Ethereal

Nina's POV

"I want to go back to sleep." I yawned into both hands, scrubbing my face of any sleepy traces.

Phillip tucked away rope into a red backpack, glaring up at me.

"Helping Lucifer was your brilliant idea." He remarked with derision. "Remind me again why?"

"Huh," My eyes snapped to his lagoon blues. "Because... he has good intentions with Etna?" Somehow explaining to Phillip and Serena about Twin Flames wasn't something I felt comfortable with.

The younger twin shook his head slinging the backpack over a shoulder. He came to stand in front of me.

"If you were anyone else I'd say you were full-on crazy-pants and run away as far as inhumanly possible." I sighed tugging the jumper jacket closer. It was six in the morning and we were at the edge of cold, misty woods. "But since you're like family—and my family is all partial to craziness—I'm just going to go with it."

"A very wise decision." I tilted my head with a grin. Phill tweaked my nose. "I'm surprised you're here with me, though. I thought you didn't like leaving Serena alone with Lucas. Hum, Lucifer."

Lucas pointed out last night that we needed his Witch—the one who put the seal on Cameron's body—to finally end this switcheroo mess. I wanted the ritual to happen right after we found Etna. I might be guiding the guy to his long lost love, but I didn't forget we were dealing with the Devil. A Coven was opening a portal for Marx to come here, Serena was with Lucas inside the forest to sense where the portal would pop up.

"She can handle her own against him."

I nodded trudging close beside him, "You're listening in aren't you?"

"Every second." I grinned sheepishly.

Crunching came from up ahead. A curtain of dangling wet leaves was swept aside and Cameron came through with two bags, mine and his. He tossed the smaller one—I sprung forth a step, barely saving it from splashing in a mud puddle.

"Jerk."

He walked by with a smug smile. Recovering footing, I smacked his thigh. Cam threw an intense glare my way while I resisted the urge to stick out my tongue and wave my hands like a child. Sometimes I really wanted to drop-kick him.

"Where's the rest of our dysfunctional rescue party?"

Phillip took a while to answer.

"On their way. Serena found the Witch dude." My stomach twisted in thick, ropy knots. We were doing this. We were heading into an old cave to help the Devil get his girlfriend back. Who—FYI—happened to be my last living relative.

I stopped a moment, face stricken with disbelief and stupidity. What the heck was I thinking?

"Getting cold feet?" my freezing toes wiggled on queue. Cam snickered.

"You're not funny."

"I'm hilarious."

Phillip's head swung his brother's way.

"No, you're not. You just think you are."

Cam made a pft sound, rolling his eyes excessively.

"What would you know about fun? You're scared of clowns."

Phillip shivered at the mention of clowns, hunching his shoulders. I trapped a giggle.

"Clowns kill people."

Cam thrust his hands into the short raven hair, heaving an exasperated growl.

"Would you let it go? That was a movie!"

Phillip walked up to Cameron so fast, with such fiery glee in his pupils I thought a fight would break out. Since Cam couldn't type into Lucas' Power I wasn't a big fan of the idea. Not that I ever enjoyed the thought of them punching and kicking each other. Instead, Phill stared at his older twin's face for like, five seconds, before dropping back a step, smirking big time.

"Cam's afraid of snakes." He slid blue eyes to mine, watching my mouth drop, before pinning Cameron again. "Any kind of snake. He was bitten once—when we were five. Our healing ability hadn't kicked in yet. Dad took him to the hospital because of the poison."

Cam's lips curled.

"I dislike you so very much."

"You're my favorite person in the world, too, bro." He fist-bumped Cam on the left shoulder, nearing the trees' edges.

I edged to Cam's side seeking warmth and...

"You're afraid of snakes?" it came out as a teeny whisper. His jaw flexed. "You are. You never told me that—or that you got bitten by one." I'd always thought of the twins with Power. To learn Cam had gone to a hospital for poison treatment... It was weird.

"It's not a big deal. I hate them. I'm not afraid." He spat like the word disgusted him on a deep cellular level.

My lips pressed together. Did he think I couldn't see through his acts, by now? Give me some credit, Leale.

Placing a hand on his leather-clad forearm, I leaned in, standing on my toes. Cam unconsciously bent his head so I wouldn't have to.

"In Hell..." I paused, drawing a breath. "When the Basilisks tried having us for dinner, weren't you—"

"No."

