Shadowess

"Bad dream?" Cecil asked nonchalantly as he awkwardly tried to make his bed from the top bunk. The other beds were empty. "Drake, Benny and the others have already beaten you to the showers. Hope you don't mind cold water because there won't be any hot left by the time they're done." --- Henderson glared at Will as he shook him. He didn't say anything while Will spoke, but once the ultimatum was given, he shrugged off Will's hands and shook his head. "Guess I'm going home then," he grumbled as he walked past him. "You don't hang out with people often, do you?" Lang observed. "Let's make a deal," he said and gently pried the book from Reed's hands. "I'll promise to eat fewer dohnuts if you promise not to throw your head straight into a book whenever you're not sure how a social interaction works. If you're ever feeling uncertain, you can always ask me." He lifted the book with an amused smirk while gesturing to it. "Just think of this as your social dohnut, and I am your social salad." --- "You're right," Lilly said when Raven had said it felt weird. "I've never been more than a nobody, barely surviving on scraps. That felt odd... but exhilarating." She admitted with a small smile. Her smile grew until she was beaming when Raven said they should go and see Azrael now. "Yes, I can't wait to see his face when you give him our gift!" She led the way, heading to Death's private suite. Azrael was still lying in Death's bed. He rarely needed sleep, so he had spent much of this time being frustrated that he hadn't healed enough yet to return to his duties. He worried for Raguel's fate and longed to stand at Death's side again, but until his wounds healed properly, he was of no use to anyone. So, for now, he sat with his back against the headboard and watched the bruises on his arms as they healed. Though he had to admit, the way they changed colours before slowly blending back to match the colour of his skin was mildly fascinating. He'd never stopped to see that happen before. --- Jessica squeezed Ben's hands a little and bit her lip. She hadn't known how he'd react, but his answer caused her to falter. "We can go and check, but..." She looked away from him and took her hands from his. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "Ben, I don't want you to do something you don't want to do. You asked me to change you because you wanted to be with me, to know what it was like for me, and now that you've become comfortable, I'm asking you to change for me again. That's not fair. I'm not being fair to you." Tears stung her eyes as she brought them back up to look into his. In a fragile whisper, she asked him, "Are we incompatible?" --- A demon? An angel? Any other tormentor jumping out of the shadows? In a flash, Eve relived all the horrors she had endured during her time wandering Hell. Within the same moment, she realised the threat was no more than her ever carefree husband. Her face was still pale as he laughed, and for a second, her pupils shrank in anger. "Adam!" she snapped angrily, then placed a hand over her chest as she took a few breaths to calm herself down. Then, colour returned to her, making her face red from embarrassment as she chuckled. "Careful, husband. I may get you back one day," she said playfully. --- "You mean 'his' shape." David corrected him as he rose to his feet. Andi didn't speak but nodded at the Arch Demon in thanks. "I admit, I'm still new to the idea myself, but humanity seems to be taking great strides when it comes to this sort of thing. That being said, I know at least one person who has successfully managed to change their gender through magic." Andi's eyes lit up hopefully. When David had referred to humanity, he half expected to be told that he'd have to go about things the mortal way, via surgery and hormone replacement pills. Which would take years to complete. But at the mention of magic, he became excited at the idea that he could possibly change instantaneously. "Are you able to get us in touch with them?" He blurted out eagerly, then glanced at Death before lowering his eyes to the floor. "Apologies." David merely smiled at them and nodded. "It's Hades. My daughter. I'm not sure how she did it, but maybe there's a way she can help you?"

"Whatever." Drake chuckled as he got up from the floor. He brushed the cards from his bed, leaving them in a messy pile on the ground, as he climbed under his own covers. Benny tutted. "Really, man? That's the only deck we have with no missing cards." Drake shrugged his shoulders, and Benny scooped them up from the floor to put them away neatly before heading to his own bed. "G'night, guys!" "Shush!" Cecil grumbled, and silence quickly followed. Before long, Drake's snoring could be heard as the boys fell asleep. --- "I just- I can't believe they took over again! We made a deal, and they made us break it! It's not right!" Henderson vented when Will had stopped him. "And that prick, Xenos, who the fuck does he think he is?! 'Stay in your lane' he says, StAy In YoUr FuCkInG lAnE?! I'll show him what lane I'm in. That god-damn fast lane is what!" Lang turned to look at Reed with an eyebrow raised once more. "Word of advice? Don't tell people how they should eat. Ever. I know you mean well, but that's not a great way to make friends. Chances are people already know this information, but ultimately what they put in their bodies is their own choice, you know? Besides..." he smiled and leaned against the table as he plucked up a pink glazed dohnut that was covered in multicoloured sprinkles. He held it out for Reed to take. "One once in a while wouldn't kill you. C'mon, there's more things to enjoy and experience in life than what's written in a book." --- "Boys, are you forgetting something?" Lilly said coyly as she set her bags down in the empty room. She walked over to the door. "We're royalty now... and I've always wanted to try this." She opened it and looked into the corridor. When she saw a couple of Reapers walking by, she waved them both over. "You there! Would you mind taking our bags to our rooms, please?" The pair of Reapers hesitated for a moment and glanced at each other uncertainly. They knew these were the newly adopted children of their King but were unsure if they were supposed to drop everything to follow their orders just yet. But seeing as they hadn't been told either way yet, they didn't want to risk angering Death, and she had asked politely anyway, so both Reapers nodded with a short bow to her. "Yes, Princess," they said in unison. --- Jessica hugged Ben back then smiled at him while brushing some of his hair back with her fingers. "River told me something that might help us." She began. "I've thought about it... a lot. I want to have a family and settle down, but if we stay like this, we'll never have kids of our own." She took Ben's hand and pulled him over to the couch to sit down. She kept hold of his hand even while they were seated. "David found a cure for vampirism a while ago. Carter and Sebastian used it so that they could change into the same type of Vampire that Tom is. So that they wouldn't have to hide from the sun every day. I don't know if it'll work for us, given what we are... It might not. But if we want to have a family, it's worth a try, right?" She looked into Ben's eyes. Watching his reaction carefully. "I love being what I am... I've never felt more me, but... I don't feel complete." --- Without a word, John vanished. Eve lowered her arms and approached the magical barrier outside their home. She peered into the darkness with more intensity. She seemed restlessly alert. "Hmm..." Reluctantly, she turned away and crossed her arms again. Appearing to be lost in thought, she walked slowly back into the doorway, only taking one last glance towards the barrier before heading in and closing the door behind her. --- Death and Andi would find David on Earth. Specifically in London where they'd see him sitting on a park bench and watching a little cafe across the street going about its usual business. He had a reflective expression as he looked on. When he felt he was being watched, he looked up, and his expression shifted to that of mild surprise. "Ah, Your Grace." he grinned cheekily, knowing he needn't refer to Death this way anymore but thought it would be a humerous way to greet him after his last mission. