“NO, I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE!!!!!” Ambrosia screamed as a guard was carrying her out of their home and into a car.

“Sisi, don’t you want to come with mommy.” Eve tried to soothe the child. 

“NOOO! THAT IS NOT MY NAME! I WANT DADDY, WHERE IS DADDY? I WANT DADDY NOW!!” She screeched out drawing all the neighbours' attention, some had even come out to see what was going on.

An audience was not what she needed, Eve thought to herself.

 “Zion, please be a good brother and help me with your sister.” Eve was exhausted but she was almost done with Christian’s task.

 Taking the children to him would allow her to gain his favor.

“Where is our dad?” Zion asked.

 I do not know! Dead probably! Eve wanted to shout at the child. His eyes looked like hers but everything else was Damien’s. She hoped he died it would save her a whole lot of shit. 

“If you come with me…I will let you see him.” She lied.

 “We will only go if Uncle Aiken comes with.” He stated. 

Aiken was a new face to Eve, but seeing how he knocked out three guards when they tried to take the kids away meant that he was close to them. However, right now he was restrained by five guards looking at Eve as if he wanted her dead. 

“I cannot allow hi…”

“Either he goes or you will have to deal with Ambrosia alone,” He said firmly.

 As if to prove his point, Ambrosia hollered even louder crying for her father refusing to get in the car.

Eve let out a tired sigh and gestured at the guards holding Aiken down to let him up but not before restraining him.

Zion ran to him, probably to explain what they had agreed on. Aiken’s eyes gazed down at the boy then up at Eve hardening into a glare. But glaring was all he could do in a world where Unchosen had no say.

Holding Aiken by his shirt, Zion walked with him to the car past Eve where he took Ambrosia and entered the car with her, quietning her sobs. Aiken was the last to enter but not before casting a blank look at Eve.

He is searching for answers.

But she had none.

Eve entered a different car, wanting the day to be over already. Her day could not be worse, coming back to the shithole she once called home and dealing with her past made her mood get sour and sour.

And the smell!

The drive back was as long as it was quiet by the time they arrived at one of Christian’s mansions,  Ambrosia had calmed and was asleep in Zion’s arms who was fighting off drowsiness. Aiken hands were still handcuffed to his back. He was confused, lost, angry, and most importantly scared for Damien whom he had not heard from since yesterday morning when he left for the meeting between him and Christian. 

It did not take long for Aiken to realize who the woman knocking at Damien’s door was, Ambrosia looked too much like her.

When she said she was there for the children, alarm bells went off in Aiken’s head, no way would Damien ever give the children to her. Something must have happened to him.

So he refused, and when he did all hell broke loose, Ambrosia was grabbed so he knocked that guard out making the rest rain down on him, hitting him and subduing him. 

Zion who seemed to be the only calm one, negotiated for his addition to the travel if she wanted both of them to go with her willingly. Honestly, Aiken would have loved for them to run away but that was not an option. 

He leaned back on the luxurious car seat, the comfort he would never have a chance to feel ever in his life allowed him to relax.

He closed his eyes and counted the shadows that zoomed by as the car rushed them into the belly of the beast

*********************************************************************************

"So these are the kids,” Christian said in an apathetic tone, his eyes sweeping across the three guests who were brought into his office. It would be tasteless to meet the children in the same room their father had died in, even for him.

“I thought we were only expecting two guests. Who is that?” He asked pointing at Aiken who was released from his restraints before they entered the office, they needed someone to carry the sleeping Ambrosia.

“Their guardian. It was the only way to get the children here without causing a commotion.” Eve replied from beside Christian who was leaning back in his chair.

“How hard was it to bring two brats here?” He asked with a tight smile that made Eve recoil.

“Where is Damien?” Aiken asked, fatigue making him even more direct.

“Dead.” Was the reply.

Dead?

 Dead?  

No, he can’t be dead.   Aiken thought to himself, his heart thundering in his chest.

His thoughts were swirling too quickly in his head making it impossible to talk.

A tight grab on his leg, that pinched his skin, made him look down, meeting the tear and worried-filled eyes of Zion.

That grounded him. Yeah, he needed to be strong for the children.

“You are lying.” Aiken spat out.

“Now why would I do that??” Christian asked in an offended tone that was anything but true.

“I would have shown you his body, but it has already been disposed of. The smell of burnt hair makes my wife’s stomach turn.” He said nonchalantly as if killing was a mundane task to him.

“What do you want?” Aiken asked, choking at the lump of emotion that clogged his throat.

Damien died. 

Amidst the shouts and screams that were echoing in his mind, he could not help but feel relieved that Ambrosia was asleep.

“You? Nothing. It is the children I am interested in.” Christian said with a giddy glint in his eye. His words made a cold shiver run down Aiken’s spine making him unconsciously hold Damien’s daughter tighter.

 Damien is dead.

“You cannot have them without me,” Aiken announced far braver than he was feeling while ignoring the lamenting voice in the back of his mind.

Christian let out a loud laugh, startling Aiken.

“I cannot have them he says…” He murmured turning his head to the ceiling.

“Fucking Unchosens these days do not know their place.” He added, the room turning cold as he stood from his chair and walked around his table to them.

“I can and will have anything I want,” Christian sneered out as he stood before the three of them making Aiken stretch out his neck to meet his eyes.

 “And there is nothing you can do to stop me.” He added.

Heavy silence sunk slowly into the office, Aiken’s body was tense, waiting for the man to strike out and kill him. 

Aiken was no fool, he knew that his life was in Christian’s hands and no matter how hard he bit his cheeks till they bleed, he would never be powerful enough to stop the man. So was the tale as old as time, the strong trample over the weak and helpless. 

“But, I have had my fill of death today, so I will keep you around,” Christian announced as he walked past them in a carefree manner.

“But Sir…” Eve cried out.

“Tut tut Eve. I have made my decision. Let the man stay with the children, it would be good for them too, being in a new place and all. Get them settled into the Flower Mansion.” He ordered as he walked out of his office. Eve gave a ‘Yes Sir’ as confirmation.

“It would do you well to remember that you are alive thanks to my grace. Do your best to stay in it.” He said, directing his words to Aiken who had his back to him.

With that Christian left, leaving all three of them standing stone still in his office as if he had not just destroyed their lives. 

“Let us leave,” Eve ordered as she walked out of the office, her heels clicking as she did.

Monsters. They were all monsters.

The thought filled Aiken’s head making him bite the soft flesh of his cheeks till he tasted iron and blood filled his mouth and dripped out of it.

 “Uncle K?” A quiet whimper came from Zion who sounded as if he was fighting his sobs making Aiken hug him to his leg with his free arm.

This was all the comfort Aiken could give the children who just lost their father.

 Damien Is Dead.

It was pathetic of him.

 Zion sobs even louder and Aiken tears up even more.