We walk in awkward silence once inside the house. Samael smugly removes his shirt to cover his 'daughter'. I want to send the man away, but I don't have any other way to know about Sera's mother. I make a mental note to check into Ivara as we stride into the foyer. I sit on a bench, placing Sera into my lap as everyone gathers with curious eyes.
"I'll need special chains." I say to my father as he nods, eyes lingering on Sera's legs as he turns to retrieve the chains. I pull Sera into my chest tightly. I inhale her scent and pull her face into my neck as I feel her start to stir. I shudder as she wiggles, slowly coming into consciousness. I can't bring myself to care about the room full of eyes, I only want to soak her in. The weight of her in my arms, her smell. The way her lips part as she softly inhales. I do not look to her temple, where I struck her. I'm not ready to see what I done. I know there will be Hell to pay when she wakes though. While Seraphine is a gentle creature, she's not one to easily forgive.
"Seraphine." I call softly to her as I stroke her cheek. I feel her stir more purposely, she'll wake soon. I can hardly hold my desire to feed. I silently beg her to wake. "Sera-" She cuts me off as she lurches forward, trying to find her footing. She swings frantically trying to free her limbs as I struggle to force her down to me. She collapses from lack of balance, her ankles bound only inches apart.
"Let me go!" She pants, winded from the velocity of her own struggling. I pull her back to me as she pulls both legs in together and kicks me. She scoots away as my aunt kicks at her.
"What a primal mutt." She barks. Seraphine gives her a deadly look before she flips around using both legs to sweep the woman to the ground. The woman slaps her and stands over her. Sera hops to her feet teetering as she has no free limbs for balance. The woman stares her down and slaps her again, but Sera jumps onto her bringing her to the floor. In a barbaric display of power, Sera repetitively headbutts the woman who cannot cover herself quickly enough. Sera stops after seconds as others gather to intervene. My aunt lies unconscious and bloody faced. Sera spits on her as my uncle smacks her. She catches his hand in her teeth and bites him. People begin to move back from her now. Confusion and nerves perfume the air around us. Sera still trembles with adrenaline.
"Seraphine. We aren't here to hurt you." Her father tries.
"Get away from me. All of you. Let me go. I don't want to be here..." She's borderline hysterical now.
"Sersphine just-"
"GET AWAY!" She screeches. Her father blinks awkwardly and looks to me, obviously out of his element. He isn't used to her combative side. He most likely is accustomed to the soft, helpful side that everyone walks on.
"Sera. He rescued you. Freed you from Yeomorah-"
"No. That woman rescued me. He only caught me escaping and drug me here to another prison."
"There was no woman with me Seraphine. I brought you here so you'd be safe. You wouldn't last days out there on your own with Yeomorah pursuing you."
"Why do you care? You never cared if I lived or died. Don't start now."
"All that matters is you are here now." I try to soothe her. I want to get her eyes to lock with mine, but she knows my trick now. She refuses to met me for over a second.
"Yes. You got what you wanted. That's all that matters. You got your pet back. Is that it? Live in food? Like growing your own garden or installing a goddamn fast food vendor in your own house. No more hunting for you. You can just be lazy now and drink me dry. You don't even have to spend time lying or manipulating now. What's the point? I know what you are."
"That's not what I meant! Shut up. You will let me speak-"
"Fuck you. Fuck you and all these other strangers." She turns her head to gesture with her body to the crowd around us. "None of you had to help. None of you had to uphold this. Yet there you stand gawking as I am forced to be here. Sorry ass sea cows. All of you!"
"Are you finished making a fool of yourself? Don't you want to know you're here?"
"Better to do it myself than have you do it for me, again. Nope. Don't care why I'm here. Want to leave, I've things to do."
"If I can get a word in edgewise here. I agree with Noxodius. You are embarrassing yourself. Sit down, let us all explain some things to you and for Heaven's sakes pull that shirt down."
"Are you embarrassed?" She asks her father.
"Quite obviously." He snorts.
"What's new? You've always been ashamed of me. The feeling is mutual." I gape. This is not Seraphine. Her eyes are wrong, her attitude is wrong. She was becoming spirited, but this is extreme. She doesn't even care that the bottom of her plump ass is bare before the entire house. One eye is Seraphine's but the pupil is blown, the other is pitch black. She's not in control. I reach for her and she shuffles away. I pinch the bridge of my nose. My mother stands and everyone redirects their attention.
"Please go into the other rooms. She's a being, not a spectacle. She's overstimulated and needs space. Out." Mother gestures towards the exit as everyone but my parents, and I leave.
Mother cautiously approaches Sera, her hands out as if seeking permission. She seems to deflat as she sees mother and her lip trembles. Mother finally reaches her and pulls her into her arms. Seraphine leans into her stiffly, obviously unsure. She's used to giving the affection, not having anyone defend her or give her affection freely. Mother side eyes me and I swallow nervously. My mother and Sera might be the only people in the world with the ability to make me uncomfortable.
