Dreams sometimes are the eyes to what is to come. Someone once told her that. The enigmatic male that her mother favored as a lover above all others. There had been times growing up she'd listened to the man and the stories he told her as he was of an age where to her he was wise, he was almost godly in how he carried himself and how he did things. Plus she had seen and heard the words I love you come from the redhead with true meaning that reflected.

Perhaps that's why she still believed so much in it and in the stories the man had told her. He'd always seemed so wise and strong and suited the flighty sometimes absent minded parent she had. But still it was that saying that was haunting her as of lately. Night after night now she'd had a dream. A dream to which she woke up panting and covered in sweat, her body shivering and feeling just odd like it too had woken up from a dream it hadn't liked as well. It was just plain odd to her.

Still she roused and and gathered herself out of bed digging her brains out of the stories of the past that she'd fled when her mother's sister had crossed a line with her. Lately she'd been noticing changes as she started getting ever close to her birthday. It was coming on the horizon within 3 days as was the full moon.

Her red hair had started shifting to a dark brown with firey highlights.. Her grey silvery eyes had noticed her wings seemed to be molting almost. Her feathers were all over the place lately and when she touched them they'd burn her hand and discintegrate liek the one time that goat boy in grand city had touched one.

It was times like this when she looked at her wings, she wished for her mother. Mother would know what was wrong with her and fix it, perhaps it really was time she stopped hiding away. She dressed and braided her hair before kneeling and doing her daily prayers. Mom said that an angel should always do that. But lately she didn't feel like an angel, she felt like .. something else.

Heading downstairs she caught the staff in the inn doing their things and she asked quietly for her usual, a few biscuits , the jar of honey and tea. Today she'd write a letter and send for her mother. It was probably for the best she did it. Even as she sat in the chair, a white feather tipped scarlet and a black feather tipped violet fell to the floor and burnt almost immediately.


Mentally she was composing her letter, a letter that would conjour itself beside her as she thought.

Mother,

Something's gone very much wrong and though I know I hurt you when I ran away. I need your help. I'm on a island called Heruin in a town called Drybrush.

I feel like something or someone is following me, I'm having horrid dreams of wolves and demons. Angels shouldn't dream of these things right?

I don't know what to do to get rid of what's going on. My feathers are falling out all the time, it's scaring me.

Zalika

Sure it was just like a child to ask for help when she was in trouble but what could one expect. She was what she was and she wasn't sure what to do.

She'd spend time in the only inn in Drybrush thinking to herself. She was oblivious to all those around her even her tea and biscuits most of the time. The letter she'd composed had levitated then vanished. She had her share of magic that her mother had taught her but she lacked any of Discord's patience or talent. She had other things that she did well. And now that she was calling one of her dragons onto center stage to get rid of another she now regretted sending for her mother.

What was she going to do if her mother immediately took her back home to the home hidden withing eternelle lune? What happened if her mother went on a bloody warpath. She was a hothead and a bad one at that when it came to her she'd learnt. She'd seen the devistation after Discord found out her sister's lover had tried to touch her.

Never the less she sighed and shook her head again and once more. It was too late to change what she'd done, she needed help to face the nightmares, the sense she was being followed by something or someone. It was actually night before she roused herself from her own turbulent thoughts and stepped out into the nights are not eatting what she'd ordered that morning.

Her silver grey eyes went off to the distance and stared at the open spans of almost desert land. She couldn't remember what had brought her other then her thought to escape the war that seemed to have started near grand city. Where everyone had rushed off to battle and war. At times she'd caught sight of someone she recognized from some where, or caught a familiar scent and had run to it. Only to find it gone.

Was she descending into madness. Her hands slid up to her darkening hair and gripped it in her hands. "Have I lost my mind?" She murmured and glanced around. There were dark shadows all around the town coming from outside.

Her face paled as one shadow then another formed into wolves. Maybe they were desert coyotes? She wasn't sure but the huge dog like formed shadows had her shivering. The hair rose on the back of her neck and she stared on. Instead of running as perhaps a good little angel should, she stood there watching in terror and fright and yet calm.

Why would wolves calm her when she was so scared of the shadows.. Her lips bloodless, pale started mumbling prayer and a few more feathers drifted to the ground molting and catching fire and ash hitting the ground.

