So this chapter defines a bad parent-child relationship.

You all know the drill, POTO isn't mine and all that nonsense.

Kat's POV

        "Now remember what I've told you, it is very important that you follow every instruction carefully." Damien explained as we marched down the endless halls of 'his' apartment. 

        "I know." I said then, with a small sigh, proceeded to rattle off the 'rules'. "Sit up straight, avoid eye contact of any kind, be polite and...er..."

        My mind drew a blank on the last one and Damien shot me a quick glare.

        "And..." He said anxiously.

        "Oh, I got it. Don't speak unless spoken to." I smiled wearily at him.

        "Good girl." He said.

        "She's not a dog." Ezra mumbled behind us.

        He'd been lagging since we arrived earlier this afternoon. I could tell he didn't want to be here, his mother obviously scares the hell out of him. I sympathized him for it, knowing how awful my own mother had been. 

        "I never said she was a dog. I was simply giving credit where credit is due." Damien smirked beside me and hooked his hands behind his back. "Although she would make an adorable puppy."

        Ezra looked up from the floor and glared at his brother. "Asshole."

        "I'm sorry, what was that, Mr. Grumpy-pants?" Damien stuck out his lips and did his best 'baby talk'.

        Ezra narrowed his eyes and I let out a small giggle.

        "Seriously you two? This is hardly the time to be acting like children." I said lightly and nudged Ezra.

        He gave a small forced grin then went back to sulking, his eyes never leaving the floor.

        A few hours ago, Ezra had entered my room to find me dressed and snooping through everything in sight. He'd looked much like he did now, but a lot worse. His eyes were blood-shot and glassy, his hair was disheveled and he smelt heavily of alcohol. 

        I'd made him sit down and tell me everything, just as he'd promised. And he did. The story was tragic itself but the effect it had on him was enough to place a normal person in a sanitarium. He'd broken down completely as he told me the story. 

        "She killed her, Kat! Killed her right in front of us both." Ezra said through endless tears. "And I just left him. Left him alone with that...that monster! I'm a horrible person, a coward!"

        His words were slurred and murky. I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him for a long time. It was the kind of hug you would give a sibling or good friend, and it felt good. Considering what we'd both been through in our lives, it was a long awaited jester.

        He eventually pulled away, his tears causing my own eyes to water. "He killed Joseph Bouqet, Damien I mean. I know she made him. Look what he's become! All because of me!"

        The sadness in his eyes turned to anger as he stumbled and nearly fell onto the room's large bed. I sat next to him and rested my head on his shoulder, ignoring the strong scent of whiskey. 

        "You know I've been thinking of what we're about to do." I raised my head to look him in the eye. "And I keep asking myself if that makes us bad people. But you know what I think?"

        Ezra shook his head and glared at the ground. 

        "I think don't think there is a chance in hell that we're bad people." I said uncertainly. "We can't choose where we come from, but we can definitely choose where we go from there."

        He looked up at me, fresh tears stinging his eyes. "God I hope your right."

        "Welcome to the lowest bowels of hell!" Damien exclaimed loudly, snapping me back to the present. "Now remember what I've told you." He looked at me then frowned at his brother. "And do cheer up! You look like your going to a funeral."

        "Likewise." Ezra muttered planting a solemn look on his face.

        "Fair enough." Damien said, more to himself than us, and threw open the large oak doors we'd been standing in front of.

        The door flew open to reveal a large, somewhat bare room. The ceiling was high, much like my own room, and the dark king-size bed looked similar as well. The walls were a dark mahogany and bare. A small vanity stood in the corner next to two large doors that over-looked a balcony. The satin shades were drawn casting an odd natural light throughout the room.

        "Oh monsieur! You must knock!" The same maid who had answered the door earlier turned towards us. Her exposure was calm but her eyes were frantic as she dropped the laundry she was folding and dashed over to us.

        "Yeah, yeah whatever." Damien said and shoved his way past the pudgy women. "Now where is she?"

        The women pointed towards the balcony where the shadow of a tall, slender, women could be seen pacing.

        "Merci, now leave." Damien said coldly.

        The women collected the laundry and raced out of the room, her little legs moving as fast as they could manage. Damien stalked over to the balcony doors and carelessly flung them open.

        "What?" I heard a cold voice snap.

        "Yes, is Satan in? I have a guest for him...er her...no it." I could hear the smirk in Damien's voice though I knew he had to be frightened. I'd seen it in his eyes when he opened the bedroom doors.

        He disappeared through the curtains. Ezra nudged me inside and led me to the center of the room, where I was to stay until she instructed me further. The curtains were floating lightly on the breeze that drifted through the open doors, allowing the two people outside to be seen. Their voices had hushed and no movement could be seen, so I lost interest quickly. I glanced back at Ezra, who was now standing in front of the bedroom door. He nodded and gave me a weak smile. I knew he wasn't exactly sober yet, but at least he was walking properly now.

        "Have a seat." The hard voice I'd heard only minutes before rang across the quiet room.

        I jumped a little and looked around the room carefully, not seeing the owner of the words. Then my eyes caught the silhouette of a women, the same women from the balcony, in the corner opposite the vanity.

        "Well?" She snapped at me. There was something familiar in that voice. It was like I'd heard it before, a long time ago.

        I did as I was told and sat down on a plush red velvet chair that rested a few feet behind me. Damien waltzed in from the balcony and sat down in the chair next to me. The women said nothing to him, but stared poor Ezra down like she could see into his very soul.

        "Would you mind getting along with this? We haven't got all day." Damien said after the room fell too silent too quickly.

        "We have as much time as I allow." The women gave him an icy glare.

        He stiffened a bit but never lost his cool composure. "Your the boss."

