Chapter Twenty: The Pumpkin Finds the Fox

Syphron:

A nervous smile twitched on my lips, Pumpkin was floating next to me. Her beauty stole my breath away, her hair floated like the crown she deserved. Her hand reached for the sky, her nimble fingers ripping off her gloves. Throwing them onto the shore, her eyes fell back on me. Seeing her neck wounds only reminded me of my failure to stop when she asked, confusion dawning on my face the moment she disappeared under the water. Popping up behind me, her lips kissed my forehead. A tender blush colored my cheeks, my heart beginning to beat in my ears.

"Stop beating yourself up." She whispered sweetly, yanking me underneath the water. "You need to relax and have a little fun." The warm water kissed my skin, the desire to stay under burned deep within me. Another splash alarmed me, Pumpkin hands cupping my face. Her lips pressed against mine sensually, my heart fluttering. Time stopped, the waves slowing down. Refusing to let me go, her tongue danced in my mouth. Scarlet colored my cheeks, water splashing everywhere as we swam to the surface. Tucking a piece of hair behind her, her real smile brightened her face. My hair clung to my face, the water ruining my suit. Her laughter twinkled in the air, her arm curling around my neck. Seeing her in bliss melted my heart, her fingers tracing the top of the water.

"I am so sorry but your blood tasted so addicting." I apologized sincerely, my lips pressing into a thin line. "I didn't mean to go so far." Snuggling her head into my neck, her slender hand rubbed my back. Taking a deep breath in, her tongue licked my neck. Shooting me a wicked grin, a light chuckle escaped her lips. Shivers shot up my spine, this side of her exciting me.

"You are pretty tasty yourself." She growled lustfully, brushing her fangs against the nape of her neck. "I can't help but think you like water quite a bit." Branches snapped, her hand shoving me under the water with her. Black boots stepped into view, armored hands picking up her gloves. Clapping her hands, air bubbles blew up around our faces. The fresh air flooded into our lungs, hushed conversations passed between Beezlebub's myriad of black armored demon soldiers pointing to the water.

"We have to go." She ordered sharply, yanking me out on the other side. "They are going to cast a large spell. Scarlet!" Whistling loudly, hooves galloped towards us. A scarlet Pegasus skidded to a stop in front of us, Pumpkin choosing to throw me onto the saddle first. Leaping onto her after, she cracked the reins. Icy air nipped at my skin the moment Scarlet took off into the starry sky, Pumpkin snapped her fingers briskly. Her boots were on her feet, drops of water dripping onto her fur. Black balls of energy whizzed by us, her shaking hands shifting through her boots. Whipping out a couple of fans, inky air danced around her. Lightning crackled over her skin, the reins landing in my hands. A gust of wind shattered the still air the moment her wings unfolded, her wrists flicking. The wind blades mixed with lightning, her devilish grin showcasing her pure joy at the situation. Dodging most of the balls of flames, the commander unfolded his ash gray wings. Flying straight for her heart, a shocked gasp escaped her lips the moment his blade slammed into her shoulders. Ripping it out with her hands, the heel of her boots kicked his chest. Knocking him back, she flicked her wrists. The air blades bounced off of his armor, panic growing evident on her face. Shoving them into her boot, her blade slid into her eager palms. Lightning coursed up her blade, her hair flying all around her. Maniacal laughter burst from her lips, storm clouds brewing over her head. A strained oh left my lips, the outcome doomed from the start.

"I have orders to kill you." The commander thundered, ignoring her massive power up. "So I can't go home without doing that." Laughing warmly to himself, I could almost see the wicked grin hiding underneath his helmet. Raising his sleek diamond blade, the worn brown hilt caught my attention. Cocking her head to the right, she rested her blade on her shoulders. Her cockiness was going to get her in trouble if she didn't keep herself in check.

