Verine's boys crowded the bed with glowing smiles and eyes that reflected only happiness for the newest addition to their family. Wako blushed, shying away from their playful teasing and hopes of convincing him to name her after someone they knew. Sean backed up to the wall with a small smile of his own, but his eyes were mostly on Verine. His face was a mix of joy and a deep fear that he was trying to hide from the others. For every so often, Verine would glance up at the window or the shadowy corners of the room when he thought no one was watching. Seeing him on edge made Sean feel uneasy. Dark hadn't shown up yet and he was pretty sure that Verine knew that. Wako chuckled as his baby touched his face with wide beautiful pink eyes, choosing that moment to look up at Verine. Catching Verine's nervous glance to the shadows, Wako hugged his baby closer to his chest, asking shakingly. "Verine...?" All the laughter and joy in the room faded. All eyes going to Verine, who stared at the shadowy corner with a tense and unblinking expression. His voice growing firm as he ordered aloud. "Time for you all to clear out, Boys." Russ inhaled sharply, asking nervously. "She's here?" Without looking at him, Verine ordered more sternly. "Go."

Wako hugged his baby to his chest, shaking his head frantically as he weakly cried out. "No... Verine, you promised! She can't! Not this one! PLEASE!" The boys quickly cleared out with reluctance, but Sean touched Russ's arm to comfort him. There was nothing they could do, but he would stay and try his best for them. Closing the door behind them, Sean casually walked over to Wako. Wako was too weak to get up and was in the process of trying to hide his baby with his body without squishing her. Tears flooding his eyes when he uttered words in a language Sean wasn't familiar with, but it sounded like a prayer. From the shadowy corner, Khaos' cool voice purred out. "Evening, Verine. What a beautiful little girl. One of your best. Bring her closer. Let me see her better." Wako shook his head, pleading desperately. "NO! Take me! TAKE ME! NOT HER!" Verine didn't move from the bedside. His wings merely slowly lifted off the ground to fold at his back as he straightened up. Taking a deep breath, Sean uttered under his breath. "Dark, where are you?" Straightening up to his full height, Verine told her respectfully. "No, mother. Not this time." Stepping menacingly out of the shadows, Sean took a step back out of pure shock.

Her appearance was so different now. She wasn't brightly colored. Her bright beauty appeared to have faded into the dangerous dark creature that she truly was. Her skin was soft grey, and her long hair had turned to a whitish purple. Her eyes were pure white and her large leather wings were a faded red color. Her thick black horns were rough looking and sharp as they curled around her head like a crown. She bared her sharp vampire fangs at Verine as her long tail arched behind her for an attack with the scorpion like tip, hissing out. "You dare to tell ME what to do? Oh, Verine... your youth is showing." Verine faced her better, his wings unfolding menacingly as he hissed back. "You want her? You're gonna have to go through me this time." Khaos' eyes narrowed on him, when she stated aloud. "What a sentimental slut you've turned into. So weak. Fine. I'll teach you a lesson, little one. And when I'm done... I'll rip those wings and fangs from you!" Verine arched his back, letting out a loud hiss and Khaos shot across the room for him. Wako screamed as Khaos slammed into Verine and shoved him into the room like he weighed nothing! Her tail shot out at Verine's face, but Verine barely dodged the sharp scorpion tip.

His own tail lashing up to wrap around her throat, choking her as he tried to pull her head back away from him. Forcing her to arch her back. With a hiss, she kicked him between the legs to loosen his grip and flung him over the bed where he hit the windows and shattered them! Sean's eyes widened as Verine fell limply to the floor, before looking to Khaos. She locked eyes with him and swooped in with a hiss. Grabbing both Sean's and Wako's neck, she yanked them away from the bed and practically tossed them aside to the floor. Wako tumbled over Sean, then sat up to scream at Khaos as she hovered over the bed. "NO! VERINE!" Khaos pulled the blankets back to see the baby sleepily trying to stay away. Khaos reached for her, when Verine shot off the floor and slammed into Khaos! He managed to sink his fangs into Khaos' throat and clawed at her chest and wings. Sean acted quickly. Getting up fast and rushing across the bed to scoop up the little baby into his arms. Rolling off the other side of the bed and huddling up with her in the corner. Verine and Khaos were a blur of movement and flapping wings. Their hissing and shrieks loud aloud to hurt the ears. When Khaos suddenly spun and slammed Verine to the floor on his belly.

