Lizzie looks between her still sire and Remiel, then runs forward. She grabs Constantine by the arm, but he is immobile. She spins back to Remiel. “What did you do to him?” she screams.
“Why, nothing,” Remiel answers and grabs her hands as she advances on him. “Calm yourself, Aefre. Your time is getting clo
se and you need to come back with me now so that we can conceive.”
“No,” Liv shakes her head. “I won’t come back with you.”
“I know you are still thinking of the child,” Remiel says. “But it will be different this time. She will live and be healthy.”
Devon watches as all the fight goes out of her. She suddenly looks completely beaten and he steps out of the bushes to embrace her.
Remiel sighs and says, “It’s done, Aefre. It’s time to get over it and move on.”
“Get over it?” she mumbles, and then her hands clench into fists again. She pushes him back and beats on his chest as the tears stream down her face.
Devon is shocked by the anger and grief that is coming from her. He didn’t know that this child meant so much to her. How could he not know? Once upon a time he knew everything about her. He knew what the next words out of her mouth would be before she spoke them.
“How dare you!” she screams. “How dare you come here and tell me to get over it. This is all your fault. All yours!”
Remiel’s face goes soft as he lets her hit him and yell at him. He wraps his arms around her as she collapses against him, sobbing her heart out. She tightens her arms around him, and Devon looks to Constantine to do something. He is still standing stock-still and looking at them with sorrow.
Well, screw this. Devon grabs the waistband of her sweats and drags her out of Remiel’s arms. The instant she is free of Remiel, she turns and falls into his arms and he holds her tenderly, stroking her hair.
“Grieve, Aefre,” Remiel says to her. “But I will be back for you soon.”
He vanishes and Lizzie snuffles into his chest before she realizes what she is doing and steps back, wiping at her eyes. Constantine suddenly comes alive again and he takes Lizzie, crushing her to him like he will never let her go. She Astrals them off, leaving Devon on the lawn lost and alone and more confused than ever about what is going on with all of them.
He looks up at the house and knows he has to go and resolve this Jess issue. He is furious with her for betraying Liz, for betraying him, but even worse he blames himself. He didn’t see it. He brought her into this house, into their lives, and he didn’t see the hatred she must have for his sire. He knew she was jealous, but this is something so far beyond that. He trudges up the stairs and pushes open the door to this bedroom. She is still in there, sitting on the bed and he really wishes she would stop crying. He finds it irritating and weak of her. She must have known she would get caught at some point. Secrets like that don’t get kept, certainly not around here. He had half hoped she had packed her bags and left, but no such luck. She is still here and making him do this. That annoys him further.
“Well?” he asks as she looks up and wipes her eyes. “Start talking.” He crosses his arms and she snivels.
“I helped him because he promised me something in return,” she says defiantly as she stands up.
“Oh? And what would that be exactly? What could he possibly have to give you?” Devon sneers at her.
“You,” she says to his surprise.
“Me?” he asks with a frown, not following.
“He promised me a bond with you. He said he could create one so that you had your sire bond with me,” she cries, and Devon raises his eyebrow at her. He thought she was smarter than that.
“Well, here I am, bond-less. What went wrong?” he says.
“I did as he asked. I cleared the house for him, and he took her. He didn’t come back to give me what he promised,” she says, looking down.
“So, it was all for nothing,” Devon says.
She looks back up. “No, I did it for you, for us.”
“Don’t!” he yells at her. “Do not say that you did this for me. I never wanted this, Jess. I never wanted you in this way. You didn’t listen and you forced me into this. I have tried my best with you. I have tried and this is how you repay me? By betraying me?” he yells and turns from her in disgust. He doesn’t know where his head has been the past few months. Up his ass by the looks of it.
“No,” she weeps. “I didn’t betray you, Devon. I love you. I just wanted what everyone else has.” She sticks her chin up as he looks back at her.
“You betrayed my sire, that means you betrayed me,” he says.
“What is the big deal? She lived, didn’t she? She is fine. I did what I did for us,” Jess says and stands her ground. He loses all respect for her. She just doesn’t get it.
“And yet you tried again to poison her. Don’t you understand what losing her does to me?” he asks her.