An eyebrow perked at his sudden dismissal.

"Okay. Fine." I crossed both arms.

Serena was the first to walk out from behind the green thickness, wearing a brown jumper jacket with a fur collar, tight jeans and knee-high boots. I wished I had those instead of Converse; my socks were soggy. Next, Lucas came through along with a guy in his late twenties. Marx. He was rocking a buzzed hair cut, a row of piercings—like the one Phillip had—adorned his right ear. He wasn't dressed for cold weather, wearing a wife beater, a dark plaid shirt and jeans. My teeth shattered twice as hard thinking of how cold he must be.

"Where are the caves?" Lucas asked bluntly, not bothering with introductions.

Cameron didn't appreciate his tone, but kept cool and collected for our sakes.

"Behind a waterfall. And the waterfall's behind an old Inn." Cam kept it short, giving Marx a discrete glance. "You shouldn't have trouble listening for it."

Just as Cam predicted, finding the waterfall was no trouble. Both Lucas and Phillip had listened for it, leading us through a patch of oversized trees, bushes and cut down trunks. Almost half an hour fled before we crossed into a solid dirt path, it led us to the ran down Inn. It used to be a two-

story wooden cabin. Nowadays, its windows were cracked, the rock chimney had crumbled in half and some wood walls were moldy. As we tracked our way around the abandoned house, sounds of water splashing onto rocks reached my human ears, soon, a river course came into view. We fol-lowed the water's flux, silently. Everyone seemed on edge. Praying for this journey to end.

I couldn't blame anyone. I was on pins and needles.

The waterfall was... It was loads of water crashing into more water from a very tall height. If my heart wasn't beating so freakishly fast, I might've taken a beat to notice the beauty of it all. Little to none sun rays were filtered through the tall oak trees, keeping the waterfall in a freezing shade.

"We're supposed to go behind it?" I croaked, drawing arms across my chest.

"Yeah," Cam murmured.

Phillip walked to the rocky patch along the waterfall's outside wall. He leaned his head close to it, eyeing something behind the cascading water. Like a pro, he hoisted himself onto a thin stretch of etched rock, sliding along the wall, disappearing behind the water mantel after being narrowly splashed.

"Yo, Indiana Jones how is it? Any killer clowns?" I dug an elbow in Cam's hard stomach. He gasped a chuckle.

Phillip yelled a "shut up" followed by an "all clear".

"Heads up," I jolted as hands lifted me high enough to stand on the wall's fissure. "Just keep against the wall. Ignore the water." The water, the rocks underneath and high flow—ignore every single thing.

Easy-peasy.

Swallowing thickly, I edged towards the dim opening between the waterfall and cave, acutely aware if I slipped broken bones would be in the cards. Out of the blackness, a hand reached for my arm, pulling me into darkness with a swift motion. Water speckles doused my short hair, I shook it off. Phillip kept a firm hold on me just as I edged backwards. I looked down watching tiny pieces of gravel loosen and fall down a massive elliptical hole.

"Careful, Nina. Only one of us survives a broken neck." Grimacing at his truth, I cornered myself against a cave wall.

I hated heights.

Phillip pulled Serena through the raining water curtain, locking an arm around her waist, smiling tenderly. It lasted until the others piled into the secret passageway. Cameron and Lucas both approached the circular edge, peering.

"I can see something shining down there." Cam commented.

Serena tiptoed to where he stood, eyes widening once they saw whatever Cameron and his uncle were staring at.

"It's Ethereal Crystal. Lots. I've never seen such a big aggregation." Witches were the only beings who could use Ethereal Crystal since they were physical manifestations of immortal souls, the energy that fueled Magic. It made sense she looked gob-smacked and a little hyper. "No wonder Etna couldn't be tracked with a locator spell. There's enough spiritual energy here to cloak the entire state of Kansas."

Okay. Wow. Officially impressed.

Lucas moved his head, as if working out a kink, then he spied Marx a look. The Warlock nodded. Lucas jumped inside the hole without a minute's hesitation. Cameron heaved a curse turning to where I was, still plastered against the moist wall. He held out a hand guessing what the problem was. I took it a bit too shakily and he pulled me towards him.

"It's not a big drop." He whispered, brushing a short tendril of hair into place. I glared at him with hard rock eyes. "Okay. I might be lying, but we're going down together. I'll go first."

