Wicked Devotion

By: afallenblackrose

Author's Notes: Well, I said December, and here it is March. I'm really sorry, but I was having a lot of difficulties with this chapter, and even though, I am posting it, I'm warning you now, this chapter is absolutely horrible. Seriously. In fact, if you want to just skip this chapter all together I'll understand. Big thanks to:

Guest

Guest who left me a review in Spanish

LoveInTheBattleField

sere

nickybluejess

blackacess

Silver Star Argenteum Sidus – You're close. Read on to find out more!

For reviewing the last chapter. You guys are fantastic. And to everyone who has ever reviewed, story alerted/favorited/followed this story, you're all fantastic and I couldn't have done this without you. Read on…if you dare.

Chapter 15:

Bring Me Back to Life

6 Months Later…

For the third night in a row, the baby had a full night of sleep. He didn't wake up crying once. Raye, Michelle, Beryl and Amy were happy for that. They hadn't slept much in six months. Ever since their friend had died while baring the child they were looking after, the child hadn't slept always-crying ear blasting howls. He needed a mother. He needed a father. But both were lost to the boy. As soon as Endymion had picked himself off the floor, he looked with pain at the child in Raye's arms. Without saying a word, he disappeared, no word of where he was going.

Jadeite and the others had gone after him, searching, but there was still no word as to where he was. They didn't even know if he was alive.

Endymion, was in fact alive, but he had been on a mission, ever since he had pulled himself together. He was the Source! There had to be a way to bring Serena back to life. He wouldn't let her death stand. There had to be a way, there just had to be. So he had started from the beginning. He had started his research on Serena and her witch lineage. Her relatives Haruka and Hotaru had been in possession of the Book before she had, but as he worked through her family tree, no one else had gotten their hands on it, except for, Selene.

Selene was the beginning of Serena's witch heritage. In many histories, a lot of witches, warlocks and wizards believed her to be the first witch. If that were the case then it would explain why she would have had the Book in her possession. She was the one who created it. Endymion was one of the few who did believe that Selene was the first witch, and because of that he knew that if he had any chance of bringing Serena back he would need her help. The only problem with this plan was the fact that Selene had been killed…by a former Source – his grandfather.

He was going to need a miracle if he wanted her help.

So for the last six months he had been looking for the last surviving member of Serena's bloodline, her brother Samuel. For Endymion to summon Selene he was going to need his help. He had only ever met Serena's brother once and it was under interesting circumstances…

*Flashback*

Serena and him had been dating for the last two months, when her brother was expected to come to town to visit his sister. The first that Endymion had heard about this was one afternoon when he was trying to make plans with her to hang out after 'work.' She refused him and he asked why.

"My brother is coming into town and I haven't seen him in over a year," she explained.

"I didn't even know that you had a brother," he replied and she smiled.

"We don't really talk much. He lives on the other side of the world, and he always brings trouble with him whenever he comes to visit."

"Trouble? What sort of trouble?"

"Well," she looked around to make sure no one else was in the near vicinity. They were the only ones in the arcade that afternoon. "He has a gambling problem…"

Endymion smirked. "That doesn't sound too bad. In fact, it sounds almost normal."

"I wish," she muttered. "It's not a normal gambling problem. My brother is a warlock, or at least I think he is. For all I know by now he's already gambled away all of his powers."

He blinked as realization dawned. In the underworld, there were demons who ran 'casinos' but instead of betting money, the clientele betted their powers. That was how some of the demons were able to become so powerful. They stole these powers and fueled their own. If Serena's brother was involved in that…well, why hadn't he had known sooner?

"I see," he said, his mind thinking. "Any idea where he's gambled in the past?"

"No, all I know is that he's always on the run from this demon, who I can only assume is the owner. He sends his minions after him, and Samuel usually can out maneuver them, it's only when he has trouble doing so that he comes to see me. He doesn't think I know, but…" she sighed not noticing the look that crossed Endymion's face. He was angry with her brother and he hadn't even met him yet. Anyone who stressed her out, he was going to be mad at. He didn't understand why. He'd been feeling this way for a while and it was unfamiliar to him. He was used to hate, anger, lust and dark happiness. But this…was it possible he was falling in love?

He shook his head and knew that he had to take care of this…without Serena's knowledge.

It was his third 'casino' of the night and he had yet to run into a Samuel who was a warlock. He was running out of options, and he honestly hoped that this wasn't the place. The owner of this establishment didn't really agree with his rule. In fact, he had almost engineered an uprising a hundred years ago. But as luck would have it, it was the place.

