Aiden

I headed to the door, head held high. As I twisted the doorknob, a sinking feeling reached the pit of my stomach but I reminded myself that I was the one in control now. He couldn't lay a finger on me. With that, I plastered a smile on my face and stepped out of the house.

I walked onto the porch, my steps halting as I saw not only Syn, but Lucifer, Xavier, and the only person who had managed to catch me— more easily than anyone had in years. The sight was intimidating, the three of them rallied behind Syn as he looked forward at me arms crossed.

I whistled, grinning as I hopped down the wooden steps. I peeked up at the room where Queen was staying, seeing her light off, and relaxed as I turned my attention back to the group.

"Wow. The whole gang is here." I laughed, my hands in fists inside my pockets. "What did I do to deserve this?"

"Aiden— are you still going by that or..." Syn eyed me, clearly peeved by our resemblance and I laughed. He nodded after a moment, his eyes moving back to mine for an answer. "Is it my name that you want?"

"I couldn't give a damn about your name," I said. "Truthfully, this was never a part of my plans...but when I saw you with her—" My jaw clenched. "This was the only option."

"I'm sure," he mused, dropping his hands into the pocket of his dark sweats before looking up and blowing out a breath. "You seem confident."

"I have no reason not to be."

"You also seem afraid." He looked back at me.

"Again, I have no reason to be—" He took a sudden step forward and I stumbled backward a bit, making him let out a roar of laughter.

"I can't even pass this barrier and you're scared," he said with a dark smile, placing his hand out and touching the force field I had trapped myself and Queen into. It glew slightly at his touch— I felt the movement in my mind, teasing the active spell I was using to keep it up.

I remained still, not giving a reaction as he eyed it. After a few moments, he took a step back and nodded his head thoughtfully. "I know a thing or two about this spell," he spoke.

"That doesn't make a difference—"

"Oh, I think it makes all the difference," he teased, his eyes twinkling with something scarier than I had ever seen from him. Before, in the basement...I saw anger- slight notes of boredom and irritation at different moments, but this was none of those. "See," he began. "This spell originated in Heaven...to keep evil beings such as myself and you out. You may have used it to your advantage right now but the same loopholes apply."

My jaw clenched at his words and I tried my best to keep my composure. There was no way he should've known about a spell like this— he was from the Underworld. I relied on that fact. "Don't act surprised," Lucifer spoke up. "My teachings weren't limited to spells in the Underworld. There is no magic you can conjure up that he doesn't know about."

"Oh, that's cute," I hissed at him. "Maybe I'd have known these things too if you hadn't decided that he was your first and only child."

Syn scoffed. "Is that what this is about?" He asked. "You wanted him to give you attention?"

"Don't patronize me," I snapped at him. "You don't know what it's like growing up with no one. Knowing that the one person who brought you into this world wants you gone." My eyes moved to Lucifer. "You killed the only people in this world who could've understood me."

He clasped his hands together, his eyes trying to reason with me. "Because your kind was sick."

"Sick?" I asked, anger beginning to build up inside me. "What makes us different than him?" I pointed at Syn. "Or them?" I gestured toward Xavier and Paris. "You made all of us in your image and then tossed aside the few of us that didn't fit your aesthetic- like we were some damn projects!"

"You were killing children," he said calmly, talking to me as if I were some patient in a hospital. It was maddening.

"You made us this way!" I screamed at him. "We—"

"Oh, please shut the fuck up," Syn cut me off. "You sound like a child. Grow up." I looked at him in shock and he continued, "What? Your daddy abandons you so you have a tantrum and bitch about it a thousand years later? You're fucking pathetic."

I let out a bitter laugh. "I'd be careful with the way you speak to me. Need I remind you that—"

"No. I suggest you be careful with me," he warned. "Because the moment I get into that house— I'm coming for you."

"You know." I sighed, looking up at the night sky. "I like to add my own flair to these spells. It's not just a barrier. She can't hear you...you could be standing right here and she in my spot and she wouldn't even see you," I said, watching the fury swirl in his eyes. "That's not even mentioning that I slowed down time in here. In the span of one day here- three or four will pass for you. That time will kill you before you manage to get to me and it'll give me enough time to do exactly what I need to."

"And what exactly is it that you plan to do?" Paris asked.

"I'm glad you asked." I smiled at him before looking back at Syn. "I refuse to be the last of my kind. I will have a child."

"Queen would never have a baby with you," Syn said to me.

"Probably not. But she would have one with you." I stepped back, extending my hands grandly.

"I'll fucking kill you—"

"No, you won't," I interjected. "You won't do a damn thing- not in time anyway. All it takes is once...and I'd like her consent— but I don't need it," I said. "Could you imagine that? Even if you managed to kill me, she'd be pregnant with my child and never be able to look at you again— all the memories of the things I'd do with your face engraved in her mind..."

I raised a brow, waiting for the expected anger or outburst. Instead, what followed was a low and deep chuckle that made my smile drop a bit. Syn gave me a chilling smile, not hiding the rage in his eyes as he spoke. "I promise you that if you ever even try that shit— it's not me you should be afraid of. I'll kill you. But I can't speak on what she'd do before I got the chance to reach you.

"You may have my body and look like me, but Queen has triggers that don't discriminate. Regardless of whether it's me or anyone— if she's threatened in the way you desire to subject her to, no one in this world's going to hurt you more. I'd be afraid to touch her if I were you."

"Wouldn't you prefer it that way though?" I raised a brow. "Rather than her wanting to be intimate with me? That has to hurt more..."

He scrunched his brows. "Would I prefer for the woman I love to be— you're fucking sick."

"Not sick. Just realistic," I replied. "Anyway gentleman, I'm going to get back to my woman. Don't want her to miss me too much, you know?"

He glanced at the balcony past me above the door and chills were sent down my spine. Slowly, he looked back down at me with a growing smile. "Of course."

I bit my tongue, ignoring the way he was looking at me. Did he know about our fight? How long had he been out here before I noticed? Did he know she was in that room?... Could he hear her right now?

When I made this haven around us, I was able to spell it with the illusion of trees going on for miles...and keep out noises— but I couldn't control the noises that came from within here. If he wanted to, Syn could listen to our every conversation and interaction. It would disrupt my plans a bit if he did, and it'd keep me on constant edge, but I could work around it.

I turned my back to them and strode toward the porch. I felt a heat on my back- a tingling throughout my body as I anticipated being tackled to the ground, but I reminded myself that he couldn't get in— he wouldn't get in.

"Oh, one more thing!" He called out. I paused at the bottom of the steps, not giving him the pleasure of facing him again as he continued. "I forgot to tell you about the loopholes." I froze. "If I recall...you need to be awake for this thing to stay up." I heard the amusement in his voice as he told me the fact I already knew. "Creatures like you are living...meaning you need sleep— I don't," he said. "So soon enough, one of two things is going to happen; either Queen gets bored and comes out here alone- which she can easily do...Or you fall asleep and I come in."

"Neither of those will be happening," I said over my shoulders.

"Are you sure?" He yelled back. "My girl doesn't know you. And you don't know how to pretend to be me well enough for her to stay. She will tire of you and try to leave— as soon as she does, I will be here," he said. "Or the other option happens; you can't stay up forever now, can you?"

I didn't answer, proceeding to walk up the steps.

"I suggest you get some coffee, Aiden. I'll be here waiting and I promise you...I can wait a whole lot longer than you could ever imagine."

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