Putting a heel into his back, Verine let out a pained scream, while she panted out. "You ungrateful little shit! I MADE YOU! YOU ONLY EXSIT TO BREED MY YOUTHFUL LOOKS AND SEXUALITY! Stupid whore!" Khaos grabbed one of Verine's wings. Lifting it up, she began snapping the bones along the wingspan. Every snap made Verine scream in so much pain and distress that Sean's hair on his arms and legs stood up in fear. His cries were torturous and heart wrenching. When she released his wing, it fell in an awkward pile of broken flesh. Then grabbing the back of his neck, Khaos hissed into his ear. "Now... I'm gonna make you watch this, Verine. This is YOUR FAULT!" Snapping one of his legs with a swift stomp, she hopped off him and began moving toward Wako. Wako panted heavily, trying to scoot away from her in his weakened state. Sean got up, but didn't want to get too close with the baby in his arms. On the floor, Verine pleaded out desperately through his blinding pain. "MOTHER, DON'T! TAKE THE BABY!" Khaos ignored him, her tail flicking menacingly as she walked over to Wako. Verine began to crawl across the floor, snapping out more heartbrokenly. "NOT HIM! MOTHER! PLEASE!" Sean felt so torn up. He didn't know what to do or how to help. Wako pressed his back weakly to the wall, his eyes going to Verine as he told him eerily calm. "Save her, Verine. It's ok. Save Anela."

Khaos smirked, her tail lunging out toward Wako's chest. Wako sat very still, his eyes on Verine. Sean inhaled sharply, then choked. Verine had moved fast and had managed to grab her tail before it hit Wako's chest. His arm muscles flexed with barely enough strength to hold her tail back. Surprising Khaos, who stared at him with confusion. Twisting his hand, he snapped her tail, and she screamed. Verine jumped to spin kick her across the bed. Then jumping onto the bed over her, his eyes flared from gold to a sharp bright pink before they turned red! Letting out a screech that was practically a sharp animalistic roar, Verine slashed her face with his claws and dropped over her to sink his fangs into her throat! Khaos thrashed beneath him, letting out startled screams as she clawed at him and hissed. When he lifted his head, blood dripped from his long fangs before she puffed into smoke and moved across the room. Verine braced himself on all fours, hissing out with such enraged passion. "I SAID. YOU'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME! I'm still breathing bitch!" Khaos stepped from her shadows looking a little tired, but she managed to grab Verine as he sprang off the bed toward her like a vicious cat!

Briefly they wrestled, before she flipped Verine to the ground and knocked him out. The pain of landing on his broken wing finally doing him in. Panting a little, she turned on Wako, who looked just as surprised by Verine's outburst. When she turned to face Sean, she sneered out. "Give me the baby. Or I'll kill Verine and one of his whores!" Sean held the baby closer to his chest, trying to think of a way to stall, when Dark materialized behind her. Sensing him, she whirled around. Dark reached for her throat and in her desperation, she vanished before he got her. Lowering his hand, Dark snorted out bitterly. "Next time, Mother." Relief brought Sean to his knees, when he mumbled out. "What took you so long?" Dark raised an eyebrow, chuckling out. "I came as fast as I could. I was on the other side of my realm. It's a long way." Walking over to Verine, Dark kneeled down and touched his neck. From the floor, Wako asked through a sniffle. "Is he...? Please say he's alright..." Dark looked over Verine for a time, before informing Wako. "I'm gonna get him checked out. Are you two alright?" Sean nodded, but Wako pleaded aloud. "Don't take him away. Please! What if she comes back...?" From a spot on the dresser, Anti rippled into view from green static, answering dryly. "That's why I'm here. And him."