The owner was on the floor and he had a man with sandy blonde hair surrounded. Endymion sighed, he could only assume that this was Serena's brother, Samuel. He strode forward, and the demons that had gathered to watch parted as they realized whom he was. The murmuring began, as he got closer to the circle.

"I told you, Samuel," the demon boss growled. "I don't take kindly to my patrons running out on their debt. Because you have been running from me for years, what you owe is now double." He reached out to grasp the man, when Endymion broke through.

"Put him down, Amadeus," he said. The demon looked up with scarlet eyes.

"Endymion," he growled. "What are you doing here?"

"Stopping you," he replied and ignored the look, Samuel was sending him. "This man is off limits."

The demon continued to growl at him and the spikes along his skin began to sharpen. Endymion sighed, this wasn't going to end well. "How dare you come into my place of business and command me. This warlock owes me his power! You can't erase his debt just because you're - "

"If you go any further, I will vanquish you where you stand, you insolent piece of slime." He interrupted stepping into the demon's personal space. "You may have tried to overthrow me one hundred years ago, but as you know my powers are no match for yours. Now you will leave him alone, and you will give him back the power you have already taken from him."

Amadeus's eyes flashed a deep scarlet, the spikes now protruding a foot from his skin. He was about to blow. "You know how this goes, Endymion. If you want me to return his powers, I need some in return."

"Fine, then take some of mine," he offered his outstretched palm. The demon's eyes zeroed in, flicking between it and Endymion's eyes. He picked off one of the spines that protruded from his skin and inserted it in Endymion's palm. He felt his power drain for a few moments before the demon took away the spine.

"Very well, the debt is paid," he said and motioned to one of his minions. "Return Samuel's power." The minion stepped forward and touched Samuel briefly. Endymion watched as a golden light entered the man before it faded and the minion stepped back. "Now, leave my business and never return Samuel. Or else."

As Endymion left with Samuel, the man turned to him with anger in his eyes. "What the hell was that? And who the hell are you?"

"I just got you back your powers, and if you were smart you would stop bringing this trouble to your sister's door." He snapped back.

"My sister sent you?"

"Something like that," Endymion said and took Serena's brother out of the underworld.

*End of Flashback*

It was a miracle that he had even been able to find Samuel. After his visit with Serena, he'd gone off traveling the world, and he somehow wouldn't be surprised if Serena had told her brother, when she was going underground, that he should too. She knew how Endymion worked. If he could find her brother, he would have used him to lure her out. But that was before she knew that he knew where she had been the whole time she had been on the run. He sighed and threw his hand through his already wind-tousled hair. Maybe Serena had been right when she had run from him the first time.

He sighed and walked into the villa that Samuel had been staying at. He skirted through the living room and stopped when he noticed a chalk outline. If he walked any closer he would have been in a binding spell. Samuel had been expecting him.

"I knew it was only a matter of time before you found me," a voice said from behind him. He turned and saw the man he was looking for. It had been a few years, and the stress of the situation showed on his face. There were lines that shouldn't be there, and Samuel's hair was going prematurely gray. It could have also been a sign of the kind of spells Serena's brother had been doing, but he doubted it. "The only question I have," Samuel continued on. "Is why did it take you so long?"

"Because I was never searching for you to begin with," Endymion answered honestly. "I knew where your sister was the whole time she was supposed to be on the run."

"If that's true, then why are you here?" Samuel asked looking pensive as he took a step forward. The Source sighed and took a step to the right, away from the binding spell that was on the floor. If he was smart he would have stepped inside it, to gain Samuel's trust, but he wanted things to play out first.

"I'm sorry to tell you," he replied his voice breaking slightly as it always did when he thought about the reason why he was here. "But your sister is dead."

The color completely left Samuel's face and he fell to his knees. A pained expression was in his eyes as he looked up at the Source. "Was it you?" He asked his voice choked with grief. "Did you finally kill her after everything that you two have been through?"

"Yes." Endymion sat on the floor beside him, knowing that he could explain it all to him, but no matter how he explained it, it still ended the same way. Serena had died because of him. Because he couldn't leave her well enough alone. He had been stupid. He had been blinded by the fact that she brought out a side of him that he didn't think that he had. Yes, at first it had been about possession; of her magic and her connection to the Book, but it soon had grown to so much more. He loved her.

