Warning: mild gore
***
It was just a normal day for Axel Rose. He, along with Sonya, Hunter, Ace, Victoria, Ada, Jess, and Cassie were currently at his and Sonya's house for their monthly family dinner. After the whole Lilith disaster, it was a nice way to make sure none of them had to go through the trauma alone. And they were family, it was practically mandatory for them to do this. Currently, Ada and Jess were talking about the two children they wanted to adopt.
"Twins", Ada explained, "A boy and a girl named Eliiot and Eleanor. They're the best"
"Of course the adoption process is going to be pretty difficult since people still think that a proper household must have a mom and a dad", Jess added, rolling her eyes.
"That just doesn't make any sense", argued Hunter, "What about single parents? Or orphans?"
"Homophobes never make sense", said Victoria, "You'll go insane trying to make sense of it"
Ace nodded supportingly since his mouth was too full of food to say anything.
"But if it does work out, which it will", Sonya said as she turned to her daughter, "how would you feel about having cousins, Cassie?". Cassie's eyes lit up. She's been asking for a younger sibling for months now and cousins are the next best thing, even though Axel and Sonya were planning on having another child in the near future. Axel just sat there and smiled at the banter. During his time in the army, he felt purpose, like what he was doing with life mattered. But here he just felt...content. He didn't care if what he was doing wasn't for some greater cause. He just felt happy, surrounded by the people he loved. It was all he needed.
The former soldier suddenly felt cold, and not the normal type of cold you get when the heater breaks. The cold that crawled into his soul, covering it in frost. He felt the chill all the way down to his bones and back, and it just felt wrong.
"Did anyone else feel that?", he asked. Or at least he tried to ask, but no sound came from his mouth. His mouth didn't even open. He tried to move at all, he couldn't He was paralysed. In his line of sight, he could see his reflection in a mirror that hung on the wall. Yellow eyes met his, and a grin that would make him flinch if he had the ability to.
'No', Axel thought desperately, 'It can't be you, you're dead. I killed you'
Azazel chucked, "Prince of Hell, remember? Don't tell me you actually thought you've gotten rid of me for good? I feel insulted". Before Axel could respond, the reflection went back to normal, but he felt his hand curve around and grasp the steak knife in his right hand. Then he moved so quickly, he couldn't even register what he did until he saw the result of his actions.
Victoria was slumped down in her chair, blood running down her face from where the steak knife had struck her in the forehead, eyes lifeless and glassy. Hunter cried out in grief, Ada and Jess hung onto each other, Cassie started screaming, Sonya stared at her husband in horror, Ace backed up until he hit the wall, and Axel? Axel just laughed. Well, it came from his mouth but that laugh was not his, it wasn't his smile, it wasn't even his eyes anymore. It was Azazel, who had come to satisfy a thirst for blood that has been killing him for years. And what better than to quench it with the blood of the beloved to the man that locked him away for so long. It's a win-win, for Azazel at least. And that's all that mattered. They scrambled away from the dining room like mice. Making it fun too? This day just kept getting better.
He found Hunter and Ace together, hiding in a closet. Haven't these two seen horror movies, it's never a good hiding spot when a man covered in blood is chasing you. Oh well, they can't all be winners. The other two members of Hacxel were pressed against the back wall, hoping to be covered by the articles of clothing. Ace was shaking, Hunter had his hand over Ace's mouth, tears running down his face. Was he crying for himself or for his fiance? Azazel didn't know, and honestly, he didn't care. He made quick work of them, quicker than he preferred, but he had to make sure no one else would escape. That's the downside of playing with more than one person. It doesn't matter if you kill someone, someone else can still win, and Azazel hates losing. Axel's brothers went still on the closet floor, Hunter's neck was wrapped with the scarf he was choked to death with and one of Sonya's heels was sticking out from Ace's chest. Then the prince of Hell closed the closet door, leaving them as a gift for anyone who decides to hide in there.
