[h2]Esme[/h2]
 Esme saw Cason’s face flood with sympathy as soon as he turned to face her after she called his name. When she asked him for help getting Duke back, she wasn't looking for sympathy from him. All Esme wanted was Cason’s help since she couldn't do this alone without possibly being too late when she finally found Duke. After everything she and Duke had been through after meeting back up and reconnecting, she couldn't and wouldn't lose him like this. With losing Mika and hitting her, Esme knew Duke wasn't in the right headspace and knew he would do something reckless that could get him killed. When Cason held up a hand to stop her from continuing after she told him she’d owe him, she did and took a deep breath as Natalia agreed with her. It was then that Esme realized how terrified Natalia was from the whole fight between Duke and Dean. She felt bad she hadn't noticed it before, even if she was distracted by trying to get through to Duke. Esme also knew that seeing Duke hit her must have also affected her. Hell, it surprised her that Duke hit her. She thought she had gotten through to him enough for him to know it was her and not Cason.

Esme’s attention went back to Cason as he answered her plea for help. A little relief came to her face as Cason agreed to bring Duke back, but her eyebrows slightly knitted together at what he said next. His words, ‘by any means necessary,’ echoed in her head. Esme knew Duke didn't like Cason and would no doubt fight Cason trying to bring him home, but the thought of using excessive force to bring him home didn't sit well with her. However, she knew it would more than likely come to that. Sighing heavily, she reluctantly nodded to Cason’s back as he walked over to Natalia. “Alright. Just don’t do anything more than you have to.” she told Cason as he kissed Natalia. Esme didn’t move from her spot until Cason stepped back from Natalia and disappeared. With Cason looking for Duke’s location, Esme took this time to tend to her nose, clean the blood from her face, and grab an extra knife from the duffle in the kitchen. She had just returned to the kitchen when Cason reappeared and wrapped an arm around her. She had just enough time to take a deep breath and hold it before he disappeared with her and reappeared with her at a warehouse. 

Esme didn’t release her breath until Cason pulled her into a shadow and pressed her back against the side of the building. As Cason spoke, she looked up into his face, taking in his words and her eyebrows knitted together. Of course, he’d tell her to stay back while he went in and dealt with the problem on his own. He should have known that wouldn’t sit well with her. Esme understood he was trying to keep her safe and out of a situation she couldn’t get out of, but this was Duke they were going in for. There was absolutely no way she could sit on the sidelines while Cason went in and took care of the demons surrounding Duke. Other than her godmother, Duke was the only other person she had to live for on this planet. She had to go in and at least do something to help him. As Esme looked up at Cason, her gaze almost turned into a glare despite seeing the seriousness and worry in his eyes. “Like hell, I’m staying here on the sidelines.” she told him sternly. “I’ll let you do the majority of the killing and stay out of your way, but I’m going in too.”

Even though her eyes held worry, they showed that she was determined to go in and help kill the demons surrounding Duke. “If the roles were reversed and that was Nat in there. Could you stay on the sidelines while I went in?” Esme asked him, looking into his eyes. “I seriously doubt you could. That blonde, reckless idiot in there is my world. We’re going in together to get him, kill those demons, and then taking him home. Even if we have to force him.”