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"I can think of a few things you could give her!" Drake laughed, and not content that it was doing an effective job, Benny threw down the pillow before tackling Drake. They wrestled while laughing loudly. "Guys, seriously, knock it off!" Cecil snapped at them, having now sat up to glare at them. "If Ortiz hears you're still awake and comes in, we'll all be in for it! I'm not collecting boil puss again just because you two have no volume control! Took weeks to get the stink out of my clothes..." --- Having been walking briskly, Henderson had already walked far down the road by the time Will had come out to look for him. He was still seething, and his mind was racing. Ideas of finding and breaking into the CIA facility kept popping into his mind, and the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to do it. Even the idea that he could be shot down in the attempt was appealing to him, though he couldn't fathom why. Lang looked at Reed's book with an amused smile and a raised eyebrow. He chuckled and gently closed the book in Reed's hands. "It's not a bad idea, but maybe we could just start with something simple? Like, talk to each other over a coffee and some dohnuts?" he suggested. He then gestured towards the break room where there would already be some boxes of various dohnuts opened on the table. --- Andi hadn't met David yet, but if he had the answer she was looking for, then she was willing to give it a try. She nodded to Death, ready to follow his lead. Meanwhile, in the empty room, Lilly stood off to one side with Conrad as they watched Raven work. She was fascinated with the process and how easy he had made it look. When he was done, she smiled at the amulet. "He'll love it." She commented. "And you have to teach me how you did that!" --- Shezmu smiled and nodded to Dariel's thanks. He looked at the armour on the ground with an amused smirk. "I believe you will need to return it to wherever you retrieved it from," he told him simply. Meanwhile, across the castle, Jessica, who had been in a depressive state after the news that she couldn't have children, finally emerged from her bedroom. She'd washed herself up and gotten dressed up. Up until now, she'd had Ben and everyone else who cared for her worried as she had locked herself away and refused to speak to anyone. During his last visit with Shezmu, River hadn't gone straight home. He'd stopped by Ben and Jessica's place to check in and see if they knew about Shezmu. When he learned of Jessica's mental breakdown following the news that the ancient Blood God had brought, he'd stepped into her room to talk to her. It was some of his advice that had brought her back to herself, and she now held a determined look about her as she emerged and looked at Ben. --- Within the sanctuary of their new little Eden, John sat back on a large cushion, watching Daisy and Juliette babbling excitedly about their new lives and budding pregnancies. He glanced at the walls of their home and at the runes he'd carved. He wondered if there was any way to safely speed up the pregnancies to give them more of a fighting chance at succeeding in their endeavor before they'd be discovered. He didn't know of any spells or potions that would work, and in all his years, he'd only ever heard of one Demon that might've been intelligent enough to create such a thing. He'd heard of her destruction, but as he sat there pondering, he recalled the chaotic void that was his time in Oblivion. Most of his memory of that place had already faded by now, but he distinctly remembered sensing her there, and her presence remained even as his essence was yanked from the madness of the obyss. He had awoken on his own but with the distinct feeling that Clementine had also managed to escape Oblivion. He would need to locate and observe her before they approached her. He needed to know whether her mind had stayed intact the way his had or whether she had succumbed to madness from their time in the void. After all, she might be clever, but John wasn't about to risk everything they had worked towards so far if she was unstable. While the girls were chatting, John was lost in thought, and Adam was doing whatever he was doing, Eve stood outside the building. Still within the safety of the protection spell. The location here seemed to follow a timed illusion of night and day. Right now, it was night and the areas surrounding their home were shrouded in complete dark. Her arms were crossed as her eyes carefully scanned the field and trees close by.

Both Drake and Benny chuckled at Blake's quick defensiveness. "Man, chill," Drake said as he put a card down on the bed and drew another one from the deck to the side. "I mean, only a blind person wouldn't see that she was totally eye-banging you, but sure, whatever." "You're such a perv, Drake." Benny shook his head and then looked over at Blake. "Ignore him. He likes to push buttons." "Shut. Up!" A boy that had been snoozing in one of the bunks huffed at them. "Fuck man, do you guys ever sleep?!" "Yeah, I sleep right after I'm done banging your dad!" Drake laughed. Benny picked up the pillow from behind him and hit Drake with it, knocking a few cards to the floor and making him laugh a little more. The boy in the bunk gave an annoyed groan and turned over, pulling the covers over his head. "That's Cecil," Benny said to Blake while pointing to the boy in the bunk. "He's a snooty prick for a klepto. Keep an eye on your socks." Drake said, then leaned forward a bit with his mouth cupping one side of his mouth as he whispered loudly across the room. "He has a serious foot fetish!" "Drake! Stop being mean! You're going to scare away the new guy!" Benny laughed as he hit Drake over the head again with the pillow, sending some feathers flying. Drake laughed out loud again. --- Not wanting to risk a disciplinary, Malone didn't object but he wasn't happy about this arrangement either. Without a word he headed to the armoury to return his SWAT gear. Lang, having finished healing everyone by now, headed over to the new Agent and gave him a kind smile. "Don't mind the others. They're a prideful bunch, but they mean well," he said to him. "I'm Officer Lang." he turned to Will. "Sir, I can help Agent Reed here set up a desk and get settled in. I have a feeling Henderson might need to be talked down before he does something stupid," he said, reminding Will of how Henderson had been behaving manically before Dick had managed to knock him out back at the warehouse. --- Uriel said nothing as Gabriel left, but as soon as he was gone, his smile vanished and was replaced by a grim determination. Silently, he sent a private telepathic communication to his most trusted spies to keep a very close eye on his rival. Then he turned and also vanished. --- Lilly shook her head as well. Such a thing was unheard of in her own world. Andi had been caught off-guard as Death asked the group of teenagers about her very sensitive issue, and her face turned red from embarrassment. At least these teens seemed to be handling it in a mature way, and although none of them had any answers, she nodded to them thankfully all the same. "Maybe David would know?" Lilly suggested as she looked back to Death after seeing Andi's defeated expression. "I've only met him a couple of times but he always seems to know a lot." she then turned to Raven and Conrad. "C'mon. I'd like to see how your do your magic. Maybe you could show me how to do it too?" --- Shezmu paused and looked at Dariel with his head slightly tilted in confusion. Then he realised what he was saying and chuckled before shaking his head a bit. "No, no. You misunderstand. I mean, the event itself cannot be traumatising. It must be done in a peaceful environment and performed preferably out of love," he explained and then sighed. "In my time, I've regretably had to destroy one or two mad Blood Gods. Those poor bastards had been torn from their families, beaten bloody, likely feared for their lives as they were drank from and then had blood fed to them by a Blood God who could have cared less if they lived or died... either that or they were a half-Devil who was turned by an oblivious and cruel vampire master." He closed his book again and leaned back slightly in his seat while looking at his student. "It is how vicious rumours of our kind began. Now, many Angels, Demons and Devils believe we are always born mad when the simple, unfortunate truth is... when one mad Blood God is made, he inevitably begins a viscious cycle of creating more Blood Gods in the same violent way, which leads to more mad Blood Gods, and on and on. But no, if done right and if done safely, the risk of losing your mind is practically none." Shezmu stood and placed the book back onto the shelf. "And fear not, Dariel. You may have come from dark beginnings but you will always have a home with me." He turned to face him with a small smile. "I admit, I have grown rather fond of you." He then smirked. Now, if you don't mind, I believe you're beginning to stain my upholstry with your sweat and you may need to remove that armour before it rusts."