"What happened?" Samuel asked. "How did it all end? I'm assuming you found her and tried to have her turn to the dark side again."

"Well…"

Samuel sat there his eyes focused on the floor in front of him. He didn't know what to think and Endymion couldn't blame him. It wasn't everyday the Source of all evil came searching for his dead lover's brother to tell him that she could be brought back to life, but they had to summon Selene first.

"You realize this plan is insane?" He finally broke the silence.

"Of course, I do. But it doesn't hurt to try. Besides what happens if it does work?" Endymion asked.

"Serena will be brought back to take care of her son," Samuel muttered. "Man, I can't believe I'm an uncle to an incarnate of evil." He ran his fingers through his hair. Endymion tried to fight down his anger at that. Yes, the Seer had said that his son would be evil, but…he had looked at his son while he was binding his powers. He didn't look capable of the evil that Endymion had done. Then again…he hadn't either.

"So, will you help me?"

"Might as well," he laughed. "Besides if it doesn't work, Selene might vanquish you."

"Yeah, there's always that."

Samuel stood up from the floor and waved his hand. The chalk outline on the floor took on a new shape. As Endymion watched it turned into a summoning spell, one that he hadn't seen before. Samuel walked over to the southern point of the drawing and motioned for him to stand on the other side, at the northern point.

"All right," he said looking at him. "I'll admit, I haven't done this before, so this could go horribly wrong. But…whatever." He put his hands out palms up to the ceiling and began to mutter in Latin. Endymion watched his breath caught in his throat. The chalk began to swirl until there was a mini tornado in the center of the circle. As Samuel's voice continued to mutter the spell, a faint form began to appear.

"Samuel," an angelic voice said. Endymion's mouth popped open. If he hadn't known any better, he would have thought that it was Serena in the center of their circle, but it couldn't be… Could it?

The chanting stopped and Samuel looked up a shocked expression on his face. "Serena?" He whispered.

"No," the form replied. "I'm your great-great-great grandmother, Selene. Now, why have you summoned me with…" she turned and looked at Endymion and he saw with astonished eyes that Selene did in fact look like Serena. "The Source of all evil?"

"Lady Selene," he bowed. She raised an eyebrow, but nodded her head in acknowledgement. "I believe you might know the reason we have summoned you."

"You wish to resurrect my darling Serena."

"Yes," Samuel said.

Selene sighed. "You know, that with all magic there is a price to pay. Resurrection is no different. To revive someone from death, a soul must take their place. So unless, one of you feels like sacrificing themselves to revive her…" she turned to look at both of them. Endymion and Samuel's eyes met.

"Me," Samuel said. "Serena is my sister and I never really did right by her, I should be the one to do it."

"No," Endymion said with a stern voice. "You're her brother, it should be me. I was the cause for her death. It's only right that I should be the one that takes her place."

"Endymion," Samuel protested.

"No, it should be me," he turned to Selene. "I'll do it."

Mirth was playing in Selene's eyes, and she smiled. "You…" she whispered with a smile on her face. "You are so different than your grandfather. I'm glad to see that being the Source hasn't made you completely evil." She nodded her head. "Very well. The switch will be made. Now, Endymion, please stand to the right of me." He walked forward, feeling the power of the circle envelop him. He stood beside Selene and waited.

"Now," Selene told Samuel. He nodded and whispered some more phrases in Latin. Endymion felt a burning in his heart and knew that this was it. His last act was doing something for good. He was bringing back Serena.

There was a blinding flash of white and when Samuel finally could see again, he was alone. Selene and Endymion were gone. He stared at the empty circle and felt himself collapse again. He had always known since that moment when Endymion has saved him from the gambler boss demon that there was a good streak in him, and that he would do anything for his sister. But he didn't know how far he would go until he had walked into that circle.

"I hope it works," Samuel whispered.

Oh, it will, Selene's voice said on the wind.

Raye, Beryl, Amy, and Michelle all sensed something later on that afternoon and rushed into the baby's nursery to find him gone. They freaked out searching the other rooms. It was Raye who decided to search Serena's room, even though no one had been inside since they had preserved her body the day after her death. She opened the door and found the baby.

But she also found Serena; standing with the baby curled in her arms. She looked up with tears in her eyes and smiled at the raven-haired woman. "Raye," she whispered.

"Serena?" She asked, shock in her voice as she held onto the doorknob with all her strength. It was the only thing keeping her up. If she hadn't been holding onto it, she would have been on the floor. "How are you alive?"

