Moon lays in a ball on the torn wooden floor, it's planks worn and white from use. His screams echo in my ears as time rushes by in a blur, a sick melody played on broken keys, the sharp pitch shattering my fine china heart. Andrew tries to calm the distraught boy as Kai stands in the corner, wide-eyed in horrified shock at the scene his brother is causing.

Daddy's coming back.

The broken record replays in my mind, three words that have my teeth grinding and palms in whitening fists. My eyes meet Clide's for a brief moment, his gaze turning away from Moon as liquid brims at the corners of his eyes.

"Moon..." As I take a step forward Andrew is knocked back, a ring of fire circling around Kaiien and Moon on the already charred ground. A closer look at the flames reveals the faint form of a lion, the beast jumping towards us before pacing around Moon.

The black haired boy sits trembling in the midst of his mess, his hands clawing at his hair as he holds himself in an injured ball, eyes wide with fear when he finally looks up. "Dad! Dad! Andrew!" Each terrified scream breaks a new piece out of me, his tears evaporating from the sudden heat of the burning room. I step closer, avoiding James's hushed warning and immediately regretting the decision.

The lion pounces, flames devouring the table and biting at my arm as Moon's screams become mere background noise to my own. Though the lion fades the pain doesn't, Moon quieting and staring at his quivering fingers before running towards my falling figure. Never has the floor seemed so comfortable, the cooling wood soothing the unbearable pain shooting up my forearm. "Julius," He attempts to pick up my arm but I draw back, the hurt noticeable in his eyes as he slowly drops the damaged limb, scooting away on the blackened wood. "I-I'm sorry...please..."

"What even-"

I'm stopped by the authority of Andrew's tone, his hands clawing at his biceps as he stares at his shaking son curled up on the floor. "Moon," He barely breathes, lips trembling too much for even a shaky sigh to escape. "Moon, this is what I was talking about. Your magic is too strong and uncontrollable for you to let your emotions get the best of you."

"I-I-"

"He d-didn't know." I step in through clenched teeth, the metallic flavor of blood flooding my mouth and pounding against my throbbing skull.

Andrew rubs at the silver scar along his neck, avoiding Moon on his way to my aid. "He could've killed you."

"He didn't."

"I can fix him." Moon finally pipes up, red lines drawn along his cheeks where his tears had fallen. He gives me a shy smile, lips shaking worse than his hands as he crawls closer to me, nimble fingers hovering over my skin as he awaits my permission.

"Will it be worse? When he comes?" He nods slightly, gingerly detaching my hand from the wound and placing his own burning hand to the damaged skin.

"Can everyone leave? Except you, Kai." I'm barely aware of the other souls in the room, my main focus being on Moon and his well being. The others leave one by one, a petrified Kaiien the only person remaining in a dust covered corner.

"I'm s-scared." Moon's head falls southward towards my lap at his brother's words, silent tears rolling off his cheeks before he turns to Kai.

"We'll be okay."

"Then why did you make everyone leave?"

Moon seems pained by the response, his grip tightening on my fragile arm before he answers the frail boy sitting on his knees, legs bruised and thighs lightly burned from earlier's show. "I wasn't comfortable just- is your arm alright?" I nod awkwardly, the blinding pain becoming too much to handle.

"Why can't you control your magic? Can I ask that?" I rush in as an afterthought, Moon shifting uncomfortably at the question.

"He isn't stable." We sit in silence, a clock echoing through the halls somewhere in the house, matching the rhythm of our heartbeats loud enough to be heard by one another.

My lips brush against the shell of his ear, trailing down to the lobe where I whisper into his ear, a satisfying chill flowing through his body at my cool but shaky breath. "Please tell me...what happened to you."

"Kaiien will you please leave? See if Andrew can look at your leg while you're there." I try not to notice the strain in his voice, how dry his throat is as he stares at the leg of the table to avoid my eyes. "What should I start with?"

"Violet?" It isn't relevant to the matter at hand but it's still a question I've been long awaiting the answer to.

"Lets start w-with a different question please?" I pull his body into mine, hoping that the scent of his master might calm his hiccuping breaths and stop the flow of tears.

"What all did he do to you?"

"I can't believe I'm talking about this." His breath tickles my neck when he speaks, the words coming out hushed and forced. "He didn't take my virginity um...he sold it to somebody for a little less than a nickel. I-I h-he...sorry I-"

"Take your time."

