A/N: Well.. I'm a couple of months late (ahh well) Thanks folks who took the poll (on my profile page), It did take a bit of time to rewrite some things in the new perspective but I am VERY happy with this chapter, and the change in POV. I will gradually change the other 19... very gradually if I intend to pass my classes and get any other updates posted.

When I get changes done, I'll put something up on my profile thing. It won't be necessary to read the new version, same content, just different first person (I) instead of second person (You)

Well a big Thank You to my beta Connections (He's the BEST!) for working for five hours straight and not sleeping (although that is his own fault for procrastinating) to fix my MANY errors and be my second set of eyes. (I'm bad with tenses, especially over a couple of days of writing) and everyone who reviewed (or read) the last chapter.

For the Record: 2 days 'til the wedding

Anywho.... Read, Review, Enjoy. See ya

-Bridgett's POV-

The banging is what woke me.

I was still lying there, wrapped in his silky sheets, when the collective gasp went off.

He wasn't in the room; he wasn't anywhere to be found... I opened my eyes and instead they were there.

My mother watched me rise from his bed, and by some mercy, it all faded away into a cloud of nowhere.

I was alone on that bed, and the only silhouetted figure I could make out belonged, not to the man whose bed I had shared, but to her.

The woman he wished was with him last night.

I cried.

-Julie's POV-

She's vanished

I walked out of the cloud, last I checked, Bridgett was still crying. Passing through the static charged air, I heard the clatter begin; The shouts, the yelling, the arguing.

Shut UP! I thought, again getting frantic, needing to find her. I was terrified of losing her again.

I didn't even hear the questions coming at me, as I rushed past everyone and out of the room. My thoughts started to become jumbled as I walked through the halls searching for her.

"He slept with her," I whispered unintentionally and a tear rolled down my cheek. The Bastard! He tried to regain my trust, my LOVE, so he uses her?

"Julie" said the voice I least want to hear. I turned back to Steven, staring straight into his wide green eyes.

"Yes?"

"I didn't mean for that to happen!"

"Well, that's good to know, but you have nothing to tell me or explain to me. You did what you did and now it's up to you and Bridgett to decide what it meant and what happens next."

"It didn't mean anything"

"Tell that to Bridgett, not me"

"It just happened"

"That's nice?"

"Julie! Please."

"If you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be."

"Julie!"

I walked past him then, still intent on finding my mother.

His footsteps we coming closer towards me, and he was the last person I wished to entertain at the moment, but before Steven reached my side... he and the hall faded away

Before I had time to panic, think, or doubt, I felt cool soothing fabric on my warm face, and as hard as I tried to fight the comforting arms around me, I broke down. My body began to tremble and a sharp quick sob came out. His arms held me tighter and I cried.

After some time standing in his cradling arms, my tears dried and I asked, "Is she coming back?"

"Yea... for the wedding." he said stroking my hair.

"Thank you". My voice, only a soft whisper.

I could still feel the prickle all over my skin, telling me to go back and find Bridgett. For some reason, I am connected to her, her feelings were coming through clear through me. For a moment, I wondered if that was the case with everyone, and if that was why we all ended up in there, or if it was something different.

"I should go see if Bridgett is okay..." I murmured, almost reluctantly pushing him away.

"Yeah" he took a step back and sat back on his bed, just looking at me from where he sat. I just turned around and walked away from him, out of the room. I closed the door and just began walking for Dominic's room.

I noticed that the door was still open, the women were still there, and some shrieks were being thrown at Steven. 'Maybe another way is a better idea?'

I went in through the side wall, and entered the cloud of electrically charged mist that was shielding Bridgett. As I walked closer to the bed, I felt the fine hairs on my skin stand on end.

"Are you alright?" I asked her as she sat crouched on the ground, next to the bed, crying hard. Looking at her, steadily walking closer, step by step as I was, I suddenly noticed she looked a bit... Off. Unlike she usually looked, standing taller then me, mainly because she was older then me, she now looked like a small child, literally. She was wrapped entirely in the sheets and she just sobbed. When she spoke, her voice was that of a child.

"Go AWAY!" She yelled, her voice echoing in the broken silence.

"If that's what you want…" I said turning around and she cried harder.

I took to consideration that when I was under extreme emotional stress, you lose a lot of feeling; maybe this was her transformation, her coping mechanism. Did she just become a child at mind and heart so things could become clearer in her mind.. like it happened for me?

I turned back around and walked up to her shrunken form. I hugged her small body and she pushed your arms away. "NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Her voice was squeaky and small; it hurt me to hear it. She just kept screaming until her lungs got tired out. Eventually, she just slumped in my arms and let you hold her as she cried.

For quite some time, the only sounds were her hard sniffles and short sobs, as well as the occasional sound of static traveling through the air. That is, until she asked "Why would he do that?" her voice was level and soft.

