Chapter Fifteen

"I am going to go fucking insane if I have to stay in this bed another minute."

For the hundredth time, I tried to get up out of the bed, but both Lea and Dorean were pushing me back down under the covers and forcing me to lay there in complete and utter agony. Most of my wounds had healed, aside from a bit of a limp from the damage to my legs and my stitches in my head still healing, I was perfectly fine to be up and about.

"No," Dorean told me sternly, putting his finger on my nose, "You need bed rest. Hades said so. Just lay there like a good boy and let me get you something to eat. He said you can have solid food now, so I'll make you your favorite. Lea, could you make sure he doesn't do anything stupid?" Lea nodded firmly, watching Dorean depart before she turned to shake her head at me, her thick black curls falling over her shoulder.

Dressed in a summery blue and white tie-dye boho dress that fell to her knees, and a pair of leather brown ankle boots, she definitely was a sight for sore eyes. She'd thrown her long curly hair up in a sloppy bun, mostly to keep it from her eyes so she could give me her evil glare if I tried to move out of the bed.

"I'm a god," I complained as she shook her head at me, "A god who needs to stop a war from destroying the world. I can't waste time in bed."

"You aren't stopping a sneeze," She scolded me, tweaking my nose and making me grimace, "Let yourself heal, Xenon. You can't do much when you're still injured, and you're going to need all of your strength if you are to battle Atlan in the future." I frowned at that, reaching up to rub at my nose and wondering what everyone's current obsession with grabbing at it was before I reached over to the nightstand to grab a glass of water.

"Yeah," I muttered, "Easy for you to say. You're not lying in the bed. What've you been doing since I was out of commission anyway?" Lea grinned and plopped down on the bed, reaching into her lacy purse and taking out her iPad.

"I figured the Internet thing out! I managed to put the settings to Greek, so it's much easier to understand. It's easier to speak English than to read it, so I think I'm gonna stick with the speaking it. I'll figure out how to read it later. Anyway, I found this thing called Twitter--"

"Aunt Lea, I really don't think you should get on that creepy website."

"It's not creepy," She exclaimed, offended, "I already have six hundred friends... wait, followers. I think that's what they're called. And get this; they're fueling me!" I stared at her.

"You're joking." I stated. She shook her head and showed me her Twitter page.

"All six hundred of my new followers honestly believe in me, Xenon. It's charging me up faster than I thought. You should really try it." She said with a quick nod. I wasn't so sure about that. Twitter was a social website and I was as anti-social as they got. No, strike that Hades had me beat. But still. I wasn't so sure I wanted my aunt to go dancing around different websites.

"I also found this other website," She said, making me glance at her warily, "It's called Tumblr. I have a lot of followers there too. I started a blog. So many people want my help, Xenon. It's fascinating. Ah, but I did get one question that confused me."

"Oh yeah?" This ought to be good. Dorean also had a Tumblr and always insisted on making one for myself, but again, socializing with anyone, particularly humans, made me sick to my stomach. It's like I was allergic to it or something.

"Yes. Someone asked me if I shipped Sam and Dean. What is that?" She asked with a frown. I scowled.

"I don't know. A boat?"

"A boat named Sam and Dean? Or two boats named Sam and Dean?"

"Neither," Dorean said, coming into the room and making us look up as he came in with a tray of breakfast, "Humans use the word ship to mean they pair two people together, and Sam and Dean are characters on a show called Supernatural. Cain's obsessed with it." I grimaced at any show that monstrosity would watch. Don't get me wrong; Cain probably helped save my life, but that didn't change the fact that he was Hades's craziest son. He even had Theo beat.

"Oh," Lea wrinkled her nose, "Uh, then I'll have to use one of those moving pictures."

"It's a GIF." I replied. Dorean frowned.

"I thought it was pronounced G-if, not J-if."

"I heard it pronounced both ways."

"I'm pretty sure it's G-if."

"J-if sounds better."

"G-if makes sense, though. Why would there be a G if it was J-if."

"English is stupid. Let's stick with Greek." I decided, rubbing my temples. Dorean beamed at that and came over to set the tray in my lap. I nodded my thanks as I sat up, thankful to have some real food in my stomach. Hades had been shoving yogurt, mashed potatoes, and juices down my throat for the past week and I felt like I could just vomit from it all. My taste buds sang a symphony of joy at being able to eat solid, real food.