"He gave me the coin and said he was lucky to even get that much out of me, that I was fucking worthless. After that he had different people do things to me...he liked to watch it." My body begins to rock, Moon gently pressing his face to my chest and gripping the fabric in a hurt fist. I don't know how to comfort him, what to do as he begins his story again. "It was about a year later that he started going inside of me. It hurt. Having someone force themselves into your body and smile as you screamed. I couldn't walk, Julius." His lips curl up at the edges in an angered growl, fist gripping my shirt a bit tighter with each hot tear that floods his blushing cheeks.

My arms wrap around the shuddering boy, his teeth chattering as his fingers comb through his unruly hair in a poor attempt to calm himself. "When I tried to tell someone he locked me up. I didn't see light for months just the pain of him in me twenty fucking times a day." He no longer tries to calm the tears or control his breathing, ragged breaths escaping through his lips which each helpless cry.

"If you don't want to say anymore you don't have to."

"You wanted to know about Violet..."

"Moon," I beg, dragging out his name as I hold him closer. "you don't need to say anymore."

"She was the one that removed most of my memories of him. She was a powerful witch, I'll give her that, but she had a few kinks like every person out there." The cries give way to gentle laughs, a small smile brushing his lips each time her name crosses them. Just the thought of this woman brightens him, a spark in his eyes I haven't seen in days, maybe even weeks. "Have I ever told you I like older people?"

"No, I don't believe so."

"I was, God I don't even know how old, sixteen or fifteen maybe? She was almost thirty I believe." He gives a sideways shrug at my twisted expression, planting a light kiss off to the side of my lips. "You're older than me by like five years."

"Five and fifteen are two completely different numbers."

"She made me feel safe I guess. Looking back it was a bit weird since I saw her as a parent and a lover, but...I don't know. It was nice being loved."

"You're loved now." I remind him, fingers playing at the cloth on his arms.

"She taught me how to love, Julius. And I think that's the greatest gift you can give somebody. But moving on," He rushes, rubbing a flat palm against his nose and staring down at the floor embarrassed. "She helped me control my magic so that I wouldn't do this."

Grabbing his hand in mine, I rub a rough thumb over the smooth skin with a light smile, nuzzling my nose against the dip in his neck until another smile greets his lips. "What are you doing?" Moon laughs, hair tickling my face as I plant flowering kisses along his lower neck and collarbone, slowing my speed until I'm gingerly sucking at the minuscule sections of skin. A moan of protest leaves his lips as I draw away, the faint skin growing red from my abandoned touch.

"Cheering you up." With a genuine smile he rises up in my lap, repositioning himself to where he's straddling me with my back painfully against the table's gnawed wooden leg. Wrapping his arms loosely around my neck, the boy leans forward, cradling the side of his head against my shoulder as my arms twist around his waist to hold him in place.

"People didn't like witches back then." The pain in his voice pierces through the shallow breaths whispered in my ear, his grip on his slipping fingers tightening with each word as if afraid to let them go. "I'm sure you can imagine the reaction they had when they found out." Moon's slimming frame stills as I roll a light hand against his shivering back, the chattering of his teeth the only noise in the painfully silent room. "She told me to run into the woods with Kaiien and not turn back...but I couldn't. We hid in the bushes outside of her house and watched them hang her." There's no emotion in his tone, just a bleak emptiness as he bats his lids against my neck, tears rolling down his cheek and off my collarbone at the retelling. "I thought they'd walk away and we could maybe save her because they hadn't burned the body...but..."

I can feel his fingers loosening behind my back, cries muffled by my skin yet still loud enough to be heard from the next room over, a tussle of red hair peeking through the doorway with concern bright in his dimming eyes. "I'm sorry. Are you alright?" The boy only nods, smearing his tears against my soaked t-shirt before rising up to face me.

His hair is tangled and matted, stray strands sticking up here and there. I wipe another tear from his reddening cheeks and eyes, a look of defeat clear on his face as he nods slightly, turning away to rub at his running nose. "I think about her more than I should."

"If there's anything I can do to cheer you-" Our noses collide painfully, the sensation fogging my mind until I realize his lips are moving against mine, fingers entangled in my brunette mess of hair and left hand forcefully cupped around the back of my neck. My arms lay limp at my side, too shocked by his actions to do much about it.