Jess was next to go. She was slowly but surely making her way to the front door, but when she got there, the knob just wouldn't move. The door had been locked, and Jess was now fully exposed to the monster who was lurking. Azazel broke her hands and wrists, a punishment for trying to escape. She screamed and screamed until her cries became more annoying than amusing, so he shut her up. You can't talk if your neck was broken, it's a simple solution and he hoped Ada heard her wife scream in agony from the broken bones. Being trapped in someone's mind makes you really enjoy the small things in life. So Jess was laid against the door, sleeping eternally with her hands and wrists bent in weird angles. That'll stop anyone from thinking to escape again.
Speaking of Ada, she actually was able to put up quite a fight, Axel must've taught her a few things. She charged at him with a pair of scissors in her hand, most likely from Sonya's office. She was fast, but Azazel was faster. He quickly took the scissors from her and pushed her to the ground. Ada struggled and fought back, she even punched him in the face. Even after the scissors dug into her body, overwhelming her with pain, she still fought. Axel would've been proud, but Axel wasn't there anymore. It took many stabs for her to finally give in, but that may or may not have been intentional since it's always more fun when the prey fights back. The precious little sister ended up with as many holes as one of Cassie's art projects, and she was covered with red too. Axel helped kill Azazel's sister, it only makes sense that Azazel would kill Axel's. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
When Azazel found Sonya, the fool actually tried to reason with him, or rather, tried to reach her husband.
"Axel, please, I know you can hear me", Sonya cried out as Azazel grabbed her and slammed her against the wall, "Fight it! You've beaten him once and you can beat him again, I know you can! Just please, come back to me. I love you". He had to give her credit, she got through just enough to make him stir.
'Sonya...?'
Azazel was quick to shut that down. Sure, he didn't seem like a threat now, in fact, he couldn't be weaker. But the prince of Hell knew that if Axel remained awake in his head, he would find a way to lock Azazel away again. So he put the soldier back to sleep and returned to the woman who didn't get that. Sonya kept at it, saying words of love and devotion as
Azazel dragged his knife across her arms, splitting them open and allowing the red blood to seep out and show its beauty. She offered words of encouragement between punches to the torso, although she wasn't able to speak much once she started to cough up blood. And when the dagger was up against her neck, all she said were three words; "I forgive you". Of course she wasn't talking to Azazel, she would never forgive him, not that he wanted or needed it. However, the man who those words were intended for did not hear them and he never would. Sonya Rose was soon dead as well, given mercy by her slit throat.
And then there was one. Cassandra, nine years old, Axel's pride and joy. This was the one Azazel had been most excited about, and that's why he saved her for last. He knew exactly where she was, hiding under the bed and waiting for her mommy to come back and tell her it was safe to come out. Shouldn't he be the one under the bed? He is the monster after all. Either way, he made it to the bedroom and sat on it looking down at the floor.
"Cassie?", he asked, perfectly mimicking Axel's voice.
"Daddy?", Cassie asked, nervous and scared, as a child should be.
"It's me. Don't worry, the monster's gone now. You're safe", he readied the weapon in his hands.
"I'm safe?"
"Yes. Don't worry, everything's gonna be alright"
Cassie rolled out from under the bed and Azazel thrust the knife down-
Axel woke up from his nightmare, panting. Nightmares like this one only happened rarely but he hated them. He despised them with everything he had. Killing the people he loved with his own hands yet being powerless to stop it. It was horrible. As Axel calmed himself down, the door to his and Sonya's bedroom opened and there stood Cassie, her eyes were red and puffy from crying.
"Can I sleep with you tonight?", she asked, it was impossible to say no.
"Of course", Axel replied in a tired voice. Cassie climbed onto the bed and hugged her father and it gave him comfort. She was real. He didn't kill her, or anybody. Cassie looked at him her round eyes.
"Did you have a nightmare?", she asked
"I did. Did you?", she nodded her head, "You wanna talk about it?", a shake this time, "Yeah, me neither". So they just laid there, mother, father, and daughter. Sleeping peacefully together until the image of glowing yellow eyes disappeared from Axel's mind. Everything was going to be ok, one step at a time.
(End)
***
Since it was a dream, some things were off about the scenario, besides the obvious. For example, Ace didn't say anything. See if you can spot the inconsistent details.
