Ever glared at Roop. "What an unpleasant encounter!"

Roop snapped her finger and she disappeared. Ever looked around to find her, within seconds Roop was right in front of Ever.

"Mission accomplished?" Roop asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you destroying my land?" Ever yelled, sparkling her palms with fire.

"I'm not destroying your land, Ever." In Roop's ears were large silver hoops, skinny at the tops and widening toward the base. As her head moved they did too.

Ever created a huge fire ball and threw it at Roop. Roop held out her hand and the fire ball vanished slowly. Ever huffed and sent another fire ball, Roop controlled the fire ball and sent it toward Ever.

Ever spun, rolling on the ground. The fire ball hit the wall and crashed with a boom sound. Ever stood up and a laughter escaped her lips. "What do you want?" She howled.

Roop smiled lightly and took slow, cautious steps toward Ever. "Be my alliance. We can do great stuff together. Let's cherish Angelic together."

Ever stared at Roop for a couple of minutes.

"My mother?"

"I'll help you to save her."

"What about the Angels who have become blood drinkers?"

"It's hard to undone what is done but I'll help you to create a new generation of Angels."

"Why should I be your alliance? You are strong on your own."

Roop was only a few steps away from Ever. "I am strong but together we can be stronger, we can be the strongest."

"I don't want to be the strongest; I want to protect my land, my angels, my loved ones."

Roop smirked. "Don't you dare make the wrong move and you'll regret forever."

Ever clenched her fist and she heard a cry, a loud, sharp cry. Cael! Her mind screamed. It's Cael's cry. Her heat beat began to race. She held in a gasp.

Roop said as clearly as thunder on an August day, "Ever Angel, did you hear that?" She began to twirl her index finger, creating a storm. "I need to know right now. Will you be my alliance?"

Ever shrieked, "I won't."

Roop grinned at Ever. "Honey, do you want your two lovers dead?"

Ever closed her eyes. Her back ripped and her Angel wings appeared. A gush of fire followed from Ever's palms and the fire shaped itself into a sword and attacked Roop. She dodged, and glanced behind to see a deep cut in the soil behind her.

Before Roop could react Ever leaped forward. Roop maybe a goddess but Ever is a warrior. The fire sword met flesh, soft and pudgy, and made a satisfying squish as the tip of the blade sank deep enough to make Roop scream. Ever twisted the blade in her hands, all the while sinking it deeper and deeper. Roop's skin was tearing to shreds as the knife rotated, the sound of her muscles and nerves being gouged growing louder. Then, without warning, Ever jerked it all the way into Roop's back, until the shiny metal had disappeared inside her and the black handle was pushing against her broken skin. Her cry was a brilliant sound, guttural chokes mixed with an agonized roar. Ever smirked, and pulled the blade out of her now deathly victim. Roop sank to her knees, continuing to scream, convulsing and trembling like a rabid animal and thick blood flowing freely from the gaping hole in her back. The cascade of the Roop's life source gushed out in all directions, scarlet liquid squirting up all over Ever. Ever turned away as her plead for mercy became quieter, the sweet tang of blood tingling in Ever's nostrils.

And suddenly something entered into Ever's body. Her wings stretched as if they were screaming in pain. A sudden gush of pain jolted throughout Ever's body. She wheezed as her burning lungs gasp for air. Her legs felt numb and unsteady, painfully sore. Ever fell on her knees.

"Ever!" Roop's voice screamed inside Ever.

Ever clasped her ears with her palms and cried in pain, "What do you want?"

Ever's stomach ached. Her eyes turned wild and vulnerable hued with the color of darkness, black. She clenched her fists. "I want you!" Roop howled. Ever released her clenched fists and screamed, "Get out of me!" She felt as if losing a burden, she sighed deeply and her wings lost its tension, the darkness in her eyes disappeared. A blue smoke came out of Ever. She wasn't exactly sure whether it was smoke or something else but she was hundred percent sure that it was the soul of Roop.

Ever tried to destroy the soul but she fell on the ground with pain and the soul vanished out of the temple.