"For the record, I wasn't great at rope climbing in gym."

Flashing a dazzling smile, the kind I'd seen directed at Etna, Cameron crouched unpacking the gigantic mountain climbing rope.

"I'm not afraid of heights. I can climb down and Phillip can take you with him when he jumps." Serena offered with a lick of compassion that rivaled Phillip's.

The offer was beyond tempting and appetizing. I'd been carried along for a cliff jump before, by Cam. Back in Hell, right before we'd entered Domain. I nagged my bottom lip glimpsing at the twins as they secured the rope to a firm boulder. Cameron couldn't jump and survive without broken bones, not without Power, he would have to rough it... Dangling from a string was the last thing on my Bucket List but we were in this together—we were a team.

I could face my fears with him. For him.

"No, I'll climb down."

Her sky eyes sparkled with uncertainty, "You sure?"

"Positive." I managed—what I hoped—was steady smile.

"'Kay, babe, let's go." Phillip threw both backpacks down the hatch where the other two caught them—probably.

Serena held onto Phillip, both arms looped behind his neck. They were off, jumping down the rabbit hole. Cameron and I heard the clear sound of impact Phillip's weight and hers caused.

"I wish we'd bought gloves..." I murmured skimming my fingers along the rope's harsh material. I was going to get rug burn.

"You'll be fine."

Easy for him to say, there were no snakes here.

"Nina?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you trust me?"

My chin jerked Cam's way so suddenly I felt muscles in my neck protest, cramping. The intensity I regarded him with couldn't be described.

"You know I do."

He leaned in very fast, hushing right in my ear, "Then you have nothing to worry about."

He's right, a rational-working part of my brain provided. Heart all giddy, I smiled slowly, wryly. Cam did as promised. He took the rope from me and tested it out to see if the boulder would hold. It did. Next, he started making his way down. For the first time, I stood close enough to see what laid below. Surely enough, blueish light shimmered from walls, grounds and even from the ceiling. It was magnificent. When Cameron reached the rope's middle it was my turn to pull on the big girl pantaloons. Heaving a great breath, I prayed to whoever was listening please don't let me fall, please don't let me fall... Sure Phillip or Lucas would catch me if I did... I hoped... But it was the falling part I wanted to avoid altogether. Sometimes, when people fell from high places, they died before going splotch.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I began the slow, agonizing descent. It was clumsy, either from fear or complete lack of skill, maybe both, but I felt my feet grip the thick rope, sliding down inch by inch. I was shaking the whole thing up. The rope felt more like a swinging vine. As predicted, the skin from my palms and fingers already radiated pain. I bit cuss words worming my way down thinking happy thoughts and how Cameron had faced his fear of snakes in Hell. He'd faced the Basilisks. He'd saved me first and not himself, he...

Two hands settled on my hips. I blinked both eyes open and was met with a set of amused onyx ones.

"You can let go, little bird." I blinked once more. I glanced down. I couldn't be more than two feet away from the ground. I'd climbed all the way. Well, almost.

"Can we hurry?" Lucas' whisper showed impatience. "The faster we find Etna, the faster you get your body back."

My fingers uncurled instantaneously, Cam deposited me on the floor. Awe rushed to the surface. Down in the Valley of Shadows the Crystals were even more shiny, looking like blue lava lamps mixed with a twinkling flame. They were spread out, all over, adorning spacious cave walls and tunnels leading wherever. It was hard to believe they weren't a rock formation created in a volcano's depth. My heart twinged with sadness. They were large quantities of immortal souls. They were all that was left of millions or more supernatural creatures who'd died, who'd been most likely killed...

I touched a Crystal.

I gasped.

Sadness was washed away as vertigo set in. My hands shot for my head as random voices, murmurs and loud whispers tangled up my thoughts in an intricate web of pain, hurt and thirst for... revenge. Images took place. They meant nothing to me. They were nothing but snippets of lives, final painful moments, but I felt them all and what was worst... I felt myself slipping into their skins. Just like what happened with Etna's memories. The skin I was 'wearing' quickly melted off and I filled another person's shoes. One memory felt drawn out and my body lurched as warmness bubbled up my throat, chocking me quickly. In another, bones in my neck cracked left and then a horrible tearing pain flared before there was nothing.