Sean looked and saw Natemare sitting on the frame of one of the broken windows. Wako didn't look comforted as he saw Dark carry Verine out of the room. Outside the room, Verine's boys were crying or looking scared at the state Verine was in. Giving a warm smile to Sean, Natemare told Sean discreetly. "That's the hardest I've seen Verine fight for something he loves." Turning heated eyes on him, Sean blurted out. "You were watching? You didn't think to help?!" Natemare coolly replied. "I was going to step in... but it wasn't my fight. Verine is young. He never fights for anything. He just uses his sexuality to get away with everything. I know you won't understand... but Verine needed this. I wouldn't have let him die, but he had something to prove..." Natemare gestured with his eyes to Wako. When Sean looked to Wako, he believed he understood. Wako was easing back into bed as the boys rushed in to help him and ask what had happened. The first thing Wako told them was that Verine had saved them. Which made his boys all look both surprised and elated. Smiling to himself, Sean let that sink in. The boys loved Verine but didn't feel safe with him. They'd gotten used to him backing down to Khaos and had never blamed him for it. At least not openly. Now... he could imagine they would see him differently.

Verine was stronger than any of them thought. Walking up to the bed side, Wako reached out for his precious baby. She looked so sleepy but purred when Wako took her in his arms. Hugging her close, Wako suddenly reached out to pull Sean in to hug him, whispering by his ear. "Thank you, Sean." Hugging him back, he told him warmly. "I told you we wouldn't let it happen this time. What did you call her?" The other boys listened closely as Wako grinned and told them. "Anela. Her name is Anela. It means... angel." In his arms, Anela purred, her little bat wings wrapping around her as she tried to sleep with her little thumb in her mouth. The boys shared pleasant smiles, before Lucas told Wako wholesomely. "I like it. She looks like a little angel." Easing out of the room, Sean sleepily yawned to himself. He felt exhausted after all that. Rubbing his belly, he slipped off to a quiet room and laid down to nap. It was like his own babies had drained him of energy and he kind of believed that. Was that why Khaos had to threaten Verine and Wako? Were his babies just waiting to unleash something on her? He wanted to ask, but sleep got him. He had slept peacefully, until the sound of Wako screaming woke him and everyone else!

Rushing into the room, Wako was tossing blankets and covers off of himself as he stammered out. "She's gone! Where is she?!" The boys looked to Anti, who blurted out. "Don't look at me like that! I've been up this whole time, and SHE never got in here!" The boys began to argue with Anti, while others tried to calm Wako. Yet, Sean felt... strange. Backing out of the room, he followed the strange feeling that was tugging at him. Beckoning him to follow it. Slipping outside, he headed into the quiet garden behind the manor. He'd only been out here once or twice but was familiar enough with it. Making his way through the hedge maze of dark red rose flowers, he began to hear a beautiful voice. The voice made his blood tingle, and his belly filled with butterflies. Rounding the last corner, he slowed to a stop. In the center was a water fountain with a large black bull that had horns that spewed water into the large basin below. Sitting on the bull was Verine. His wing and leg were bandaged up in casts, but it didn't stop him from laying back across the bull's back. His tail swaying happily as he sang to little Anela in his hands in a language Sean didn't understand but it was beautiful. Anela's little wings spread wide, revealing the pink tinge to them that matched her eyes.

Her little tail swayed to the soft lullaby as she smiled down at him. As he sang, her little wings fluttered and as he loosened his hands on her, she hovered over him. She struggled a bit, but he kept his hands close to catch her. Verine's voice was so alluring and beautiful that he almost cried listening to him. Even as battered and defeated as he looked... his eyes were on his little girl with so much affection and something more. Anela cooed and giggled like being gently tossed up to hover was her favorite thing in the world. When she finally grew too tired, her wings fell limply over Verine's hands that held her sides. Where he brought her over his chest and let her nuzzle him, while he sung to her and stroked her little body. When his song finished, Verine told her sweetly in a fatherly voice. "I've always been a lover over a fighter... but you can be whatever you desire, my little angel. Just don't fly off out the window like that again. Wako has enough to worry about." Finally turning to look in his direction, Verine chuckled out. "Wako is freaking out, isn't he?" Sean nodded, sweetly informing him. "You better take her to him. He's got everyone thinking she was snatched away." Smiling to himself, Verine slid off the statue and followed Sean out.  To Be Continued...