"Seraphine, dear. You are safe here. None of them will bother you do long as I am here. You can call me mother, or Mileva. Nox asked me here to help you decipher what you are, but now that your father is present, perhaps he could answer." I do not miss the way she addresses Samael. "But first, get this shit off of her so she can dress and relax." I hesitate, but remove the chains from Sera's body as mother clutches her protectively. "Nox, go find her some clothes." She shoos me off and I shuffle away.
I make my way into the room Sera took when she removed her things from mine. The memories have sharp edges, it cuts me a little to hold on to the image of her in my mind yanking her things out. Of her taking the guest room. The hurt on her face. Knowing I caused ot all. How do I get back to those first few days? When she was passive, joyful. Before I introduced her to the horrors of the world. Before I showed her love then took it from her. The look on her face when she called us all strangers. I had even letvhervsee me vulnerable on several occassions. Still she pretends not to know me.
I grab the necklace I stole for her off the dresser. I grab a green silk camisole and jeans for her. A little pair of black flats she always wore. The black lace bra and panty I loved her in. A stranger. I can't get that out of my head. I'll show her a stranger. She told me not to lie or manipulate now, because she knows what I am but she is deadly wrong. She has no idea what I really am, but she can find out. She's mine, regardless. She's not leaving here unless one of us is dead. I storm back to the foyer with newfound conviction.
"Seraphine, stand." Mother still has her cradled and glares at me.
"Noxodius! Drop the clothing and leave so she can dress."
"It is my house, it is my pet. My word is law here. She will stand and I will dress her, or she can remain bare."
"She's been through enough. Only the gods know what she endured at Yeomorah's."
"Whatever she endured there is her own fault. She run off and allowed herself to be caught." Sera straightens and cuts in.
"You and Axar had already decided you wanted me gone. You have both used me enough. Pardon me for taking the hint and leaving. You knew I wanted to leave the entire time. You kept finding excuses to keep me here."
"I'll say when enough is enough. You abandoned us Seraphine. You went and murdered Barima and you abandoned us. I have nearly starved, you should know what that's like. Of course I have to keep you here! You are an unstable catastrophe."
"Then let me leave so you aren't responsible. We all know how much you hate responsibility."
"Get it through your head. You. Cannot. Leave. End of discussion."
"Who gives you that right? You are no better than me!" She screams. Mother tries to knead her shoulders and calm her, but there's no calming her now. I can see it in her eyes.
"Nobody has to. Pets don't have rights." Sera punches me in the jaw and runs off. Samael shakes his head at me as I try to trail her.
"You never told me you were so tactful." He sneers. Mother grabs my arm.
"Nox, let her be. You've done enough. You cost your brother his mate, now you are costing yourself. You only get one, Nox."
"She's not my mate. I would never claim her. Now if you'll excuse me, I am hungry and do I intend to use her for her purpose." I run after her, catching sight of her just as she tries to go through the wall.
I grab her and wrestle her to the floor. She is so strong I can barely hold her down, even in her exhausted state. I keep her pinned on the floor as she begs me to stop. I nuzzle my face into her throat and I greedily gulp. She thrashes and pushes at me, all in vain. I grip her head with one hand to keep her still, taking her energy too. Feeding off her delectable delirium. I pry myself away before I've had too much blood. I hear a gasp and I look up to find my mother and Axar staring from a doorway. I start to speak, but mother's hand silences me. They turn from me and walk away.
"Will she be alright? He's hurting her..."
"I'm sorry dear. I don't know, but he won't kill her. All I can tell you is that one day she will be okay, but Noxodius will not be."
"What do you mean?"
"It's hard to explain. You will understand when it happens though." She tucks an arm around the lanky boy and leads him away. Seraphine slams her knee into my stomach while my attention is diverted and she flees to her old bedroom. The door is barricaded. I pound on the outside of it, but she doesn't make a sound. I phase through the door, staying invisible. I do not know if she sees me or not. I don't know if she cares. She huddles in the corner, still unclothed, crying. Already I see the room is trashed. All my gifts to her lie scattered and shredded. The chocolate pomegranate seeds hastily chucked with the bag opened. Some stomped, I can tell by the little chocolate smudge on her heel.
"It's alright Sera. You'll be fine. You've endured worse. You stood your ground with him. You told him what for for. That was pretty wicked, don't you think?"
"Thank you Barima. It's just you and I now. I'll make things right-"
"Nonsense. I got what I deserved. If you fix me, so be it. If not, I'll gladly stay within you. I'll be your annoying inner voice." A tear dribbles down Sera's chin as she smiles.
"I'd enjoy that too. I just want you to have your own life, not to be tied to be. I've spent enough time now being controlled by other people to know how it feels, I don't want you to feel that way." I gawk for a moment longer before I retreat. I'm baffled by her ability to use Barima's banshee screams and to project Barima's voice outloud when she wants to talk to her. I'm also annoyed that she is seeking solace in Barima instead of me. That is an easy fix though. I'll finish what she started, and I'll put that bitch back into her own body.