"I couldn't tell you." you spoke still stroking her hair.

She just looked up at you, her clear gray eyes so blank, "Why are you doing this?"

"Why shouldn't I?" you asked, so confused.

"Because...it should have been you" Her voice cracked as she said, "he wanted it to be you."

"No, it shouldn't have."

"But.." her voice broke and she broke into another bout of sobs "he... he cares about you. And I thought he car- he cared about m... me too." she cried hard after she got that part out.

"I'm sorry that you think that. That you think he cares about me, because he doesn't. He doesn't care about anyone but him." My voice is level and calm, although I spoke calmly to her, it was really all a revelation to me as well. Things I knew all along, but never had it in me to believe, to say out loud, until now.

"You're wrong."

"I'm not, I've known him for a very long part of my life, and he has always been the same kind of person. He's selfish, he will do everything in his power to convince you that he is a good person that is doing things out of love, out of deep feeling for you but he's NOT. I've gone through so much time, believing that he's a sincere, genuine person, but we all know he's not. Look at how he treats you! Look at what he's doing to you, he's using you!"

"Stop it!"

"He's using you to make himself feel better when life doesn't go like he wants! He's using you to make his day perfect, if its not! The longer you believe that that's not who he is, the longer it's going to hurt you and only you! He doesn't care about how you feel! He could care less about you crying right now. I'm sorry I have to say it like this, tell you like this, but it's the truth."

"But I love him!" she shouted.

"Obviously you don't. If you did, you would realize that he doesn't love you."

"YOU'RE JUST SAYING THAT BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU! YOU'RE HAPPY BECAUSE HE'S ALL YOURS NOW!"

"I would never find joy in something like this, and I honestly don't care if you believe me or not. He DOESN'T love me. He just wants me; he wants to have me just because he never can. He doesn't love anyone but himself. And I've never had Steven all to myself... never."

"But why?" her voice high again, tears trailing from her eyes.

"He is just that kind of person. He's spoiled and selfish, he just wants, but he's not willing to give anything. As much as it hurts, we can always tell that he's like that... he's selfish and hurtful and you expect these kinds of things to happen, but cry when you find out. He makes you feel that you're happy, even though he makes you cry all the time. You feel like he's been hurt and want to make things better but he will never appreciate it. Regardless of what you do for him, he will always want more, he will want everything that you are and let you have nothing of him, and I am sorry if it hurts you, if you don't want to believe it, if you think that its what I want, but its not, and it never could or would be. He is no longer what I want... Not even a little."

She nodded solemnly, accepting what I said, knowing it to be the truth. "Where are we?"

"Your mind..." I continued before she spoke "a physical manifestation of your feelings and thoughts. That's why you're little, because in your mind, you're a little kid, who just got hurt."

"Oh."

"Do you want some time alone?" I had asked after a brief moment.

"...No, no, we can leave" she said "but I don't want to see them anymore. I don't want to have to deal with everything just yet."

"Come" I whispered holding my hand out for her, she stood up, still younger than, but not as young as she looked when I first walked in. "You should see someone."

She didn't say a word as we both felt a warm sensation flow down my body, and a soft breeze began to caress our skin.

-Claudia and David's POV-

"So what's gonna happen now?"

"I can't say I know..."

"Why would they be so stupid?!"

"He knew what he was doing. He was trying to become a full vampire before his scheduled time."

"How was he going to do that?"

"Sex and a blood exchange."

"...."

"Gypsy blood has powers."

"Is that why you're marrying me?"

"Yea, that's why... I guess?"

"Oh."

"Don't be like that you knew it all along. Anyways, Bridgett is useless now; they may just disown her now."

"What?!"

"Yea, she's not a royal; her blood is tainted for good. And your people are really up for giving people away for a reason. She's lost her reason."

"Do you really need to be so blunt?"

"I'm a blunt person. Can't help it."

"Do you really think they would disown her?"

"Yes."

"But..?"

"Julie's mother would have been disowned but... She's a royal. Lucky her."

"Couldn't her mother do something? Her grandmother is an elder. They have to be able to so something!"

"No. She's an only child. They have no one to take her place. Even if they don't disown her... Her life with them won't be the same. Gypsies are spiteful; they're mean, cruel, and unforgiving. You are lucky you never realized that."

"How do you know so much about them?"

"I've seen how they treat Julie. As family, they treat her worse then I would."

"You sound like you care."

"I don't care, I just notice."

-Julie's POV-

I walked closer to the screaming, shouting, and arguing, happy I could have done something for the poor broken girl.

"What did you do to my daughter you wretched boy?!" A woman I hadn't seen before shouted angrily at Steven.

"Nothing she didn't consent to!" his tone stinging.

"LIES!" She shrieked, but I could tell she knew he was being truthful.

"Then tell me what I did?"

My steps were silent as I made your way closer and closer to them, apparently invisible to them in their fit of rage.

