A moment frozen in time...

Aria's POV

I tried to lunge for him, but suddenly there were hands on my arms, holding me back.

I looked over my shoulder, panic striking through my heart.

"Eliot get the fuck off of me! Let me go!" I kicked and left out a frustrated cry before breaking down into sobs. He pulled me back into his chest, wrapping his arms around me in a tight hug.

I looked around helplessly, then my eyes fell back onto Alastor. He coughed and blood splattered the floor where he was kneeling.

Why isn't he healing?!

"Alastor, heal yourself!" I begged him, but then Rosaline laughed. My eyes flicked to her and I've never felt the desire to murder someone before, but in that moment I think I could've torn her to pieces.

"I'm afraid he won't be doing that...I have friends in the dark, so I know how to hurt him where it counts..." she said, and then smiled wider, "I wanted you gone...so I killed you the first time. You couldn't have just stayed away...?" She asked, approaching him.

I struggled against Eliot's hold, but he's too strong. I looked at Jake and he had bloodlust in his eyes as he stared at Alastor.

Of course. There's no getting through to him.

"Holy bullets...from the Vatican," she said. Alastor raised his head, blood pooling from his mouth and falling down his face. He coughed again.

Then he smiled.

"Rosaline, ma fleur, pourquoi fais-tu ça? n'étais-je pas bon avec toi?" He asked her softly, his voice wavering slightly. (Rosaline, my flower, why are you doing this? was I not good to you?)

Whatever he said to her made her falter. The smile on her face lessened and was replaced with a strained expression.

"Je t'ai fait confiance... tu as tué des gens..." she whispered back, "you're a monster..." she finished in English. (I trusted you...you killed people...)

His eyes widened and just then my back door opened and the priest walked in.

"Jake, help Father Ezekiel hold the demon." Rosaline said, her voice cold.

"I got father from the Vatican as well," she purred, and just then my eyebrows furrowed.

"Rosaline." I said, and she turned to me. The moment our eyes met I saw my childhood. The woman I grew up with...she was a witch.

And a liar.

"How did you even have the proof to take to the Vatican?" I asked her lowly, and she blinked. In my peripheral I could see Jake and the priest grab both of Alastor's arms, holding him up and restraining him.

He almost looked like he was getting crucified.

"Well, I may have sent some men to kill you, dear," she started, "but I wasn't actually aiming to hurt you, honey, I knew he'd show himself..." she said and my heart dropped in disbelief.

"And when he did...I caught that on video. I took that to the Vatican, and they gave me this," she held up the gun, turning it to the side.

It was brandished with a cross on the side.

"And him," she motioned to the priest.

I shook my head, "why? What did he ever do to you, he protected you!" I shouted at her, and she chuckled.

"He killed so many people, Aria, more than we could ever count. He did it because he liked it. Whatever lies he told you...forget them."

"He never lied to me!" I screamed and she turned to face me fully. Her slow steps clicked as she approached. I heard Alastor snarl in the background, but I was focused on her.

"You look awfully pale...honey are you sick? Oh, Alastor...did you know about this...?" She said, mocking concern. I looked towards him and his eyes were trained on us.

He looked dismayed.

"Such a shame really, that he couldn't tell you the most crucial part of the price for being with him..." Rosaline continued. I looked back at her, my eyes widening slowly as my lips parted.

"Your life." She finished, and then gently touched my face. I flinched away, tears welling up in my eyes.

"I-I knew that, he promised to take me with him, he gave me the choice!" I stuttered and she chuckled softly. Then she shook her head.

"No. He's been killing you from the start. He gave you that choice because he knew it was too late...you never had the choice, honey." Then her eyes softened, "I'm sorry...but there's no coming back from what he's done to you."

She actually looked sad, and I shook my head, "no that...that's...Alastor, she's lying she's gotta be..." I looked at him and his eyes were on the floor. He had stopped fighting against Jake and the priest.

His ears lowered and my heart dropped.

It's the truth...she's telling the truth...

Then I felt angry as I looked at her, "you killed too!" I spat at her and her eyes widened.

"You killed your father, you ugly witch, and you blamed him!" I seethed, and she froze for a second before she sighed.

"My father was a dead beat. A cold hearted man, blinded by the loss of my mother..." then her expression strained and tears welled in her eyes, "you know, he liked to remind me I looked a lot like her."

Her voice trembled and my breath caught. That look. I know that look in her eyes...oh my god.