"I…" the blonde haired woman trailed off as the baby in her arms grabbed onto one of her fingers. "I don't know. All I know was I woke up a few minutes ago, with this little guy staring at me. You don't think…?" She trailed off again.

"No," Raye shook her head. "Endymion bound his powers like you asked right after he was born. Something else is happening here." At the mention of her brother, Serena looked up again.

"Endymion," she whispered. "Where is he?"

"I don't know. He left six months ago, and he hasn't come back." The blonde nodded and went back to the baby in her arms until Michelle, Beryl, and Amy came into the room. They stopped and stared too.

"Serena?" They said in unison.

"Don't ask," she replied to their unasked question. "I just told Raye, I don't know how I came back. All I know is that I am." She looked up and smiled at them all. "Now, tell me. What is my little boy's name?"

The first thing he was aware of when he woke up was the bright sun beating down on him. The second thing he was aware of was the fact that he had woken up. How was it possible for him to be alive? He thought that a soul had to be taken for Serena to be resurrected? Unless…it hadn't worked.

"Oh, don't be so glum, Endymion," a voice said from in front of him. He looked up and was amazed to see Selene floating there. "My spell worked, but not like you thought."

"What do you mean?"

"Give it a minute," she said with a smile on her face. "It will come to you."

He cocked his head to look at her as he tried to figure out what exactly she meant by that. That's when he felt it. He was lighter somehow, almost as if… "A soul was needed to take Serena's place, and you used my dark half to do it, didn't you?"

"Bingo!" She exclaimed.

"Why? Why not just let me die?"

"Isn't it obvious, End – I mean, Darien? You wanted to make the ultimate sacrifice, to bring back my dear Serena. You were no longer evil, and it was time that that weight was unburdened from your soul. So, to bring back the love of your life I tore that part away and it sufficed. Now, go on and be reunited with her and your son." She disappeared before he could say anything.

He chuckled and looked up at the sky, "Thank you, Selene." A warm wind rustled through his hair before he turned and found himself by the house where he had last saw Serena. He climbed the steps and knocked on the front door.

His sister was the one who answered and her eyes widened in shock when she saw who was there. "Where the hell have you've been, Endymion!" She screeched at him before rushing into his arms. He hugged her back, just as tightly.

"It's a long story, but it's not Endymion anymore," he replied. "It's Darien, now where is my family?" She backed out of his embrace to look at him, before she led him into the house and up the stairs. She pointed to the room where had collapsed in grief six months ago. While holding his breath, he went to the door and opened it. There, standing in the sunlight that was streaming into the room, was the woman he loved, holding a baby in her arms.

"You have his hair," she was whispering to it. "And you also have his eyes. What exactly did you inherit from me, Helios?" The baby turned its head and his eyes locked onto Darien's and his breath left him. She was right, he did have his eyes.

"Dada," he said.

Serena froze and laughed. "Oh, you inherited my brains."

"Dada," Helios said again his eyes still on Darien's.

"What brought this on?" She whispered.

"Dada," the baby pointed this time. She followed his finger and froze again. Her eyes locked on Darien's and she knew before he could cross the room. She gasped as he approached them.

"How?" She asked as he took the baby from her arms and put him in the crib. He turned back to her and approached her with hesitant steps. When he was within her reach, she tentatively reached up and traced his face with her fingertips. "How?" She asked again.

"Selene," he replied and leaned into her touch. "She helped Samuel and me with resurrecting you. And when I sacrificed myself to take your place, she took the evil part of my soul instead."

"So, that means, you're no longer the Source?"

"Yes," he said his voice husky as he drew her close to him.

"Darien?"

"Yes." Her eyes were filled with tears and she buried her head into his chest and he simply just held her, relishing in the feeling of being close to her again. "I love you, Serena."

"I love you, too, Darien," she replied.

"Dada," Helios cried from the crib.

Serena giggled. "Helios knows his father. Come, meet our son." She pulled him to the crib and they peered into it. Darien smiled at their son.

"He's perfect."

"He is," she replied. "But…I'm scared, Darien. You bound his powers but…"

"Don't worry," he said. "We'll figure it out together." He kissed her cheek and she turned and kissed him on the lips. He was right. Whatever was going to happen they would figure it out together.

THE END.

Author's Notes: Yeah, like I said at the beginning. I absolutely hate this chapter. So. Yeah. Anyway, review, and thanks for reading guys!