"You brainwashed her, you liar!"

"You convinced her that you loved her."

I was only steps away, my body present, but my mind drifted in and out. My thoughts were still with her... and your mother.

"I NEVER!" his response quick and true. He sounded disgusted by the very idea.

My steps continued, my mind still not fully present, but the words still came out "You bastard." That struck a cord.

Before he even had time to turn around and look at me, I was already walking away.

"Julie, wait!"

"Don't even think to touch me" I snapped, not looking back, not missing a step.

"Julie!"

I said nothing but he didn't even try to persist. He couldn't. The women surrounding him were given a push in their rage. He could speak to me with such a loving tone, when he just professed to never loving the women he tainted. All hell was soon to break loose.

My thoughts were still floating to my decision; Bridgett needed a break from all of this... stuff. With my mother was the best idea of a sanctuary for her. Somewhere to just go and work things through. With what had happened, it would be a miracle if she wasn't exiled.

I walked aimlessly, lost in thought, lost in direction even, but I wouldn't let my mind drift back to that... no this wasn't about me, this was about Bridgett, her troubles.. her lo-

Before I could even finish my thought, I heard the rarely used doorbell ring. 'Great, more people here to yell.' I thought.

It seemed highly unlikely that anyone else had heard the doorbell, and even less likely that even if they had heard it they would actually go get the door, so on the second ring, I turned around and made my way to the staircase. Of course it would be quicker to use my powers... but walking felt so much better

I was down the steps relatively quickly when I heard another ring, followed by an impatient string of rings.

I still didn't walk any faster...

I put my hand slowly, cautiously to the door knob, led by a force I didn't understand and hardly actually noticed. Once my warm fingers made their first contact with that cold ball of metal, I was hit with a sudden rush of unexplained anger at whoever stood on the other side of the door.

My mind filled up suddenly with the pressure of my thoughts, and I released the knob and backed away from the door. This day had brought me enough; I was done with dealing with these problems, with all of it.

I heard the bell ring again, and felt a shiver run down my spine. Next thing I realized, I was bumping into someone. Warm hands clutched my shoulders and I was being moved to the side.

"I'm guessing you're just as excited to see him as me..." David said giving me a look I wasn't quite familiar with.

I just shook my head stupidly, not quite feeling right yet.

"So, did you intend to let it ring all day?"

I looked again to the door, and realized that I had back several feet from it.

"Let me get it then" he said sighing heavily

As he drew closer to the door, I was overcome with the desire to pull him away from it, make sure he didn't let whoever that was, on the other side of the door, in.

He wrapped his fingers around the knob, and I felt as thought my world began to move in slow motion. My heart pounded loudly in my ears and in the moment the door opened, my heart stopped.

Spots danced on his face for just a moment before I inhaled and my head began to hammer with rage. Him.

"Damien" David croaked dryly as a form of greeting.

"All this time and you're still just the doorman?" the man with jet black hair and cold bottomless pits for eyes spoke in an icy flat manner that I distinctly remembered. I had seen him only once in my dream. Damien. The man who had killed my father.

"Hilarious. What do you want?"

They spoke in matching brooding tones, too low to hear without straining. Finally, Damien's critical gaze left his brothers face and his focus locked on mine. My rage flared like never before the moment we locked eyes, and the bastard grinned! He gave me a stupid toothy grin.

I wanted to shank him.

I think he could tell.

"Oh my, the little princess has definitely grown up" his voice was still low, but there was a smirk on his face.

My mind registered hate when I realized what he said.

I don't even know what I would have said, or more possibly done, to the bastard when I felt Dominic's arm around me, the hate and anger that had been rolling off of me just moments ago faded, replaced by the security I felt in Dominic's strong hold.

"Damien." His controlled speech, deep and alluring as it was, although I would never admit it, made me smile, despite myself.

"Dominic" he said with a smirk, eyes still firmly locked on me. "Julie" he said at last, and despite the Dominic induced calm I felt moments ago, my rage flared through me again.

How dare that sonofabitch, that freaking BASTARD say my name, how dare he look at me like that... that... I just glared not knowing what to say, having no words strong enough to express my fury, my voice threatened to come out in an angry shout.

"You're here a bit early" Dominic said in that sultry voice that teased my ears, "Or are you hear for a reason?"

"Just a casual social visit." he grinned, his eyes sliding slowly down my body leaving an unpleasant sensation on my body on the entire path his eyes traveled, only to stop, resting on Dominic's arm resting on my middle. "I'm assuming my invitation just got lost" he smiled maliciously at Dominic.

"I don't recall sending one... but I suppose anything is possible" Dominic said in a thoughtful voice arching an eyebrow

"Now that's not nice" his words were childish but he meant them with no less malice.

