Ungodly Resurrection

12: Hell Hound

Bel and Emma raced down the stairs to find their kids pressed up against the wall across from the window that looked out over the garden. It was an adorable little nook with a window seat that Emma had turned into a children's area, but now all of them were looking outside, squealing. Skye pointed.

“Bad wolf! Momma, Papa Bel! It's the bad wolf!” Skye cried.

“Bad wolf?” Emma asked with confusion. She looked out the window to see what they meant. Slowly, something prowled by. Too large to fit through the door or window, shadows clung to it, eating away at the flesh, revealing bone. It looked in at her with red eyes in a skull face, black fur bristling. It howled and Emma jerked back self-consciously.

“Luci!” Bel whispered breathlessly.

“That's Luci?” Emma cried, only she realized as she said it that it was true. “What do we do?” She murmured, tears threatening to blind her.

“Go to him Emma. Only you can calm him now.” Bel said softly, giving her a gentle push towards the door.

“What if..”

“He won't hurt you.” Bel soothed. Emma straightened her back.

“Ok.” She said resolutely and strode forward into the gardens. The black wolf-Luci, swung on her. It bared its teeth in a snarl and it came barreling at her. She thought it would knock her down, but instead it began to sniff all over her. Emma had the foresight to stand still as it started at the top of her head, and snuffled downwards. It stuck its nose in her crotch and inhaled deeply. She swatted it with a loud slap.

“Luci! The kids are watching!” She scolded. The wolf sneezed, and looked at her bewildered.

'You are not my Mistress.' The voice blasted through her mind like fire. 'But I smell her and my Master on you.' Emma stepped back. The voice was not Luci's. Not her Luci.

“Luci...” Emma held out a hand towards him. The dark wolf tensed and snapped at her, and for one terrible second Emma thought it would take off her hand.

'Where's my Mistress?' The wolf demanded. It snarled and snapped at her again, backing her up towards the house.

“Luci, stop!” Emma commanded. The wolf's steps faltered, but didn't stop. It continued to advance on her and she hit the side of the house with a crack, knocking her head against it. It made her unreasonably angry as the tears stung her eyes. She snarled herself and felt the pressure of the wings trying to burst from her skin, but she was pressed against the house and there was no room. She jerked forward and embraced the Demon side of herself. If this thing wanted to play rough, then so be it. She gnashed her teeth as her claws extended and her skin greyed. Emma pushed off the wall, hurling herself at Luci, but to her utter surprise, the wolf lowered its front end into a low bow.

'Mistress.' The voice rumbled through her head. Emma froze and her Demon Form began to fade. As it did, Luci's fur began to change back to white, then it melted to his human Form. He staggered and fell.

“Emma.” He gasped, but his eyelids fluttered closed and he landed on his side.

“Luci? Are you ok? Luci?” She was yelling while she ran to his side. Emma heard the door burst open and Bel caught up with her with long strides.

“Your blood Emma, quickly.” Bel urged, he lifted Luci's head from the ground. Emma plucked a lancet from her thoughts. It was something she would normally consider a waste of energy, but not where her loved ones' lives was concerned. She jabbed three of her fingers swiftly and ran the blood along Lucin's lower lip, trying to encourage him to open his mouth. He licked his lips, tasting her blood and suddenly latched onto her fingers with an urgency that surprised her.

“Luci, calm down.” Emma gasped as he bit her fingers, trying to pull more blood from her. His eyes snapped open, they were the color of blood and Emma tried to jerk away, but Lucian's hand came up and grabbed her wrist, holding her in place. He looked at Emma, and as soon as his gaze met hers, she felt frozen in place. The red of Luci's eyes slowly faded to ice blue and Emma relaxed. “Thank the gods.” Emma breathed. Luci blinked several times, as if dazed, then he cracked a half-grin.

“Hi Emma.” He croaked around her fingers. “What's going on?”

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“I don't remember anything.” Luci clutched his head as he sat at the dining room table. They had waited to have this conversation until after the children had gone to bed. “The last thing I remember was helping Sol and then I was in the woods and... then I saw you Emma.”

“You were in your Hell Hound Form Lucian.” Bel said softly, setting a cup of hot coffee in front of Luci.

“Hell Hound? Oh gods, it's because I ended up a Demon, isn't it?” Emma groaned, letting her head fall onto her arms on the table to hide her tears. Bel lifted her face by the chin.

“You're not a Demon, beloved. You've merely taken on a secondary Form. It doesn't make you anything you don't want to be.” Bel leaned down and kissed her gently, placing a cup of hot chocolate in front of her.

“Maybe... Maybe it's time to let you go Luci so you won't have to go through this.” Emma said softly.

