Random Response

Read the Forward through Chapter 7 first.  Thank You.

Broken Promises

Chapter 8

Julia’s head throbbed.  The sound of voices, many loud voices filled her ears.  She groaned and tried to force them out, but they only grew louder.

“Julia sweetie, wake up!” exclaimed Jade. “Come on Sis, Yan needs you.” 

“Mama.  Pweaze wake up,”  begged Yan.

She felt his little hands on her cheek then a small slobbery kiss.  She wanted to open her eyes, but her body would not let her.  She stayed unmoving as one by one people called out to her.

She wanted to cry, to scream out so people would still know that she was with them, but she could not.

Day after day she would try to open her eyes, but they remanded shut.  At night she cried, she could feel tears running down her face.  A person, normally Ruth, would wipe them away.

She soon started to believe that they would remain closed forever.  She would never hold Yan in her arms again, she would never see her new born baby, she would never see the sun or a rainbow.  She was dead to the world.

Then one day they just opened.  Light burned her eyes, but she could not bring herself to care.  Her eyes were open.

She looked around the room and noticed for the first time no one was there.  Slowly she sat up, her body screamed, but it was worth it.  Her baby moved around as if telling her how happy it was for her to be up.

Smiling she stood then promptly fell back down when her knees gave out.  She tried again and this time she kept her balance.

Carefully she shuffled over to the door.  Voices of every tone and gender radiated from behind the door.  She grabbed a hold of the knob and turned it.  With a bit of effort she pushed the door open.

The first person she saw was Yan.  He was sitting on Margret’s lap swinging his legs back and forth.  As if sensing her he stopped.  His tiny head snapped to her.

His beautiful violet eyes filled with tears as he jumped from Margret’s lap.

“Mama!”  Yan cried.

She bent and scooped her baby boy into her arms.  He was heavier than she remembered, but she managed.  Yan kissed her at least a hundred times on the face and neck and she did the same.  She did not leave a place on his face untouched when she was done.

“Sis,”  said Jade.

She looked up to see her sister’s cherry blond hair bouncing towards her.  Jade’s deep green eyes sparkled from her tanned face.

“Jade,”  she whimpered.

Margret’s pitch black hair and bright blue eyes stared at her from across the room.  Her mocha skin flushed with happiness as a single tear ran from the corner of her eye.

Ruth stood at the other end of the room a smile bright on her face, but she made no move to approach her.  They let Yan have his time with her and she was truly grateful for that.

“Where’s Caspian?”  she asked.

No one said a word.  They stood there looking at her, but no one answered her question.  Finally when she thought she was going to go mad with waiting someone spoke.

“He’s in the kitchen,”  it was Ruth who told her.

Gently she placed Yan on the floor and made her way to the kitchen.  Light shone through the windows revealing Caspian sitting up right in a chair, alive. 

His back was turned towards her as he stared out the front door.

“Caspian?”  she asked.

His head snapped around so quickly that it made her flitch.  He did not say a word, he just stared at her.

“Caspian?”  she asked again.

“Do I know you?”  Caspian asked.

Her heart skidded to a halt.  He did not remember her.  Her love did not even know who she was.

She scented the air and froze.  He did not even smell like her Caspian any more.

“Who’s the father?”  he asked.

She looked at her stomach then back at him.  She wanted to cry, but she kept it in.

“You,”  she whispered.

Caspian stared at her confusion passed over his face.

“No its not,” he whispered confusion apparent in his voice. “I don’t know you.” 

He got out of his chair and walked towards her.

“But it is.  And Yan, he is ours too,”  she explained.

Caspian just shook his head and glared at her.

“You lie!  I would never mate with you!”  he screamed.

Then he did something that her Caspian would never do.  He hit her.  His fist grazed her cheek, but it was enough to force her to the floor.

She hit the floor with her side.  A cry flew from her lips as she looked up at the man she loved.

“Caspian?”  she whimpered.

He glared down at her and prepared to kick her when Ruth flew through the room knocking Caspian out of the door.

He grunted when he landed, but was already up before Ruth righted herself.  She scrambled up and ran out of the house.

“No Ruth! Don’t hurt him!”  she cried.

Margret grabbed her keeping her up on the porch as Jade blocked her path.

“Stop, Julia!” yelled Jade. “He hit you!  He does not know who you are!” 