(Nice!) "It's fine. He gets on everyones case so we all get frustrated sometimes." the first boy shrugged. "Especially if the Boss gives you any attention." Drake chortled "But we're a family here. We give each other grief sometimes, but we still look out for each other. Ortiz included. I'm Benny, by the way. I've been here about six months. This is Drake." "Been here two years as of tomorrow," Drake told him with a nod. --- Henderson was a little shaken and furious from how Xenos had grabbed him and spoken to them. His head pounded as he stared at where he'd been standing just a moment ago. He then turned to glare at this new Agent and scoffed as he walked towards the door, aiming to 'bump into' the Agent's shoulder on his way past while calling over to Will; "I'm going to get some air!" then muttered under his breath; "Fucking god damn CIA bastards showing up, taking over everything and fucking us over... again!" At the Agent's question, Malone massaged his temple with one hand while pointing towards Lang with his other hand. "He's you're guy." Seeing Malone point at him, Lang squinted. "WHAT?!" he shouted, making Malone jump and the rest of the group groan from their collective headaches. "Lang, heal your damn ears!" Malone snapped "MALONE, WE'RE ON DUTY. WE CAN GO GET BEERS LATER." "No, ears- YOUR EARS, LANG!" "WHAT ABOUT ISLAM?" "EARS!!!!" Malone pointed to his own ears, then to Lang. "HEAL!!!" "OHHHH! RIGHT! GOTCHA!" Lang turned a little red from embarrassment as he placed his hands over his ears. A moment later, he removed them and made a few 'mawp' sounds to see if he could hear himself. "Oh, that's better." "Thank fuck..." Malone slumped back down and cradled his head in his hands. "Now, what were we talking about? Something about beer and Islam?" Lang looked at them all, confused. Malone groaned again in aggitation then pointed to the new Agent. "Fancy pants CIA agent asked if you can heal everyone." "Oh! Sure, I can do that." and with that, Lang jumped to his feet and started groing around the room to heal each officer. --- A flicker of irritation crossed Uriel's face for an instant before he went right back to his friendly facade. "I understand why you'd feel this way, but I'm trying to look out for you. I'm serious, if you know something and you don't come clean, you could also end up being investigated for conspiracy and treason here." He stepped back and raised his hands. "But I understand your concerns, so I won't press you. Just know that I only want to help you, so if you ever want to get... whatever it is, off your chest, I hope you'll come to me." he walked over to the office door and opened it, signalling that Gabriel was free to leave if he chose to. "You know how to find me," he said while giving Gabriel a caring look. --- Andi was a little disappointed by Death's answer, yet hopeful that he would at least look into it for her. She was a little surprised when he said that nothing like that had ever happened here but then again, although gender changes were at least a few decades old by now on Earth, she supposed that in comparison to centuries or even a millenia where such a thing wasn't even possible, that it wasn't too surprising for such a thing to still be unheard of in the after life. After all, what's a few mortal lifetimes but a meagre blip in an immortal's timeline. She nodded thankfully to Death, then continued to keep watch over him as his children entered the castle. "I've never felt like that before," Lilly commented as she placed her own bag down as well. It was heavy from the various gifts she'd received, and by the time they'd reached the castle, her arms were a little sore from carrying it. "Everyone was so excited to meet us. It was a little overwhelming, honestly," she said a little breathlessly while smiling at Death. "But it was fun." She looked over at Raven and Conrad. "We should give Azrael his gift." --- Shezmu watched the boy clumsily arrive in his room in metal armor. He held a small smile as he watched his pupil sitting down and removing his helmet. "You will make a fine warrior, yet," he mused with a grin. He stared at his book for a moment in thought as he tapped the cover with two of his fingers. "Dariel, you've been my student for a short while now, and so far, you have excelled in most of your studies. You have a tenacity about you that I admire and the potential to become one of the greatest warriors of this age," he said. Then he turned his head to look boy. Barely even a boy anymore. Almost a man. "What I mean to say is, I believe that were you to complete your training, you may become worthy of one of the greatest gifts that I can bestow." He quickly held up a finger. "I must be clear, I do not offer this gift lightly. I choose my fledglings very, very carefully. And I will not bestow my gift until you come of age but only if your consent has been granted. The choice to reject or accept my offer is entirely yours, and I do not expect an answer from you now. So, be sure to think on it carefully." He lowered his finger and turned his head with a faraway look in his eyes. "My kind is in danger of extinction. We cannot have children, you see. And there is great risk when creating a fledgling. It must be done out of love and compassion always, or you would risk condemning your fledgling to an eternal madness. A fledgling made out of violence and trauma will always be consumed by an unquenchable lust for power and blood." He closed his book and stared at the title. His fingers tracing the lettering on the cover as he continued to speak. "But a successfully created Blood God will have eternal life without the restrictions that the other vampires here live with. We can go out in the daylight. We can move faster and more silently than most Demons and Angels because we are their natural predators. We can fly and, on a healthy diet of Angel or Devil blood, we become a force to be reckoned with. We have the ability to kill our foes or destroy them entirely." He paused, realising that this might be a lot for Dariel to take in all at once. He gave the young man an awkward little smile. "As I say..." he opened his book once more. "Think on it. The offer is there for when you're old enough and trained enough."