"Help..." She finally studdered as the shapes drew closer. Part of her desperately hoping, that she was sleeping, dreaming. Yes, maybe that's it, she's just dreaming again reliving her dream.

"If you twist too many webs, you'll hang yourself with it."

She'd been told that and damn if she didn't still keep twisting. Now the noose of it all was starting to form over her head. She was aware something was wrong for a few weeks now. Something was off, she knew it and felt it. A combination of her lover gone on business and things being almost mundane at her job. She was restless like a cat on a hot tin roof.

The long dark red hair of her braided and pulled away from her shoulder as she stared out the window of her quarters with the rest of the protectorate. The succubus mage was to say the least antsy. "Today something will happen." That was fact to her, something that could bring a big end to things.

Lately the winds were restless, her dreams were haunted by a large black wolf one that she knew all too well. "No.." She shook her head thinking about it. "Please, please don't be that." She put her hands on her head and rubbed her temples. "I'll be good and not twist any more damn webs so long as that cat stays in the bag." She was speaking to herself and her roomate was eyeing her like she'd lost her marbles again.

"Captain?"

"Sorry I didn't sleep well, my dreams are haunted with things said and done."

"Perhaps you should go see Aidan, he's always helped you when you were upset. He has a very calming healing touch for headaches."

At that Discord just went pale and her lips went bloodless. But to hide that anxiety, she'd mumbled instead. "Perhaps." Turning on her heel she went into her bedroom as a letter appeared upon her night stand. Strange it wasn't there before. Just a flash and the smell of burnt feathers....

Feathers!

Falling over the bed as her grace dropped like an elephant winging ballet and she face planted into the ground before the stand and just reached up holding her now aching head. "Fuck a duck." She sighed and kept rubbing as she brought the letter to her face.

~Mother,

Something's gone very much wrong and though I know I hurt you when I ran away. I need your help. I'm on a island called Heruin in a town called Drybrush.

I feel like something or someone is following me, I'm having horrid dreams of wolves and demons. Angels shouldn't dream of these things right?

I don't know what to do to get rid of what's going on. My feathers are falling out all the time, it's scaring me.

Zalika~

Her head lulled, her lips bloodlessly mouthed the words as she turned ashen and kept staring at the letter. "No damn it no... Not this anything but this. I have to re-enchant her before this comes into the light of day."

A knock landed on her door and before she even murmured enter. Another face stepped in and the door creeped open allowing the angel of the protectorate to enter as she sat on the floor looking like hell just froze over. Hell she'd probably prefer a visit with the hell prince then this one. "Aidan now is not a good time." She studdered.

"I was sent for because I was told you aren't well yourself. Perhaps if I put my hand on your head it will calm you." He remained professional despite her having left him long ago. He sat on her bed and motioned for her to lay and put her head on his knee for him to massage. She couldn't and wouldn't move.

"Aidan, have you ever heard the term, utterly screwed?"

"Yes you mumble that at people all the time when they don't follow protocal. And why does it smell like burned feathers in here?" The male looked around and saw the letter in her hand as it fell.

"You had a daughter? Who's zalika?"He was damned curious now.

"Aidan please don't open that can of worms. It's one I can't go into." She'd been trying to hide the girl as Aidans without him ever knowing it. Oh this just was not a good thing. She'd called it when she said something was coming.

"Discord..."

"Please don't."

"Delaney, talk to me."

"Please not this, please.. dont..."

She sounded almost close to begging as it was going to get a ball rolling she'd rather concreet and hide forever.

"Don't not now me. Who the hell is this daughter Zalika."

"I can't tell you that." Sure he had known she had other lovers when she was with him, she was a succubus and a full blown one at that. Still she'd tried to be faithful as well as she could.

"Delaney Caitlyn Belmont Majere Desiderio Ambrose."

"Ouch! The names do you have to throw the past at me. I'm in deep shit here and trying to figure a way out of it and I have to go on leave effective immediately!" Now she was in an all out panic.

She jumped up and started for the door at a run and he blocked her and gripped her forcing her arms behind her back.

"Talk, I command you demoness."

She blanched further. "I can't tell you aidan.. because I will lose what friendship I have left. All I can say is sorry, I have to go. She needs me." Her brown eyes pleading with him.

"Then we're both going."

Crap crap crap crap crap...