"So, is there any update on the Atlantean situation?" I asked as I bit into a cinnamon roll. Dorean frowned.

"Work already?" He asked with a pout. I nodded.

"The sooner we nip this thing in the bud, the sooner we can go back to doing normal things like, I dunno, shopping. And arguing about stupid English words." I said.

"Damn," Lea shouted suddenly, making Dorean and I stare at her as she poked angrily at her iPad, "Someone unfollowed me! Damn humans. How is this allowed? Why can't I behead the person who unfollows me? Back when I was a revered goddess of Atlantis, no one dared unfollowed me. It would mean their immediate execution." I shook my head and ignored her little tirade as I looked back at Dorean, who sighed.

"Well, Hades and Lucifer have set up some strong barriers around us, so the Atlanteans can't enter without Lucifer's permission. Unfortunately, that means no one can leave either. Even Hades has to get Lucifer's permission before he can leave and he's about as happy as a porcupine in a balloon factory. I asked Hades if we should be doing anything to prepare. All he wants is for you to rest and regain your strength, so if arguing about English words will keep you here and safe, I'm okay with that." He said matter-of-factly. I grimaced at that, then paused.

Actually, this gave me the perfect chance to visit Akin and Hannibal to let them know the situation. It was just a matter of being able to get away from Dorean and Lea without hurting them or myself.

"Well," I said slowly, "I actually have some friends in town I need to go see..." My voice trailed as Dorean glared at me.

"We said rest, not travel."

"I'm just going two blocks, Dorean."

"Let me come with," Lea said, standing up and shoving her iPad into her bag, "I have nothing to do anyway." I tried not to groan out loud in frustration. That's just what I needed; bringing Hannibal's mother to him and watching him level an entire city block. Hannibal was the kind of guy to punch brutally first, ask questions never.

"Actually, I really want to go alone," I said, making them frown, "These friends really don't like anyone to know where they live, or anything about them in fact. They're extremely private."

"Then you are SOL," Lea informed me, putting her hands on her hips, "And any friends that private obviously want to do something rough, so no way am I letting you go anywhere alone."

"Then at least let me Skype with them in private." I said. Lea scowled.

"What is Skype?"

"It's a video chat program, Aunt Lea. Now can I have some modicum of privacy? It's like I can't even take a piss without you there asking if I need help." I groused. Lea rolled her eyes and patted my head gently, avoiding my stitches. Dorean sighed and gave me a kiss before they finally left me alone. When I was sure they had given me the privacy I needed, I conjured my laptop and signed on. Much to my relief, Akin was online. I called him, sending out a bit of my powers to make sure Lea and Dorean weren't eavesdropping outside the door. Once I'd confirmed that, Akin had picked up.

Or at least, I thought it would be Akin.

Instead, Hannibal was sitting at the computer. His long black hair was swept back and to the side, with a few barrettes holding some hair back on the right side of his head. He wore a stylish black long sleeved shirt with mesh elbows that hung off one of his shoulders, and tight black jeans.

"Where's Akin?" I asked. Hannibal cocked his head, giving me a look that reminded me an awful lot of Xiphrus.

"He went out to fetch groceries. You look like shit. What happened?" Wow, leave it to Hannibal to be brutally honest. Unlike Xiphrus, who was nearly silent and obedient, Hannibal wasn't so much, at least when Akin wasn't around. Hannibal behaved when Akin was around. When he wasn't, Hannibal's infamous douchebag personality surfaced. It was the same personality that Noe, Zelios's second-in-command and boyfriend, loathed with every fiber of his being.

"Let me put it this way," I began, watching Hannibal lift a brow in amusement, "I now sympathize with the rest of the poor assholes out there with daddy issues." Hannibal's eyebrow dropped and his expression relaxed to show his full humor on the situation.

"Oh yeah," He agreed, "I'm ninety-five percent sure we need family therapy, but my sperm-donor is currently unconscious is Tartarus where he belongs."

"I wish I could say the same for mine," I muttered, rubbing gently around my stitches to alleviate some of the throbbing pain there, "Listen, I'm here to give you an update on the Atlantean situation."

"Should I get the popcorn?"

"And a gun to shoot yourself with because it's just that bad."

