Desiderius fought his hold.
Yelling in triumph, Tabitha plunged her sword through Desiderius's heart. Valerius jumped back an instant before the blade went through the body and would have stabbed him as well.
Tabitha pulled it out and smiled until the wound on Desiderius healed.
He laughed. "I'm a Dark-Hunter, bitch. You can't-"
His words were silenced as Valerius delivered the one blow that would kill a Dark-Hunter.
He severed the Daimon's head from his shoulders.
"No one calls her a bitch and lives," Valerius snarled as Desiderius collapsed.
Tabitha was frozen completely by the grisly sight. She should have felt avenged.
She didn't.
Nothing could ease the pain this night had wrought.
Valerius pulled her into his arms and turned her away from the body as Otto came crashing through the door's remains.
He stood there, surveying the damage that had once been her sister's prized home.
"Do I want to know?" Otto whispered.
She shook her head.
"Amanda," she breathed in an agonized tone as her tears started again.
How could her twin be dead?
"Tabby?"
Tabitha's breath caught in her throat as she heard her sister's voice from the stairs. She turned her head slowly, almost afraid it would be another specter.
It wasn't.
Amanda stood there, her face pale, her hair disheveled, her gown coated in blood.
But she was alive!
Shrieking, Tabitha ran for her and pulled her into her arms, holding her tight as her tears flowed yet again, only this time in happiness.
Amanda was alive! The words echoed in her mind.
"I love you, I love you, I love you!" she breathed against her sister's neck. "And if you ever die on me again, I'll kill you so dead!"
The two of them stood there locked in an embrace.
Valerius smiled at the sight of them, grateful for Tabitha's sake that Amanda was whole.
His smile died when his gaze met Kyrian's as the Greek came down the stairs with Acheron behind him. There was nothing but open hatred in the Greek's eyes.
"Where's Kassim?" Otto asked.
"He's dead," Ash said wearily. "He's upstairs in the nursery."
Both Valerius and Otto winced.