"Who ever accused me of being nice?" Dominic questioned in his still perfectly leveled voice

"You seem like a pretty nice guy right now, if you want my honest opinion" she commented moving her gaze from Dominic's face to his arm and back up again.

Dominic chuckled dryly "You think so?" his words were cold now; his face lost its humor, his patience wearing thin. He spoke again. "With this 'casual visit' what do you intend to do?"

Damien gave him a deathly calm smile "I could get... reacquainted with the princess here" he said in a pensive tone.

Dominic's eyes narrowed dangerously at him and tightened his arm around my middle "Mine" he practically growled.

They day finally came when, for once, I didn't disagree with his claim.

"Oh, forgive me" he said hardly sounding apologetic, despite his lighter tone. Before he could get out another word, his head turned to the source of feet lightly padding the stairs we were standing near.

"What's going on?" Claudia asked in a tone reminiscent of the one she used when we first met.

Damien's face split into a full blown Cheshire grin "Well, hello there. I don't believe we've been introduced, I'm Damien."

"Claudia." she responded sending him a blazing glance before brushing past him to stand beside David. She stood on her toes and he leaned to the side so she could whisper something into his ear. He chuckled, she smiled.

"Don't tell me this gorgeous little thing is yours."

Claudia's relaxed smile dropped, her eyebrow arched, David's mouth turned upward, prepared for her response it seemed.

She said nothing for a moment and just looked from one face to the other, that annoying smirk plastered on both of their faces.

"So this is your good for nothing bastard of a brother, the one you were hoping wouldn't be able to make it?" she asked in a genuinely curious tone that made David's eyes light up.

"That's the one." he responded, and they began to have a conversation as though they were entirely alone.

"Why wouldn't you want me at your wedding, baby brother?"

"Since we all know that isn't a serious question, I'll give you the short answer... I hate you"

"Hate, that is such a strong emotion, are you sure it isn't just strong dislike? Envy maybe?"

"Oh, yes, of course, envy. That's it"

"As touching as this reunion is," Dominic said interrupting whatever Damien was about to say. "We have plenty to do and a full house. It's been great seeing you. If you like I can see you out." he said sounding courteous, but his eviction was loud and clear

"Oh, it isn't a problem," he said turning his head to the exit, and said with his smile still firmly in place "Don't trouble yourself; I'm sure I can find the door." I knew he wasn't done... I felt it in the pit of my stomach, and unprovoked my anger grew again

He turned around and walked toward and past David and Claudia. He placed his hand calmly to the knob and stopped. "Oh, before I forget" he said slowly turning his head "Some of my... property is here, I was wondering when I should expect her back?" he spat the brutal words with a voice that was calm and relaxed, while his eyes were locked on mine.

In that moment, I knew that I would never be able to hate more. Never.

I tried to charge at him, but Dominic's arm held tighter to me, his other hand clutching my arms. Despite his calm controlled appearance, I knew the force he was exerting to keep me in his arms. I was blood thirsty and if that man stayed I would kill him. 'Don't play into his games' he said in my head. I clenched my teeth, set my jaw, and tried to relax the rigid muscles in my body prepared to attack. "She left a bit ago, she had something to see to" Dominic said as though he weren't fighting against my tension.

"Oh, okay. I suppose I'll just go see what she is up to" he said before vanishing, leaving behind wispy black smoke.

"Bastard" David said, taking Claudia's arm, and walking off back up the stairs.

I just continued to stare at that spot, where he stood just a moment ago, mocking me. I felt Dominic's arm move slightly around my waist before my world shifted in a quick blur and he had me slung over his shoulder "What the hell?!"

"Relax. You need a break." He said as a response, choosing to ignore all further questions, comments, threats, and protests.

He walked slowly back to his door and pushed it open. He walked casually to the bed and dumped me, unceremoniously onto it. "Go to sleep or something. Your day was exhausting"

"I don't want to go to sleep. There's still so much to do"

"Go to sleep, or I'll make you. And don't say I can't because especially now, as drained as you are, it's child's play"

"There's still so much to do, I have to-"

"Sleep"

"Bu-"

"You are an emotionally charged individual. You are one unexpected surprise away from a melt down. I see through your bravado, if you don't want to sleep, then just relax for a bit. Regroup, recharge. We both know you need it."

I wanted to argue, to deny his statement, but he was right... I even knew that "fine" I said in a defeated mumble, lying back onto the mattress.

"Call me if you need anything." he purred in a slightly suggestive voice, then turned with a small smile on his lips and walked out.

"Pervert" I said halfheartedly resting my head on the soft, cool, inviting pillow. And just like that, consciousness faded from me.

-Dominic's POV-

'Two Days', the thought throbbed in my mind. 'Two days until the wedding, and the entire wedding party is warring'.

I walked calmly though the gateway to the alter world in the basement. My pounding head, the only giveaway to my frantic mood.

I didn't bother knocking as I walked through the door with the silver flower inlay. He just laid on the floor. Typical.