Shut off. Go away. Shut off. I ordered my Power, feeling the itching in my veins kick strongly. I tried throwing up the barrier between me and the yellow shape, it just felt... different somehow. Heavier. More abundant. After going through numerous death memories, the barrier finally held together, draining Power from me. My eyes flew open, I stumbled a couple of steps from the shimmering Ethereal, a hand pressed firmly to a throbbing temple.

I let out a long exhale, biting a wince.

"Are you okay?" A hand gently glided up my right arm. Its sheer warmness let me know it was Phill's before I glanced to the side.

I rubbed the aching in my forehead, "Yeah... Yeah, I'm fine. It was just... I touched this and saw... memories."

Phillip frowned.

"I thought you had your Power under control now?" So did I.

I gave a small shrug.

"Maybe it's because I'm still pretty freaked about climbing down or something." He nodded but his look was doubtful.

"Which way?" Cameron spoke loud enough that Lucas' voice echoed long into the three tunnels around us.

Breaking contact with Phill and squashing pummeling memories of deaths, I studied the tunnels. One had no Crystals, the one in the middle had small aggregations along its ceiling, but it was the one on the right that earned attention. All along its walls and ceiling were Ethereal formations, the blue tone shone very intensely. Etna was trapped in a ginormous Ethereal piece, it only made sense the tunnel with most Crystals led us there. Even if I was wrong we could double back and try another one.

"The one on the right." Serena was the one to say as if reading my mind.

There was another pause of silence as we made our way through the shinning tunnel. Lucas was going ahead, barely keeping pace with us, Marx was hot on his heels though. The more steps I took, the more my blood pulsed viciously. I didn't need to imagine what Lucas was feeling, I knew it. Perhaps not on such a bigger scale, but being forced apart from the one person you wanted to be with was the most awful thing in the world. Getting that person back... It was worth everything. Every minute of agony, every ounce of suffering, every second of despair.

The tunnel bled into a wide, round cave and at its core was the Ethereal. The Ethereal containing her.

The glow was dimmer even though the Crystal was the biggest in the cave. Etna was encased in the Ethereal, reminding me of a bug preserved in amber. Since I'd been in Etna's memories as herself, I hadn't truly seen what she looked like. I knew her hair was long, gilded, and that her eyes matched Lucas'. But I'd never seen her smooth cheeks, the petite nose or that her lips were small and full. She was wearing the same gown from the memory, blood coated her left shoulder and the hole from the Azure Dagger was present, dangerously close to her heart. Etna's face was a remarkable picture of sanctity, peaceful and undisturbed. As if sleeping. But her chest wasn't moving an inch, either up or down. Whole of her body was deadly still.

My reverie was broken by someone approaching the Ethereal. It was Lucas. He placed a hand on its surface. Clearing my voice after a few seconds, I demanded his end of the bargain to be complete before he got what he wanted.

Lucas whirled around nodding once at Marx, then he shed Cameron's leather jacket and lifted the V-neck exposing Cam's back and the big ugly curled snake. Marx's voice filled the void as a low whisper. He spoke words I couldn't understand like all other Witches, he didn't stop when pulling out a pocket knife, making a clean cut across his palm. The Warlock neared Lucas, who was stoic, and tightened his bleeding hand into a fist causing blood to drip onto Cam's golden skin. The blood dribbles fell on the snake tattoo, on its head. All at once the snake's red eyes shone eerily, next, the cobra started peeling off Cameron's toned back. Its inky body slithered down to the floor where it disintegrated into dust.

The seal was gone.

Now came the hardest part. For Serena to switch their souls back. She didn't need me to tell her to go ahead and fix the mess, Serena was already pulling out a large Hematite stone from her bag, it was dark but glinting because of its iron composition. Last night, Serena had gone over the ritual with me and said Hematite was connected to spiritual manifestation. The plan was for her to channel the stone's special property and guide Cam and Lucas' souls into their rightful bodies. Back in Hell she hadn't known channeling Hematite would facilitate the ritual, but when she extracted Cam's soul and put it in Lucas' body she and Phillip dug around and found this alternative. Of course, they still had to give her some blood, but unlike last time, the blood ended up on the rock, not painting Cameron's chest. After smearing their blood on the dark stone Serena told them to lie down on either side of her. As she knelt, with the rock in front of her knees, Serena slipped into a trance.

