Coming Together

**Aileen POV**

My dress was pushed up above my stomach revealing my beautiful bump. This doctor acted kind and was very gentle with all her movements. She must have been reserved for special occasions for privileged demons. That would explain why her office was so secluded. Seeing her was like getting hit with sunshine after days of captivity. Like when Devon brought me to his safe haven!
A cold jelly caught me off guard. It didn't hurt, but a little warning would have been appreciated. Shiuku had been scolded by the doctor to let go of my stomach while she set up some kind of monitor. I clenched my fist ready to fight Shiuku if he tried to harm her. That was unnecessary. Strangely, Shiuku permitted her to talk equally with him. Did Shiuku have a friend? It was clear he valued her opinion and that she was not afraid of him. Taking a closer look at her, some of her features seemed similar to Shiuku's. A relative?
"Are you ready Aileen?" her soft voice took me out of my daydreaming. "I'm going to find your baby's heart now, okay?"
I nodded. The doctor brought some cylinder shape with an orb shape as its base. From the machine, little gurgling sounds came from my stomach. I was confused. Did a demon's heart sound like indigestion? She kept moving the orb thing around searching for something. The doctor appeared to be having difficulty with what she was trying to find.
*Bump Bump Bu Bump* That was...Was that... If I had a monitor to my heart, the machine would be thumping like crazy with how mine was racing. This was my little raspberry. Hearing his steady rhythm was like a soothing lullaby to my ears. His fast beating heart just made everything all this so real for me. A little half demon was my gift from heaven and I loved him more than life itself. Was this overwhelming joy the same my parent's had? Was this what a parent's unconditional love was?
*Oh my little Shion, I can't wait to meet you*. I wanted to hold my unborn child so badly listening to him inside me. Without the tiniest micron of the smallest particle of doubt, I knew I would do anything for him or her. No one would cause pain to my flesh and blood. He would never wonder if he was loved. I would make certain of that; no matter what Shiuku had planned.
"That's your baby. Congratulations!"
"Is the heartbeat where it should be?" Shiuku asked.
The doctor smiled sweetly. "Yes, from what I read in her folder, the little baby should be 17 weeks today. There was a scare with how long she was unconscious, but the baby is tough and pulled through."
Shiuku batted her hand away and the nice doctor left for her adjoining room. A purple cloud-like substance emitted from Shiuku's hand. The glow of his aura tugged at something internal. I could feel my baby's power reacting to Shiuku's. This went on for several minutes before Shiuku closed his hand and rose from the bed. Triumph in his expression as he gazed down at me.
"I had hoped you would attack Jacob outside this office, and I would personally see what our child is capable of. You were stubborn, so I had to use an ability."
I bit my tongue, stopping myself from revealing what happened in that inhumane lab. My friends needed to tear that room to pieces and take any information hidden.
Slapping Shiuku's hand away I asked, "are you content now." I wanted to hold my bump, but I didn't want our hands brushing across each other.
"You shouldn't be. My child has such a strong aura, so much raw energy just floating there." He closed his eyes.
"Why would that upset me? I know this kid will be half demon."
Shiuku showed me fake sympathy. "Had this child proven to be weak, I would have offered you another deal." He waggled his finger at me. "This deal I wouldn't have forced you to take, but I know you would have agreed."
"What?" Did I really want to know? Most likely not, but my curiosity got the best of me.
"Had this baby not been worthy to be my child, I would have given you and Devon the option to keep it. I don't need a son or daughter making me look weak. You two could be parents to the weakling. In return, I would bed you some more. You would become pregnant once again. Hopefully with a stronger baby." He twirled a random cord as if uninterested in our conversation. "Not that it matters. That child is powerful and mine. Do not get too attached to the baby Aileen. It will make this all the harder for you after birth."
Like hell! All that really mattered to him was how usable our child would be! The demon lord truly had no paternal instincts. He is not taking away my baby. This little bump would know what love was and not have to question that he was cared for. I would see to that no matter what I had to do.
"You would abandon your own child for something beyond their control?!"
"This conversation is pointless. The baby is gifted." He pinched his forehead, his eyes void of emotion. "But yes, I would never allow a weakling to sully my name. I would have either had you and Devon take care of it as part of that deal or..."
Now I knew for sure, I didn't want to know.
"Or I would have killed the newborn."
I was going to be sick again. Had our child not had a huge amount of raw energy from the elements; Shiuku would have cornered me into an evil arrangement. I would have loved the first part; raising my child with Devon. But then there was the second, I would have to sleep with Shiuku again. It wasn't like I would have been able to refuse the deal either. The evil bastard would have killed his own son or daughter!
I headed for the door. Behind me Shiuku whispered, "don't get that steely determined look in your eyes. It makes it hard to keep my end of the deal. I want to ravage you so badly right here in this tiny white bed."
"Never Demon Lord Shiuku. If you do not mind, I will take my leave now." I readjusted my dress again and gave a slight bow as I would to a nobleman back home.
This was my game now. Shiuku would regret everything he did to Sekai, Devon, Trevor, me, and his future child. I cocked my head to the side, glancing back at Shiuku. He tried to mask it, but I know what flashed in the dark depths of his soulless eyes. Whether he outwardly admitted it or not; he could see the tides changing. Devon was no longer his puppet, Sekai was not a broken shell, and I wasn't cowering in submission. Together we could lean on each other and stand taller than ever.
