Twisted Ties

Heyaz amigos and amigas. Finally back with the next chapter. There is no lemon in this chap; it is a bit darker in a way and involves a death. Have a drawing that may help with the imagery for a scene.

http://cobrastrife.deviantart.com/art/My-child-108362405

As well, just for fun's sake, I got a request to do Velacia with a chibi Kaine on her boobs XD

http://cobrastrife.deviantart.com/art/Fanservice-119151080

Anyways I hope you enjoy ^_^

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Velacia was very satisfied. Grinning, she looked down at the hulking deer she brought down only mere moments ago. It was a big animal, twice the size of her and its antlers almost surpassing her own height. The antlers were lovely shade of dusty red and the rest of it had soft, plush beige fur. It had put up a good fight for a herbivore, but she only toyed with it before killing it with her venom in the end. Green veins had appeared along its body due to said venom and blood was seeping from its blank white eyes. She was currently sitting on its flank on her haunches, her tail swishing back behind her lazily. Smiling she started to cut up the flesh with her claws, the blood still warm gushing over her hands and ankles. Truth be told, she wasn't hungry herself. It was more so for her offspring inside.

She sliced a piece of meat and ate it gingerly, thinking. She was still concerned of Harper following her, and even Tobias for that matter. Well the elf she sort of understood and she guessed as long as he got his objective done on time, he could probably follow her. But still, if Kaine knew...

And well as for Tobias, he was a nuisance and ever since the encounter with Toria just did not want to leave her alone. She was able to get rid of him for now, for she liked hunting alone, not that Tobias ever hunts anymore. He was off getting drunk somewhere most like.

Thankfully she hasn't seen Kaine, but time was coming close to birth and she was expecting him. However she had to play carefully, what with the contract she was in and the information she obtained from Toria. Thinking still, she ate another slice of meat, her tail still wagging lazily with the warm feel of blood running down her throat, at times quenching her thirst when water alone could not.

Hidden above, Kaine had slithered from the shadows in the high bows of a nearby tree and watched Velacia as she sliced into the deer. He could tell it was nearly time for the offspring to be born.

"So, there you are my dear. It is good to see you are well" he stated as he stood there leaning up against the trunk of the tree, arms folded, looking as roguish as ever.

Well speak of the devil... and gods, horrible pun Velacia thought as she slowly turned her head to gaze over Kaine's form, eyeing him, keeping whatever feelings she had hidden deep within her scales. The information Toria had told her about his association with children still left her ill, but she would handle that when the time came. Returning her attention to her slain meal, she sliced up another chunk of flesh and chewed on it slightly, looking at nothing in particular as she replied.

"I figured you'd show up soon enough, but that can be surmised as much with you needing to check on the offspring. Mm, yes indeed. Seems you are well also".

Kaine smirked coolly and stepped off the branch, landing on his feet lightly on the ground, no sound could be heard as he did, as if he was truly as light as a feather.

"I trust you are doing well then. Good. I would hate for anything to happen to you". He smirked and started walking leisurely toward Velacia. "Tell me, what have you been up to my dear?"

Still she did not look at him as he approached, cutting up another chunk of meat, her tongue trailing around the contours of the dripping flesh in an almost loving manner. Her thoughts darkened at his words of something happening to her. She doubted any truth behind the words but decided to not speak on it. Voicing her concerns would only give him more ample ammunition to use against her, that she knew well. Instead she shrugged her shoulders as she lapped at the blood.

"Oh you know, having claimed a breeding ground, speaking with my ancestor, training my body and mind for more control on my other forms. Remedial things such as that. And yourself? I am sure you have been busy lately?"

"I have been very busy yes. Preparations for the little ones of course". He smirked in that charming yet eerie manner as he reached her and laid a hand on her shoulder lightly, his hand was unusually warm. "Staying out of trouble I hope?"

Again Velacia used all control in herself to not attack him, to not let those words crawl deep inside, to not picture what Kaine would most likely do to the children once they were born.

Her tail stilled in its swaying as he touched her shoulder, wondering why he was so warm today... and trying not to admit how nice it felt. At the next question she smiled slightly, nipping another chunk of flesh off.

"But of course. Would not bode well if I got myself in unnecessary danger while I'm pregnant, no?"

"Yes well, one doesn't always do what is best for themselves. Would you like to see the nursery perhaps? It is nearly complete".

He kneels down as he slithers his arms around her from behind and rests his chin on her shoulder lightly, kissing her neck gently, more heat emanating from him in a most pleasant manner. It was all too easy to get under her skin, so easy to control her...

Though inside she felt tense, on the outside she forced herself to relax. She was getting better at controlling her outward emotions, at least so she hoped, but on the inside, well, still it was not easy. She bet the nursery looked death filled as the rest of Kaine's home but still it would bode well to see it.

Her tail gently looped around one of his legs at his kiss, trying not to arch to him completely as she was finishing the piece of meat she had in her hand, chewing purposefully slow and then swallowing loudly before finally responding.

"Yes... it would be nice to see-"

"That's the guy who got you pregnant? Sheesh woman, I think you need your eyes checked. He ain't that hot" came Tobias' voice from behind her.

A growl came low in her throat as she ran her bloody hand through her hair. She craned her head slightly to the side, away from Kaine, and cast the black haired man a glare, as well as a warning for him to get out.

"Didn't I tell you I wished to be left alone while I hunt?"

"Yes, but you're done hunting now. You know, where I've travelled, any guy who had purple anything usually were into the same sex" Tobias went on, taking a long drink from his bottle, eyeing Kaine calmly, though inside he was more critically taking him in. Did this guy really have all this power Velacia has been telling him? His gaze narrowed as the opposing man's ice blue gaze flicked over toward the wolfish man calmly.