The inn's stuff had been going on and a pretty redhead had come and gone. But lost in her own mind, the shadows that shaped of wolves. She'd never even said hi pleasantly as she was normally a rather social light person. Instead she ended up heading into the inn and getting her cloak. The dark purple cloak covered her dark hair and those silver eyes of hers faded into a further shade of obscurity.

Walking to lord knew where, she kept only enough money in case she found an inn to stay in for the night and a small meal of biscuits and water in a bag and her mother's stolen bladed fans. A few feathers slid to the ground dejectedly as she started walking, within seconds they were ash upon the ground. At one point as she walked the scent of blood reached her nose. Normally she'd have gagged, but at the moment she tilted her head. Why?

Again another odd thing, perhaps she was just growing up as she kept walking, all around the wolf like shadows seemed to follow where she went. "What did it mean when wolves stalk your dreams and nights. Perhaps I should see if they have an insane asylum here." She mumbled to herself.

It was as she reached the edge of town she felt a pang within her. Mother was coming, she'd gotten the note and was coming, and something else was coming with her that the woman wasn't happy about at all. But still at least she'd have a little bit of help so rather then just go walking off into the desert like night she'd opt instead to return to the inn and get herself some more warm biscuits and tea to eat in her room.

Pausing she noticed some herbs on the ground and knelt to gather them up. They weren't something she was familiar with, maybe if she played with them she could figure them out. Turning back the way she came she'd return for the inn in drybrush once again.

The place was small, the place had a definate scent that she wasn't fond of but it would work for the time being. Her mother was coming might as well stay put and behave and suck up her anxiety in seeing the woman again. Her mother cared about her and loved her, she'd just panicked and run for it childishly. Really there was no reason to be mad , right?

Once she was back in the inn with her food plate heading upstairs , she was again given pause as she looked towards her door and for a second she saw what looked like a puppy in front of her door. Walking towards it, she knelt down and went to pet it. "I wont hurt you.." She murmured her hand extended and slid through the image into the floor. "What the ? Something's just off maybe I should go back to grand city, it wasn't like this there!"

The puppy like creature rose up and grew and stretched becoming the shadowy wolf that towered over her strong and powerful. "Change is coming, and you are not prepared." a soft voice whispered and she jerked her head around. "The hell...." She wanted to run, haul ass and just get the hell out of there.

Forcing down the panic with several swallows she picked back up her tray and slammed her door as she entered, bolting it, putting the dresser against the door and several candles to keep her room well lit. "I'm going insane... I'm going insane.." She mumbled and settled on her bed where again she set her food tray down and started rocking herself back and forth.

Hello Rock, Hello Hard place. I'll just sit here in the middle being squashed. That's about where she was sitting as she looked at Aidan with his imobile chest. He wasn't moving, he wasn't budging. Her mind control wasn't working on him, not that it ever damn well did. Fucking ANGEL! She glared at him. "Not this, I swear, I promise. Let me fix things with her then I'll bring her back for you to meet her. I.. Please Aidan?" She tried the pouty beggy routine which utterly annoyed the hell out of her.

She was however that desperate to not have him go with her into Aleris to find her daughter. Aidan would immediately assume that Zalika was infact his daughter. She looked the part with Discord's magic in place. The twin angel wings, the girl with her long red hair like her own and aidan's silver eyes. However the silver eyes was about the only true thing that was simular between the two. The black wolf she'd played with just the one fucking time was silver eyed too. Damn it all to hell in a hand basket.

Right now she was hoping a few things, one no one of the Desade line was near her daughter or her magic might not hide her away much longer until she rebound her and locked that part away from her. She would give her daughter the option and would present her to the princess herself if that was Zalika's wishes. But only if it was, it wasn't something she wanted to do. Hell honestly she hoped not. She and Ameerah were like blood and water, they'd never mix well even if she was rather fond of the woman and well the fact she wanted her in less then professional ways was besides the point.

She knew without a shadow of a doubt, her ass could possibly be killed with or without the small ammount of protection she had against death. Perhaps honestly she'd deserve it as like her creator, she had done her fair share of back alley treaties in order to keep what little she loved most in her life. Her children in their small ways loved and hated her. She wanted just one of them at least to know she loved them back and wanted her there damn it all to hell. She awnted to keep zalika hers and hers only.