"You're one of us now, bud." One of the boys replied. He was sitting cross-legged on his bed with another boy sitting across from him. They had been playing cards when Blake had walked in. "It's Ortiz you want to watch out for." The other boy commented, earning a nudge on the arm from the first boy. "Not so loud, Drake. He'll hear you." "And what? Crybaby wants all of "Daddy Kris"'s attention. I'll bet he's too busy jacking off with his ear to the Boss's door to hear us anyway." The boy, now known as Drake, chuckled. --- "What-? No!" Henderson gasped and then groaned as the sound of his own voice made his head throb. "Y-you can't lock Dick up! We agreed he'd get immunity if he helped us take down his boss!" He dragged himself to his feet to face Xenos. "You can't do this!" --- "Tortured?" Uriel feigned offence as he placed a hand on his own chest. "Why, Gabriel, do you think so little of me that I would resort to such barbaric tactics? No, dearest Gabriel. I will not torture you. But I must admit that I worry for you." he went on. If Gabriel's question had told Uriel anything, it was that he definitely knew something and currently had no intentions of sharing it. But Uriel was cunning. He walked over and closed Raguel's office door to give them privacy before walking back to Gabriel with a look of concern. He placed a hand on his shoulder. "I worry because I know how close you and Raguel are. I fear he is manipulating you, my friend. If he's told you something and you fail to disclose it before his trial, you could be considered complicit in his crimes. He would drag you down along with him! I don't want to see that happen to you. You can trust me, Gabriel." --- Lilly smiled at the pair as they headed into the market. Learning how the trading system worked took a little practice, but the local residents were kind and patient enough to talk them through it. When the merchants realised they were speaking to the new Prince and Princess, however, they quickly began offering some of their items for free as gifts. Lilly had been hesitant to accept anything for free, but a couple of merchants seemed disheartened by her refusal, so she quickly changed her mind. Even Conrad was being given tokens and gifts just for being with Lilly and Raven. Jewellery, perfumes, gems and treats were being offered left, right and center. Making the trio absolutely spoiled for choice. --- Andi smiled at Death from her position. "They're in one of the safest realms there is, and their father is literally Death. If I might be so blunt, your Grace, they'll be fine. I'm sure they'd appreciate some time to themselves and it will help them develop some independance. If you're constantly around them, they might begin to feel smothered. Trust me, as someone who's been that age once, I know." She bit her lip momentarily as she worked up the courage to ask Death a question. "Sire, I know it's a little off-topic, and you have a lot on your mind already... I was wondering, when Azrael is well enough to resume his position, could I- that is, before I died, I was about to begin a um... transition. But I never got to even start when- my new life here began." She fumbled a little as she tried to explain as best she could. She sighed. "What I'm trying to ask is... is there any way for me to change, you know... into a man?" --- "You know of me?" Shezmu gasped as Ash revealed he'd been able to sense his power despite his attempts to conceal it. He watched the Devil leave, unsure of how to feel about the encounter. The idea that the two of them could be friends was novel, but by nature and from experience, he was dubious. He supposed there might be an opportunity here for friendship at some point in the future. But for now, he remained cautiously optimistic, especially now that their current deal had essentially just concluded. Leaving him right back at square one. With a thoughtful expression, he teleported back to his room at the German castle. At least now, he felt more or less like himself after such a nutritious meal. However, he noted that as soon as he arrived back in his room, he got a particular sense of relief. As if he'd sensed someone watching him while he was in Hell, but the moment he teleported, he was no longer being watched. He shrugged off this feeling, knowing Hell had always been a place of danger, so the feeling of being watched or hunted was fairly normal. Feeling a little more lighthearted, he picked a book from the shelf near the hearth and took it to his couch. He wondered how his pupil had been in his absence as he settled into his seat, ready to read.

Not drunk but not quite sober anymore, Kris answered his door and looked at the messily scribbled note as he listened to Blake. "Huh... Verrry interesting. That old woman is a wonder for collecting random magical relics. Thanks kiddo. Go to the bunks now, ok? Get to know your new brothers and get some rest. You've done good today, alright? But you need to be up bright and early tomorrow to start your training. Go chill." he put the note between the fingers of his hand that was also holding the half-empty bottle of rum, then used his free hand to ruffle the boy's hair before closing the door. He wandered over to the evergreen rug on the left side of his room and sat on it with his legs crossed. Insence was burning on a little wooden locker in front of him. He placed his bottle nearby and rested his hands on his knees as he began deep breathing and meditating. --- "Wha-What happened? Why does my head hurt so much?" Henderson groaned as he slowly came to. "Oh man, I feel hungover..." Malone said with a gag as he held his head in his hands. "Fucking gas..." "....WHAT?!" Lang shouted, making the officers around him jump. He was barely able to hear the others as his eardrums had burst from the siren. Meanwhile Xenos's agents were busy cleaning out the building, removing the sirens and the gas cannisters from the vents. They stormed the remote location and began decrypting and downloading all the files they could get from the computers. By the time they would be done both locations would be completely empty of equipment, cleaned from top to bottom and the bodies disposed of. Leaving no trace behind. --- "I see." Uriel said though he looked between the pair with suspiscion. Raguel glared back at Uriel. He didn't trust him at all and considering what Gabriel had told him earlier had a strong suspicion that he was manipulating Gabriel for his own means. "Gabriel, perhaps I could speak to you in Raguel's office for a moment?" Uriel asked him as he turned away from Raguel's white hot stare. "Why Uriel? Don't want me to hear you talking about me?" Raguel growled. Uriel merely glanced back at him and responded sassily. "It's classified and you're no longer my superior officer so..." he nodded for Gabriel to follow him before turning on his heels and strutting towards the door. Raguel seethed for a moment but as Uriel's back turned, he quickly looked at Gabriel. He pointed towards Uriel and mouthed 'watch out for him!' --- "Yes, your Grace." Andi agreed as she stood to the side. She was at ease but continually on alert as his guard. "I don't mind." Lilly chuckled. "Sort of. I came through a portal from another world, too. Long before you two arrived. But I was being chased by a Wraith. I'm so sorry, I think that's why the humans reacted to you the way that they did. They thought you might be another Wraith coming into this world. They are terrible, fearsome creatures. I wouldn't wish them on any world." Feeling a little awkward after explaining this, Lilly glanced around for a moment before showing him the flowers that they had been picking. "We were collecting these to trade for goods in the market nearby. We're trying to get a gift to cheer up our father's beloved. Would you like to help us?" she asked, and then, realising that these two might want to spend some time together after their ordeal, she quickly added. "But you don't have to. If you two want to catch up and go for a walk or something, I don't mind going back to the market myself." --- Shezmu didn't move. Knowing the strength of this Devil, he wouldn't risk getting too close just yet. Not until he could trust him, and he doubted that he ever truly would. Also, stepping so close and feeding would leave him open to an attack. With a small, cunning smile, Shezmu lifted a couple of his fingers and summoned Ash's blood from the small wound, lifting it into the air until it formed a floating mass the size of a golfball. He then levitated this ball over to himself and opened his mouth, allowing it to stream down his throat. He was a little sad that he didn't get much of a chance to actually taste it this time around, but at least he managed to get what he needed. Swallowing it with visible relief, he looked back at Ash. "Thank you. I had been quite starved of a proper meal for some time now." He walked casually towards the Library before stopping to admire the architecture for a moment. That this building was still standing after all this time was nothing short of a miracle. "A deal is a deal, and I am a man of my word. You wish to woo your wife? Earth has an abundance of gifts and sights that you can treat her to. Visit a florist. Select a bouquet of delicate and elegant flowers. Give these to her as a gift. Then, choose a destination to visit with her. Somewhere breathtaking to create a memory that she will cherish for all time. But most importantly?" he turned to look at Ash. "Use the time and her company to get to know her. As a person, not a conquest. Create a bond with her. Respect her as you would wish to be respected. After all, if she is to be your mate, then she is to be your equal in all things." He then gestured to Ash's appearance. "As for how a father should look. I'd expect that as long as she adores how you look as a husband, then she would logically like how you appear as a father." Meaning, if she already liked him as he was, then he didn't need to change anything.

