Acrasia

The Strangers. *possible triggers*

We walk in awkward silence once inside the house. Samael smugly removes his shirt to cover his 'daughter'. I want to send the man away, but I don't have any other way to know about Sera's mother. I make a mental note to check into Ivara as we stride into the foyer. I sit on a bench, placing Sera into my lap as everyone gathers with curious eyes.

"I'll need special chains." I say to my father as he nods, eyes lingering on Sera's legs as he turns to retrieve the chains. I pull Sera into my chest tightly. I inhale her scent and pull her face into my neck as I feel her start to stir. I shudder as she wiggles, slowly coming into consciousness. I can't bring myself to care about the room full of eyes, I only want to soak her in. The weight of her in my arms, her smell. The way her lips part as she softly inhales. I do not look to her temple, where I struck her. I'm not ready to see what I done. I know there will be Hell to pay when she wakes though. While Seraphine is a gentle creature, she's not one to easily forgive.

"Seraphine." I call softly to her as I stroke her cheek. I feel her stir more purposely, she'll wake soon. I can hardly hold my desire to feed. I silently beg her to wake. "Sera-" She cuts me off as she lurches forward, trying to find her footing. She swings frantically trying to free her limbs as I struggle to force her down to me. She collapses from lack of balance, her ankles bound only inches apart.

"Let me go!" She pants, winded from the velocity of her own struggling. I pull her back to me as she pulls both legs in together and kicks me. She scoots away as my aunt kicks at her.

"What a primal mutt." She barks. Seraphine gives her a deadly look before she flips around using both legs to sweep the woman to the ground. The woman slaps her and stands over her. Sera hops to her feet teetering as she has no free limbs for balance. The woman stares her down and slaps her again, but Sera jumps onto her bringing her to the floor. In a barbaric display of power, Sera repetitively headbutts the woman who cannot cover herself quickly enough. Sera stops after seconds as others gather to intervene. My aunt lies unconscious and bloody faced. Sera spits on her as my uncle smacks her. She catches his hand in her teeth and bites him. People begin to move back from her now. Confusion and nerves perfume the air around us. Sera still trembles with adrenaline.

"Seraphine. We aren't here to hurt you." Her father tries.

"Get away from me. All of you. Let me go. I don't want to be here..." She's borderline hysterical now.

"Sersphine just-"

"GET AWAY!" She screeches. Her father blinks awkwardly and looks to me, obviously out of his element. He isn't used to her combative side. He most likely is accustomed to the soft, helpful side that everyone walks on.

"Sera. He rescued you. Freed you from Yeomorah-"

"No. That woman rescued me. He only caught me escaping and drug me here to another prison."

"There was no woman with me Seraphine. I brought you here so you'd be safe. You wouldn't last days out there on your own with Yeomorah pursuing you."

"Why do you care? You never cared if I lived or died. Don't start now."

"All that matters is you are here now." I try to soothe her. I want to get her eyes to lock with mine, but she knows my trick now. She refuses to met me for over a second.

"Yes. You got what you wanted. That's all that matters. You got your pet back. Is that it? Live in food? Like growing your own garden or installing a goddamn fast food vendor in your own house. No more hunting for you. You can just be lazy now and drink me dry. You don't even have to spend time lying or manipulating now. What's the point? I know what you are."