"You didn't tell me you got a pet, my dear. What's it's name?" He leered at Tobias with that sly air about him as he stole a kiss from her lips and straightened. Interesting, she was traveling with someone now. Perhaps she was hoping this mangy mutt might be of some protection.

Velacia blinked from the kiss before once again giving Tobias a burning look, almost pleading, though she hid it from Kaine. Tobias however would not heed and sighing, she took another slice of meat, pretending to sound uninterested.

"Believe me, if I were to have a pet, it would definitely not be him... and his name is Tobias Wolfsbane".

"Aw babe, that mean I am more to you?" Tobias chuckled, flashing Kaine a smirk as the man stood. Just the scent around this underworlder. Man, no wonder Velacia had problems.

"More of a nuisance. I'm even surprised to this moment how I still let you live around me" the hydra quipped, eating quietly.

"Its because you know you want to bed me".

"... no. More along the lines I like the fact of having someone... inferior to me" she replied slyly.

"Ouch, that hurts" Tobias drawled, taking another long chug from his beer, wiping his lips, his wolf ears cocked weirdly to the sides.

"So why is a devil like you bedding a hot lady like Vel? You don't seem like the type for kids either" Tobias asked casually, leaning against a tree.

"Appearances can be deceiving, wolf boy. I wouldn't want to go into detail or your inferior mind might overheat. It is probably best you leave before you say something that is going to get you into trouble". He turned his back to Tobias and turn his attention back to Velacia. "What strange company you keep".

Velacia shrugged, wishing she had telepathic powers so she could mentally shout at Tobias to take Kaine's advice and LEAVE. Why was he being so insistent on staying? To sniff out that what she told him was true? Heck he should be smelling it in waves how off and... dangerous Kaine was. Did he really need more proof?

"Usually tends to happen when you're a near extinct species" she mused, eating more of her meal.

"I dunno Vel... bedding with a devil? Won't that fuck up your kids biology? And besides, rumours usually goes that devils slay their kids after they're born and I doubt this punk is any different" Tobias said conversationally, finishing the bottle he was on and taking out another, replacing the empty one in his sack, wondering if he can goad the devil. He was wanting to see if he could pry information in his own ways.

Velacia crushed the piece of flesh in her hand, as if hoping it was Tobias' skull.

"And why do you care so much for my lineage?" she asked.

"Because a mortal such as myself should be helping you to continue it and not some pompous stubborn brat who only enjoys in toying with mortals lives" the wolf hybrid calmly stated, taking a sip from his fresh beverage, his tail swaying lazily.

"He has a decent enough vocabulary for a dog. Perhaps you should sell him to a traveling circus. They could probably use him more then you can" Kaine merely suggested passively as he flicked a wrist toward Tobias in a dismissive manner. The dog was nothing to worry about, but he could play with it later...

"As stated before, he is no pet of mine and I pity the fools having to deal with him. All he is good for is being a continuous drunk and his supposed good state of frame for screwing human females" she said in a monotone, eating more flesh from her meal.

"Well, at least I know how to make a woman feel good. With crazy hair like that, I bet he's compensating for something... no wonder you've been so cranky. You haven't had sex in so long and when you do, you get ripped off. Man Vel... I understand your pain, well if I were a woman. I guess his father was on the short side as well" Tobias continued, grinning when Velacia froze. He remembered her telling him how he got angry when she dissed Kaine's parents...

What the hell are you doing Tobias?! Velacia thought furiously.

Black tendrils shot out of the shadows and coiled around Tobias's throat and began to squeeze, though Kaine himself remained calm and smirked at the wolfman with a sneer.

"Perhaps you need to be taught a lesson in respect for your betters, mutt". Yes, this one would be fun to play with.

A benefit of being drunk, well at least in Tobias' case, was that it takes a lot to spook him. A LOT. He let out a slight cough, but continued to drink anyway, the buzz being a good measure against the pain. He grinned at him.

"Maybe its you who needs manners. Guess mommy and daddy didn't spank lil flamboyant purple haired punk enough" he mused to himself while Velacia could only force herself to continue eating. It was not that she didn't cared for Tobias' well being, as miniscule as any feeling for the wolf was, but for the moment thought best to play as if she didn't, but the youkai was definitely doing nothing to help the situation, especially his own. Though he is stupid, he was never THIS blatantly stupid. He was doing it on purpose. She watched as Kaine smirked as the tendrils tightened further, his expression still rather calm.

"No, they rarely took any action to discipline me. But that is neither here nor there. You on the other hand, perhaps you need a lesson" Kaine said as he started to walk from Velacia and towards Tobias, shadows coalescing in his hand to form an ornate dagger. "Yes, I think a lesson is in order".

"A lesson for what? Claiming back what is mine?" Tobias asked lazily as he gazed at Kaine calmly, though he was beginning to cough a bit more. Velacia meanwhile quirked an eyebrow at the comment, knowing it was a blatant lie but still how it irritated her, despite the situation.

"Since when was I YOURS? I would never mate you" she spat venomously. "I don't do mutts".

"But isn't he a mutt according to her?" Tobias accentuated slyly, casually corking his booze again and placing it back in his sack, removing it from his shoulders and tossing it lightly aside, grinning in a mischievous manner to Kaine.

Velacia almost blanched. If that idiot was going to inform what she has been doing, granted Kaine gave the go ahead, though she didn't need permission from him for that kind of stuff... well yet. She forced herself to continue eating, contemplating what to do as Kaine only got closer to Tobias.