"Touch me." He begs, releasing my neck to drag my useless hand against his heated body, moans escaping from his lips as I slip my hands under the material covering his frame.

"Moon, what the hell?"

"I want a distraction-." He pants against my swelling lips, connecting them before finishing his short phrase. "Please."

My thoughts are severed by a blinding darkness, relieved moments later as the cool air inside the house nips away at my bare chest. "Maybe this isn't the best way?"

He slows down his action atop of me, my fingers gripping at the back of his tight shirt as he leans towards my ear, breath heavy and wild as he whispers six little words. "I want to fuck you...hard."

"I-I-"

"Sorry to interrupt whatever this is but I'm starving and you're in the kitchen." Will flashes us a smile on the floor, displaying a back pair of fangs as he walks over to the banged-up fridge, forcing it's door open with a loud bang. Moon's weight lifts off of mine as he goes to follow his brother, grabbing a knife instead and heading out the door.

"We're you two about to have sex?" There's something angry in his tone, his teeth rolling over his lower lip and dots of red forming at the broken surface.

"Kaiien," I grin, folding my hand over his protruding shoulder and ignoring his question. "is there anything you'd like me to make you?"

With a slight shake of his head he declines the offer, migrating with his brothers to the table and laying his forehead flat against the cooling black surface.

"You look worried." Andrew's eyes widen at my voice, his hand momentarily ceasing to stir the bubbling pot before him. It's a rather large kitchen, the black table the focal point of the room suited for large amounts of guest. The walls are a classy white, countertops a polished wood designed to match the floor. It's a simple design but attractive nonetheless.

"What happens when he comes for them?" He growls the name, digging his short nails into a chunk of his hand as his grip tightens on the spoon. "Is he going to kill them? Take them?" The boiling water sloshes against the rim of the iron pot, Andrew's shaking fist no longer able to stir the mixture without making a mess over the stovetop. The blonde swallows to still his shaky voice, jumping when my hand comes in contact with his back.

"I think we have to wait and see."

Andrew jerks away from my touch, my arm still outstretched as he resumes his stirring, temper hotter than the stove itself. "Wait for him?! Moon may just be another servant to you and Kai just some kid but they're my sons, Julius!"

"I love them just as much as you do!" I'm too upset to register that all eyes are on us, the once large room seeming smaller when draped in a sheet of silence. James holds Kaiien closer, the boy's bony hands folded over his ears, eyes squeezed shut to block out the world. "Look, I'm scared too alright?" I whisper so only he can hear. "This man that gives them fucking nightmares might just show up at the God damn door and you think I'm not afraid for them? You aren't the only one that loves these boys, Andrew. They aren't lost kids in the woods anymore they have more than just you now."

"Are you really trying to play this off as me being jealous? Julius, I dreamed of the day they could trust someone other than each other so don't even try to say that. Julius," The fire in his cheeks dims, his voice coming back down from frustrated protector to worried father in less than a second. "I've seen what Moon can do. That bee trick? It was nothing. I know a fraction of what he did to them but the fraction I do know isn't very pretty. He burned your arm at the mere thought of Niko returning. What will happen when he's here?"

I stir the pot in his absence, Andrew slumped against a nearby counter with his head cradled in his hands. If it wasn't for the light movement of his shoulder I may never of known he was crying, his tears silent but heartbreaking to witness nonetheless. Kai has removed himself from his defensive posture but remains in his brother's hold, arms trembling slightly but otherwise fine. As I stare out the cracked, frost covered window a spot catches my eye, the lump steadily growing larger until I can make out it's coal hair against the night, the hem of it's cloak trailing red across the snow.

I'm rushing out the door before my mind registers what I'm doing, the cold attacking my cloak-less form with harsh bites of frost. I meet the boy halfway, his body falling limp into my arms as I take in his bloody features and ripped skin. My eyes glance over every inch in horror, trying my best to convince myself it isn't as bad as it looks. As I drag his unconscious form to the house a glint of silver catches my eye, my gaze traveling along his body until I reach his reddened neck, a stone the size of a thumbnail embedded in the silver. I draw closer, eyes widening in fear when I recognize the stone.

Obsidian.