Killian

I saw my mom get violently thrown off the demon, and I rushed over to her unmoving body, sliding to a stop beside her just as I heard her say, "Taren."

Part of me was relieved to see her alive. The other part shivered at the name. Why was she speaking of him?

"Mom? Are you okay?" I asked. She rolled her head to look at me, a dazed expression etched onto her face. But, in the blink of an eye, she grabbed me. Blackness enveloped us for less than a second, and when my sight returned, we were ten yards away from where we were before, a demon plowing into that exact spot.

Mom pushed herself up, swaying unsteadily on her feet. I grabbed ahold of her, repeating, "Mom, are you okay?"

"No, no, I'm not," she replied. "I'm going to kill him! Again!"

She ripped herself away from me and stormed into the horde of demons, shouting, "Castellanos!"

Nothing happened.

"Adonis!"

Again, nothing happened. The demons continued swarming our group, getting in more hits than anyone cared to admit. I had no idea why my mom was screaming her maiden name and her nephew's name into a screaming mass of bat-winged monsters, but she had to be on to something... right?

"Elysia!"

Time stopped.

Or at least it seemed to when the demons stopped midair. They stared at Kiara with their blood-red eyes. I prepared to attack them if they went for her, but unlike last time she yelled at them, they remained rooted in place.

What did my aunt have to do with this?

"Demon, tell me where your master is," Mom instructed. "He can't be far if there's this many of you to control."

Slow clapping sounded from behind me, and I turned around, mortified by the human- if you could even call him that- standing atop a mausoleum. His thin, scraggly blonde hair fell around his shoulders, patches of it missing from his head. His partially toothless smile would haunt my dreams for years to come, and his scarlet irises nearly had my knees knocking.

"Sister, long time no see," Taren said, kneeling on the ledge of the building.

"Last time I saw you, I'd just dismembered you and carved my initials into your chest. You're looking unfortunately well," mom said, sighing with what seemed to be more annoyance than anything.

The rest of our group finagled their way carefully over to us, watching in horrified fascination at the scene before them. Most were frowning or sneering, but Kyrian, Julian, and Zarek looked like they'd seen a ghost.

"Yes, you did take your 'revenge' on me. Funny thing is, I asked for the same. The demons of hell brought me back to exact my revenge, and this has been centuries in the making."

"What do you want?" she demanded. "Why do you want the Malachai?"

"He is nearly indestructible! I can finally get my way of ruling this gods-forsaken world, and make it a better place."

Mom cocked an eyebrow at him. "By murdering those you're jealous of? Or those who pose a threat to you? Listen, I've fought and won against the Malachai before. You're nothing compared to them."

"I needed you out of the way to find the Malachai. This whole thing about the demons going after you, asking for information about that monster, it's all been a ploy. I couldn't risk you finding out about me prematurely. This has always been about getting to you first."

"Fine, so this is between you and me. Leave my comrades out of this then."

"That's where you're wrong, Kiara," Taren said, leaping down in front of her. "This is between you, me, Julian, Zarek, Kyrian, and Killian."

"What the hell do we have to do with it?" Kyrian snarled. "I don't even know you, you creepy ass bastard."

Taren appeared sincerely confused. "What do you mean you don't know me?"

"You heard what I said."

"How does he not know?" Taren asked, turning back to my mom.

"Memory block. Anyone who knew me had one. He still has his."

"That puts a damper on my plan. I was hoping to create excruciating pain for him."

"Touch Kiara, and you die," Kyrian warned, pointing his sword threateningly at my uncle.

"Oh good, he still loves you! Maybe my plan can still work!"

"You son of a-" Kyrian stepped forward, but one glance from mom put him in his place.

"What's your revenge, Taren? You already had me killed once. You're not going to get away with it again," mom said.

"No, you're right. I won't. Ares would just bring you back. I have something else in mind for you." Grinning maliciously, Taren raised his hand and shouted, "Kiara!"

The demons mobilized immediately, beginning their attack once more with renewed vigor. Valerius yanked me down as one beast swooped dangerously close to my head.

All around us, I could hear the shouts and yells from my comrades. In the midst of it all, I saw my mom fighting Taren, their swords glinting in the moonlight, flashing at inhuman speed. Despite my mom's skills, Taren matched her, and the thought of losing my mom cemented itself in my head, paralyzing me with fear. Never, on any battlefield, had I experienced this before, not even fighting alongside Valerius in my first lifetime when he'd been in worse situations than this.

But my mom was my mom. No one could ever replace her, and I'd only just gotten to know her. I couldn't let my uncle destroy her.

Letting out a battle cry, I lunged at him, sword pointed at his chest, only to be barreled into by a flying Kyrian. The two of us went tumbling over each other, hitting the ground with a hard thud.

"That's going to leave a mark," I grunted, rolling onto my back.

"What the hell knocked into me? There were no demons around," Kyrian said, standing up, unfazed. It was times like these when I missed being a Dark-Hunter.

A shimmer around mom and Taren caught my attention. "A force-field. I don't know who's creating it, but it's blocking anything from joining their fight."

"Damn it! There's got to be something we can- look out!" Kyrian shoved me out of the way.

I barely saw it happen.

A demon ripped its claws into his shoulder. Blood sprayed everywhere.

And then my mom screamed out Kyrian's name in agony.

For the second time that night, time seemed to come to a halt. Memories flashed in my head.

Me standing in an arena surrounded by cheering spectators.

A beaten and bloodied Kyrian involuntarily kneeling before me.

Me impaling Kyrian in the shoulder with my spear.

Mom screaming out for him like she'd done just now.

When the memories stopped, my gaze fell on Julian and Zarek, who stood immobilized in front of me. Judging by the expressions on their faces, they'd experienced the same thing I did.

Then my gaze went to Kyrian, who lay motionless on the ground, a pool of blood gathering underneath him. His chest fell slowly, up and down, up and down... he was alive, but only barely. He stared at Kiara, his green eyes full of shock? Surprise? Terror?

I couldn't tell.

Mom made a move towards him, but Taren took advantage of her distraction, reaching and jabbing a needle into her neck. Mom's body locked up momentarily before she fell to the ground with a sickening thud.