“She’s got some fire, hasn’t she,” Sebastian says as he appears next to him.
“Just like her mother,” Constantine emphasizes.
“Indeed,” Sebastian murmurs. He sits down. “Did you find out who the other one was that came forward about the child?” he asks innocently.
“I think it is fairly obvious,” Constantine says with a frisson of fury that he pushes down.
“Nothing is obvious with that woman. She has more secrets than you do,” Sebastian says dryly and Constantine snickers despite himself.
“Well, I can’t deny that,” he says. “But in this case, it would be wise to assume it is the Demon.”
“It's sickening,” Sebastian says with disgust. “You know that it was mine, right?”
Constantine shrugs. “That's up for debate. We will have to wait and see. Quite frankly, I don't really give a damn. Aefre is pregnant with my child now and that is all I care about.”
“All you care about?” Sebastian asks slyly. “You are very calm, Constantine. Composed even when you should be boiling with rage and jealousy. You have taken to your old ways again, haven’t you?”
Constantine growls at him. He should have known that he couldn't hide his behavior from his oldest friend. But he cannot let Aefre find out about this. She will never forgive him. “I am sure I have no idea what you are talking about,” he scoffs and turns his attention back to Delinda.
“Of course you don't,” Sebastian says. “I wonder what Aefre would make of it?”
“You dare to tell her anything and I will make sure she is angry enough with
you to kill you. In fact, I am starting to wonder why I continue to let you live myself?” he says.
“Try me,” Sebastian says. “You may find that I no longer care about you being my sire, and nor will you find me such a pushover.”
“Oh, I never thought you were a pushover, boy, but remember who you are speaking to,” Constantine says, straightening his cuffs. “If you knew I could kick your ass before, you will find out firsthand just what other powers I have been growing.”
“So will you,” Sebastian says. “You seem to forget I am a King now. My powers are far beyond anything you have seen.”
“I have no interest in where this conversation is going,” Constantine says with a roll of his eyes. He has better things to do than have a pissing contest with Sebastian. “But let me make one thing clear to you, boy. If you think for even a moment of using your gift on Aefre, it will be last thing you ever do. And you know me well enough to know that is not a threat.”
He sees Sebastian grimace and he knows it because of his derogatory use of “boy.” For as long as Constantine has known him, Sebastian has loathed to be called that, because his father called him that.
“I won’t need to spell her. She will come around once we spend time together as a family. She will see that I didn’t mean what I said and forgive me,” Sebastian says confidently.
“And then I will wipe it all away by telling her what you did,” Constantine says.
“If you were going to tell her, you would have by now,” Sebastian taunts.
“I do not wish to hurt my wife in the way that piece of news will. She loves her father and it will devastate her. That is your only reprieve. I guarantee you, ‘Bastian, that if you leave me no choice, I will come forward,” Constantine says.
“And if you leave me no choice, so will I,” Sebastian says. “A little Faerie tells me that you are stacking up quite the body count out in Los Angeles. Do you really want Aefre to find out that you have been seducing and killing Substitutes in the house that she bought for you?”
Constantine feels his eyes go red. It affects his vision so much that he actually sees red. It is like a haze drops and he can’t control the burning rage and the need to destroy that brews inside of him. Only Delinda running up to him and tugging on his hand brings him back to himself. He would never forgive himself, never mind expect Aefre to, if he hurt her child. The instinct to protect her from himself catches him completely off guard. He cares about her and not just because she is Aefre’s.
He focuses on Delinda, who is giving Sebastian, her “father,” a markedly suspicious look before she gives him a shy smile. Sebastian grins back at her and ruffles her hair before giving her a light kiss on the top of her head.
“Let the games begin,” Sebastian says, standing up with smug smile. He puffs himself away and Constantine curses to himself. He should never have put himself in this position. If he tells on Sebastian, he will go right on and tell on him back. He thinks, and not for the first time, why they need to play these games. But he knows. He knows it is because Aefre is stringing them all along like a trail of paper cut-out dolls. She needs to make her decision to choose him and she needs to do it today.
“I want Mama,” Delinda says and he gets to his feet, keeping hold of her hand.
“Me too,” he says with a sigh and she gives him a curious look as they make their way back inside.
The Dark Fae Kingdom, September 2014 - Aefre
I make a hasty escape down the stairs of Drake’s tower room, wanting to find CK and Delinda. It is getting late and I want to get Delinda into bed as we have an early start tomorrow. I would rather get her visit with Remiel over with as soon as possible so that we can come back here and forget about him.