Last time the ritual had been interrupted. This time, no one breathed, not a sound was heard other than Serena's hollow voice rising. Phillip was beside me, keeping an arm around my shoulders, anxious. Marx had drifted into the shadows leaning against a wall.

The guys' bodies jerked at the same time, yells bounced off the cave walls, their heads lashed side to side and breathing increased up until a moment where they stopped moving altogether. That was the minute Serena's chanting became loud enough for me to cover my ears. Phillip scrunched his face doing the same. Serena's blond hair whipped back as her shoulders arched and words faded, leaving room for gasps.

It took me a while to realize what had been finished. Tentatively, my hands fell away, I blinked as Serena reached for Lucas' arm—his real arm, from his actual body—and overturned the sleeve, preparing to undo the seal on his Power. It was also part of my bargain. My sights quickly shifted from Lucas and Serena to him. Black eyes doused with relief and churning longing locked with mine just as tingles pulled me in the direction of Cameron's body.

His soul was home.

I stared at him with a bursting pressure located left in my chest, a shaky sigh escaped but I was completely unaware of anything but him getting up, standing four feet away in his body. We'd been together for a few days now, but this was completely different. This was Cameron. Body and soul. And I couldn't seem to get words out or move. My fingers flexed at my sides as I tried to word anything...

I didn't need to.

Cameron shook his head imperceptibly and before I could take another breath he stole it. Firm, long fingers claimed my cheeks, nursing my head to the side as smooth lips delivered a scorching kiss; it slowly broke through the bitter icy walls built around my heart since he'd been gone. Unable to handle more withdrawal I stopped being a lifeless form and kissed him back with as much ardor, allowing my hands to frame his face, rediscovering the firmness of Cam's cheekbones, the smooth skin. My fingers moved to the sides, dipping into the raven silkiness of Cameron's hair. He pressed our bodies closer, groaning lowly. Cam flicked his tongue over my upper lip, flaring up every sense I had. Cam deepened the kiss by pressing a hand in the small of my back, making me alive and vibrant in his arms, making me everything I was meant to be with him and only him.

Made me want much more than kissing.

Hands still dug into his hair, I forced myself to pull back to look him in the eye and breathe steadily.

"Why did you stop...?" he breathed inching our mouths together again. I fought hard to resist an urge to throw my arms around his shoulders and wrap my legs around him.

"Cam..." I heaved just as breathless. I slid my fingers down, cupping his nape. "I can't believe I can kiss you, touch you... I can't believe you're back." I leaned into Cameron's chest, feeling his arms quickly trapping me against him. "I love you, Cameron. I love you so much... God, I missed you. I..."

Our reunion was cut short by a terrible blood curdling scream accompanied by a massive gasp for air. To our surprise, we saw the Ethereal Etna had been kept inside unraveled and she was no longer inside, obviously. She wasn't the perfect example of Sleeping Beauty, either.

Etna was wide awake.

Silver irises darted from everyone to anyone lingering on Lucas, whose hands were up in a placating gesture. Cameron's stance changed drastically after he took stock of the cave's atmosphere. He blocked me from view, his shoulders tense like they always were before a fight. Serena stumbled her way backwards, near to us, swallowing. At one point Phillip took a step forward, curling a hand around her wrist, tugging her close. Marx was behind Etna, studying the situation with a nervous jaw set. If I didn't know any better I'd say he was afraid of something, but then again, we'd just freed a Nephilim from a long, long slumber. How happy could she be?

"Etna," Lucas spoke with more calmness than he appeared to have. "You're alive. It's okay. You're okay."

His words sparked amusement in her, because Etna, my great-great-whatever aunt, laughed. It was low and deep.

"Alive? Yes, yes, I have been trapped in some sort of spiritual rock. If you can call that alive... With nothing but whispers of dead immortal souls to keep me company. Whispers that just... Would. Not. Stop." Her breathing itched up a notch. I felt Power stretch from within her. "Okay? I think I am a far cry from being okay."

Cam glanced over a shoulder at me, an eyebrow arched questioningly, asking 'you helped rescue a nut-case?'.

Etna looked healthier than most people who hiked and jogged weekly, even her skin wasn't sickly pale. Her frizzy long hair swished as she looked around. A caged animal deciding which hunter to take out first. I felt sizzling and looking down, I saw static running over Cameron's finger tips. I grasped his elbow. He didn't look at me but stayed still and passive.

