(Jean's POV)

    As soon as I witness Lucius teleport away, my eye caught sight of the note and had a bad feeling. I was about to follow him when I felt two pairs of arms grab me. Glancing behind, I saw both Micheal and Damien had a hold of me. "What are you doing?? He's walking into a trap dammit!" I growl back at them both, I couldn't allow another one of my family fall victim to whoever is doing all of this.

    "Jean, for all we know, this could be some sort of trap for you too. I know that seems absurd and highly unlikely, but I don't want you getting hurt," Damien said as he stared down at me. I fight back the urge to growl and pull the 'I can take care of myself!' card only because he was probably right.

    "And what do you want us to do now then? Just let whoever set up this trap take him?? He's not going to think straight with seeing Virus as this maniac!" Not to mention this psycho seems to have the power level of myself... There's no telling what damage they will cause having two brilliant minds at their control now.

   "We need a plan Jean. We can't just run in without any thought. I promise we'll go after Lucius, but we can't just run in guns blazing! That basically never works," Micheal explained gently, rubbing my arm lightly in an attempt to calm me down. My eyes burned from unshed tears as I sighed in defeat. I stopped fighting them, for now, basically falling back into their arms. We had just gotten him back... He was damaged and I wanted to help him...

    "Who knows about his family? Who's the brother that was mentioned in the note?" I stared at the note as if it was poisonous to anyone that touched it. My mind had flipped from overemotional to a War Lord preparing for their first battle against a new and unknown foe.

    "I know he has a brother named Die, but nobody has heard from him in a while. Not since Eric vanished... though, I guess we know where the latter is now," William spoke up from the back of the room. He had been so silent, I almost forgot he was there. 

    "Are we sure those are the only family he has? He didn't take in someone from the family before...?" I rub at my eyes as a pounding headache that only seemed to grow. Before too long I was holding my head as a high pitch noise shot through my head causing me to black out and awake within my mind.

    Good morning, beautiful~, an unknown and yet sickening sweet voice rang in my head. Whoever this bastard was was in for a rude awakening if they thought I would play nice. I'm not in the mood for random bullshit from someone that is tearing my family apart. 

     Who the Hell are you? I damn near barked back, I knew I should remain calm but ya know when you have a blasting headache and this kinda shit happens it's REALLY hard to remain calm and collected. I was not happy that right after Lucius just runs off, some random prick decides this is the perfect time to flirt-talk to me.

    You may not know me but that will come in time. For now just know I have someone you may have been searching for. Actually, I have a few different people you've been looking for, gorgeous~, the voice chuckled lowly. I'm ready to throw up from how toxically painful it was to hear this madman call me everything except my bloody name.

    What the Hell do you want with all of us? I growl as my body burned with rage, my temper use to be a mile long but I'm on the short end of the stick now. Show yourself, coward! I know you're here!

    Oh, but that would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it? Besides, you are in no place to make demands princess. Unless of course, you want your friends to get hurt, he responded as he chuckled darkly. That fucking nickname of all things to call me? Really?! I'm over this guy's disrespect towards my title, my family, and all women. I bite back my words, not wanting to cause any more harm than what has happened. I regain my composure and fell into my royal form, my hair growing longer as my eyes glowed a brilliant swirl of gold and royal purple.

    What do you wish to achieve here? What has brought you into my mind at a time as this? My voice rang out in clarity as I stood straight with my shoulder pulled back as I was taught to when addressing another equal or rival. Why have you conned my family to come to you?

    I want you, and only you to come to meet me in exchange for your friends. If you come with anyone else, both the hostages and your pretty little guards might not walk out alive. I knew he was trying to trigger a reaction out of me but I wouldn't allow it. Only I would be in control of my actions and reactions and nobody else.

    Do you expect me to agree when I do not even know how you appear to be? Or if my members are alive and well with you now? I question, hoping to draw out some much information before doing something rash.

    I can tell you the exact location of both Lucius and his mystery brother. I can even get them to talk to you if you'd like, just to prove my point. I guess you'll just have to trust me if that's not enough. I could feel eyes staring at me causing my formal gown, which had an open back, to feel too revealing for my liking.

