Shadowess

shadowess - April 3, 2022 Having been taking a nap, Rickster groaned when the sound of his ringtone woke him up. He sat up, rubbing his eyes as he answered the phone. "What's happened now?" he asked tiredly. --- Warren stiffened a little when Theron hugged him, worried that Insanity might frown upon this show of affection towards their servant, but gave the teen a fleeting smile as he watched him run off towards the kitchen. He turned his attention back to Insanity and lowered his gaze submissively. "Is there anything that I can do for you, sire?" --- "Hm." Parker walked into the kitchen with a nod. He had discovered shortly after moving in with Will that one of the wooden panels under the cupboards was loose. When he inevitably got bored of eating salads, chicken with rice and the like, he began to keep a stash of unhealthy snacks in the small space under the kitchen cupboards. He carefully removed the wooden panel and pulled two soda cans out before just as carefully placing the panel back into position. He carried the cans into the living room and handed one to Hades. "Will comes back and sees these, you brought them with you," he smirked playfully as he sat in a chair across from her. "And that's nice and all, but I think you know what I meant," he said seriously as he opened his can. "C'mon dude, I feel more left out than ever lately. I'm lucky if Will gives me the slightest bit of info. I get that he wants to keep me safe but then that just means that I'm left with my own thoughts and worries all the time. What are we dealing with here? What's the threat?" --- Malone hesitantly raised his hand. "Sorry to backtrack, Boss. But what is that thing? How does it work?" "It's a Moral Compass," Kodi answered. "Angel technology and ancient at that. It shows whether or not a soul is pure good, pure evil or somewhere in between... savable," he explained briefly then shrugged. "But I'm seeing a slight flaw with this plan. Those devices are not accurate. I mean they'll tell you how good or bad someone is just fine but you could place that thing on ten of Donnie's men and ten of our own and come up with the same results. It won't tell you who is working for who... I mean, it's great that we have one now. It will actually make our jobs a little easier but we still don't have a way to be able to arrest Donnie's followers if we run into any. How're the human officers here supposed to stand a chance against them?" --- "We were on high alert!! But we're also spread thin, Charles!" David snapped back, feeling the need to vent these fear and frustrations that had been building since Donnie first appeared. "That bastard isn't moving in any particular pattern anymore! He's unpredictable! Whatever his plans are, I haven't the slightest idea on how to figure it out! And now he has my grandson! What the hell am I supposed to do?!" David slowed down, his voice breaking and this usually stoic and reserved man suddenly seemed very vulnerable. "Please. Tell me what to do. How do I fix this? How do I get my grandson back?" he breathed, catching his breath while biting back tears. For the first time in a very long time, David considered how simpler things used to be when Lucifer had ruled and even caught himself missing that tyrant. He surprised himself and quickly shook away the thought. Rapidly reminding himself of why they were better off without him. Oliver's crying became progressively worse in the next room as he became more and more sensitive to the tension in the building. It was even beginning to have an effect on Neva who, despite her best efforts, was also now trying very hard to blink back her own tears. "Why are they shouting? I'm scared. Please make them stop." she whimpered, subconsciously echoing Oliver's emotion. --- Donnie sat in a nearby chair and crossed one leg over the other while smiling at Sam in amusement. "As long as they're not one of our loyal followers, I don't see why not. Just be wary that you don't draw the attention of Arch Angels though. If there is one thing that is true, it is that their weapons can destroy a Demon completely. Even their feathers are dangerous to us. Remember that." --- Viktor blinked at Ricky. His breath caught in his throat for a moment. How did he know?! He didn't seem the least bit surprised by the news that Viktor was dating anyone and he even knew his name! How long had he known!? How long have any of them known?! "...I...never told you his name..." Viktor pointed out in stunned confusion. He then blinked again, regathering himself. "And who the fuck is Donnie?" he asked protectively. "What the hell does he want with my boyfriend?! I swear if he's heard him, I'll rip him apart!" his words had become an inhuman growl towards the end and his eyes shone brilliantly red but with a hint of gold around his irises as well. His opal feathered wings erupted from his back. "I have to get to him! I must!" he growled in the same way and seemed to be overcome with a supernatural determination. He tried to teleport but nothing. He tried again and again. The lights in the house flickered a little at first and then rapidly. Electronic devices turned themselves on and off. The rings on the stove lit up in unison. Viktor wasn't moving but he didn't seem ready to give up either despite the blood now seeping out of his eyes like tears. --- Amelia opened her eyes and regarded Harris. "There's a storm coming, Harris. This is far bigger than simply saving my brother," she told him but she didn't seem to be herself anymore. She was calm. So calm that it was unnerving. "Lives and unlives alike might be lost. It will be a long and bloody battle. Are you prepared to put your unlife on the line in the name of peace?" she asked him, but seemed to stare right into him. She held his gaze for a minute or two more. She studied him silently before turning back to face the ocean and slowly dropping her crystal into the water with an audible 'plunk'. "Gather me an army. Be them Demon, Human, Angel...Leviathan... We must unite, or all is lost and we will sink into another age of darkness and pain. Doomed to repeat our misery." she said while slowly walking into the sea. She waded through the waves, the water quickly enveloping her legs and hips but she remained staring ahead. Entranced. Denix Vames - April 3, 2022 "We need your help to find Damien. Donnie has him." ,said Carter. --- Insanity looked at him. "Donnie may discipline a little differently but when he's not looking, make sure to give my dear son the same affection that I always show him." He turned to the box of toys. "Take these to my son's room." --- Hades drank some. "Well, there's this annoying bastard called Donnie who's been trying to gain the title of King of Hell. He wants to bring the old traditions back. Believe it or not, he's doing a pretty good job at it." --- "I'll ask David for some help if he's available. He might know some tricks so that we can take them down." ,said Will. He looked down. "Hey David? You there? I need some help here." --- Charles shook his head. "I...." He raised his head when he heard Will's voice. "Help him. He's going to look for Donnie's followers. They'll need you. I'm sure doing this will help us." "It's ok, Neva. They just need to talk things out." ,said Vincent who placed a hand on her shoulder. --- Sam smiled. "Then I accept the deal." He pierced his finger with the pen without flinching or showing pain. He wrote his full name. "I'm use to bleeding." He rolled up a sleeve. Revealing his cuts. "It's my way of being mad at the world. So, if you ever need me to shed my blood or someone else's then I'll be there." He took his hand. Allowing himself to be teleported to his new home. He looked around. Insanity walked over. "Ah! Donnie my dear. So, you have brought another child for us to love?" Sam cringed when he was hugged. "Who said anything about me being your kid?" --- Ricky placed his hands on his shoulders. "Viktor! Please stop! You're hurting yourself!" His grip grew strong. "Look, I don't know how I knew his name. Maybe it's my new powers? I haven't really been able to control them. But if we talk to Rickster, I'm sure he'll be able to help us." --- Harris read her face before nodding. "I see. I know the right people to call. Where would you like me to take them?" He placed a hand over his chest. "No matter the situation, I will always be there to sacrifice myself for my new friends." shadowess - April 3, 2022 "Wait, isn't that the guy Amelia and Charles beat the shit out of a little while ago?" Parker sat forward in his chair, intrigued. "I heard Patience turned him into a tree. He came back? When did that happen? And what do you mean?" --- David blinked and took a breath. Trying his best to compose himself again but after such an outburst, it was difficult to do. "Charles, please find my daughter before Donnie decides she's his next target..." he said tiredly before vanishing. David appeared in the precinct and although it was expected, Malone still couldn't help but jump when it happened. He still wasn't used to the way Demons and Angels could just appear anywhere at will. David looked over at Will, trying to focus on this current task but his mind was still on his recent failure. "How can I help you, Will?" he asked, trying to put on his usual polite tone but it was strained. His cheeks were still flushed from his argument with Charles just moments ago. --- Warren brought his eyes back up to look at Insanity in surprise. His love for his captors only grew further as Insanity revealed this softer side. Still, he had seen the not so soft side previously and didn't want to risk keeping him waiting. He bowed his head hurriedly. "Yes, sire," he said simply before moving to grab the box of toys and take it to Theron's bedroom. Donnie was happy to see that pain did not affect Sam but he was troubled to see the self-infliction. Such actions never made much sense to Donnie. But then, he was incredibly vain and would never dream of tarnishing his form in such a way. He teleported them both to his palace once the contract was signed. He watched the way Insanity behaved and smirked at Sam's reaction. "Although I must admit, you do share a lot of my own values," Donnie observed. "But a deal is a deal. Insanity, this is Sam. My protege. I will be changing him into a demon and then training him to be one of my elite soldiers. He will go on to lead our armies and manage our defences, my love." he said as he regarded Sam with a prideful smile. A part of him almost wished he had adopted him as well, but c'est la vie. He supposed he will just have to do the next best thing... raise him to be a loyal and brutal Royal Guard. "I believe he will grow to do great things," he said before glancing around the room. "Where is Theron?" --- "What?" Rickster lowered his hand from his face and then looked around wildly as all of his electronics began to go haywire. Including, unfortunately, his phone which continually turned itself off and back on again, cutting off the call. "Oh for... What the hell is going on now?!" he grumbled as he jumped out of bed and pulled on a pair of pants before running out of the room and down the stairs to see what was going on in the kitchen. Blood dripped from his eyes, his nose and even his ears but still, Viktor continued to try. "I can't give up! I can't just leave him there!!" He panicked and tried harder. The lightbulb in the kitchen exploded, making Rickster flinch as he stepped into the room. "What's going on?!" he shouted over the noise of the blender and other electronics randomly going off. He looked at Viktor worriedly. "What's up with him? Christ! Stop it! You're going to kill yourself!" But Viktor wasn't relenting. Thinking fast, Rickster uttered a quick spell to knock Viktor out. Viktor slumped forward, against Ricky and Rickster ran over to make sure they were ok. He looked around in relief as all the appliances in the room stopped working simultaneously. He walked over to the stove and quickly turned it off before walking back over to Ricky and giving him a look as if silently letting him know to prepare himself. He mumbled a couple of words then snapped his fingers by Viktor's ear, waking him up. Viktor groaned and gripped his head which now felt like it was splitting in two. Too dizzy to stand and now feeling too exhausted to try teleporting again. He winced and tried to look between Rickster and Ricky then immediately broke down into tears. "What were you thinking?" Rickster scolded him gently. "You could have seriously hurt yourself...and us. What's gotten into you?" "He's gone... he took my boyfriend and I don't even know why... I don't even know who he is... or where he's taken him... I don't even know if he's ok... What do I do?" --- "Loyalty is admirable but so easily promised," Amelia said in a monotone voice as she came to a stop. The sea was just a little above her waist now. She looked up. Towards the stars. The stars looked back. In unison, they all extinguished and then reignited. Like a light that flickers... or eyes that blink. Now that it was in her head, Amelia knew what this benevolent creature was. She also knew that this area of hell was always dark. Always 'night'. That when the stars occasionally shone here, it was not an illusion that Hell was creating to mimic Earth. Those stars were not stars and the creature in the sea was never always fully submerged. It was simply too massive and well hidden for anyone to notice. The stars flickered again. All at once. Then suddenly, they seemed to shift ever so slightly. Moving slowly until they were directly above Amelia and Harris. Now that the creature was so close to them, an elongated face became visible. Large nostrils twitched as the creature let out a breath that to Harris and Amelia would feel like a particularly strong gust of wind. It opened its mouth, revealing yellowed but flattened teeth. A telltale sign that the creature was not carnivorous. The whalesong rang out again but this time it was almost deafening. Even Amelia, in her trance like state, had to cover her ears and brace herself. The stars.... millions upon millions of them... were its eyes! All quivering and alight, like bioluminescent frogspawn attached to the top of the creature's long face. Slowly, Amelia lowered her hands and turned to look at Harris. Still, in a trance-like state, she spoke in a long-dead version of the Demonic language. A language so dead that there was no longer any written record of it anywhere in Hell. Yet the translation of these words would arrive in Harris's head clearly. "Bring them, thy chosen warriors, to my door." Denix Vames - April 4, 2022 "I'm not sure. But he's out. He has some plans but even I don't know what they are." ,said Hades. She drank some more. "I'm focusing on the band instead of that. I can't exactly do anything if I don't know any info. It's probably best that you don't get involved. Aren't you human?" ,said Hades. --- Charles said, "Vincent, I need you and your family to keep my son safe. I'll be back." He disappeared. --- "We need to find out which Demons or Devils are Donnie's followers. Can you help us?" ,said Will. Travis hugged Malone's arm. Letting him know that he was safe. --- "Who the hell is Theron?" ,said Sam. "He's your new brother. And he's eating in the kitchen. Go on and meet him. I'm sure you two will get along just fine." He rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He walked into the kitchen. Theron dropped his fork. "What are you doing here? I've never seen you before. I don't feel comfortable with this." "Geez! You're such a bitch! I'm your brother or whatever. But why do I have to be living here with you? You're a coward." He clutched his head as he cried. "Stop saying mean things! I don't understand why you're saying that!" "Sam! Enough!" ,said Insanity. He gripped his shoulder. "Be nice to your brother." "Why should I? I thought everyone in Hell was supposed to be tough. But this guy-!" "Silence! Now you either behave or leave the kitchen!" Sam let out a frustrated sigh before opening a cabinet. He grabbed a box of cheese crackers and began eating them at a corner. Insanity glared at Donnie. "I admire his murderous rage and ideas but you need to teach this child how to respect his family." --- "Just shut up!" ,shouted Ricky. "I don't know how to help but you yelling isn't making things any better!" His aura surrounded him. His eyes glowed. "Stop talking!" --- Harris smirked. Amused by her change in personality. "I will get your army." He disappeared. Charles soon appeared. "Amelia? What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here! Get out of there!" shadowess - April 10, 2022 Parker shifted uncomfortably in his chair and glanced away from Hades. "Yeah..." he answered after a moment's hesitation. "Don't get me wrong, I'm happier being human. But I don't like being left out of it all, you know? I mean, I'm supposed to be working for Carter but when all this shit goes down, he doesn't call, and I'm left without a clue." he shrugged. "I can't help but wonder if the only thing you guys see when you look at me is this frail human that needs to be protected." he took a sip from his can. --- David blinked at Will then looked around at the rest of the officers in the room. "You're police." he pointed out. "Officers. Trained to spot criminal behaviour, no matter how subtle. Use that knowledge to your advantage. You don't need magic or otherwordly tools to do this. You only need to look for the right things and ask the right questions. Observe. Listen." He lifted his hands a little to emphasise his words as he continued. "You are at a rare advantage because Donnie won't think to look in your direction. He will overlook the strengths that you, as a force, have honed over the course of your training. It may seem too human and primitive to someone like him. He'd never see it coming, and all you have to do? Just do your job. Go about your business as usual. But keep a keen eye out for suspicious activity. Listen out for conversations that might hint that one or more of his followers are nearby. Then make your arrest as appropriate." he explained. "For this, I plan to get some Angelic Bracelets that you can use as cuffs... In fact..." He paused and briefly closed his eyes. "Gabriel? Robert? Were you able to get enough bracelets for this mission?" he asked aloud before turning back to the officers. "You must make sure you put them onto the suspected Demon as quickly as possibly. Preferably without alerting them too soon. The bracelets can only be removed by the person who put them on and once it has latched on, they will render the Demon or Devil harmless. No stronger than any other human suspect. From there, you can bring them in for questioning." --- Donnie merely smirked at Insanity's glare as he walked past him to look into the cupboards as well. "I said protege, you said son." he bantered. He then sighed, knowing the risks of letting Theron get upset. Donnie turned to Sam, snatching the box of crackers from him before pointing to Theron. "Well, apparently you're a part of our family now. This means the people in this room are the only people you can trust. The only people you can thank and the only people you can apologise to. Because, just as you will be expected to have our backs, you can count on all of us to have yours. Now, apologise to your brother before I give you a good hiding." Donnie then looked in the cupboards again and tutted loudly. "This is depressing. I'm guessing the pie was made out of the last of Desi's ingredients. It's a good thing food doesn't spoil here..." he muttered then turned to face the kitchen door. "WARREN!" he barked sharply. A second later, Warren hurriedly skidded into the kitchen. He came to a halt at the door and looked between the family members. "Yes, sire?" Donnie pointed to Sam. "Meet our newest son. He needs decent food as well and I need someone we can trust to run that errand." Donnie stepped forward and stared intensely at Warren, making him avert his gaze submissively. "So, far you've served us well. Tell me, can we trust you to go to Earth and return with nutritious foods for our family?" Warren blinked and brought his eyes back up to Donnie's. He quickly nodded and seemed happy for a second before a look of realisation crossed his features. "Y-you can trust me, sires. But, h-how to I get to Earth? I'm dead." Donnie grinned. "I'm going to give you a gift. A reward for your obedience and loyalty. I'll make you a Demon. Not a powerful one, mind you. Just strong enough that you can visit Earth and come back when needed." Donnie then stepped close to Warren and caressed his cheek. "Just be sure to come back to us. You'll be rewarded when you return." Warren shivered. His cheeks turned pink and he could barely look away from Donnie's lips. When he did, he found himself gazing into Insanity's eyes instead and felt awestruck by his beauty as well. "Yes, Sires. I will always come back to you," he said a little breathlessly. Donnie chuckled then lowered his hand and stepped away from Warren, turning to go back to his family. Warren blinked, feeling a little cold now from the way Donnie had turned from him so abruptly, yet his heart was still fluttering wildly in his chest. He kept catching Insanity's eyes and hurriedly looking away shyly. "Leave us. I'll change you later." Donnie said, waving his hand dismissively at Warren. Nodding, Warren quickly turned and left the kitchen. Excited but having no more work to do, he decided to make himself comfortable in one of the spare bedrooms while he waited for further orders. He walked over to the full-sized mirror and unbuttoned his shirt to look at the long scars across his chest. He'd found it surprising that the wounds Insanity had inflicted had turned into scars rather than healing completely. But he didn't mind. As he traced his fingers over them, he convinced himself that they had been some sort of gift. As if the pain he'd endured had been some kind of right of passage. He'd been chosen. Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Donnie turned to Sam while picking up an apple from the little fruit basket. He sniffed it warily first before taking a bite. "I said I'd make you a Demon, too," he said then swallowed the bit of apple in his mouth. "But if you're going to be my son, Demon isn't going to cut it. I'll give you the same training and you will still lead my army. But I will make you a Devil instead." he pointed a finger between Sam and Theron with a serious expression. "Being the sons of the Kings of Hell will come with responsibilities, training and high expectations. This will not be easy. I will not raise spoiled brats, nor will I raise weaklings. Do I make myself clear boys?" He took another bite out of his apple and then thought for a moment. "Theron, I understand that you're still getting used to your powers." He swallowed the apple piece. "Which is why training with you will start first thing tomorrow. Today, I just want you to rest, settle in and keep an eye on 'the woman'. Got it?" he then turned to Sam. "I will change you into a Devil today and you will accompany me on an errand to see how we work. You are to follow my orders without question. Failure to do so may cost one or both of us our lives, do you understand?" --- As Ricky now seemed to be losing it, Rickster quickly took the woozy and unstable Viktor from him and helped him stay on his feet while looking at Ricky in surprise. "Ricky, take it easy..." he said uncertainly while taking a step back. "I wasn't yelling at anyone... It was noisy with all the electric stuff going off..." he explained. Viktor had broken down into quiet sobs, feeling helpless and too weak now to do anything. He broke away from Rickster and stumbled out of the kitchen, to the stairs and headed towards his bedroom. He just wanted to be alone. "Ricky, please," Rickster said softly. "I need you right now. Viktor needs you. I gotta call Carter back, it looks like Viktor's boyfriend wasn't the only person Donnie took today." Viktor reached his bedroom and stumbled slowly into the en-suit to wash his face. Still sobbing, he looked at his reflection and stared at his wings behind him. What good were these powers if he wasn't strong enough to save the man he loved? Frustrated, desperate and frightened, he pounded the wall next to the mirror before leaning his forehead against it with his eyes closed as he continued to sob. All he could think about was what Bryce must be going through right now. He wished he could see him. Talk to him. Tell him he wouldn't give up on him. As he thought this, his reflection in the mirror flickered. Then jolted and heaved into distorted shapes until a new image could be seen. In an instant, the mirror had become a window into a dimly lit room. There was a circle painted onto the ground in a red substance. Candles dotted around on the stone floor. Books piled up in one corner of the room and on the other side, directly opposite the mirror, was Bryce. --- Amelia tilted her head at Charles with the same faraway look in her eyes. In the same dead language she spoke; "This child's mind is safe. Hell hath awakened and her fury will be unleashed. The self-proclaimed King hath stepped down. Peace hath been promised but is now in peril as another rises to repeat my people's genocide. Hell hath summoned and untethered me, that I may devour thine enemies and traitors." The whale song rang out again, as if in triumph. The creature was so close to the both of them now that Amelia had to cover her ears and even bend her knees a little from the shock of the noise. This short jolt gave her just enough consciousness back to look at Charles in confusion. She then jerked her head to one side a little and let out a strained groan, apparently trying to fight off the possession, before looking at him with a blank expression once more. The creature stood over her now. Now close enough to see its silhouette. Its long face resembled that of a horse. Millions and millions of tiny eyes, shimmering and quivering on each side of its head looked more like it had frog spawn attached to its face. Its mane was made up of long, thick tendrils while coiled and moved around its neck absently. Its gigantic hooves landed on either side of Amelia like she was stood between two walls. The back end of the 'horse' lacked legs and instead dipped down into the rest of the sea, completely submerged and out of view.

Denix Vames - April 1, 2022 Sam Byron was a teenager with only his thoughts to tell him what the world was like. He sat in front of a drawn pentagram where a dead rabbit laid. Having killed it as a sacrifice. He chanted the spell. A demon or devil of his desire would appear. That devil was Donnie. "It actually worked." Sam stood. "Look, I need your help. This world is filled with nothing but pain and misery. Then there's those bastards who shit on our lives! I want the world to pay for what it's done. For what they've all done!" He clenched his fists. "Everyone deserves to be punished. This world will become nothing." shadowess - April 1, 2022 Sebastian shivered and shrugged. "I don't know. This feels different from all the other things we've faced. It's like Donnie is some kind of cockroach. He just keeps coming back and now all this?" he shook his head and looked at Carter worriedly. "I think we might've made a mistake... sending Patience to spy on him. But I don't know how we can get her back." --- Warren smiled a little sadly when Theron told him he didn't understand the game. He shrugged. "It's ok. Maybe it might be something you'll like when you're a little older?" he suggested. Donnie had heard their conversation and looked at Theron sternly. "Boy, a word," he called to him and waited until Theron was closer to them. "Listen to me carefully, the only people I ever want you to apologise to are myself and Insanity if you do something wrong. To anyone else, you must remain unapologetic. Don't make yourself appear weak. Remember what I told you earlier? There are people out there who would use your weakness against you. So, don't let anyone think for one second that you might be vulnerable. Especially not those who work for us." Donnie's eyes darted to Warren then back to Theron. "Do you understand?" Donnie then looked back at Warren, who was watching them quietly. His expression shifted to agitation. "I believe our son told you to check on his food." he barked at him, causing Warren to jump and scramble to his feet. "Y-yes, sires!" he bowed then ran off towards the kitchen. Donnie chuckled and looked back at Theron. "There, you see? Respect is power." He turned to say something to Insanity then found himself standing in a completely different location... --- "Pretty much." Parker shrugged then smirked. "When he's home anyway." he then commented, hinting that he occasionally eats junk foods when Will isn't around. "So, how've you been? Have I been missing much excitement lately?" River walked down the stairs and looked at Hades and Carol curiously. He knew Hades. He could sense who she was immediately and felt the slightest hint of fear which was leftover from their encounter in Parker's mind. But this fear was largely overshadowed by respect. He nodded to her in greeting. "Hades. Long time no see," he said then smirked. "I promise I'm behaving." he then looked at the other woman and rose a brow. "And...sorry, have we met?" "We have actually. Although no one else could see me at the time." Carol grinned and it took a moment for River to realise what she meant. When he did, his eyes widened and he grinned happily. "You found a way out! I knew you would!" "Yes. If not for you and Will giving me the hope that I could find a way to escape, I wouldn't have even tried. But here we are and I need to find a way to thank you both." "Oh, well...y'know...you don't gotta... it-it was nothin'..." River stammered as he shook his head while his cheeks started to turn pink. Carol found this highly amusing and she placed a hand on her hip while smirking at him. "Well, well. Do you have a crush on me, River?" "W-what? No. I-I mean-! Maybe?..." he flustered as his cheeks turned a deep shade of red. "I mean... do you-? Would you-?" he pointed between them wordlessly and Carol laughed. "Maybe tiger. Buy me a drink first and we'll see where things go from there." she winked at him and River beamed. "Sure! Did you wana go now?" "I should really thank Will, too." "He's at work. He might be a while. Sounds like shit is hitting the fan." Parker commented as he turned his attention back to them. "You guys go ahead." he then said, knowing how much River had been dreaming of something like this happening. "I'll let Will know you dropped by. I'm sure he won't mind." "Oh, before I go anywhere..." Carol said and turned to Parker and Hades. "Does anyone know where I might get a job? It's been a very long time since I've been human but if there's one thing I remember it's that earning money is essential to having a comfortable life." --- Malone couldn't help but look at Travis and hope that he was ok with all this. After all, there was a Devil running around in the body of a man that had traumatised him as a child. He reached over and placed a gentle hand on his knee while giving him a small smile to show him he was there for him if he needed him. Kodi was leaning against the back wall with a serious expression. He couldn't stop worrying about Autumn and Harris. Hoping this wouldn't affect either of them. He raised his hand when Will finished speaking. "First off, I think I speak for all of us when I say that it's good to have you back, sir. Secondly, how will we know if a Demon has sworn allegiance to them? I think, as a Demon myself, you can understand my concern. I don't exactly like the idea of humans and Angels potentially pointing the finger at any Demon they see because they're not sure how to tell whose side they're on. Thirdly, how exactly do we 'arrest' these Demons and Devils?" --- David sighed and stepped inside. He looked at Amelia and then back to Charles. "Well, first things first. I know I haven't needed authorisation until recently but I think that now that the Peace Treaty is in full swing and Demons are looking to you both as the rulers of Hell, it's only proper that I set an example. I came to request authorisation to change a man named Bern into a Demon. He's in Hell because he didn't forgive his own sins but he spent his last year changing his ways and doing good. He is also mentally stable enough that he does not require time in the programme like other souls. I think he would fit right in among our ranks." he said seriously. Amelia blinked at David and thought for a moment, taken aback by the request. "You were given that ability because I trust your judgement. I get why you're doing it but you really don't need to ask. If you think this guy is worth the change then do it." she answered. David smiled and nodded but his smile was strained. Amelia picked up on this immediately. "Something else has happened." She observed. "Dad, tell me. What's wrong?" Glancing between Charles and Amelia, David sighed heavily. "It's Damien," he said and he could see Amelia holding her breath. "Donnie has kidnapped him and... He's wearing an angelic bracelet... he's as helpless as a mortal." Amelia stared at David in silence. Slowly, she stood while still staring at him. Oliver felt the shift of emotion in the room and whinged fearfully. This caused Amelia to snap out of her thoughts and look down at him quickly. Kneeling down again, she bent forward and gently kissed his forehead. Oliver's whimpering stopped and he looked up at his mother. Staring at her worriedly. Amelia stared back and caressed his cheek with her thumb "I love you" she whispered then stood again and looked at Charles resolutely. "Both of you," she said softly before vanishing. She already lost her brother once. She wasn't about to lose him again. Neva had listened to her parents quietly and remained silent long after they finished speaking. "That lady died?" she asked, confused as she was certain she'd seen her alive since then. "And I got powers from her? But if I'm bad, I'll lose them?" she asked, trying to wrap her head around this new responsibility she'd been given. "And then I help people to be mommies and daddies when I die?" She scratched her head, still a little confused. --- "How about we-?" Donnie started then stopped, looking around the room in confusion before staring at the boy in alarm. He noted the pentagram and the dead rabbit. He glared at the boy before rapidly moving to grip his throat. Not hard enough to choke him but tightly enough that it would be a shock and a bit uncomfortable. "Listen here you little whelp. I am not your genie that you can summon to grant your fucking wishes. I am a Devil and I will be treated with the respect and fear that I deserve!" he shoved him back. He pointed to the pentagram. "Who taught you this spell?! Hmm? How did you learn it?! Answer now!" --- Viktor paced the kitchen at Ricky's house. He had planned on meeting Bryce at the club but he wasn't there when he arrived. He hadn't answered his texts either and even more worryingly, he couldn't teleport to him! He hadn't told anyone in the house that he was dating anyone but then again, no one really asked. Viktor just sort of existed in the house and helped Atma to clean the place now and then. To top that off, now that he needed advice from the man who turned him he couldn't seem to find him either. He didn't know what to do or who to talk to. He was terrified that something had happened and he couldn't do anything about it. Denix Vames - April 2, 2022 "I really don't know either. Isn't there someone we know who might have an idea?" ,said Carter. --- Theron nodded. "Yes dad. I understand." His eyes widened when Donnie disappeared. He clutched his head. "Where did he go? What happened? I'm scared!" Insanity held him close. "It's alright there. Your father knows how to deal with these types of situations." --- "Um...Maybe a local business? Otherwise, you could work for Carter in his private detective agency. That's all I can think of." ,said Hades. --- Travis rested his head against his shoulder. Keeping himself close. Will sighed. "I think I've got an idea. We need that watch. The one that tells anyone whether or not someone can be saved. Maybe that could work. The problem is I don't know where to get one." --- Charles lowered his head. "Who allowed this? How could you just let this happen?" "It's all confusing right now but in the end everything will make sense. Because we'll be here to help you." ,said Vincent. "Darn right!" ,said Elliot. --- Sam sat up after falling. He took his bag off and pulled out a satanic bible. "People either don't believe or think that Hell is a terrible place. Either way, I don't care. I know that it's a realm where you can gain power. So I'm going to say something that I would never say to anyone since I'm in different circumstances." He sighed and bowed. "I'm sorry for disrespecting you. What I want to do is destroy the world. If you're willing to help me then that would be nice for me. To give you a better deal, I'll sign your contract and do whatever you ask." He raised a finger. "Except for sex. I've never been and don't think that I am into that." He lowered his finger. "So, what do you think?" --- Ricky was heading to the kitchen to make himself something to eat. He noticed Viktor's odd behavior. "Is everything alright?" shadowess - April 2, 2022 Sebastian hugged himself and bounced on the spot anxiously. "No one can teleport to them. That's what everyone keeps saying..." he bit his lip and glanced out of the window. "...But maybe there's a spell to bring her to us? If there's a spell-like that somewhere then we could rescue Damien too." he scratched his head. "But then that might just bring Donnie and Insanity after us as well..." He gasped as a realisation struck him and he looked back at Carter. "Unless we play them at their own game!" his eyes had lit up hopefully. "Rickster is good at magic. Maybe he knows the spells that Donnie and Insanity use to stop people teleporting after them? We pick a safe place, put down the spells to stop them from teleporting in then use another spell within that area to pull their hostages away from them! Anyone Donnie and Insanity decide to target could then stay in that one place until everything blows over!" --- Warren walked back into the room. He briefly looked at Insanity and Theron before quickly diverting his eyes and faking a cough into his fist. "Food is ready, sires," he told them and stood by, waiting for further instructions. Patience had been peering through a slight crack in her bedroom door to keep an eye on what they were doing, as well as listen in on their conversations. --- "Hmm... I may need to weigh my options then." Carol said thoughtfully. "I'll just grab my jacket. I know the perfect place." River grinned as he bolted back up the stairs. Parker chuckled and shook his head before looking at Hades. "You didn't answer my question," he observed. "Things that bad?" River ran back down the stairs and walked over to Carol. "You ready?" "You bet, sweet thing." Carol purred and took his hand. Feeling overwhelmed with joy and excitement, River looked between Parker and Hades. "Don't wait up." he chuckled then vanished with her. Parker rolled his eyes and then nodded towards the kitchen. "You want a drink? I have a stash of fizzy drinks and liquor in the kitchen. You can tell me what's going on." --- Malone wrapped an arm around Travis and gently rubbed his arm. "The Moral Compass?" Kodi asked. "The Angels have those but from what I understand they're rare. They only hand them out to their most trusted Angel Soldiers." --- David had watched Amelia vanish and got a sinking feeling in his stomach. He knew how attached she was to Damien and recalled what she'd done to his murderer after he'd been destroyed. But this wasn't the same. Donnie and Insanity were not Demons anymore! Charles spoke and guilt consumed David. "How were we supposed to know he'd be targeted?" he tried to justify himself. "Damien was out of control. He was trying to use contracts to build power to be able to face Donnie! I couldn't let him. I needed to remind him that he was more than this soldier that Lucifer had turned him into! I did what I thought was best..." Oliver had started to cry and Neva's attention turned from her father's to the kitchen door. "Daddies? Something's wrong. Oliver is scared." --- The bible looked old and nothing like the typical versions that were circulating Earth. That was a very specific copy, written by non-other than Satan during the time he'd tried to gather mortal followers. Donnie was surprised to see a surviving copy. He rose a brow as well at the boy's request and considered his words carefully for a moment. "Destroy the world, huh?" he repeated. "But the world churns out millions of corruptible souls every day. Why would I want to cripple my own source of power?" he questioned while staring hard at the boy. He then laughed at the boy's comments regarding sex. Donnie might be a twisted, perverted psychopath but he had standards. Kids were simply not on his radar in that sense. "Don't flatter yourself pipsqueak!" he chuckled then shook his head with an amused grin as he looked the boy over. "Though you are an interesting lad. Perhaps you might be a decent addition to my army?" he thought out loud while scratching his chin. "Tell you what. If it's power you're after, I'll turn you into a Demon. I'll give you powers and train you to be one of my elite soldiers. Then you can punish sinners to your heart's content. All I ask in return is your undying loyalty to myself and my family. That and a little signature, of course." he smiled as he snapped his fingers to summon a contract and pen. "What do you say, Sam?" he asked, letting him know that he already knew his name. "Want to be a Royal Guard for the King of Hell?" --- So lost in thought, the sound of Ricky's voice had made Viktor jump and whirl around to face him with a surprised expression. "Uh-! Y-yeah." he lied then immediately shook his head. "I mean no. I-..." he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know what to do. M-my boyfriend... he's not answering his phone and..." he glanced around the room, trying to hold himself together. "I can't teleport to him. I think something happened. I'm scared." --- Amelia arrived in Hell, alone and standing on the beach. She looked out across the black ocean and listened to the deafening, crashing waves as she thought about how she could hope to rescue her brother. She took out her crystal and stared at it in the palm of her hand while the thin chain swayed in the salty breeze. When she took out Satan, it had been when she was blacked out under the influence of Devil's Rage. She couldn't even remember how it had happened. Nor does she remember what she did to the woman that had destroyed Damien years ago. Anytime she had managed to take out a threat, it had been while she was in a murderous trance. Not herself. She wondered if she would even be capable of fighting Donnie and his army without needing to resort to her ailment again. A noise echoed over the waters and she looked up in wonder. It sounded like whalesong but Amelia knew better. There was a creature under that black, liquid blanket. A massive, ancient thing that no one had seen in millennia. No one knew what it looked like anymore but all were reminded of its presence now and again when it made such noises. Amelia had a hunch that she knew what it was. The ancient Devil that had given its existence to change her hadn't looked human either, after all. The five-headed beast she had found as a teenager had once been native to this world. Born here. She wondered what Hell had been like before Lucifer's fall. When the Ancient Devils and Leviathans had lived here from the beginning of time. Before Earth's creation. Before God. What if the Devil that had made her hadn't been the last of its kind? What if there was another... one that had been living peacefully under those waves for so long. So passive and gentle that even Lucifer himself couldn't bring himself to destroy it? Amelia closed her eyes and breathed in the sea air, finding it relaxing despite her worries, and listened to the noise as if it was some sort of strange lullaby. Denix Vames - April 2, 2022 "It's worth a try. I'll call him." Carter took out his phone and waited for Rickster to answer once he hit the green phone icon. --- "Go ahead and enjoy your meal son. I'm sure your father will be back in no time." ,said Insanity. Theron nodded. "Ok dad." He walked over to Warren. "I'm sorry that I made my dad mad at you." He hugged him before heading to the kitchen where he started to eat the pie. --- "Things have been going pretty great actually. The band's had their first concert in Liverpool at the Cavern Club." Hades sat on the couch. "And one soda please." --- "But I know a friend of mine has it. I just have to remember." Will placed a hand against his forehead as memories suddenly flashed in his mind. His eyes widened when he found it. "Leo! He's a federal agent who has a Moral Compass. It was given to him by Patience. An Angel. I'm sure he's heard plenty to understand our situation." Leo appeared. "You're right about that." He handed the Moral Compass to Will. "Here. I once needed use for this but my Deadpool days are over." "Thanks. And about that job? You've got it." "I appreciate that. I still have to look for a replacement so that someone can guard the President's daughter. But thank you. I'll be in touch later." He disappeared. "Looks like we've got our best weapon." ,said Will who placed the Moral Compass over his neck. It had shown grey. --- Charles glared at him. "Everyone should have been on high alert! That bastard takes anyone that he wants!" Elliot picked up Oliver and took him to Neva. "It's alright there little guy. Everything's gonna be just fine." --- "Souls is what makes a Devil powerful. Then what I'm thinking of would be pointless." Sam walked over to the contract. "Just one question. Am I allowed to kill living humans after I sign this?" --- Ricky's face went pale. "Viktor....I'm sorry. From what you're telling me, it looks like Bryce was kidnapped by Donnie. But Bryce is strong. We can only hope that he fights his way out." --- Harris appeared. "Beautiful, isn't it? At least I think so." He looked at her. "I want to help. For what I've done to you, I want to save your brother. Please."