"All these souls and their thoughts... their last thoughts... They whispered and prayed and yearned for revenge—I could never shut them out!" She yelled hoarsely, tugging on her hair. "It was all I could hear for the past hundred and forty five years. For almost two centuries I... waited. I was in hell because of a decision you made. Because of a choice you took away from me—"

"A choice that saved your life."

"If I had known my future I would have chosen death!" She retorted in full fledged fury.

Lucas' face fell into apathy as the harsh, cutting words sunk in. There was no time to process a single thought because of a massive outburst of Power. We all felt it except for Serena and Marx. We looked behind us, to the Ethereal littered tunnel. The Power was a crushing and suffocating hot cloud. Similar to Phillip's Power only much stronger and frightening, with a promise to burn cities to the ground.

"Michael." Lucas whispered in a steely voice.

***

Phillip's POV

The second Power filled the air Lucifer spoon on his heel, grabbing Marx by the front of his shirt.

"What are you doing?" the Warlock didn't stammer, but he looked two seconds away from pissing himself.

A corner of Lucifer's mouth hitched in a snarl, "You're a Warlock. You're not sided with anyone, not really. Did Angels come to you for information on where you were going?" A beat of silence passed and the Devil lost patience, smacking Marx's head on the hard rock wall. He let out a splitting cry. "Did they?"

"No..."

The crazy Nephilim Serena just freed sped up to where Lucifer was, she pushed him away none too gently and pined Marx's shoulder on the wall. Next, we watched with stunned expressions as her other hand went through the Warlock's chest—like she was a ghost. Lucifer regained some composure as Etna pulled out her hand, turning to face him.

"He is lying." She said, then, a chocked sound crawled from the depths of Marx's throat. Etna had shoved her hand inside Marx again, only this time, there had been a crunch letting everyone know she'd broken bones. In a swift gesture, she tore her hand out and along with it, his heart.

It flopped from her bloody palm just as Marx's body fell lifelessly at her feet. She regarded Lucifer with chilled eyes. Something I couldn't understand or couldn't believe flashed in his eyes. The Devil became a blur and the sound of twigs snapping caused me to grip Serena harder.

"You broke her neck?" Nina asked, hollowly.

Lucifer gathered the young woman in his arms, maneuvering her head carefully. He looked up with hooded eyes. My way. No, Serena's way.

"I need a portal. Now." The wave of heat was coming closer. Michael. He was coming. "I need to get her out of here, open me a portal." He commanded in a deathly whisper.

Serena heaved a breath that caused her frame to shudder. She was tired, on the brink of exhaustion. I knew she was powerful, but to perform a Dark Magic ritual, to channel so much energy, lift a seal and free Etna? It was a lot. Even for her. Even if she had plenty energy sources here because of the Ethereal. A Witch was mortal and the mortal body could only handle so much.

"No way. She's done more than enough for you, she's not doing anything else." I barked, keeping a firm hold on her shoulders. "You want out? Fight your own way out."

Lucifer smirked tauntingly, "I can hold my own against Michael. Your brother on the other hand, might not. Last time I checked, he was the one with a Trial hanging over his head, not me." Breath stalled in my lungs. "If your little Witchy girlfriend doesn't open a portal your brother's most likely to die." Silver gun eyes slipped to Serena's. "I don't think he'd be too happy with you."

"Shut up." Cameron growled. I could taste anger in the air. Cameron's Power was just beneath the surface.

"Stop," Serena said. "I can do it."

"What? No. You're too tired—"

Her slim shoulders evaded my grip. She took a curt look at me, her skin had lost one layer of color making her pale.

"He's right. Your brother needs to leave before Michael finds us." I started shaking my head... "I can do this." She assured lifting a hand, keeping me in place. She shifted her gaze to Lucifer. Mine fell to the floor because they were right. If Michael caught my brother he'd be Trialled. I hated that I couldn't just snap my fingers and save us. "The portal I'll open up won't take you far from the waterfall, only a Coven can open a portal for long distances, but it'll be enough for you to avoid him."

My brow pinched.

Serena closed her eyes and tickles, along with a hum, filtered through our ears. In a matter of minutes a round swirling blue light popped in front of us, growing until it was inches taller than me. Lucifer flashed Nina a short lived grin, before tossing the leather bracelet Cam's way.