“No!” Luci cried. “No. I can't lose what little connection to the world I have, what if I lose myself to that.. that creature?” But something inside Lucian stung, thinking he might be safer, it might be safer for his family, if he let her cut their Familiar Bond. But, then what would happen to him? “No.” He murmured again. “This is my family.”

“You wouldn't have to leave, I would never do that to you Luci!” Emma said tearfully. Bel gently turned her face to his again.

“You can't guarantee that, Emma. There's no telling what will happen to a Familiar when cut loose. He could lose all his memories, or be immediately called to service another. If you let him go, it may be permanent.” Bel murmured gently. Emma gasped. She couldn't do that, she loved Luci!

“I just want to forget about this for a while. Can we do that?” Luci looked at them desperately.

“I think it would be best to make a few plans Lucian. I don't know why you are having memory loss during these episodes, and I'm frankly a little worried about how we should contain you if you become a threat.” Bel commented softly. Lucian jerked and looked at his hands fisted on the table. It's not that he hadn't been thinking the same thing himself, but hearing it from Master Bel was like the final blow to his waning confidence.

“Maybe I should leave for a while after all. Until this Form settles.” Luci spoke to the table.

“No. If you won't let me cut you loose, you're not running out on me either. Like you said, we're family. We're going to get your through this.” Emma grabbed his hand. “It's all about belief right? Well I believe you're going to be fine.” Emma grinned at him halfheartedly. Lucian smiled softly at her.

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Luci ran his fingers up and down Emma's spine while she slept, wrapped around him like she was afraid he would try to bolt while she was sleeping. To be fair, the thought had occurred to him. Bel smoothed Emma's hair.

“Still can't sleep?” Bel asked quietly.

“No.” Lucian measured his tone, trying to keep the panic from slipping within.

“You won't, you know. Change Forms while you sleep. The Hell Hound is Bound to Emma much as you are. It would never harm her, and if it perceives no threat, it won't return.” Bel murmured, placing a gentle kiss on Emma's temple.

“That's not entirely what Emma said earlier. She said it was after her until her Demon Form came out. That it only acknowledged her then. I can't risk it. What happens, Master Bel, if I change in front of the children? Will the Hell Hound try to kill them too?” Lucian's voice was pained, heartbroken. “I don't feel they're safe around me any longer... and I..” His voice hitched.

“Emma would be devastated if you left. You know that right? As long as she's around, you'll be fine. She has the ability to calm the beast.” Bel replied softly. He tucked back a stray curl that had stuck to her cheek. “And if all else fails, there's always me.” This sentence was nearly whispered. It held a quiet oath to Luci to protect the family, even if it meant from Luci himself. Luci jerked a nod silently.

“Thank you, Master Bel.” He said quietly. “I will stay.”

“You'd better.” Emma mumbled sleepily, “Or I'll hunt you down and make you come back.” Luci jerked.

“How long have you been awake?” He gasped.

“Just long enough to hear you say you'll stay. That's good enough for me. Besides, you have to be here when the children are born. Don't you want to know whose they are and what they look like?” Emma huffed a laugh, but was asleep again before Lucian answered her.

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This was a bad idea and Emma knew it. But she couldn't stop herself. She stepped onto the Pagan plane and took a deep breath. Of course she needed to make this quick, she had some work with Bel this afternoon. He was supposed to be teaching her a little more about her regenerative abilities. It would be nice not to have to cry every time she wanted to heal something.

She had barely made it halfway down the knoll to the town before she saw the stag racing up the cobblestone street towards the town center, a look of desperation and excitement warring for prominence on his face.

“Goddess!” He called, and as he caught up to her, a hushed whispered “Emma.”

“I didn't think you'd be back, after... well after what happened last time.” Cern said softly, gently gripping her waist to pull her to him. She stepped back, a hand on his chest to hold him at bay.

“Let's take a walk, I don't wish to be overheard.” Emma frowned. Cern gripped her hand as she turned, holding it in his large, rough fingers delicately, like he thought she might bruise or break. Her frown deepened, and she considered ripping her hand from him, but decided she didn't want to cause a scene, so bore with it. As soon as they arrived at the clover field again, she turned to face him, once again placing a hand on his chest to hold him back. He simply wrapped his own hand around hers, dropping the hand he had been holding to wrap his hand around the small of her back, pulling her against his body, where she could feel his arousal already pulsing between them.

“Cern.” Emma tried to say sternly, but it came out as more of a gasp.

“Yes, my love? My goddess?” Cern leaned down to kiss the spot behind her ear. She tried to jerk back from him, but the movement turned into a halfhearted moan, and slight tilting of her head.

“Why can't I escape you?” She groaned in frustration.

 “Because you feel the connection. You know we're right for each other.” Cern whispered, kissing his way down her neck.