Denix Vames - March 28, 2022 "Bern's coming back already? I better get dressed." Salvo slowly got off the bed. He nearly fell from his splitting headache but leaned against the wall. "Salvo! Please stay in bed." ,said Galiel who walked over to him. Placing his hands on his shoulders. "It's not right for any of my men to see me like this. I'm the Don here." --- Bryce glared at Donnie. He burst into tears. Hissing at him. "What are you talking about?! Why the fuck did you make me do this?" He swung but his fist was caught by him. He cried out as his arm was forced back. --- "Alright. To that guy it is." ,said Hades. They appeared in front of Will's house. --- "Um guys? Neva said that Oliver is hungry. The thing is she somehow knew." ,said Elliot. "Perhaps Neva can read others thoughts or sense someone's emotions? Is that a possibility?" ,asked Vincent. Charles rubbed his chin in thought. "Maybe. I didn't even know she could if that's true." --- Theron raised a hand. "Yes. But it has four different symbols. They're all black and have a pointy tip." (i didnt even know this was an actual game until you mentioned it) shadowess - March 28, 2022 David shook his head. "You should rest," he said in a soft but firm tone. "Your men will understand," he assured him. "Trust me on that." He looked at Sebastian and raised a brow at him. "I would've thought you'd be on your way by now." "Just wanted to make sure everything was alright here first," Sebastian answered and David nodded before offering him his hand. "Let me take you home, then." He said with a small smile. Thankful, Sebastian took it and both men appeared in the kitchen just as Sebastian remembered. "Shit! I forgot about the workers!" He gasped and whirled around. Thankfully the kitchen door was closed and he let out a sigh of relief. "The what?" David asked then heard the voices of several men in the other room. "The workers... After Damien ran off, he hired them to fix the wall and clean up the place..." Sebastian explained. "Ah... So he ran away from his responsibilities and hired others to correct his mistakes for him..." David didn't sound too impressed. --- "Don't be a fool," Donnie growled at Bryce dangerously. "You owe me after you betrayed me. All you had to do was babysit a pregnant Devil and a tied up Angel and instead, you helped them both to escape!" he gripped Bryce's hair and pulled his head back roughly. His eyes turned red. "I don't think you quite realise how dangerously stupid it is to stab ME in the back! How much I loathe traitors! So, count yourself lucky that I don't decide to destroy you here and now you worthless leech!" he gripped Bryce's hair tighter. "Luckily for you, I need a test subject for my latest plan. But when that is done, Insanity and I will have our fun tormenting you for all eternity!" He looked at Insanity. "Come beloved, let's put these two somewhere safe until we can show them off to the dealer. Best to keep them locked away from each other though, in case Bryce gets peckish again while we're gone." --- Carol looked nervous as she hurriedly fixed the little black dress she was wearing. "Oh, I have sand up my skirt... That's not flattering." She complained under her breath as she shook some of the sand loose from her hair before looking at Hades and sighing. "How do I look?" --- Neva hugged her legs as she listened to the adults and she looked between them all shyly, having not realised that she'd done anything like that or that it had been special in any way. She shrugged. "I don't know what everyone else is thinking," she told them innocently. "I just know what Oliver wanted... He told me. But it was weird because it wasn't in words." Amelia blinked at Neva then slowly turned her head to look at Oliver who was now sucking his fist obliviously. "Well... That's a thing." Amelia half laughed. --- Warren smiled. "Sounds like you got a four of spades. Go ahead and put that down on top of that one. If you have any other fours you can put those down too." he said then would watch as Theron followed his instruction. "Now, if you have any fives you could put those down on top of the fours too. Then six if you have any and so on. But if you run out of numbers that follow on from each other, then that's the end of your turn." (I used to play this game a lot as a pre-teen. Even taught my little step-sis how to play it and got her hooked. Then just stopped playing one day and almost forgot about it until recently lol Its other name is Blackjack but not the typical version of that game. I think it's an older version.) Denix Vames March 28, 2022 Salvo nodded. He sat back in bed with some help from Galiel. --- "Well, it's not like Damien knows how to fix walls or windows, does he? Speaking of, do you think we'll be able to find him?" ,said Carter. --- Bryce cringed at the painful grip. "The last time you tried to destroy our family, you got fucked over! You'll get screwed again! I swear!" He spat on his face. "Mind telling me where we should put them?" ,asked Insanity. --- "You look pretty good to me. Do you want me to stick around?" ,said Hades. --- "Don't worry, Neva. It's not a bad thing." ,said Vincent. "Do ya think David could tell us about it?" ,asked Elliot. --- "Um...." Theron put down a five with clovers. "That's all I have. The others are....Am I supposed to say what numbers I have?" shadowess - March 28, 2022 "You'd be surprised..." David muttered then sighed. "I don't know..." he replied and exchanged a worried glance with Sebastian. "Donnie got to him..." Sebastian told Carter. "Looks like he and Insanity ambushed him. But David has a plan to stop them..." David quickly and quietly filled Carter in on the plan. --- "Our home, of course," Donnie answered Insanity simply. "Desi had a few hidden rooms in that palace for his spells and such. We can use them as cells. They have no doors so you can only teleport in and out." he explained then flinched as Bryce spat at him. He turned his face to stare at him intensely while slowly licking the spit from his cheek. "I can't wait to make you suffer," he said coldly. He turned back to Insanity and nodded to Damien who was still laying on the floor. "Let's go. The sooner we get these two locked up, the sooner we can give those toys to the boy." --- "Only if you want to, darling." Carol smiled then took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She strode over to the door and rang the bell. --- "Ok," Neva said quietly as she tried to understand how she'd done what she had done. As Elliot asked whether David would be able to explain it, a thought occurred to Amelia. "Maybe it's a Spirit of Life gift?" she suggested as she recalled Vincent telling them about Atma's sacrifice to save Neva's life. "Maybe it's one of those things that starts to develop while she's young and still alive?" --- "That's fine for this game because I'm teaching you how to play." Warren nodded. "But the next game we'll try to keep it a secret until we have to put cards down. You'll see why when I tell you about power cards." he winked. "Ok, my turn then...let's see..." he looked at his cards carefully then smirked and read out his cards as he put each one down. "six of diamonds, seven of clubs..." he paused then showed Theron his next card without putting it down. It was an eight of clubs. "All eight cards are power cards. They make the next person miss a turn," he explained then placed it down on the pile. "It doesn't really make much difference to us now because there's only two of us playing. But if there's more than two of us then that person would miss a go and it would be your turn straight away," he said as he placed down another card. "Nine of hearts and that's the end of my turn," he said, now left with three cards in his hand. Denix Vames - March 28, 2022 Carter nodded. "I'll call Will." He took out his phone. Waiting for him to answer which he did right away. He stepped outside to talk to him in private. "Will? I've got some news." --- Bryce glared. Insanity lifted Damien off the ground. "I'll pick a random room then. I'm sure it won't be hard to find them once we do need them." Once they placed the two in their own hidden room, Insanity teleported back to the building to fetch the box of toys. He soon appeared where Theron and Warren were. "Dad!" Theron ran over to Insanity and hugged him. Insanity smiled. "How is my little one? Having fun?" "Me and Uncle are playing a game." "Uncle? I wouldn't call him that. It's not proper since he is our servant. Just call him Warren if you wish." "Oh ok. But can I still play with him? I want to keep playing." "Of course." Insanity caressed his cheek. "And then you can play with the toys that I got you." "Thanks dad." Theron ran back to the table where he placed a ten of hearts. Insanity looked at Donnie. "We still need to teach him to control his powers. And once we do, our child will be unstoppable." He smiled. "He'll make me proud." --- "Guess I'll stick around then." ,said Hades. Since Will was busy on talking to Carter on the phone, Parker would open the door. "Hey, this is Carol. I don't know if I told you already but I changed my sex. I'm Hades. We wanted to come over and talk to River. You see, it's a long story but I think her name probably rings a bell." --- Will, in his uniform, had appeared in the precinct. "Alright everyone! This is an emergency meeting. Get to the meeting room now." He noticed that Ben's seat was empty. He bit his lip. Trying not to think about the fact that Ben would probably never come back. --- "That's a definite possibility." ,said Charles. "What sorts of other powers is she going to get?" ,asked Elliot. Shadowess - March 29, 2022 (Might have to remind me what's happened to Ben lol) Denix Vames - March 29, 2022 (oh sorry. ben and jessica are currently still known as being under government protection) shadowess - March 29, 2022 (Lol oh yeah) "I need to go. Call me if you need help with anything." David said before vanishing and leaving Sebastian alone in the kitchen. David would then appear outside Amelia and Charles's apartment. He dreaded what he would have to tell her but he knew it needed to be done as he knocked on the door. --- Donnie smiled at Insanity and wrapped his arms around his waist. "We will. As soon as we have our guard dog, we'll train him." he promised. "Remind me to get a chess set for him. It's the perfect game to teach strategy." Warren smiled at Theron and looked at his cards. "I have a Jack but it's the wrong colour... See, Jacks are power cards too. If you place a black one down then the next player has to pick up five cards but the Jack has to match the colour of the card on top of the pile. If the other player has a red Jack though they can put it on top of the blackjack to cancel out the need to pick up five cards." he explained. "But I can't put this one down and because Jacks come after 10 then I can't take my turn, which means I'll have to pick up a card from this pile here..." he picked up a card from the pile that was face down. "...and then end my turn. See in cards, it goes from ten to Jack, then Queen, then King. Then we can start from one again." Warren then hesitated and looked over at Donnie and Insanity nervously. He tapped his cards against his hand and looked at Theron. "W-we need to tell you..." He called over to his masters. "You told us to tell you if Patience does anything weird..." Donnie turned his head to look at Warren. The smile slipped from his face. "What is it?" "She was confused. One minute she was telling us you two were evil...warning us to run... and the next she was apologising and saying she loved you both." He looked down at his cards nervously. Wondering if he'd done the right thing. "Oh, really?" Donnie looked at Insanity. 'Either she's pretending or I managed to scramble her mind so well that she doesn't know up from down anymore.' he thought to him. "Thank you, Warren. It's nice to know we have chosen someone loyal to be our servant. Insanity and I will think of a way to reward you later." "What about Patience?" Warren asked worriedly, looking back up at them. "She was out of line, but I don't believe she meant it." "It's sweet that you care for our family." Donnie smiled. "We'll talk to her." he reassured him. "When we're done with everything else. For now, just continue to keep an eye on her for us." he added. "Yes, sire." Warren bowed his head a little then turned his attention back to their game. --- "Yeah, you could say that..." Parker replied awkwardly. In fact, helping Carol get her own body was all River seemed to be interested in lately. To a point that it was beginning to become an obsession. "Glad to finally meet you by the way." He said to Carol. He stood to one side to let them in while turning his head to call up the stairs. "River! Someone to see you!" He turned back to the women while closing the door behind them. "Will had to go to the precinct. Can I get you anything to drink?" --- Malone looked from his desk then hurriedly went to fetch Travis. Kodi, who had been about to go home for the night, stopped in his tracks and followed the others into the meeting room. --- "I duno..." Amelia shrugged. "Only a Midwife would know that." "But I already have powers." Neva said in confusion. She had no idea of the sacrifice made to save her life. Denix Vames - March 29, 2022 Carter came back when his call was finished. He looked around. "I'm guessing David had to be somewhere. So, do you think we'll be ok? I know we've got everyone who can help us but this Donnie bitch sure sounds like an annoying psycho bug." --- "I don't feel comfortable with confusing directions. Can we check on the pie?" ,said Theron. He lowered his cards. "I'm sorry that I don't understand." --- Hades looked around the house. Seeing all the boxing related items. "I'm going to guess that Will eats like a rabbit. That means no soda or pizza?" --- Once everyone was in the meeting room, Will took a deep breath. "First off, I'd like to apologize for my recent behavior. Obviously, I've got some anger issues which is something that I'm going to take care of by seeking professional help. Second, there's two Devils who have an army. Not sure how big it is but I heard it's a group. One of the Devils, as far as I'm concerned, still has Vincent's old face. Now, if anyone here arrests a suspect, please identify if they are a Demon or Devil. If they are either one, they will be questioned about this whole rebellion against the peace treaty. You see, Donnie wants to take over Hell and put things back to the way they use to be. Angels and Demons fighting. Now, we can't let that happen. So keep an eye out. Alright? I'm counting on you guys." Travis pointed at his sketchpad. "I'll call Carter real quick and ask him for a description. It shouldn't take long." --- Charles opened the door. "David, what's going on? I hate to say this but your visits never come with good news." Vincent looked at Elliot. "I think we should tell her." Elliot nodded. "C'mon Neva. Follow us." They led her to the kitchen where they explained the story. About what happened to Atma and the gift that Neva had received because of her self-less sacrifice.

shadowess - March 27, 2022 Lilly was touched by Pain's words and she struggled to express how happy he made her feel at that moment. Tears welled in her eyes and she had to blink them back quickly. Smiling, she gently pressed her forehead against his and closed her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered. --- Sebastian stepped into the room and saw the scene, unsure of what to make of it. "Salvo? What happened? What did Donnie do?" he asked, kneeling beside them. --- David nodded. "I'll be back as soon as I can," he said before vanishing and appearing next to Mon in Salvo's mansion. He looked at what was happening and concern spread across his features. "Sebastian? Salvo?" he looked at Mon then back to the others with a torn expression. "Mon, could I have a quick word with you in the hallway?" he asked him and Mon nodded quietly, stepping out of the room with David. A few minutes later, David would re-enter the room alone and look between Salvo, Galiel and Sebastian with a look of concern. "Tell me everything," he said in a serious tone. --- "I saw a deck of cards while I was cleaning the palace. Maybe I could teach you how to play Queenie?" Warren suggested. "It's a game I used to play with my dad as a kid when we'd spend our summers camping." He finished kneading the dough and set about rolling it flat. Once that was done he lined a baking tin with it and carefully cut off the excess. While he'd been sorting the dough out, a meaty broth had been stewing on the hob nearby which he now carefully poured into the baking tin before covering with another thin layer of dough. When that was done, he placed the pie into the oven and set himself a timer. "I never thought there would ever be a need for a fully functional kitchen in Hell... Yet here one is... I guess the previous owner of this mansion liked to be able to cook now and then." he said thoughtfully with a smile before turning to face Theron. "Now then, let's play some Queenie while we wait for that to finish cooking." --- Damien clenched his fists and glared at Insanity. He loathed this feeling of helplessness and he looked around wildly. He saw large shards of glass by the broken window and also noted that they were a few stories up from the ground. Two ways out for him. He couldn't be certain that he wouldn't still be wearing the bracelet when he woke up but it was beginning to look like this was his only option to maintain some kind of control over his life. "Fuck you!" he seethed and marched over to the window. "I want no part in your madness! I'd rather throw myself from this building!" --- Donnie placed his drink on the table. "Don't you recognise me?" he asked coyly as he leaned a little closer and let his eyes turn red. Then, in his normal voice, he said to him quietly. "Because I recognise you, traitor!" he quickly grabbed Bryce's arm and teleported them both to Insanity's location, just in time to see Damien marching to the window. With a flick of Donnie's wrist, Damien flew back into the room and rolled across the floor. "Did you miss me, darling?" Donnie said as the rest of him rapidly changed back into his usual form. "Look who I found." he grinned as he pulled Bryce into his arms, keeping him facing the others while he gripped his chin roughly. "Tell me, my dear friend," he said to Bryce. "Does that man look familiar to you?" he asked as he forced him to look in Damien's direction. "He should. He's your ex daddy in law." he laughed mockingly. --- With the help of Vincent and Elliot, Neva gently set Oliver down on the blanket. She then grabbed a horse-shaped teddy and held it over Oliver so that he could see it. "Do you know what this one is Oliver?" she asked and let him look at it with a curious expression. "It's a horsey! Look!" she clicked her tongue while moving the horse as if it were running through the air. Oliver blinked at it and let out an amused squeal while kicking his feet excitedly. --- "You're family doesn't just end at Amelia and Oliver, either." Carol pointed out. "David and I were never an item but we raised Amelia together. We're the closest thing to parents she's ever had. Which would make us your mother and father in law. Then, of course, there's Hades now, and Damien, and his kids... your family just got a whole lot bigger." She grinned. "Oh, and before I forget." she stood beside him and whispered to him while Hades and Amelia were distracted. "David is a little old fashioned. You might want to ask his permission to marry his daughter before you go announcing your betrothal to him and er..." she shook her head a little while looking at him seriously. "Don't tell him about... your 'dad'... just yet. Let me talk to him about that first." Meanwhile, Amelia was too busy talking to Hades to hear Carol's words. She hugged her back with a wide grin. "Of course! I love the heavy stuff! Oh, but don't forget you'll have to plan my hen-do before the wedding." she winked. Denix Vames - March 27, 2022 "No problem. I'm getting kind tired. Do you mind if I take a nap?" ,asked Pain. --- "Donnie? Who's Donnie?" ,said Galiel. Salvo spit out the rest of his vomit. "Must have been that bastard who I ran into. He tried to control me. I could feel it. When I resisted, this sickness must have shown up." He clutched his head. "He took the guy we were told to look for. Damien." --- "But that means we would have to sit all day. I want play. I want to jump and run. I want some toys. I wish my dads would be here with toys already." ,said Theron. --- Tears dripped down Bryce's cheeks. "Leave him out of this! Just take me instead! I deserve it!" --- Insanity grinned. "It is good to see you again. Now that we have them, can I stop by the toy store and fetch some things for sweet Theron?" --- Vincent and Elliot smiled. Enjoying watching their daughter play with Oliver. --- Charles blushed. "Oh! Wow. I never realized." He nodded. "I'll let him know before anything else happens." "Hen-what now?" ,said Hades. Shadowess - March 28, 2022 Pain and Lilly had been so engrossed in their own private conversation that neither of them had noticed that Bob had stopped talking to stare at them silently. Just as Lilly was laying back and looking as if she was ready to sleep, Bob leaned close to Storm. "Five bucks says they're gettin' it on by this weekend," he muttered the bet, despite the fact Bob never had any cash to bet on. --- "He what?!" David looked at Sebastian. "Why wasn't he with you?" Sebastian hesitated. "He was giving us grief and being...well..." "Damien?" David sighed. "Yeah... He slipped out when we weren't looking and Salvo went to look for him." Sebastian summarised while deliberately leaving out the part when Salvo had threatened to kill Damien. "Where was he when he was taken?" David asked, turning back to look at Salvo. "Did it look like his captors were doing anything else before you intervened?" --- Warren felt at a loss. "I'm sure they'll be back real soon. But I promise this game is fun too! Then we can play with your new toys when your dads get home, ok?" --- Damien glared at Donnie as he slowly got back to his feet. "Is this it? This is what you brought me here for? Because you think I'd be angry at this man? What is this? Some sick entertainment for you fucks?" he then gestured to Bryce. "Alex already told me about him. He told me he's changed and that he's forgiven him. So, bringing him to me was pointless! I am not going to fight him so that you bastards can get a sick thrill out of it!" "Hurry back." Donnie winked at Insanity then turned his attention back to Damien. "Oh, that's not why we brought you both here although I did find it amusing that of all vampires to choose from, this one happened to be there." he chuckled then whispered into Bryce's ear. "You drank a lot of Devil blood when you and Parker were together. Both from your ex and Amelia when you had her prisoner. Do you remember how good it tasted? How it made you feel when it coursed through your veins?" Donnie smirked. "How terribly awful the withdrawals were when you no longer had access to it. It just doesn't compare to human blood, does it?" he glanced at Damien who now had blood on his knuckles as well as his head. "Can you smell it? Doesn't it just make you want to pounce on him? He's powerless, you know? That bracelet cannot be removed and it makes him harmless." "Fuck you!!" Damien snapped at Donnie as he realised what his intentions were. "Bryce, don't listen to him! You're better than that! And don't sign anything that he gives you or they'll make you do worse!" "The smell in here must be driving you crazy." Donnie continued to talk to Bryce. "Surrounded by Devil blood. A Devil weakened and bleeding in front of you. Are you hungry, Bryce?" --- "Huh?" Neva stopped playing with the horse and tilted her head at Oliver who looked back at her with the same curious and delighted expression. "Oh! I get it! Ok." She smiled and looked up at Vincent and Elliot. "Oliver's getting hungry," she said simply then went right back to playing as if what she had just done was completely normal. --- "You know! A Hen-do! Bachelorette party! Where we and a few girly friends get absolutely trashed before the wedding!" Amelia explained excitedly. "We're going to need plenty of booze and weed. Both of which I haven't touched since I found out I was pregnant with Oliver, so I think my tolerance might not be as good as it used to be." she chuckled. Denix Vames - March 28, 2022 "You're on." ,said Storm. --- "There was a bar. Some kind of club. Donnie was just standing there. This other guy stood behind Damien and grabbed him. I don't know where he took him." ,said Salvo. --- Theron frowned but nodded. "Ok." --- Insanity had disappeared for a moment to steal some toys. Having placed them in a large box. He soon appeared with that box back at the building. Bryce started to sweat. He licked his lips. Recalling how Devil's blood tasted like. He grit his teeth. Attempting to resist the thought of drinking from Damien. "N-No! I won't!" --- "That's what you call it? Normally, it's called a Bachelorette party." ,said Hades. Charles walked over to Amelia. "We really need to get back home. It seems like Oliver is hungry." --- "I'm sure Charles and the others will be back soon to feed him." ,said Vincent. Shadowess - March 28, 2022 "They seem to be adept at making sure no one can simply teleport after them..." David commented. "That certainly sounds like Donnie and Insanity..." David turned and began pacing the room with a deeply troubled look. "What do we do?" Sebastian asked, watching him anxiously. "Damien went through years of rigorous torture training. He knows how to handle pain." David said thoughtfully. "I'm just concerned that he won't be able to escape them on his own. Not with that bracelet on..." he then stopped pacing and stared at the wall. "The bracelet... I wonder..." he turned to look at the others. "It was strong enough to render Damien completely powerless. That might be the answer!" He looked at Sebastian. "Go home. Tell Carter to stay on high alert and to keep an ear to the ground for other strange activities. Let him know to make the police aware as well so that they can keep a lookout. Donnie and Insanity are up to something but we can't stop them if we're continuously searching for them or waiting for them to appear. So, we monitor everything and try to figure out what they're doing without getting involved too soon." David pointed upwards. "I'm going to visit Heaven in the meantime and request a few more of those bracelets. I'll distribute them among yourselves, Carter and the police. Then, if any of you happen to bump into Donnie, Insanity or any of his contracted minions, you just slap the bracelet onto their wrist to neutralise them! The bracelets can only be removed by the person who put the bracelet onto them. We can decide how best to deal with them once they're no longer a threat to anyone." --- "Oh, but you will." Donnie chuckled into Bryce's ear. "I know how much you miss it. The thrill of the hunt. Feeling your prey fighting desperately to escape your grasp as you slowly take your fill." Donnie glanced at Insanity when he appeared again. 'This could work. We just need Bryce to get hooked then we can convince him to try to pill to satiate his addiction. He's close to cracking, I can feel it. We need to add more pressure.' he thought to him then looked over at Damien. "Insanity, darling. Would you mind making Damien bleed a little more and bring him closer to us?" "Don't you fucking touch me!" Damien snapped at Insanity as he whirled around to face him. "Stop this!" he ordered then looked at Bryce. "Stay strong! Don't let them get into your head!" --- "I really should invest in a pump..." Amelia sighed. "Especially before the party." she winked at Hades. She then turned to look at Carol. "You can stay with us if you want?" "Oh, no thank you sweet thing." Carol chuckled while shaking her head. "Me and babies don't mix. Besides, there are a few things that I've missed doing that I really need to get out of my system... I'll catch up with you later." She then turned to Hades. "I don't suppose you'd mind giving me a lift?" Amelia smiled at them then turned to Charles, taking his hand. 'Something tells me she's going to drink, smoke and fuck her way through the population of the US...' she thought to him. Denix Vames - March 28, 2022 "I'll have my men keep an eye out on things here too." ,said Salvo. --- Insanity grabbed Damien by his arm. Forcing him to walk over to Bryce. He took his knife out and cut below his neck just enough for him to bleed. Bryce shut his eyes. The smell of devil's blood was overwhelming. Making him shake and gasp. He bit his tongue. Blood trickled down his chin from the self-made cute. "B-Bastard!" "C'mon. Don't you want a little taste?" Insanity brushed a finger over Damien's cut. Taking blood which he placed into Bryce's mouth. Bryce's eyes widened. The taste had taken over. Insanity jumped back as Bryce tackled Damien to the ground. His fangs sank into his neck. He couldn't stop drinking. --- Hades held out her hand. "Sure. Where to?" Charles thought, 'I'm sure she'll be fine. She knows how to use protection. And I think she can take care of herself.' He and Amelia appeared back home. --- Theron looked at the cards in his hand. They had barely begun setting up the game. "How do I play?" shadowess - March 28, 2022 "Thank you." David nodded. "Before I can grab those bracelets... I suppose I should arrange for Bern to come back. You're going to need all the help you can get." David smiled. "I've already told Mon. Bern will be coming back as a Demon. I've yet to request authorisation to change him but I don't imagine it would be a problem." --- "Get off me!" Damien barked at Insanity when he'd grabbed him and he'd struggled to break free from his grip. He merely cringed when he felt the knife cut his skin and his attention shifted to the way Bryce was behaving. "Bryce? Bryce, don't give in!" he said to him quickly. His desperation growing. He then watched as Insanity fed him a drop of his blood and his heart sank at the effect it had on him. "Don't-!" was all he managed to say before he was knocked to the ground. The impact made him gasp then his entire body tensed and he grimaced as he felt Bryce's fangs sink into his throat. The effects of his venom were rapid. Just as Damien got over the shock of being tackled and was beginning to try and fight Bryce off him, he could already feel the venom weakening him further. Nothing Damien did seemed to matter. He thrashed, writhed and hit Bryce with everything he had but it was just like hitting stone. It was only when he'd exhausted himself that he finally lay still with his eyes closed tightly while still gripping Bryce's shirt. At this point, Donnie clapped his hands together. "Alright. That's enough. As entertaining and...oddly arousing as it is to watch, we don't want you to drain him completely." he chuckled then frowned as Bryce seemed to have difficulty stopping himself. "I said that's enough!" he barked and yanked Bryce off him, pulling him away from Damien who remained on the floor feeling dazed and a little drunk. Damien's head rolled to one side and he squinted up at Insanity. "Just you wait..." he murmured tiredly. "You'll get yours..." "Easy! Easy!" Donnie said to Bryce in a gentler voice. "What did I tell you? I knew you missed it!" he chuckled. "If only there was something you could take to stave off that hunger, hm? Like... a pill, perhaps?" Donnie grinned. "We're going to make such a pill. With your help and his. That's why we need him alive." --- Carol took it and thought for a moment before smiling. "There's someone I'd like to say hello to," she said as she thought about River. If not for him noticing her and bringing her existence to Will's and consequently Amelia's attention, she might never have had this chance at freedom. In fact, until Will had walked up to her and tried to have a conversation with her, she had given up any hope of being an individual again. She owed them both. --- "Oh, I don't doubt that." Amelia had commented out loud once they arrived home. She then grinned at the sight of Vincent, Elliot and Neva playing with Oliver on his playtime blanket. "Oh, that is adorable!" she beamed as she walked over to them and knelt by Oliver. "Hey, squishy! Did you miss us?" she asked him while gently poking his belly and making him giggle loudly. --- With seven cards each and the rest face down in a pile, Warren sat across from Theron with a small smile. "I'll talk you through it as we go along. It might be easier to learn that way but you'll get the hand of it pretty quickly. It's a pretty easy game to play." He said as he picked up the top card from the pile and set it to one side before turning it right side up to reveal a four of hearts. "Ok, the aim of the game is to get rid of all the cards in your hand. To do that we gotta put cards down on this pile so that they match a sequence of numbers and suits. So, this one is a four. Do you have any other fours in your hand?" he asked while looking at Theron patiently. (Man, I haven't played that game in forever! I actually had to look up the rules to refresh my memory lol)