"Yeah..." Amelia sighed thoughtfully. She recalled the intense fear she'd felt back before she knew Charles and had found out that Damien had been destroyed, making her a Queen overnight. Until that moment, she had been content to assume that Damien would always be there to rule Hell and had not at all been prepared to take over for him when he'd vanished. She had been so desperately against inheriting the throne that she'd even caught herself occasionally wishing that Lucifer would just return out of the blue to demand his throne back, and she would hand it over to him without question. But with David's firm yet gentle guidance, she was inspired to try enacting the very idea that Damien had continually shot her down on for years. And then, of course, she met Charle,s and the rest is history. So, she knew the heavy burden that their son would one day inherit and knew that they had their work cut out for them if they were going to build Oliver up to be a competent and confident King one day. "We have so much work to do before then..." she sighed. "We need to continue our work to make Hell more of a place of redemption rather than punishment. There are still Demons out there who refuse to accept us as royalty, are convinced that Lucifer will come back one day and are determined to continue their original work of torturing souls... They will need to be dealt with. We don't want our son to inherit a world where more than half his subjects aren't even loyal to him." She shook her head slightly. "And that's not mentioning bringing up Oliver, too. We'll need to teach him how to rule. To be firm but fair. To not let the power go to his head the minute the crown sits on it... We're going to be very busy for a long time... but at least we have each other for support in getting it done." --- Aunty laughed warmly at the question. "Go on back home now. I'm sure it's passed your bedtime, and Kris will likely be putting you to work soon like the rest of his boys. Pop back when you get some time off. I homeschool Salem, and she works in my shop most days. You can always find us here." --- "Actually, pig, we was counting on it." The thug chuckled darkly. Now that they had confirmation that at least some of these officers were supernatural and not regular humans, a trap had been sprung. They hadn't needed to move to put the trap into motion. Having seen the chaos through security cameras within the building, thugs elsewhere had flipped a switch. Immediately, the doors became locked down with thick sheets of metal, and speakers began blaring a siren sound that only those with supernatural hearing would be able to hear. Its pitch was so sharp that it caused agonising pain. Enough to bring Lang to his knees as blood trickled out of his ears. Even Henderson, who had lived his entire life believing he was an ordinary human, woke up and cried out from the pain. Once the siren had them all disoriented, vents opened up and began rapidly filling the room with knock-out gas. "Those Jap scientists will pay a pretty penny for you pigs. Thanks for bringing them Dick. You did great!" the thug grinned as he too began to lose consciousness. Outside, armoured black vans pulled up to the building. The thugs inside them were awaiting radio confirmation that everyone inside was knocked out before they'd hurry in to tie them up and transport them to Japan. --- Lilly watched the reunion with a small smile as she moved forward to scoop up the flowers that Raven had dropped. She waited patiently for them to finish, but when it seemed they might go on kissing forever, she politely coughed into her fist to get their attention. "You must be Conrad." She greeted him. "Raven has told me about you. I'm his sister, Lilly." --- "We may call on you to testify at Raguel's trial. But until then, your Grace, we can take things from here." Uriel answered. He was eager to get away and see what Gabriel had managed to find out. "Once again, I apologise on behalf of Heaven for his assault. Please don't hesitate to let us know if there is any way that we can assist you further." --- Raguel nodded to Gabriel's suggestion at one day talking to Nate about his true origins but said nothing. He had wanted nothing more than for Nate to know the truth since he was born but he'd been afraid of being found out. Then, as the years went on, he also became afraid of how Nate might react to the news. He smiled a little at Gabriel's offer to play cards with him. He'd been about to say that he didn't know how to play, given he'd never gambled in his life. But memories that were not his own flashed through his mind, and he realised he knew how to play after all. "You choose," he replied. There was no point in him worrying about the gambling aspect anymore, considering his current situation. He figured he might as well make the most of this time with his adoptive son while he was still able. --- Shezmu was intrigued by Ash's requests. He pondered on them for a moment while rubbing his chin. "I'm afraid my knowledge on rearing young is a little beyond me. I've never had children. However, I believe I may be able to locate suitable reading material to assist you with your venture into fatherhood," he said thoughtfully. Already he thought of the library with the German Castle. Granted, those volumes may be more directed towards vampiric children, but Shezmu supposed it couldn't be that much different than raising a Devil child. "Regarding your appearance and intent to woo your lady, I may be able to provide advice." he offered then looked at Ash expectantly. His advice wouldn't be free and he'd already told him what he wanted in exchange.