“He does!  It will just take him awhile!”  she cried.

Ruth looked over her shoulder at her then back at Caspian.

“You were never good enough for her,”  Ruth sneered.

“Take her home!”  Ruth yelled over her shoulder.

She screamed and fought her sisters, but she did not have the strength.  She quickly wore herself out.  She looked one last time at Caspian before she disappeared.

Caspian watched the strange female go.  She had had the gull to say that the child growing inside her womb was his.  He wanted to laugh, but the female in front of him would most likely kill him.

He knew that this woman was no mere demon or human.  She was something completely different.

“You have no idea what you just lost.  You will never see Julia again; I will make sure of that. You are nothing, but a filthy demon,”  the female sneered.

Before he could strike she was gone.  Then he noticed that everyone was gone.  He was completely alone.

Silently he walked up the stairs and into the house.  That pregnant female’s scent was every where.  He growled and searched the house for the scent.

A bed in the far side of the house seemed to radiate the female’s scent.  Ripping the mattress from the bed he tore it.  Feathers flew form the mattress’s open wounds.

“Not my child,”  he growled.

As the feathers fell he slowly remembered.  He remembered the woman’s eyes looking up at him from a bar stool.  He remembered the taste of their first kiss.  He remembered the feel of her skin the first time they made love.

“Oh my God!  Julia!”  he cried.

He looked down at the mattress, the one he and his mate had laid on every night, the one they made love in, the one that held Yan when he had a nightmare.  He had destroyed everything that he had created with one punch.

“I’m just like my father,”  he whispered.

Chapter 9 coming soon.

Random Response

Please read the Forward through Chapter 6 before reading this chapter.

Broken Promises

Chapter 7

Three Years Later

Caspian wanted to jump up and down when Julia told him the news.

“I’m going to be a daddy?”  he asked.

His mate laughed.

“You are already a daddy,”  she giggled.

He laughed and swung her around.  His mouth descended on her’s with such virtuosity that he knew he would leave a mark.

Julia just smiled at him like she always did.  Even after all these years he was still blown away by how just her smile could stop his heart.

His mate seemed to grow more beautiful to him with each passing second.  He still loved her with all his heart and she even slowly began repairing the damage all those years alone had caused.

“Thank you,”  he whispered into his mate’s ear.

“Well, I could not have done it by myself,”  Julia giggled back.

“Mama,”  cooed Yan.

He looked over his mate’s shoulder to see his son walk into the kitchen.  He still wore his night clothes and was dragging his favorite blanket behind him.

His snow white hair had grown so long and so thick that Julia had to now braid it.  Though even when braided it was past his waist.

“What is it sweetie?”  asked Julia.

His mate pulled away from him to go to their son.  Yan happily held out his arms to her.  Smiling his mate pick their boy up and set him on one of her hips.

“I had a bad dweam,”  Yan whispered into Julia’s neck.

“Really what happened?”  his mate asked.

He pulled out a chair for her and she smiled at him as she sat down.  Sitting on the table he waited for what Yan would say next.

“Daddy went away and you were sad,”  Yan answered.

His heart froze at his son’s words.  He looked up at Julia to see she had the same expression on her face.

“Daddy is not goin’ go away is he?”  Yan asked.

“It’s okay.  Daddy is not going any where, Baby,”  his mate cooed.

But he knew the truth.  One day he would leave them and he would be unable to do anything about it.  Everyday he grew older just like his son, but Julia stayed the same.

She never aged and she would never die.  Yan would even live longer because of his mother’s blood, but he would die.

He had never thought about it until that moment and he was scared.  He did not want to leave Julia or Yan or even their new baby growing in her womb.

“That’s right Yan.  I am not going any where,”  he whispered to his son.

Julia touched her stomach as she watched Caspian carry their son back to his room.

“Father, why did you give my son this dream?”  she asked.

“It is not a dream, my daughter, but a vision,”. God answered. “Yan has gifts that no demon should have.  He has seen what’s to come.” 

“Like Caspian’s mother?”  she asked.

“Yes,”  God whispered.

“That can’t be right.  Caspian is still young and strong, he can’t leave us yet,”  she explained.

“Even the young can be called to leave this world,”  God stated.

“I won’t let it happen!”  she yelled.

“You know what could happen if you bring him back, Julia!”  God stated sternly. “ Are you willing to risk the man you love for your selfishness?!” 

