Xavier

Syn was at his widths end.

The last thing we all needed right now was for him to direct his justified anger at his parents, toward James. A sudden need to protect his feelings overcame me, and I stepped in front of the boy— blocking Syn's path of anger. "He had to come," I defended him. "He won't bother you, but please..." My eyes pleaded with Syn's, willing him not to make James the victim of his lashing out and his eyes returned nothing.

Before I could speak up again, James walked around me, stepping to my side and looking up at Syn. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting a small breath out before feeling Cleo pull me to the side— away from the two.

I looked at her in confusion for a moment and she placed a hand on my chest. "Have a little faith in him," she said, tilting her head toward Syn. I looked at her in objection and she raised a brow, knowing all too well that I'd let her have her way. After a few moments, I shook my head at her in defeat, looking back toward the two as she wrapped an arm around me.

Syn looked down at James, crossing his arms before giving him a single nod. "James."

James smiled up at him. "Hi, dad. How have you been?"

I saw the shock fill Syn's eyes, his jaw clenching as he looked down at him and I held my breath. He blinked a few times, swallowing a breath before cursing under his breath and pulling James into his arms. Immediately, James wrapped his arms around him as if he had been waiting an eternity for this moment and Syn bent down, shutting his eyes as he rested his chin on his head.

After a few lingering moments, Syn pulled away and crouched on the ground, looking up at James. His eyes were shining with tears I knew he wouldn't dare let fall, and he let out a small laugh, sniffling as he wiped his nose with his sleeve.

"I-I've been alright. How about you?" He asked, his eyes watering as he smiled up at him. "Last time I saw you, you were like...right here." He held his hand up, palm down as he leveled it with James' arm.

"I got a little taller." James grinned at him.

"A little?!" Syn raised his brows. "You're a fucking giant now!"

"You need to put money in my swear jar."

"Oh, come on." Syn raised a playful brow, adding some life to his tired expression. "It's been almost two years, give me a pass."

"Okay," James nodded. "Just this once." He wrapped his arms around Syn for another hug and I felt my own surge of emotions threatening to escape me. Genesis and Cleo were already past holding back their tears, Lucifer was trying his hardest to hold back a smile, and Paris was— well, Paris. As Paris as I could describe from meeting him less than five minutes ago.

I looked past them to the large dining table to see Drake drinking a glass of liquor, his eyes on Syn and James. He had a dark look in his blue eyes— a sadness, maybe even longing as his eyes flickered away from the two. He looked miserable, but I didn't trust him. Not after his multiple attempts at getting rid of Syn.

I focused my eyes back on Syn to find him studying James' arms and pinching him. Concern was painted on his face as he ignored James's 'ouch' and lifted his arm. "Are you eating well? Drinking enough blood?" He asked. "Have you been sleeping okay?"

James pulled his arm out of his grip, rubbing the sore spot and laughing. "I'm alright, relax."

Syn raised his brows at him, giving him a mock look of disbelief. "Relax?" He asked, glancing at the rest of us. "He says relax now, wow." James laughed at him and Syn gave him a sad smile before standing up and ruffling his hair. "We'll catch up later, okay? I need to talk to everyone."

"There's a room upstairs with a television and a bunch of kid toys or books— if you're into that," Drake spoke up. "Go nuts."

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Genesis asked him.

"Nobody uses the room anymore anyway," he said flatly, staring into his drink as he used it. "Be my guest."

"Thanks!" James said to him before practically running out of the double doors to the stairs.

"There are no more secret women hiding anywhere, right?" Paris asked him.

"No." He squinted his eyes at him. "I had them go home. I'd never let them around the likes of you people."

"Thank you. Drake." Syn nodded at him. "For that." For James, I let myself guess.

"I didn't do it for you," he said. "No child should be involved in adult affairs. Let them keep believing that the world is all peaches and cream for as long as possible. That's all we can do, right?"

"You have children?" Syn asked him.

He let out a bitter laugh. "Don't ask me that question."

Syn nodded slowly, a confused look engraved into his face before he shook it off and turned back to us. "I think Queen is in danger," he said.

"What?" Cleo spoke up first as we all looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean danger?"

"I mean it as plainly as the word danger can be taken," he said, running a hand through his disheveled hair as stress wore on his expression. "We umm- made a mistake. And we left her at home with someone...dangerous."

"Okay?" Lucifer shrugged, crossing his arms. "Queen is powerful enough to take care of herself. She can handle a person—"

"It's not that simple," Paris interjected before looking at Drake. "Would you mind?"

"Jeez," Drake muttered under his breath before sighing. "Long story short from what I gathered, your Queen met a dude, got swept off her feet, and as it turns out...he's the last remaining creature in your first failed attempt to get back at your father for Lilith." He pointed at Lucifer.

Syn scoffed. "Off her feet? That's a horrible—"

"My first attempt..." Lucifer shook his head, trying to figure out what he was talking about. "What do you mean?"

"The skinwalkers, shapeshifters...soul eaters...mimics...— the fucking witch cannibals," he went on and all eyes moved to Lucifer. "I could go on if you're still not getting it—"

"No." He shook his head, letting out a bitter laugh. "The feeders?"

Drake's mouth dropped before he closed it and gave Lucifer a disappointed look. "That was entirely too anticlimactic. You could've named them anything. And you chose feeders?"

"Well, I didn't exactly keep them around long enough to name them," he snapped.

"Well, one of your little pets happens to be infatuated with Queen and is alone with her right now," Syn said bitterly.

"That's impossible." Lucifer shook his head. "I killed them all."

"Well, maybe time has worn on your memory," Paris said. "You made fourteen— killed thirteen."

"Mhmm, missed one," Drake chirped in.

For the first time, I saw Lucifer at a loss for words. A worried look was painted on his face as he thought deeply and I scrunched my brows. "What is it?" I asked. "You killed most of them— just kill this one the same." Syn crossed his arms, nodding in agreement but Lucifer shook his head slowly.

"You don't understand," he said. "I was the devil when I did it. I don't have near enough power to do it anymore," he said lowly before looking at Syn. "But you should be able to— we'd need to spell a blade and everything, but I'll show you. It's going to take a lot of energy though. When I did it in the past, it took everything from me— especially after Lilith stole most of my power."

Syn closed his eyes shut, rubbing his temples and Paris sighed. "Well, we have to find another way then."

"There is no other way," Lucifer responded to Paris. "Syn may be the only one strong enough to do it."

"He can't," Paris said lowly and I closed my eyes as realization filled me. Cleo must've realized too because I felt her tense against me.

"Why?" Genesis asked, glancing toward Syn.

Paris looked at him briefly, waiting for him to expand on it...but when he didn't, Paris sighed and turned back to them.

"Because it would kill him."

꧁꧂

Not you telling his business...