Ellesse's face turned a little red as Life handed her the book. She turned to him, feeling a little awkward. "I- um... Thank you, Sire," she said, then walked away with the book tucked under her clipboard. She'd never admit it, but she would spend a little of her free time glossing over that book. --- "Everyone's up for it!" Amelia cheered as she plopped herself onto the couch next to him and cuddled up to his side. "We just need to let them know when and where. How's Oliver been? Is he asleep?" she asked, noting the child wasn't in the room and the place was quiet apart from the TV. --- "Oh, pish!" Aunty said to him with a dismissive wave. "You're both young! I might be a stickler for manners, but I am certainly no prude! I had many a fella in my day. The odd dame too. I could tell you stories!" She chuckled. "Life is short and can be taken away at a moment's notice. So, make the most of these experiences. As long as you don't go breaking her heart, we'll get along just fine." She told him then reached into her pocket and pulled out a crumpled slip of paper with shaky handwriting on it. "These are the instructions for the bracelet. See that Kris gets this, would you? Had a lovely Demon stop in here back in '82... said he'd escaped an Angel that had called it a 'prototype' before slapping it onto his wrist. He had to cut his own hand off to give it to me. He said that only the person who places the bracelet onto someone can remove it, and it drains the power of the wearer, leaving them practically human. He seemed really glad to be rid of it, and then he went on his way. For the life of me I couldn't get the damn thing to open all these years and then last year, click! It opened. I'm guessing either the Demon met his demise or the Angel who had placed it on him had. Either way, it's Kris's to use now." --- Among the officers were Lang, Malone and Henderson. They charged in on Will's signal, and a gunfight broke out. The building was a chaotic mess of shouting, running and bullets flying in all directions. Malone saw Luis's brutality and stopped to shout at him that this wasn't supposed to be a killing spree. As he did, a stray bullet ricocheted off a wall and struck the back of his leg. Causing him to cry out and fall. Lang rushed over, pulling Malone behind a crate for some cover as he tried to quickly heal his wound. Henderson was screaming and laughing in an unhinged way as he charged ahead and fired off his gun towards criminals, not aiming at anyone in particular. His senses had been completely overwhelmed, and right now, he wasn't himself at all. --- "I don't think anything is even living here at all," Lilly answered. "I'm alright. It just... reminds me of things..." she said as she picked some more flowers. "I think I have enough to head back now. What about you?" --- "The passes work by simple teleportation. Simply hold one in your hand and focus on the mental image of your beloved. You will appear near them instantaneously. After twenty-four hours, your pass will teleport you back here and will evaporate so that it cannot be used again. So once you use one, be sure to make a note of the time as that is when you'll be brought home the following day." Uriel explained. "If you want to stay for longer than twenty-four hours at a time, simply hold the relevant number in your hand before you teleport. Two passes will let you stay for forty-eight hours before bringing you back, three would be seventy-two hours, etcetera, etcetera... Raven will also be getting five, so he can visit you here if he'd like. This is only a temporary solution. If you boys are happy to, we can arrange a pass that would allow you to teleport to and from each other as you please." --- "Take this seriously." Raguel groaned at Gabriel's theatrics with the glass of water. "You cannot!" he said sternly, with his voice kept low. "Gabriel, I am serious. If word gets out that I am his father, then it is only a matter of time before the Angels I had worked with back then put two and two together. There is no less terrible punishment for this. I directly interfered with His plan by completely destroying the first attempt at creating humanity, and His wrath for such a crime will be unbridled. Gabriel, please. I know you are his close friend, and I am asking a lot." --- It would seem Shezmu's hesitation to leave had resulted in this Devil finding him faster than he would have liked. He eyed the being cautiously as he contemplated how to answer. "Ah, you must be the Devil that stole Abbadon's powers," he surmised, given the immense power he could sense from him. He debated allowing this Devil to sense his own power to let him know that he wouldn't be easily intimidated, but by now, he had realised who he was speaking to and preferred not to risk this Devil becoming interested in potentially taking Shezmu's powers for himself. So he kept the volume of his own powers hidden so as not to tempt him. "I have not come to seek violence. My name is Shezmu, and I am interested in negotiating a deal," he explained. "I recognise that my species once hunted yours for sustenance. But now, it appears that the numbers of both of our kind have dwindled to a dangerous level. Therefore, I propose we come to an arrangement that might benefit us both. I would require but a few drops of Devil blood once every few days. But I wonder, what can I offer you to make this a fair deal? Therefore, I must pose your own question back to you; what is it that you desire?" The way he spoke to this Devil was smooth. Confident. There was no longer a hint of fear in him at all.

done lol

I'll edit it

Ah wait, I goofed lol Shezmu has already met Abbadon

Sebastian tilted his head back instinctively and let out a sharp gasp as he felt Carter's fangs. Then he moaned as quietly as he could as he felt the venom rush through him, increasing every sensation that he felt, especially what he was doing with his hand. "Oh, yes!" he sighed. His body quaked from the ecstasy of it all, and he could barely contain himself as he ran his nails over Carter's back just hard enough to leave light scratches. --- "I enjoy working, Sire," Ellesse said, but she knew that wasn't the point he was making. She turned to Amelia and smiled. "I would love to come." "Great! I'll get back to you on the when and where. I gotta finish organising with Charles first. But thank you. I just know it would mean so much to Sara." Amelia vanished. --- Aunty Audrey hobbled into the shop from the back area and smiled at her granddaughter as she walked past. "Salem dear, be a petal and hang the lavender sprigs to dry before you go to your room," she called over to her, then turned to Blake. "Such a gentleman, bringing my Salem home safely. Thank you, young man. Kris got his bracelet, I take it?" --- Henderson stayed with the group as they took up formations, ready to storm the building. He kept Dick in his line of sight as much as he could. The dark impulse within urged him to run ahead of them and fire off a few rounds to draw the fire of the thugs in the building, but he thought back to his conversation with Dick. He didn't want to die. He knew it without question. So why was his every instinct screaming at him to take the most drastic, dangerous actions? He followed Will's lead. Only moving with the group on command as they surrounded the building and positioned themselves at all available entry points. Just waiting for Will's signal to storm in. --- "I suppose..." Lilly said uneasily as she peered through the trees. Of course, there was nothing to fear here. Lilly's instinct to be wary of the silence was brought about from her traumatic life back in her home world. When such a sudden lack of sound or wildlife would indicate the approach of a wraith. She continued to pick flowers, keeping them bunched in one of her hands while she frequently looked around with her senses on high alert. --- "Greif and fear can make people do some wild things when they don't know how to cope," Andi commented. "He was grieving for you. He was lost and alone in a strange world with what he perceived to be monsters who had killed his beloved in cold blood. You cannot blame him for behaving irrationally." --- "Please keep your voice down..." Raguel sighed as he lowered his good eye to the ground. "He's not a kid anymore. That was millennia ago." Raguel glanced to the next cell and wondered what Gabriel had meant, then realised. "Ah." he began hesitantly. "She escaped," he admitted. "And no, I had nothing to do with it. I know that would be hard to believe given my confession just now, but she has gone quite mad... and she despises me now. Rightly so..." he rubbed the side of his head as it ached. "I believe she's managed to make her way back to Hell. I had already alerted Hell's leaders to her escape before-... before my transgression." He clenched his jaw as he contemplated telling Gabriel who his and Lilith's son was. He was tempted to dodge the question because of the drama that would be sure to follow the reveal, but given his current position and Gabriel's knowledge already, there was little point in keeping it a secret any more. "You must swear to keep this to yourself. He doesn't even know, and