        "Now, if your finished undermining me," she said still glaring at Damien, "I need to have a serious talk with Miss Katerina here."

        She turned her gaze to me and I writhed under the power of it. It was then that I noticed something truly shocking. In the darkest corner of the room, where she had been standing not long ago, was a mirror. It was floor length and gorgeous and mine. The fading light flooded in through the large glass doors of the balcony, making it gleam and shine.

        As I stared at the mirror Damien stood from his seat and turned towards the door.

        "Where do you think you're going?" The women asked him calmly.

        "Nowhere apparently." He mumbled and returned to his seat.

        "Now Katerina." She looked at me with what appeared to be her best attempt at a smile. "I've noticed you've taken a liking to my mirror?"

        "Yes, it's beautiful." I said cautiously. Damien had said that she would try to catch me off-guard, but something wasn't right here.

        "Much like your own, yes?" She said from her place in the shadows.

        "Excuse me?" I said hoarsely.

        How could she know that? My mind whirled in search of an explanation, but I came up with only one possible answer. She was...no she can't be. I dismissed all thought and turned my full attention back to the woman. All the while something continued to nag at the back of my mind.

        "Oh darling don't play stupid. I don't take well to games." The women laughed darkly as she stepped out of the shadows.

        My breath caught in my throat and my spine stiffened. I felt every hair on my body stand on end.

        "No...yo-your d-de-dead." I stammered and shrunk back in my chair.

        "Now what gave you an idea like that?" The women, my mother, snickered.

        My mind went blank, I was going into shock. I could feel Damien's eyes on me, he looked confused as hell.

        "Didn't recognize me did you? It's understandable, I mean my hair is a little different and I'm sure I've aged. Although I really thought that mirror would have given it away." Her pale eyes shown brightly in the darkening room.

        My mouth wouldn't move to respond, but I had nothing to say to her anyhow. I became overpowered by so many different emotions a once. I wanted to scream and cry but I couldn't move.

        "Oh don't look so surprised. You really didn't think you could get rid of me that easily." She muttered sarcastically.

        "Could someone please explain to me what is going on here?" Damien spoke up next to me.

        I'd forgotten he was there, hell the whole room seemed to fall of into space in my mind. I heard Ezra shuffling nervously behind me, he'd moved from his spot at the door and was now standing behind us.

        "My dear, Katerina is your sister." She smirked.

        "You're k-kidding, ri-right?" Ezra stuttered looking back and forth between the two of us.

        Her eyes met mine and held them. "No, I'm telling you the truth. Remember when you were a child Ezra? Remember when you thought you saw me disappear in the mirror?"

        She turned her gaze to Ezra, letting my own fall.

        "Yes." Ezra said smoothly, a new found strength in his voice.

        "Well lets just say I really did." She said simply.

        We all stared at her in confusion, not sure where to go from there.

        "Please don't you all speak at once." She muttered to herself.

        Not one of us said a thing, so she continued.

        "Fine then. When I was around twenty, I found this mirror at a garage sale. Kat you'll need to explain what that is to these two later." She gestured to her confused sons before going on. "I'm not from this world, I mean not from this time anyhow."

        "Are you saying you're from the future?" Damien asked in disbelief.

        "In a sense, yes. You see Katerina is from the 21st-century. That's a few hundred years into the future, neither of you will ever see it. Anyhow, I purchased this mirror and soon found out that it wasn't just any old mirror. One night I noticed voices coming from it. I allowed my curiosity to get the best of me and I reached out to touch it, only to have my fingers slip straight through its surface. The next thing I knew, I was in 19th-century Italy. You see, this mirror, it takes you to the place you long to be most, the place you belong. I found myself on your fathers estate in the middle of the night. His family welcomed me with open arms and soon your father and I married. And soon we had two lovely boys."

        "About a year after Ezra was born, I noticed the mirror at a small shop in Venice. I had often wondered about it and if I would ever make it home, so I bought it. One night, when I was alone, I slipped through and found myself at home. But things had changed. No one remember me, it was as if I never existed. I stayed for a few days and that is when I met your father, Kat. He swept me off my feet and I forgot all about the mirror and what lied within it. Once we were married, we had you and I began to sneak back forth between worlds. Both your father's caught on eventually and I wasn't prepared to share my secret just yet."

        "That is why you killed them both, isn't it." I cut in, drawing the attention of the whole room. 

        She simply nodded then went on. "I soon found that the more I switched realities, the more confused I became. My mind was slowly going, which is why I was cruel to you two."

        She gestured to Damien and Ezra, then looked at me. "And it is also why I tried to kill you. I didn't want to, but my mind was gone. I was convinced that the entire world was evil and that I had to destroy its demons. It was as if my entire world was consumed by that one thought."

        "So instead of explaining this all and trying to be a good mother, you chose to be a psychotic satanist?" Damien asked. The question seemed rude and sarcastic, but he was being completely serious.

        "Well I thought of that, but then I realized I liked it. I liked having all the power, pulling all of the strings. It's quite enjoyable really." She said honestly.

        I stood abruptly and ran for the door. I couldn't take anymore of this, it was just too much. Once I reached my room, I closed the door and slammed my fists against the wall. I cried and screamed harder than I ever had before.

        Why me? Why now? After all these years, she was dead. She's supposed to be dead!

        I threw my back against the wall and slid down it slowly. It was then that I realized something. My grandmother had never wanted me to have that mirror and now I knew why. Though I wish I didn't. It all seemed to make sense now, my memory was slipping because I was being forgotten. I couldn't go back even if the opportunity was staring me in the face. I would end up like her if I did.

        My heart sank to depths I didn't know were possible as I curled up into a fetal position on the hard floor. I never felt so alone or lost in all my life.      

PLOT TWIST! Just saying....