Her father molested her...

"I did kill him..." she admitted , "and I sent him straight to hell where he belongs. I sent them both," she hissed the last part towards Alastor, and his eyes were trained on her. He looked distressed.

"Rosaline, why didn't you tell me...?" he asked her and she stiffened.

"You never asked!" She spun on him and screamed, "you never once asked me why I became so distant from you! Or why I came over less frequently, you never asked because you didn't care!" She seethed and walked back towards him.

"I thought I was rid of you, so imagine my surprise when you walked back through the door!" She said, loading the gun in her hands. My heart was beating quickly. I could hear my blood rushing.

I coughed and blood coated my lips.

He's been killing me...this entire time...

"A demon draws power to be able to stay in the overworld..." his voice rang through my head as I remembered what he told me. He was drawing power...from me. This entire time.

I focused back on the fight in front of me. Rosaline was smiling again.

"Now to send you back to hell...where you can rot," she said roughly, and I stopped trying to get away from Eliot.

I watched the scene before me, my eyes on Alastor.

You lied to me...

His eyes met mine, and they were full of remorse. He smiled softly, and for a moment it was just us. The priest had started chanting out, praying in Latin.

"Alastor you...you've been killing me this entire time...?" I asked him, and he looked down and then met my eyes again, nodding.

"When I found out...I didn't want to believe it..." he started, and I could just barely hear him. The priest kept chanting.

Jake tightened his grip on his arm, and Alastor winced.

"I didn't want to believe that I was killing you, my peu d'amour, I didn't..." he sighed, "I was...I knew I was and it was selfish of me..."

I blinked slowly, listening to him, and tears welled up in my eyes.

"I knew I'd have to leave you...I didn't want to break your heart..." he continued. Everything felt so slow, I was only focused on him.

Him. It's always been him...

"I guess I just wanted this paradise you've brought me to last..." his smile turned sad, "for as long as it could...and when I knew you were close to your end...I was excited you expressed a desire to be with me...forever." he chuckled.

"I love you, Aria."

My breath caught and I tensed. Tears spilled over my cheeks and I shook my head. They're going to kill him...I'm going to die, anyway, and they're killing him and making me watch!

"Alastor fight back!" I cried out, and sobbed, "fight back, damn you, and take me home!" I screamed at him. He shook his head and my heart dropped.

"I deserve this, darling, and you deserve the opportunity to be happy without me in your life...when you reach heaven, please give my mother a hello from me," he said, and then closed his eyes.

Rosaline walked over to me, and I trained my eyes on her.

"I can make it less painful..." she said, and pressed her finger to my forehead, "on the day you die, Aria Laurent, all memories of Alastor will be erased from your mind...you never met him. You never knew him. You'll be free from the chains he's restricted you with." She said, her eyes glowing a strange purple.

It felt as if she had burned me, the finger pressed against my forehead digging into my skin. I cried out, and jerked away.

"No! What have you—why! No!" I sobbed and she tsk'd softly and swept her fingers down the side of my face.

"I care about you honey...he's an evil, monstrous man...he seduced you, darling..." she said softly and by now the priests chanting was becoming louder.

My eyes flicked to Alastor and he was wincing with each word the priest spoke. It looked as if his skin was cracking.

"Trust me...once you're rid of him, you'll feel better..." she finished and then turned back towards the scene in front of us. I watched as she raised the pistol and aimed it at him.

Slowly his eyes opened, and he looked straight at her. His expression was calm, he looked defeated.

He's surrendered.

I looked up at Eliot, tears streaming down my face.

"Eliot, let me go," I whimpered at him, "please let me help him, you can't save me...please." I begged him and he had tears and snot all on his face as he fought back more sobs.

"A-Aria I don't...I—" he stuttered, "I-I don't want him to die but..." he bit his lip and I looked him straight in the eyes.

"Eliot you told me I'd never know if I didn't try......" I strained out, and he tensed up, "you were right," I chuckled and sniffled.

"Please..." I begged him.

Just then the priest started speaking in English, and a deep dread set into my heart.

"By the power of God!"

I turned back towards the scene, and Jake and the priest had Alastor's arms spread wide, his chest and head fully exposed.

Then Eliot's grip slowly loosened, and my eyes widened.

Finally, I could move.

The priest finished his prayer, and I broke free from Eliot's hold.

"I condemn you back to hell."