"Get off the floor."

He didn't budge.

"What do you think you're accomplishing? You already did what you did and I don't think it's helping anything for you to just sit on the floor acting like a child"

"What's going to happen now?" he asked without moving or even looking up.

"Well, you got what you wanted. You're a full demon now, at the expense of Bridgett mind you."

"So, what does that mean? What's going to happen to us now?"

"Well, for Bridgett things are hazy. Unless strings are pulled, she will be banished. Bu-"

"And if they get pulled, then what will happen to her?"

"Whatever the high ranking gypsies decide"

"Oh."

"You on the other hand have no penalty... aside from maybe a little guilt. Your body is stuck now, by the way. You're 18 forever, congrats. Since I know you're wondering, she's fine. She's asleep. What do you intend to do now Steven?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, finally sitting up.

"Well, you have no arrangements anymore; you are officially a free man. What are your plans?"

"I don't get it, what is this about?"

"It isn't a trick question."

"Then why did you ask it?"

"Because I want to know what your plans are, what are you going to do next?"

"What if I say I want to be with Julie?"

"See if she wants you. A person can only take so much, she can only forgive so much, before it becomes too much."

"So that's why you asked! You wanted to mock me!"

"I don't have time for this. If you feel like taking this seriously, call me. Until then, I've got work to do." And with that sentiment, I turned my back to him and walked out.

Two issues down, too many more to go. Since David and Claudia seemed to have their... thing... under control, I guess it's on to the horde of women.

At that thought, I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to will away the pressure that was spreading from that spot.

It's going to be a long day

-Claudia and David's POV-

"And that is why I hate my brother" David said walking behind Claudia on the staircase.

"What's with him? Why's he such a prick?"

"The overall feeling of hate is a mutual thing. He- I've always been a bit unstable. The wild card of the family. He wasn't. He was always fully in control of his powers; he has been since we were children. I didn't. So he became a face of death much sooner then me"

"How much is much?"

"About a century"

"That doesn't explain anything. You're younger then-"

"By less than two minutes. We're twins. So I hate him because he was first born and he hates me because I'm stronger. Even now, without you, without complete control of my power, I'm stronger then him." he said with a grim smirk.

"Why are we getting married?" she blurted out unintentionally, before she could re-word the question.

"You mean me a demon and you a gypsy?"

She nodded, happy that he understood.

"My powers aren't fully accessible to me right now. At this point, I could almost be considered human. I'm not a full demon, well not as full as I could be I mean. Not limitless. As I want to be. It's like Steven. He was a vampire, but only in the physical sense. Drank blood, had fangs. He was a vampire. But he was on some level almost, or more accurately a little bit human. He was like that because his mother was human. I am because I was the second born. What the whole... thing did was kill the little part of him that was human, in effect making him complete."

"Why, gypsies?"

"They never refuse." he stopped walking then.

"Why, not?"

"They are afraid."

"Hmm, I suppose that could be it?"

He smirked at her response "What's your theory?"

"Oh, well, I believe we get picked because we are useful... and we never refuse because, well, we can't. There is always someone stronger. And as a people, we believe in self preservation, so we accept what we must to survive."

"Deep. I do like my theory better however" he said with a smirk. He kissed her gently, and then led the way. She followed calmly, not blushing surprisingly.

"Can't wait for the honeymoon," he threw her over his shoulder with a toothy grin. There was that blush he was really starting to love.

-Dominic's POV-

The shouts of outrage were still ringing loudly through the halls when I finally got back to the sitting room.

By this time, they had stopped bashing my son, and as usual among their kind, resorted to insulting one another.

"All this time, you spent insulting Julie, reprimanding her, Judging her! Your own granddaughter is a harlot!" Vanessa, Claudia's grandmother said.

"I am in NO MOOD" Camille shouted, and I noticed her daughter Alice, Bridgett's mother, who like Damien decided to come unannounced.

"You will not speak of my daughter in such a way!" she shouted vehemently.

"I will-"

"Stop this, all of you!" Virginia shouted and they all fell silent through her will.

Finally, feeling the opportunity to do so and be heard, I cleared my throat to make myself known, they were about to explode on me, I could feel their anger and tension, but no one spoke

"Are they together?" Virginia asked in a knowing voice.

I nodded "Julie sent her; they should both be here for the wedding."

There was a brief tense silence.

"Now what?" I asked they knew what I meant, I'm sure of it.

Camille was the first to break Virginia's hold. "Aren't you going to demand we kill her since she is of no use to you anymore?!"

I knew that was coming.

"No. She fulfilled her purpose. She is yours to deal with."

"You speak like her like she is a toy. SHE IS MY DAUGHTER!" Alice quickly followed after her mother... or maybe Virginia just released her hold.

"Then you should be grateful that she'll be fine."