shadowess - March 25, 2022 The slightest touch was amplified by the effects of the weed. So when Pain touched her hand, her skin tingled a little. Still, she continued to look at him while blushing as she nodded a little. --- "Yeah..." Sebastian sighed, glancing out of the kitchen window and hoping they'd managed to find him and were waiting back at Salvo's mansion by now. One of the workmen stepped into the kitchen. "We've measured up the hole and taken a look at what materials we'll need. The good news is, we have most of the parts already. The bad news is it'll take most of a day to get it fixed for you. We've let the cleaning crew know for you and they've agreed to do the living room last so that they can clean up the sawdust and dirt when we're done." "That's great, thank you." Sebastian nodded to them. --- "Of course. I can pass along a message for you if you'd like?" he suggested. He then glanced around the library warily. "This place isn't as safe as it used to be... not since Donnie came back... I can't leave you here alone." He scratched his own chin as he thought for a moment before snapping his fingers. "Leo? Oscar?" --- Warren paused mid-kneed and watched Theron for a moment with a frown. "I know..." he said softly then let go of the dough and wiped his hands clean onto a nearby towel. "Would it be ok to hug you? Would that help you to feel a little better?" he asked kindly. --- Damien growled in frustration as he stumbled back into the room and rounded on Insanity again to stare him down. Seething, he pulled his shirt off and threw it to one side. His muscles, although they weren't huge, rippled as he paced in front of Insanity as if sizing him up. He looked around the room quickly then pointed to him. "Everyone has a weak point! I just need to find yours!" he said. He then marched over to a nearby pipe and ripped it from the wall, pointing the jagged end at Insanity. "Now get the fuck OUT OF MY WAY!!" --- Donnie stumbled back a little and watched Salvo flee from him with an amused grin. He was half tempted to chase him down and make him his new plaything. But there were more pressing matters to deal with. He turned his attention back to the vampire club and shifted his appearance. He made himself look like a completely different male, with short brown curls and hazel coloured eyes. He even changed the shape of his teeth so that he could pass for a vampire before making his approach to the club. --- Surrounded by happiness and positivity, Oliver thrived. He smiled widely, showing his gums as he looked at them all in delight. "Yeah!" Neva replied eagerly to the offer and carefully held Oliver in her arms. Her heart swelled as she smiled at him. "We're going to be best friends!" she said happily. Then an idea popped into her head and she looked at her fathers curiously. "Daddies? Will I ever get a little brother or sister?" --- Amelia hadn't felt pain like that since she'd transformed into a Devil. During the spell, despite her best efforts to stay strong, she had cried out from the agony. She had felt Carol's soul being torn from her and when it was finally done she fell to her knees, trying to catch her breath. When Charles walked over to her, she looked up at him. Tears had streamed down her cheeks from the pain. She reached out to him, needing him to support her as she tried to stand up. Slowly, in front of her, the coffin's lid opened and a blond woman squinted in the desert sun as she tried to look around. Hearing the squeak of the hinges on the coffin's lid, Amelia looked over at it with her breath held. "...Mum?" The woman turned her head to look at Amelia then grinned. "Hi there, sweet thing," she replied tearfully. Denix Vames - March 26, 2022 Pain kissed her cheek. "So um...Do you think we could hang out again?" --- "Yeah. We really appreciate it." ,said Carter. He answered his phone when it suddenly rang. "Hello? Wait a minute. Slow down. What happened?" He nodded. "Alright. We'll be there as soon as possible." He hung up. "Sebastian, we have to go. Something happened to Salvi." He said his name incorrectly in case any worker knew Salvo's real name. "I'll explain on the car ride over but it's pretty much an emergency." --- Leo and Oscar appeared. "Do you really expect us to be able to protect this guy from Donnie? No offense but I've been taken out by that bastard twice now." ,said Leo. --- Theron nodded. He ran over to Warren. Sobbing into the hug. Having exhausted his emotions, he caught his breath. "Thank you. I like the hug." He looked at him. "Can I call you uncle?" --- Insanity rubbed his crotch. "Are you going to stick that somewhere? Or are you just teasing?" --- Blaire nodded at Donnie. "What can I get you?" --- Elliot and Vincent looked at each other for a moment. Elliot awkwardly cleared his throat. "Well, it's a lot of responsibility to take care of children. But maybe." ,said Vincent. "Guess having another kid wouldn't hurt." --- Charles helped Amelia stand. Letting her hold on to him. His eyes widened at the sight of the woman waking up. "Carol....You're there. It really worked. I'm so glad. Now, the two of you probably feel much better." shadowess - March 26, 2022 Lilly felt a subtle shiver coarse through her when Pain kissed her cheek. She smiled at him and tucked her hair behind her ear again. "I'd like that," she said softly. "I like spending time with you." --- "Alright." Sebastian nodded and was about to follow him out when he remembered why they were standing in the kitchen. "Shit. The fridge." he glanced at it and looked at Carter. "You don't think the workers will go in there while we're gone, do you?" he asked, worried that they'd find the blood bags in there. --- "Against Donnie? No." David stood and straightened out his suit again. "But he's not alone anymore. From what I understand, he managed to convince an entire bar full of Demons to sign a Devil's contract. Binding them to himself and Insanity. I don't know where Donnie is now, but his new minions are certainly around and could potentially cause trouble. That being said, if either Donnie or Insanity do happen to turn up, I'd like for you to call for help. Alert all of us and we'll come. Whatever you do, do not sign their contract. No matter what they do to try to bribe you into it. Not only would it make them stronger, but any display of disloyalty to them once you've signed one will result in the destruction of your soul." he said this last warning to all of them while looking at Bern. "He going on the programme?" Oscar asked while nodding to Bern. He stood close to Leo with his arms crossed. "No. There's no need for that. Bern is ready to join our ranks." David replied. "No way!" Oscar grinned at Bern. "You're guna be a Demon? Can't wait to see what powers your wind up with. It's always a complete gamble when a human soul changes." --- Warren hugged Theron warmly and rubbed his back to try to comfort him. When he looked at him and asked his question, Warren was surprised. "U-um... if your dads are ok with that? I'm their servant so they might not think it to be appropriate." he answered honestly. "But that doesn't mean you can't ever talk to me. I'm loyal to your dads, which means I'm also loyal to you. I'd protect you with my life..." he paused then smirked. "If I still had one." he chuckled. --- Damien was taken aback by what Insanity was doing and it caused him to hesitate for a second. Letting his rage bubble over again, he let out an angry scream as he charged forward and attempted to ram the pole at him with the intention of impaling him. Unlike others that Donnie and Insanity had captured previously, he was not easily frightened and would simply keep fighting no matter what the odds against him were. Because that's what he'd been trained to do. --- Wanting to keep up his appearance and not arouse any suspicion from Blair, Donnie smiled at her pleasantly. "Could I get some venomed blood?" he asked casually while looking around the club to find a vampire who would be suitable for what he intended. Although, with his own blood smelling as sweet as it did, it didn't take too long for the vampires around him to take notice of him. --- Neva beamed at them excitedly. "I'll be a good big sister, I promise! I'll help feed to feed them, wash them and I'll even help with changing their diapers!" --- "Y-yeah... I feel...lighter." Amelia breathed as she stood and clung to Charles for support. "And I feel..." Carol looked a little puzzled then sighed. "Mortal." she laughed suddenly and rested her forehead in her hand. "For the first time in decades... I'm human. Oh, I'm going to miss those gifts that I had... but I guess it was worth it to be free again." She carefully climbed out of the coffin and stood shakily while leaning against it. She looked up at Amelia and smiled as she gingerly walked over to them before wrapping her arms around her. Embracing her daughter for the first time in a very long time. The moment was overwhelmingly emotional as both women wept into the other's shoulder. "I watched you turn to dust!" Amelia sobbed. "I know. I know. I'm here. I never left you." Carol looked over to Hades. "Thank you so much!" Denix Vames - March 26, 2022 "Same here. I can't get enough of you." ,said Pain. --- "How about this? You take my car or run over to the mansion. I'll stay here. Just let them know that I sent you there to help out." ,said Carter. He leaned in to whisper, "Salvo ran into Donnie. He felt sick afterwards when he escaped. He's been throwing up recently. It's some kind of side effect from fighting off the spell that Donnie tried to cast on him." --- "Does it look like we'd ever work for that pathetic shitbag?" ,said Leo. Bern rolled his eyes. "Thanks, I guess. Hope it ain't awkward abilities." --- Theron laughed. "Can we play after food?" --- insanity grabbed the tip of the pole and squished it with one hand. He raised it high so that Damien was dangling by his legs. "You're really starting to annoy me. Why don't you shut up before I rip out your insides?" He threw him aside. --- "Sure." Blaire poured a glass. "Did you want the whole bottle or just a cup?" Bryce was sitting at a table. Drinking some blood. Hoping to relax on his day off. --- Vincent smiled. "That's nice but it's going to be a big responsibility. Not to mention the smell will be awful when it comes to cleaning after the baby." "But I'm sure we can do it!" --- Hades smiled. "No problem. Just doing my thing." She was surprised by Charles hugging her. "You have no idea how much this means to us. We're forever in your debt." "Easy tiger. It's what my family does." shadowess - March 27, 2022 "Me?" Lilly asked in a quiet voice. She lowered her gaze. "You don't think I'm 'grumpy'? A 'sourpuss'?" she asked. These were things that Bob called her regularly. In all fairness to Bob, until today he hadn't been wrong. Still, she found herself worried that Pain was only interested in this version of her. The version that was currently stoned. She worried that she would eventually bore him or drive him away by being herself. --- Sebastian's eyes widened and he nodded to Carter. "Alright, I'll go and see what's happening. I'll call if anything else happens." he stepped close to Carter and kissed him slowly, savouring the feeling. "I love you," he whispered then left through the backdoor. Once he was over the fence and out of sight of the workers, he ran full pelt to Salvo's mansion. Once there, he stopped at the gate and looked at Salvo's guards. "I'm here to see Salvo. Carter sent me." he panted. --- "Of course not," David replied to Leo calmly. "But that doesn't mean they won't try to make you think it's the only option you have. They may try to trick you into it or threaten your loved ones until you do. I only want for you to be prepared for any scenario." "I'm sure you'll end up with something cool." Oscar nodded to Bern with a smile. "Now, if you will excuse me I need to speak with Mon. Bern, is there anything specific that you would like for me to tell him for you?" David asked, turning to him. --- "Sure, what kind of games do you like?" Warren answered while getting back to kneading the dough. --- Donnie was stopped in his tracks and his eyes widened when Insanity crushed the pipe with one hand. He gasped when he was lifted then grunted when he hit the wall. Gripping the side of his head as a trickle of blood ran down the side of his face, he dragged himself back to his feet to face Insanity once more. "Why haven't you already?" he growled, panting. He spat some of the blood onto the floor. "What are you bastards planning this time?" --- "Just the cup for now," Donnie responded pleasantly. He paid for the drink and picked up the glass. He turned and scanned the room carefully until his eyes landed on Bryce. A wicked smirk began to spread on his lips. What luck. He knew that Bryce had tasted Devil blood before, so getting him hooked on a 'drug' made out of it would be easy enough. He just needed to get his hands on him. Knowing he was being watched, he took a small sip of the blood in the glass. This didn't bother him. After all, it wasn't the first time he'd drank bodily fluids. In fact, he'd eaten a few souls in his dragon form before everything had changed. The only difference in what he was drinking was the venom which he noted was particularly strong, so he would need to be careful with how much he drank so as to keep a clear head. He made his way over to Bryce and smiled at him. "May I?" he gestured to the seat next to him then sat down anyway before Bryce could answer. He wasn't worried that Bryce would smell his blood. The last time he and Bryce had been this close, Donnie had been a Demon. So, his scent would have changed dramatically. "I'm Mike." he introduced himself. --- "I don't mind! Honest!" Neva insisted. Oliver cooed in her arms and Neva smiled at him. "We should get your blanket and toys out! C'mon Oliver!" she said happily and walked with him in her arms into the living room. "Daddies, I can't get the blanket!" She called to them as she looked at the little box in the corner with a colourful patchwork blanket inside as well as lots of soft toys. "When Amelia gets the blanket out, she puts it there and puts Oliver in the middle." she looked at a clear spot in the middle of the room. --- Amelia wiped away some of her tears and looked at Hades as well. "Our family." she corrected her. "My dad adopted you, right? That would make you my sister." she grinned and walked over to her. "And it would make me so happy if you were to be my Maid of Honour." Carol grinned at them then looked at Charles and winked. "Attaboy. Told you she'd say yes." Denix Vames - March 27, 2022 "Lily, I like you for you. I know I've seen you when you're mad but I don't blame you. Everyone gets frustrated sometimes. Besides, I can't exactly judge you because I don't know how your life was like before you came here. And I shouldn't. You're an amazing person. At least I think so." ,said Pain. --- Carter smiled. He mouthed out the words, "Love you too." The guards nodded before one of them open the door. He would only see Mon standing inside. With Mon guiding him to Salvo's bedroom, gags and vomiting would be clearly audible. There would be a bucket in front of Salvo. His skin was pale. His nose was runny as his eyes seemed red. Galiel was right beside him. Gently rubbing his back. "It's going to be ok. You'll feel better." --- "Just tell him that I love him. That I'm not gone. I'll be back before he even knows it. He needs to hold on and believe that because I know it will happen. Us seeing each other again." ,said Bern. --- Theron sat in front of the fruit. Still eating some. "I don't know. I want to play but I don't know any games." --- "Oh, you'll know eventually." Insanity pressed a finger to his lips. "It's a surprise." --- Bryce raised his brow at the sudden talkative vampire. "Uh My name is Bryce. Are you new here? I'm not sure I've seen you around here before." --- Vincent grabbed the box. Bringing it to the middle. "Hang on a second. I'll set the blanket up." He laid it out. Elliot dumped out the toys nearby. "What a mess!" ,said Vincent. "It was gonna happen anyway." He rolled his eyes but smirked. --- Hades's eyes widened. "Really?" She began to tear up. "Oh my god! You're the best sister ever!" She hugged her. "Dibs on who gets to play the music? Maybe like a certain band called The Undead Maggots? A band that just so happens to have my boyfriend as the lead singer?" Charles smiled at Carol. "I'm just glad you helped me. I never thought I would be able to start a new family but I'm thankful that I can."

Denix Vames - March 24, 2022 "We can start practicing whenever. But today, this is a day off for us." ,said Storm. Grim attempted to a handstand against a way before falling. Pain laughed. "Maybe next time." --- "I guess so. It's not like Damien needed to do this so you're right about that." Carter crossed his arms. "I love my kids but they were a little bratty too sometimes. Normal for their age but this guy?" He shook his head. "Ridiculous." --- "I never thought we were going to put him in a public school anyway. Although, I never taught anyone. Do you think I can really teach?" ,said Charles. --- "I want to try this with you." Phineas smiled. He caressed his cheek. "So please. Go ahead." --- "Thanks dad." Hades disappeared with the book. Bern raised a brow. "I'm supposed to forgive myself? And when did I repent? Either way, I'm a gangster. Do you honestly expect me to be in Heaven?" --- "Um....Fifteen." Theron lifted his head. "Hurt me? They would never do that. They're my family. They stopped the pain and gave me a name. I finally have parents. I thought the people in white were my family but they were only using me. Making me do tests and opening my chest." He smiled. "But the people here, the ones who saved me, they're my dads now." He placed a hand over his stomach when it growled. "Warren? I'm hungry. Can you make food?" --- Insanity grinned. He didn't know what other private place except for an abandoned building. He grabbed Damien from behind before appearing at that said building. He laughed. Shoving him. "Don't be foolish to escape." --- "Hey!" ,said Salvo when he parked near the club. He hopped out of the car. "Where the hell did you take that guy? Doesn't look like you guys are up to no good!" He grabbed Donnie by his shirt. "I will get some answers out of you! Otherwise, you're going to lose some limbs." --- Hades appeared in Amelia's home. "Alright. I have the book and a similar corpse for her. We're doing this in the desert like always. I did place the corpse in a coffin so sand wouldn't get in her. Don't want her dealing with that." She nodded at them. "Are you guys ready?" shadowess - March 24, 2022 Lilly laughed along with Pain and when the joint was passed to her again, she happily took a couple of tokes on it without coughing this time. She passed it along again and began to feel far more relaxed than before. She even began to feel a little spacey as she walked over to one of the large bean couches and plop herself down. She loved how the fabric felt and the way the chair encased her as she sat in it. She rested her head against the back of it and watched the others as her body completely relaxed. She grinned up at Pain and patted the spot next to her on the bean couch. Although he couldn't smoke, the smoke that was trapped in the room was having some effect on Bob as well as he too seemed to slow down in his movements. He'd also begun to talk rapidly and enthusiastically to the others about anything and everything that popped into his mind. --- Sebastian smiled thinly and nodded as he watched the workmen warily. "Damien told Amelia his story..." he started then shrugged and put his hands into his pockets. "Back when I hung out with them for a little while, after they rescued me from ADIEU... Damien and I had an argument. I can't even remember what it was about. Something petty that didn't really matter... but when he left to cool off, I was upset. Amelia came to try to comfort me... as she usually did." He smiled and leaned against the fridge, folding his arms as he recalled that day. "I remember asking her why he was so angry most of the time. She told me about his training with Lucifer, of course. Then she told me about how Lucifer had taken him on as an apprentice." Sebastian lifted his head to look at Carter and sighed. "Lucifer had made the offer to him when he was just a teenager, Carter. He'd snapped his neck just a few weeks after his eighteenth birthday and changed his soul into a Devil. Before that, he'd spent most of his life moving from place to place with his mother and sister because his mother was terrified that Lucifer would knock on their door one day to claim the Sedley debt. He never really had a childhood. Never stayed in one place long enough to make any real friends. Later in his life, both his sister and his mother destroyed themselves because they'd rather be in oblivion than serve Lucifer." He shook his head a little. "I think that's why he acts out the way that he does. Or at least, it's just part of the reason... whatever training Lucifer put him through is the other reason for his outbursts of anger. That's just what I think, anyway." --- (Private Time) --- David and Azrael glanced at each other before looking back at Bern. "Well... your gang gave up crime, right? Didn't you ever feel bad or sorry for the crimes you committed before that?" David asked. "Because that's a form of repentance." Azrael nodded. "It's not just the act of saying 'sorry' you have to genuinely be sorry for the repentance to be accepted." "And then there's forgiving yourself. Being sorry for what you did during your life is good because it shows that you're developing a strong moral compass. But you can never truly move forward and let go of your regrets until you forgive yourself for them." David concluded as he folded his arms and gave Bern a stern look. "Now tell me honestly. Did you and your gangster buddies really give up the life of crime? Do you regret the things you did when you committed those crimes? and lastly, do you forgive yourself for committing those crimes?" "It is important that you answer these questions honestly, Bern," Azrael said as he leant against the bookshelf. "Because if we can eliminate these possibilities, then we can look into other causes for you being here that might be more supernatural than the typical process." --- "N-no..." Patience shook her head in disbelief as Theron referred to Insanity and Donnie as being caring parents who had apparently saved him. "That's not right. Donnie is pure evil. You have to listen to me, you're in danger as long as you're with them! You need to leave!" "That's not true!" Warren stood and glared at Patience. "They're not evil!" "For goodness sakes, they were torturing you when I arrived!" Patience gestured to Warren, looking exasperated. "I'd have thought you of all people would agree with me!" "No, you're wrong! They were punishing me because I led a sinful life! But they have shown me mercy and given me a place by their side! Because they love me! Just like they love their son!" "You're deluded!" "No, you are! And you need to stop talking about them like they're the evil ones because you're hurting them! I just wish you could see that! They just want you to love them!" Patience blinked, struggling to understand what was happening here. "What?" she mumbled in disbelief as Warren strode over to them and offered Theron his hand to take while still glaring at Patience. "C'mon, Theron. I think I saw enough ingredients in the kitchens to make a pie, and maybe even some cookies." Warren said to him in a gentle tone. "I think the lady needs some time alone to think." --- Damien had gasped and struggled against Insanity when they teleported. Once in the abandoned building, Damien stumbled forward then let out an enraged scream as he whirled around and aimed a punch for Insanity's torso. However, Damien was not as strong with the bracelet on and found himself surprised yet again as his punch only hurt himself. Grunting, he stepped back while gripping his fist which now felt like he might've broken a couple of bones. "You son of a bitch!" he yelled. "Just you wait! I'll fucking destroy you!" --- Donnie merely grinned at Salvo as he looked him over. The confrontation was unexpected but also welcomed. "Salvo Vassano." He greeted him. "The Don of the local Mafia. Italian heritage. I had high hopes for you, y'know. You could be so brutal yet you are an intelligent man. Your mafia was both respected and feared before you let your reputation go down the toilet." Donnie yanked Salvo's hand away from his shirt and twisted it enough to put some strain on the bone without breaking it. "You're mortal, Salvo. But I'm a Devil. I can give that glory back to you. I can help you rebuild your image. Take back your city. You'll never lose another man again and any that do die, I will give you the power to bring back to Earth. You can be unstoppable." he said to him slyly before letting go of his arm and stepping back. "And all I would ask in return is loyalty. What do you say? Do we have a deal?" --- Amelia shrugged at Charles's question. "We can figure it out together." she smiled. "My dad taught me while I was growing up... maybe we could ask him for help or pointers?" she suggested. When Hades appeared, Amelia looked at her and then looked between Charles and Oliver. She would rather Charles be there for her as a source of support but at the same time, they couldn't take Oliver with them. "We need someone to watch Oliver. Maybe we could ask Vincent to babysit him? Neva seems to like spending time with him." Denix Vames - March 25, 2022 Pain sat next to her. He leaned his head against hers. Enjoying her company. Grim snored over Bob's leg bones. Storm was eating some M&M's. --- "Guess I can't blame him for his attitude. If I was in his shoes, I'd feel the same way." ,said Carter. --- "As far as I'm concerned, the gang aren't doing anything crime-related. No, I don't forgive myself. And I don't regret doing what I did. We had to survive. To help the family. If I had regrets, I'd be dead already. Ironically, I am now." ,said Bern. --- Theron glared. He shouted, "They're my family! And if anyone hurts them then I'll destroy them! You're just an ungrateful meanie!" He accepted his hand. Letting himself be guided by Warren. He rubbed his eyes with his other. Tears dripped down his cheeks. "She's mean! I hate her." --- Insanity chuckled. "Just keep telling yourself that pal." --- Salvo cried out at the pain. He massaged his wrist when he was free. He shook his head. "Maybe before I would have accepted your offer but things have changed. I have some new friends in my life who showed me a better path. I don't need to get down to your level to be content with myself." He raised his weapon. "Now, tell your boyfriend to bring Damien back! I may be mortal but don't think I'll be intimidated by your damn threats!" --- "Let me call him." ,said Charles. After the phone call, Vincent and Elliot had appeared with Neva. "Alright. Let's hurry this up." ,said Hades. Charles disappeared with her. Amelia would obviously appear too. Hades opened the book. "Now step me in the circle that I've already made and I'll start reading out the spell." shadowess - March 25, 2022 Pain sat next to her. He leaned his head against hers. Enjoying her company. Grim snored over Bob's leg bones. Storm was eating some M&M's. Bob didn't seem to mind Grim sleeping on him as he continued talking to Storm happily. "And then the cheeky broad shoved her hand down my pants! She got a handful of bone that she wasn't expecting, if ya know what I mean." He nudged Storm with his elbow. "We ran out of there faster than the lady could scream 'that skeleton seduced me!'" Distracted, Lilly barely heard Bob's story as she stared at Pain. Her cheeks were a deep red as she felt his body heat from their closeness. --- "Don't get me wrong though." Sebastian smirked. "He's still an ass that needs knocking down a peg or two." --- David closed his eyes slowly while Azrael massaged his own forehead. "I understand." David said finally with a nod. This caused Azrael to look up at him in surprise. "I don't. He had a shot at getting into Heaven." he said and David waved a hand at him dismissively. "You've never had a mortal life. You don't know how difficult and morally questionable it can be." he said as he sat on the couch across from Bern. "I have and I can say with absolute certainty that even if Lucifer hadn't made me sign his contract, I would have wound up in Hell anyway as well. I lived as good a life as I could towards my end but I never forgave myself for the lives that I took. Nor did I regret the murders. Because if I hadn't killed, the soldiers with me would have died. I don't regret killing enemy soldiers to protect my home." he glanced at Azrael. "Thank you, but I think I've got this from here." Azrael nodded, although he seemed utterly perplexed before he vanished. David sighed and looked at Bern. "But that doesn't mean you're beyond saving. Maybe there's a better purpose for you? You don't need rehabilitating because you've already taken steps to turn yourself around for the better and you're stable enough to know where you stand." he nodded. "How would you like to become a Demon, Bern? You can help others the way myself and other Demons do now. Help souls make up for their past and earn their places in Heaven. As an added bonus, you can go back to Earth and continue your life there as well." --- Warren led Theron to the kitchens, leaving Patience alone in the main room. She watched them leave, feeling lost and alone. By speaking out against their captors, she might have just doomed herself. Her heart and mind raced. She looked around towards the exits. It would be risky for her to wander Hell alone in her current condition, but right now it was better than whatever Donnie would do to her. Quickly and silently, she tried to leave. But just like Warren, she found herself repeatedly walking back into the room. "Fuck..." she breathed as she lifted her hands to grip her hair. She looked towards the direction of the kitchen and lowered her arms. They might be her only chance now. She had to convince them that she was on their side. Warren had given Theron a small bowl of fruit to tide him over while he cooked the pie. He stood close by with the dough on the counter which he kneeded and folded over and over. "I want to hate her too but..." he shook his head. "They said she'd been kidnapped and brainwashed. Maybe we shouldn't judge her too harshly. We don't know what she went through to have her mind twisted like that." he stopped and sighed, wiping away some sweat from his forehead with his arm. "We should tell your parents though. They need to know how badly she's been affected." "Please don't." Patience stepped into the room, looking between them with a guilty expression and hugging herself. She had been listening in from around the corner and knew now what Donnie and Insanity had made them believe about her. Enough to know that she could use it to her advantage. "I didn't know what I was saying. I love them, I do. I just..." she lowered her head and sniffled. "I feel so confused. Please help me?" Warren merely watched her warily from where he was. He started kneeding and folding the dough again. "Then maybe you should tell them." he suggested. "Confess what you did and apologise. I'm sure they'll forgive you." He glanced at her again. "Are you hungry?" Patience shook her head. "Then you should go and rest. Too much stress is not good for the baby." Taken aback by this reaction, Patience was lost for words as she nodded and left the kitchen to walk back to her room. Warren sighed and looked up at Theron. "You ok?" --- "Fuck you!!" Damien shouted furiously. "Get out of my way!" he then darted for the exit. --- Seeing the gun, Donnie chuckled. "A pea shooter to the likes of me!" he laughed. "What do you hope to accomplish, Salvo? You think you're going to be the one to bring down the big bad Donnie Shadow?" he mocked. "It's really a shame that you won't consider my offer, but if you insist..." he trailed off as he began chanting his spell to try to take control of Salvo. --- "Oliver!!" Neva ran to the crib excitedly and peered through the bars at him. Feeling her excitement, Oliver giggled heartily. His eyes alight with joy as he looked up at her and kicked his feet enthusiastically. --- Amelia hugged Charles tightly then reluctantly let him go. Hesitantly she stepped into the circle and took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "Ready when you are." she shivered as she looked over at them. Denix Vames - March 25, 2022 Pain touched her hand. "Is it ok if I kiss your cheek?" --- "I just hope Salvo and Mon find him soon." ,said Carter. --- "Really? Well, that doesn't sound like a bad idea. I'm in. But is there a way that I could tell Mon that I'm doing alright? I know how he would feel about my death. I don't think I'd be the same either if he died in front of me." ,said Bern. --- Theron had been eating some of the fruit. "We can't let her make us listen. Maybe she was hurt by the people she was with before but my dads said we have to tell them." He sniffled. "I want my dads right now." --- Insanity grabbed and threw him back. "Nice try but no cigar." --- Salvo clutched his head. The gun fell out of his hand. Hitting the ground. He grit his teeth. Trying to fight back the spell. He shoved Donnie. Making him lose his focus. He grabbed the gun and jumped into the car. Driving off with speed. --- Vincent picked Oliver up. He held him close before sitting at the foot of the bed. "It's always good to see him." Elliot sat next to him. "He's as cute as a button." "Do you want to hold him, Neva?" --- "Alright." Hades began to chant the spell. Charles made sure to remain out of the circle. To not attempt anything because he knew it would be fine. Once the ritual ended, he hesitantly walked over. "Amelia?"

Denix Vames - March 22, 2022 "Rock on!" ,said Pain. Everyone else cheered. --- "It'll be ok. He'll come back. I promise. But if you really need him now then there is a way. I can summon him probably. Use some kind of ritual or spell. It might just work." ,said Salvo. "Damien? Um...Could you give me a second?" ,said Carter. He walked over to Sebastian and the others. "Looks like Damien hired some guys to repair the damages done to the place. Sebastian? Could you take them upstairs? I don't want anything to seem out there for them." --- "He knows that his name is Oliver. He also understands what feeling you are evoking. Calm. He appreciates your voice. It warms his heart." ,said Charles. He smiled. "I believe he may know others better with these new powers of his. I am sure that he will feel emotions the way I do. It will be hard for him but I can teach him. And you can teach him too." --- "Kasper..." Phineas passionately kissed him. He ran a hand through his hair. A song in the laptop suddenly played. It was a once many romantic songs from his time. He glanced at the laptop and blushed. He nervously chuckled. "I didn't even know I could do that." --- "What?! Of course not! But did you honestly expect a guy like me to go to Heaven? You must be drinking the wrong wine if you're thinking like that!" ,said Bern. "I need a spell so that I can transfer Carol to a body but also keep Amelia's devil powers remained within her." ,said Hades. --- "Sounds like a grand idea!" ,said Insanity. Theron walked over. "Dads?" "What is it dear?" "Can I come with you?" "No can do. We told you that you have to keep an eye on that woman. Maybe next time, ok?" "Oh. Oh ok." Insanity smiled. He gave him a hug before kissing his head. "And I promise I'll get you some toys. It'll be easy to fetch those." Theron smiled. "Thank you." He hugged Donnie. "I love you dads." shadowess - March 23, 2022 Lilly giggled happily as her drumming came to a gradual stop. Her heart was fluttering from the rush of playing the instrument. She looked around at them all and felt her cheeks turning a little red but she couldn't stop grinning. "That was fun." she grinned at Pain. "I think I sing better than I drum though." "I've never heard ya sing!" Bob said, tilting his head at her. "I was always on the run after I summoned you! There was no time for it!" Lilly said though she was still giggling. Taking a couple of breaths to stop herself from laughing, she closed her eyes and started to sing an old song from her world. It was a sad tune about how beautiful her world had been before the wraiths were created. "Before the night was long and dreaded, All the world was rich and splendid, Rolling hills of grass so green, Healthy crops and crystal streams, Return to us oh world we holler, Return to us oh world we plead, But all remains is our dishonour, The punishment for our own greed, Still, we recall a world so wondrous, Feilds of fauna in abundance, Air so clean and unpolluted, All we took and all we flouted, Return to us oh world we holler, Return to us oh world we plead, But all remains is our dishonour, The punishment for our own greed, So heed this warning all who follow, save yourselves from pain and sorrow, When you hear the War Wraith's summons, Heed not the call, lay down your weapons." Lilly stopped singing and scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. By now her cheeks were bright red. "There are a couple more verses but it gets a little more depressing after that." --- Mon looked at Salvo hopefully. He knew it was probably wrong to do something like this but he was so desperate and grief-stricken that he would do anything to have Bern back. "Really? Can we try? Please, Salvo?" Sebastian was too distracted by Carter and the workmen to hear Savo and Mon's conversation. He glanced at them then back at Carter and nodded. "It sounded like those cleaners wanted to clean the whole place though. It's probably better if Salvo and Mon slip out the back. We can catch up with them later... Actually..." he turned to Salvo and Mon hurriedly. "Guys, there are workmen here and if they see mafia guys they might not react too well. But maybe you could help us out while you're out? I know he caused the death of Bern and again, we're sorry for that, but Damien is still out there somewhere. Normally we wouldn't be worried but he's wearing this bracelet that basically makes him human and David made us responsible for him while he makes up for his actions. Would you mind trying to find him for us?" --- Amelia grinned at Oliver and hugged Charles. She then frowned however when Charles mentioned that Oliver might have inherited some of his empathic abilities because it caused her to consider that he might also have inherited some power from her as well. She began to worry about what Oliver might be capable of if he threw a tantrum. She wasn't so much worried about the pyromancy. After all, both she and Charles shared that ability so they'd be able to get that under control very quickly... but what if he went Super Nova? Not even Amelia would be able to stop that! She tried very hard to suppress the memory of how terrified and confused she'd been the first time it had happened to her. How awful she'd felt when she found herself standing in the crater and the realisation of what she'd done had dawned on her. She hugged Charles a little tighter and shook a little as she tried so hard to bury that memory again and bury it deep. --- Kasper glanced at the computer and blushed as he turned back to Phineas with a small smile. "I like it," he said softly before kissing him again, slowly and sweetly while caressing his cheek. --- David looked between Bern and Hades, feeling torn on who to react to first considering they'd both just said something equally shocking. He flustered for a moment before stopping and straightening up his suit to regather himself. "Ok, Bern would you mind taking a seat on that couch. I'll talk to you in a moment but there is definitely something wrong here. Hades, did you say Carol??" he walked over to her with a look of disbelief. The last time David had seen her, Carol had been destroyed when defending Amelia from Satan. It had been a shocking end to a woman whom David had never expected to become close friends with. "If she's attached to Amelia from the spell... I don't know... maybe?" he looked thoughtful. "I don't know of any demon spells but what about that Leviathan book we found? Maybe there's a spell in there for this?" --- Donnie winced at the affection. He wasn't so bothered about showing his softer side to his lover and their consort but he was very old fashioned when it came to rearing children. "Enough of that," he said in a gentle but firm tone as he placed a hand on his shoulder and gently pushed him off. "Listen to me carefully, boy. You want to make me proud, right? Then here's a valuable life lesson for you. Don't show affection to anyone but your lovers. And don't trust anyone. Always have your guard up because there are nasty people out there that would see your affection and trust as weaknesses to be exploited. Do you understand?" he then cupped Theron's chin to look him in the eye and gave him a warm smile. "I just don't want to see you get hurt. So, just know that whenever I seem cold or heartless, it's only because I want you to grow to be strong," he explained in a quieter and more gentle voice. He then let go of his chin and ruffled his hair playfully while grinning. "We'll be back before you know it." "You're leaving again?" Patience asked as she entered the room once more. "Wha- well, when will you be back? Where are you going?" "That's none of your concern," Donnie replied coldly. "None of my concern? You're the father of my child! What if something happens to you? I don't want to just be stuck here waiting to give birth, I came back to you to be one of you!" Patience argued then looked at Donnie hesitantly as his features shifted rapidly into a dark glare. She lowered her gaze submissively and stifled a whimper as she worked up the courage to speak again. "Why won't you trust me?" she asked, sounding hurt. Donnie blinked and tilted his head at her before walking over and cupping her chin to make her look up at him. His expression remained emotionless as he did this. "Because you stabbed me. Because you turned me into A FUCKING TREE!" he snapped, glaring at her angrily. His sudden outburst had made Patience jump with a gasp. She had immediately begun to shake while she continued to stare at him tearfully. "If not for your carrying OUR child-" he gestured to Insanity while still glaring at her intensely "I would have gutted you already!" he growled the let go of her face but not before flicking his wrist to make her head turn to one side roughly. "But now you ask me to trust you?" he stepped close to her with a threatening posture. Towering over her dominantly and causing her to shrink back a little. "The way I see it, you have around nine months to prove to us that we can trust you," he said to her in a low voice before stepping away and walking back over to Insanity and Theron, leaving the consequences of failure to her imagination. He stopped next to Theron and said to him in a hushed voice so that Patience wouldn't hear. "Watch her carefully. She's powerless and pregnant but she can still be cunning. Befriend her but don't forget that she was brainwashed by our enemies. If she tries to convince you or Warren to defect, I want you to tell us in secret. Like our little spy." he winked. He then walked over to Insanity and took his hand. "Sire, what should I do while you're gone?" Warren asked, feeling a little lost now that the cleaning had been done. "So far you're the only servant we have. So serve our son and the woman until we get back. If they're hungry, cook. If they're bored, entertain." Donnie waved to him dismissively. "Yes, sire." Warren bowed. After watching the way Donnie and Insanity had interacted with Theron and learning that they had adopted him, Warren's own devotion to them had only grown. He felt a little bad for Patience but if what they said about her was true then perhaps he should be wary as well. --- Damien ran a hand through his hair as he left the private room in the Vampire Club. He glanced over at Blaire behind the bar and smiled at her with a thankful nod before making his way to the exit. Once outside, he waved goodbye to Desi and began his slow walk down the street. Sighing heavily, he considered teleporting to his house across the city as he took out a cigarette and placed it between his lips. He then went to light it when the realisation hit him. He couldn't teleport. "Fuck!" he shouted and punched the wall next to him then let out a surprised cry and looked at his bleeding knuckles. The cigarette had fallen from his mouth, onto the ground. His hand throbbed and he sucked air through his teeth from the pain. "Shit..." he muttered as he glanced back. He hadn't gotten far from the club and knew at least some of the vampires inside would catch a whiff of his blood. Stuffing his hand into his pocket and grimacing as his grazed knuckles brushed against the fabric, he began walking a little faster down the street while trying to still seem casual. Denix Vames - March 23, 2022 "Whoo! That was awesome!" ,said Pain. "Nice vocals." ,said Grim. "Maybe you could be our backup singer if you want to." ,said Storm. --- "Of course. I'll do anything that I can to bring him back." ,said Salvo. He nodded at Sebastian. "We'll head out from the backyard. We've been in the business long enough to know how to climb fences. When we find him, we'll let you know." He ran to the backdoor with Mon following. He quickly climbed over. "Hurry Mon!" --- Charles gently rubbed her back. "Don't worry. We'll figure this out. We always do." --- Phineas pressed his hand against his chest. Squeezing a fistful of his shirt. He caught his breath. Breaking himself from the kiss. "I want you to lead me again. I enjoyed your touch. I loved every second of feeling your bare body against mine." --- Bern nodded. He headed to the couch where he sat there. Watching David and Hades talk. Hades's raised a brow. "Maybe? Do you have any books involving Leviathan magic?" --- "Yes dad." Theron chuckled when Donnie messed his hair up. "I promise I'll be strong and watch the woman cautiously." When they were gone, he walk over to Patience. He nervously rubbed his arm. "I have to keep an eye on you. So, can we play? Staring at someone will eventually get boring or uncomfortable." --- With all Salvo's men back in their vehicles, most of them drove back to the mansion. Salvo only needed one of his guys with him who could sniff out anyone's blood. Letting him say the directions on where to go. This member wasn't anything supernatural but was born with an unusual skill. His nose was highly sensitive to smells. Shadowess - March 24, 2022 Lilly tucked some hair behind her ears and looked around at them all shyly as they praised her singing. "I-I don't know..." She replied to Storms offer, uncertain that she would be good enough to play with them. "C'mon gloomy! Give it a shot! What'veyou got to lose?" Bob encouraged. Ordinarily, Lilly wouldn't listen to Bob, but the combination of her newfound happiness and the weed in her system made her a lot more open minded than she had been. "O-ok." She answered, feeling her cheeks turn red. "I'll give it a try." --- With the mafia gone, Zero resting in the spare bedroom and River having gone back to Will's house to recover as well, the workmen had begun working on cleaning the place up. Sebastian had hurriedly gotten rid of the Bluffin cake mix and had opted to stay in the kitchen in case any workmen decided to help themselves to a drink and saw the blood bags in the fridge. He planned to offer to bring drinks to them instead if they asked for one. "I know he's not doing this himself but maybe this means he's learned something at least?" Sebastian commented to Carter. "I know him from when he had ruled Hell and he wouldn't have even considered doing something like this back then. He would have just said 'That's not my problem' and moved on by now. So, I guess this is at least a small step in the right direction?" --- Amelia nodded and let out a sigh. "Maybe you're right." She said as she looked over at their son. "Besides, he might not even have some of our powers. Either that or they might be diluted versions." She shrugged then pulled a thoughtful face. "Except pyromancy. That might actually turn out amplified..." She chuckled. "I think we might have to home school him." --- Kasper looked at Phineas lovingly and nodded while gently biting his lip. He pulled his own shirt off and threw it to one side, then removed Phineas's shirt before moving down and kissing his torso. Leaving slow, sweet kisses all over his chest and back up to his collar bone, then his neck, then back to his mouth. He broke the kiss after a moment and looked at him while caressing his cheek. "There's something that I want to try, if you're up to it?" he asked then grinned shyly. "I've never done this before, so I don't know if I'm any good at it. But I'll do my best." he said as he unbuckled his belt. He then started to his down Phineas's chest again while simultaniously pulling his trousers down. When his head was level with Phineas's hips, he glanced up at him to see if this would be something that Phineas would be ok with. He didn't want to pressure him into doing anything he didn't feel comfortable with. --- "Just this book. The one we found..." he trailed off, not wanting to remind her of her father's death. David then walked over to the dusty and ancient looking book. He picked it up carefully and handed it over to Hades. "You might want be careful when turning the pages. It's very old." he said then turned to Bern. "As for you. You should be in Heaven. I know you were in a gang but since me and the others intervened in your lives, you have all repented and improved over time. Crime has ceased and individually, you have become better people. So your past sins should have been forgiven... Something is not right. Why would you be dropped off here?" he turned to one side. "Azrael?" "David." Azrael appeared and greeted him then blinked at Bern. "I-... just sent you to Heaven. Why are you here?" he asked in confusion. "That was going to be my question to you... So this wasn't intentional?" "Of course not. Bern should be in Heaven. I don't know why-..." Azrael then paused and looked over at Bern before sighing softly. It didn't happen often but it was possible. "Bern... I know you repented but did you ever forgive yourself for your sins?" --- Patience looked over Theron warily but after Donnie announcing that he didn't trust her after what she'd done, she wasn't surprised that he'd asked this boy to watch her. "How old are you?" she asked him as she tried to wipe away her tears. She was still trembling a little. "You look like you're in your teens. They haven't... 'hurt' you have they?" she asked quietly. Warren watched them and stayed close by. He sat on one of the large pillows and waited for one or both of them to give him any orders. --- Damien had walked a couple more blocks away from the Vampire Club by now and it was so late at night that the streets were practically deserted. He was lost in thought, recalling the day's events when he came to an abrupt stop to look up at the man blocking his path. His eyes widened in surprise then he glared at Donnie. "You!" he growled but the throbbing hand in his pocket was a constant reminder that he wouldn't stand a chance at fighting him now. He took a step back. "The fuck are you planning now, you creep?!" he snapped. Donnie merely grinned and looked behind Damien at Insanity, whom Damien hadn't noticed yet. "Be a dear and take him somewhere private while I capture a... guinea pig." Donnie said as his eyes moved slowly over in the direction of the Vampire Club. "After all, we're going to need to demonstrate just how well our 'product' works to be able to sell it."

