It was a trick. It was a horrible trick. Stephanie's face blanched for a moment, but she maintained the whip's grasp.

"I'm no heir of yours. I'm not!!!" She pulled the demon closer to her and kicked at it as hard as she could. She was no equal to her father in strength, but she could kick far harder than any normal human could. The pyroplasmic whip melded around the demon into a solid shape that couldn't be wriggled out of or easily broken.

"You're not Shaw." She had to remember that. Not to get involved emotionally, except with righteous anger that it would get inside her head. Not to address it as if it were actually her father. Not to forget the lessons she took.