More tendrils shot from the shadows and curled around Tobias' ankles and wrists, severely limiting the wolfman's ability to move or drink for that matter if he were still to have that bottle within his hands. Kaine stepped in close and pressed the dagger against Tobias' crotch and smirked slyly at him, the look he was giving him both dangerous and bordering on erotic.

"Perhaps we should see how well endowed you are?" It was clearly a threat to remove said bit.

Tobias was not the slightest bit fazed and he glanced over Kaine's shoulder to Velacia.

"I swear Vel, my gaydar is going off the wazoo. I think this guy is still coming out of the closet" he said before looking Kaine straight in the eye, well as straight as one can when drunk. "Come now, don't be shy. We won't judge, but unfortunately for you my fine homo-in-training, I have plenty of ladies out there awaiting for my endowment so I can't possibly let you chop it off" he sneered and then his eyes glowed bright gold, the irises narrowing into thin vertical slits.

Velacia blinked, looking in their direction as a wisp of gold light encircled him, almost blinding him from view, the growling emitting from Tobias' lips none too soft. It was only getting louder, and louder... one could see the youkai's muscles tightening and bulging and then with a bright flash of white light almost blinded the area.

Upon dispersing, a humanoid man did not remain. Oh no. It was a large hulking white wolf, twice the height of Kaine and five times as long. Blue crystalline designs ran along its sharp paws and long tail while the rest of its white fur glowed with a hidden ethereal beauty. Velacia had only seen Tobias transform once before and that was when he meant business.

Why were drunks so stupid?

Kaine only smirked more as he observed this new form, those cold eyes giving a none too pleasant feeling.

"I've never much been fond of ice. It will only make the lesson more interesting however. I almost feel sorry for you". The dagger in his hand warped and grew into his full sized sword. "Well dog? Show me what you've got. I'm keen to see if Vel's pet has a bite as well as a bark".

Tobias let out a deep laugh, it seeming to shake the trees around him. His voice was a lot more rough and lower, his gold eyes flashing dangerously.

"Mmm... you, not fond of ice? I'm surprised seeing as that's how stone cold you demons are" he rumbled slightly, his white fur bristling and ears laying back as he let out a howl, raising himself onto his hind legs before slamming into the ground, the earth shaking as he let out a blast of ice towards Kaine's direction. As it passed along the surface, it seemed the rate of movement around the blast slowed greatly, though it would not effect the wolf itself. Kaine jumped straight up into the air and hovered there floating above the blast.

"I do believe I said I do not like ice" he reminded the wolf, his voice taking on a slightly annoyed edge to it. He held his sword straight up above him for a moment, energy starting to crackle around the blade, crimson threads of electricity dancing along the blade. "Please try your best not to annoy me too much, dog."

"Well I suppose you and Vel do have that thing in common... not liking to being annoyed and not liking ice either. Hmm... I wonder if I found a weakness" he growled, tensing his muscles as he lunged towards Kaine, but moving really fast, a little faster then that of Velacia in her second form. He let out another blast of ice, though this time instead of one large one, multiple different shards shot out individually. Any inanimate object it hit, such as some of the trees, it slashed through quite cleanly.

Velacia was becoming wary, remaining in a hunched position. One, the battle was leaving her tense and full of worry, knowing fully well Tobias could only put up a struggle more pitiful then she before he would fall...

... and if that ice were to hit her... well it would not bode well, both for her health and Tobias'.

Kaine vanished, using his space bending ability to appear behind Tobias and swung his wicked looking blade at the giant wolf's back, sending an arc of crimson lightning down at the creature.

"Yes, cause I would openly advertise a true weakness. You fool. Just because I dislike something doesn't mean it has any particular effect on me".

Tobias let out a howl as blood poured from his back and the purple haired man's blade cut into his flesh deeply. It burned greatly but still would not bring the beast to his knees.

He quickly snapped around, knocking Kaine back to the ground with his muzzle, his jaw clamping down on one of his legs as blue aura started to form around his jaws, a warning that he was planning to freeze, and thus break the demon's leg right off. Brackish black blood seeps from the wounds where Tobias' fangs have sunk into Kaine's leg and the ice blue eyed man bares his fangs.

"Bad dog" he snarls and attempts to drive his blade directly up between the mandibles of the giant wolf's jaw and up into the roof of his mouth while on Tobias' back, what looks like rot starts to spread from the wound, blackening the flesh and crawling out like veins of death.

Tobias had been somewhat expecting Kaine to shove his weapon up into his jaws and immediately let out his ice attack, enveloping the weapon and the purple haired man's lower half, encasing him. His gold eyes narrowed sharply to the feeling occurring upon his back, feeling somewhat weakened.

Velacia felt tense. She had not seen Kaine damage someone like that before but she knew it did not bode well. She cautiously stalked off her prey and slowly approached them, debating on what to be done. She would be a fool to attack Kaine and right now she couldn't. Yet Tobias on the other hand...

Rot began to spread from the new injury to Tobias' jaws, slowly crawling outward from where the sword was embedded, the blade still having pierced his flesh before being coated in ice. Kaine gaze flicked down toward his frozen leg with a carefully schooled neutrality.

"Not the brightest breed apparently". He reaches up to grab hold of one of Tobias' canines and attempts to rip it right out of the giant wolf's mouth with a bare hand.

Tobias was struggling, not understanding this sensation, though he did not like it, he did not like it at all. And the more he felt weakened, the more he felt himself submit. Was this what being on the brink of looming death felt like?

His eyes shot to Velacia and sent a look, a pleading one, for her to do something. The hydra could only look back incredulously. She had warned him and if she were going to risk the life of her offspring for him-

And yet still... Velacia inwardly sighed. Such a fool, but a fool she didn't want to die, at least not like this.