Denix Vames - March 17, 2022 "Don't worry. Everyone coughs on their first try." ,said Pain. He took a puff before passing it around. Grim began to laugh as he laid a hand on Bob's shoulder. "You're the funniest thing I've ever seen!" "He can get like that when he's high." ,said Storm. --- "Usually it's through training. With Hell, it's a program. I'm not sure about how Heaven does it. But I know it doesn't take long. Honestly, you'll see him in no time." ,said Carter. Salvo suddenly turned away. He headed to the doorway. "I fucked up, Mon. I almost made you regret doing something. I should have never twisted your thoughts when you were emotional. I'm sorry." --- "Sure." Blaire led him to one of the private rooms. She unlocked the door. Once he went in, she left him to his own business. --- Charles smile beamed. "Before we celebrate, I need to find Hades. She can help Carol. You stay here with the baby, ok? Or would you rather come with me?" --- Phineas pointed at a picture passing by in the video. "I forgot how the Europeans dress. It's very artistic." He covered his mouth when he was hearing about the effects of Arsenic. "Those poor people..." --- Autumn began taking notes down. "Thanks. I think I've got plenty to finish this essay." --- Theron backed up against Insanity who stood. "Who is that?" "Don't worry. That's just a friend of ours. His name is Warren." He nodded at him. "Warren. Meet Theron. He is a new member of our family." He caressed Theron's cheek as he smiled. "And our son." Theron smiled. He turned to the direction of where Warren last saw Patience. "The woman is in there? Is she nice? I don't like staring at grumpy faces." shadowess - March 17, 2022 "High?" Bob asked then looked at Grim. Lilly wiped away the tears that had come up from her coughing and she blushed as she smiled awkwardly at Pain. She tucked some of her hair behind her ear again then tried again. This time it was a little easier and she managed to hold her breath a little to try to get used to the feeling of the smoke in her lungs while she passed the joint along. When she exhaled she only coughed a little while watching the steady stream of smoke leave her mouth. At first, she didn't feel anything. Then she felt the smallest twinge of pressure in her head. Then the pressure faded and it was replaced by a feeling of calm that she'd never experienced before. She looked around and found herself noticing how vibrant some of the colours in the room were. "How ya feelin' grumpy guts?" Bob asked, having turned his head in her direction. Lilly looked up at him and smirked. "Pretty good, bone bag," she said, then unable to contain herself she began to giggle. "Someone pinch me! She's actually laughing!" Bob sat up and stared at her in disbelief. --- Mon held his gun in his hands and stared at it with a lost expression. His hands were shaking and he barely heard Salvo's words. Vengeance was pointless because Bern wasn't actually gone forever. But Bern was still gone and he was so desperate to be with him again. If the afterlife was that simple, then what was the point in living? When Mon still hadn't responded to Salvo in over a minute, Sebastian grew concerned. He saw the way he was looking at the gun and it reminded him of someone else who used to have the same look occasionally. "Carter, talk to him. Please. I don't think he's thinking straight!" he whispered to him hurriedly. --- Damien had nodded to her thankfully when she'd let him into the private room. He looked around briefly out of curiosity and was surprised by the double bed in the middle of the room. "What kind of club is this?" he muttered then shrugged to himself and dialled a few numbers. Damien wasn't much for apologies so he did the closest thing to an apology that he could think of without degrading himself; He hired a team of builders and the like to professionally fix the wall in Carter's wall. He also hired a professional cleaning crew that would not only clean up all the broken glass in that house but also make the rest of the building spotless as well. He paid them all in advance and arranged for them to arrive at Carter's within the next hour. With all of that done, he sighed heavily and sat on the end of the bed, just wanting a quiet moment to himself. He rested his elbows on his legs and buried his face in his hands. --- Amelia smiled at Charles and thought for a moment. "As much as I would love to come on an adventure with you, letting Carol use my body left me feeling a bit exhausted." she chuckled. "I think I'll stay here with Oliver and rest up." she kissed his cheek. "Hurry back though. I'll miss you while you're gone." she purred. --- Kasper frowned as they watched the video. He was a little shocked though to learn that some people who used dangerous cosmetics knew that they were dangerous, yet did it anyway. All for the sake of 'beauty'. When the video ended, Kasper was quiet for a moment. "When I used to watch things like this, it never felt so real... I suppose because it was so far in the past. It was just something to learn about and be fascinated by. I never thought I'd ever meet someone from that time but now that I have... It feels real." he frowned and looked back at Phineas. "I feel bad that people had suffered like that to learn such a lesson. But there were good things about that era, weren't there?" he asked curiously. --- "You're welcome." he looked at his watch and rose his eyebrows. "It's getting late. You should probably head home," he said as he got up and walked over to one of the counters. He pulled out a mug from the cupboard and poured himself some coffee. He still had a few hours left of his shift and he needed to stay alert. --- Warren blinked at Theron then bowed his head again. "It's nice to meet you!" he said quickly as he realised this would mean he'd have to obey Theron now as well. He looked up again when the teenager asked about Patience. "She was a little grumpy but I suppose that might have been just her hormones," he suggested. Donnie nodded at Warren's explanation. "That's fine. Keep working her though and come to us at the first sign that something is amiss," he ordered and Warren nodded. "Yes, sire." "Theron, there are bedrooms at the back of the palace. Go and pick one for yourself. Make yourself at home." Donnie then said to the teen as he waved a hand towards the back of the palace. He then turned his attention to Insanity with a smirk. "My love, I spotted something on Earth that might be fun. Could potentially get us another follower too," he said. He was referring to the cannibal clown, Patches. Who, at that moment, had been apprehended by British police for murdering a family in their home. A worried neighbour had called the police after hearing the commotion and the officers had run in to find him mid-feast. Without Tricky to keep him in check, Patches had become an untethered killer. Denix Vames - March 18, 2022 "I can't exactly pinch you but I can give a high-five." ,said Storm. He raised his hand. Letting Bob give him a hard high-five. "Ow...You're strong." Pain wrapped an arm around Lily. He laughed with her. "Want to play some drums? It's pretty easy." Charles smiled. "I will." He disappeared. The band all looked at Charles when he appeared. "Hades? I need your help. It's really important." Hades kissed Storm before walking over to Charles. "I'll be back guys. See ya." They disappeared. --- Carter walked over to Mon. He placed his hand on the gun. "I know what you're thinking but that isn't the way. Your husband will be back. I promise. He'll be here before you even know it. All you need is patience and hope. He'll be there." He slipped the gun from his hand. "What if he found out? Cause he will when you see him. Would he want you to do this?" --- Hades and Charles appeared. "So, what do you need my help with?" "Basically, we need to transfer Carol's soul into a body so that she and Amelia don't have their personalities mix together. So that they can have their own lives." "We'll have to find a recent corpse if you want me to do that. Does Carol have a preference on what kind of woman she wants to look like?" --- "In a way, there were some good things. Like the home cooked meals I use to eat. The people in Chile were nice. My nieces and nephew loved to hear stories about my accident." He smiled. "I might have made up a couple of things in the story to entertain them. But it was fun. They were like my own children. So, I guess there were lots of nice things during my time alive." Phineas moved the mouse but slowly. Doing his best to copy what he saw from Kasper. He clicked on the search engine. He poked at each letter. Trying to type his name in so that he could find videos about himself. --- "Alright. Fine. I'll just rob a store before I head home." Autumn stuck her tongue out. "Just kidding. I'll see you home." She headed out of the precinct. --- Bern was standing in Hell's Library. He looked around. "This looks like Hell alright. I'm not surprised. I deserve it." --- Theron nodded. "Thank you." He headed to the bedrooms. Finding one that he liked. insanity shivered. "I really hate clowns. How are we going to use that thing to our benefit? It's the most revolting thing I've ever seen." shadowess - March 18, 2022 "Sorry," Bob said after giving Storm a high-five. After Charles had popped in and then disappeared with Hades, he turned his head a little towards Storm. "Wonder what that was about." Lilly's blush deepened as she felt Pain's arm around her but she was so relaxed and happy that she didn't mind. "Alright." she agreed eagerly. Wanting to know how to play the way these guys did. --- As Carter spoke, tears welled up in Mon's eyes. Once the gun was taken from him, he sniffled then began to sob. "I just miss him so much! What am I without him?!" he cried. His tears fell onto his open and now empty hands. Sebastian walked over to Salvo and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're his boss. He looks up to you and right now he needs your support. Not your self-pity." he said gently but sternly. He then glanced to the window and had to do a double-take when a couple of vans pulled up outside the house. "Carter?" he said as he walked over to the window and watched a couple of workmen jump out. One wearing blue denim overalls and the other wearing white overalls. They each approached the door, with only one of them ringing the bell. --- Amelia had been sitting by the cot and had poked her fingers between the bars to hold Oliver's hand. She'd been talking to him with a small smile before Charles and Hades had appeared. She looked up at them. "Maybe something like how she used to look? She was pretty tall and slim, with blond wavy hair and blue eyes." Amelia described then stood and faced Hades. "But it's not just a case of putting her into a new body. We need to try and do it in a way that won't break the spell on me. A lot was sacrificed to make me what I am. I don't want to just throw that away. Not if it can be helped." --- Kasper let Phineas try to use the computer and watched him patiently as he typed in each letter slowly. After all, he was sure anyone who had ever used a computer for the first time had started out similarly. "If you just hit that enter key, it'll search for you." he pointed out while still letting Phineas have control. Kasper was curious to see what he was looking for. --- Kodi smirked and watched Autumn leave. For a moment, he worried about her getting home safely then quickly disregarded that thought. She was tougher than she looked and he needed to give her the sense of independence if she was ever going to thrive as an adult. Besides, she knew to call for him telepathically if anything ever happened. He tried to take his mind off that by taking his coffee back over to his desk to finish up his paperwork. --- David appeared in the Library to see if any new souls had been dropped off. He blinked at Bern then frowned as he recalled the explosion of glass. The last time he'd seen him, Salvo and Mon were carrying him out to the car to take to their doctors. "Oh no..." he gasped. "No... Bern, I'm so sorry. You know he didn't mean for this to happen, don't you?" he asked as he walked over to him. "This will set him back so much... Oh, God and Mon! He can't be taking this well. But what are you doing here? I was so sure you'd go to Heaven!" --- "So we remove the paint and weird outfit." Donnie chuckled. "Then he'll just be a regular cannibal. As for what we could use him for, every ruler needs a caged wild beast! His mind is practically mush so he'll be easy to bring onto our side and from looking at his history, he was loyal to his last leader all the way up until his leader died. We win him over by offering him a little power. Just enough to make him a weak Demon and make him into our 'guard dog'. Oh, now that's an idea... I wonder if we should just inject him with a little wolf venom to make him an actual dog?" Denix Vames - March 18, 2022 Pain led Lily to the drum set. "Just sit here and hold these." He handed the drumsticks. "Now, hit everything that you see! Make some noise!" --- Salvo looked at Sebastian before looking at Mon. He then walked over to him. "Mon...." He placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's going to be ok. I know it will. Just take a deep breath and look at me." Carter placed the gun under his pants to keep it hidden so that the workmen wouldn't notice it. He opened the door. "Why are you guys here? What is all this?" --- "Looks like I'll have to find a specific spell for this one then. I'm going to head to the Library. I'll be back in a second." Hades disappeared. Charles walked over to Amelia. "How's Oliver?" --- Phineas nodded. He pushed the enter key. He gasped at the results. "There is so much about me. And my photo! This video has it in color!" He clicked on it. He watched as the person began to work on his photo but also realized that he was telling his story. Overtime, the man spoke about respecting people like Phineas and to tell their story proper. Some tears left him. "He understands. They all do. Everyone nowadays understands." He smiled. "Oh! I love the modern era." --- "Look at me buddy. I'm a member of a gang. Just because I saved Salvo's life doesn't mean I'll end up with a halo on my head." ,said Bern. He frowned and shook his head. "And I just hope Mon's doing alright." Hades appeared. "Did I come at a bad time? I just need to find a spell." --- "That sounds like a good plan. But where would we obtain wolf venom if we wanted to turn him into a werewolf?" ,said Insanity. Shadowess - March 22, 2022 Lilly looked at the drum set with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. She wanted to try to play but also didn't want to end up breaking anything. She decided to hit the biggest drug that she could see as lightly as she could but ended up still jumping from how loud the sound was. She giggled and tried hitting a different one to see how different it sounded. Then another. Then a cymbal. Before long, she'd worked herself into playing a simple paradiddle. --- Mon didn't react immediately. He looked up at Salvo. His cheeks were wet from fresh tears. He looked lost. "I don't know what to do. I don't know who I am without him. I just want him back..." he sobbed softly. The workmen at the door had struck up a little conversation by the time Carter had opened the door. Each was surprised to have been hired at the same time by the same guy. They then looked up at Carter and the man in the blue overalls spoke first. "Hi, my team were hired by Damien Sedley to fix up a hole in a wall? He said to ask for Carter." "Uh, same here." The man in the white overalls said. "Only we were sent to clean the whole building. Everything's already been paid for." "Same with us, just point us to the job and we'll get it done." --- "He's fine," Amelia answered with a small smile as she peered over the crib bars at their son. "I was just talking to him. He seems to like that. I can't help but wonder if he understands me sometimes." He didn't. Not yet, but he could sense the calm in her tone and the way she spoke lovingly to him, soothed him. He was, however, already beginning to grasp certain words. He recognised his own name now, for example. --- Kasper looked at Phineas with a small smile and wiped away some of his tears with his thumb. Lost for words to describe how he felt, he simply looked at him in adoration. Taking in every detail like the colours of his eyes, the shade of his lips and the frame of his face. He was a stunning man. But it wasn't just his looks that Kasper adored. He knew that Phineas had a caring heart and needed to be protected emotionally. Kasper felt a strong desire to ensure that Phineas always felt loved and safe. "Phineas..." he whispered as he brought his face close to his. "I always want to be with you. I love to see you happy and I love you with all my heart. I feel like I'm complete with you." --- "...Please tell me your gang weren't still doing gang things after everything?" David sighed. That would definitely have prevented his ascension to Heaven upon his death. He looked at Salvo and shook his head sadly. "I feel responsible. I brought Damien along to help and to try to help him feel like he wasn't alone. Like he belonged somewhere that wasn't Lucifer's shadow. It's my fault that this happened. I should have known better than to thrust him into that kind of situation too soon. I'll make it up to you all though. All I need to do is find-..." David trailed off when Hades popped into the room. He looked at her curiously. "Spell? What spell?" --- Donnie thought for a moment. He considered kidnapping one of the wolves of the group again but thought better of it this time. He then caught sight of something interesting and grinned. "I think I just found a 'willing' provider." he chuckled. "There's a man in an alley. He's human but he's capable of defending himself. He's been selling venoms and other such things in the supernatural black market. We just need to make him a deal that he couldn't possibly refuse." Donnie then gasped at the sight of Damien with the bracelet and his grin grew wider and more malicious. "Oh, this is just perfect! I love it when things line up like that!" he looked back at Insanity. "Damien is powerless but he's still a Devil. The man I mentioned sells things on the black market. He would make a fortune selling small capsules of Devil blood to vampires like they're drugs. We get the human to sign our contract. He gives us wolf venom and in return, we give him a defenceless Damien."

shadowess - March 15, 2022 "My hero." Tom chuckled then took Nate's hand and began leading him to the bedroom. "C'mon, let's cuddle while we sleep then." He smiled as they headed to the bed. --- "What's weed?" Lilly asked curiously. "Is it something you eat? Cos I like 'eating' stuff." Bob added, but of course by 'eating stuff' he meant throwing the food through his jaw and letting it drop to the floor. --- Sebastian gave Carter another worried glance. "We could try to follow his scent but Salvo, surely we don't have to resort to this? Couldn't we just talk to him?" Damien blinked at Blaire then recalled the story his sons had told him. This must've been the bar they'd been brought to. "Ah... You might know my son, Alex Parker. He looks a lot like me." He couldn't help smiling to himself as he said this. He gave her some cash plus a tip. "Thanks." He smiled to her then lifted the glass to take a sip. --- "Guess not..." Carol sighed sleepily. "Charles, don't forget I need you to talk to Hades. I'm counting on you." She smiled at him and placed a hand on his cheek. "It was nice to finally meet you. Amelia loves you dearly." --- Kasper looked at Phineas with a guilty expression when he seemed outraged by his words. He hadn't meant to upset him. He nodded at the question. "Yeah, they don't even test it on animals anymore." he said then thought about a specific brand which then conjured up various makeup sets on the vanity table. "I'm sorry..." he mumbled, lowering his head. "I didn't mean to upset you." --- Kodi sat back and watched the exchange between the teens with a smile. Once the boys had left, he looked at Autumn. "Well, regardless of what you decide it seems like your efforts to help those boys paid off and you got some friends out of it. Feels good, right?" he grinned. "Listen, you've got plenty of time to make up your mind about what you want to do when you finish school. Try not to dwell on it too much and just enjoy this time while you can. Whatever you decide to do in life, just know that I'll support you." he got up and patted her shoulder as he walked past. "Oh, did you finish your homework?" he reminded her. "Thank you. Will do." Hayward said in relief. She then looked at Yami warily, knowing they hadn't gotten off on the right foot. She looked at his hand and hesitated before shaking it. "Sure thing, man." she smiled. "Sorry I made all those cat jokes." she then added, a little embarressed. --- Donnie thought for a moment while looking at the boy's features for a name that would fit. "How about Theron? It's a little old fashioned but it's a good, strong name." he nodded. He knew that the contract didn't actually need a name for it to work, just the blood of the individual will do, but he couldn't resist granting this boys wish for a new name. "Come now, Theron. Sign the contract and join our little family. Then we can teach you how to control your powers." he urged in a gentle tone. Denix Vames - March 15, 2022 At the bedroom, Nate laid on the bed. Keeping Tom close, he kissed him. "Good night." --- "Don't you remember?" ,said Storm. Everyone got out of the van. Heading to the building. "I told you guys that weed is something we smoke so that we can calm down. So how about it? Do you want to try?" --- "Talk?! That bastard killed one of my men! A friend of mine! Not to mention, Bern was Mon's husband! You want me to talk to him? You must be out of your damn mind!" ,said Salvo. "Really? You're his dad? Do you know how much your son can be way too curious? It really bites him in the end." ,said Blaire. --- Charles smiled. "Of course. I won't forget." His eyes sparkled when he heard her comments about Amelia. "I think I see that too. Thank you. Talking to you has been a pleasure." --- "Oh no! You didn't." Phineas ran over. Throwing his arms around him. "I'm just overwhelmed by this knowledge. I should have known better than to conjure up such a thing. I need to study modern culture." --- "Shit!" Autumn pulled out her papers. "I'm still not finished yet!" She let out a frustrated sigh. Yami smiled. "Looking back on it now, I think they were pretty funny. Anyway, see ya in a few days. Maybe you could play laser with me when you get back?" --- "Theron! What a great name!" ,said Theron. Insanity showed him the pen. Explaining how to use it. Theron hesitantly pricked his finger with the tip of the pen. "Ow! I don't like needles. They make me feel uncomfortable." "I know but this will be over soon. Now, sign here." He spelled out his name using his own black blood. Once signed, the contract and pen disappeared. Theron's finger healed. "Welcome to the family, Theron." "Yay!" Theron hugged him. Insanity placed his hands on his back. "I have a family now! Does that mean you two are my fathers?" "We can be if you'd like." Theron smiled. "Thank you! I finally found my own family." shadowess - March 16, 2022 Tom lay with Nate and cuddled up to him. He rested his head in the rook of Nate's shoulder and closed his eyes, feeling absolutely at ease in his arms. "Good night, Nate. I love you," he whispered before drifting off to sleep. --- "I almost forgot about that." Lilly blinked, recalling the trip to the clothes store. She and Bob had been so blown away by the strange new fashion styles that the conversation in the van prior to their arrival at the store had been forgotten. "Oh yeah!" Bob pointed to Lilly. "I said you oughta try some!" "Yes, Bob. I remember now." "Lilly." "What?" "You DEFINITELY need to smoke some weed." Lilly stared at Bob for a moment in annoyance but rather than her usual irritating remarks, she just turned to Storm and smirked. "You know what? Sure. I'd love to try some weed." Bob's jaw fell off out of shock. --- "He's David's grandson and he's trusted us with trying to help him become a better person!" Sebastian argued back then glared at Carter for not having backed him up or spoken up yet. He looked back at Salvo. "I get it! He fucked up and Bern died as a result and I'm sorry about that! But I don't believe he did that intentionally! I don't even think he's aware that he caused someone's death! Besides, David is always telling us to give people a chance to become better! Just like he gave YOU a chance to be better!" "Shut up!!" Mon shouted and pointed his gun at Sebastian now. "Just shut up! You don't get to defend that asshole! He's going to get what's coming to him and if you stand in our way you'll be joining him!! Now get in the fucking car and get tracking!" Sebastian glared at Mon dangerously. "Get. Your gun. Out. Of my face." he warned in a low growl. His fangs growing. --- Damien couldn't help chuckling in amusement at Blaire's remark. "Well it's a good thing that I'm not here out of curiosity then!" he laughed, shaking his head. "Hey, I get it. You must get a dozen idiot fanatic humans trying to sneak in here to get close to your vampiric customers on a nightly basis. Worrying that their curiosity will get someone hurt must drive you up the wall sometimes. But you really don't need to worry about me. I'm not human and I can handle myself." he said before taking a sip, apparently having already forgotten about the bracelet he was wearing. "Plus I'm not here to cause trouble. It's like I said, I feel comfortable around vampires. They kind of remind me of home." he held up his hand. "I promise, at the first sign of trouble I'll just leave. Will that help make you feel better?" he asked with a kind smile as he lowered his hand. "I just want a quiet drink after a really tough day. That's all. I promise. Then I'll be out of your hair. What do you say?" --- "You look after her, you hear me?" Carol grinned as she removed her hand and tried to keep her eyes open. "I'm not as merciful as David, so when I get my body I'll kick your ass to Hell and back if you hurt her." she bantered as she lay down on the bed and made herself comfortable. "Oh...and one more thing..." she yawned. "Put a damn ring on it already. Deep down she wants that, but you didn't hear that from me." she chuckled before falling asleep. A minute or two later, Amelia groaned and rubbed her eyes. "Charles?..." she blinked and opened her eyes sleepily. "Did it work? Did you talk to her?" she asked as she sat up groggily. Apparently, Amelia had absolutely no memory of the conversation between Carol and Charles. --- "But you couldn't have known?" Kasper said while hugging Phineas back, seeking comfort in his arms even though he still felt a little guilty for making Phineas upset. "B-but I could help you! I can show you some videos I watched when I'd been alive that talked about how life was lived in your time and what the dangers were if you'd like?" he then said eagerly, wanting to help Phineas adapt to his new life. --- "You good?" Kodi asked awkwardly when seeing how Autumn reacted to the reminder. "When is it due?" he asked while glancing at the clock on the wall. Hayward grinned and chuckled at Yami's question. "Sure, then maybe after that we could play fetch?" she joked to show she was comfortable in herself to make dog jokes too. "Thanks, guys, I'll see you in a few days," she said before heading out. --- The power boost from this kid was spectacular! But Donnie's thrill was short-lived as Insanity seemed ready to adopt the teen on the spot. He looked at Insanity hesitantly, wondering if that was such a good idea and knew they would need to talk about it properly later. But then, he supposed it wouldn't hurt for Theron to feel like he was a part of a real family while he learned to control himself. In short, Donnie was feeling a little conflicted. "We should take our newest member of the family home and get him settled in. I am eager to see if our toy has managed to get the woman to confide in him." Donnie said to Insanity before walking over and kneeling in front of Theron. "You'll be getting your own room in our palace. There is a woman there who is carrying our child so you'll need to be careful around her, alright? She was taken from us and her captors brainwashed her, so she's a little crazy right now and thinks we're evil but we're trying to help her see sense again." Denix Vames - March 16, 2022 "I love you too." ,said Nate before he fell asleep. --- "Cool." ,said Storm. He and the other members rolled up some joints before lighting them up. Storm handed Lily a joint. "All you have to do is take a deep breath of this then let it out." Grim passed a joint to Bob. "Try it out man." --- "Hold on a second!" Carter stepped in between. "Mon, is this really something that you want to do?" "What do you mean? Of course he does!" "Or is it something that you told him to do?" He looked at Salvo who lowered his weapon. Salvo frowned. "I gave him that hateful vengeance. I never meant to. You just get so use to traditions and..." He shook his head. "Mon, I'm sorry." He placed a hand on his shoulder. "This isn't how we handle things anymore. We can tell David. Maybe then he'll give him a proper talking-to." "And Bern isn't exactly dead." "What do you mean?" "Yes, he died. But people who die can either become demons or angels. So no matter which one, he'll still be able to come back. He'll always be the same Bern that you guys know." Salvo raised a brow. "Huh! I didn't even know that was a thing." --- Blaire smiled. "Don't worry. You seem like you know how to take care of yourself." She pointed at the bracelet. "What's that around your wrist? Jewelry of some kind?" --- Charles smiled and nodded. "Yes she did. I know how we can help her. We just need Hades's help." He thought for a moment. "But before we fetch her, I need to ask you something." He knelt in front of her. Holding her hand. "Amelia Magpie? Will you marry me?" --- "I do like to learn. I think that would be a wonderful idea." ,said Phineas. --- Autumn blushed. She held an awkward smile. "Uh...Tomorrow?" Yami chuckled at her joke before saying goodbye. Walter waved. --- "Evil? What is evil?" "It means when someone's being mean." ,said Insanity. "Oh." Theron nervously rubbed his arm. "Um...I don't really care about that because I was never taught it. I don't understand. I just know that you two helped me." "Then what if we were evil? What then?" "You're my first family and I will not lose that. Otherwise, I'll be lonely and scared. I'll feel the pain again. So no matter who is labeled as what, I will kill anyone who tries to hurt my family. I'll do whatever you ask of me to do." Insanity grinned. "That's my boy." He hugged him tight. Theron smiled. "Now, keep an eye on our lady friend. Alright?" Theron nodded. "But what if I get bored of looking at her? Can't I have some toys?" shadowess - March 17, 2022 Lilly brought the joint up to her lips while watching the hot end warily. She inhaled then was surprised by how hot the smoke was as it hit her throat and immediately began coughing until her eyes watered from the effort to stop. Wincing, he looked at the others in embarrassment and wondered if the coughing was normal but so far she hadn't seen anyone else cough. Bob had taken the joint as well and eagerly placed it between his teeth. With no lungs, however, there was no way that he could actually inhale the smoke, so he just sort of held it there for a moment before passing it along and pretending to exhale. He then looked at Lilly when she began coughing. "Heh, wuss. I didn't cough once!" he jabbed. "Yep. I'm a pro at this!" He sat back with his hands behind his skull. --- When Salvo seemed to change his tune, Mon's gun hand shook a little. "B-Boss? But-but-..." he then heard Carter's words and his eyes widened. He looked at the gun before looking back at Carter and Sebastian. "H-he can come back?" he asked, his voice starting to break as he lowered the gun. "How? a-a-and how long does that take?" --- Damien looked at the bracelet and his heart skipped a few beats as he remembered he had no powers or supernatural strength anymore. He sighed with a frown as he looked up at Blaire and took another sip of his drink. "It's a reminder that there are some things I need to do..." he answered before downing the rest of his drink and taking out his phone. "Hey, I don't suppose you have a quiet, private room available here? I need to make a few calls." --- Amelia watched Charles curiously then her cheeks turned a deep pink and the breath caught in her throat as he asked his question. "I-I-..." she stammered then moved forward to kneel on the floor with him and threw her arms around him. She kissed him passionately and giggled between kisses. "Yes," she whispered as she rested her head against his. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Yes, I will." --- Kasper smiled and moved to look at Phineas while caressing his cheek. "Then I'll show you... I'm sure there'd be a computer in this house somewhere..." He said thoughtfully as he got to his feet and took his hand. Together they'd look at the rest of their home until they found a little nook with a bookcase, an armchair, a desk, a desk chair and a computer. Kasper sat at the computer and only had to touch the mouse for the computer to log him in. "Oh wow... no need for passwords, I guess," he said in amazement before pulling up YouTube and setting up a video for them to watch. "Here we go." he smiled then moved to sit on Phineas's lap in the armchair so that they could watch the video together. --- Kodi sighed with a small smile as he shook his head and walked back to the table. He sat down next to her and looked at her homework. "Alright, you said it was about Napoleon? Let me tell you some stories about Sir Grumpy the Short," he smirked then started telling her story after story about him. --- "I'm sure we can find you some things to play with." Donnie nodded. He had to admit that finding out Theron was practically a moral blank slate did put him a bit at ease. He was essentially ready for Insanity and Donnie to mould him however they pleased. "But first, we should go home." he placed a hand on Insanity's shoulder while they were still hugging and teleported them into the main room of the 'palace'. By now, Warren had already tidied away all of the sex toys that had been laying around. The large cushions were piled into one corner of the room and the marble floor was now spotless and gleaming. Warren looked up, he was still on his hands and knees with a bucket of soapy water next to him and a rag in his hands. He'd been trying to clean up his own blood stains from when Insanity had cut him. "You're back!" he beamed and bowed to them. "I thought you would like a clean home to come back to." Donnie barely paid any notice and glanced towards the door Patience had gone into earlier on. "Has she come out at all?" he asked and Warren looked back up at them. "She went into the kitchens earlier to get herself some food but then she locked herself in that room again," Warren answered honestly. "Did she say anything to you while she was out?" "No, sires. I don't think she trusts me yet."

