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"Tell Serena," David said "Go ahead Tell her how you cheated on ers, you went running, leaving us alone Hohen she wanted to get pregnant, you couldn’t jerk off into a cup fast enough"

The air left Serena’s lungs in a rush, leaving her woozy "Is this true?" she croaked

Val spread his hands in a pleading gesture "I couldn’t tell you I didn’t even know David knew"

"How stupid do you think I aure it out the first time she saw Serena? She was a carbon copy of you when she was little" His voice vibrated with anger "It ave up her charot the best of both worlds Your precious daughter was protected and you could finally fk Patrice--"

Val decked David so hard that it sent his son flying David bounced off the wall, using the momentum to rush at Val, but then Shade was there between theth

"I don’t care if you kill each other But do it outside Wraith will have ht in the cross fire"

"She should be dead already," David spat, and Serena went numb

"Oh, my God," Val whispered "You did it You betrayed her to Byzamoth"

"So what? Mom is dead because of her! If you hadn’t loved her and Patrice more than us…" He jerked away froainst the wall "Mo on her All those years she put up with it, but when Patrice got pregnant again, it was the last straw You drove her to it, Dad You ht as well have put the pills down her throat yourself"

The truth of David’s words put shadows in Val’s eyes He sed hard "I never meant for any of that to happen I loved yourblood away from his mouth with the back of his hand, David turned back to Val "But you loved Patrice and Serena an to shake with fury If she wasn’t so weak, she’d hit him herself "You put the entire world at risk, betrayed the hue?"

He recoiled as if she had struck him "I didn’t knohat Byzamoth was" Tears swam in his eyes, and he dashed them away as he turned to Val "I swear to you, I didn’t know And I didn’t know Serena would die, not until you got all freaked when she said someone was after her I just wanted the necklace I wanted to be special"

Val shook his head as though trying to clear it, and Serena kne he felt, because she was confused as hell "How did you find Byzamoth?"

"He came to the mansion after he discovered Serena’s identity He said he was a e I think he planned to take the charypt I was pissed--"

"Because you wanted to go," Val interrupted, and David gave him a petulant nod

"Byzamoth made a deal with me He said if I told hiive aped at the man’s stupidity

"He acted like he didn’t care about the necklace I thought he just wanted the charot interested in the artifacts, and decided to use you to get thehed bitterly "Of course Once David spilled the beans about those, Byzaates would seriously disrupt his war The gates between Heaven and Hell could still have been opened with Heofon, but deet to the Earth’s surface to make war on humans At least, not until they destroyed Heaven" He ust as he rounded on his son "You idiot You realize that even if you had gotten the necklace, you would not have been allowed to keep it"

David’s chin caiven the charels deem that person worthy!" Val roared "You are not worthy"

"I never have been, in your eyes" David stalked toward the door, and after a brief nod fro in David’s ear that et away fast enough

Val sank heavily onto his chair, didn’t look at Serena "I don’t have the words to explain," he began "So ask what you need to"

Too in shock to speak, Serena said nothing It was Shade who broke the ice

"This is better than a soap Not that I’d know" He propped hii… why didn’t you ever tell Serena you whipped up her baby batter?"

Yes, she would like the answer to that oddly phrased question Val buried his face in his hands, and she had to strain to hear him

"How could I tell you when I couldn’t even come clean with my own family? I honestly didn’t think they knew And after Patrice died, there was no point in saying anything I knew that with the nuns, you’d be safe and well-cared for" He lifted his head, watched her with bloodshot eyes "I was a coward And because of that, my son hates me Hates his own sister I’m sorry So sorry"

"What will happen to David?" Shade asked, in a tone that said he’d handle things if Val’s answer didn’t satisfy hied breath that ended on a sob "It’s a is" He caone, and then ht "About family… I think you should know the reason Wraith hasn’t been to see your sons" Shade opened his mouth, but Serena cut him off "He’s afraid, Shade He’s afraid to share hi to be a piece that goeswhen they turn on him He feels like he’s lost you and Eidolon to your mates and children, and you were all he had"