She flinched at the anger that filled her Father’s voice.

“Think before you do something that you will regret my daughter,”  God said.

“Yes Father,”  she whispered.

“Remember why you are there,”  God reported.  “Remember what will happen if his soul turns.  You must save his soul even if it means giving up his body.”

She looked up just as Caspian walked back into the kitchen.

“He’s back to sleep,” Caspian stated. “He made me stay with him until he fell asleep.  That dream really shook him up.” 

“But that is what it is, a dream.  That will not happen to us.  I promise,”  she swore.

“Daughter, remember what I have told you,”  God whispered.

“I will never forget,”  she huffed.

Caspian smiled down at her then kissed her lips.  It was not as hungry as the last one, but it still had the same amount of love in it, but just another kind.

Seven Months Later

Seth watched his son’s house.  The witch seemed to be carrying another one of his grandchildren in her infected womb.

He sneered as he watched his son touch the witch.  If not for her he could have taken his son under his wing and taught him to be just like him, but no.  That woman had to get in the way.

All women were evil deceptive creature that sucked a man’s soul from his body.  That witch was just like Maya.  Weaving her web around his son so tightly that he would never be able to get out.

He had to save his only heir from that woman’s ungodly talons.

“Jeremy!”  he snapped.

He heard his second in command run up to him, but he did not take his eyes off the scene below him.

“Yes, Boss?”  asked Jeremy.

“We move tonight,”  he ordered.

“What?”  asked Jeremy.

He turned and looked his second in command in the eye.

“The witch will die tonight,”  he growled.

He felt a laugh bubble up his throat and he did not even try to hold it back as he turned around to look down at the house again.

Julia watched as the sky faded into night.  Midnight lay beside her.  She slowly stroked her fingers through his mane and he let out a rough purring sound to tell her he appreciated it.

Caspian stood with Yan in his arms pointing at each star that appeared in the sky.  Darkling began to wander into the yard as the sun reseed behind the trees.

Laughing Caspian plopped down beside her as Yan chased a Lumpia across the back yard.  Her son’s laughter filled the air.

Sighing she settled herself against Caspian.  He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him.

“How are you?”  Caspian asked.

He rubbed his thumb in circles on her bare arm.  The heat of the day was slowly fading away as darklings began their familiar calls.

“Fine just a bit tired,” she huffed. “The baby is taking a lot out of me these days.  It’s always moving around as if it is trying to tell me that it wants out.” 

She felt Caspian tense beside her.

“The baby can’t want out yet!” he exclaimed. “You’ll be two months early!” 

She wanted to laugh at the expression that was on Caspian’s face, but she knew that would be cruel.  So she just smiled and shook her head.

It seemed like the closer she got to the delivery date the more Caspian would freak out around her.  It was quite cute if she thought about it.

“The baby is fine,” she stated. “It will come when it wants to and nothing you or I say will do anything about it.” 

She watched him take a deep breath then look back out at Yan.

“You must think I’m really stupid,”  Caspian said.

She felt her eyes go wide at his statement.

“No, no!  I could never think you were stupid.  A little nervous, yes, but never stupid,”  she consoled.

Caspian smiled and hugged her to him.

“You’re too good for me,”  he whispered into her ear.

“I know I am, so you better take extra good care of me or I might run off,”  she whispered.

Caspian lightly growled and nipped her ear.

“Then I would just have to chase after you,”  he whispered.

Caspian hugged his mate to his side as he watched Yan carry the Lumpia around like a baby. 

“I think he is getting ready for the baby,”  Julia stated.

He watched as his mate touched her hand to her growing stomach as she spoke.  He carefully entwined their fingers and settled them back on her stomach.

“It looks like it,”  he cooed.

He turned and rubbed his cheek against his mate’s hair.  He was just about to purr when Julia stiffened.

He jerked his head around to see Seth standing not three feet from his son.  His heart dropped into his stomach when a smile crossed his father’s face.

“Yan come here!”  gasped his mate.

Yan quickly looked at Julia then back at Seth.  With more speed then he had ever seen his son move he dashed to his mother’s side.

“What are you doing here?”  he snapped.

Julia was already standing with Yan tucked behind her skirt before he was on his feet.

“I’ve come to rid you of the witch,”  sneered Seth.