Again blue energy surged from within the rotten wolf's lips as he planted his claws firmly in the ground, struggling against Kaine's grip, intending to fight with all his might to overpower the purple haired underworlder, though he had a wary feeling that his chances of survival were minimal to none, at least on his own accord.

Velacia gritted her fangs, debating on what to do. Attacking was out of the question. Perhaps a different approach was what was needed here. She lazily crawled up behind Kaine, but kept a good two meters between them as she gazed at the fight with a bored look.

"For someone who is titled as a prince of twisted leaping you definitely seem grounded currently" she said casually, accentuating the nickname though pretending to mean his leg frozen to the ground. Kaine goes still and slowly glanced over his shoulder toward Velacia, Tobias completely forgotten, he narrows his eyes at the hydra dangerously.

"Where did you hear that name?" he demanded as he pulled at the large canine tooth, quite intent on ripping it out of the wolf's head. Velacia pretended to be caught gazing at Kaine's leg pointedly, though Tobias caught the meaning. It meant NOT to fuck anything up. She then finally lazily brought her eyes up to Kaine's, her tail swaying behind her slowly.

"Hmm? Oh, just from a friend of yours" she said nonchalantly, as if it meant nothing to her. But she was giving him a look, that clearly stated otherwise.

Kaine yanked the blade out of Tobias' lower jaw and allowed it to disperse into wisps of shadow. His leg cracks, then shatters as he climbs to his remaining foot with an uncanny balance, his gaze almost feels as though it is looking into Velacia's very soul.

"Who were you talking to" he demands firmly again as Kaine manages to rip the tooth from Tobias' mouth and stabs it into the poor wolf's snout as if to accentuate his words.

"Nice touch" Velacia mused, finding it weird how Kaine could stand on just one leg. Then again, with this demon's abilities, losing a leg was most likely not much.

Tobias was growling, though he had let out a yelp when Kaine had removed his fang and even more so when he was stabbed. Velacia carefully chose not to act to it and merely brought her attention back to Kaine's gaze. Oh how she wanted to shudder though. She never liked his piercing looks and this was one she wasn't fond of. Yet still, keeping her calm as best as she could, she spoke.

"Just what I stated deary, a friend of yours. Such an odd title... a prince of twisted leaping? So odd" she muttered before turning her back to him, heading lazily back to her food. "And I would appreciate if you do not murder my acquaintance. Though he may be a fool and annoying, it is still nice to have someone around that you can beat up easily" she said over her shoulder.

Kaine mutters under his breath and shadows swirl around him briefly obscuring him from view and when they leave his leg is once again intact and he shakes it out a bit, as if to test the movement though there was really no need.

"Interesting. That was no friend of mine you spoke to. I have but one friend and he would not bother speaking to you. What did the being look like exactly?" He turned his back on Tobias, walking away from him as the rot and disease continued to spread from the wolf's wounds. At this Velacia turned to him finally, sitting on her haunches. She pointed towards Tobias casually, a small smile on her lips.

"I'll tell you everything gladly if you heal him. I need him for later and would rather he not die like that" she said. It was a gamble. She was successful in perhaps stopping his fight but swaying Kaine to do something she wanted was very hard, bordering on near impossible.

Of course she could not tell him everything but one must try.

"I'll stop him from being consumed by my blade's ability, but I will not heal his wounds. The dog needs to learn his lesson" he said as he gestured and shadows crawled all over Tobias, the black veins of rot withdrawing into nothing, leaving Tobias still injured, but no longer dying. "Now. Tell me".

"Come now, did he really? You really do let your own emotions get you from time to time Kaine" she said exasperatedly, though inwardly was glad.

Tobias was breathing heavily, but the heavy sensation of death was no longer consuming him and he was glad. Ok, so he couldn't kill Kaine by the normal means, but it still answered some questions. Smirking in a way a wolf only could, he merely went about to lick his wounds, listening haphazardly to Kaine and Velacia, his gold eyes flickering between the two.

"After your portal deposited me on the cliff, I had an encounter with a ghastly looking creature. He let out that name after inquiring if I were acquainted to you" she said casually, moving to slice up a piece of meat from her slightly cold food, licking at the fluids again.

"It didn't take them all that long". It was clear that them was being used as a general term. He ran a hand back through his spiked purple hair. "Hmm... I should take you to the nursery. Safer there". He was apparently speaking to himself as he moved toward Velacia to take her by the arm. "Lets go".

"G-Go?" she asked, trying to tug her arm back slightly, a bit confused.

Tobias eyed the two warily as he nursed his wounds. He did not like how this was turning out, but if he were to strike again, he would be back in the same situation as before... and being dead would not help Velacia. He would wait till they would go, then he would go off to seek some aid. Aid he knew would be more help to the hydra and more potent against Kaine then he was.

"I do believe I spoke plainly enough" came Kaine's reply. He didn't let go as a portal swirled into existence nearby and he starts to drag her toward it. "Your dog will be fine. I'm sure it can feed itself".

"For the last time he isn't my dog!" she snapped, still trying to struggle but finding it to be useless.

"Is it because of your friends? That being let me be after I reassured him I did not know you, but let me guess, that doesn't apply here?" she asked, casting Tobias a quick glance for him to not do anything stupid while she were a way. Tobias merely gave a sly wolf grin and a wink before resuming to tending to his wounds.

Kaine meanwhile said nothing. He simply drew close to the portal and attempted to push Velacia through it, his expression a serious one. Something about his demeanour was unnerving.

"Goddamnit Kaine! Can't you answer me straight-" Velacia demanded but the sentence strayed as she yelped as she fell through the portal, landing roughly on her knees on the other side, groaning out the other part.