"Nice." Hannibal gave a slight "heh" before I explained the situation to him. I noticed that whenever I mentioned his mother, his eyes darkened ever so slightly and his jaw would tic. Hannibal wasn't much for facial expressions either, but every so often, he'd slip up and I'd catch sight of his obvious discomfort over his mother having returned. Part of me wanted to defend her. She was my aunt, and obviously their whole situation had been a huge misunderstanding with the root of their problems being Atlan, but Hannibal wasn't the type of man who could just forgive and forget.

"Oh, right, the woman who abandoned me to a lifetime of horrors that make Gehenna look like a heavenly paradise? No problem. Let's go out and eat cake together."

Yeah. Even if Hannibal knew the story, he'd still find it difficult to stop hating the woman who gave birth to him, as he'd been hating her since childhood.

And when I got to the part about Lea actually being in Hell, Hannibal had no problem looking bristled by the idea.

"Okay," Hannibal said, his teeth clenched, but other than that, showing no emotion, "But it sounds like you have a handle on things. I'd offer my services, but..."

"I know," I said with a nod, "It's all right, Hannibal. I won't force you into an uncomfortable situation. At least not yet." Hannibal narrowed his eyes slightly, drumming his fingers on the desk the laptop sat on.

"Not ever."

"Hannibal, I don't want to get into this with you. I'll let you believe what you want about my aunt right now, but sooner or later, we're going to have to confront this. For now, we should focus on staying alive long enough to bitch about it, all right? Can you stay focused, or should I just not contact you anymore?" I asked. Hannibal stared at me for the longest time before he averted his eyes.

"Wait until you're out of the flames," He said after what felt like an infinitely long pause, "Then we'll discuss it. For now, let's focus on getting you away from Atlan's point of view. He's after you because he wants to get the demon, mainly. And you have the demon on you?" I nodded, holding up my hand to indicate the ring Xiphrus currently occupied. I hadn't asked how Hades and his sons managed to trap Xiphrus inside, but I was grateful they had. We'd be at a huge disadvantage if they hadn't.

"Is there a way you can order him not to obey Atlan specifically?" Hannibal asked. I paused.

"I haven't tried that yet. I suppose it's worth a shot." I said, then waved my hand out and summoned Xiphrus from the ring. The ring heated for a split second before a blue column of smoke piled out and Xiphrus appeared. I winced when I realized he was still naked.

"Weird hobbies, Xenon." Hannibal deadpanned.

"Like you're one to talk." I snapped, embarrassed. Hannibal just gave me an innocent stare. I shook my head at him and turned to Xiphrus, waving my hand and conjuring him some clothing. A sedate pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. Xiphrus looked down at his clothing before looking at me dully with his pale blue eyes.

"Master, you don't need to cover me up." He said monotonously.

"Yes, I do," I deadpanned, "You can't run around naked. Anyway, is there a way I can order you not to follow Atlan's orders?" Xiphrus cocked his head, his eyes turning red, then blue again. Out the corner of my eye, I watched Hannibal cock an eyebrow at that.

"No," Xiphrus said after a moment, making both Hannibal and I curse, "I cannot differentiate between my masters. I obey the blood. Master. My apologies." I sighed, raking a hand through my hair, then hissing when I bumped my stitches. Xiphrus's eyes became a deep blue now, the only sign that he was sad.

"I apologize also for causing you harm, master. I was under orders."

"It's all right," I said, waving him off, "It doesn't matter. And I told you to stop calling me master. Seriously." It was even more uncomfortable in front of Hannibal for some reason, who continued to watch us as if he were both amused and curious. I started to continue the conversation with Hannibal, but Xiphrus reached out and touched my stitches. I hissed as pain shot through my skull for a split second before I realized he'd healed the wound.

"You can heal?" I asked, baffled. Xiphrus gave me a single nod.

"I am destruction. I destroyed your pain."

"Yeah, I guess that's one way of looking at it," I said, rubbing at my forehead with a frown, looking at Xiphrus a moment longer before turning back to Hannibal, "Okay, so maybe I still need to do my homework on the demon. Can you help me out here?" Hannibal paused.

"Not really," He said, making me roll my eyes, "But I can make a suggestion."

"And what's that?"

"You said that he is one of the first demons in existence. The Demon of Destruction, and he has two siblings, Wisdom and Creation. I think I might have an itching sensation that I know who one of his siblings is and where they are." Hannibal replied. My eyes widened slightly at that.

"The other two are still around?" I asked, stunned. Hannibal shrugged.

"I could be wrong, I could be right. But someone who seems suspicious to me is St. John." He replied. I scowled.