"So you are as stubborn as a mule, aren't you?" She mused playfully, a rush of air disturbing the sound field. "Let's play!" Lunging at each other, sparks drifted aimlessly the moment their blades clashed violently. Locked in a power position, neither one could overpower the other ones. Her blade quaked, her shoulder beginning to cause problems. Mouthing a silent spell, the wound sealed shut. His heel slammed into her chest, her ribs creaking from the impact. Adjusting her bearings, the two of them began to look like balls of flame and lightning. The clash of their blades cracked like thunder, his armor screaming in protest. If only I could fly, I groaned bitterly to myself. Keeping my distance made me suffer, meanwhile getting involved would be a death sentence. An atomic kick knocked her inches from me, her skin all bruised and cut. Wiping the blood off of her jaw, she launched herself back into the battle. The two of them had slowed down, her hand gripping the jaw of his helmet. Jamming her knee into his exposed neck, her hand knocking off his helmet. Unable to fight back, inky black blood painted her face the moment she shoved her blade through his chin. A shadowy darkness devoured him, fresh blood pouring from her nose. Only ash remained in her palms, the other soldiers leaping up towards her. With one bold swing, her blade cut them down. Dark gray ash snowed in the inky sky, her palm catching a handful. Tears streamed down her cheeks, regret dimming her eyes. She didn't want to kill them but it was for our survival. Her blade faded away, her head bowing in shame. Her eyebrow twitched, the corner of her lip quivering. Her wings folded up, her body falling through the sky. Smacking Scarlet's side, a wave of relief crashed over me the moment she caught her. Laying her across my lap, Scarlet whisked us home. Scooping her up, Scarlet galloped into the neighboring forest. Sammy waved at me, Dallena's head rested on his lap.

"We stayed up for you to make sure you were okay." He explained calmly, smoothing out Dallena's steel gray Italian business suit. "We really care for her, you know. We just want her to be okay." Smiling kindly in his direction, he adjusted his navy t-shirt and ripped jeans with a nervous grin. Marching into the bedroom, a calming wave washed over me. Sitting her up, my nimble fingers peeled off her wet clothes. The wet thud of them landing on the floor disgusted me, her body collapsing onto the pillow. Tucking her in, she curled into a ball. Her first mass murder surely traumatized her, her fists clenching into tight balls. Dragging a chair next to her, my eyes watched her cry out in her sleep. Her sheer power stunned me, my heart pounded out of my chest. That level of power hadn't been seen for centuries, my mind remembering that my clothes were still soaking wet. Cursing to myself, my clothes dropped into a wet pile by my feet. Seeing her this way broke me, my mind falling back on my first massacre. The feeling of the blood on my skin still taunted me, the pile of bodies rested underneath my feet. If I am being honest I don't remember why the whole thing began.

"Sy." She sobbed softly in her sleep, her hand reaching out for me. "Don't leave me because I am a monster. I had to kill all of those people. Don't hate me! Please don't hate me!" Yanking her into my arms, she shivered. Throwing a blanket over us, my chin rested on her head. The primal part of me wanted to kick Renkin's ass, the other parts of me understanding why his plan was the right one. Eventually, she would inherit his full powers. Such is the burden of a child killing their burden, a magical law that was meant to be a punishment. What would happen that day?

"He can send every person after her but it will always come down to her killing him." My old man informed me casually, appearing suddenly on our bed. "Judging by her hair, she managed to burn his book. Even if she didn't burn it, she still would have inherited those powers." Embarrassment burned my cheeks, his white button up shirt and gray dress pants look throwing me off. Running his hand through his hair, his eyes shined with adventure. Resting his hands on his knees, the moonlight bathed his tired face.

"I don't understand." I stammered nervously, chewing my lips. "What does that have to do with anything?" Rolling his eyes, his fingers began to drum nervously on his knees. His eyes hid a secret, probably one that would destroy me. A sad glint danced in his eyes, tears welling up like before. A dark bit of information hid beneath his eyes, my patience wearing thin.

"I don't mean to alarm you but her fate is horrible." He stuttered brokenly, his expression shattering my heart. "If she can't manage his power she will die. I was reading up on it and I couldn't find any solutions. I am scared for her. His darkness is unlike any other." Raising my brow in response, he hadn't acted like this since he had ventured into her memories. The alarm bells rang in my head, claws extended from my fingernails. Taking a deep breath, my claws shrank back. No one was going to get any answers by ripping out his throat.

"What do you mean by his darkness is like no other? More importantly, why are you scared?" I questioned intensely, his lips pressing into a thin line. Refusing to look at me, his drumming grew faster. A small cry escaped her lips, a warm bit of concern flashing in his eyes. He had grown since she appeared in our lives, his emotions always showing on his face. Before he was a block of ice, so lost in his own world.