"-...for once..."

Upon looking around, the hybrid finds herself in what looks to be a sterile environment with no obvious exits and a steel table in the middle of the room. A large creature seemed to be attached to the ceiling of the room with long spindly arms that dangled over the table, the only light seemed to come from the single eye that was on a long flexible stalk that belonged to the creature, Everything else around the edge of the room was in shadows.

Velacia slowly stood, observing the room apprehensively. Getting closer inspection as she looks upwards she gasped slightly, feeling somewhat disgusted at the creature she saw. She backed up from the creature and the table, believing it wise to not get too close as her tongue tried to taste the air around her, wondering if she would be safer near the shadows.

She glared at the centre of the room, wondering if this was where the children may be killed after birth. She was not enjoying the images coming within her mind. Kaine emerged from the shadows after a moment and turned his gaze toward Velacia coolly.

"Go lay on the table". His words did NOT sound like a request of any time; it was more like an order.

She took a few steps back from Kaine slightly, not liking the sound of his voice though she currently was liking that monster on the ceiling even less. She pointed to it, a narrowed look to her eyes.

"And what will that thing do once I lay down? I am not in the mood to be someone's dinner, nor do I want my insides spilled. I do not see why you didn't leave me in the forest" she hissed.

"It will not eat you, just lay down on the table. It is a servant. Nothing more. Now lay on the table, or I will force you to. I assume you do not want that" he stated as he watched her with his cold gaze.

She tensed visibly, feeling her strong outward resolve from before not being of much help in here. He wouldn't be trying to extract the kids now would he? It is still too early, unless that is what he wanted. She did not like the paranoia flowing through her but she knew he could make this situation a whole lot worse.

Clenching her hands, she briskly walked towards the table, gazing at the monster briefly before finally laying down on her back, her hands immediately laying upon her stomach as she eyed the stalk with the one eyeball apprehensively, her tail twitching nervously.

The stalked eye slithered down toward her and peered at her inches away from her face before glancing over at Kaine, who nods. In a split second five of the long spindly looking arms lanced down, two holding down her ankles, one holding her tail down against the table, and the other two moving to secure her arms at her sides with a strength of steel which didn't match the frail boned appearance of the limbs. Kaine then made his way to the table.

"Would you like to be awake for this? Or shall I put you to sleep?"

She had let out a startled cry as she was pinned to the table. Instincts told her to struggle, and struggle she tried. But this damn thing was so strong. She was breathing hard, trying to squirm free though she doubted she would succeed, unless she upped her power. Yet even then, if Kaine could defeat her higher levels, what help would they prove to her here? She glanced at the spiked purple haired man and a slight fear was apparent in her eyes.

"What are you planning to do? You're not planning to remove my eggs are you? They're not ready..." she pleaded, her claws scratching against the table's surface.

"I think I would like you to be awake for this. Don't worry, it won't hurt" he casually says, ignoring her words. A scalpel like knife appeared in his hand.

"Kaine! Wait... for god sakes..." she begged, her body trembling as he comes closer, her veins lightly appearing against her pale flesh as she struggled more. "Please..." she tried again, not liking the turn of things already. Her breath was coming out in quicker, smaller pants, her paranoia and tension within her form rising ten fold as the glowing eye of the creature above her slithers lower and positions itself over her abdomen as Kaine lowers the knife towards it as well.

"Don't struggle or I may cut something vital. We wouldn't want that now would we?"

Velacia didn't know what to believe, and Kaine wasn't doing a good job answering her questions right now. She almost wished she hadn't spoken to Toria, not have those answers, but perhaps he would not... But then he could easily kill them now if he wished...

Either way she had no way to fight back and taking his advice was all she could do. She finally forced herself to still, though her tail remained the only thing to twitch as her hands clenched ever so tightly, her claws digging slightly into her palms. She watched him warily, her eyes refusing to blink.

Kaine lowered the knife and drew the blade along Velacia's abdomen. Nothing could be felt as the blade cut into her. His hand was steady, as though this sort of thing was an everyday event for him, and he was well practiced in the surgical arts. She could even lift her head to look at what was happening, she just simply couldn't feel it. Kaine starts to hum as he eases the incision open with his hands, his voice is eerily alluring, almost hypnotic.

Velacia watched him in a frightened fashion, her neck tense. Though perhaps it was fortunate she did not feel pain, it felt weird all the same, like it was not natural. But then they were in Hell, so obviously it wasn't.

She refused to look away, ignoring how gross this may seem to her, to see someone dissecting her. His voice seemed to keep her nerves slightly calm, though agitated as well.

She hated being left in the dark.

Reaching in, Kaine wrapped his hands around the two eggs and carefully lifted them out of Velacia's belly, blood seeping out of her wounds.

"Hmm... interesting". One of the long spindly arms lowers holding a deep tray and holds it for him to place the eggs on. "See? No pain at all".

Liar... you goddamn liar... Velacia mentally seethed, watching in horror at seeing him remove her eggs... HER EGGS...

But what could she possibly do? What on earth could she possibly do? Strapped to a table and her abdomen gaping wide, stuck in a room with a powerful devil... what could she do?

Absolutely nothing.

Setting her jaw firmly shut, she let her head rest against the table and turned it away from Kaine, clenching her eyes shut tightly. She was still, minus her agitated tail and her clenched hands, her claws having successfully pierced her skin, blood oozing out slowly. At this reaction the ice blue eyed man smirked faintly at the hydra.

"Now now. Don't be that way" he chastises, cradling the two eggs in his bloody hands. "Look at them my dear. Are they not beautiful?" he then asks as he grinned broadly at her.