“Witch?” he sneered. “Have you gone mad old man?  There is no witch here.” 

“No!” Seth growled. “The witch stands beside you.  Her venomous womb gave birth to my grandson and now holds my second.” 

He did not have to look at Julia to know that Seth’s remark had hurt her.  He growled at his father.

“How dare you say such things about my mate!”  he snapped.

He could feel his blood lust rising and for the first time in a long time he let it.  He felt his fangs extending as he ran his tongue over their sharp points.

His claws curled into his hands stabbing into his palms.  Hot blood ran down his fisted hand as his eyes locked with Seth.

“Caspian?”  Julia breathed behind him.

“Let me do this Julia.  Let me do what he did to my mother.  Please do not interfere this time,”  he begged, but it came out as more of a growl then anything.

“Alright,”  his mate whispered.

When the last syllable past through his mate’s lips he was already air born.  His tiger pushed to the surface and he landed on four paws before Seth.

“You are my son,”  Seth laughed.

His tiger snarled and jumped.  They landed on top of Seth their fangs going for his neck, but huge razor sharp claws pierced his back making them yowl in pain.

They were thrown off of their prey and landed on their side in the hard dirt.  They jumped up to see that Seth was no longer before him, but a huge tiger.

It seemed to be even bigger then them, but his tiger was not afraid.  They had a mate and two cubs to protect, they could not use their energy by worrying. 

They began to circle the other tiger.  Snarling and snapping at their opponent.

They waited refusing to be the ones to strike first.  Their wait was finally over when the tiger roared and charged them.

Julia screamed out when the two tigers attacked each other.  They tore at each other using claws and fangs.  Ripping at the other’s flesh.

Blood and fur flew through the air.  She wanted to run to Caspian, but Yan clung tightly to her leg.  She did not have the heart to pull away when he needed her so desperately.

“Get behind me,”  demanded Midnight.

He stepped before her just as one of Seth’s men bounded onto the porch.  Midnight reared his claws slicing through the demon like he was nothing but softened butter.

He neighed throwing his head side to side as he pawed the ground.  More of the demon flooded the porch, but none got even three feet close to either herself or Yan.

Darklings poured out of the forest screaming as they tackled the demons. The smell of their fur burning in the fading sunlight was strong enough to make her gasp.

  Even though the sunlight was slowly burning them alive the darklings fought.  It was as if they would rather die than allow Seth’s men to get to her.

  One by one Seth’s men fell; their mangled bodies littered the yard.  The smell of fresh blood threw the darklings into frenzy.

She looked up to see Caspian on the ground the other tiger had him by the throat.  Caspian’s tiger snarled and clawed at the bigger one, but it would not let go.

“No!”  she screamed.

“Julia do not move!” yelled Midnight. “Think of Yan and your unborn baby you can not risk them!” 

“Father!”  she cried. “Help him!” 

“I am sorry my daughter, but it is his time,”  whispered God.

“No!”  she screamed.

She looked across the field.  Caspian’s tiger was loosing strength as its life blood poured from its body.  The larger tiger jerked its head one last time and the smaller tiger stopped moving.

Her heart stopped at that moment.  Her love was dead. She could not feel his soul any longer.  A scream belted from her body and she did not even try to repress it. She felt her power building in her body as she stared down the lager tiger.

“You wanted a witch, now you got one!”  she screamed.

Her wings tore through her back as her power continued to rise.  The darklings shunned away from her, even her own son ran to Midnight, but she did not care.

She would make this demon pay.  She would make sure he wished he was dead before she delivered the killing blow.

With a scream she thrust her power through her palms.  The tiger did not even have time to move.  Her power hit it square in the side throwing into one of the trees.  The tree snapped under her power and fell to the ground.

Darkling ran from her path as she descended the stairs.  Her knees were weak, but she continued on.  Her chest heaved as she put one foot in front of the other.

Her power began to rise again filling her entire body.  Her unborn child moved with her power as if drawn to it.  She hissed as she watched the tiger struggle to right itself. 

Its large eyes turned to her’s.  She had never felt such hate for one thing in her entire life, as she felt for this demon that stood before her.

She stalked across the field her back straight, her chest out, and her wings erected.  She could feel the power tingling at her finger tips demanding to be let out.

With a smile she gave it its wish.

“Say hi to Lucifer for me,”  she sneered.