"My necklace." Cameron gladly yanked it from around his neck, tossing it at Etna's still chest. "Thanks, nephew." Then he zoomed inside the portal, vanishing.

Cameron slipped on the bracelet to keep himself cloaked.

"What did you mean for us to get away?" I asked Serena the nagging question.

With a soft, sad smile she explained, "I can't go with you. If I go through the portal it'll close and anyone going through a closing portal dies. So... this is goodbye."

I shook my head, "No," it dropped from my lips softly. "No." I said again, louder. "I'm not leaving without you."

"Phillip, you don't have a choice. I can't leave. You need to leave."

"No, I don't." I took a clear step toward her. "They need to leave." I jerked my chin to where Nina and my brother stood, glancing between themselves. "If you can't leave, I won't either. I'll stay with you."

"Phillip..." Nina began, wide eyed as the realization of what was happening sunk in.

Locking eyes with Serena I lifted a hand, touching her cheek, "I'm not leaving you, I can't. I'm in love with you."

Shock rippled through her. Her lifted palm faltered. She needed to close the portal soon. They needed to leave.

Quietly and sorrowfully, she said, "No, you're not."

"Yes, I am. You can't tell me how I feel, only I know that, and I'm in love with you. I don't know how it happened or when, I just know I am. So you can't ask me to leave you."

A tear streaked down her round cheek, I wiped it away.

"Phillip," Cameron's voice sounded. I turned to him. I needed him to be safe, Nina, too.

"This is my choice. You don't need to agree with it, I just need you to respect it."

His jaw hardened, muscles I didn't know existed flexed his face, turning it into a piece of marble. But Cam looked to the side, where Serena was, and whatever he saw... His shoulders dropped, tension sagged and all that was left was a sheet of worry and fear. My brother was afraid for me.

"If this is what you want," he said quietly. "It's your choice, brother. I don't like it... But I get it." He snuck a fleeting glance at Nina who was pale, her arms drawn around her stomach. "Just don't get yourself killed. It would be a pain to fit a revenge killing spree on my agenda."

I showed the starts of a grin. It wavered when he mumbled something under his breath and took three large strides to where I was. Cameron pulled me into a massive hug, the kind no one but me was privy to. He patted the back of my head before leaning our cheeks together.

"I'm serious, little brother, watch your back. Don't take stupid unnecessary risks." I drew my own arms around him, gripping him so close we could feel each other's heartbeats through our chests. "I can't lose you, Phillip."
I drew a sharp breath, feeling hotness prick my eyes.

"You won't. I'll be careful—I promise." I burrowed my face into his shoulder, stanching fresh tears. "I love you, Cam."

It wasn't usual for us to say it—we knew it. He would do anything for me, I would do anything for him. We were family, brothers, twins.

"I love you, too."

Cam saying it was even more bizarre. Normally he'd just brush it off with a pat or pull back and smirk.

My eyes snapped open finding Nina. She was staring wide-eyed, lips sitting in a white line. She was the reason for this change in my brother. She'd changed him—no, not changed. She'd brought him back. Little by little, Nina had restored Cameron. Brought out the seven-year-old boy who'd hid himself from the whole world. The boy I'd helped destroy.

Once he backed off, giving Serena a firm thankful nod, he picked up his leather jacked, shrugging it on. Nina came up to me, lips pursed. She threw her arms around my neck, I returned the hug, careful not to crush her.

"Thank you." I murmured into her shoulder.

"For what?" her voice was small and quivering.

"For saving my brother." I confessed just for her. "Take care of him."

"I will." She nodded. My eyes pinched closed as wetness streaked down my neck. "You're my best friend, Phillip, please be careful... I can't lose anymore people."

"I know, I promise I'll be careful. This isn't goodbye, I'll see you soon."

"Yeah, but I have this... really bad feeling."

"It'll be okay. I'll be careful." I repeated pulling away, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. "You need to go now. He's close. Go."

They had to go, no matter how hard this was, to be apart from the people who I knew loved me unconditionally. The only true family I had left.

Cameron took Nina's arm, stirring her to the blue swirling portal. Nina said something to Serena that caused a smile to sparkle, I was too focused on her running tears and then, just as my Devil uncle, they were gone.