"Lucifer's snake?" I asked. Hannibal gave me a droll stare.

"Obviously you don't pay as much attention to things as you did in the past. How in god's name did you survive war against the Greeks with that attention span of yours?"

"I'll get tested for ADHD later. Why do you think St. John is one of the first demons?"

"Lucifer said that St. John crawled from the depths of the Source. I'm only guessing, but if I were you, I'd confirm it. Maybe St. John can find a way to help you out," Hannibal explained, making me nod slowly before I heard a thump followed by Akin's voice in the background, making Hannibal glance out the corner of his eye before looking at me, "Gotta go. Call me when you have news. Oh, and good luck with your pet demon." I rolled my eyes as we hung up and I turned to look at Xiphrus, who stood there looking calm and silent.

"Do you know St. John?" I asked. Xiphrus gave his head a single shake.

"No, master." He answered. That still didn't prove anything. Lucifer had been the one to name his freakish albino snake.

After Lucifer had been cast out of Heaven and hurdled into Hell, he'd been severely injured. At that time, Hell was still an unclaimed realm overflowing with lower level demons and the scum of the world as well as any outcasts or lost souls. Even in other realms, there were social outcasts and they needed a place too. Shortly after, St. John came across Lucifer, healed him, protected him, mentored him, and helped him create Hell the way it was today.

I had only just recently learned that the snake could talk, let alone be one of the first demons in existence.

"Field trip time." I told Xiphrus, shoving the blankets back and slowly getting to my feet. My legs screamed in protest and I hissed through clenched teeth. Right when I thought I would face plant, Xiphrus was there to catch me and steady me. I nodded my thanks, but he made me uncomfortable, so I managed to push him aside so I could walk toward the door with a pronounced limp on my left side. My bones were healed and my muscles were getting there. It was just the leftover agony and numbness in my feet that made it difficult to move without keeling over.

"Master, as I recall, Master Dorean and Lady Lea requested that you remain in bed to heal your body."

"Yeah, I know what they said, but I have a habit of doing stupid shit and right now, I need to know more about you and how to sever your ties with Atlan. At least then I can be sure he won't use you against me again." I explained. Xiphrus's mouth twitched, like he wanted to frown, but he didn't. Instead, his eyes turned a light shade of orange, then gold and stayed that way as he followed me out of the room and down to the hallway. When I got to the stairs, I cursed.

"Shit, I can't go up those." I growled. Xiphrus turned to me.

"Master, if you wish to go up the stairs, you can order me to take you." He said. I paused at that, studying him. I really didn't want to. Mostly because I felt like shit for ordering him around and because I didn't want to admit I needed help going up those stairs, but my legs were killing me and I needed to sit before I did more damage. So I nodded quickly.

"Fine, if that's the case, take me to Lucifer's office." Then I remembered that he couldn't teleport to a place he'd never been and started to correct the order, but one second we were out in the hall in front of the staircase and in the next, we were in Lucifer's office where Lucifer sat doing his work, only to jump to his feet when Xiphrus and I appeared in the room.

"Xenon," Lucifer said angrily, "You're supposed to be in bed resting, what do you think you're doing?" I rolled my eyes, moving over to one of the white leather armchairs, relieved to sink down into it. I sat there in silence for a second, trying not to groan out loud in pain before I spoke through clenched teeth.

"Don't take me out of the game yet. I just got an interesting piece of information. But I need to speak to St. John." I said. Lucifer hesitated suspiciously.

"Why St. John?" He asked.

"Humor me, Lucy." I insisted. Lucifer grimaced.

"Please tell me this isn't a trend. I might actually have to hurt Hades for starting it," He grumbled, then sighed, brushing the hair back from his face and he sat on the edge of his desk to study me intently for a full minute before glancing around the room, "St. John, the Atlantean wants to speak to you." We sat in silence for a few minutes and right when I thought the damn snake wasn't going to show up, a gigantic albino snake seemed to emerge from beneath Lucifer's desk, coiling on said desk. Those glassy pink eyes actually widened and a cloud of white smoke swirled around the desk.

A second later, in place of the albino snake was a tall, slender, and incredibly beautiful man. It was like he lacked pigment in everything, but his reddish-pink eyes. White skin, white hair, white fingernails, white lips. And unlike Xiphrus, who appeared to me naked the first time, St. John wore a pair of black jeans and a matching button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

"You." St. John hissed with enough venom to drop an elephant. Xiphrus didn't react in the least, at least, not on the outside. Part of me wondered if Xiphrus was hurt by his words, but he couldn't show any sign, nor did his eyes change color. Like Xiphrus, St. John's accent was thick, but an octave higher. The beauty of him was powerful enough that my body reacted to him and it was enough to confirm Hannibal's theory.