She did not trust herself to speak. She really, really did not. Did this man have not a sense of natural birthing period? One can't just PULL eggs or babies out of someone whenever they bloody hell wanted. Things would not turn out well. But then, did he really care?

She opened her eyes and gazed at him reproachfully before they met with the eggs. Pained feelings went through her, the pain a mother feels when losing her young. She grinded her teeth before closing her dark orbs again, refusing to look anymore.

She had just failed at being a protective parent. It was not a good sensation.

"I know what you are thinking. You haven't failed. Not yet. Now tell me more about the being that came to you. I'm curious" he continues as he cradled the eggs carefully, in an almost parental manner.

Velacia's body tensed further more. Damnit. This was what he wanted to know? HE DID THIS TO FIND THAT OUT?! She was caught between a hard place. If this was anyone besides Kaine, then yes, she would blatantly tell the truth with her children on the line, but at the same time the truth here would not bode well. This man would certainly not be pleased and would most likely slay the unborn children... but he would probably do it if she didn't answer either. Perhaps partially telling the truth may sate him. She did not look at him still, but she willed herself to speak, forcing herself to keep her voice cool and collected.

"A hideous looking behemoth, larger then me and a nasty set of teeth with a sword larger then yours. He stated I knew you and I agreed but assured him I was not close by any means. He was trying to tempt me to his side, to join against you. I declined for I was not interested and did not want to battle in a war that did not involve me".

"Is that everything? I'll be most upset if I find out there is more to the encounter then you are letting on". He could simply heal her up without a single mark, but he directs the spindly armed servant to use thread and needle to suture her manually. Perhaps the scar would serve as a reminder to the woman.

"..."

She did not doubt it. But seeing as she was being sewn up, it was clear that he was not going to return her eggs back to her. However, she was still at his mercy, as were her children. Perhaps one more detail.

"I do not understand what he was trying to tell me. He was very vague, stating that if I were to join him, he would show me how I could control you, but I was not interested. That and he was interested in bedding and studying why you took me. I did not need some foul de-...creature soiling my eggs. That is all" she concluded quietly. Kaine sighed slightly, none of this was helping him in identifying who it was that approached her.

"Would you recognize him if you saw him again?" he asked as he watched her coldly.

"Yes, I would recognize him if I saw him again" she relented, her voice sounding quite soft now. "A body such as his and a scent as ghastly is not hard to forget. If I am to come upon him again, though I doubt, I shall let you know".

Contract or not, at this point she didn't care. Tobias was right that there was most likely more to that paper, but what could she do now?

"You wouldn't tell me if you saw the being again?" He quirked an eyebrow at her calmly.

"I would tell you. I have no interest in whatever he desires or whatever he can proclaim to offer. I am just doubting the fact that I would ever see him again" she explained, sounding weary.

There was a pause, a moment of silence as Kaine lifts one of the eggs to the light and examines it against the glowing eye then simply drops it, letting it break on the floor, the sound echoing off the walls.

"That, is to make sure you know I am perfectly serious about what I am about to say. If you see him, and do not tell me, the second one will meet the same fate. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

At the sound of the egg crashing to the floor, she jumped, her limbs straining against her restraints as her eyes shot wide open at the sound of the shell breaking. Though she could not see it, she could smell the stench of the unborn youth and she could just picture the deadened embryo on the ground... and only a week away till being born correctly...

Tears, though light, fell from her black orbs, the silver irises greatly dilated. Her child... her child. It was true. He did not care... HE DID NOT CARE AT ALL.

The feeling in her chest was sickening and the image of failure hit her full force. If she were not restrained she would of attacked him for what he did... but then, that wouldn't stop him from dropping the other. She closed her eyes, but tears still poured through, though she made no noises like humans did when they cried.

"...yes... you do..." she whispered, the pain in her chest not leaving at all. The invisible hand that seemed clenched around her heart was only continuing to squeeze down on the organ, threatening to break her completely.

"If that being comes to you again, you call my name, and I will come deal with him myself. Understood?" He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips and offered up a charming smile.

Her eyes opened as he kissed her and that smile, that damn evil smile... The nature of it may not of looked evil but the hidden layers beneath screamed it. But still she did not fight. The tears still flowed as she looked up at him and her voice was still soft and quiet as she replied.

"...yes. I'll call you right away" she promised.

"That's my dear" Kaine said as he patted her cheek with a bloody hand before he hands the remaining egg off to something lurking in the shadows before ordering the creature attached to the ceiling to let Velacia up. "Now, as good as new. I'll return you to your dog".

As the creature let her up, she swung her legs over the side of the table, the side away from Kaine as settled gingerly on the floor. Her hand gently went over her sewn stomach and she winced. The scent of death was around them and that made the tears only flow more intensely. Yet she would not let that dead child remain here.

"...in a moment..." she whispered and went around to the side where the egg had broken. She crouched down over it, scooping the near perfect form of the bloody embryo into her scaled, shaking hands. The texture of the creature felt weird. It did not feel completely reptilian, but it was too dark to see what it really looked like and she was far too crushed.

She trailed her tongue along it, learning that it was a female, her poor unborn daughter, a twin of the other. She then withdraws the fleshy appendage back into her mouth, her jaw clenching tightly. She deposited the embryo on the table, letting Kaine see what she was going to do. Bringing back her right hand, she slashed the embryo into ribbons, her eyes set cold though her tears still flowed. Once the dead baby was in five slender pieces, she took one at a time and ate the piece, swallowing it whole till all that was left was a puddle of blood on the table.

She lapped at her fingers while her left hand tugged at the necklace hard around her neck.