When her father had been killed, she'd been happy. Until the girl at the age of five had mentioned a dream of wolves. It was then she'd known that Zalika was Not aidan's daughter but was the desades child. And that meant eventually, Ameerah would want her head. But she'd just wanted to protect the child and keep her hers. When all the reports of desades had come into the protectorate and they had gone out to fight years later, she'd felt she'd done the right thing. Right? Probably not.

Aidan again slapped her out of her thoughts. "We're leaving tonight. You have one hour, to get your things from your house. This is marked from aleris. I heard rumor that's where the prince and princess are at. So we're going." He stated and she gulped.

"Aidan, have you ever been selfish and wanted something for yourself at knowledge it could cost you everything."

"Yes, I saved you and you left me."

"I'm sorry."

"I know, I forgive you for that. But if you're hiding something from me Discord, know I might not forgive you again."

"I don't deserve forgiveness, I appreciate it though. And if I could, I'd hide more then I already am. But like smoke, it seems like everythings getting blown into view and I'm scared." She sighed and went to pack. Vanishing from that house with a flare of fire, she appeared at her home where she'd raised zalika and gathered some things.

"I'm so scared, it's like facing my first vampire when I was a human slayer... I'm not sure I'm going to walk out of this."

Her gaze dropped to her hands, normally the cold emotionless slayer dropped her gaze to her hand and the left one visibly shook. "I wish you were here love, I'm scared and need guidance."

She knew no answer was going to come, that he wouldn't hear he was away on business and she was on her own.

Post originally by Character_Aidan

It was rare the angel felt, showed any emotion other then sympathy and understanding. He was for the most part what he was, an angel that had chosen to leave heaven and make his own way. God had allowed him that but should he be needed, he would leave effective immediately. It was an understanding that the lord and lady of eternelle lune had understood when they'd let the angel amongst the ranks of the protectorate. After his trial by fire namely fighting through a gauntlet of other would be protectorate.

He'd come out on top then and as he watched the demoness vanish he'd come out on top again. And for the moment no lust wasn't what the woman inspired, just anger. Her questions were pointed confessions of guilt. She was hiding things, she always had. Once upon a time after he'd rescued her from the burning building of Morlis's home had she been open, honest even if it meant incurring his wrath.

Lust turned to obsession and that became unhealthy especially as well what she was. She was a demoness and in part yes she had left him, in part he'd been ordered by the Divine to end it as well. She could never be more then a amusment, and heaven help her if she ever concieved. So this news of this daughter, child named Zalika he was doing the perverbial sweating bullets.

There were very few other half angels half demons. The most notorious, the one the woman had tangled with once or twice in business dealings. She caried one of his weapons something that irked the fuck out of him. Stativare, the hell bound prince. Still Discord was walking a thin sheet of ice that was cracking. If the child was an angel, it would be taken by the divine and destroyed unless hell took it first. Discord would be executed with the same mercilessness she displayed with her mercenary assignments she took on the sly.

He cared enough to hope to high hell that it wasn't his for her sake. He cared enough to be utterly blindingly furious to want to strangle the demoness for not just coming clean. She'd strayed several times, it was what she was. So the child well it was a toss up between him and the one she left him for. Of course there was no knowledge of anyone else, she'd been well discreet on that one.

When she appeared with a bag, again the weedling to get out of this. "Aidan, please trust me enough to handle this on my own." She tried one final time.

"You had your chance, now we go demoness. " It was then he did something very uncharactaristic. He slapped a bracelet on her wrist. The Angelic blessed object immediately had her hissing.

"What the unholy flying fuck, Aidan. Get that thing off me right the fuck now or I'll cut off my own hand to get it off."

"It comes off only at my choosing. It won't kill you but will sever your demonic power. Your mage abilities you fully have. Think wisely before you act, if you have confessions, now is the time for them."

His hand then gripped her blood red hair and tipped her head up to stair him into those fathomless ageless eyes. The silver eyes had once attracted her, this time he saw genuine pain in her eyes.

"There's a chance of two probabilities. You, or someone that seduced me on a night I should have known better. Never the less, the chance is there. I'm sorry Aidan, you're not the only possible victim in my web to keep her my own."

"That right there could be your admittance of defeat. Lest you hope it's not me else you will lose her, and your own life. If it's the other person, you better hope, they aren't more powerful then you. You've lost my trust due to your inability to talk to me. I thought, you cared for me Discord. Now I see you're just like your creator."