St. John was one of the first three demons in existence.

"You know him?" Lucifer asked, bewildered. St. John curled his lip, arms folded over his chest as he raked Xiphrus with a less than approving sneer. There was a deep feral growl in his throat.

"Who's the fucking idiot who woke him? You know what, Lucifer, here I was thinking you couldn't get any stupider when you started dating Hades, but I suppose I was wrong for once. You've reached a whole new level of stupidity." He said, shooting Lucifer a dirty look. Lucifer stared at him, slack-jawed at the insult before scowling.

"You're one of the three?" He demanded, making St. John tsk in scolding. St. John put a hand on his hip, glancing at Lucifer before pinning Xiphrus with a cautious, malicious glower.

"Well, I certainly won't be one of the last. How dare you bring him here, out in the open like this. No wonder the Atlanteans are gunning for you harder than a Jackie-Chan film. The last time that monster walked the realms, he nearly wiped out the entire population of the mortal realm and several beyond. The best thing you can do is lock him back in his prison." He said, tone thick with hatred. Xiphrus continued to give him a long bored stare, but his eyes faded from gold to blue. Lucifer was appalled by St. John's animosity. I had a feeling St. John wasn't normally this feisty.

"That's enough," Lucifer said at last, staring at St. John wide-eyed, "We can't get rid of him. Atlan is hunting him down. He's safer here than he would be back in that pod." St. John made a noise of supreme disgust, raking Xiphrus with a sneer, as if Xiphrus were a piece of trash and it was actually starting to piss me off.

No wonder Hades was so angry with me treating Xiphrus like he was nothing, but a mindless beast.

He wasn't. And I learned that, but apparently St. John wasn't anywhere near being swayed like I'd been.

"What is your problem," I demanded, irritated, "It's not like it was his fault Atlan tricked him." St. John actually had the temerity to laugh at me; a low bitter laugh, but a laugh nonetheless, and if I wasn't so low on power, I probably would've blasted him with a god bolt. As if sensing my thoughts, St. John cocked his head toward me, a smirk quirking up the corners of his mouth.

Shit.

"Yeah, shit is right," St. John drawled, scanning me from head to toe, unimpressed, "I can also enjoy those thoughts you think are private, including the fantasy about the demon behind you there in your subconscious. Isn't mind reading fun?"

"Get out!" I snarled, trying to send a block up. Pain blasted through my skull and I hissed, slumping back and pressing my palm to my forehead. Xiphrus was there in a second to face him, his eyes flashing red, his hands flexing at his sides so his claws could elongate threateningly. St. John's eyes glowed at that and he took a step forward, but Lucifer threw his hand out, holding him still and St. John flashed his fangs.

"Stop," Lucifer commanded angrily, blue eyes flashing red, then blue again before he looked at me, "Xenon, I apologize for this. He's not usually this brazen, I promise you... Well, except the day I first brought Hades here." He dropped his arm and a dark cloud came over his face, his fists clenching. St. John ground his teeth together, fangs glinting in the light overhead. Looked like someone hated the Greeks more than my pantheon.

"I cannot stand that someone as low-born and pathetic as Hades is being attached to Lucifer," He said, ice in his voice before he tsked and leaned on the desk, his arms folding over his chest as he glanced down his nose at me, "But that's not the point. The Atlantean isn't here to ask me about your Greek bastard, Lucifer. He came here because he thinks I can help explain the monstrosity to him." Lucifer and I glanced at Xiphrus, whose eyes flashed back to blue, but he didn't back down from his tough-guy stance. At least, not until I was upright and mostly feeling better, despite the drop of blood that trailed from my nose. I wiped it away and shot St. John a glare.

This was useless. This bastard wasn't going to help us. He was just going to stand there and spit insults in Xiphrus's face, and while I wasn't sure what was going on in Xiphrus's head, I'm sure it hurt on some level.

Hearing my thoughts, once again, St. John's eyes glowed as he turned his head to pin Xiphrus with a cold, calculating stare, and then a laugh of disbelief burst past his lips as he pushed off the desk and took a step toward Xiphrus, who didn't back down.