With barely any coxing from her, her power shot from her palm.  The tiger’s head snapped back.  She could hear its neck break as it flew into another tree.  This one groaned, but stood firm.

She stared at the dead tiger for a second before she turned back to Caspian.  The small tiger lay broken on the grass.  Its last bit of blood trickled from its body.

A sob tore through her as she walked to it.  Its once beautiful fur was now ripped and covered in drying blood.  Careful of her stomach she sat beside the once great beast.

“Caspian,”  she cried.

Her fingers ran through its matted fur.  Tears ran down her face blurring her already poor vision.

“Come back to me,”  she whispered.

She knew what she was about to do was wrong, but she could not bring herself to stop.  She had to see his eyes filled with life one last time.  She had to feel his arms around her.  She had to see him holding their new born baby in his arms.

She placed her hands over its heart.  She could already feel her power gathering once again.  It came to her call like a long lost friend.

“Daughter stop this!”  cried God. “You do not know what will happen to him!” 

“I won’t loose him.  I can’t loose him,” she sobbed.

With the last bit of energy she had, she forced it into the tiger’s chest.  Then all went dark.

Chapter 8 in next post.

Random Response

Read the Forward through Chapter 5 before reading this chapter please.

Broken Promises

Chapter 6

Nine Months Later

Caspian paced back and forth as he waited for news.  Julia’s cries filled the house freezing him in his tracks.  Ruth, one of Julia’s younger sisters, stood at the door making sure he did not run in.

“She will be fine, Caspian,” Ruth stated. “Woman have been giving birth for years.” 

He looked at her and he still could not believe that this woman was his mate’s sister.  Her hair was straight and honey blonde that reached past her hips.  Her rich brown eyes stared from porcelain white skin and she was at least an inch taller than himself.

“But what about us being different species?”  he asked.

“There is always a risk of complication with the mixing of a species, but my sister is strong.  She will not leave you,”   Ruth said in a soothing voice.

Just as his heart began to calm his mate’s screams filled the air.  The sound made him jump and take off towards the house, but before he made it through the front door he was snatched up by the nape of his neck.

He snapped and struck at the person holding him, but Ruth did not even notice it.  She just held him in the air and carried him a safe distance from the house.

Then with no finesse at all she dropped him.  His butt hit the ground with a thump as he stared up at the angel before him.

“I told you not to run in.  Jade does not need any distractions,”  Ruth stated before turning leaving him in the dirt.

Julia pushed again feeling her baby cresting.  She cried out holding tighter to Margret’s hand.  Her sister wiped her brow as Jade forced her legs wider.

“Sis, you have to push.  I can’t help you until the baby’s head is out,”  explained Jade.

Taking a deep breath she pushed again.  Her body strained as it pushed the baby a little farther from her body.

“Got it!”  cried Jade.

She screamed as Jade carefully began to pull the baby from her.

“Push, Julia,” cooed Margret. “It’s almost over.” 

With her last bit of energy she pushed, she felt her baby burst from her body.  Its cries filled the room.  It was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard.

Tears ran down her face as she heard its little lungs wailing.  Margret carefully pulled her farther up on the bed.

“It’s a boy,” said Jade. “A healthy baby boy.”  .

She reached out her hands and Jade carefully placed the wiggling bundle of joy in her arms.  His beautiful violet eyes stared up at her.

“Hi there,”  she cooed.

Her boy just looked up at her his little heart beating like a marathon runner.  He looked so much like his father it was scary, but she could see herself.  His soul glowed from with in him as her’s did.

“His immortal,”  Margret whispered.

She heard her sisters talking in hushed whispers around her, but she could not bring herself to look away from those big beautiful eyes.

“What should I call you?”  she breathed.

Just then the bed room door eased open and Caspian barreled into the room.  Ruth followed closely behind as if expecting Caspian to attack everyone that got in his way.

He slowed when he saw their son in her arms.  The look of pure amazement almost brought her to tears.  He walked towards them of slowly as if he was expecting them to disappear right in front of his eyes.

“Oh my God!”  Caspian whispered when he finally made it over to them.

She smiled as he lightly touched their son’s head.

“He’s mine?”  he asked.

He looked up at her when he asked.  She could only smile and nodded her head.

“He’s perfect,”  he whispered.

“Yes, he is,”  she stated.