Her stricken face hurt and he steeled himself. "Maybe I am, Aidan. Maybe I do deserve his fate, I wanted to keep my child with me, one that didn't leave, one that I could protect. I thought I'd done the right thing. Now I see why Morlis did what he did, for what he thought was best. Even if at times, it as entirely selfish."

Hair gripped he marched the demoness towards the portals within the barracks that had been set up as an emergency.

"I truely am sorry Aidan. I do care for you, I owe you a debt. This wasn't the way to repay that.

"I want to believe you, Discord. This time you might have hung yourself in your own webs. Even if you meant no harm, you just might have started your own cataclysm."

"Once upon a time in a kingdom closer then you know but further then you could reach. There was a beautiful princess that stood proud and tall. Every night she looked from her terrace upon her lands. She had grown up knowing they were hers as was the creatures there in. She had the blood of the wolf in her heart, in her hands and in her soul. It was she that some day a young girl would go to and befriend."

"Mommy, what's the princess's name? All princesses have to have a name."

A sigh was given as as the woman gathered up the child and held her close rocking her. "Today is your seventh birthday, Zalika. I promise to you when you turn sixteen, I will reveal all my secrets to you. For now, let's call the princess of all, Ameerah."

"Ameerah, (childishly pronounced a-mirror) that's a pretty name."

"Yes it, and she is. Now back to our story, this princess was wise and strong. But she was also notorious for protecting what she considered hers. One day a demoness crossed her path and without knowing she was a princess was less then respectful. So the princess spanked the demoness, and the demoness never forgot her."

"Do grown ups spank one another?"

"Sometimes.." She felt the brush of soft lips to her forehead. "The demoness respected and still does respect the princess. But that day marked the start of a long path that will lead down to a chain of events." She heard in her long silken hair of blood red like her mommas.

"Why are you sad momma?"

"Someday, you'll leave me and I don't want you to. Now or ever, please remember something of me. I love you and I mean that. I'm not perfect, I never will be. I'm not a good person all the time and make bad choices. Please don't follow my steps, there will come a time where we might part. But I'll always be there, if you call for me."

"Momma is this part of the story?"

"Perhaps, little one."

"Along came a big dark wolf that drew the demons eyes and though she had someone she cared for. The wolf kept drawing the demon like a moth to flame. By the full moon light they kissed once and never saw one another again. Years later the demoness thought back as she looked to her daughter and saw the truth that would not always be caged in. Princess Ameerah would find out some day and this time a spanking was not all the demoness would get. But the demoness's daughter was always loved and protected. And someday befriended a pretty princess."

"Momma what happens to the demoness?"

"Time tells all dear, in time I'll tell you."

"I like that story momma, can you tell me about da prince valor (falor) again? Or how bouts da Angel mans?"

"Those are stories for another day..."


She was dreaming of the past when she was little when she woke up abruptly from what seemed a sound sleep. Rousing it was odd but she wasn't in her room, she and gotten up onto the roof of the inn and was looking now at the moon. The shadows were around her and she shivered not sure she'd gotten there.

"Momma are you coming for me now?" She asked the wind.

"Sometimes all it takes is your name called."A voice came behind the girl as from the shadows opened a silver ripple then a portal and two people stepped forward. An angel and that of a Discord. Immediately the demoness mumbled something to mask her presence from the immediate presence of anyone not at the in. Anyone that could sense demons within would infact know one was present but otherwise no.

She needed the extra time as she looked at her daughter. Aidan be damned she launced from his side and ran to her daughter. Embracing her tightly. Her hand caressed over her hair, her face as if trying to assure that she was there.

"Lika, baby I worried so much. I am so sorry for what you've all endured." She said softly and buried her face in the now almost soft black tresses of her daughter. The red was fading away. At that point and her soft silver eyes had a golden ring around the iris. She sighed and caressed her daughter's hair familiarizing herself with the other woman.

"Happy birthday, my daughter." She said softly.

"Feel like an introduction now, Delaney." The angel behind her murmured. The look of shock on his face was apparant and his temper was there, the aura of him was a bit strong almost all out painful for her as she turned and looked to Aidan and sighed.