"Oh, that is just rich," St. John mocked, raking Xiphrus with a sneer, "Again? You like another Atlantean? Tsk, why am I even surprised? You never learned your lesson, Xiphrus. Even after Geara and I had to hold you down and seal you." Xiphrus cocked his head; finally, a reaction. But it wasn't one I was expecting.

"I know." He replied quietly. A muscle under St. John's eye twitched and the demon ground his teeth together, moving toward him again, but I tensed and St. John shot me a warning glare.

"Don't interfere," He commanded, then snapped his head back to glare at Xiphrus, "You know what? I think I like you better this way, Xiphrus. At least now it's easier dealing with you without your emotions."

I glanced at Lucifer angrily to see if he was going to interfere, but he didn't. He just pursed his lips together in a grim line, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. I think this was probably the first time Lucifer wanted to break St. John's neck-- not that he could. We were infants in a room with ancient demons.

"Tsk," St. John appeared fed up with Xiphrus's presence and finally turned to face Lucifer and I, "This was a bad idea, a really bad idea. I don't think I need to repeat the whole reason my sister and I had to imprison Xiphrus. He's emotionally unstable, even now. The fact that his eyes are changing are just one of the many signs that our curse on him is weakening. As if that wasn't bad enough, Xiphrus alone is a nuclear bomb. If Atlan gets a hold of myself, and Xiphrus, he'll have the greatest power in the universe aside from the Source. He'll be unstoppable."

Now there was a nightmare I didn't want to see come to fruition. The very thought of Atlan having that kind of immense power was an apocalypse. It was scary enough to make the Titan wars look like a Rugrats adventure.

"If you were so powerful together, though," Lucifer said slowly, making St. John frown, "Why didn't you simply stay together and fight Atlan as one unit?" St. John tensed, dropping his eyes to floor, glaring at it as if it were to blame for all his problems.

"When the earth was still in infancy," He began, "It was just the three of us for a while there. We were unsure of what we were doing, why we were created, what the realms were to become. We visited other realms, planets, for years until new creatures were being spat from the Source. Atlan was one of the first creatures spat from the belly of the Source. He came to us and asked us to show him the world. He was alone. We took pity upon him, or at least, Xiphrus did. Geara, being the smarter of us, was completely against the idea, but Xiphrus finally convinced us. We travelled for a few thousand years, but more and more creatures were beginning to appear. Enough so that Atlan grew power hungry. He would gather pods of creatures and manipulate them into doing his bidding, and if they didn't obey, Atlan would come crying to Xiphrus, who would become enraged and begin threatening people. It got worse when Atlan confessed his bullshit love for Xiphrus."

"It wasn't bullshit." Xiphrus said monotonously. St. John laughed out loud, then looked at Xiphrus as if he were a cockroach.

"You're right; it was total bullshit. Geara saw what Atlan was doing to you before I did. We tried to talk some sense into you, but you were too far gone. All these pathetic sob stories about Atlan this, Atlan that. When Atlan found out, he snapped and tricked you into killing his enemies. And once the taste of blood got too strong for you, you were gone. No one could stop you. You killed everyone in your path, nearly killed Geara and I. It was then we realized we had no choice, but to bind you into a comatose state. Your love for Atlan prevented us from breaking his hold over you, so even though we managed to subdue you, we couldn't lift the damage that was done. Only Atlan could summon you and control you, and only Atlan can truly destroy you. Geara and I tried to help by taking your emotions, but obviously it didn't do shit because you're still here, causing mayhem." He explained bitterly. Xiphrus's eyes turned a deeper shade of blue.

"What happened to Geara?" He asked. St. John curled his lip in repugnance.

"She was so guilty for what she'd been forced to do to you that she, too, sealed herself inside a pod and lays dormant in a completely different realm. Nice going. Some brother you are." He sneered. Xiphrus didn't show any expression whatsoever, just the deep agonized blue of his eyes signified how horrible he probably felt over the situation.

"I apologize." Xiphrus said. That seemed to only fuel St. John's hatred further and he took a step toward Xiphrus, but didn't get too close as if he were afraid of killing his brother himself. So instead, he settled for being a harsh son of a bitch.