"Seeing as you have the last child, I should be of no use to you so I doubt I'll be needing this anymore".

"Spit it out" he demands, narrowing his eyes at her. He was going to be the one to dispose of the little abomination, so he could do it properly and leave nothing behind. "And if you don't, the other will be killed and so will you". His tone was utterly cold and dead serious.

"And how" she started off coldly, not being intimidated by him at the moment, "do I know you will not kill the other child while I'm not here? What promise do I have? NONE" she snapped. "She was right, but I was right that I could not avoid you, so this fate is inevitable".

"I said, spit it out". He briefly wondered who she was talking about, but quickly dismissed it as irrelevant. "Or I will purge it from your stomach the hard way".

"WHAT PROMISE DO I HAVE?!" she shrieked, her anguish apparent. "YOU GIVE ME SOME SHRED OF PROOF, SOME PROMISE THAT I KNOW YOU'RE NOT A COMPLETE LYING BASTARD AND I WILL UPHEAVE IT FOR YOU!"

She had sunk her claws back into her own hands and her tail was whipping angrily from side to side, her gaze bordering along the lines of feral as she glares at him angrily. He watches her as he merely holds out his hand and a clawed hand reaches out of the shadows and places the other egg upon Kaine's palm.

"Do you want this one to die too? Cause I will crush it right before your eyes and then it won't matter much now will it? Do as I say, or this other spawn will suffer a worse fate then the first".

Velacia's eyes snapped to the egg and once again the mother's resolve was shaking. If he had killed them both right away... but he hadn't and he still had leverage. He could make her believe that this one is alive to make her do anything. Blackmail essentially, and the egg could be already long dead before she could find out.

She was trapped.

"...and here... all this time I thought that maybe... just maybe she was wrong and perhaps I saw..." she started quietly as she slowly sank to her knees, before leaning forward, planting her clawed hands firmly on the ground, a wry smile on her face.

"Such a fucking fool" she swore softly. And then she flexed her diaphragm hard, slamming her tail against her abdomen, where the suture lied. Dipping her head, she threw up the pieces of the embryo, and already knowing how critical Kaine would observe to make sure she kept no piece inside, she continued to spit up vast amounts of blood and even the meal she had eaten earlier till she started to go very pale.

But she was proving to him that she would listen, though it didn't feel reassuring to herself, submitting to the will of the father and murderer or her child.

"Good girl". He gestured to the creature at the ceiling and a limb of some kind descended and started to burn the pieces with a small flame it produced from a horribly fanged lamprey like mouth. "Now, I should return you to your dog". He gestured again and opened a portal. "Your free to go now".

She collected herself finally after finishing her upheaval, feeling very nauseous, slightly dizzy and overall drained. She remained on all fours and she moved to him slightly, though she placed herself between him and the portal, not wanting to get too close.

"Will you not remove the necklace?" she asked. It was politely asked, if a bit of a tired question.

"No, I will not. Now go". He turned and offered the egg back to the shadows before turning to face her and watch her with those cold eyes. She dipped her head and shrunk back from him before finally heading back through the portal, her mind almost broken...

... though she did let out a peculiar giggle as she went through it. Kaine however makes no attention of it as he stretches.

"I'll have to take her to the Opera House and see if she can identify the one that approached her. It can only be a handful of people" he muses as he turns and heads into the shadows.

She returned to the forest, keeping her eyes down on the ground. Tobias was where he was left, if now all healed and in his humanoid form. Upon seeing her return he dashed up to her, though stopped upon seeing her stoic state...

"...Velacia?"

"...dead... the first... is dead..." she whispered.

"What do you mean dead? What is dead?" he asked, bending down to touch her. A hard smack knocks him back, sending him sprawling on his behind. But he made no reprimand, seeming to be horrified by how she is.

"...the second is locked... and I couldn't even keep the dead... I... I... failed..." she whispered. Tobias was looking helplessly at her, unsure as to what she meant.

She finally rested on her knees and drew herself up, showing her stomach, the suture there. Tobias' eyes widened greatly and it seemed as if time had stopped. He now knew what she meant. He raised his head to look at her face and tears were falling still.

"...he... took... my children... he... took them..." she whispered, her hands rubbing her stomach as if wishing something were there. Tobias did not know what to say, though he grew even more scared as Velacia began to laugh darkly. Her tears still flowed but she gave him a wide eyed look, grinning sadistically, an almost insane gaze to her eyes, the pitch of her voice rasping out in a creepy manner.

"... but the next is MINE..." she giggled.

"Next?! What the hell next?!" Tobias demanded, utterly confused. "You can't have a next unless you mate someone else!" Velacia only shook her head roughly.

"Nope...nope... reproduction is easy once seed is in... more will come..." she giggled, grinning in an almost maniacal manner now, leaving Tobias at a loss for words, in awe at how far her sanity had been pushed.

A crack of a twig is heard in the nearby woods and Harper emerges from the trees. Apparently the sound had been deliberate because all his other movements were silent.

"Miss? What happened?" he asked gentle as Harper quietly glanced at Tobias with a concerned gaze.

Velacia was crouched over now, still crying but still shaking, if now only with silent laughter into the ground. Tobias dared not touch her and finally looked towards Harper, his gaze solemn.

"Kaine took her children. Killed one, and the other is holding onto it. He wouldn't even let Vel take the dead one".

"I'm... very sorry for your loss..." Harper said, his voice quiet and soft as he lowered his gaze solemnly. What else could he say? He couldn't think of anything that would console a mother that had just lost both her children. "Is there... anything I might do to help?"