She leaned over and carefully kissed her baby’s head causing a little smile lift his tiny lips.

“What are you going to call him, Sister?”  asked Ruth.

She looked up to see all three of her sisters watching them.  Caspian had not seemed to hear Ruth, he just continued to stare at their boy.

“I believe we will call him Yan,”  she told.

Caspian just nodded his head in agreement refusing to look away from Yan’s big violet eyes.

“Thank you,”  she whispered.

Her sisters nodded once before they disappeared into thin air.  Only their scents told that they had once been standing in the room.

“Caspian?”  she breathed.

His eyes jumped to her’s.

“Yes?”  he asked.

“Would you like to hold your son?”  she asked though she already knew the answer.

“Yes!”  he breathed.

More careful than she had ever seen him, he took Yan from her arms.  Bringing their boy close to his chest she saw a single tear fall down his cheek.

“Hi there,”  Caspian whispered.

She smiled as she watched the two men in her life.  They were her joy and she could not see her life without them.  She wanted to wrap her arms around both of them and never let go.

“He looks like you,”  she whispered.

Caspian could not believe his eyes.  He had a son.  A tiny helpless person that depended on him.

“Yan,”  he whispered.

He looked over at the bed to see Julia fast asleep.  The blood soaked sheets had been removed and his mate now rested on new ones.

“Isn’t your mommy beautiful?”  he asked.

Yan only gurgled, but he took it as a yes.

“My son,”  he sighed in amazement.

“I promise that I will do all in my power to protect you and your mother,”  he swore.

Yan looked up at him, his eyes, the same color as Seth’s but without the evil behind them.

“Mother would have loved you,”  he whispered.

Six Months Later

Julia laughed as she watched her two boys.  Caspian was crawling after Yan across the front yard.

Yan was laughing and crawling as fast as his little legs could go, but he was no match for his daddy.  Caspian scooped him up into his arms.

She watched as Caspian tossed Yan up into the air making him giggle.  She clapped her hands and waved at her baby as he went up and down, up and down.

“Father you were right, but you must be used to that,”  she thought.

“Live your life, my daughter,”  God whispered. “Because you never know when everything will fall apart.” 

“Live my life,”  she whispered aloud.

“What?”  asked Caspian.

He had stopped tossing Yan and was now carrying him to her.

“Nothing,”  she stated.

Taking her giggling bundle away from Caspian she kissed Yan over and over on the forehead and cheeks.  She was happy.

Seth looked down at the house of the angel witch and his son.  He cursed himself for fleeing that day a year and three months ago.

Growling he looked at his son throwing his grandson into the air.  The baby could not of been more than six months old.  It would be the perfect bargaining chip if he could get his hands on him.

“Boss, why did we come back here?” asked one of his men. “Won’t that angel know we are here?” 

“Calm yourselves,” he hissed. “The witch will not sense us as long as we are careful.  And my son will not scent us if we stay down wind.” 

He turned to see his son kissing the angel witch.  He growled and dug his spurs deep into his mount.  The catsumy cried out then turned galloping away from the house.

“Soon, I will get my revenge, my little witch.  I promise to make you suffer as I have suffered,”  he sneered to himself.

Caspian looked up at the sound of a catsumy’s cry.

“What’s wrong?”  asked Julia.

He turned back to his mate and smiled.  Yan, who had only moments before had been wide awake, was now fast asleep in his mother’s safe arms.

“Nothing.  Nothing at all,”  he whispered.

Carefully, so not to wake him, he kissed his son’s forehead.  Yan growled in his sleep before burrowing himself against Julia’s chest.  His mate smiled and hugged their baby closer to her.

He gently stroked his thumb through Yan’s pure white hair.  It was as soft as downy feathers just like Julia’s.

He looked up at his mate to see her smiling at him.  Her bright blue eyes sparkled as she watched him.  They were filled with unconditional love that he would never deserve, but he took greedily.  He wished that maybe one day he would be good enough for her love.

“I love you,”  he whispered.

A weight that had been tied to his chest, one that he had not known he processed, lifted as those three words left his lips.

He wanted to laugh when he saw the pure shock that flashed over his mate’s face.  He himself was a bit in shock by his words, but he truly meant them.  He would never take them back, he did not believe in that.

He watched as tears ran down Julia’s cheeks.  She just stared at him, neither of them saying a word until she placed her hand on his cheek.