As always, Jacob hadn't moved from his spot. Once more, I was swamped with questions. Had Jacob really come to Sam and that girl’s aid? And I had been so preoccupied with my baby's heart that I hadn't asked Shiuku about the letters. Worrying about the letters wasn't nearly as important as finding a way to save my child from his unloving Father.
It did matter whether or not I could consider Jacob an ally. I had gone back and forth with the idea a lot in the recent weeks.
The two of us said nothing to one another. He led me up stairs and through countless halls. Just how far away did he make that doctor's office? I could assume that the room adjoining it was her personal space. Shiuku hid her for some reason. I supposed a gentle soul like hers would be torn to shreds by some of the demons here. The doctor wasn't marked by Shiuku from what I had seen, so there would be no protection from him. How strange, and why did she resemble him?
"Are you alright?" Jacob slowed in his stride. "You're spacer than back at the DSS. Did you receive bad news?"
For the briefest of moments, it was like we were back in the DSS. Jacob escorted me so I didn't get lost, while I swam in my own thoughts. If only he hadn't ruined our friendship by killing Kalum and possibly snitching to Shiuku. I wanted to trust him, but there was just no way right now. Even if I did find it in me to work with him; he still had the challenge of my Father and Trevor. My Father in particular, did not forgive; he took revenge.
I really was different from Father after all. To think I wasted so many years trying to imitate him.
"You know how much I love those I consider family... Shiuku is a threat to all of them. He will keep using my family against me; and soon our child. Whose side will you be on when I save them all?"
I kept my voice confident as I spoke. It was imperative that he noticed my resolve. If he was going to join up with us; without being privy to any information, he had to stop cowering. I wanted him to see what courage looks like. After all, this was his last chance. He tries to screw me or my family again...He would have a personal demonstration of my baby's raw power.
His face cracked, so the man did still remember how to smile. "I would love to help you."
"I don't trust you. All information will be exceedingly limited to you. And I can't promise my Father won't kill you for Kalum. You don't wanna know the rampage teenage Prince Ulrich went on when his Mother was assassinated. Sir Kalum was the one by his side during everything."
"I've been on borrowed time since Shiuku marked me. I was literally brought here as a sacrifice for you to slaughter."
Another two hallways, and we made our way back to my new room. The others had fixed the door at some point. I could make out little chirps of conversation. I returned to my room flinging my arms wide. Jacob had left for his own bed lost in his own mind.
Sam, the demon girl, and Sekai all greeted me with cheery smiles. It was almost unsettling just how happy they were. There were stacks of books, pamphlets, random documents, and reports. It was like an investigators' wonderland. No wonder they were excited! The secrets we could uncover from all of this, I could only start to fathom. So Shiuku hid all that information with the demon Hal. Smart, without Sekai's intel, I never would have suspected a torture experiment room and bedroom would be connected; or that they would hold so many glorious secrets.
I was about to dive into the first selection when Sam blocked my path. "Nope, we spent all the time destroying walls and the floor. I'll decide which document you start with. Besides, we have to talk about what Dustin told us and we found something we think you'll be very interested in."
Dustin? Must have been one of the two demons from before. I really had to get better at memorizing names.
Sekai started digging through a stack of documents. "After you and Jacob Devon left, Dustin brought up something Shiuku is planning. Shiuku will be leaving for a little over two months next week, but he is waiting until after a specific day that’s coming up. Apparently, he wouldn't explain what was planned, but it's safe to assume it involves you."
How was any of that putting them in such good moods. It was just another game Shiuku was playing.
"Anyway," Sekai added, "Devon and Sexy Daddy left to repair the door after Dustin finished talking. The rest of us tore the experimental lab and Hal's adjoining bedroom to pieces. We found something you may want to see. And we found it at the perfect time."
She handed me a folded up light blue paper. On the back was a seal, stamped in hard enough to be seen from both sides. I opened up the frail piece of paper and my jaw fell to the floor.
The paper had the name Devon Kitz typed in the middle. Below his name were the parent's legal names; Darran Kitz signed for Father and some woman named Elizabeth Windone signed for Mother. Were they Devon's parents?
Sekai pointed to the date marked on the paper. His calendar month and day matched up with mine. No kidding, this was a lucky find! Our birthdays were coming up too!
"This is great! Okay, so Sekai, I need to see the calendar on your phone, we all need to get a head start on this information, and another thing Sekai... How good is your memory, are you musically gifted, and are you mechanically talented at all?" I was elated so much that it radiated off me. I could barely hold still. There was so much to do!
Sekai sat down next to me. "Hold off with your million questions. There is one more thing. I don't know who the woman is, but now I get why Shiuku wanted to degrade Devon so badly, before even knowing he was your true love."
"Just spit it out. We have so much work ahead of us and I want to do something sweet for Devon before all Hell breaks loose here."
"There are several demon lords in the world. Shiuku is the strongest, followed by Kuzon..."
I tapped on the table waiting impatiently. Lena had explained the demon lords to me when I joined the DSS. I just hadn't paid much attention back then.
Sekai blew air up, lifting a strand of her hair. "Darren Kitz is one of the demon lords. That makes Devon one of the most powerful elementals in the world. He would have been the next demon lord if Darren was ever killed...had Devon not been sold."