I'm not sure how he would take the news." he began then hesitated again. He took a breath to steel himself. "Had you ever wondered why God had a particular distain for Naoutha? Why he made his life so difficult and punished him so harshly whenever he questioned Him?" --- They kissed like this a little longer, and gradually their passion built up until May pulled back to take his hand and brought him towards her bed. She walked around him so that the bed would be behind him, and she lightly pressed her hands on his shoulders to motion for him to sit on the bed. There she'd straddle him and kiss him again while grinding her hips against his a little. As they kissed, she reached over to grab the pack of condoms. [Private time] --- Feeling it was time that he saw more of this new world than the German Castle, Shezmu teleported to where he'd sensed the most activity from afterlife creatures. There was another motive to his venture. Warren was fine, but his blood alone wasn't enough to sate his thirst. He needed more options to choose from. Preferably a mixture of Angels and Demons. He knew that Devils were just as endangered as his own species currently, but if he would be able to convince a Devil to provide him a few drops of their blood every so often, he would be over the moon. He had managed to track the movements of a particular red-haired Devil, but as he drew closer, he picked up another scent. A hint of vampire blood in his system. Only a trace amount, but enough for Shezmu to pick up. Quickly, he realised that some clever vampire had managed to claim this Devil as their own and given the blood in the Devil's system, they were on their way to becoming the vampire's thrall. "Bravo," Shezmu muttered to himself in compliment to this unknown vampire. "I had almost been convinced that such a practice was lost to the ages. For a vampire to aquire one so strong under their command... impressive." he chuckled quietly to himself as he left the Devil to his own devices out of respect to his vampire master. Damien would have been completely unaware of the Blood God's presence. Moving on, Shezmu found himself near a hospital. He could smell at least two Devils within and a half Devil. With soundless and graceful movements, he wandered through the halls until he came to a room where a man was strapped to a bed, sleeping. He could sense the other Devil nearby but couldn't see him. Having already met these two, Shezmu moved on. He came across the half Devil in another room. This one was also red-haired and reading a magazine in his bed. But the moment the man looked up and saw Shezmu, his face turned pale. "Fuck off." Parker snapped sourly. "Pardon-?" "You heard me. I know what you are. I've been one of you, and it didn't work out well. Now fuck off before I raise the alarm!" Shezmu opened his mouth, wanting to ask the dozen questions this encounter had given him, but the serious look on the man's face told him he wouldn't hesitate to make a scene if Shezmu didn't leave immediately. Shezmu held up his hands and backed away from the door. "Apologies. I didn't mean to alarm you. I'll move on." "Fucking better," Parker growled and continued to glare at Shezmu until he was no longer in sight. "Swear to fuck, am I just a fucking magnet for vampires or something?!" "Oh, it would seem Devil's blood may be a bit of challenge to acquire..." Shezmu sighed sadly to himself as he left the hospital. He had heard of Hell's current royalty, but approaching them for his needs seemed like suicide. It would seem, in this case, that he may need to take his search for Devils to feed from to Hell itself. A quick teleportation later, and he was standing near the library in Hell where he stifened and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he sensed a powerful presence unlike anything he'd felt in centuries. This Devil, whoever they were, had enough power to rival his own. For the first time since he awoke from his slumber, Shezmu was concerned for his own safety and contemplated going back before his own presence could be detected.

With a gasp and another stifled moan, Sebastian was pinned to the wall. He kissed Carter back passionately while wrapping his legs around his hips. With a smirk, he gently caught Carter's lower lip between his teeth and pulled a little playfully before letting go. --- Ellesse emerged from an adjacent room, ticking things off a checklist as she walked. She looked up from the clipboard curiously and paused when she saw Amelia. "Oh! Amelia, how can I help?" After a few moments of Amelia explaining the plan, Ellesse blushed. "She wants me to be there?" "Of course. You've been a great source of support. I believe that meant a lot to her. So, will you come?" "I-I... Sire?" Ellesse stammered, looking to her King uncertinly. She had always been a workaholic, so taking a day off was alien to her. --- "Is that right? Old Aunty really does have a few tricks up her sleeves." Kris chuckled, impressed by the power of the bracelet in his hand. He watched as Blake offered Salem a drink and then escorted her to the kitchen. Smirking, he walked to the door of his bedroom to watch them walk down the hall while ticking the bracelet away into his back pocket. "Blake, when Salem is ready to go home make sure she gets there safely, like a gentleman." He called after them before closing his bedroom door again. "Kids." he chuckled as he walked back to his bar to pick up his bottle of rum again. "Finally. Some peace and quiet." he sighed, lifting his sunglasses slightly with his fingers to rub his eyes before taking a swig of his rum. --- Henderson nodded without another word then headed to the gear to get ready. Once they were all suited up and appropriately armed, Henderson followed the officers towards the swat cars. --- "We only need a few things so I don't expect we'll be venturing far... wait a moment," Lilly said and paused before they could walk past the first row of trees. She looked around until she found a rock on the ground with a sharp enough point. Walking over to the first tree, she scratched an X into its trunk. "So that we don't lose our way," she explained before nodding to the path that headed into the woods. "Let's take it slow. Look for flowers and berries that might be useful." They began to walk into the woods and with every turn Lilly would mark a tree with an X. There was something deeply unsettling about these woods that Lilly couldn't quite put her finger on but the more they walked the more it dawned on her. It was utterly lifeless. There was no wildlife. No birds singing. No insects buzzing. Not so much as a gentle breeze through the leaves. Everything was completely still. Silent. Lilly stopped and strained to hear anything at all. They couldn't even hear the bustle of the town anymore. There was simply nothing. Only the trees for company. "It's unnerving." She commented and was mildly alarmed at how loud her own voice was in comparison to the deafening silence. "We should hurry and find what we need. I don't think I like it here." --- Andi stayed close to Death but remained a couple of paces back to give him room to work. Uriel guided them to Conrad's home and smiled at the little grey house as he approached its door. He knocked on it before calling through. "Conrad? You have a couple of visitors wishing to speak to you." --- Raguel stared at Gabriel wordlessly for a moment. It was only a moment but Raguel's tense silence following Gabriel's questioning left a heavy feeling in the air. "Gabriel..." he whispered. There was a quiver in his voice. Real fear. Shame. This was no longer a case of his freedom being at stake. His very existence was in danger. Had this confrontation come sooner, Raguel might have fought longer. He'd have denied it until he was red in the face and continued to use misdirection to take the focus away from his oldest sin. But now he was much older, exhausted, beaten down, dishonoured and had held the burden of the truth for far too long. Perhaps, he considered, he had wanted this to happen. And at least, of all people, it should be Gabriel to learn the truth. Slowly, he approached the bars to speak to him in a hushed voice. "I was young. New. I-... I fell in love, Gabriel. I loved her more than I ever knew was possible at the time. Gabriel... I'll be destroyed if this truth comes out." he took a breath, appearing now to be on the verge of tears. "But maybe I deserve it. I was so scared to be found out that I abandoned her when she was cast out of the garden. She went through millennia of pain, torment and loneliness because I interfered instead of observing them as I should have. Because I was a coward. But someone needed to watch over our son when he was brought to Heaven... To make sure he was treated no differently than the other Angels and that his life was fulfilled. I owed her that much." --- May moaned a little into the kiss as she felt his hand on her hip and she pressed her body against his. His scent hit her again and she shivered excitedly while running a hand through his hair. Her other hand glided over the muscles of his arm and shoulder. Pulling back from the kiss to take a breath, she smiled up at him. "I love you."