He purred and rubbed against it, then looked back up at her.

“I love you too,”  his mate hiccupped.

He had already known that she loved him, but hearing her say it caused his heart to skip a beat.  This woman before him had given him every thing, but asked for nothing in return.

“I love you so much,”  he whispered.

He wrapped his arms lightly around his mate and hugged her to him with Yan between their bodies.  He could not believe that this was truly real.

Julia watched as Caspian dashed off into the night his striped tail twitching as he ran.  He stopped and looked back at her once.  A roar spilled from his tiger lips before he cantered into the forest.

The night air was cool against her skin as a gentle breeze brushed across her cheek.

Yan gurgled in his sleep as she rocked him back and forth on the porch.  He was wrapped in so many blankets that all she could see was his beautiful little face.

A noise caught her attention.  She looked up to see that a mod of darklings had already surrounded the house.  They were acting as if she was going to be attacked.

The darklings hissed out into the darkness.  Carefully she laid Yan into his cradle, which she had dragged out to the front porch a few hours before.

She then turned and tried to see what the darklings were so afraid of.  As she scanned the forest she saw two glowing yellow eyes staring back at her.  The beast snorted causing a cloud of steam to rise into the air.

Her heart jumped when it stepped forward.  By the way the darklings were acting she was expecting a deadly darkling to step out of the shadows, but what she saw took her breath away.

Out of the darkness came a catsumy rarely seen.  So rare that many immortals never have had the grace of laying their eyes on it.

Its ivory horn stood contrast to its ebony fur. A long midnight black mane blew in the light breeze as it continued to approach.  Its huge lion-like body stalked towards her as its tail swayed back and forth as it walked.

With the head and neck of a unicorn and the body of am adult lion the catsumy stood at least eight feet at the tip of its horn.

“A Lampion,”  she whispered.

The catsumy stopped mere inches from the mob of darklings.  The Lampion snorted as it flicked its head at the darklings.  When none of them move it reared striking at them with its claws.

That time a few of the darklings backed away from it, but most stood their ground.  The darklings’ bodies shook with fear, but they did not abandon her.

She knew that the Lampion would kill the darklings to get to her, so she went to it.  She quietly walked down the stairs, but stopped behind the wall of darklings.

The Lampion watched her approach calming with every step she made.

“Why have you come here?”  she asked.

The Lampion regarded her for a moment.

“Your father has sent me to you,”  he spoke.

“My Father?”  she asked.

“Yes.  He told me that you would soon need a catsumy at your side.  I offered myself,”  the Lampion huffed.

“Why?”  she questioned.

The Lampion stared at her for a moment.  His nostrils flared and his eyes seemed to glow brighter with each passing second.

“Because I knew, even before meeting you, that you would be my claimer,” he answered. “A catsumy can only have one claimer, one person to share their soul with and mine said to find you.” 

She stared at him for a moment before walking through her darkling guards.  They parted for her without as much as a nudge on her part, but they still had their eyes locked on the catsumy.

“What is your name?”  she asked.

The Lampion looked at her for a while as if not sure how to answer her.

“What do people call you?”  she rephrased.

“People call me, Midnight’s Death.  I seem to scare them when I show myself,”  he answered with a laugh.

“Well, my name is Julia and the baby I was holding is my son, Yan,” she said formally. “My mate is a tiger demon called Caspian.  He’s out hunting right now.” 

Midnight nodded then stepped towards her.

“I don’t know how to claim you,”  she told.

She could feel a small blush form on her cheeks, but Midnight did not point it out.

“You claimed me when you accepted me,” Midnight explained. “Your soul opened to mine for a split second and a part of it jumped to me.” 

“Well, that was easy,”  she laughed.

“The problem is not that the process is difficult,” he continued. “It’s the risk that both claimer and the claimed must bare.” 

“What risk?”  she asked.

“If I die you will die as well and the same goes for me if you should parish.  But if one of the two has a longer life span then the other, they will stay alive on the longest one.”  he informed.

“So, now you won’t die,”  she stated.

“Not unless someone kills me or you,”  he corrected.

A small giggle slipped from her lips as she shook her head.

“Well I guess you’re part of the family now,” she said. “Come inside it’s starting to get a little nippy out here.” 

Chapter 7 in next post.