"He is the original lord of evil so that's the problem. He gave birth to all of the evil things in the world. Now he isn't needed, humans generate enough on their own." He sighed bitterly, waving his hands around. "There will always be murderers in the world. I do know one thing, Lucifer created a stone so no one ever had to hold that position again. All she has to do is fight when it comes time. I think she can do it. Her determination to make our worlds better should be enough but when the day comes you will need to get through to her. You will have to be her hero that day." What the hell was he talking about! Why wouldn't I ever be her hero when she needed me? Confusion dawned in my eyes, my old man disappearing in a puff of black smoke. Hours passed agonizingly, the silence torturing my mind.

"Good morning." She chirped cheerfully, her false smile hiding her anxiety. "I swear to God that I sensed your father here last night. Perhaps I was imagining things. I am going to make us some tea, and put on a movie. Sammy is dying to hang out with me. We can play later, Sy." Leaping out of my arms, her feet barely touching the floor as she danced over to her closet. Watching her pick out a white lace bra set and simple light gray sweatshirt dress. Throwing everything on swiftly, her feet skipped out of the room. Grappling with how to tell her everything my old man told me, she poked her head in.

"It isn't movie time without you!" She sang too happily, fighting some serious trauma. "Everyone is waiting for you." Spinning back into the living room, her hair was the last thing I saw. Choosing a black band shirt and dark jeans, my fingers fluffed up my hair. A quiet horror hid underneath my smile, her numb look scaring me. Everyone sipped the ice tea she had made, their eyes watching the screen. Her food remained untouched, her fingernails scratched at her legs. Plopping down next to her, she barely protested as I pulled her onto my lap. Silent tears streamed down her cheeks, lines of blood showed underneath her sharp fingernails. Sammy was talking to her, her responses matching his words perfectly. Playing the part of big sister with ease, they couldn't tell how torn up she was. The whole weekend passed like this, her act fooling everyone but me. Sending them off, the shadow children tugged on the bell sleeve of her light orange dress.

"Not today guys. I am not in the mood." She uttered exhaustively, not having eaten all weekend. "I am not really feeling anything." Sulking into the bedroom, the mattress creaked the moment she crashed onto it. Throwing a blanket over her head, she curled into a ball. Poking the blanket, nothing happened. Taking a deep breath, my fingers gripped the blanket. Ripping it off, she snatched it back.

"Leave me alone!" She shouted venomously, trembling away. "I did an awful thing and killed so many people. I am so scared. I don't want to go dark. I don't want to become evil." Pulling her up to my chest, her arms wrapped around my waist. Fresh tears flooded from her eyes, her grip growing desperate by the second. She looked like a small child in my arms, her tears soaking my dark gray t-shirt.

"You did what you had to do." I comforted her lovingly, her wet eyes gazing up at me. "How about I make your favorite meal since you haven't a thing all weekend?" A sad smile dimmed her face, her lips kissing mine sweetly. Laying back down, she shot me a thumbs up. Walking out, snores told me that she was sleeping. Settling down in the kitchen, the shadow children gathered the ingredients. Humming a song to myself, the water was boiling away next to me. Dumping the egg noodles in, my minions were cutting up the vegetables for me. Hollow footsteps echoed in the living room, Pumpkin sat down across from me. Laying her head down on the counter, a minor smirk dulled her face. At least she wanted to be with me, my hand sliding her some iced tea. Taking a sip, her mood lightened a bit. Reaching for my hand, my fingers intertwined with hers. Snuggling into my hand, her lips brushed against the top.

"I love you, Sy." She mumbled tiredly, yawning groggily. "I would be lost without you. If you hadn't saved me when my father had a gun to my head I would have died. Do you think anyone is proud of me or just ashamed? My mother was never proud of me, so why would anyone else?" Ripping her hand away, the stool scraped the floor as she stood up. Turning to leave, my hand gripped her wrist. Clutching her close to my chest, her fists banged against my back. The punching slowed to a stop, her arms dangling limply by her sides. Silent tears streamed down her cheeks, a long sigh echoing in the room.

