Pushing herself up, Etani gave the demon another kick, and he growled at her, the twins letting him go and backing away.
He was on his feet in the next second, fuming and looking dishevelled.
"I was going to give it back anyway!" he yelled.
Versalis snorted. "Oh, please; I'm not an idiot."
"You should go," Kai growled.
Daemon turned on her, his face flushed with anger, but he didn't answer. "Etani you have to let me explain," he started.
"No, I don't Daemon. I don't have to listen to a single thing you say, and I don't want to hear your voice again."
His face fell, and he took a step closer, his hands reaching for her. "Please don't do this…" he pleaded, but she only backed away from him.
"You sided with them against me…" she whispered.
His eyes dropped, at least having the good sense to feel ashamed.
"Etani we had to… there was a prophecy—"
Her harsh laugh cut him off and the three vampires exchanged a glance, much like Letari, they knew the warning signs of her about to lose her temper.
"Another one?" she asked sarcastically. "You chose to betray me over a stupid prophecy?"
His eyes lifted, and he glared at her, taking another step forward and forcing her to retreat.
"We didn't do it on a whim!" he hissed. "We did it to keep you from destroying the world!"
"No Daemon. All you did was ensure I had very few people left in it that made me think it was worth saving," she whispered, and his eyes widened. "Get out. Go back to Faerie with your friends where you belong."
"I'm not leaving you unprotected," he growled, prowling forward.
Etani backed away until her back hit the wall and she immediately felt trapped. The three vampires moved to flank the demon, but they held back, waiting for her signal. "I don't need your particular brand of protection."
"You don't realise what we did to keep you safe."
"Oh, I know exactly what you did. You made sure that the only way I could be a Creator was either though your permission or through birth."
He jerked, looking surprised. "What do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean."
His gaze dropped to her abdomen, and he went pale as it clicked.
He had ensured that she would never be able to create a child, and if word ever got out, she would be hunted down and used for her womb's ability to create worlds, whether she wanted it or not.
"Leave, and don't come back," she whispered.
He shook his head, his eyes still on her abdomen.
"What does it mean?" Jaia demanded, looking angry and confused.
"I'll tell you later…" Versalis said.
But Jaia shook his head. "Tell me now!"
"It means that any God or Fae who wants to be King of an entire world, all he had to do is impregnate me," she hissed. "If word ever gets out, I'll be hunted."
"Can't they just reverse it?" Kai demanded.
"Do you really want Hades to find out? Or Poseidon?" she asked and Kai first frowned, then went pale. "They aren't well known for taking 'no' as an acceptable answer."
"I'll fix it," Daemon said. He closed the distance to her, her hand flying, but he caught her wrist, pressing it against the wall. He curled his fingers around her other wrist before she could move to try to strike him, and held her trapped, ignoring the burning anger that radiated out of her as his head bowed and he pressed his forehead against hers.
"I didn't betray you. I love you," he whispered, ignoring the warning growls from the vampires, though she didn't think they would have heard what he said.
"You can't love what you don't trust," she murmured.
His eyes grew hooded, smiling very slightly in that same smug, sexual way that made her heart skip a beat, and she was sure he had heard it, remaining silent to prove a point.
"You're a traitor," she whispered, but he shook his head.
"I did what I had to do in order to keep you, and to keep you safe."
"You did not keep me safe, and you don't have me to keep."
His laugh was low, and he tilted his head so that his lips brushed her ear. "Tell yourself whatever it is you need to, but you're mine and you know it," he whispered. "It's only a matter of time before I get to claim you."
Etani's body went cold, and she felt his smile as a shiver went through her, his teeth catching her earlobe for an instant before he turned away and released her.
"I will not leave Ayathian. I will stay close to ensure you are safe while we deal with the situation at hand," Daemon announced
"I don't want you here," she snapped back.
"Your wants are irrelevant in this situation, my dear girl. You have to be protected."
Etani was fuming as Dirdos strolled into the room, closely followed by Epharis. The two froze, looking around curiously at the tension in the room.
"What's going on?" Dirdos asked and an idea popped into Etani's head.
"The Gods bound Etani's magic so they could control her," Versalis said, and Dirdos looked at Daemon. "He helped them."
Epharis growled but Dirdos only whistled softly.
"I'm sure she's happy about that," he said, and his head turned in her direction, his brows lifting as he saw her intent, thoughtful glare. He pursed his lips and tucked his hands in his pockets, sauntering around the room as though he had no real purpose.
"It's none of your business, dragon," Daemon growled.
"You will stop at nothing until you have control over her," Epharis said.
Daemon turned on him. "That's rich coming from the lich who forced her into marriage!"
"And what does that say of you, the man who spent centuries trying to create this being?" Epharis retorted coldly.
While most were looking at the lich, Dirdos came to a stop at her side and she looked up at him, finding his curious gaze on her as well. Turning to the dragon, she knew no one would be paying all that much attention to her while they were arguing, and held out her hand to him. He took it immediately, his face darkening slightly at the hint of her brow lifting in question. She would have to ask aloud and she sighed, their eyes going to Epharis when green fire burst into being.
"She's my wife," Epharis was snarling.
"She's my creation!" Daemon yelled back, his eyes glowing gold in his fury.
"Neither of you have any claim over her," Jaia said angrily.
"Oh, you stay out of it, vampire. You have as much chance of being with her as he has," Daemon fumed, turning on Jaia.
"None of you have a chance of being with her," Versalis said quietly, his attention lingering on Etani's hand in Dirdos', and he seemed to realise she was planning something.
"Ask," the dragon said in a barely audible whisper. Still, all eyes turned, the tension in the room hitting record levels as they saw what Versalis had known the whole time.
"Dirdos, will you take me somewhere where they can't find me?" Etani asked the dragon, and his grin spread wide.
Voices cried out in alarm as he drew her closer to him, his arm going around her waist.
"It would be my pleasure," he growled. "Three down. It's getting close, my little beauty."
"Etani, no!" Daemon cried, rushing forward, but her eyes met the crimson, gleeful stare of the dragon.
"Goodbye," he said to the others, not taking his eyes off Etani as the world around them erupted into flames. Daemon screamed her name, Kai and Jaia made a grab for her, but she didn't care. She needed to escape them all and they were gone, leaving the others to hold on to empty air.