"Zalika, this is Aidan. He's the Angel from your bed time stories. He is a real person." She murmured softly and lowered her eyes as she watched Aidan take in her words. Discord told her daughter stories about him? Who knew what else the woman said and did for now he studied them both. Taking in the angel wings, they were molting as though she was fallen. With a demoness Discord as a mother there was no doubt she'd be that. "Truth reveal." The Angel spoke finally after several moments.

Zalika's wings vanished as though they'd never been there. All that was there against her skin, was one of his own featers. "Delaney..." He was losing his temper and it showed in his voice.

"Let's sit down." She sighed they were on the roof, she was no where near the bar to have a drink about now. She caressed zalika's back and removed the binded ward and thus Aidan's feather. "You are not an angel, Zalika. I lied about that to protect you. When I found out what you were, I was well determined to keep you with me any way I could. So I hid what you were and honestly hoped, it would never come to light. I am sorry." She sighed watching the two of them. It was then the demoness looked older, so much older then her age. Her eyes reflected pain and sadness in the chocolate brown recesses.

"I'm a Hybrid though aren't I mother?"

Discord's head whipped around to look directly. "Where did you hear that word." She gasped out, not bothering to deny it but hell she didn't want it to sound like a bad thing.

"A woman named Ameerah told me. She has the most pretty red hair, sorta like yours momma."

Discord almost fell off the roof right about then. "AMEERAH!" She squeeled. Oh crap this was not good at all. She could all but feel her ass paddled again and then some. Her ass was getting more then spanked this time.

"The Princess is here?" Aidan immediately qued in which didn't help her she groaned. Damn the infernal angel.

"The princess ameerah from the stories momma?" Zalika immediately picked up. Again Discord looked down and sighed sadly.

"Yes my angel, all the stories are true. Aidan the angel is real, Princess Ameerah is real. And I'm the evil Demon of all your stories. Perhaps it was my way of telling you the truth in a way you'd accept without hating me. Perhaps it was my concious what one I have trying to impress on you that there is more to you then what I've actually told you."

"If I'm not an angel, what am I?" Zalika pounced her eyes flashing not so much in anger but in curiousity and determination to get it out of her mother even if she had to beat it out of her.

"Yes Delaney, what stories have you spun around your daughter for your daughter to know me. And why my feather?" Aidan inserted as well. They flanked her and pinned her between the two.

"That I'd loved you but my heart had more or less been captured by someone else and I'd left you. That you were an angel, a person that saved a demon and cared for her. A person of infinate wisdom and care. Stronge and driven to do what was right. Why your feather you ask? Isn't it obvious, to ward her, to create the illusion to keep her safe from any that would wish her harm. They'd sense YOUR aura, not mine. Let's face it, I'm not the popular kid in the class. I might be a Captain in the protectorate and I fought my way up to that rank thank you very fucking much. But I lacked your compassion and care. I treat work like a mercenary job, get it done and take no prisoners."

"Delaney!" "Momma!" The two rained down protest at the same time. She lifted her hand silencing them both.


"Why did I create all this subterfuge you want to know. Simple, I made a mistake. I did NOT know the man that seduced me was one of HERS. As soon as I found out, I prayed you were Aidan's. You were not. Your own words sealed your fate and mine as to what you are, Zalika. I can't teach you, what you're going to need to know. What you should know by now, because.. I was afraid, I wanted to keep you as my daughter. When His kind, when he was killed in the Empire. I was felt I was justified. But as much as you were, you were also cheated. I denied you your herritage because I wanted you with me always."

"Momma what do you mean?"

"Delaney Caitlyn..."

"Stop!" She commanded in a tone like she was giving an order to others. They fell silent.

"Simply put my daughter, I love you. I've killed and will probably do it again if it means, keeping you safe from others that would hurt you."

"Father Ca.."

"Deceased."

"Aunt Willow?"

"Wishing she was dead."

"And Princess Ameerah?"

"Is going to want to remove my head. If I'm lucky, I am sorry."

"What all am I?"

"You are one of hers and we have a date with what could be my undoing. You said you met a lady named Ameerah. Did she touch you?"

"No she offered me her cigarette, I refused it at the time, it is against the teaching of the bible."

Aidan lifted an eyebrow at this point and looked at Zalika and almost all out bust up laughing. He'd bet Ameerah was a bit floored at that one but still that Delaney had done this much to hide things , to protect her baby he was amazed, angered and furious at the same time.

"How much of you that I know is true Delaney?"