"And what of her security? What is she to do now?"

"Whatever the hell she decides she wants to do now that is not my business to care. If it's what you're worried about, and I believe it is, your family and your village have my protection. As I said, she has fulfilled my request, my son is whole, she-"

"Your son used her!" she demanded.

"And?"

"You-"

"I would choose my next words wisely if I were you, Alice."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Yes."

Silence.

"You accuse him of using her, but she held no objections to what they did, or else it wouldn't have happened, it wouldn't have even been possible! Gypsies are used, that's how things happen, you must see that!"

She said nothing, but wouldn't meet my eye. Ordinarily that would be enough for me, but not now, not after this.

"Your laws demand she get sold off to the most powerful bastard around so that you feel safe while she gets used. She beat the system, she's not stuck with Steven, and you get what you wanted! What, is it the shame that's getting to you? Is that it? After bashing Julie, your own blood is disgraced, is that what this is all about?! I need to understand your reasoning, please tell me. Justify your anger, your disgust. Bridgett worked to make Julie's life hell and she comforted and protected her while you tried to blame and persecute her. Luna is providing her a haven, even after all of you turned your backs on her! Justify your actions, any of you." It surprised me a tad bit that I had even mentioned Luna, but it proved my point.

"Now," I took a calm breath and exhaled through my nose "If you wish to stay here, you are welcome to do so, as well as assist with the wedding arrangements, but I will not accept another word about these matters in my house." And with those final words, I walked away. I was done with them.

I was beginning to feel that sort of restless, frustrated exhaustion.

I walked slowly back to my room, only to see Julie splayed on my inky black sheets in a deep restful sleep. Seeing her calm made up my mind.

I stripped down to just my pants and moved towards the bed. I laid down next to her and took her into my arms. Her skin was cool, almost cold even. The feeling of her skin on mine was pleasant against my feverish body. I closed my eyes when she relaxed in my hold and drifted off into a rest...the closest thing I could get to sleep.

~4 and a half hours later~

As always, I couldn't just wake up on my own, at the moment; someone was banging forcefully on my door.

The world was dark and hazy for a few seconds and then awareness began to creep up on me. First, that I slept for quite some time; second... this wasn't my room, and more... odd, was the feeling of dead weight that was resting on my stomach.

The door opened and light flooded in. Steven stood at the door and Dominic remained asleep against my back.

Steven just walked in, and I turned my focus to Dominic. As I had noticed at the dock, in his pleasant restful state, I noticed his attractiveness. I felt a bit bad as I turned around and started to shake his shoulder "Wake up Dom, get off" I said in a sleepy voice.

His eyes opened suddenly and he smirked "Dom?" he and Steven both chimed in unison.

"Good, you're up" I said, ignoring them both. "Get off, it's late."

"What do you want Steven?" he asked still lying down with his arm around me. Obviously he was deciding to ignore me.

"What are my options?" I had a feeling this conversation was about to go over my head

"Stay, leave, find someone else, whatever you want. Nothing has changed for you, the rules are all still the same"

"I can stay?" he spoke the words slowly "You don't want me to-" he didn't say the words, but he pointed his thumb towards the door. I'm guessing they started this conversation before.

"This is still your home."

Since I obviously had nothing to contribute to this conversation that I hardly understood, I tried to maneuver out of Dominic's grasp but he tighten his arm around me and me entire range of motion was limited.

Steven's eyes caught the motion and his jaw clenched but he said nothing about it.

"If I left, could I come back?" his eyes were still on me, with Dominic's arms around me... I almost felt like he was asking us both the question, but I couldn't understand why.

"You've done so before."

"Why are you so okay with this? This is insane!"

"Its fine by me" Now I was getting frustrated. What were they talking about, where did all of this come from?

"Look, everything will be dealt with later, this is reserved time, and you'd better understand that as well. In a couple of days, deal with your problems, for now, deal with the wedding."

"Sure…" he said, but his voice held a note of resignation.

He looked pleadingly at me and I just looked back, my face and emotionless mask. I felt like the look would be much more effective with a fully clothed Dominic standing elsewhere, but since that didn't seem likely, this would have to do.

His look bore into my eyes and I breathed out a heavy sigh. I turned my head and took a hold of Dominic's arm removing the warm appendage from my stomach.

I crawled off the bed, as gracefully as my sleep weakened body would allow... and fell.

Steven's warm form was there to help me up, but no words were exchanged. I was on my feel and blushing, embarrassed just a smidgen. I straightened and walked to the door. If they needed to talk, I wouldn't object, but I was in no condition or mood to get lost in it.

I took to my own room on a quest for a relaxing bath and hopefully some alone time... unfortunately, in this house, nothing is guaranteed

-David's POV-

More and more, I want her, she's perfect....

He smallest motions and actions tempt me.

I can't understand how she is so... right for me, but I lo-... like it, I like her. She makes me... happy.