"I am proud of you and I am pretty sure my family is proud of you. We love all of you, and can't imagine a life without you." I assured her warmly, chuckling lightly at her adorableness. "You are an amazing woman who deserves every good thing in her life. I am the luckiest husband in the universe. It is an honor to serve as your husband and future king. I love you more than the moon." My finger lifted her chin, her wet eyes refusing to look at mine. Pressing her lips into a thin line, my brow cocked with anticipation. Tickling her side, her laughter twinkled in the air. Her real smile brightened her face, her hair tickling my neck. Spinning around me, she stirred the noodles.

"I believe you but I am still struggling with having to kill people to survive. I couldn't kill my parents after all." She commented briskly, her mood darkening. "Let's cook together. I find that cooking together is the most fun." Humming happily to herself, she tested a noodle. Draining the noodles, she fixed my minions' cuts. Helping proved to be a figurative word, her natural ease in the kitchen rendering me to the dishes. Curling my arms around her waist, her lips pecked my cheeks.

"I thought we were cooking together, not you taking over." I teased lightly, a sly grin dancing across her lips. "Unless this is your way of cooking together." Shrugging her shoulders, her hands cupped mine. Kissing the top of her head, a purr rumbled in her throat. Rubbing her ass against my cock, the crackling sound of onions and peppers made my stomach growl. Crimson colored my cheeks, the ground turkey smelling just as amazing. Twenty minutes passed and we sat next to each other on the couch with our bowls of American chop suey. Turning the television onto her favorite show, her head rested on my shoulder. Married life sure suited me, my hand rested on her thigh. Taking the first bite, I was in Heaven. The flavors all melted together, the taste reminding me of a warm autumn evening. This show didn't make any sense, her eyes were glued to the screen. Clearing my throat, she glanced over at me with an irked expression.

"What is this show about?" I queried honestly, wanting to understand what she liked about it. "It looks like any old vampire show. We both know that they aren't like that." Setting her empty bowl down, she laid her head on my lap. Shooting daggers up at me, a wicked grin curled on my lips. Sarcastic words rested on the tip of her tongue, her brow cocking with irritation.

"It may not be accurate to them but at this point I am beginning to think it is the story of my life. They fight the same battles, and have the same drama." She retorted venomously, turning over. "I am not watching it for information but to escape my own drama for once. The weapons are awesome and you wouldn't understand it!" Seeing her so defensive turned me on, the spoon clanging as I set my bowl down. Leaping off of the couch, her eyes narrowed in my direction. Fishing out her favorite ice cream, her eyes glittered with excitement at the bowl of peanut butter cup ice cream. Crumbling some peanut butter cups over the top, her fangs bit her lips at the sight of melted peanut butter over the ice cream. Skipping over with the bowl, I held it out of her reach.

"You can't have a bite until you give me a kiss." I taunted playfully, her fingers curling around the collar of my t-shirt. Yanking me close to her face, her lips pressed against mine hungrily. My heart fluttered, her free hand swiping the ice cream from me. Releasing me from her spell, a defeated smirk spread on my lips. Resting her ankle on her knee, she began to eat her ice cream. Plopping down next to her, she offered me a spoonful. The creaminess coated my throat, a depressed expression dimming her face.

"Is what your father said true? Will his darkness kill me if I can't repel it with my golden heart? I don't want to die." She expressed numbly, playing with her sundae. "I want to live with all of you. I have never had a real family before and I don't want to lose it." Tears welled up in her eyes, her eyes falling back on the screen.

"It really isn't fair, is it?" She continued hotly, the spoon snapping in half. "They get their happy ending, and my path is ripe with conflict, pain and sorrow. Yes, I am aware that I started this. Hell needs its rightful king." Snapping my fingers, another spoon was in my hand. This wasn't good, sheer panic twisting my face.

"It also needs its rightful queen. Sure we aren't television characters but something better." I exclaimed lovingly, taking the broken spoon away from her. "We are the real deal. Unlike the show, our lives don't stop after the credits roll. They move on, and I couldn't live on without you. We will find a way to save you. I can promise you that. Now explain this show to me again." Rolling her eyes, she dug into her sundae. Thank you for being my feisty little firecracker of a wife. Nothing would be the same again, her antics sure to keep me entertained.