"Most of it, I told you long ago. If I love someone, I will do whatever I have to do to keep them."

The rest of their conversation slipped to mind shots back adn forth. In the end Aidan sighed and gathered the two women together and hugged them. "I am staying present to ensure you don't do anything stupid like try to take her and run. I'm sorry , Delaney. If she is one of Ameerah's, You're going to need someone in your corner as well."

"I know this, I am in what is it.. oh yes.. I'm in deep fucking shit at this point."

When dawn came, they were still on the roof talking. Zalika explained her dreams, the changes. Delaney took the feather she'd used as a ward and spun it in her hands. Her demonic blood touched it, Aidan's angelic blood tuched it. The feather surged and became crystaline and hard with a flourished. Hardening becoming dangerously sharp enough so she slashed her own thigh to show and proved it to her daughter.

"You'll need a weapon in life darling, claws and fangs won't always do it. This feather will be yours. Angelically and demonically forged. When you need it to defend you, grip it tightly and wish for protection. It will crystalize and it can kill a demon." It could damn well kill her, it just might be what ends her in time as well.

"Tomorrow, we arrainge a meeting with Ameerah." She said softly once aidan flew her daughter into the room and dropped her in it not too roughly. Ok he was mad at her, She didn't blame him. Zalika had accepted things relatively well.

Tomorrow, she would walk into what could be the end.

She had shit to do, there was a list a mile long on what needed to be done for Al'Sir and Drybrush already and she still needed to make a trip out to Sarheed Camp. It was the settlement the furthest from Drybrush and her own island and she hoped it didn't mean she'd end up cage fighting demons like her trip to Al'Sir. She had no idea what she'd find out there, really, but she still needed to go and assess the damage, and the needs, of the property and people that lived there. Somewhere during all that she also needed to check in on Seterios and find Zalika, the girl from the tavern who'd requested a meeting. Twice she'd been at the Tavern but had yet to give her the time she'd asked for.

It didn't seem like an emergency, and she barely knew her, but her instinct urged her to make the time to see her. Having spent the morning checking in at the various businesses in Drybrush to evaluate progress on the necessary repairs, with a little extra time spent at The Zenana to ensure her products were being received well, she decided Sarheed would wait until the next day given that it was already well into the afternoon. Tonight she would tend to her personal responsibilities and headed for the Tavern. As luck would have it Zalika and Seterios both were staying there, provided her cousin hadn't decided to wander off again, which was entirely possible.

The staff were well used to her appearing in the Tavern room at the Caravanserai and greeted her warmly as she sauntered towards the bar and dropped several pieces of gold on the counter. For once she was without her usual wreath of smoke though she looked much the same as she always did otherwise. Faded black jeans with the left knee worn through, her weapons strapped to her thighs, dark red hair pulled into a messy pony tail save for two thin braids that fell from her right temple, though she had forsaken her usual tank top for a faded t-shirt advertising something called Pit-Falls on the back. It had been hacked to shit, though, the arms and bottom half cut off, the neckline cut into a V. She was one classy broad, alright.

”Gimme a beer, cher, and Zalika's room number. You know, the tea-drinker. Oh, and is my cousin still hanging around?”

The bartender laughed at her barrage of words and set to retrieving her beer even as he answered her questions, gladly volunteering any information she required as she had made good on all the promises she'd made to them and paid generously for her own drinks rather than expecting them for free. “I think your cousin is still around, Padishah. His room is still reserved, either way. Zalika is in room 102,” he added as he set the chilled bottle of beer on the counter top knowing she would refuse a glass.

No real information on Seterios' whereabouts but she wasn't overly surprised. At least he had a room to come back to. Taking the beer she took a long drink before looking to the bartender, her hand raising the beer in salute.

”Alright, no more stalling. Let's fuck this bitch. Thanks for the beer, cher.”

Striding from the Tavern, beer in hand, she began searching for room 102. She might have been to the Tavern several times but had had little reason to spend much time in the Inn so it took a minute for her to find the right room. When she did her hand rose automatically to knock but she paused at the last minute. The door was warded with an energy she now knew belonged to Discord. Seriously? Discord was the “mother” Zalika had been going on about? She sighed and glancing at the beer in her hand she took another long drink before finally knocking.

”Zalika, it's Ameerah Sultan. I'm here for our meeting, if you're available.”

This outta be good.