Man Destroyer

Part 8

Chapter 15: Rome - Part II

Desperate, Zelda grabbed Harry's wrist and Lilith's hand, "Nunc dissipati peribunt!" The group disappeared, leaving behind chaos in the lobby, and reappeared in their room. The force of the bi-location spell severed Deianeira's connection with Harry and Lilith quickly backed away from him, taking the baby with her and locking themselves into the bathroom.

Kneeling over Harry, Zelda was surprised to see water spots staining his shirt and realized she was crying; "Damnit. Damnit!" She held her hands over his wrist and heart, "Rivers must flow that blood may not. Blood be bound, and blood be clot!" Grimacing, she looked at his face, its grey pallor a clear indication that he had lost too much blood but the large gash in his wrist stopped bleeding. "If we can get you to a hospital, we can get you a blood transfusion Harry. Just hang on..."

Zelda went to stand but Harry's hand on her knee stilled her; weak, he swallowed hard before speaking, "Is it true, Zelda? Did you bring me here for....this?"

Closing her eyes, tears spilling freely from them, feeling so helpless as she shook her head. Overwhelmed by how challenging demon-parenthood was and the depth of what that meant for her present and her future. As she knelt over Harry, she was flooded with memories; the first summer after she and Hilda had graduated from the Academy, they chose to travel across Europe. It was meant to be a grand adventure and a way to strengthen their relationship as sisters and witches. Their parents set up obligatory checkpoints with specific witches and warlocks to ensure that the girls remained on track and to teach them different skills.

Zelda first met Harry Russo during a herbology lesson at his mother's kitchen table when he breezed in looking for a snack. All dark curls and brooding eyes, Zelda was instantly intrigued. Hilda was far more interested than Zelda and after a couple of hours, she asked to be excused and went looking for the young man. There began a passionate whirlwind of a romance that lasted the entire summer and culminated in Harry surprising Zelda with a premature marriage proposal in the bowels of Vicus Caprarius in hopes of keeping her in Italy.

"I was livid that you felt it was appropriate to propose to me after such a short time together and at our age." Zelda smoothed Harry's tie out and brushed a curl out of his handsome face, pinched with pain as his organs began to slow and fail with the lack of blood in his body. "I may not have said yes, Harry, but I never ever intended to harm you." Leaning down, she kissed his cheek softly, his shuddered breath warm against her face as he took his last breath and she whispered, "I'm so sorry Harry."

Evanora Guillard walked into the room to see Zelda kneeling over the body of a dead man, sobbing, and Lilith walking out of the bathroom carrying a happily cooing baby demoness. "Fils de pute! Another one?!"

Lilith looked a bit like a scolded teen who was caught sneaking back into her bedroom early in the morning, she didn't know how to fix this; uncomfortable and scowling, she laid Deianeira on the bed and placed her hands on her hips. "She's growing twice as fast as a human baby, clearly she needs nourishment." As if that explanation would more than pardon the lamia's actions.

"You can't possibly be fine with all of this." Zelda's voice was low and hissed through gritted teeth as she stood and faced her Queen, swiping at the tears on her cheeks, her eyes blazed with anger.

Lilith faltered, it was the first time she'd seen Zelda's fury directed at her; "Of course I'm not fine with all of this but what does one less man on Earth matter? We have more important things to worry about."

A pack of cigarettes flew violently across the room, nearly smacking Lilith in the face, and landed in Zelda's hand. Angrily, she pulled one free, shoved it in her mouth and lit it, trying to soothe her stress with nicotine. "Ah...may I suggest that we focus on finding the spear and getting all of you home to sort out whatever is going on with this bebe?" Evanora's voice cut through the tension and seemed to distract the witches from their standoff.