Denix Vames - March 12, 2022 "Then I guess that's settled." Nate yawned. "I think we've both had a day. I'm going to take a nap. Are you going to stick around for one too? After all, I wouldn't mind." --- Xenos laid down as he continued to kiss her. He gently pulled her shirt off before running his hands down her back. --- Pain chuckled. "That's alright. Burps are awesome." He stood and placed some money on the table. Paying for the food. "I think the others are already at the van. It has been a while already." --- Bern smiled at Mon. "I love you so much. Don't ever stop being you. My husband...." His body suddenly became heavy. He let out his last breath as he closed his eyes. Accepting his death. Salvo shook his head. He punched a wall. "That fucker! We're going back to Carter's and taking that bastard down! C'mon Mon! You want revenge, right? Let's bring a couple of our men and gun that bitch down!" --- Charles shook his head. "And this whole entire time, I was afraid to go anywhere near him." He pinched the brim of his nose. "That damn bastard. Either he was nice or ruthless the next second. What a leader he was. Hmph!" He sighed. "I won't be anything like him, will I? Or am I already?" --- After the kiss, Phineas ran inside. Having let Kasper open the door. His eyes sparkled at the sight of the indoor decor. He let Kasper stand before running to the bedroom. "It's actually here!" He lifted a foundation product that was made during his time. It read that one of the ingredients was Arsenic. Not knowing the harm behind it. "I've always wanted to try makeup." --- Autumn shrugged. "Sort of ok." Cory nodded. "Yeah sure. I could use a guide." He followed Hayward to the break room. "Cory!" ,said Winters. He gave him a sudden hug. His face went red when he realized he had done this in front of everyone. He stood back. "Um....So, how are you out of that cell?" Cory awkwardly cleared his throat. "They gave me a warning. Are you ok?" Winters nodded. "I'm alright." He clenched his own arm. "Can we talk outside?" ,asked Cory. Winters nodded. "Of course." They headed out of the precinct. Autumn raised her hands. "That's the only time I give therapy. There's no way I'd get lucky twice to help out." --- Carter smirked. "Looks like we have a temporary housemaid." Will rolled his eyes. "That guy has no sense of respect." --- Insanity sat up. "Donnie dear, I sense someone who can't seem to control his own powers. We could kill him but he appears to be a mixture of some creatures. I sense Angelic, Devil, and Leviathan blood within him. I believe when ADIEU was still in existence, he was one of their experiments. Though I'm not sure how he escaped. Those memories are fuzzy." A teenage boy was walking past as he struggled to deal with the pain in his body. He clutched his head as he cried out. His wide eyes were purple. He wore a long tight black dress with a white collar and white cuffs. His hair was short and red. Black blood dripped from his mouth and nose. He leaned back until he was touching the ground with his hands. Spikes were coming out of him. Going back and forth as he screamed. Shadowess - March 13, 2022 "I'm in no rush to go anywhere." Tom smiled then yawned as well out of reflex from watching Nate yawn. He chuckled after he did. "Well, at least we know I'm not a psychopath." he joked. "Apparently yawning when you see someone else yawn is an empathic reflex. That being said, I am pretty tired too. And also pretty sure I can already feel the hangover coming on." he winced as he noticed a small throbbing headache that hadn't been there a moment ago. --- Leaning over Xenos, Tia kissed him deeply and passionately. She let out little moans as she felt his hands on her back. She started to grind her hips against his opening his shirt and kissing down his neck to his chest. --- "Oh, I hope we didn't keep them waiting too long," Lilly said as she was reminded that she and Pain weren't the only ones who had come out today and she worried that they might've kept them waiting. --- Tears rolled down Mon's cheeks. "B-Bern? Bern, wake up?" He devolved into sobs as he held his body and rocked with him. Hearing Salvo behind him broke Mon out of his stupor before he could become overwhelmed by his loss. He looked back at him and blinked away his tears as his sorrow rapidly gave way to anger. His grief blinded his judgement as he stood and wiped the tears from his face before pulling out his gun. "I wanna kill that son of a bitch!" he raged. --- "Honestly, that fear of going near him might've saved your life," Carol commented. "At least with no connection to Lucifer, you stood a chance at a life at all." she looked back at Charles and shook her head with a sad smile. "No, you're nothing like him. For one, your whole empathy thing and telepathy? Not one of his traits. I can only assume you get that from your mother, whoever she was. But maybe that's for the best? I was dubious about Amelia's plans to change Hell entirely when she took over but seeing how the two of you have worked together to make that possible? If you were anything like Lucifer, that plan would've failed outright." Carol smiled as she turned to face forward and pulled her knees up to hug them. "I can't help but miss him though. Grumpy, clever asshole that he was... he was the closest thing to a friend that I had... Barr David, of course." --- Kasper looked around in awe at the decor. The way his tastes and Phineas's had blended together almost perfectly. He followed him into the bedroom and smiled. "Really?" He asked as he walked over and looked curiously at the cosmetics. "Why would Heaven put dangerous substances into the products though? That seems a little odd," he commented obliviously then seemed thoughtful. "Well, I guess it's not like it could kill us now...Maybe the ingredients are more of a nostalgia thing here..." --- Kodi chuckled and sat at the table with Autumn. "Oh, I dunno. Maybe you could take up psychology when you finish school? I think you'd make a wonderful therapist." he said encouragingly. Meanwhile, Hayward had swung by the office and knocked on the door. She looked a little on edge. --- David's eyes were on the washroom door as he responded to Carter's comment. "I don't think we're out of the woods with him yet. He's likely to try and fight this. Don't give him an inch. Be hard on him and if he lashes out, don't be afraid to use force. Even though he's not around anymore, I think he still sees himself as Lucifer's apprentice... Like he has to prove himself to him..." he sighed and looked back at them. "If he gets too much and you need help, call for me." he vanished. Meanwhile, Damien still hadn't come back with the dustpan and brush yet... because he'd sauntered right out of the back door and down the street! --- "Hm?" Donnie turned his head to look at Insanity then glanced away from him to look at what he was seeing. "I see what you mean..." he said thoughtfully. He frowned as he watched him. "He looks as if he just walked right out of a monastery. We COULD kill him as you suggested. Or perhaps we could take him under our wing? Have him sign a contract, too?" he suggested. "He's a hybrid so he's not as much of a threat to us as a full-blooded Angel or Leviathan could be. Still, we should exercise caution anyway. But imagine having a creature like that on our side..." he shrugged and sat up, cupping Insanity's chin. "But I suppose you saw him first, my love. I will leave the decision to you and follow your lead this time." he smiled and kissed him lightly. He then glanced at Warren, who was watching them in quiet fascination. "There is a washroom back there. You should go and clean yourself up. When you're done, I have an important mission for you while we're gone." "Yes, sir?" "Sire." "S-Sire, sorry." "You recall that woman I brought with me earlier?" "Yes?" "Watch her for me. She is carrying my child so I can't risk anything happening to her but I get the feeling that she's up to something. Get close to her if you can. Make her feel comfortable around you. Enough to open up to you and tell you what she's up to. Then tell one or both of us when we get back. Understood?" "Yes, sire." Donnie smiled and caressed Warren's cheek. "Atta boy." he got to his feet and grabbed his clothes, dressing quickly before looking to Insanity. "Ready when you are, my Artist." Denix Vames - March 14, 2022 "I could get rid of that hangover for you, if you want." ,said Nate. --- Xenos moaned. He smirked. "Normally, this scenario would be the other way around. Still, I don't mind if you take charge." --- "Nah I don't think so. I'm sure they took just as much time as we did." At the van, the others had barely started walking over to the vehicle too. "Looks like everyone's here. Let's head back home." ,said Hades. --- Salvo, Mon, and some of the men had gotten into vehicles. Two were heading to Carter's office where everyone got out. Salvo kicked the door in. Everyone aimed their weapons. "Where the fuck is Damien?! That bastard killed one of my men! Bern was barely a married man!" Carter raised his hands. "Just calm down for a second. Sebastian will get him. He's still here." --- "I really need to ask this. Was Lucifer ever...caring? Did he show any amount of kindness?" ,asked Charles. --- "What do you mean by dangerous substances?" ,asked Phineas. --- Autumn shrugged. "I don't know. I've already got my own problems. Having to hear other people's problems would just stack up the emotional baggage." Yami opened the door. He stepped back so that Hayward could walk in. Walter lifted his head up. "Hayward? What's wrong?" --- Insanity smiled. Once both men were dressed, they headed out of the building. The teenager continued to cry out. He bent forward as he clutched his head. "It looks like you can't control these powers. Perhaps we could help you. Make you dominate them." "Please make it stop! It hurts! I don't like it!" Tears ran down the teen's cheeks. "Under one condition. You will sign a contract. Pledging your loyalty to us. If you ever attempt to rat us out to any government or higher being then we will destroy you. Do you understand?" "Yes! I'll do whatever you want! Just make the pain go away!" Insanity turned to Donnie. "Do you have any tricks for this?" shadowess - March 14, 2022 "You spoil me." Tom chuckled playfully. "Please do though. It feels like this could be a bad one." --- Tia giggled and ran her tongue from his chest up to his jaw, then into his mouth. She moved her hands down, under her skirt to unbuckle his belt. "That's good. Because I like being in charge." She grinned. (Private time) --- "Why're your cheeks that colour?" Bob pointed out and Lilly's cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink. "Because I actually have blood in my body?" Lilly quickly deflected. "Touche" Bob chuckled as he climbed into the van after her. --- "Bern's dead?" Sebastian gasped as he lifted his hands as well. He glanced at Carter worriedly then nodded and walked to the laundry room. He hoped they'd be able to talk them down rather than lead Damien like a lamb to the slaughter. After all, it wasn't like Damien could really defend himself anymore. He stepped into the laundry room, then his heart sank at the sight of the open backdoor and no sign of Damien. Nervously, he walked back into the living room to look at Salvo and Mon. "H-He's gone. He left through the backdoor." Meanwhile, Damien had walked so far and so fast from Carter's house that he was now nearer to the vampire club. He knew it was only a matter of time before Carter and Sebastian realised he was gone and came looking for him. He refused to be made a fool of so he headed straight for the club's door. Desi held up a hand to stop him then blinked in surprise. "Damien?" Damien quickly stuffed his hands into his pockets to hide the bracelet. "Oh, hi. You work here now?" "Yeah, Blaire was kind enough to give me a job. You know this is a Vampire club, right? The clubbers take one whiff of your blood and they'll be drawn to you like magnets." "Relax, Denny." "Desi." "Whatever. I can handle myself and I promise I won't cause any trouble. I've had a rough day and could use a drink." "Here? Why not the bar down the street or one in Hell that actually serves Demons Brew?" Damien bounced a little on the spot, growing desperate to get out of the open. But he couldn't tell Desi that he needed to hide quickly or that he couldn't teleport. "Can you keep a secret?" he whispered and leaned in a little. "Of course." Desi answered and leaned forward to listen to him. His curiousity peaked. "I kinda like getting bit. It's a kink and it helps me relax." he lied. Truthfully he'd never been bitten before and wasn't about to let anyone do that to him. "Ohhh. Ok, I get it." Desi chuckled and lifted the belt. "Just don't let them take too much." "Never do." Damien grinned as he headed inside. Once there he headed straight for the bar and sat on one of the stools with a relieved sigh. "One of the strongest drinks you have." he said as he took out his wallet. "And yes, I know this is a club for vampires. I like their company." He then said pre-emptively with a casual smile. --- Carol's eyebrows furrowed as she tried to recall instances when Lucifer had displayed kindness. "In his own way..." she answered finally. "You have to remember that before he rose to power he had been betrayed and tortured by those who had once been close to him. So, he had difficulty trusting anyone. Even me. But there were moments..." she nodded. "When Damien vanished to look after his infant son, Lucifer found him and helped him to ensure his safety. When David lost his daughter and grand daughter, he showed up to the funeral. He didn't say a word but he stayed even after everyone else had gone home... He wasn't a hugger but I think even David understood that his presence there was purely an attempt to show support." She turned to look at Charles. "He was an angry, damaged man. But I don't believe that he was ever evil." --- "Arsenic." Kasper shrugged and pointed to the ingredients. "To humans, it's toxic." He sat down on the bed and looked at the makeup in fascination. "But it's not a big deal. Most products in history were made from things that humans at the time didn't realise would be harmful. That's how we learned. Trial and error. Without that-" he nodded to the foundation. "There wouldn't be strict guidelines for manufacturers to follow nowadays To keep the consumers safe." --- "Yeah, it can get exhausting. But it can be rewarding too, to know that at the end of the day you managed to help at least one person." He tilted his head and smiled. "Though, you would definitely need to be mindful of your own health too. I guess it's all about figuring out the right balance." Hayward scratched her arm as she stepped inside. "Hey. So, the full moon is in the next couple of days and I'm starting to feel... not myself. Would it be alright to take the next few days off?" --- Donnie looked at the boy carefully while scratching his chin in thought. He nodded to Insanity and whispered a spell into his ear that he could use. It was only a temporary solution to relieve the boy of his apparent spasms. They would need to work closely with the boy to help him control his powers himself. Once done, he stepped back and winked at Insanity, allowing him to take the reigns on this one. 'Once he is calm, have him sign the contract. Let him know we will only help him learn how to control his powers once we have his signature.' He thought to him then snapped his fingers, making the contract and pen appear in his own hands. Denix Vames - March 14, 2022 Nate placed a hand on his head. The hangover soon vanished. "There. Now, we can both sleep without any troubles." --- Once everyone was in the van, Hades placed her hands on the dashboard. In just a moment, there were back in New York City. Their van was parked on the side near their home. "I think I could use some weed. Do you guys want to try it? I have some." ,said Storm as he turned to Lily and Bob. --- "Then we're going to find him together. I'm sure you guys have some special ability to track down people, right? I mean you're vampires after all." ,said Salvo. He pointed at the doorway. "We've got some wheels. Just take us to where he is." Blaire rolled her eyes before pouring him a drink. "You look sort of familiar which is weird cause I've never seen you before." --- "So, he just had a hard time because of what he went through. And it hardened him into what he became." Charles bit his lip. "I guess I can't really blame him for that." --- "Not a big deal?!" Phineas dropped the foundation. "If this is toxic then no one should have ever had it! I'm already sorry that I even conjured it up." The foundation vanished as did the other products. "Those poor people...." He stared at himself in the mirror. "I need to find modern makeup. You said it was safe, right?" --- She said, "Only if that's the right job for me. I'm still figuring things out." Cory and Winters walked in. "Hey, do you go to Stormstead?" ,asked Winters. "Uh yeah, Why?" "Well, we were wondering..." "If you wanted to hang out with us during lunch next time?" ,said Cory. She picked at the loose string on her sleeve. "Oh um....Sure. I mean yeah." "Cool. I guess we'll see you then." She nodded. "Um Bye." Both men left as they held hands together. Autumn barely noticed this. "Uh...Wow..." "Of course. If there's any other werewolf officer, please let them know that they can take some days off too." ,said Walter. Yami walked over to her. "Hey. Sorry that I called you a bitch before when we first met. No hard feelings?" He held out a hand for her to shake. --- Insanity said the spell out loud. The teenager suddenly stopped. He caught his breath as he realized the pain was gone. He cried out, "Thank you! Thank you! I'm glad it's gone!" Insanity walked over to him with the contract and pen. "That was only temporary. If you want us to help you control whatever this is, then you will have to sign this contract. Only then will we help you." The teenager rubbed his eyes. "But I don't have a name. The people in white never gave me one. They were mostly quiet." He enclosed his hands. Pressing them to his chest. "Oh please give me a name! I'll sign your contract with the name that you've chosen. Because I know that you two can make good names. You've already taken away the pain." Insanity turned to Donnie. "Care to do the honors of giving this young man a name?"

Denix Vames - March 9, 2022 "I mean you're practically hired already. Still, it would definitely give us a good excuse to have some fun. Want to start now?" ,said Nate. --- Xenos looked into her eyes. "What a warrior you are." He kissed her deeply. --- "Glad to hear that you like it. Try out the soda. It makes the meal way more better." Pain took a sip from his drink. --- Bern slightly chuckled. "Kind of funny, isn't it? We just got married and now...." He caught his breath. "This is happening." "On it!" ,said the driver. He hit the gas pedal. Speeding their way to the mansion. Everyone soon reached the door which the driver opened. At their doctor's room, Bern had already lost plenty of blood to make him feel woozy. On his stomach, he had no choice but to hope as the doctor worked his magic. Bern began to blink slowly. "Mon? Salvo? Why is it so cold?" --- "Actually, I'm an orphan. I was raised by the headmaster of the orphanage that I grew up. Why do you ask? Who do I resemble?" ,said Charles. --- "A mirror. I want a mirror." Phineas held up the mirror that appeared in his hand. He lifted it. He gasped at the sight of himself. He touched where his wound was but found it gone. Then he realized something which made him frown. "No...I wanted this but now that I understand things better....It just doesn't feel right. Being who I am with my mistakes is what makes me Phineas. Myself. I am grateful that I have my right eye but am I now hiding what happened to me? I don't want to do that." --- Billy rolled his eyes at Azrael's disbelief. He wrapped an arm around him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Does that answer your question?" He chuckled at what he had done. --- "Why even bother talking to me any further? You've practically got enough to know what my favorite color is. I'm sure you would rather be at the computer than listen to me." ,said Cory. Autumn and Winters burst into the holding cell area. "Cory!" ,said Winters. He ran over to him. "What the hell are you doing here?" "I came here to help. I heard about what happened." "Forget it! I don't need your goddamn help!" Autumn glared. "What is wrong with you? He just wants to help." "Yeah? Well, he can stay out of it!" Winters turned to Hayward. "Please officer! Whatever he did just put the blame on me! Or let me pay it off. His parents-" "That's enough man!" ,said Cory. Winters took his glasses off before rubbing his eyes. "Damn it! Why can't you ever let me help you? For once, just let me repay you for what you've done for me." Cory seemed concerned. "Winters..." --- As both men were arguing, Will had placed the wristband over Damien's wrist. It locked itself there. Making sure it would never get off unless Will did the deed himself. Shadowess - March 11, 2022 "I'm always up for fun with you." Tom winked at him playfully and kissed his cheek. "Then I guess it's decided. I'll enrol in college and get that degree. Then I can help you with your new business." he grinned playfully before adding. "Boss." --- Drawn to Xenos's gaze, Tia kissed him back while caressing his cheek. The moon shone through the branches of the trees overhead and showered them both in the lunar light. It was not yet full but would be in the next few days. As it shone on her, Tia's brown eyes seemed to glow a little and subconsciously her body released a pheromone to make her irresistible to Xenos. Unaware of these subtle changes to her body and already caught up in the moment with Xenos, she moved her kisses down to his neck while slipping a hand through the buttoned part of his shirt to feel his chest. --- Lilly swallowed the burger and did find that on the way down it had dried her throat out a bit. She picked up her glass and took a sip. She crinkled her nose a little at the fizz, not used to carbonated drinks yet. She swallowed it then giggled a little. "The bubbles feel strange. But I kind of like it." --- Mon was by Bern's side and holding his hand tightly. "He's going to be ok, right doc?!" he looked up at the doctor frantically who gave him and Salvo a grave look but didn't say anything so as not to frighten Bern. Truthfully, there had been so many shards of glass that had struck him that it was difficult locating the smaller shards that might still be tearing him up inside. Still, he hadn't given up yet and was still pulling glass out of his back, piece by piece. Then stitch up the wounds as best he could. At the look the doctor had given them, Mon broke down into quiet, frightened sobs as he leaned his head against Bern's. "Please stay with me, Bern. I love you so much," he whispered. --- (These memories are based on previous RP's that Carol was involved in ) "Orphan, huh?" Carol nodded. It was possible then and it would explain why Charles had been left to his own devices for so long without being hunted down like the other Devils. She bit her lip, hesitant to tell him in case it upset him but she knew he'd either be told or would figure it out for himself sooner or later. "I think it'd be best if I showed you..." she lifted her hands to him. "Do you mind?" she asked before she'd place her hands on the sides of his head. "I could share my memories with you." If Charles would give her permission, she'd close her eyes and concentrate on sending him short clips of her memory... 'Carol was sitting in an arena full of Demons who were cheering at the contestants in the centre who were fighting. Clementine was one of the contestants and she was in her second form, running after a Demon who was flying about the field, holding a sword and swatting at her whenever he could. "Are you enjoying the show?" A voice came from next to Carol and she turned her head to look at him. The man was slightly taller than she was. He wore a suit and had short, blond hair. His eyes were blue and sharp as he stared back at her. "Oh, yes sire!" Carol replied eagerly. "This was a wonderful idea!" "It was hers." The man nodded to Clementine. At that moment, the Demon with the sword had managed to figure out that the crack in Clementine's head was a weak spot and he'd struck it with force, causing the crack to spread across her porcelain skin. "She's been trying to impress me lately. She wants to become my apprentice." "Her?" Carol scoffed saltily. "When we have such a good thing going?" she joked. The man smirked. A rare sight. "I made a deal with her. If she wins this little tournament thing, I would consider her." "Do you think she will?" "We'll see." They continued watching the fight and the Demon fighting against Clementine had managed to shatter her hard shell, revealing her heart. After a risky move where the Demon narrowly escaped being crushed under her fist, the Demon had thrown his sword into her heart. Killing her and ending the fight. He held his fists up triumphantly as the crowd's cheers grew louder. The only one who seemed to be angry by the outcome was the man sitting next to Carol. "Pathetic!" he seethed then stood and vanished.' After a moment's pause, Carol played another of her memories... 'Carol was following the man from the previous memory closely as he strode through the halls of the abandoned hospital. "Head them off," he ordered and Carol giggled before vanishing and reappearing on the opposite end of the hospital, blocking the way to the second exit just as a female rounded the corner. The woman was human and still alive. She was wearing a jumpsuit with a logo on the right side of her chest that said 'ADIEU'. She also had several bulky looking devices strapped to her and was holding a sword made out of angelic steel. Carol recalled that these humans had used such devices to teleport themselves into Hell on a scouting mission to collect Demons for their experiments. What they hadn't anticipated was that the man pursuing them would sense their arrival and become very protective over his people. "Hello, sweet thing." Carol purred mockingly as the woman ground to a halt and stared at her. "We should 'chat'" Carol grinned. Somewhere behind the woman, a man could be heard screaming terribly. The woman had jumped and turned her head to look in that direction. "Francis?!" She screamed in a trembling voice. This gave Carol enough time to teleport to her side and grab her sword arm, breaking it and causing her to cry out while the sword fell to the ground. The screaming had stopped and while Carol held her captive tightly, she turned them to face the man as he walked calmly around the corner. Only he no longer resembled a man. Now he was completely skeletal and covered in flames. His once pristine suit was now charred and black. In his boney hand, he held a head by its hair which was rapidly burning from the fire. He dropped the head and stood a short distance from them. "You would come into my home and challenge me?" The man's voice growled from the humanoid skull. "John will bring you down!" The woman shouted at Lucifer. "You and God! And together we will create a new Eden! Punishment Devine!!" "Not this shit again!" Carol growled. The male tilted his head forwards a little, making his stance a little more menacing. "I will destroy him as I will destroy you," he promised then reached out a hand and Carol nodded, throwing the woman to him. He gripped her tightly and she writhed. Screaming and struggling to get herself loose, the woman burned up in the man's flames. Once she was an unrecognisably burned up husk, he dropped her body and turned to look in the opposite direction. "Two down. Three to go."' Carol removed her hands from Charles's head and looked at him carefully. "I was loyal to him. Fiercely loyal... I have killed for him. I would have died for him... Then Amelia came into our lives and I did something that I swore I'd never do... I kept her a secret from him." She said as she rested her hands on her lap. "I could be wrong... but, you just look so much like him." --- Kasper hugged Phineas quickly and warmly. "Phineas, how you look does not change who you are or the man you have become," he told him as he pulled back a little to look at him. "After all, it is not your eye or your wound that I fell in love with. It's the man in here." he pressed his hand against his chest, over his heart. "You are so much more than how you appear to others." --- Azrael's cheeks turned red and he chuckled nervously. "I guess it does." he smiled at him. "Alright. Prepare yourself. These things can be pretty heart-wrenching. The only person who will be able to see us is the one who is dying and we'll need to be strong for them. They'll need as much comfort as possible once their soul leaves their body." he told Billy to prepare him. He'd then teleport them both to his next assignment. Bern. --- Hayward was beginning to get tired of Cory's tough-guy act when Autumn and Winters came running in. "What the-?" she started then listened to them all as they spoke. She folded her arms but glanced back at Cory with a look of concern when Winter's had almost mentioned his parents. Malone walked into the area hurriedly. He saw the end of the fight and sighed heavily. "Autumn, please take this young man to our break area. Make him hot cocoa or something. We've got things from here." he said to her then placed a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be alright. Promise," he said gently. Hayward nodded to Malone. "Thanks, man." "Anything you need me to do?" "No, I've got things from here. Thanks." "You got it." He then followed the other two out of the room with the intention of keeping an eye on them from his desk. Hayward turned back to Cory and looked at him for a moment before sighing and tearing the page out of her notepad. She crumpled it up and threw it into the nearby trash can. "Let's make a deal." she proposed while folding her arms again and looking at him seriously. "I'll let you off with a warning if you promise to let us know if you ever need help. With anything. We don't all have a stick up our ass, you know." she offered him a small smile. "I get it. You need them to believe you're tough. But it's ok to admit when you need help too. You know that, right?" She reached into her pocket and pulled out one of her own cards before handing it to him through the bars. "Here. If you ever get into trouble and need someone to talk to, just give me a call." --- David had been about to retort when both men heard a click. Feeling something suddenly tighten around his wrist, Damien looked down in time to see Will pull his hand away and the bracelet shift its size to fit snugly around his wrist. "What-?" Damien tried to pull it off then grew flustered when it wouldn't budge. He then began to panic when he felt his powers weakening and he looked back at his contract in time to see it- and the pen- disintegrate into ashes before any of the soldiers could have signed it. "No!" he whiled around to glare at Will. "What have you done! What is this thing?! You bastard!" He went to swing a fist at him but David had been ready for the outrage. He'd grabbed Damien's arm and spun him around. He kicked at his ankle to knock him down then pinned him to the ground. All in one fluid motion. "NO!! FUCK!! GET OFF ME!! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?! GET THIS FUCKING THING OFF ME!!" Damien yelled furiously. "That's enough," David said sternly. "I think you've forgotten how difficult it is to be mortal. It's high time you were reminded of where you came from. You can start by helping Carter to rebuild the wall you knocked down!" "FUCK YOU!!" "Will, under no circumstances are you to remove his bracelet until he un-learns the shit Lucifer taught him!" David ordered, then stood while dragging Damien to his feet. "We have enough shit to deal with without you throwing a temper tantrum and putting the rest of us in danger!" he scolded Damien. "Lucifer should've fucking destroyed you." Damien seethed. "You were never loyal!" David became silent. Then, he spun Damien around and slapped him across the face. Hard enough that Damien was left biting back tears. He then gripped his arm and looked at Will. "Thank you for your help. Let's take the brat back to Carters now." Denix Vames - March 11, 2022 Nate chuckled. "So, want me to give an endless supply of money for your classes?" --- Xenos moaned as he ran his hands through her hair. He kissed her passionately. --- "Yeah, they can be pretty cool." Pain took another bite. He suddenly yawned. "I think playing that concert really worn me out. Guess I'll take a nap when we're done here." --- "Hey...." Bern lifted a weak hand to caress Mon's cheek. "Don't cry. It's going to be ok." "I'm ready as I'll ever be." ,said Billy before they appeared in the room. His eyes widened at the sight of Bern. "Jesus....! And I thought my death was bad." Bern moved his eyes to Azrael and him. "Huh? Wh-Who...?" --- Charles nodded at her. "Go right ahead." After looking through the memories that he saw, he just sat there in disbelief. He shook his head. "That can't be possible. I have no memories of being Lucifer. How do I look similar?" --- Phineas held a warm smile. He lifted Kasper off the ground befpre spinning him around. He then held him bridal style. "This day couldn't be any better. I've got my eye back. I can finally respect myself. But most importantly, I have you." He kissed him. --- Autumn nodded before touching Winters arm. "It's ok. Just come with me." Winters reluctantly followed her. At the break room, he sat there with a cup of hot cocoa sitting in front of him. He held his glasses as he cried. Autumn wasn't sure what to do. She awkwardly sat next to him. "You uh....really care about him." He rubbed his eyes and sniffled. "He's been my only friend at Stormstead High. I'd do anything for him." "Wait a minute. Stormstead? I go there. How come we've never seen each other?" He shrugged. "It's not like you'd want to be friends with me anyway." "But I do!" He was surprised. "Really?" She nodded. "Of course." Cory took the card. "Thanks but why are you helping me? I literally acted like a dick to you." --- Will's eye glowed. "The next time you say another comment like that you bratty bitch, I'll take your pants off and spank you. You can enjoy the embarrassment." He held David's hand. All three soon appeared in Carter's place. Carter had been watching a comedy on TV. He switched the TV off when he saw them. "I'm guessing Damien here is in trouble. Again." "And he's here to fix the wall." ,said Will. Carter couldn't help but smile. Looking at Damien. "Then you can start working today." shadowess - March 12, 2022 "No, thank you." Tom chuckled. "Like you, I think I'd prefer the satisfaction of earning something like that the human way." he kissed him softly then rested his head against his shoulder. He held Nate's hand and slipped his fingers between his. --- Letting out a soft moan, Tia kissed him back while unbuttoning his shirt. --- "It has been a very exciting day." Lilly agreed with a nod. She ate the rest of her burger and was so full from it that she barely touched her fries. She downed the rest of her drink then looked surprised when the carbonated beverage caused a burp to slip out. She quickly covered her mouth. Eyes wide and face red with embarrassment, she looked down shyly. "Sorry..." she said quietly. Awkwardly, she cleared her throat and stood from the table. "Shall we head back to the van, then?" --- Azrael gently placed a hand on Billy's shoulder and gave him a sombre look as a way of reminding him that they needed to be strong for the person dying. He removed his hand then walked over to Bern before kneeling by the bed, just beside Mon. "Hello, Bern. Please don't be afraid," he said in a gentle whisper. "I mean you no harm. My name is Azrael. I am the Angel of death. When you are ready, I will escort you to Heaven. But please don't despair. Although this is the end of your life, it is merely the beginning of your afterlife." At Bern's words, Mon had looked behind him but only saw Salvo. He looked back at Bern then glanced at the doctor who shrugged. "He's lost a lot of blood and I gave him a pretty strong dose of morphine. He's probably hallucinating." the doctor explained. Sniffling, Mon lifted his hand to hold Bern's against his cheek. "I'm right here," he said to him quietly. "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere, ok? I love you so much." Mon's voice kept breaking as he spoke. --- Carol let out a laugh at Charles's assumption and she shook her head while lightly patting his knee. "Oh, no sweet thing!" she giggled. "Trust me, you're definitely not Lucifer and I would know!Technically speaking, I've had you both." she winked. Being attached to Amelia, something like that was unavoidable. Yet she removed her hand and placed it back onto her own lap while looking at Charles fondly. "No, you're not him. But..." she sighed. "and again, I COULD be wrong... but you look strikingly like him. Both in your human form and your second form. A form that happens to be as specific as it is rare. Hell has dragons aplenty but flaming skeletons?" she shook her head. "Only ever knew one other... and you just saw him in my memories." She glanced away from him with a thoughtful expression. "Lucifer wasn't exactly a stranger to lovers and marriage either. He'd been around for centuries and had already been married a dozen times by the time I met him. So, it would only make sense that he'd have a few children over the years." She glanced back at Charles. "And it would also make sense as to why he might abandon them... like drop them off at an orphanage for example... I mean, you only need to look at what happened to Damien when he'd announced him as his apprentice. The poor boy was hunted mercilessly by Angels whenever he stepped foot on Earth. Back then, if Lucifer's apprentice had that big of a target on his back, can you imagine what they'd have done to Lucifer's children if they ever knew of their existence?" she speculated aloud. "At least, that's why I think he would have done it. But you know..." she shrugged. "I might be wrong. Of course, if I'm not though... that would technically make you the rightful heir to Hell's throne." --- Doctor Fenton smiled at them as he watched their happy moment. "I'm glad to see such a drastic improvement in the both of you already. Don't forget, you can expect a visit once per week for a therapy session until you're both signed off. But for now, I wish you both the best." he nodded at them before vanishing. "Let's look inside our new home!" Kasper said excitedly. He had an arm wrapped around Phineas's shoulder and his other hand rested on his chest as Phineas held him. He kissed him again and his kiss was charged with pure love. --- Kodi stepped into the breakroom then paused when he saw Autumn with the boy. "Oh, there you are. Everything ok?" he asked as he walked over to the sink and rinsed his now empty mug. Hayward shrugged as she unlocked the cell and held the door open for him. "Because you remind me of someone," she replied with a sly smile. "Want me to show you where the break room is? I think that's where your friend went." --- Damien glared at Will when he'd threatened to spank him. "Aren't you dating my son?" he asked, insinuating that such a threat could be easily misinterpreted. At Carter's words, Damien growled. "Are you all insane?! You'll have me working as a mortal while Donnie gets stronger?! Fuck this shit! Get this damn bracelet off me!" "No," David replied coldly yet calmly. "You'll keep that 'damn bracelet' on until you remember what it was like to be a fragile human. Then maybe you'll be more considerate of the mortals you come into contact with." "Like Bern." Sebastian stepped into the room with his arms folded, glaring at Damien as well. "He got hurt when you shattered all the glass in here! And you can clean this mess up too!" he gestured to the broken glass around the place. "Shame on you!" "Do not speak to me like I'm a child!" Damien growled at him. "Then don't act like one!" Sebastian snapped back while walking over to Carter. "Dustpan and brush are in the laundry room." Red-faced but outnumbered and outmatched, Damien grumbled as he marched into the laundry room. --- A little out of breath, Warren was laying on a heap of large pillows with Insanity and Donnie. Donnie was between them, with an arm wrapped around them on either side of him. Warren's head was on Donnie's chest. He watched as Donnie was still kissing Insanity slowly and passionately before the kiss broke. Donnie's head flopped back to rest on the pillows as he grinned. "I am spent!" He chuckled. He looked down at Warren with a smirk. "Well done. You ended up being more enthusiastic than I thought you'd be." Warren looked between them both nervously. His cheeks were still flushed from their activities. "Y-you said if I did what you told me...that you would protect me?" he asked in a quiet voice. "Of course. That was the deal, wasn't it?" Donnie smiled then snapped his fingers, making the contract appear next to his head with the pen. Warren lifted his head to look up at it. "What's that?" "Insurance," Donnie answered. "It's our contract. Swear yourself to us. Become our loyal servant and concubine. In return, you will be under our protection. Of course, I must warn you. If you break your vow and betray us, your soul will be destroyed and you will cease to exist." At his last few words, Warren's eyes widened as he stared at the contract. He began to shiver. Seeing this, Donnie lifted his hand to caress his cheek. "But that won't happen because you won't betray us. Look at me," he said gently and Warren tore his eyes away from the contract to look at him tearfully. "Your soul is damned. There is nothing for you out there now but pain, punishment and despair. My beloved Insanity gave you a taste of that earlier." Donnie told him and Warren shivered again at the memory of Insanity stripping him down and carving into his chest. He dread to think what any other demon would do to him if he was left to wander Hell alone. "But you are fortunate. Because you have been chosen to be the consort of Hell's rulers. Instead of agony and hopeless wandering, we are offering you an eternity of pleasure and comfort. All that we ask in return..." Donnie sat up and picked up the pen before pushing it into Warren's hand. "Is your loyalty." he then leaned in and kissed Warren gently and slowly. "Be ours," he whispered as he lay back down and wrapped his arm around Insanity again. Warren's head spun and his heart was beating hard as he looked from Donnie to the contract. He bit his lip and toyed with the pen in his hand hesitantly before looking back at them, clearly weighing his options. But as far as Warren knew, he only really had the one option if he wanted any hope of remaining safe. What he didn't realise was that Donnie had manipulated him into thinking that this was his only choice and that this was the beginning of what would likely develop into a very severe case of Stockholm syndrome for Warren. Finally making his decision, Warren tried to sign the contract but the sharp point of the pen left a small scratch on the paper. He paused and looked at the pen in confusion. "I-I think it's out of ink?" he said obliviously, causing Donnie to chuckle. "Your blood is the ink, Warren. The pen is a needle." He told him and watched as the realisation washed over Warren's features. Turning the pen in his hand, he saw the needle's point in place of a standard pen's nib. Hesitantly, he pressed it to his finger then sucked air through his teeth at the sting. He saw the small amount of his blood shoot up into the ink chamber and knew it had already taken enough for one signature. Removing his finger, he looked back at the contract, then took a deep breath before signing on the line. Donnie gasped a little softly from the additional power boost. Although in comparison to a bar full of demons, this was only a small boost. He snapped his fingers and the contract, along with the pen vanished. He then grabbed Warren's arm and gently pulled him down to join them again while running a hand through his hair. "Welcome to our little family, Warren." he grinned while Warren rested his head on his chest again with a torn look in his eyes. He got the impression from his captors that they were happy with him but he couldn't help wondering if he'd made the right choice. Looking for reassurance, he looked between Donnie and Insanity. "So, I'm yours now? You won't hurt me?" "We won't let others hurt you." Donnie clarified. "The contract won't destroy you if you're disobedient. It'll only destroy you if you betray us to our enemies or if you conspire to destroy us. So if you step out of line, we will have to punish you." Donnie continued to run his fingers through his hair. "But you won't disappoint us, will you?" "N-no. No, I won't. I don't want to make you both mad."

