.

'Please.' I mouth, shielding my gaze from the lights as the car screeches to a stop.

The door opens and I sag when Clay gets out, Liam exiting the other side, Archer and Gary following.

Gary moves quickly with Clay, lifting Sebastian's body between them and taking him to the car.

I stumble to a stand, following them and Archer holds the door open for me, wrapping a blanket around my shivering body.

"What are you doing here?"  I ask, teeth chattering and it's Archer that answers. The car starting and speeding off, Gary at the wheel.

"After witnessing that phone call?" Archer says, "I knew something was up."

"It just took a little longer to find you." Liam says, "But we did."

Tears fill my eyes and I turn in the van, seeing Liam with Sebastian, holding his hands against one of the bullet wounds while Clay puts pressure on the other.

"I tried-" I gasp out.

"You're in shock." Gary says, "He's going to be okay."

"You don't know that."

"You have to believe he will be, Lilac."

"Okay." I mutter, blinking back the tears that want to spill forth. "Okay."