Sebastian stifled a moan as he shivered excitedly at the feel of Carter's kisses and his fangs. "You're making it really hard to stay quiet," He chuckled softly. Admittedly he was thoroughly enjoying himself and didn't want Carter to stop. He found a thrill in the challenge. --- Amelia whirled around to face Life then realised she was standing in his kingdom. Who else was going to greet her? She scratched the back of her head awkwardly as she recalled the meeting between the realms to plan the search for Raven and how he'd essentially pushed to murder the boy, causing a squabble between the realm's leaders. "Hey man, forgiveness is my whole thing. Anyway, we were all stressed, facing an unknown danger and trying to do what we thought was best for our kingdoms." She shrugged. "Maybe we can start over? I was actually hoping to speak to one of your Midwives. My pregnancy was her first assignment. Ellesse O'Quinn? I have a friend who wanted to see if she wouldn't be too busy to attend a picnic with us." --- The other boys in the bunks were a rowdy lot. In total, not including Blake, there were six boys. The amount of beds to a boy would make it clear that there had been many more at one point but by now the children that had once used those beds had already moved on from Kris's hideout to make their own way in the world. Some still worked for Kris but had simply moved out to get their own place. After a long day of pickpocketing, swindling, spying and busking the boys had deposited the money they earned into a wooden box by the door to the bunks before unwinding for the evening. Of course, they had all immediately been welcoming of Blake. They excitedly bombarded him with questions, not minding his stern demeanour. After all, they were used to Kris acting similarly. Before any of them could get an answer though, Blake had run out towards Kris's room. Kris had stiffened when the girl had appeared in his room. He glanced around at her then relaxed a little when she mentioned Granny Audrey. He then watched patiently as Blake barged in, ready to defend him only to reduce the girl to tears. "Relax Blake." He said calmly as he picked up the bracelet to look it over. "That's no way to speak to a lady, let alone an ally," he said with a smirk as he noted Blake blushing and fumbling. "Why don't you start by offering to bring our guest here a drink? Help her feel welcome." He turned back to the girl. "Sorry about that. We're all on edge right now. Tell Granny Audrey that I really appreciate the help. Did she happen to mention what this bracelet does?" --- "We'll figure it out." Lang smiled. "C'mon, buddy. Let's get our gear and get ready." "It's not you," Henderson confessed as he watched Dick's guilt-stricken declaration. "Don't ask me how I know. I can't explain it. I've felt like this for a while but never noticed until now. It's me. Something dark in me... I just know it." --- "Raven," Lilly said in a disapproving tone. "I'm not going to pretend that I'm a stranger to theft. But when I did it, it was to survive. We're not 'surviving' anymore. We have no need to take things that don't belong to us." She said gently and took his hand to stop them walking for a moment so he could look at her. "We have this new life now. We should strive to be better than who we once were..." She glanced around thoughtfully. "Some of these stalls are asking for herbs, flora and potion ingredients." she pointed out then looked back towards the sign they'd come from. "I'll bet we could forage a few of those things in the nearby woods." --- "I understand." Uriel nodded. "If I might be so bold, your Grace? Might I suggest the news come from someone who knows Raven a bit more personally than myself? Yourself, for example." "You dare ask my King to carry out an order which he gave to you? Is God's messenger incapable of delivering this news, Archangel Uriel?" Andi challenged him. "I meant no offence, of course." Uriel quickly bowed a little again. "I merely ask that your Grace consider that Conrad may be more willing to consider forgiveness if the news came from a mutual acquaintance, rather than someone who doesn't know his beloved at all. I'd be happy to escort you there but if your Grace must return to other responsibilities then I will, of course, be more than happy to deliver the news myself as you have requested." --- Raguel growled at Gabriel when he mentioned that Uriel was helping Death and was about to say something when Gabriel's next words caught him off guard and he gawped at him with a wounded look. He then shook his head as Gabriel suggested the Angel responsible had been Lucifer. "No, it wasn't him!" he growled in frustration then paused, realising his poor choice of words. His un-swollen eye darted to Gabriel for a second then away again to check if his protege had caught the slip-up. He quickly tried to change the subject. "Uriel is using me as a distraction to keep you busy. Think about it. What better way to improve his chances of being nominated than by building a rapport with the very sovereign I had committed a crime against?" --- "More than alright." May purred as she sauntered over to him and ran her fingers over his muscles. Another breath of his scent hit her and she couldn't help herself. She leaned into him, kissing his chest and running her tongue over his skin. She tasted a little of his sweat and it was like his pheromones hit her tenfold. She was overcome with the overwhelming urge to let him take control. She stepped back and took a breath while still looking at him alluringly. She unbuttoned her pants and let them fall then motioned for him to do the same.