Denix Vames - March 6, 2022 "I hope I can get that feeling. I need something to forget the fact that Heaven sucks." ,said Nate. --- Xenos chuckled. "Deal." He kissed her deeply. --- "Then maybe that means you can hang out with us some more? There are lots of places to go to for some fun." ,said Pain. --- "Boss!" Bern threw himself in front of Salvo as shards of glass pierced into his back. The impact made him fall over. Salvo looked at him as he was under Bern. "No! Bern!" He placed him on his side. "Fuck! This looks bad." Carter knelt by Bern. "We need to get him to the hospital." "We can't do that. They'll find out we're still around. We have our own personal doctor. Let's just get him back to the mansion." Will nodded at David. "You lead the way. I'll give him a wake up call." --- "I could try. Just hold still." Charles placed his hands on her head. Sending her to a deep sleep. He gently laid her down. "Carol? If you can hear me, please talk to Amelia. You and her need to talk." --- "Kasper...." His right eye suddenly opened. Resembling that of his left eye. Tears were leaving both of them. He cupped his cheeks before passionately kissing him. --- "What do you mean? Are you saying that I can't see my friends ever again?" Billy stood. "That isn't right! I need to be there with them!" --- The teenager held up his middle finger. "Up yours!" "Some annoying essay about that french guy called Napoleon. I don't even know why they bother teaching us this stuff. It's not like it ever helped me with my struggles." Autumn crossed her arms. "Besides, he sounds like a dick." She stood when she heard some shouting. "What's going on with that guy? Can I go over there and look?" shadowess - March 8, 2022 Tom cupped Nate's cheek and looked at him lovingly. "I could help," he said softly. "I'm not sure how but I could learn. I was thinking of doing a course in accounting before I changed. Maybe it's not too late to enrol at a college and get the qualification for it? Then I could help you when it comes to keeping track of expenses and profits." As Tom thought of this, he found himself feeling excited by the idea of picking up where he left off before ADIEU had flipped his life upside down. It was yet another way that his change to vampirism had given him a second chance at life. --- Tia kissed Xenos back and caressed his cheek as she did. She then broke the kiss and looked behind her when she heard Jack start to snore. She covered her mouth and stifled a laugh as she looked back at Xenos playfully. "Shall we visit 'our spot'?" she asked, referring to the part of the woods where they had made love for the first time. --- Lilly's smile became warm as she looked at Pain. "I'd like that," she said softly. "Maybe you could show me some of these places?" --- "Dammit... I'd come with you but... you know..." River said to Will from the couch, barely able to see now from both his eyes swelling up. "What's an injured Blood God gotta do to get some blood around here?" he called to the others. "Bern!" Mon also knelt by him and held his hand. "Hang on, Bern. We'll get you to the doc. He'll fix you up." he said then took his arm. "This is guna sting," he warned, then helped him to stand so they could walk him to the car. David had taken a handkerchief and held it against his nose as he watched the others try to carry Bern out of the house. "One moment," he said before placing the fingers from both his hands on either side of his nose and popping his nose back into place with a sickening crunch. He grunted from the pain but kept applying pressure with his handkerchief. "That's a little better." "I know something that might help." Rob appeared in the room. He winced at the sunlight which shone through the window. "Also, disclaimer. I'm pretty hungover so this is just a quick visit and I would really appreciate it if you all spoke quietly, thanks." he dug into his pocket and pulled out the bracelet that he had once worn. "I recently had to wear this as a penalty for...oh, it doesn't matter why. Here," he said, not wanting to go into detail about his affiliation with Mickey. He held it out for Will to take. "I'm not sure if it'll work on Devils but it's worth a shot." "What does it do?" David asked, looking at it curiously. "And also, who are you?" "Oh, right. That's right. I don't think I've met any of you. My name is Rob. I'm with Gabriel and that bracelet basically strips the wearer of their powers. The only thing they'll be able to do is teleport. Other than that, they're basically just slightly stronger than a normal human. The only person that can take it off, is the person who put it on them. Might be useful if you want to keep him safe while talking some sense into him." --- Amelia took a breath and relaxed as Charles did his thing, trusting him completely. Within seconds, she was sleeping deeply. A further few seconds later, her eyes flickered open again. Amelia then gave Charles a playful smirk. "Hello handsome." she purred before sitting up and looking at her hands. "Oh, it feels good to have a little control for a while." she shook her head and smirked at Charles again. "Don't worry, it's not permanent. I could never have control like this normally, even when she slept because she was always still at least a little conscious. Fun fact, Amelia is usually a very light sleeper." She turned to Charles and gave him a more serious look. "But I don't just want temporary fixes. I need something permanent. I've enjoyed watching over her but it's time that I had my own life again. I've been thinking a lot about what that man said to me at the wedding. Hell! If a Blood God essence can get his own body then why can't I?" she shook her head then in anticipation of Charles's worries over Amelia. "She'll be fine. We just need a spell that separates part of my soul from her while not stripping her of the spell she'd already placed. Ask that Hades chick. She's a Leviathan and from what I overheard, she's been around a long time. If there's ever a race who is familiar with the type of Devil that Amelia is, it's a Leviathan! From the stories I was told, both Ancient Devils and Leviathans used to be kind buddy-buddy before Hell's first take-over. Even if it doesn't work and Amelia winds up a fairy again, she could always ask you or one of the other Devils to change her. She won't be the same kind of Devil she was but she'd still be Devil." Carol explained hurriedly, not sure of how much freedom she'd have before Amelia woke up. --- Kasper was surprised by his other eye-opening and seeming to function again like a normal eye. He kissed Phineas back just as passionately while resting his hands on his chest. Before they could get too carried away, Doctor Fenton quietly faked a cough into his fist. He had been watching them with a small smile. When the kiss would break and they'd look in his direction, Fenton would hold the clipboard out for Kasper. He took it and smiled at Phineas with pink cheeks. He took the pen from Fenton as well and signed the documents eagerly. Once that was done, he handed the clipboard back and held Phineas's hand. Doctor Fenton handed the clipboard and pen to a nearby nurse and asked that they take it to the reception desk to process before turning back to face them. "Alright." he sighed and held out his hands. "Ready to see your new home?" --- Azrael frowned then looked up at the sky thoughtfully. "Well... You were granted the status of Angel before you were murdered here... and Heaven is considering opening up to Demons and Devils... you know, once this whole Donnie thing blows over..." He sat up and looked at Billy, placing a hand on his. "Let me see what I can do! Wait here," he said before vanishing. A couple of minutes later, Azrael reappeared and no longer stank of booze. In fact, he was completely sober now. "Well. He called me a drunken dumbass but he also said I raised a few good points," he explained while straightening out his suit, which seemed to now be much cleaner than it had been. "He sobered me up and cleaned me up then gave me this to hand to you." he took a small, golden medallion from his pocket and handed it to Billy. "Whatever you do, don't lose it. It grants its holder permission to be in Heaven. Kind of like a passport." he shrugged. --- Kodi chuckled at Autumn's comments about her homework. "Ahh, that guy. See, the reason they teach us these things is so that we don't forget how they happened and we can try to prevent something like that from ever happening again. It's like humanity as a whole is trying to learn from past mistakes." He then glanced over at the other teenager in the holding cell and frowned disapprovingly. "I don't know Autumn. Looks like Hayward has her hands full as it is with him. Best not to distract her. Besides, you should try to focus more on this." he tapped her homework with his index finger. "So that you don't end up like that." he pointed to the boy with his thumb. "Now, I gotta go file away some paperwork. Promise me you won't go getting involved?" Hayward had sighed and rolled her eyes at the kid. "Look, it's either I call your parents or social services. Which is it going to be, tough guy?" Denix Vames - March 8, 2022 "Go for it. I'll support you. Besides, that just mean we get an office as our number of places to have sex in." Nate winked. --- "Of course." Xenos held her hand as they left the room. Both were soon in the woods. "This place seems to get more beautiful each time I come here." --- The waiter came back with their orders. Placing them on the table before walking away. "Yeah sure. There's lot of awesome places to check out. I think you'll like them." Pain lifted the hot dog and took a bite. "Mmm! This stuff rocks!" --- Carter handed River a blood bag. "Here ya go." Will nodded at him. "You just rest up. Me and David can handle this." He accepted the wristband from Rob before disappearing with David. Salvo quickly opened the car door. Letting Mon place Bern in the backseat. Bern groaned as blood dripped from his lips. He leaned his head against Mon's. Nearly keeling over. "Mon....I-I....lov...." He grit his teeth. With Salvo in the passenger seat, his driver began the drive back to the mansion. --- Charles nodded. "Alright. I'll talk to her then and see what I can do. I'm sure we'll find a solution. We always seem to for every problem." He looked at the cot. "Do you want to hold him since you're here? I mean I know you never left but I'm sure you know what I mean." --- Phineas smiled before nodding. "Yes!" He raised a brow. "Why are you all looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?" He hadn't noticed the change in his right eye. --- "Hell yeah!" Billy gave him a tight hug. "Thanks man. I sure do appreciate it." He stuffed the medallion in his pocket. --- Autumn sighed. "Fine. I promise." The teenager crossed his arms before frustratingly saying, "Cory Blakewell." Another teenager burst into the precinct. He caught his breath. "Is Cory here? I heard he might be here. Please! I came here to help him. My name is Winters. He's my friend. I just need to talk to him." Once Kodi would leave, Autumn ran over to Winters. "I know where the cells are. Sort of. Just gotta here the sounds. C'mon. I'll take you." "Oh thank you!" They headed to two large doors in the far back. Shadowess - March 9, 2022 Tom chuckled with a cheeky grin. "So naughty!" he gasped then bit his lip while giving him a playful look. "I can't wait. Maybe we could try role play?" --- "It does, doesn't it?" Tia looked around then back at Xenos with a smile. "It reminds me of when I was saved and I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the forest." she stepped close to Xenos and placed her hands on his chest. "It reminds me of the moment I saw you. My hero." she purred. --- Lilly was fascinated by the food that was set down in front of them. She looked at Pain's hotdog curiously. She knew what sausages were but that didn't look like any kind of sausage that she was familiar with. It was red! She looked at her burger and recognised it as just as a strangely shaped sandwich. Eagerly, she picked it up to try it. After taking a bite and chewing on it a bit, her eyes lit up. She swallowed what was in her mouth before covering her smiling mouth his her hand. "It's good!" --- Mon held on to Bern, holding him steady while looking at him tearfully. "Hey, shh. Don't do that. You're going to make it, ok? Just hold on. We'll be there in no time." he looked at the driver frantically. "Can't this thing go any faster?" --- "Thank you." Carol relaxed when reassured that they would try to find a way to give her her own life. She looked towards the crib and hesitated for a few reasons. Before Amelia had come along, Carol had never really liked kids and had done her best to avoid them. But this was different. Amelia was like a daughter to her now which meant this child was the closest to a grandchild that she would ever have. However, as much as she wanted to hold him, she shook her head with a small smile. "I don't want to confuse him. Besides, I'm not sure how long I have before Amelia wakes up. I don't want to risk passing out while holding him." she smiled at Charles. "Thank you, though. I'm sure there will be plenty of time to bond with the mini Devil once I'm free." She then gave Charles a sly smile while looking him over. "You look a lot like someone I used to know. Even in your second form. I noticed from the minute I saw you and frankly, I'm surprised that David hasn't." she said while turning to him to look at him curiously. "Charles, just curious, do you know who your parents are or were?" --- "You can't tell?" Kasper asked, smiling at Phineas. He'd assumed that Phineas would have noticed the change to his depth perception. "Your eye, Phineas. It's healed," he said softly. He looked around quickly. "Wasn't there a mirror in this room?" he asked and Fenton took their hands. "It's fine. I'll teleport you to your new home now. I'm sure there will be a mirror there for you to use." he said before teleporting them outside of a cosy looking cottage near an open field. "Here we are." he let go of their hands. "It's everything I dreamt of!" Kasper gasped as he looked at the cottage. "I came from a wealthy family and spent my whole life living in a mansion. But I don't need all that. I've only ever wanted a place where I could live comfortably, in a quiet place like this, without having too much." "Your home is adaptable to you. So, if you ever get bored and want a change, the house will shift to your desired size and structure. The same goes for its contents. All of your furniture is styled to your liking and if you get hungry or thirsty, there will always be your favourite foods and drinks in the kitchen." Fenton looked at Phineas. "Because you'll be living with Kasper, the home will also adapt to you. There will be rooms suited to your tastes as well and the kitchen will also cater to your cravings." he looked back at their home with a smile. "Welcome to Heaven." --- "It's the least I could do." Azrael smiled. He then scratched the back of his head, feeling a little awkward. "I'm just sorry you had to see me in that state. So, did you mean what you said about coming with me on my rounds or was the booze making me hear things?" he asked, giving Billy a chance to change his mind if he wanted while saving face. After all, Azrael would understand if he changed his mind given how depressing his job can be at times. He took out his little black book and opened it up. "This is how I see who is due to die. Once a name appears in this book, it cannot be undone," he explained. "It also gives me a little summary of what to expect. Like here, it says this man is due to die from massive internal bleeding. Then next to it, in this column here, it says where the soul needs to be dropped off. So, this man is due to go to Heaven. It also says that his last act was self-sacrifice to save someone else. So, I guess I'll be guiding a hero to Heaven today." he showed the page to Billy. --- Content with Autumn's answer, Kodi had left her to it while he took some of his paperwork to a back office. Malone watched as the other teenager had run into the precinct and had been just about to get up to help when Autumn had run over. He watched them with a raised brow for a moment before sighing as Autumn lead the boy towards the holding cell. "Kids..." He mumbled and got up from his desk, deciding it'd probably be for the best if he kept his eye on them so that they wouldn't get into trouble. Meanwhile, Hayward smiled as she wrote the boy's name into her notepad. "That wasn't so hard, was it? Are you going to give me your address as well or do I need to look you up?" --- By the time David and Will had arrived, Damien was doing something similar to what Donnie had done. Only he was addressing a barracks full of human privates in the UK. He had already promised to make them all into Demons to give them powers to be able to protect their families. In exchange, he had told them that he wanted them to join his army in Hell, swear their loyalty and sign his contract. He held the contract up, along with a pen that was similar to the one Donnie had used. "Who's first?" "Damien!" David barked at him as soon as they appeared, making Damien jump a little. Damien turned and glared at them. "No one signs his contract!" David then shouted to the cadets. "Holy shit! It's him!" One of the soldiers gasped as they all stared at David. In another building next to this one, was a hall. In that hall was a memorial to soldiers who fought in World War Two. David was in one of the photos, standing with a group of British and American soldiers in Germany. Needless to say, the soldiers here all knew who David Sedley was. "I need to do this! This is what I was made for! To lead an army!! It's what I trained for!" Damien ranted, turning on David. "Let me protect Hell my way, dammit!" "This isn't the right way! Those contracts are dangerous to the souls who sign them and addictive to the Devils that use them!" David shouted back. "Damien, Lucifer is gone! You don't need to try and make him proud anymore!" "You don't get it!! You'll never get it!!" Damien raged. He slammed the contract down with the pen and marched over to them. Poking a finger at David's chest. "I will not back down on this! Even if you managed to convince these men not to sign, I'll just teleport and find others who will! So, stay out of my way! Or should I put you through another fucking wall!?"

Denix Vames - March 4, 2022 "Lush is a soap company? Sounds more like what you feel before sex. But if they're a good brand to work with then I guess I could try them out." ,said Nate. --- Insanity moaned as he began stripping himself off of any clothes. He forced him on his knees where he was close to his crotch. "Do it." (private time) --- "They didn't want to. Donnie had them under his control when they sent them. Since they died, the spell wore off. Thankfully, this means that they can go back to their regular lives." ,said Xenos. He placed a hand on hers. "I promise that I'll never let anything happen to you or Jack. You're my family." --- "Alright. Do you want to try some sodas? They've got all kinds of flavors. It's basically a carbonated drink. They're awesome." ,said Pain. --- Salvo walked downstairs with a cigarette in his hand. He stood in front of Damien. "Look kid. If there's one thing I know about contracts, it's that they're nothing but bad news. And the lady knows what she's doing. She'll be fine. Trust me." He tapped the end of the cigarette before taking a puff. --- "I really doubt she being out of you would make you not a Devil anymore. Besides, I think it's time that we give Carol her own space. Otherwise, it's only to hurt you both." ,said Charles. He slightly nodded. "Please Amelia. For the baby." --- Phineas held him tight. "I know you did. I'm sorry that I ever left. I was a fool to think that I could beat him. He was the one who played me out as a clown. I promise that I'll never leave your side again." --- "What about dating a soul? Angel? Demon? Isn't there someone out there who could stay with you?" ,said Billy. Shadowess - March 6, 2022 "You're probably better off going independent." Tom pointed out. "We could visit a Lush for ideas but if a company as big as that got wind of your powers, they'd take full advantage of you to save themselves money." --- "At least they're free now." Tia sighed though she was still concerned. Who was this Donnie and why did he want to hurt them? She lost her train of thought however when Xenos held her hand and she turned her head to look at him. Her heart swelled at his promise. She kissed him, softly and sweetly. "I love you," she said quietly. --- "Carbonated?" Lilly tilted her head a little. "Like those red cans?" she asked, referring to the ones she'd seen the other's drink back at their hangout. "That might be interesting." she nodded then looked at the images of the drinks. She had no idea what flavours any of them were and wasn't sure where to even start with them. "Um... I think I'll just try whatever you're having," she said, looking back up at him. --- Damien glared at Salvo. His conditioning under Lucifer had trained him to recognise his current body language and defiant tone to be a challenge to his authority. Lucifer had always taught him that such insolence should not be tolerated. Ordinarily, in this kind of scenario, Damien would have been expected to assert himself but instead, he had to practise some restraint. He couldn't just go around killing Amelia's friends, after all. She might already be pissed at him for not going to see her since his return without adding something like that to the reasons for her to be angry at him. Instead, he settled for what he thought was a mild warning but would actually come across as a full-blown threat. "I'd back off if I were you. It's not wise to antagonise me." --- Amelia looked at Charles with a mixture of frustration and anguish. "You don't understand." she shook her head. "Carol is my mum. If I knew a way to bring her back, I'd do it in a second! She was destroyed and what little part of her essence was left was absorbed into me when I became what I am." She looked down at the ground tearfully. "There's a reason that you and Damien have the ability to make more Devils but I don't. I'm not the same type of Devil as either of you. It's like how Blood Gods are still Devils but they're a different type. You, Damien, Lucifer and even Donnie and Insanity now... you're all Devils who are descended from Angels. But the Devil that gave me their power? Was one of the Ancient ones... the original Devils. The ones who were born and lived in Hell before Lucifer and his followers fell and wiped them all out." she explained. "I found him when I was a kid. I'd slipped away from David and Carol for the millionth time to explore... I found him in Hell's Cells and he told me how his race had been destroyed and he'd been kept as a memento... He put the spell in my head and told me that I'd need it one day. I went back to release him after I'd changed but he was gone... only dust was left in his cell." a tear rolled down her cheek. "I think the spell takes power from the Devil who gave it to make the newer one strong... he must've given me everything he had and destroyed himself in the process." She used her free hand to wipe away some of her tears. "What I'm saying is, I don't know how much Carol affects the spell that I cast. If she's taken from me, it might undo it and I'll be a fairy again. If that happened, Donnie would take full advantage and overthrow me in a heartbeat... I'm stuck and I don't know what to do!" --- Kasper kissed him hurriedly and passionately, over and over. "I'm just glad that you're safe!" he cried between kisses before hugging him again. Doctor Fenton watched them both with a thoughtful expression for a moment before kneeling down to their level. "I don't think this setting is making your recovery as easy as it should." He observed. "Phineas, you have obvious anxiety just from being here." he sighed and removed his glasses to rub his eyes with his finger and thumb. "Let me see what I can work out. It won't be easy with Phineas not being a resident of Heaven but if it helps you both to recover from your traumas then it's worth a shot. Stay here." he said as he replaced his glasses and left the room. Several minutes later, he would return with a clipboard that held official-looking forms. He held a blue pen in his other hand. "Alright, here's a solution for you. It's entirely up to you if you want to do this. Kasper is a resident in Heaven so he's been assigned his own home here. If he agrees to be responsible for you and you both agree to attend counselling at least once per week then Phineas can legally live in Kasper's home. Sound good? If this is something that you think might help then Kasper will just need to sign these forms to confirm that he will be responsible for your stay in Heaven going forward." "I-... I have a house here?" Kasper was taken aback by all of it. He was overwhelmed with joy at the thought that he and Phineas could live together in a more private and personal space. He was astonished though that there was a housing system in Heaven and that he apparently already owned land here. "Of course." Fenton smiled. "This is Heaven. Kasper, for a Steinheil, you are a remarkably kind soul. Oh-! No offence intended by that. It's just that your family have a reputation for being racist murderers. Since your family began hunting vampires centuries ago, you're actually the first Steinheil to make it into Heaven upon their death. It's like looking at a unicorn. All that training your parents put you through, you didn't once take part in their hunts, did you?" "N-no..." Kasper admitted with reddened cheeks. "We usually split up in the woods, so I'd double back and go home when they couldn't see me. I just couldn't do it..." "That's a good thing, Kasper. You made the conscious decision to not take part in a grave sin." Kasper looked down at the ground in shame. "But I didn't try to stop them..." "They were your family, Kasper. You were in a difficult position. Which is why it hurt all the more when the man you thought loved you, murdered you when you finally got up the courage to set him free." "Because he just saw me as one of them..." Tears rolled down Kasper's cheeks. Fenton smiled kindly and picked up the box of tissues from the nearby bedstand before offering them to Kasper. "Not even a therapy session and you're already making progress," he told him reassuringly. Kasper took a tissue and dabbed at his eyes while trying a small smile. He looked back at Phineas. "What do you think? Want to come live with me?" --- "Stay with me?" Azrael looked up at Billy. "No... I couldn't ask anyone to do that... My job is deeply depressing and it really takes a toll after a while. That's why I let off steam like this..." he gestured to himself. He sighed deeply, blinking back tears as he stared up at the sky. "It's fine... I've been alone this long... what's one or two more millennia?" Denix Vames - March 6, 2022 "Actually, I was thinking of doing things the human way. Just to try it out. I think I might like it more than my powers." ,said Nate. --- Xenos returned the kiss. "I'm sorry that my job keeps me away from you and Jack. If I had been there....I know you're alright but still. I worry." --- "Then it's coke for the both of us." Pain raised his hand. Getting a waiter to come over. He told them their orders before the menus were taken away. "So, you doing alright now? It's just that I'm always...." He nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, let's just say that when a friend is sad then I'll be there to help out no matter what." --- Salvo laughed. "Who stuck a foot up your ass? I'm just telling it like it is. Patience's got the right idea." He poked at his chest. "Not you." Carter stepped in between before things could have gotten ugly. "Enough! Both of you! Doing this isn't going to help." He rolled his eyes. "Salvo's definitely only right about one thing. You're such a five year old, Damien." --- "Then why don't the two of you try to talk to each other? See if you can work together? Since it seems like she can never leave you, it's best to connect mentally well with each other." ,said Charles. --- Phineas stepped out of the room. "Look at what I caused. You don't want me around you. My sunlight...." He held a sad smile as he looked at Kasper. "You would be a fool to bring a dangerous beast into your own home. I deserve to be locked up. I should be bound and chained. Maybe the people in my village were right about me." He looked at the damage surrounding him. Frowning he said, "I am an abomination." He brushed his hand against the broken table. "I just wish I could-" The broken furniture began to repair itself before settling back to their right places. His eye widened. He looked at his hand. "I thought I could only cause destruction." --- "Fucking christ! That long?" Billy shook his head. "Look man. How about I hang out with you for a bit? Looks like you could use a friend. And we have been talking long enough for me to know that I like your company." --- "Get the fuck off of me bitch!" A teenage boy had been arrested for vandalizing the high school that he attends. Autumn had come back to the precinct so that she could do her homework there. She watched the guy struggle with an officer who a good grip on him. She seemed intrigued by his clothes. Shadowess - March 6, 2022 Tom's smile grew and he nodded in approval. "It's definitely rewarding spending time on something and seeing it come together." --- Moving her hand to hold his as well, Tia gave it a gentle squeeze. "Never apologise," she whispered. "Me and Jack... we're strong. We're survivors. I knew what I was getting into when I opened up my heart to you and I would have it no other way. Your job is important. You protect the world. Let me protect our home." she gently nudged his nose with her own while giving him a coy smile. --- Lilly blinked at Pain. Then she blushed a little while tucking her hair behind her ears again before resting her arms on the table. "Thank you. I appreciate that. It's like I said back at that bar though. I'm the happiest that I've ever felt. Because for the first time in my life, I feel like I actually have a chance... a chance to live without fear or persecution. I can..." she chuckled at the realisation before finishing her sentence. "I can really relax. Instead of being on edge all the time." --- As a knee-jerk reaction to Carter's insult, Damien's eyes immediately turned red and he turned to him. Seeing the danger and knowing from past experiences what Damien was like, both David and Sebastian jumped into action. Sebastian grabbed Carter to pull him out of Damien's reach and David stepped between them just in time for Damien's fist to connect with his face instead of Carter's. The sheer force of the hit sent him flying into the far wall- and through it! Damien's eyes widened when he realised what he'd done and what he'd almost done to Carter. Struggling against his instincts which told him to continue fighting, he took a step back and stared through the hole in the wall to see if David was alright. With a pained grunt, David stood while holding his swelling face. "I-I-..." Damien stammered, seemingly shocked by his own quick temper. Foolishly, bravely, or both, Mon had stepped in front of Salvo and was now pointing his gun at Damien. "You think you're some kind of tough guy, huh?" Mon asked although he was sweating. "Coming here, laying down the law and throwing your weight around. You ain't tough. Just a bully is what you are." Damien snapped out of his stupor to glare at Mon who shivered but maintained his composure. Unwilling to back down while there was a threat to his Don in the room. "I came here to try and help!" Damien snapped back. "If Donnie is using those contracts then we must fight fire with fire! But if non of you will listen to me, then fine! I guess I'll just have to gather up some signatures on my own to take him on!!" "No, Damie-!" David shouted but Damien had vanished, but not before letting out a blast of his energy to smash all the windows, glasses and mirrors in the room. "No, no, no!" David shook as he climbed back into the room through the hole in the wall. "I'm sorry all, this is my fault. I should've known that it would be far too early to involve him in something like this! He's lapsed back into the Devil he was when he was Lucifer's apprentice..." he looked at Will. "He's struggling but I know he wants to change. He's told me as much. I need your help. We need to stop him before he gets anyone to sign one of those damned contracts. I just know that he'll regret it later and it might hinder his recovery. Please." "Knowing Damien though, he's not going to go quietly." Sebastian sighed, catching his breath after his panic attacks as well as the effort to save Carter. "He's stubborn. He'll put up a fight." "I know..." David nodded, still holding his nose. "Fight him if you have to. Just don't let him follow in Lucifer's footsteps again. He needs to learn that there are alternatives." --- Amelia shrugged. "The only time she ever tried to communicate with me was in a dream and it was to tell me to find the pregnancy book in Hell." Amelia caressed Oliver's cheek with her index finger, still finding it amazing how small his face was in comparison to her hand. Oliver stared up at her and cooed at her gentle touch. "I wonder if doing something like that takes up a lot of energy for her. In comparison to just influencing my emotions, it would make sense." she thought out loud. She then had an idea and looked at Charles. "I wonder..." she stood and walked into Oliver's bedroom to place him into his cot before walking back and sitting next to Charles again. "You're really strong when it comes to telepathy and empathy... Is there a way for you to send me to sleep and try to coax her out to talk? Maybe she'll have a better idea of what to do?" --- "You only think that because that's what you've been told your whole life," Kasper said as he approached Phineas and lay a gentle hand on his arm. "I want you to come with me. I need you. If that makes me a fool then fine! I'd rather be a fool in love and a lonely intelligent man." he said tearfully, confessing how he felt for Phineas without hesitation. --- Azrael looked at Billy again, taken aback by the offer. "You WANT to come with me?" he asked, as if finding this difficult to believe. He considered the offer. He supposed that it wasn't the same as dating someone as neither of them really had any real commitments to each other. Which meant that if or when Billy found Azrael's job to be too much, he could always just leave and this wouldn't negatively affect their friendship. After all, Azrael never expected Gabriel or Nate to join him during his work for the same reason. He smiled and nodded. "If that's what you would like, then I would be glad of the company. You won't be able to follow me when I take a soul to Heaven but I can always come back to meet up with you again when I'm done with dropping them off." --- Officer Hayward pulled the boy along by his arm until they reached the small holding cell. "Sit tight kiddo while I call your parents," she said in an almost bored tone as she locked the cell door behind him. She took out a small notepad and pen, then looked at him expectantly. "What's your name and address?" Malone was sitting at his desk, not too far away. He glanced up at them briefly before returning his eyes to the report that he was trying to finish. Meanwhile, Kodi walked into the room while holding two mugs. He set one down in front of Autumn. "Thought you could use some hot chocolate," he said to her with a small smile. "It's getting pretty chilly out. I'll be winter again before we know it." he chuckled as he brought his own mug up to his lips. "What are you working on there?" he asked while looking at her homework.