"I don't know what we can do, but from what she just told me last, apparently she can reproduce again after having a seed inside of her and I don't know if it would bode well, but if she's more willing to do that instead of splicing herself..." Tobias trailed off, shaking his head. If Kaine ever got wind of that...

"What about that person she made a contract with? Maybe we should find the True Name for Kaine?" Tobias suggested. Harper frowned, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"You should not have told me that. If he asks me any questions, I will be forced to answer them" he informs, his soft spoken voice full of regret.

"At this rate Harper, I'm sure Kaine would of found out whether we did or didn't" Tobias stated, getting up and moving carefully over to Velacia.

"I wonder if there's some way we can contact the devil she made a contract with but she doesn't even know his name" he sighed, still looking down at the shaking limbs of the hydra. He turned to Harper. "Do you know how?" At this Harper shook his head.

"But I can ask Lord Daemokus for assistance. If you wish" he offered as he stepped forward and crouched down with Tobias near Velacia. "Miss? Might I heal any injuries?"

"Would Kaine's dad really help you? Especially if this is against his son?" Tobias asked skeptically, though worried for Harper's current situation if Velacia decides to knock him.

Thankfully, Velacia seemed to have calmed down and slowly raised her head to the elf. She had stopped crying, but she looked rather sickly.

"I doubt... you can bring back what I have lost... but if somehow you can... make me feel stronger inside... that would... help... I would also ask you to get rid of this..." she said quietly, nodding to the suture, "but I'm confident in the fact that Kaine will be bothering me again eventually".

"Lord Daemokus is known for helping Kaine's enemies if he can be convinced that it will teach his son a lesson of some sort. Not an easy task... but I may be able to convince him" Harper said as he extended a hand and uttered something in elfin, attempting to heal the suture. Velacia watched, half hoping for the scar to go away, but at the same time wondering if it would just remain.

"And if he's not convinced? Nothing is stopping him from telling Kaine afterwards and then we're royally fucked..." Tobias groaned.

"He made me tell of my encounter, but I did not state everything. He wants me to call him if I see the person again and he'll deal with them after. If I don't, and he finds out, the second child will die" she said quietly. "But either way I don't see much of a way out".

"Lord Daemokus is not one to interfere in things such as this. He does not see it as any of his business, and would make no action to help Lord Kaine. He finds much of his son's affairs to be very trivial".

Velacia kept her eyes on the suture, still watching Harper's attempted effects as she thought before sighing softly. As farfetched as it sounds, if Kaine's father would help her, that would definitely be a huge benefit for her, though on the flipside, even though Kaine seemed really protective of his family, who knows what results this would result with him.

"If you can do this I am forever in your debt Harper. I have nothing now, and for all I know my second child is already dead" she whispered softly. Tobias meanwhile was trying to be helpful, and thinking of Velacia's description of the devil.

"You know, there may be a way out of what Kaine got you to promise. If he can pop up wherever, I'm pretty sure they can all change forms. For all Vel knows, that may of been one of his guises". He taps his chin, thinking over it as he watched the wound finally heals, but the scar remains. At this Harper frowns faintly.

"I'm sorry miss. Magic has never been my strong suit. That is the best I can do". He glanced over at Tobias, not entirely sure as to what he was saying while Velacia gently runs her hand over the scar and smiles faintly at Harper.

"Its alright. Thank you still" she replies quietly before she too glanced at Tobias with a quirked eyebrow. He turned his attention to them.

"Think about it. We could just get Mr. Devil dude to make a copy of himself in the way Vel saw, she calls Kaine, Kaine kills it but not the real devil dude and things should be hunky dory for a while".

"You know, I'm surprised you can say all of this without a drink" Velacia said in a soft tone. Tobias scratched the back of his head, laughing slightly.

"Well you know the last battle made my stomach raunchy, and blood and booze never mixed in my books".

"I will seek out Lord Daemokus and ask his assistance" Harper states as he bows his head and watches the ground. Something in Harper's voice said he really didn't like being around Daemokus; he just hid it as best he could.

Velacia slowly gets up, rubbing any lingering blood that was on her lips off. She gingerly leans forward and pecks Harper on the cheek again before pulling back and walking by him.

"Thank you Harper. I appreciate it" she said.

"Oy... where are you going?" Tobias called after her.

"I need solitude to create life..." was all she said as she travelled through the underbrush, her walk and the way her tail swayed behind her all fluid, no tremor running through her, as if nothing had happened at all. Tobias turned to Harper and sighed.

"Well good luck man. I hope things go well".

"I wish she would hold off doing that till Lord Kaine can be delt with, or the same thing might happen all over again" the brown haired elf comments, frowning faintly as he watched Velacia head off, his gaze silently pleading. Tobias sighed, turning to observe Harper solemnly.

"Normally I would agree, but I can't say that I blame her for wanting to replace the empty feeling on the inside. She's probably thinking along the lines that if she waits she'll never have another chance. She's following her kind's needs and the urge to repopulate is still strong. Kaine can kill as many kids as he wants... but for some reason he has plenty of chances to kill her yet he hasn't. Why is that? We may never know. But for now she's lucky. Lets just see if we can make the trip any bit easier" he said softly, offering the elf a smile.

Harper closed his eyes somberly and merely nodded. He could understand to a degree, but filling the void only to have it made bigger wouldn't help Velacia's state of mind either. Quietly he stood and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small stone with a profane rune scrawled on it.

"I will return, but please, do not wait up for me". The stone glowed briefly before Harper vanishes in a flash.

"I'd say I wouldn't but may not have a choice" Tobias sighed, propping himself down, pulling out a bottle of booze but for once not in the mood to drink. He then sighs wearily.

"Goddamn egotistical mindfucking pricks... they kill a good buzz..."