* * *

Joseph shivered and pressed the cold cigarette to his chapped lips. The flickering light splashed onto his crystal white teeth and ocean blue eyes; eyes contaminated by loss and pain as they slid shut while he inhaled the precious chemicals like they were his life support. The sweet toxins filled his lungs and he exhaled his relief in a cloud of grey smoke.

Alicia sat next to Joseph under the leafless oak tree. Joseph looked at Alicia but she was staring at Parisa and Albia who were trying to contact Elizabeth. Parisa was seated on the ground in a meditating position, her eyes closed. Parisa was smoothing the air around Parisa so it's easy for her to concentrate.

Joseph took hold of Alicia's hand. "Are you alright?" He asked.

She shook her head and looked into Joseph's mesmerizing ocean blue eyes. "My mother is dead. I've lost my land. I failed to protect my Angels." She cried. It was more than crying, it was the kind of desolate sobbing that comes from a person drained of all hope. She sank to her knees and wept.

Joseph threw the cigarette and pulled Alicia closer to him, his arms around her in a grip. "Alicia, the same thing goes to us. We all lost our lands. We all failed to protect our angels. There are no angels left in any other land other than the Capital."

Alicia raised her head and gave a smile to Joseph. "You are so much better than I expected. You are a good person, Joseph."

"I'm not a good person," Joseph argued in a playful tone.

"Oh, come on. You are good." Alicia drew herself closer to Joseph.

Joseph gave a beautiful smile to Alicia and kissed her ear lobe, softly, then worked his way down her neck to her collarbone before coming right back up for the lips he know will be waiting. His cold lips brushed against her as he tugged her closer. She drew her tongue over his teeth and swallowed his groan of pleasure as they slid closer to each other, no visible gap between them. His hand clasped gently in to the back of hair, pressing in softly. "Will you marry me, Alicia?" Joseph asked in between the kiss. "Yes," she said and continued the kiss.

Parisa and Albia giggled enjoying the kiss scene happening in front of them but unfortunately they had to interrupt the couple.

"Our apology, love birds. We have to go. The others are waiting for us."

* * *

The vampire looked so bored. He raised his heavy lids and stared at Julian through pink eyes. With the paper-white hand that rested on the damp statue, he flicked off some debris from the yew tree above. He glanced at Julian and then at the baby.

The scene was quite unbelievable, shocking really. Julian's mind was sent reeling, unable to comprehend or process the images it was being sent by his eyes. He looked away, then looked back to see if it was still there. It wasn't. It burst out into pieces. There stood Erana Antoinette, instead of the bored vampire.

"Are you alright?" Erana asked and within seconds she was right in front of Julian.

"You're damn fast," Julian commented but she ignored him and took the baby into her arms and cuddled him.

"Are you going to take him with you?" Julian asked, observing the blood soaked Erana.

"No. It's too dangerous," she said, stroking the baby's hair. Julian quickly took the baby from Erana and hissed, "Don't touch the baby with bloody hands."

Erana smiled and the smile surprised Julian, he was expecting Erana slash him into pieces. "You really like him, don't you?"

Julian nodded and kissed the baby's rosy cheek.

"Cael won't survive," Erana said and Julian's face ran white.

She continued, "Ever's is still in the temple. Cael can't fight alone with thousands of blood drinkers."

Julian gave the baby to Erana and placed his hands on Erana's shoulders. Julian looked directly into Erana's eyes because he remembered that Ever had told him that people often looked directly into each other's eyes to show that they were telling the truth or something utterly serious. "Go to Rizrana. Give the baby to Marina Roosevelt and tell her that this is my son."

"What?" Erana exploded, quiet amused.

"She hates Angels that's why she lives in Rizrana. She won't look after the baby unless it's a Roosevelt. Tell her that I'm coming back to take the baby."

"What if she asks me about the mother of the child?"

"Tell her that you don't know."

"What are you going to after you take the baby back from Marina?"

"I'm going to adopt him."

Erana smiled. She stepped closer to Julian and placed a light, quick, soft kiss on his cheek. Julian blushed, uncomfortably.

"Thank you, Julian. Take care of my child," Erana muttered.

"I will," Julian said and placed a one last kiss on the baby's cheek.