Denix Vames - March 4, 2022 Nate sighed. "I think after this, I'm definitely quitting. I wouldn't mind working a human job." --- "You're right. Even as much as I like easy opportunities, she is being rather pleasant to us." ,said Insanity. Warren was bare naked. Stripped of his clothes. There were several cuts on his chest. Not too deep. --- "We can get a TV in here. I'll have a private tutor for you. As much as I use to wish school was over when I was a child, you still have a lot to learn." ,said Xenos. --- "We could go to a diner. They might accept American bills." ,said Pain. He led her to a local diner. --- "What the fuck were you thinking?!" ,said Will. He gently lifted River off the ground. "Can you hear me? Are you ok?" Carter ran into the house after Sebastian. "Hey, it's going to be ok. Patience's should be there by now. I'm sure everything will work out in the end." He gently wrapped his arms around him. --- Charles entered the room. He sat next to her. "Amelia....I should have never talk to you the way I did." Tears dripped down his cheeks. "I may be a husband and a father but you're a mother and a wife. You can make your own decisions. I'm the one who made you feel locked in." --- "So you can do what?! Torture us?!" Phineas began to recall a time when he was alive. When the townspeople of his home shunned him away. Fearing him for simply going through the trauma the way he did. Then there was the circus. A place where people would laugh at him and throw things. Kids would cry. "No matter what happens, I will always be used!" --- "I can't imagine what it must be like to not have that comfort. Honestly, I just stuck with the gang because I didn't know where else to go after I died." Billy placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry that you're seen as something that you're not. I've been through that before. It doesn't get easy." shadowess - March 4, 2022 Nodding, Tom kissed Nate's cheek. "You might be able to get a job at Carter's." he suggested then thought. "Unless you had something else in mind?" --- Shaking uncontrollably, Warren lay on the ground while doing his best to cover himself with his hands. Donnie knelt near them and continued his conversation with Insanity, paying little attention right now to Warren. "We'll just have to keep an eye on her. When we're done here, I'll pat her down for weapons or listening devices." he said quietly. "Either she's trying to play us or that damn group is trying to use her defection against us. I can feel it. I'd make her sign a contract but if she broke it, it's bye bye baby...BUT, she is practically human right now. So, on her own she's powerless." While Donnie and Insanity had been talking, Warren had heard enough to know that there was another group out there that want to stop these two. Given what they seemed to plan on doing to him, he was all for trying to find this group to get help. He seized the opportunity while they were distracted to jump to his feet and bolt for what he thought was the exit. Donnie placed a hand on Insanity's shoulder and grinned, watching Warren run. "Wait for it." he chuckled. A second later, bare footsteps could be heard on the marbled floor, running back into the room from another exit. Waren froze when he saw that he was facing his captors again and looked both frightened and confused. He quickly turned and ran back the way he came, only to run back into the room from another entrance. Donnie laughed and stood. "How do you like my spells?" he asked then gave him a dark look. "Now, how should we punish you for your disobedience?" "No! No, no! Please!" Warren yelped and fell to his knees. "I-I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me anymore! I'll do what you want! I'm sorry!" --- "Aww!" Jack complained and pulled a face. Tia giggled and stroked Xenos's arm. "Maybe while Jack is learning, you could give me a 'private tutoring?'" she suggested subtly. --- On the way out, a kind old man had heard Pain's comment and stopped them both to point out that most establishments in the UK don't even accept the Euro, but that there was a foriegn exchange shop not too far from the museum that could change his US dollars into British pounds. This entire thing had amazed Lilly who looked at the differences in money as they were being exchanged. "Apparently before our war, our world had several currencies too. But when everything went bad, we all found it easier to just stick to one form of currency." She told Pain as they entered the diner. "That was before I was born though, so I've never actually seen more than one type of currency before. It seems a little odd to me now." --- River groaned, his face was already bruised and swelling from the beating. "Looked...convincing though...right?" he groaned, trying to pass off his impulsive attack as an effort to convince Donnie that Patience was really defecting. "But what if it doesn't?!" Sebastian panicked while holding on tightly to Carter shirt and resting his head on his shoulder. "Carter, she'll be alone with him again and he's a monster!" --- Charles entered the room. He sat next to her. "Amelia....I should have never talk to you the way I did." Tears dripped down his cheeks. "I may be a husband and a father but you're a mother and a wife. You can make your own decisions. I'm the one who made you feel locked in." "I just want to protect my family." Amelia cried softly. She then looked up at Charles, confused. "We're... not married." She pointed out and blinked away tears. But it did cause her to think 'should they be?'. She used one hand to wipe away some of her tears. "I have so much weight on my shoulders, Charles. I want to protect you and Oliver. But I also have a responsibility to protect Hell from the likes of Donnie... and so far I haven't even been able to do that... what kind of Queen does that make me?" --- "Phineas, you know that's not what we do here!" Fenton argued. "Just stop and think for a moment. I know we messed up but our motivations were selfless! Surely you can see that? There are other patients here to protect, not just you and Kasper!" By this time security had arrived but Fenton had held up his hands to stop them approaching. He felt he might be able to reason with Phineas. "Please calm down and just think. Is this what Kasper would want you to do? He's not hurt, Phineas. He was never in danger. You must see that?" --- Azrael shrugged and wiped at his eyes. "After centuries of it... I'm used to it." He half lied. "I know what you went through. I'm sorry you had to go through a life like that." He said while lifting his hand to give Billy's a gentle squeeze. "But as long as we don't let the negative parts of our lives affect who we are, we can be capable of doing so much good." Denix Vames - March 4, 2022 "Actually, I was thinking of something more relaxing. Like a store of some kind. What's the most easiest thing to sell?" ,asked Nate. --- Insanity grinned. "Why don't we have a threesome right now?" --- Xenos blushed. He awkwardly chuckled. "Anytime." He headed to the door. "I'll be back in a moment to fetch a TV. Do any of you need anything?" --- "Some currency from other countries definitely look weird. There's some that have all sorts of colors on them. It's like I'm looking at pretend play money." Pain grabbed a seat where he looked through the menu. "I know you've never ate here but see what seems cool to you. I can order it." --- Will sighed. "Yeah, it sure did." He carried him inside where he placed him on the couch. The mafia had gone upstairs to hang out there in case they were needed. Carter frowned. "I know. I'm just trying to hope here. We just have to believe in her. Honestly, Donnie seems like he can easily be tricked." --- "I'm sorry. I got ahead of myself when I called us that." ,said Charles. "But you're right. You should be able to defend Hell as its Queen." He looked at Oliver. "If it helps, I'll take care of Oliver here while you go and fight Donnie with our friends. I want you to know that I trust you even through all my fears." He caressed her cheek. "Because I love you." --- Phineas opened his eye. He looked at Kasper then at the mess that he caused. "What have I done?" He let the iron rod go. "What have I done?!" He sobbed over him as he said, "I am a monster!" --- Billy smirked. "Wished someone had told me that a long time ago." He raised a brow. "Why are you drunk by the way?" shadowess - March 4, 2022 "A few things," Tom said thoughtfully. "Flowers, baked goods, soaps... What kinds of things would you like to sell?" --- "What a wonderful idea." Donnie grinned. Warren's face turned pale but he fell silent as he stared at the two men. "Stand up," Donnie ordered and after a second's hesitation, Warren stood while still holding his hands over his groin. Removing his shirt, Donnie approached him and caressed his cheek. Warren flinched then froze while lowering his eyes submissively and looking away from them. "You don't want us to hurt you?" Donnie asked him in a softer voice, though he was grinning maliciously. Warren shook his head as a couple of tears dripped down his cheeks. "Then don't disobey your masters. Kiss me." Warren was shaking as Donnie leaned closer to him and he closed his eyes, letting him press his lips against his. Donnie kissed him slowly to see if Warren would pull away or react negatively. When he didn't, he slipped his tongue into his mouth. At first, Warren shivered and cringed but dreading the consequences, he forced himself to relax and let the kiss continue. Pulling back, Donnie smiled then moved around Warren to stand behind him. He gripped the back of Warren's neck and forced him to walk over to Insanity until he was right in front of him. "Don't be shy. Kiss him too and this time, make it believable." Donnie said next to Warren's ear before starting to kiss his neck. Shivering at the kisses, Warren looked at Insanity nervously before leaning forward and kissing him hesitantly. --- "Candy!" Jack announced with his hands up. Tia shook her head. "Absolutely not. You'll be awake all night!" she said to Jack who then lowered his arms and a disappointed frown. "But that does remind me. It's almost time for dinner." Tia said while turning to Xenos. "We'll need something for that. I WAS planning on making a roast dinner before those men broke in." --- Lilly looked at the menu as they sat down and had been a little nervous as she looked at the unfamiliar letters on the laminated card. She was excited to try different food but felt a little out of place and embarrassed due to her illiteracy. At Pain's suggestion though, she visibly relaxed and gave him a thankful smile before pointing to an image of a burger with fries. "What's that?" she asked. --- "Then how has he lasted so long?" Sebastian questioned. At that moment, Will had carried River in and placed him on the couch. Sebastian's eyes widened and he let go of Carter to get a better look at the state River was in. "What happened?!" "We... nailed it..." River groaned. "D-Donnie did this? ... And we just handed Patience over to him!? A man that could do this?!" Sebastian was beginning to freak out, as was apparent by his sudden hyperventilating. A moment later, David had appeared with a very angry looking Damien. "That son of a bitch!" Damien growled. "Damien just woke up from his last encounter with Donnie," David explained. "I just caught him up..." he looked around at Will and the others with mild confusion. "Now what did I miss? What's happened to him? Where's Patience?" --- Amelia blinked at Charles as he explained away the reason he'd slipped up and said they were husband and wife. To Amelia, it confirmed something very important. If he could think of them like that now, then there was absolutely no reason for her to doubt that he loved her. Her lip quivered at his words and tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked into his eyes. She leaned towards him and kissed him softly and slowly. As she did, she could feel her mind quieted a bit and the stress she'd been feeling was beginning to evaporate. Sensing that things had calmed down, Oliver had stopped crying and was cooing quietly as he looked up at his parents. Just as the kiss broke, Amelia's blue eyes lit up. Her wings shimmered behind her before fading away. A sign that her love for him was still as strong as it had been the first time they'd kissed. "There's something wrong with me," Amelia whispered as she looked at Charles worried. It was only while they'd kissed that she had become calm enough to realise that she hadn't been acting herself. "I don't feel...right. Charles, I don't know what to do." --- Relieved that Phineas was beginning to see sense, Fenton waved down the security to signal to them that they wouldn't be needed before he clamoured over the broken door to get into the room. "Phineas, you're not a monster. You never have been!" he said gently as he walked around to face him. "You just need some support and if I might make an observation?" he asked cautiously before speaking again. "I think your fears of being controlled are reflected in the way that you act... by trying to control everything yourself." The doctor shook his head. "Life, or in our case, afterlife is full of events and situations that get out of our control. Accidents, mistakes... these things will inevitably happen to all of us at some point. If we were unable to stop them from happening then we can, at the very least, do our best to help make things right in the aftermath. All we can ever do is our best. Does this make sense?" he sighed and looked at Kasper then gestured to him. "This is the perfect example. What I did to him was wrong. Now that I have realised this, I am going to accept full responsibility. I will apologise to him when he wakes up and I will ensure that going forward, both of you are heard." He looked up at Phineas. "I can't take back what I've done. But I can do my best to make up for it." --- Azrael chuckled at the question. "I was at a party. It was going great but then I guess we got kicked out of the venue..." he raised his head a little and looked around curiously. "How'd I even get here?" he asked, unable to remember why he'd decided to teleport to Hell, of all places. "Shoot... My one day off in almost half a decade and I didn't even get laid..." he slapped his hand against his own forehead. "Knew I forgot to do something..." he then chuckled again, drunkenly. "Pun intended..." Denix Vames - March 4, 2022 "Anything that smells good." Nate let a bar of soap appear in his hand. "Soap does sound like a good idea. They have some really great smells." --- Insanity unbuttoned his shirt after taking his coat off. He caressed Warren's cheek before kissing him. --- "I'll have someone cook that then. Just relax and stay here." Xenos left. With a TV and full meal for everyone, it felt sort of like home. --- "It's called burger and fries. They're pretty good. Everybody loves them. It's basically eating potatoes and cow meat but in a more better way." Pain pointed at the hot dog. "I think I'll go for this. That's pork." --- "Hey! It's going to be ok. Just take some deep breaths." ,said Carter. Will frowned at David before turning away. "It was her plan. She's with Donnie now. She's going to try and get him caught off guard so that we can take him out. I know you're pissed at us but she decided this. And we supported her." --- Charles sighed. "David told me.....Carol is still a part of you. I believe she can also influence you in some ways. Like your thinking." --- Phineas sat in a corner as he cried. "Is that really what I've been doing? Trying to control? I-I didn't mean to." He lowered his head. "How could I possibly do better? Every time I try and do anything, this always happens." He clutched his hand when there was a sudden cut. Black blood dripped from it. "What's this? Why is my blood....black?" --- "Trying to get laid? Ain't you never heard of settling down?" ,asked Billy. Shadowess - March 4, 2022 Tom grinned at the idea. "Considering you can summon soap from nothing, you're going to save a lot in manufacturing fees!" he laughed. "Maybe you could do something like Lush?" he then suggested. --- Donnie had started kissing Warren's shoulders and shoulder blades while moving his hands around to feel his chest. Not wanting to anger them, Warren did as he was told and kissed Insanity a little more convincingly than he'd kissed Donnie. He shivered again as he felt Donnie's hands on his chest but he made no moves to resist either of them. He let out a small, restrained whimper when he felt Donnie grab one of his hands and pull it away from his groin, only to then force him to rub Insanity's crotch, over his pants. "Just like that," Donnie whispered into his ear before slowly letting go of his hand. He smiled when he saw Warren continuing to do so once he'd let go of him and he began nibbling on his shoulder gently and rubbing his hips against his, causing a small involuntary moan to escape Warren. Donnie brought a hand up to brush some of Warren's hair away from his ear. "You belong to us now," he whispered. "You will obey us. You will fulfil our desires whenever we want. Do this for us, and we will look after you. You will be protected from all the Demons in Hell. All that we ask, is your absolute obedience." Warren thought on these words while continuing to kiss and caress Insanity. As far as he knew, these two were the rulers of Hell and souls were normally tortured for their sins here. So for all he knew, this was his only option when it came to protecting himself. Afraid of the idea of wandering Hell alone for eternity and constantly being on the run from demons who might torture him, Warren quickly made up his mind and his kisses suddenly became more voluntary as well as passionate. He stood closer to Insanity and ran his other hand over his bare chest while slipping his tongue into his mouth. --- Food eaten and child snoozing on the end of the couch, Tia had cuddled up to Xenos as they continued to watch the tv. She looked up at him, knowing they were now free to talk without the risk of worrying Jack. "Who were those men?" she whispered. "Why would they want to try to hurt us?" --- "Oh." Lilly looked at the images curiously. "I think I'll try that one next time." she smiled at him, then nodded to the menu. "I'd like to try that first one. It looks interesting." --- David looked enraged but he was silent. He stared at them for a minute before marching out of the backdoor to stand in the garden, trying to calm himself down. "Stoic as ever. Even when furious." Damien rose a brow at David then looked back at Will in annoyance. "So, let me get this straight, you guys practically handed over a pregnant and practically human Patience to a guy who knows spells to keep his captives isolated. Quick question, what do you think would happen if Donnie ever discovered that she was spying on him for you guys? How do you think that will end?" "Oh, no!" Sebastian groaned. He'd just started to calm down a bit with Carter's help but Damien's last comments had set him off again. "Relax, Dracula," Damien said while putting his hands into his own pockets. "Lucky for you, an ex-king of Hell is here to help and not only am I familiar with how Donnie gets his power but I was also trained to do the same." he pointed to himself with his thumb. "So, who wants to sign my-?" "No, Damien," David growled as he stepped back into the house and glared at his grandson. "Those things cause nothing but trouble! We can defeat him without them!" "Lucifer was the only Devil to use these and he kept his crown for centuries!" Damien argued. "Lucifer also destroyed every other Devil that he ever came across to eliminate his competition for the throne. In fact, I'm certain the only ones he left alive were the children he'd never raised, nor claimed. We cannot use his tactics. They cause nothing but suffering." "Worked out alright for me. I became Lucifer's apprentice." Damien shrugged. "And that was thanks to you if I recall." "I didn't have a choice!" David barked. "And if you'll also recall, those damn contracts are the reason your mother and sister are in oblivion!" Damien's cheeky grin had slipped into a frown and he glared back at David. --- "Carol?" Amelia's eyes widened and she glanced away from Charles for a moment. "So, she's the reason I've been feeling..." Amelia gasped as a look of realisation crossed her features. "Oh, it all makes sense now. I've been feeling so restless, powerless and trapped lately. It's not because of anything going on in my life, it's because she's tired of being trapped in me!" She looked back at Charles. "But how do we solve this? She became a part of me when I became a Devil. It was part of the spell. If she leaves me... I might not be a Devil anymore! Then I couldn't be Queen!" --- "I-I'm not sure." The doctor admitted. "This isn't something that I've seen before." Kasper groaned and blinked several times. He looked around like he'd just woken up from a long nap. When he saw Phineas, his eyes lit up and he flung his arms around him. He didn't notice the wreckage in the room or the cut on Phineas's hand at first because he was just so overcome with relief at seeing that he was safe. "Phineas! Are you ok?! Did he hurt you?! I tried! I tried to help!" he sobbed into his shoulder. --- "With my kind of job?" Azrael scoffed. "I'm lucky to get a day off once in a while! Any relationship I'd get into wouldn't last... So, I just don't bother."

shadowess - March 2, 2022 "I don't-..." Tom bent over with his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. "I don't understand. I know Azrael said he thinks he's your dad. Who is that guy to you? Why is he such a dick?" he stood straight while still panting and shook his head a little at him. "Look, I don't care what that guy said. What you went through was wrong. You matter." he walked over to him and placed his hands on Nate's arms. "You were there for me when I had no one and I was at my lowest point. You gave my life meaning again. Fuck that guy. I care about you! and I'll always be here for you. No matter what." --- At the question, Donnie chuckled and hovered his mouth close to Insanity's. "Why not both?" Donnie grinned then kissed Insanity deeply. "I know!" he then said excitedly. His eyes lit up with delight at his idea. "I'll put a spell on our newest home. But this one will make sure that any souls that belong to us reappear there if they die. So even if we get carried away and kill them, we won't have to worry about having to look for them again after." He chuckled then took Insanity's hand. "But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's hunt us a soul," he said, ready to teleport them to the Library. At that moment, bored out of his mind, Warren was pacing the room he'd been placed in. Out of curiosity, he looked at the spines of the books on the shelves as he passed them. But he couldn't read any of the letters. They were all written in a language he didn't know. Azrael had told him it was the true demonic language. --- Having not needed to get involved, Tia nodded to Xenos once the danger had passed as she set the iron down carefully on the ironing board. She then turned a little and placed her finger and thumb into her mouth before letting out three short, sharp whistles. A second later, Jack had darted into the house through the doggy door in his puppy form before rapidly shifting back into a human boy. "Daddy!" He ran to Xenos with his arms open. Tia watched him proudly. "We were prepared." she sighed in relief. She then walked over and hugged them both. --- "That's the type of music that you play?" Lilly confirmed with a thoughtful look as they walked around. "We had a similar style in my world. We called it 'Sudden'." she said with a shrug. "I think I like yours better though." she chuckled. They came to a stop near a group of mannequins who looked like they were playing in a band. Seemingly frozen mid-song. "Who are they?" Lilly asked with a curious expression. --- Zero looked up at Will then turned his head back and forth between him and River. They looked like twins but he sensed they were utterly different species to each other. Zero was beyond confused at this. River shrugged and looked over at Patience. "I'm sorry for bringing this up, but you've been Donnie's captive before. You saw how he worked while you were with him, right? Do you know what his weaknesses are? How the guy ticks?" Patience hesitated then glanced between Carter and Sebastian with an uncertain expression. "I-... He kept me chained up in one room and only came in when he was bored. So, he didn't tell me any of his plans or let me see what he was up to at any point..." she bit her lip hesitantly. "But... I might now have a way to get close to him," she suggested. "He was thrilled when he found out I was pregnant with his 'heir'. I think he'd go out of his way to protect me if I wound up as his captive again. When he was a tree, he attacked my mind. Tried to make me think like his lover." she shivered and took a breath to steady her nerves. "Not a lot of time has passed since then so I might still be able to convince him that it worked if I go to him now and ask to be a part of his 'family'." she looked up at them nervously. "This is my choice. This is something that I need to do." She stood, looking at them all. "Let me do this. Let me get close to him. I'll find his weaknesses and dismantle his defences from the inside. Then I'll give you all a signal when the time to attack is right." --- David nodded thoughtfully. "Do you remember that day at the wedding? What Will said?" he asked, quietly. "He said Carol, Amelia's adoptive mother, hadn't been completely destroyed. That she was a part of Amelia. If there is a small part of Carol left, then this might be the only way for her to try to get our attention." David crossed his arms and furrowed his brows. "With the way she's acting at the moment, I wouldn't want to make Amelia aware of this. It might make things worse for her mentally. Just... Try to placate her while I try to find a solution. This won't be an easy fix but if there's a possibility of splitting them apart then we have to try it. Don't let her fight but also try not to upset her further. She's not in the right frame of mind to be able to defend herself effectively but she also seems too fragile right now to deal with conflict. As soon as I have the answer, I'll let you know." He stood then looked at the door worriedly before looking back at Charles. "She cannot be allowed to go anywhere near Donnie in this state. He's clever. He'd see what's happening to her and use it against her. I'll get Damien and make him aware of everything. He can stand in for Amelia in defending Hell while she's not herself. Charles... Please protect my daughter." --- When notified of Phineas's arrival, Doctor Fenton raced to the cantine area of the hospital to greet him. He wanted the chance to apologise and explain himself before Phineas would see that Kasper is still currently under sedation and his restraints to the bed hadn't been removed yet. Having not had enough time for it to wear off yet. "Phineas! You're safe! Thank God!" He said as he entered the dining room. "Listen, I owe you an apology. Kasper tried to warn us. He tried to tell us that you needed help but we didn't know the situation. We thought he was simply being hysterical." he laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head. "S-so we uh- we sedated and restained him for his own safety. He IS safe and unharmed though, I can assure you!" he added hastily. "We just need to wait for the medications to wear off and he'll be able to move around freely again." --- Azrael, still drunk, had appeared close by and was stumbling around while muttering to himself. He seemed agitated as he stormed through the area then paused when he saw Billy. He never could turn away from a person in need, so he followed his instinct and stumbled over to him. He knelt down, almost falling over in the process. "Heyyyy" he whispered, trying his best to sound soothing. "Why're you crying? It's ok. It's ok-shhh...It's all good. Juss...Just don't *hic* tell my- my dad... sus-superior... my superior-dad that you saw me in Hell, mkay? He'll kick my ass. Wait..." he reached down to move some of Billy's fringe from his face then smiled at him. "I know *hic* you! I nnn-never forget a face! I tried to help you cross over and you thought you were still alive and that I was trying to rob you! Knocked me on my ass and ran off, you scamp!" he laughed. Denix Vames - March 3, 2022 Nate rubbed his eyes. "Just some bastard who thinks he's better than everyone else just because he has a high title." He smiled a little at him. "Thanks Tom. I love you too." --- (who is Warren btw? kinda forgot XD) Once Insanity and Donnie appeared at the library, Insanity pinned Warren to the ground. He licked his lips. "Well, hello there. Time for your first lesson in Hell." --- Xenos lifted Jack up. Holding him in his arms. He kissed Tia. "I'm glad that you're both safe. We should head to the facility. It would be better if you two stay there. It's more safe." --- "Well, we play punk rock. It's a little bit different." Pain took a moment to look at the mannequins. He crossed his arms as he sighed. "The Beatles. They were the best band there ever was. Paul and Ringo still play music but solo. George and John are....dead." He looked at the photo of the band which was framed near the mannequins. "Even now, a lot of us still miss them. It still hurts. Knowing that they're gone." --- Salvo walked over to Patience with a sad smile. He held her hand. "You're so much like my late wife. Brave and loving." He nodded. "We'll be by your side miss. No matter what." "It's not something that I want you to do. But if you think that this is the only way then I'll go with it too." ,said Will. --- Charles took a deep breath. "It's going to be difficult but I'll do my best. I won't let anything happen to her." He smiled. "Otherwise, I'll get my ass kicked by her dad." He bit his lip. "That wasn't a bad joke, was it?" --- Phineas's aura surrounded himself. He growled as he held his weapon. "You what?! Where is he? Take me to him now!" The tables suddenly hit the walls. Fenton was thrown to a wall. "STOP CONTROL!" --- Billy sat up. He shuffled away before hugging his knees. "I died here and lost my wings. They turned into these burnt ones. I think I'm a Devil now. But I never wanted to be one. I don't know what to do." shadowess - March 3, 2022 Tom smiled, relieved to see that he'd managed to calm Nate down. He wrapped his arms around his shoulders and rested his head against his. "Let's go home." He whispered. Then he smirked and kissed him tenderly. "Maybe we could pick up where we left off in that booth?" --- (Lol, he's the guy that broke into the CIA to send information to ADIEU and was beaten to death by the agents) "Wha-?!" Warren looked up at insanity in alarm when he'd pinned him to the ground. "Wh-who are you? Where's David?" Donnie knelt next to them, grinning evilly as he lay a hand on Insanity's back. "David's not coming." He said simply before teleporting them all to Desi's abandoned harem. "Didn't you hear? We're taking over Hell and we're going to run it the way it should be run. By punishing those who sin. I am Donnie. This is Insanity. We are your kings now." He said before moving to kiss Insanity's neck once more. "Feel free to get started, my love. While I place the spells." He then stood and walked around the building while chanting. "Wh-what spells? What's he doing? What are you going to do to me??" Warren asked, his heart racing. --- Tia stiffened at the idea of going back to the facility but as she looked from the bodies on the ground to her son in Xenos's arms, she knew he was right. "Just until this blows over." She nodded while gesturing to the bodies. "I don't want to end up living there for the rest of my life." She sighed then smirked at Xenos. "Told you I can handle myself." --- "They must have done great things to earn such recognition and love." Lilly commented. She glanced back at Pain. "Maybe you could show me some of their music when we go back?" --- "Thank you." Patience smiled at the both sadly. Sebastian shook his head with teary eyes. "B-but what if it goes wrong?!" he said worriedly. "What if you get hurt or-or-..." he gestured to her stomach, not wanting to finish his sentence. Patience looked at him calmly and walked over to take his hands in hers. "He wouldn't allow it. Even if the child is his only motivation for keeping me safe, he won't let me get hurt. Getting as close to him as I can, might actually be the safest place for me while he's running rampant. Sebastian, I know what I'm doing. Please trust me." Sebastian was shaking but he knew he couldn't argue. He hugged Patience tightly. Patience hugged him back while rubbing his back to comfort him. "It's going to be ok," she whispered to him as she let him go and watched him seek comfort in Carter's arms. Patience looked back at the others and took a breath. "Alright. We have a plan then. But there is one minor issue. I don't have my powers anymore, so I will be practically human. We also need to make my defection to his side look real. Make it look like I'm escaping from this group. He's telepathic, so that'll help. I'll run out of here and as far as I can until I'm out of breath. You guys follow and make it look like you're searching for me. Shout my name in the streets. Sound worried. While I'm 'hiding' I'll call for Donnie to help me. I'm certain that he'll come and teleport me away with him to wherever his new home is now." --- David chuckled. "Who said it was a joke?" he winked then nodded towards the door. "Well, the first thing you'll want to do is reassure her that you're not going anywhere. Because that last comment you made to her... kind of sounded like you were planning on leaving her and taking Oliver with you." he patted Charles's shoulder supportively. "Good luck." he vanished. --- Fenton gasped when he hit the wall and his eyes widened at Phineas fearfully. He nodded hurriedly. "O-ok, alright, I'll take you to see him!" he said quickly while holding his hands up to try to calm Phineas. "L-look, we're not a threat here. We're just trying to help but on this occasion, we made a mistake. We're sorry, Phineas." he said sincerely. "I'm sorry." he sighed then turned to lead him out of the dining area. "He's this way." he'd then lead him to the room that Kasper had been locked in. Kasper was still strapped to the bed by the leather restraints and he was staring off to the left with a little drool dripping from the corner of his mouth. Fenton would stand to one side to give Phineas room. "It's not as bad as it looks. He's practically asleep and as I say, this will wear off in a few hours. He'll be back to his normal self once it does. We usually only do this when patients pose a threat to staff or other patients... He grabbed me, Phineas. When he thought we weren't listening he grew desperate to save you so he grabbed me and shook me. As soon as he did he triggered our safety protocol. I'm not trying to make excuses, I just want you to understand why something like this might happen. We don't do it for fun or for control... we do it with the safety of our staff and other patients in mind." --- "Ohhh... yeah, that happens to Angels if they die here." Azrael nodded with a small frown. "But that doesn't mean it's a bad thing! The rules are changing!" Azrael moved from kneeling to sitting on the ground. He crossed his legs and gave Billy a kind smile. "The war is over. So you're not going to be hunted by the Angels you once knew. I hear they're even talking about opening up Heaven to Demons and Devils so you'll be able to visit there again soon!" he then tilted his head and looked over Billy's new wings. "They don't look that bad..." he commented, still slurring and hiccuping drunkenly. "Like... a sexy dragon. Hey! Maybe that's the kind of Devil you changed into?" he suggested. "Some Devils and Demons get a second form that they can change to. Dragons are one of them. I knew a few Dragons... They get wings like yours, they can grow a tail with a sharp edge to it whenever they need a weapon, or they can change their face to grow sharp teeth, or just grow into a giant Dragon. I think the mortals nowadays would say it's 'cool'" he yammered away while leaning back on his hands and staring off at the sky dreamily. He then lowered his head and looked back at Billy thoughtfully. "Why don't you help David? He's got that programme that helps bad souls turn good." Denix Vames - March 3, 2022 Nate smiled. "Maybe later. Right now, I just want to cuddle with you." They appeared back home. --- "Just a little fun is what we're going to have." Insanity ripped his shirt open before slowly cutting diagonally on his chest. He licked the wound as he stroke his crotch. Moaning. --- "Don't worry. I'm sure this won't be long." ,said Xenos. Once they hugged each other, they appeared in a private bedroom of the facility. "You and Jack can have this room." --- "That'd be cool. I think you're gonna love their songs. Everybody does." ,said Pain. --- Carter gently rubbed his back as he kissed his head. "Alright. We'll do that. Hopefully, this works." Once Patience would be outside, everyone else would start calling for her when she was far and out of sight. --- Charles sighed before heading to the door. "Amelia? I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I was being overprotective. You're the Queen of Hell. Not to mention my wife. I should have more faith in you." He hugged himself. "And I'll never leave with Oliver. I promise. I said those words in the heat of the moment. Please forgive me." --- Phineas glared at him. "You didn't think to talk to him?! To let him explain himself? You just ignored him! Just like they ignored me after the accident!" He slammed the end of the iron rod against the floor. "I made a mistake and now this is what I am!" He grabbed Fenton by his shirt and lifted him off the floor. "Maybe Donnie was right about something. I'm meant to serve the wicked." He let him fall before ripping the door off its hinges. He stepped inside. Pulling the straps off, he lifted Kasper off of the bed. Holding him close. --- Billy raised a brow. "Do you really think that I could do that? It does sound nice." shadowess - March 3, 2022 "Cuddling sounds good," Tom said softly. He moved over to the couch with Nate and sat down. When Nate was sat with him, he'd move into his arms and rest his head against his. "So..." he started in a quiet voice. "What does this mean then? Did you just quit your job?" he asked, not sure how things were run in Heaven. --- Warren had died in the same type of suit that the agents in the CIA had been wearing. So when Insanity ripped his shirt open, little white buttons flew off to the side and clattered along the floor like beads. He recoiled then cried out as he felt the knife bite into his skin. He tried to push Insanity off him but the Devil was so strong now, thanks to those contracts, that the desperate efforts of this human would feel like nothing more than a tap. He lay back to catch his breath when Insanity stopped cutting him, then he sharply sucked air in through his teeth as Insanity's licks stung his fresh wounds. He heard Insanity moaning and looked down to see what he was doing. His eyes widened and he trembled while watching him. "P-please no!" he groaned and tried to wriggle away from Insanity. At this point, Donnie had finished his spells and walked back over to them with an excited look. He knelt near Insanity and picked up his knife. He ran it along Warren's side, being careful not to cut too deeply. Warren threw his head back and cried out again. "STOP!!" he screamed and when Donnie removed the knife, he lay still again, sweating and sobbing. He then cried out again as Donnie roughly pressed his hand against Warren's new wound to cover it in his blood. Warren looked down at Insanity and Donnie with an expression of terror which only increased as he watched Donnie lift his now bloodied hand up to his mouth. He watched as Donnie sucked the blood from three of his fingers in a suggestive manner while making direct and intense eye contact with him. Donnie then looked distracted and turned his head away from them to concentrate on something else for a moment. His features hardened and he sighed heavily before turning to Insanity. "And I was just getting into it," he complained as he rested his head against Insanity's. "Get him good and loosened up for us. I'll be back in a moment. Just need to save our surrogate. It would seem that she has decided to defect." --- Tia nodded and looked around the room. "Is there a tv?" Jack asked, looking around as well. "What about school?" he looked back at Xenos. "Does this mean I don't have to go?!" he grinned, thinking he was going to get out of having to go to school. With a small smile, Tia rolled her eyes at her son. --- Lilly nodded and tucked some hair behind her ears. "What should we do now?" she asked Pain while looking to him for ideas. --- Sebastian had started to follow the others outside but stopped at the doorway and shook his head, choking up as the memory of watching Patience die in ADIEU resurfaced. "I can't take part in this!" He wept. "I just can't!" he turned and hurried back inside. Patience ran as far and fast as she could from the group, all while frantically calling out to Donnie mentally to collect her. With the intention of ensuring that Donnie took her without any issues, River followed her a little more closely than the rest but remained out of sight from her and called after her like the others were while pretending he couldn't smell her just around each corner. When Donnie made his appearance, however, the temptation got the better of River. He'd overheard that a Blood God might be able to stand up to Donnie and right now he saw this as the perfect opportunity to get rid of him once and for all. He darted around the corner and charged at Donnie. Surprised by the sudden change in plan, Patience had gasped and given him away. Giving Donnie more than enough time to react by whirling around to face him just in time to grab River by the throat. River struggled for air while hissing at Donnie angrily, who merely smiled back at him in amusement before slamming him into the ground. The impact created a small crater in the pavement and before River could react, Donnie had rapidly punched him several times in the head, knocking him out. Not wasting any more time, Donnie marched over to Patience, wrapped an arm around her waist then vanished with her. --- Back at the harem, Donnie reappeared with Patience in his arms and he grinned at Insanity. "Oh, beloved!" he called to him. "Our generous surrogate would like to join our family," he said while standing behind Patience and holding her arms like he was presenting her as a prize. He brought his head next to hers and used one finger to point at Insanity. "I just want to make something absolutely clear to you. You might be carrying my child but in my eyes, you don't hold a candle to this man. In fact..." he turned his head to look her in the eyes and shook his head while saying to her callously. "You are absolutely nothing to me. So, if you want to still be one of us once my child is born, you will be loyal to us and you won't piss us off. Got it?" Patience stared at Donnie quietly and nodded. She tried her best to block them from reading her mind but with her pregnancy limiting her powers, it was difficult for her to tell how well it was working. But she felt she had already identified one of Donnie's biggest weaknesses. His lover. "I won't let you down," she said while turning to look at Insanity. "You were both right. You should be the Kings. I see that now. Sinners should suffer, not be coddled!" "Now she gets it!" Donnie laughed and patted her on the back then gestured to one of the spare rooms. "Go and make yourself comfortable. Insanity and I are going to have some fun with this sinner and I'm sure you don't want to be around for some of the things we're going to do." he chuckled. "Maybe I can join in next time?" Patience asked and Donnie turned to look at her in surprise and was even more taken aback when she pressed herself against him to kiss him. He then watched her practically skip away, into the bedroom with a raised brow before turning to walk back to Insanity. "I don't trust her," he whispered to him, paranoid. "That seemed too easy. I don't like it. It feels...off. I would torture her to get her to talk but I don't want to risk losing my child." he then glared at Warren, his eyes turning red. "You repeat anything we say in confidence and I will not only rip out your tongue but I'll sew your mouth shut for good measure!" he hissed, making Warren shiver and whimper. --- Amelia was rocking and cradling Oliver while sitting on the edge of the bed. She was crying quietly while kissing the top of his head gently. Oliver was still winging and crying in her arms as he could still sense the tension in the air. She listened to Charles through the door while staring hard at the floor. After considering his words for a moment, she flicked her wrist while clicking her fingers. This little action unlocked the door but she wouldn't look up at Charles or talk to him yet as she continued to cry and rock with Oliver. Strong as she was, she looked so fragile at this moment. --- Fenton gasped again when he was lifted from the ground and he stared at Phineas fearfully. When he was dropped, he cowered as the door was ripped from its hinges then watched as Phineas took Kasper from the bed. He got the impression from Phineas's words that he was preparing to take Kasper away. He wasn't sure if that was even possible as souls in Heaven couldn't simply leave. But then again, he was in the arms of a man who was at least half-devil, so the possibility was quite high. Kasper's head lulled towards Phineas's chest but he continued to stare off at nothing. Utterly unresponsive in his sedated state. "Phineas! Think about what you're doing! He's a patient here! You both are! You should stay! Let us help you!" Fearful that he was losing control of the situation, Fenton made one last attempt to be stern and put his foot down. "Phineas, you cannot take Kasper out of here! He is a patient at this hospital and we have not discharged him! If you don't put him down, then I will be forced to call in our security!" --- "Sure!" Azrael gave him a thumbs up before laying back on the hard ground. He felt like the place they were in was spinning as he stared up at Hell's sky. "Y'know, I know what it's like to be misjudged," he said drunkenly. "My job is to guide souls into either Heaven or Hell... But so often, people get me so wrong! They think that I'm the one who causes their death. Or that I'm the one who gets to choose where they go when they die. Often, they see my black wings and think that I'm some kind of bad omen..." he sniffled and wiped at his eyes. "I know it's not their fault but it's so hard sometimes...But I do it anyway! Because there are times when people really need a comforting hug or a kind smile and it makes it all worth it when I know that I've managed to put just one soul at ease about their death that day. Y'know?"