    Allow me to hear their voices and see them, please. I will come to the location as soon as I can be alone if you grant me this one item to ensure they are safe. I give in a bit, allowing him to believe he had the upper hand. I knew better than to fight an enemy head-on, especially when I couldn't see who they were.

   Of course, my princess~. I restrained myself from appearing anything other than emotionless, I couldn't give this man the pleasure of seeing his words cause me discomfort. There was a long moment of silence before I heard Lucius weak voice through my head. 

    J-Jean, I'm fine. I'll be fine, please don't come I have everything— suddenly he was cut off with a fading cry of pain. I bite back my words, feeling the stares return but they were coming from every direction now. Fucking creep... 

    There. You know your friend is okay. He sighed as if he was heavily annoyed with allowing me a small victory of making sure Lucius was in fact alright. I know this next part was not going to get me anywhere but I had to try.

   And the others? I know you would not only have one of my men without my knowledge. Not if you have already converted one of them to your side. I hated referring to Virus as one of his men and not mine but that's the only logical conclusion my mind has come to for all the odd behavior.

    Hm? Oh, you mean my little pet or Daniel or Erickson? Well hate to say it, but they're all a little busy right now. You might have a chance to talk to them him at a later~ Once again I heard that dark chuckle I'd already grown to resent. I sighed before glancing in the darkness, I knew he was still here for I could feel his eyes burn into me even more now than ever. He knew he had won this game but I was in it for the long run.

    Is there anything else you need of me? You know I cannot leave until you do since you are controlling my presence here. I state boldly. I was not going to allow this man to control my emotions or actions as long as I was breathing. Never give in to the enemy, only allow them to think they have won.

   Nothing as of now princess, just make sure you get here on time. And come alone. I almost lost it and growled before I had the feeling of waking up. Not a moment sooner, I was back in the room, lying on the bed. How'd I get here?

   "Jean? Jean oh thank Hell's Bound you're awake! What happened?" Dam called out to me. Everyone was standing around me, all looking as if I had some fatal illness. This was gonna be difficult to explain... Or not actually...

   "I just have a really bad headache and everything that's happened just..." I sigh, not liking that I was lying to them. I couldn't let anyone else get hurt because of me. "I just need to go rest." I slowly rise to my feet as I hold my head, not lying in the bit about having a headache. Whoever this was could still be in my head but not to the extent they just were. It was like they were watching me making sure I didn't pull anything on them. I kept my mind clear as I slowly made my way away from everyone and towards Micheal's and mine's bedroom. Once in I locked the door and flashed to the bathroom for some medicine before planning my next move. I thank Hell that Micheal decided not to follow me for once, he wouldn't let me go alone, none of them would understand. I sighed, not even knowing where I'm supposed to go! I snap in my mind as I felt the urge to break something come over me. I took deep breathes before recentering my position over all of this. Just as I was about to lay down and actually rest, a flash of an image came to me. It was an address and directions though I knew this place. It was one of the original clubs Lucius and Vir-Victor had decades ago when the prohibition happened. I sat on the edge of my bed with a cup of sink water and the medication I had grabbed, each in a different hand. I quickly downed both, my headache only subsiding slightly. I fell backward onto my bed and pondered over my next move. I could either leave tonight or wait a bit to mull over everything the stranger in my head had told me. I began to realize that the sooner I left after acting so strangely, the more inclined everyone would be to come looking for me almost immediately. That meant that if I left in the next hour or so, I would have technically gone to the location alone, but my guards wouldn't be far behind me. I hated lying to my friends like this, but it seemed like the only way to make sure every party, including myself, would stay relatively safe.

    "I'm sorry Lucius," I mutter to him even though I knew he couldn't hear me. "Guess I just never learned to listen to you." I closed my eyes before finally rising to my feet. Without another moment wasted, I teleported from my room, my home, my friends, and my safety to a place I never thought I'd see again. As soon as I land, I could feel his presence and I could already tell this wasn't as simple as it seemed anymore.

    "Welcome, my Queen~" His voice greeted me though he stayed in the shadows, just barely out of sight. I had yet to move forward before I felt a burning heat being applied to the back and my neck. As much as I enjoyed the heat, this was an unbearing level even though I've lived in Hell. This was a burning that sent pain rocketing through my whole being until my body finally gave in. Without a single noise, I fell to my knees as my vision became spotted with dark circles before fully pasting out.