"No, you're not. If you were, you never would have made the mistake in the first place. After you and Geara sealed yourselves away, I had nothing. I couldn't even kill myself for fear of rupturing the balance, and unlike you and Geara, I wasn't a selfish twat. I went to the Hell realm to hide until an archangel suddenly landed in my backyard. I finally had something to live for and now you think you can just come back and take that away from me?" He flashed from his spot near the desk, grabbing Xiphrus by the front of his jacket. I hissed and moved toward him, but St. John snapped his fingers and I froze in place, jerking my head up.

"St. John, enough." Lucifer insisted angrily, eyes flashing dangerously. St. John ignored him as he twisted his fists in Xiphrus's jacket, narrowing his eyes at him.

"No," He seethed, "I'm sick of having everything I give a shit about taken away from me. I'm sick of your fuck-ups. I'm sick of the damned Atlanteans. I should've destroyed them when I had the chance, but I couldn't bring myself to do it... I am not a demon of destruction." He shoved Xiphrus back roughly and took a step back.

"You're the Demon of Creation." I muttered. St. John's eyes flashed from their reddish-pink shade to an eerie black that completely covered his eyes, including the sclera, before it flashed back. He said nothing to me before turning to Lucifer.

"For once in your life, Lucifer, listen to me," He said, but his tone was surprisingly pleading, "Seal Xiphrus back into his prison. Toss his pod into the bowels of Gehenna. At least there, Atlan can't find him or get to him.

"How do we reseal him?" Lucifer asked. I made a noise of shocked indignation, but Lucifer ignored me and St. John just gave me a smug stare before turning back to Lucifer.

"The blood of an Atlantean. If he ingests it, he'll go back to his comatose state until someone calls his name again. And you know what? While you're at it, give him some earplugs. That might help the bastard stay under." St. John scoffed. Before we could say anything else, he vanished, not leaving behind a stray vapor or even his snake self. Lucifer stared at the spot where he'd vanished, his expression pained.

I turned to Xiphrus. His eyes were still a deep shade of blue, staring straight ahead and his expression placid as ever. He caught my stare and met my eyes.

"What did Atlan do to make you fall in love with him?" I asked, still confused over that one fact. Xiphrus blinked once, twice, then his eyes became such a dark shade of blue that they were almost black.

"I can't remember. I can't feel love anymore." He answered emptily. That gave me an eerie feeling. What would that be like? Granted, there was a time when I might have agreed with him, but even I felt love up to a degree. The love to spend my hard earned cash on food for the slum kids, the love to actually help people who summoned me, the love that somehow held me back from ever hurting Callias all this time. That was at least some modicum of affection.

But Xiphrus had none left.

It was taken from him, and honestly, I couldn't tell if that was a good thing or not.

A sharp chill suddenly swept up my spine, making me curse and clutch at my side. Lucifer looked at me with concern, but I shook my head.

"I'm fine... Just a summoning."

"You can't leave."

"I don't really have a choice," I muttered, making him grimace before I turned to Xiphrus, "In the ring, big guy." Xiphrus inclined his head dutifully and vanished in a stream of blue smoke that disappeared into the ring.

"Xenon," Lucifer said before I could leave, making me turn to look at him to see his grim expression, "I apologize for this. It didn't turn out the way I had hoped."

"It's not your fault, Lucifer." I told him. It didn't change his expression, and probably not his mind, but he nodded anyway and I teleported from his extravagant office to where I was being summoned-- only to find out that I was being summoned back to my bedroom downstairs. I looked around bewildered until I saw Dorean standing at the end of the bed, one hand on his hip and the other leaning on the bedpost, a stern glare that'd probably scare even a hydra shitless.

I swallowed, giving him a forced smile.

"Oops?" I offered.

"Get. In. The. Bed. Now!" Dorean commanded. I rolled my eyes, but obeyed because I knew better than to argue with him. However, as soon as I got in the bed, Dorean approached me, put a shackle on my wrist before I could react and connected me to the bedpost. I could've easily broken the bedpost, but I don't think that was Dorean's intention.

"Dorean, I'm not going to--"

"You said that last time. You're lucky I went to hang out with Akin and he had a coin laying around." Dorean scolded. My eyes widened at that.

"Akin? You didn't bring Lea with you, did you?" I asked. Dorean shook his head, sitting on the bed beside me.

"I know you want to keep that a secret, kitty. So, in return for my keeping your secret. I'm going to shackle you to the bed and torment you." He said. I stiffened for a split second until I realized what he meant, watching him rip open my shirt and pull down my pants.

I don't see how this was torture, but all right.

Have at it, baby.