"Stop thinking about me like that!" she said interrupting my reverie.

"Like what?"

"I dunno, but I know you're thinking about me."

"I'll show you what I think of you." I said with a smirk.

Her face flushed that beautiful color I absolutely adore and she squeaked when I took her into my arms. "There's that", and then there's this one, kept me awake, that image" I said and her mind was flooded with images of her and I entangled in silky sheet, the blush on her face, passion etched on our faces

"Okay, I'll leave you to your thoughts" she said quickly blushing even more, with NO chance of stopping after that thought, that dream racing through her mind. The sights, the sounds, the feelings.

"You have such a one track mind!" she said, still pink since the blood refused to recirculate and remained seated in her cheeks.

"When it comes to you, yeah. What else can I think about, other then breaking that body in, while its sitting there all innocent and beautiful taunting me like it is?"

Her jaw dropped, and she looked like a fish as she gaped at me, "You are such a pervert." she whispered the words, as if she were afraid that if she spoke them any louder someone would hear her.

I placed a soft peck on her still red nose, following it with a kiss to her soft warm neck, her cheeks, and her lips. I was about to really get into it, changing the soft chaste pecks to passionate kisses, when the door shot open.

Her eyes stayed closed, she hadn't moved even with the interruption. My lips hovered centimeters from hers. I touched my lips to hers in a simple warm kiss, the passion unfortunately, would have to wait.

"Oh, did I interrupt something?" Damien asked trying to come off as innocent

"Nothing that can't be continued later" Claudia responded as she opened her eyes. Without another word, she rose off the corner of my bed and brushing past Damien, she walked out of the room.

"What are you doing here?" I really hate him.

"We need to talk" he said, serious for the first time all day "Where do you intend to govern? Because I will kill you right now if you attempt to question my position or-"

"I don't care for your realm, circle, or rank. You and your threats can kiss my ass. I want nothing to do with the living; you can feel secure of that. And if you dare threaten me again, brother, you will die. Make no mistake. I will not accept that from you again."

"Where do you intend to go? Who will you punish if not mortals?"

"I said I want nothing to do with the living."

"Where?"

"You can find out with everyone else."

"I DEMAND you tell me now!" his voice, like his words, sounded childish.

"When will you grow up?"

His eyes narrowed, he was offended. I knew what would come next. The Fight. His black eyes went sharp, his vision now acute. Those muscles stretched tight, tense.

Years of being brothers prepared me; I knew to watch him close. For a moment, the entire world was silent, so much so that I thought I had gone deaf. Before I could even register the sound of him moving, he pounced at me like a tightly coiled spring that was suddenly released.

Despite the fact that he had moved too quickly for my senses to register, I was able to block his very strike, to use every small moment of hesitation he made, to my advantage.

We were literally fighting tooth and claw in my lavished green room. I smelled blood before I even felt his sharp claws slice at my skin.

As his had, my skin peeled off of my other demonic form. Now we were both ready to kill.

I was vaguely aware of the sounds we made as we hurled each other into walls; I barely noticed the annoying little stings of the splinters of wood, from my broken side table, entering my skin.

I smirked in momentary triumph as I tore through his leathery wing and he shrieked in agony. I drank in the sound.

My anger was at an extreme point, I was angry that he was born first, ready to take on his job. Angry that I had to wait centuries only to prove myself ready. I was being tested in the way he never needed to be.

He tried to shoot his hand out at my throat, but with his wing damaged, his body was in shock. His nerves responding sluggishly now. I know from experience, the pain does fade.

He charged at me when it did, in effect breaking my bed canopy and frame. He punched at my face ferociously, giving me no time to counter, or even block his powerful strikes.

"You think it's easy?" he snarled at me "You speak of your plans at though you've already lived through it all. I hope she kills you!" he sneered in a mater-of-fact tone.

I shifted my arms to the side, feeling around until I could find a heavy enough piece of wood. Using all the force I could muster, I slammed it into the back of his skull, making his body fall slack.

I pushed him off of me, and wiped the blood that had pooled on my face.

He made an attempt to get off and I kicked him in the ribs, satisfied in the moist crack my foot made on contact before his body shot back, like a soccer ball, only to crash into the wall

"I bet you do wish I were dead. I hope you understand that I want nothing more than to kill you right now, but I have no need. For all I care, you can die of the shame, the humiliation I put you through in 2 days" I said as I walked towards him

He tried to get up and I gripped his hair in both hands, I threw my knee up while slamming his head down. His nose broke.

"I have nothing, absolutely nothing, to prove to you. All my life I have tried and struggled to prove to you and Mother that I was every bit as good as you, but I'm not!" I shrieked my voice on the verge of hysterics. "I'm better" my voice sober again. "I'm better and you know it, that's why you hate me, but fuck you if you think I need anyone's approval! I'll prove that I'm better then you, but none of that will matter because we both already know."

