“Not a chance,” Sebastian says and kicks his legs out from under him. They grapple on the ground for a few minutes, punching each other and slicing into each other with their claws, until Constantine stops and sighs. “This is fucking ridiculous,” he says right before Sebastian punches him in the mouth.
“Fuck!” Constantine says in annoyance. “This woman is making us act like idiots.”
Sebastian sits down and flops to his back, panting like a dog. “How does she do that?” he asks. “We have never fought like this over a woman before.”
“You have balls now,” Constantine says. “You wouldn’t have dared before you became Faerie King.”
Sebastian snorts. “No kidding. I might have wanted to on occasion.”
“I’m sure,” Constantine drawls as he too flops onto his back next to his friend. “Why did you never kick my ass over the whole Isebella thing? I was still human then.”
Sebastian shrugs. “I could have fucking taken you back then, but my father would have skinned me alive if I had used my powers out in the human world.”
At the mention of Aelfric, they both go still and avoid each other’s gazes.
“I would have killed him myself, you know, if Drake hadn’t got to him first,” Sebastian says after a few minutes.
“I know,” Constantine says softly. “I know you care about her, but she is mine, ‘Bastian. You know how long I have waited for her. Please don’t fuck this up.” He hates hearing the plea in his voice, but clearly the two of them scrapping over her isn’t going to make much of a difference to either one of them.
“I love her,” Sebastian says. “We were made for each other. You can’t deny that.”
When he stays quiet, not knowing what to say to that, Sebastian continues, “If you would just reconsider…”
“Reconsider what?” Constantine snaps at him. “Sharing? I don’t think so.”
“Why not? All of us would be happy then,” Sebastian says.
“I wouldn’t,” he says. “I will only be truly happy when all of this is over, and we have our family.”
“Same here,” Sebastian admits quietly, and they sit in a glum silence until Sebastian sits upright and declares that he has to go.
Constantine lets him leave. He wants no more talk about Aefre and whom she belongs to. It has come down to the final three, Remiel not included of course. He knows she will never go to him willingly, even with the child. He had been so confident that she would choose him, she was so
close to telling him that is the way it was going to be after his fight with Remiel and then Lincoln had to come in and ruin it, sending her away to where Xanthe got to her. He sits up suddenly. He has an idea forming in his head. He shakes his head to clear it, but the idea starts to grow and suddenly it is all he can think about. He stands up and starts to pace, going over every permutation in his head. He must speak to Aefre about this, he is sure she will be delighted with his decision. He makes his way back inside the castle and back to the bedroom that he and Aefre share. One day this will be their home again, he knows it deep down, and that thought will keep him going until he can ensure it.
Chapter 5
The Underworld, March 2014 – Devon
Devon walks slowly to the place where he knows Constantine took care of Jess. There is a scorched patch of earth and a pile of ashes. He stares down at it. He should feel more. He knows that, but all he feels is regret. He should never have gotten involved with her in the first place, but she turned his head with her beauty and her feisty attitude. She knew there was something different about him and like a fool he told her. She let him bite her and her blood was so sweet. She enjoyed his wicked side and he let her. He should have ended it the minute she started talking about wanting to be a Vampire, but he was in a bad place. He had lost his sire to Cole and Constantine had come back on the scene in a big way and then Lincoln. It just got too much for him and he continued to see her, largely in an effort to piss Elizabeth off, and it did, just not enough. He should’ve remembered that she needs things spelling out, but he was too late with that and then he fucked it royally. But she gave him the go ahead. He just needs to find the right time. Again. He sighs.
“I heard what happened,” Lincoln says, appearing next to him.
Devon just shrugs.
“It’s unbelievable how it happened,” Lincoln says. “I’m sorry you lost her.”
“I’m not,” Devon says to Lincoln’s surprise. “She betrayed me, and Elizabeth and I threw her out before all of this happened. I never wanted to see her again.”
He knows his words are harsh and that Lincoln is probably judging him right now, but he doesn’t care. It’s how he feels.
“I won’t ask for the specifics,” Lincoln says eventually.
“Thanks,” Devon mutters.
They stand next to each other in silence for a while and then Devon is done. He turns and Lincoln follows him back to the house.
“I haven’t spoken to Lizzie about you yet,” he says. “I will, but everything has gone tits up.”