His nose ran a stream of blood and he coughed more up onto my floor, sure to stain it.

Slowly awareness washed over me, time moved at its regular pace again. Our rapidly healing bodies reverted, the adrenaline thoroughly worked from our systems, well his at least. My body was charged with power.

I looked down at the glistening blood and bruise covered mass I called a brother and scoffed.

"So what? You think this fight will be the same as the one you have with her?" he asked rising off the floor. The blood had already stopped flowing from his nose and his more shallow scrapes and small bruises were already mostly healed. "You think a fury will go easy on you just because you start throwing googlie eyes her way? She'll destroy you!"

"So you're trying to intimidate me now?"

"You know she will." his voice was cold and sure.

"No, she won't." It was my turn to sound matter-of-fact.

"Are you saying she's too weak to kill you?"

"I'm saying I won't let her kill me. I won't let anyone kill me!"

"It's hilarious how sure you sound of that ridiculous claim."

"I believe him." Claudia's voice drifted reassuringly to my ears and for a second, I thought I had suffered some brain damage and it was only in my mind.

"So what, you think you'll be able to go easy on him?" he said snorting.

"Unlike you, I can't see him as the type who would need a girl to go easy on him." she chirped quickly, not missing a beat.

"You stupid BITCH!" he said angrily, offended by her biting words.

Instantaneously, the angry fire I had first seen the night she slapped me covered her exposed skin and the roots of her hair. Low on her skin and a warm powerful blue.

"Do you want to die?" she asked in genuine curiosity, but the threat was clear. I could only stare, enraptured by her power and grace. Amazed at her daring personality.

"Do you think I'm afraid of you?" he scoffed at her, amazed by her lack of respect.

Her eyes narrowed and a long red scratch split on his cheek, blood slid out slowly "You know, I don't think you are, but you definitely should be"

He placed his fingers on his face, realizing that fresh blood was spilling from the scratch that wasn't healing. His eyes narrowed, the inky blackness of his eyes bled red and he charged at her.

Before she or I had time to react, his body was hurled full force into the opposite wall, making a crater in the solid cement.

She and I looked to one another, both of us curious as to what happened. Our gazes turned back to him when he sputtered, his limbs bound, his head turning red from lack of oxygen. He wasn't breathing.

I turned to the door to see Julie looking more threatening then I would have ever thought her capable.

"GET OUT OF THE HOUSE OR I WILL KILL YOU." her voice was devoid of emotion, her eyes dark.

He stayed bound, not even twitching, just staring her down with a murderous glare. Her eyes narrowed. He let out a strangled noise just before his head turned a shade of purple, the cut on his cheek releasing a heavy flow of dark blood

"Julie, let him go!" Claudia's voice commanded.

She paid her no mind, no one moved a muscle.

"Julie, you are not a killer. That's not who you are." She spoke the words with such conviction.

I made a motion to go stop her from killing him, a small step, but Claudia's hand shot out "No, you can't make her stop. She needs to decide what she's going to do on her own." her voice was low, she was only talking to me.

"Julie" she said in a soothing manner, I watched the girl hold her solid resolve as she tried to smother my brother. For the first time in my life I felt something akin to respect towards, but not quite.

He was almost dead "Let him go" I said, before I even noticed the words form in my mouth. Slowly her eyes slid towards me, her eyes narrowed again and then I heard his body drop to the ground, he gasped and coughed but she just looked down at him, like he were the most disgusting thing she had ever seen.

"GET OUT" she said just looking at him with clenched fist.

He said nothing, didn't even look up, he just vanished leaving behind his black smoke. I looked to where he was, my eyes locked on the spot, committing the sight to memory. I looked to Claudia whose eyes were locked on Julie. I let my eyes drift back to her, her body still tense, her eyes still narrow.

"Satisfied?" I asked her.

"A little" she said and the darkness faded from her eyes. She sighed and turned around without another word, walking off calmly, away from my war zone of a room.

I felt a chill. That was different.

"I finally get it" I said to Claudia, after a few tense minutes. She turned her head from the door and looked at me with tired eyes.

"Get what?"

"You and me"

"Please enlighten me?" I smiled despite myself at her words.

"You are the judge and jury. I am the persecutor. We both deal with the dead, you judge them, decide guilt. I punish the guilty, the sinners. When you told Julie to decide, you were giving her a chance to decide whether she wanted to do the right thing. You, as a Fury, are a punisher. You would cast sinners, killers to be specific, to their circle of hell. I come in there. Their everlasting persecutor. I think its coincidence that you happen to be a sexy gypsy, you were meant for me the moment you were born a fury."

"I was meant for you?" she said with a grin.

"Shut up." I said rolling my eyes. The moment after I did it struck me how juvenile the whole thing was.

She laughed at me. I couldn't bite back the smile that formed.