Shadowess - March 1, 2022 Azrael froze and watched Nate tensely. The Angel looked from the weapon on the floor to Nate with a cool expression. "You are so much like him... before he fell." The Angel commented. "We made a mistake. By sending him down in that group. The man he became..." he shook his head then stared at Nate. "How close were you to Lucifer before he fell, Naoutha? Really? You never did answer that question." he crossed his arms. "That's why you were sent away. During the war, you were suspected of being his spy. Suspected, but never proven. He had a few in Heaven and you didn't exactly help your image by visiting Hell when it was illegal to do so." At this point, the Angel lowered his gaze. "I followed you. That's how I know you used to go there for your 'fun'. I never told anyone though. You would have been destroyed if He found out. I knew you weren't a traitor. Just a stupid, rebellious boy that never listened." --- Once all the Demons had signed the contract, Donnie grinned and picked it up. He snapped his fingers and it, along with the pen, vanished again. "Thank you all for your support! My first order as your leader will be to train. Use the old Demon's military barracks to train the way that we used to train under Lucifer. We will call upon you when needed, so we'll need you to be ready." The Demons in the bar vanished, leaving just Donnie, Insanity, Phineas and Billy. Donnie turned to Insanity and walked over to him before kissing him passionately. "We should do something to celebrate," he said happily then glanced at Phineas and Billy. "I have an idea but considering that rat escaped, I'll bet it won't be long before we're tracked down by Amelia and her group. We should send our new pets to cause a distraction. Then, what do you say I show you how to hunt and torture a sinner the old fashioned way?" he grinned. As it happened, there was a new soul currently waiting for David in the Library that Donnie had seen arrive a little while ago. Warren. --- "I-...don't know," Lilly admitted and looked around again apprehensively. "I mean, I'd love to see more of your world but it's all still very new and strange to me. That and I doubt Bob would want to leave your group now that he gets as much attention as he does." she shrugged. "Maybe, if it's ok with you and your band, I'll stay and help whenever you need an extra pair of hands?" --- "I don't know who that is..." Zero said quietly. "I do. He only died around forty years before I was born. He was a medical wonder, even in my time." Sebastian nodded as he looked at the image on Carter's phone from over his shoulder and recalled seeing it in his youth. "If Donnie has them both then he can't be doing anything good to either of them," Zero said while still shivering. "Donnie's been around since Lucifer was around. I remember he tried to overthrow Lucifer to make Hell more, well, Hellish. Even Lucifer thought he was too ruthless..." He hugged himself. He could feel the wound in his chest slowly healing. His eye hurt the most but he could feel the uncomfortable sensation of skin growing under the bandages. He shook his head. "And now he has followers... I'll bet he's getting him to sign the same kinds of Contracts that Lucifer had people sign." "Amelia told me about those." Sebastian gasped. He looked at Carter hurriedly. "For every soul that signs one, the Devil becomes a little more powerful. Carter, Amelia refuses to use them! If he's getting people to sign their souls away, his power will dwarf hers in no time!" Which will give him a huge advantage in his attempt to overthrow her. One of Sebastian's closest friends was now in grave danger. --- "It won't be that simple... Not anymore." David said gravely. Behind Charles, Amelia was holding Oliver who had sensed the sudden tension and started crying. "Charles, could you knock it off with the fire? I'd rather not have the fire department pay us a visit on top of everything else." Amelia said moodily. She then looked over his shoulder at David. Not being a telepath like Charles was, she had no idea what was wrong. "Dad? What's happened?" "Donnie..." David said as he waited for Charles to let him in. "Oh, what now?! Didn't we already deal with him? Patience turned him into a fuc-" Amelia stopped herself and glanced at Oliver before looking back at David while bouncing the child a bit to try and soothe him. "She turned him into a tree! How is he still a problem?!" "Insanity," David said simply then gestured into the room while looking at Charles. "May I come in?" Denix Vames - March 1, 2022 Nate shut his tear-filled eyes. "I hate him and everyone in Heaven! What kind of place is that?! God never loved us. Just the amusement of having us." He ran out of the church. Not knowing where to go but just wanting to get as far away as possible. --- "And who should we sent these adorable pets to slaughter first?" ,asked Insanity. --- "It really doesn't sound like a bad idea. I mean either way, you're part of the group. We're all like family." ,said Pain. --- "How the hell do we make him weaker? That little fuck probably has all kinds of contracts by now." ,said Carter. --- Charles sighed at her attitude before rolling his eyes. His aura faded away. He opened the door wider. "Come in." shadowess - March 1, 2022 The Angel didn't move as Nate ran past him. "I suppose that answered my question." He merely commented with a look of disappointment. Tom ran after Nate. He left the church and sped after him. "Nate, wait! Talk to me!" The Angel turned to Azrael and Gabriel next. "You two... I expected better. Go and clean yourselves up." he said emotionlessly. Rob looked at Gabriel, waiting to follow his lead. --- Donnie thought for a moment while brushing some of Insanity's hair from his face. "How about we send them to teach that son of a bitch Xenos a lesson? That bastard mocked me while I was trapped in my wooden prison. So, let's send our new pets to pay his family a visit." --- Lilly smiled and stood, looking at Pain. "That means a lot to me," she said then glanced towards the museum. "What's this building?" she asked, unable to read the letters on the signage. Although they spoke the same language, their version of English was written differently from this world. In truth, however, she had grown up quite poor in her own world and barely had a grasp on reading and writing, to begin with. --- "You could have his followers break the terms of their contract but... doing so would destroy their souls. It's a consequence of signing your soul away." Zero pointed out. "We can't do that but we can figure something out later. We need to warn them somehow!" Sebastian said. "Don't forget, Angels can still kill a Devil. Those contracts will make doing so more difficult but our steel is still lethal if pierces the Devil's heart." Patience said, leaning forward on the couch. "The downside is it's dangerous for Angels to go to Hell. If they die there then they become Devils themselves. Then we're back to square one." "Blood Gods!" Sebastian gasped. "Aren't they slightly more powerful than the average Devil? At least, I think that's what Amelia said..." He looked to Patience who nodded to him to confirm that he was correct. "And we know a couple! Jessica and River!" "Leviathans too!" Patience added. "Right, but no one's seen one of those since before Lucifer... and everyone knows Blood Gods are as rare as they are crazy," Zero said, leaning back to rest against a chair. "Besides... even if you did know a legendary being like a Leviathan or a Blood God that is actually sane, those contracts would only even things out between them in terms of power." --- David could sense the tension in the air and glanced between his daughter and Charles warily before stepping into the apartment. He closed the door behind him. "They're both Devils now, which is worrying enough. But it would also seem that in the short time since Donnie escaped his tree form, he's managed to not only put an army together but also kidnap an Angel. A being, may I remind you, who is fully capable of destroying a Devil and Donnie had made it more than clear that he wants to overthrow my daughter." "Let him try!" Amelia growled, her eyes turning red. Oliver wailed and she quickly changed her eyes back to blue and gently shushed him while rocking him in her arms to try to calm him down. "I will not hand over Hell to that tyrant! Not after everything we went through to secure peace!" She then said in a hushed tone once Oliver had calmed down a bit. "Amelia," David said simply and sat on the arm of a nearby chair to look at them. "This is getting very serious. You have a civil war on your hands and an adversary that would love nothing more than to destroy your entire family." "You don't think I'm taking this seriously?!" Amelia snapped, still trying to keep her voice down but struggling. "That's not what I-" "I'm getting so sick of having this argument! You sound like him!" she pointed to Charles. "I know how dangerous this is! I know the risks! But I have a responsibility to Hell! It took me sooo long to accept that responsibility and now that I have I keep being told to 'stay out of it'! I can't! Alright?!" she now looked to Charles. "So, let me fight! Let me protect you, Oliver and the rest of my people! I HAVE to do this!" David sighed and rubbed his temples. Amelia reminded him so much of Carol sometimes. Sometimes she loved to come up with well thought out plans and strategies. But sometimes she let her heart do all the thinking and her desire to do the right thing can make her irrational. As it happened, Carol was exactly the reason that Amelia was acting out. But then it was difficult to stop another soul from affecting your own thoughts when you're not even aware that that mind is even there for the majority of the time. Denix Vames - March 2, 2022 Nate kept running as he sobbed. "It doesn't matter! No one cares about what I've been through!" Gabriel walked up to the Angel. "You know, I can take responsibility for everything that I've done today. But you sure as hell don't know how to talk to someone like a person!" He stormed out of the church. --- "Perfect!" Insanity looked at Phineas and Billy. "You two! Go to Xenos's home. You already know what he looks like. Therefore, you know what his family looks like because I gave you their faces through my mind. Now kill them all!" Phineas and Billy stood. "Yes master." They disappeared. --- At Xenos's house, both men appeared. Phineas ripped the door off of its hinges. They stepped inside. Billy held his guns out. --- "This one says, 'Liverpool's Musical History Museum.' Looks like it's all about the music they've created for as long as they've existed." ,said Pain. --- There was a knock at the door. "What the hell? Who could that be?" Carter opened the door. Salvo stood in front of him with his men behind him. All of his men. Will stood by them. "You didn't think I wasn't listening in? I had to make sure my family was alright." Salvo cracked his knuckles then straightened his tie. He smirked. "We don't mind taking down a crook." He took out a purple crystal. "Will made this with his own blood. If we use this on Donnie and Insanity then we can get rid of them just like that." He snapped his fingers. --- "I get that! But you could die! He could send you to Oblivion! Don't you see that?!" ,said Charlie who stood. "If you're going to put yourself in harm's way then maybe I should move somewhere with our child! Where he can be safe!" shadowess - March 2, 2022 Despite Tom's speed, he struggled to keep up with Nate. "I care!!" He shouted after him breathlessly. His thighs burned from the effort but he wasn't giving up. "Nate, please tell me! Talk to me! Nate!" As Gabriel marched away from him, the Angel remained where he was and stared ahead. "You've been spending far too much time with mortals. You've gone soft," he said after him then looked over at Rob who was glaring at him. "There's nothing wrong with having empathy!" Rob said simply before following Gabriel. This, of course, just left Azrael. The Angel rose a brow at him but Azrael seemed a little too preoccupied with something else as he seemed to turn a shade of green and tighten his lips. "I'm guna be sick!" he said quickly then vanished. The Angel sighed heavily while rolling his eyes then vanished as well. --- Grinning, Donnie started kissing Insanity's neck. "Let's find a new toy to play with, hm?" he whispered into his ear while feeling his chest. "One just for the bedroom, what do you think? There's one waiting in the Library right now. He thinks he's waiting for David to start his rehabilitation. We're going to claim him instead, show him what it means to be in our version of Hell and crush his hopes of escape." Donnie nibbled a little on Insanity's ear before speaking again. "Desi had an entire building dedicated to all things sexual. He's abandoned it, so how about we claim it and collect some 'play things' to keep in it for ourselves? We'll hunt the soul at the Library then drag him there to do what we want to him." --- Jack had been watching the tv and sitting on the floor when the door had burst open. Nearby, Tia had been ironing a pile of white buttoned shirts while keeping an eye on her son. When the two men had broken into the house, both Tia and Jack had jumped. "Jack!" She screamed at her son just as he sprung to his feet and vaulted himself over the couch to duck behind it. Tia yanked the cord for the iron out of its socket faced the men while holding the hot iron up threateningly. "Get out! I'm warning you!" she growled. Mentally, she was calling for Xenos. Tia had suspected that something like this might eventually happen, given Xenos's line of work. So, she had been teaching Jack a way to escape and hide in case of such an event. When the attention was on his mother, Jack bolted to the back of the house and out of the backdoor. He ran through the garden and darted straight into the forest that was behind the house before transforming and hiding among the bushes. --- "Who's Liverpool?" Lilly asked innocently then tilted her head at Pain with a smile. "We should go in and look around then. If it's a museum relating to music, then it might help with inspiring new songs for your band." She suggested although she had an ulterior motive; it was the perfect opportunity to get to know Pain more. --- Of course, wherever Will was, River was sure to follow. Rather than turning up at the door with the others, he'd overheard Zero's comments and had appeared right in front of Zero, bent down to his level while holding out a hand to him. "Hi! I'm River. A SANE Blood God." he introduced himself with a cheeky grin which showed off his fangs. Zero's eyes had widened at the sight of his fangs and red eyes. He'd jumped when he'd appeared then quickly turned red in the face when he realised the introduction was a dig at his comments. "Um-! I-I-I D-didn't mea-! I've n-n-never-! What I-I-I mean is-is-!" He flustered and River's grin only grew. "It's cool. No hard feelings," he said while tussling Zero's hair and standing just as the others would enter the room. He grinned at Will mischievously. "What? I said I'd do it." he chuckled. --- "So, I'll just come back! He managed to do it, so why can't I??" Amelia argued naively. At Charles's comment about taking their son somewhere safe though, Amelia's already stressed out mind immediately assumed the worst and she hugged Oliver to herself a little tighter while giving Charles a hurt look. "N-no, you can't." Her voice broke and she ran into the bedroom with their still crying son, locking the door behind her. David looked between Charles and the door awkwardly. "Charles." He said quickly and in a hushed voice. It dawned on him why Amelia might be behaving erratically as he recalled overhearing a conversation back at Beau Carter's wedding. "Has she been behaving strange lately? More restless and impulsive than she normally is?" Denix Vames - March 2, 2022 Nate stopped as he continued to shake. "That bastard had no right to talk to me like that! As if he's any better! That fucker probably doesn't care about me!" --- "Oh? How should our little greeting start? A stab in the back?" Insanity grinned. "Or in the front?" --- Xenos appeared. He glared at both of them. He transformed as he shouted, "Get away from my family!" He dodged the iron rod before grabbing Phineas's neck and twisting it. Billy shot him in the side but it didn't phase him. He simply grabbed one of the pistols and shot him in the head. With both men dead, he took a deep breath. He turned to Tia. "Are you and Jack alright?" --- Pain smiled. "It just might." He stepped into the building. "Liverpool is basically the city that we're in right now. This place is known for having some awesome music. More specifically, rock and roll." --- Will rolled his eyes but chuckled. "You did say that. So, what's the next step on our plan?" --- Charles nodded. "She has....Why?" --- Phineas gasped awake. He was at his old home. He could see that another family had taken over. He became heartbroken but was at least glad someone was taking care of it. "Kasper...." He appeared in the dining room of Heaven's hospital. "Kasper! Kasper?! Where are you?" --- Billy had woke in Hell. Seeing that he had become a Devil, he cried. Never leaving as he curled up. "I'm a monster...."

Denix Vames - February 27, 2022 Nate kissed him passionately once they were in the confessional booth. --- Billy was about lose to consciousness when he heard the chanting. His wound began to heal as his feathers fell off of his wings. His wings became charred and more dragon-like. He stood with a blank stare. Waiting for orders. Insanity examined his face. "I never thought I would be lucky. We have the Phineas Gage and Billy the Kid. What a wonderful moment! Two sexy historical men!" --- "Well I don't know. Do you really want to hear about our history? It's not exactly pretty." ,said Pain. Storm shrugged. "Sure." Hades and the others led Bob down the street where they found an antique shop. Going inside, they look at the items on the shelves. --- Carter clenched his fists as he heard Zero's words. He grit his teeth. "David? The next time there's an another bastard to deal with, you let me know. Now, where is this fucking Donnie and Insanity bitch at? I'm not taking no for answer! I will kill them!" Sebastian would be the one to get what Zero needed. Shadowess - February 27, 2022 Curtain drawn, Tom had Nate sitting on the little bench in the booth while he sat on his lap. He kissed him back, matching his passion while gently rubbing his hips against his. Rob stood from the bench and strode over to Gabriel. He kissed him suddenly, no longer able to resist the urge after admiring his beauty for so long. This display took the churchgoers by surprise and they watched in shock as one of their beliefs surrounding sexuality was shattered before their eyes. If Angels could do it, then what was so wrong with it? It was at this moment that the church doors were flung open and a heavily armoured Angel marched into the church. He snapped his fingers and a third of the mortals in the church would vanish, appearing in their homes with no recollection of what had happened and quite a bad hangover. He snapped his fingers again and another third vanished. Then once more, leaving just himself, Azrael, Nate, Tom, Gabriel and Rob in the church. He looked sternly at Azrael who was still laying on the pew with some red wine staining the bottom part of his mouth. He then shifted his gaze to Gabriel and Rob. Then lastly to the confessional booth. "Get out of there right now!" he barked angrily. He then looked at Azrael. "And you! Join the others before me. Move!" Azrael jumped to his feet and hurriedly stumbled over to Gabriel and Rob. "How dare you?! Here, of all places! With the way the world is changing right now, revealing yourselves to the mortals we can forgive. But drinking and fornicating in HIS house?! What on Earth possessed you, boys?! It's the Greek God thing all over again! Do you have any idea how long it took for us to clean that mess up! There are mortals out there that still believe in your stories!" "Who is this guy?" Tom looked the Angel up and down in annoyance as he stepped out of the confessional booth, still pulling his shirt back on. "Their superior" he nodded to Gabriel, Azrael and Nate. "Shit... I knew this was a bad idea..." Rob mumbled as he lowered his gaze and scratched the back of his head nervously. "Relax. This guy's been barking orders at us since before we got our status." Azrael said cockily while taking a swig from his bottle. "He thinks he's our dad or some shit." --- "Holy shit... he took control of another Devil!" one of the Demons gasped as they all stood around, watching intently. Though Donnie wasn't smiling. In fact, he was watching Billy carefully, making sure that his chant had actually worked. He was a little out of breath from the effort too. Taking control of another Devil was far more taxing than trying to take control of any other species. Outside of being a tree at the time, it's also one of the reasons he'd had so much trouble getting control of Xenos when he'd attempted it. "Hold that thought, my beloved. We don't want to run any unnecessary risks," he said, a little breathlessly. "Billy and Phineas. Pleasure each other for our amusement," he ordered and watched them both carefully to gauge their reactions. He was looking for any sort of sign that his spell hadn't worked, so he had no intentions of letting things go too far between them. Only when he was satisfied that neither of them was pretending would he call it off and move on to the next part of his plan... getting all of his new recruits to sign a Devil's Contract. --- "Neither is the history of my world." Lilly shrugged. She sat on a bench outside what appeared to be a museum. "Maybe I should go first then? Where I come from, years ago, there was this great war. In a desperate bid to win the war, the tyrannical leader of the opposing side hired a group of necromancers. Four in total. One of these necromancers, when he was slain, used his dying breath to place a curse on his body and his fellow necromancers. So, when they each were killed, they immediately rose again as these wraith-like creatures to seek revenge on the world." "One spreads disease wherever it goes and getting a scratch from it ensures that you die slowly and horribly. The second one causes wells to dry up and crops to wither the moment it walks within range. A scratch or bite from that one causes you to die rapidly of both starvation and dehydration. The third only needs to be standing close by and suddenly your best friend becomes your nemesis and you end up fighting with them to the death. The last..." Lilly shook her head. "Whenever that one draws near, whole villages abandon their homes and flee... because breathing in the smog that it creates brings certain and sudden death. The war ended when those wraiths were created... but the fight for survival began... as did the condemnation of people like me..." --- Sebastian handed the glass of water to David. "Thank you. Here Zero, drink some water. Let us bandage those wounds for you." he said gently as he held the glass up to Zero's mouth while Sebastian unrolled the bandage and began wrapping it around Zero's head to cover his eye. "Zero? You're not 'Hammerhead' Zero by any chance?" David asked him. "Y-You've heard of me?" Zero looked up at David who nodded. "It's no wonder you're in this state. From what I heard your powers only work when you're submerged in water, correct?" "Yeah... but that's not the only reason..." Zero's eyes then widened at Carter's comments. "N-no! You can't! You're just a mortal and they're Devils with an Army!" "What?!" David's eyes widened and he stood. "An army?" Patience repeated, looking worried. "Th-they appeared in a bar in Hell and started making promises to the Demons... and they listened! They all want things to go back to the way Lucifer ran Hell! When I spoke up, no one helped me. They just watched! They just fucking watched!" "Why didn't you just leave? Come to find me or Amelia?" David asked. "I tried! Donnie saw me trying to sneak out and before I could run, Insanity had me! I thought they were going to destroy me. I thought they were going to torture me." "How did you escape?" "Th-the cowboy angel. A cowboy angel came in through a portal and grabbed me and this other guy that had one eye. He threw me through the portal but...I don't know why they didn't come through after me." Zero trembled. "You don't think something bad happened to them, do you?" Denix Vames - February 27, 2022 "It's not like we were causing any harm." Nate rolled his eyes. "I don't even know why I ever became an Angel. It's not like I wanted to be in Heaven. I mean God makes me into an Angel then straight up abandons me after some centuries? What kind of shit is that?!" Tears were leaving him. "Well, he can go fuck himself because of I'm tired of being his slave!" --- Phineas and Billy walked towards each other before kissing each other. --- "Uh wow....! We just always had a lot of wars because we're so far up our ass that we think we can own anything." ,said Pain. "At least, that's what I've learned." --- Carter's eyes widened. "That might be Billy! But who's the one-eyed guy? Can you describe him? I've never heard of him before." shadowess - February 28, 2022 "Oh, will you stop with the pity party, Naoutha!" The other Angel snapped. "You weren't abandoned, you were punished! For good reason! All those Angels you killed!" "Shut up!" Tom snapped back, standing in front of Nate defensively. "I don't care who you are, don't you dare speak to him like that!" "You'll do well to stay out of this, mortal." The Angel warned him. "No, fuck you and the high fucking horse you rode in on! Nate's right! No one was getting hurt!" "No, but what you were all doing was blatant disrespect towards God!" "That's not-!" "I'm warning you, boy! Speak out of turn again and you'll be punished!" Tom stepped down from the Chancel while glaring at the Angel. "What, like you punished Nate?" he asked sourly. "Good luck. That organisation is long gone!" Azrael felt sick but he was more concerned that Tom might be pushing his luck. "Tom, seriously man, don't push it with this guy. He doesn't mess around." he looked between Gabriel and Nate. "C'mon guys, we could just party somewhere else." --- Carefully observing their behaviour, Donnie crossed his arms and stared silently at them for a minute before waving his hand at them dismissively. "That's enough. Go sit at the bar, I'll have orders for you both soon," he said before snapping his fingers. As he did, a roll of parchment appeared in his hand. In his other hand, a metallic pen appeared with a sharp needle-like nib. The good thing about Billy and Phineas's possessions is that they turned out to be a perfect display of their power. "Alright, you all know the drill. I'm sure you remember these from the days that Lucifer reigned. Sign our contract to swear your loyalty to Insanity and me. In return, we will swear to return Hell to his gory glory." he said as he set the Devil's Contract down on the nearby table with the pen. Before long, a line had formed for Demons wanting to sign their souls away to Insanity and Donnie. As the first couple of Demons signed the contract with their blood, Donnie could already feel his power growing and was sure Insanity would feel it as well. --- "I guess all civilisations come to blows sooner or later," Lilly said thoughtfully. Then looked around at the wonderful inventions of this world. The moving pictures and the vehicles without horses. "At least yours didn't doom your planet in the process. I look around now and I can't help but wonder what might've been if our leaders hadn't taken things too far. There's so much here that my world just doesn't have. Sure we have some steam-powered machines and crude electric devices but nothing like the inventions that you have here. Here, I feel like... I could actually have a life without fear." she looked up at Pain and smiled. "That maybe I could look forward to actually having a future." --- "U-uhhh..." Zero winced as Sebastian started wrapping the bandage around his torso next. He thought for a moment, recalling the one-eyed man trying to speak up and being threatened. "H-he had short hair. One eye. Old fashioned clothes... kind of like that cowboy actually. Oh, and he had a pipe or something. He came into the bar with Donnie and Insanity but I remember that he didn't look happy from the start. Then he tried to speak up and tell the other Demons not to join them. Then Donnie said something to him quietly and he looked scared... terrified, actually. Called them 'Master' after that and went quiet. Then they started torturing me and I could hear him shouting but..." Zero shivered and placed a hand over his bandaged eye. "I couldn't hear what they were saying... I was screaming... I reached out to the man and begged for help. That's when the cowboy showed up." David was pale. As was Patience. Sebastian had finished wrapping Zero's wounds and stood back with Carter, looking at him worriedly. "I need to go see Amelia and Charles," David said finally then turned to give Carter a stern look. "I know you feel like you've missed out on this but do not go looking for Insanity or Donnie. Stay here and make sure Zero is alright." he vanished. --- David stood outside Amelia and Charles's apartment. He took a deep breath, knowing that the issues with Donnie had led to an argument between the two previously. He wondered if they'd resolved those issues between them by now but had no choice but to make them aware of what had just happened. Gingerly, he knocked on the door and waited. Denix Vames - February 28, 2022 Nate stood in front of Tom. Taking steps closer to his superior. He glared. "And why do you think I killed them? Because God ordered those sick fucks to torture me just so he could watch! Anytime I killed an Angel, another one was already being called to my doorstep!" His weapon appeared from his hand. He slammed it to the floor. "I never asked to be made! I never wanted this life!" --- With the kiss broken, Phineas and Billy sat at a table. Insanity took a deep breath as he felt a surge of power grow within him. "Oh it feels so fucking good!" --- "I'm glad to hear. Were you thinking of traveling before deciding on a place to call home?" ,asked Pain. --- Carter let out a frustrated sigh before pulling out his phone. "Might as well look up the description of this one eyed guy." He typed in some keywords before finding a picture. His eyes widened. "Holy shit! This is the guy that me and Blaire use to have crush on! Phineas Gage! They've got him as their slave? How the fuck did this happen? This guy is practically a celebrity!" --- Charles opened the door. "David?" His fire aura surrounded himself when he listened to his mind. "Where is he? I will deliver him to Oblivion myself!"

Denix Vames - February 26, 2022 "I've got just the person for this." Nate and the others appeared at a house of very gullible man who was about to water their lawn soon. "What should we start off with?" --- Phineas's aura surrounded himself. His grip on the iron rod grew tight. He grit his teeth. "Enough! That demon is right. I was a fool to believe in your hallucinations. None of what you're doing is right at all! You need to stop!" Insanity grabbed the demon and stabbed into his chest. Grinning happily. "No!" Phineas ran over to stop him but found himself on the ground when Donnie stopped him. He groaned as he glared at him. "Is this really what any of you want? What all of you want? Neverending war and destruction? To lose everyone you love to Oblivion?" Despite how many times, Donnie would try to shut him up, he didn't back down. Phineas stood back. "I've seen the future! What we are now are friends to each other. Friends to those who are no better than we are. Angels, Demons, and all sorts of Devils? All of us are family!" --- Pain smiled. "You doing alright now?" "Actually, Pain went to go check if she was doing alright. She was crying earlier." ,said Storm. --- "Of course. You're all welcomed to by anytime." ,said Jean who smiled. Carter nodded. "Thanks man." shadowess - February 26, 2022 Tom and Rob stood to one side to see what the others would do. Tom was stifling his drunken giggles while Rob merely watched curiously. Azrael snapped his fingers. "I've got it," he said then huddled with Nate and Gabriel to tell them his plan. "Gabriel, you do your whole bright light and Angel ascending from Heaven bit to get him going. I'll give a little extra life to that dry as hell lawn to make it beautiful. I might even throw some flowers in there... why not? Nate, you lay down the law and tell him he could do more to be good...like throw a party for us and cater to our every desire." --- The Demon cried out and looked down at the knife while coughing up blood. He turned his head and looked at Insanity with wide, fearful eyes. "Stop!" he gasped while trying to wriggle away from him. Rather than race to stop the brutality going on, the Demons in the bar began rhythmically hitting their tables with their fists and bottled. Drumming along as a way of cheering Insanity on. "Oh, shut up you stupid half breed!" one of the Demons near Phineas snapped. Donnie merely glared at him before turning to watch the show that Insanity was giving them. He would not be heard by this particular group. As Donnie had suspected, these Demons very much missed the way Hell used to be run and with the promise that things could go back to how they used to be, they apparently seemed willing to either forgive or forget Donnie's previous traitorous actions against Lucifer. Donnie also knew that they would never listen to the likes of Phineas. These Demons are from a time when mixing Demon and Angel blood was a huge no-no. This thought caused Donnie to reconsider claiming Patience's child as his heir. Better to abandon that child completely and create a pure-blooded heir than let these Demons think for one moment that he was a traitor to his own race. He had been tempted to kidnap Amelia's child but he had already dismissed that idea. That boy was not his by blood so he would be better off destroying it, along with his father. Get rid of the competition. Then, maybe before they destroy the current Queen they could use her as he'd originally intended back at their previous lair? Or there's the other one that had gotten away from them. The redhead. She may be a Blood God but she was still technically a Devil. Now wouldn't that just piss Damien off? Donnie grinned at the thought. Decisions, decisions. Stirred from his thoughts by Phineas's ramblings, he shot him a dangerous look. "Oh dear," he said to him quietly while letting Insanity have his fun. "I wonder what Kasper would think of your misbehaviour towards your masters?" he asked pleasantly. "Should we ask him? Though I doubt he'd be able to say much when Insanity and I spit-roast him." his smile twisted into a much more malicious grin. "Or maybe I should twist his mind? Change him into a Demon and add him to my ever-growing army?" He then turned to look at Insanity and gestured towards him while addressing the onlooking Demons. "Pay attention! Our wonderful 'volunteer' will demonstrate for us the things we can and will do to souls when Insanity and I reign!" He then chuckled evilly while looking at the Demon in Insanity's grip. "Aren't you so lucky?!" --- Bob paused. "Crying? Her? Have you met her?" He joked. Still, despite his complete lack of facial features, his quietness and hesitance spoke volumes. He was worried. Lilly didn't answer straight away. Reluctantly though, she slowly let him go then tucked some of her hair behind her ears again, blushing. "Much better, thank you." she smiled shyly. "We um... we should head back to the van. The others will be waiting for us." --- Sebastian smiled at Jean then took Patience's and Cater's hands. Patience hesitated then chuckled while shaking her head. "I can't. My powers are already gone. I'm practically just an ordinary Vampire now. Albeit a Vampire with wings..." Sebastian blinked. "Oh! uh-..." he too hesitated. "David said he could teleport us back when we're ready. Would that be ok with you?" Patience looked unsure for a moment but supposed that she would need to talk to him sooner or later anyway. She bit her lip but nodded. "David?" he called and David appeared in the room. He froze when he saw Patience and looked between everyone warily. "We need a lift home," Sebastian told him then smiled at Patience. "Patience is coming with us." David slowly stepped towards them and took their hands without a word. A moment later, they were back in Carter's living room. Sebastian had left the Tupperware of 'Bluffins' behind. Letting go of their hands, David stepped away from them. "I guess I'll-" "Don't." Patience said, stopping him as she reached out and placed a hand on his arm. "We should talk. I didn't mean what I said. I was a mess and I wasn't thinking straight." David looked back at her with a small frown and his eyes dropped to her stomach. "What about-...?" he began to ask then trailed off. Not sure how to finish his question. "It's not going to be mine." Patience answered him simply then looked between Carter and Sebastian. "But I know who would make wonderful parents for it." David looked back up at her then followed her eyes to Carter and Sebastian. He smiled at them both and nodded. He seemed both sad and relieved. "I can't think of anyone better." Denix Vames - February 26, 2022 Once the plan was agreed to, everyone got into their places. Gabriel began lowering himself as he emitted that light for a moment once the man stepped outside. With the lawn looking healthy, Nate stepped forward to the man. "If you gave us a party and fulfilled our needs then you can have more than this. We can bless you with anything you desired." --- Phineas went pale. He fell to his knees as he held the iron rod. "Forgive me master. Please don't hurt my lover." Insanity threw the demon to the middle of the bar. He gripped his crotch before stabbing into his eye and pulling it out. "Don't you look delightful?" Phineas turned away from the scene. "I beg that you let me stay outside. I feel sick." --- Pain nervously smiled. "Sure." They headed to the van. "We should go back home unless you guys want to explore the city? We have time." ,said Storm. --- "We don't mind visits from friends like you. Just remember that. I think throwing a baby shower might be a nice idea. Only if you guys are ok with it." ,said Carter. Shadowess - February 26, 2022 Despite how drunk they all were, the plan went off without a hitch. Rob and Tom watched the man step out of his home and fall to his knees with tears in his eyes as he was overwhelmed by the sight. When Nate had stepped forward and spoke to him, the man nodded vigorously before running into his house and picking up his phone. While invisible to him, Azrael followed him inside to eavesdrop. He came back outside a few minutes later. "He's set up a party at a local venue. He's invited everyone he goes to church with so like...at least half the town. If not more." Azrael chuckled. "He's also ordered a catering service to be there. Sounds like it's going to be a hell of a party. I think we should disappear now then turn up fashionably late. All with our wings out looking majestic as fuck." --- Donnie chuckled cruelly and shook his head. "Absolutely not. Weakness will not be tolerated. I'll warn you now, if you vomit I will make you lick it up! Every last drop!" The Demon hit the ground and coughed up more blood. Looked around at the other Demons who merely watched. Apparently enjoying what they saw. "H-Help! Don't let them do this!" he cried out but his pleas went unheard. He groaned and flinched when Insanity grabbed him. He hadn't had any time to push him away when the knife went through his eye. At that point, he was in so much agony that he couldn't think of anything other than the pain as he gripped where his eyes had been and let out scream after scream. Donnie tilted his head back and half-closed his eyes with a look of satisfaction on his face. "Oh, it's like music to my ears! Make him sing some more, my beloved!" --- Bob was staring directly at Lilly when she came back. Although she wasn't currently smiling, he had a feeling that there was something different about her. When Lilly caught him staring she rose a brow at him. "What?" she snapped. "Nothin'" he shrugged then chuckled. "Cry baby." "Beg your pardon, bone bag?" "Calm down, grumpy." Bob chuckled some more. "After all, I know how emotional you can get." Lilly walked past him and as she did she yanked on his spine, pulling it out before dropping it on the floor. Causing Bob to crash to the ground in pieces. "Hey! What's the big idea?!" "Don't cry about it!" Lilly shot back. "You know what, I think I'd like to explore this place a bit," she said as she looked out at the rest of the city. She then looked back at Pain. "You want to come with me?" "Me?" Bob's skull asked from the ground, his head bobbing around as his jaw opened and shut to speak. "No," Lilly replied then smiled. An audible gasp came from Bob's skull and his head started jumping and bobbing around like crazy as he spoke rapidly to the others. "Quick! Someone take a picture! Do you have any idea how rare this is?! Quick before it's gone- Hey, Lilly! Where ya going?! Come back and let us take a picture! Do it again!" But Lilly had already turned away from him and was happily walking towards the street. --- "It's a good idea." Patience nodded with a smile. Seeing that Patience was fine with it, David relaxed. "It's a wonderful idea." he agreed. "Maybe I could help you organise it? I could send out your invites." he offered. Patience sniffed the air. The smell of hot bluffins was still very much present here. "What is that?" "Oh! I made-" Sebastian looked around briefly then his cheeks turned red. "Uh... I left the Bluffins at the castle..." he looked at Carter as his shoulders dropped at the realisation. "Bluffins?" Patience rose a brow. "Muffins...made out of blood. I was trying to make food that vampires could eat and thought I'd start simple... I'm thinking of opening a Vampire bakery or something like that." "What an idea!" Patience seemed impressed. "But vampires wouldn't be able to each much if it's still made with human food, right?" "Well no, but it'd be like a small treat we could have once in a while. That's why I thought cakes would be a good fit. That way it's no more unhealthy than a human eating cake." Sebastian nodded then blushed as he added while looking at Carter. "Carter's pancakes gave me the idea." He then shrugged and laughed. "Oh well, I guess Jean can have those ones. I hope he likes them. I'll make some more later." Denix Vames - February 26, 2022 "Awesome!" ,said Nate. They would wait until the right time to appear in the church once everything had been set up. --- Phineas suddenly felt a surge of power run through his veins. He stood before the iron rod went through his chest on its own. A blast of energy knocked over everyone and everything in the area. The iron rod became his skin. His wings grew before he shouted, "I said....NO!" Insanity stopped to watch. Surprised by this sudden change but also worried. Phineas flew up. "Heaven and the right rulers of Hell will know about this! Attempt to hurt those that I love and I will kill you!" --- Pain ran after her. He started walking beside her. "You cool?" "Uh Need some help?" ,said Storm. He picked up some bones and placed them where they should be. Grim helped out with the other bones. --- "There's lot of people to invite but I'm sure we can get everyone. We just have to get the right food for everybody." ,said Carter. "Not to mention the decorations for the party." shadowess - February 26, 2022 By the time they'd arrived, the man had grown flustered as he'd tried to convince his friends that he wasn't crazy, that he'd really seen Angels and that they would be here soon. With Gabriel's light and all their wings out, including Rob's, they appeared at the head of the church. The people inside shielded their eyes until the light dulled enough for them to see and they all immediately fell to their knees. Bowing to them. "Ok, this is epic!" Tom grinned as he stood by Nate's side. "Yeah, I had my doubts but this does feel pretty good." Rob chuckled. "Let there be wine!" Azrael announced and snapped his fingers, making bottles of wine appear. "Mortals! Party with us! Drink! Dance! Enjoy life for all the pleasures it has to give!" --- "Enough of this!" Donnie growled then began chanting his spell to try to possess Phineas. The Demon on the ground tilted his head back to look up at Phineas. One hand still holding the side of his face, he lifted his other hand to reach towards him desperately. "P-please! Help me!" --- "Yeah, I'm cool." Lilly giggled. "That was just banter. Should've seen what I used to do to Bob when he really annoyed me." She looked around them as they walked. "Anyway, I haven't really had many opportunities to explore your world since I arrived here. I mean, I went with you all to that strange clothes shop but that was about it. I thought...maybe..." she tucked hair behind her ears again. "You wouldn't mind showing me some more of your world?" "Thank you." Bob said as he picked up his skull once most of his body was put together again and popped it back onto his neck. He saw the looks on their faces and waved his boney hand at them. "Hey, it's not as bad as it looks. It's kind of a running joke we got goin'." he said as he stood up. "Besides. It's not like it hurts." he dusted himself off. "So! Where we off to now, gang?" --- "I can help with that too." David nodded. "Maybe I could visit your friend, Blaire? I'm sure she'd provide enough blood bags for the vampires." Patience sat on the couch, feeling a little tired from everything. "Speaking of blood. I haven't had any in a while. I don't suppose you have any bags here?" she asked. Denix Vames - February 26, 2022 Gabriel and Nate knew that the party was on. They drank some more with their lovers. Enjoying the company of other humans who were so eager to listen because of who they were. Gabriel had a good feeling that Azrael would have plenty of people to have sex with. --- Phineas clutched his head as he tried to ignore the chanting. Once Billy was able to sense his soul through that presence of energy, he appeared. His wings sprouted. "Grab my hand!" He pulled Phineas and the demon. Throwing them into a portal that sent them into Carter's house. Billy cried out as Phineas had stopped himself in time from entering the portal to stab him through the chest with the iron rod. He threw him across the bar before lowering himself to the ground. Standing there with a blank stare as he awaited orders. "N-No....Almost close...." He tried to stay awake before passing out. --- "Well, I've never really been here before but I'm really good with directions. We can find some historical monuments if you're into that." ,said Pain. "We could always take a look around the city. I'll just text Pain to meet us back at the van in a few hours." ,said Storm who did just that. --- "Always will." Carter brought back a blood bag from the kitchen. Giving it to her. Shadowess - February 26, 2022 At first, the crowd was a little nervous about drinking and partying in a church but after a few drinks, things began to get a little wild. Azrael lay across a pew and let a couple of the humans' stroke his wings while another poured wine into his mouth. After drinking more of his own venom and dancing with Nate for a while, Tom had a very naughty idea. He began pulling Nate towards the confessional booth with a cheeky grin on his face. With a small crowd of mortals fawning over Gabriel's beauty, sat on a pew nearby and had been drinking enough of the wine now to feel more relaxed about what they were doing. --- The Demon was thrown into the portal and rolled across Carter's floor, startling Patience, Sebastian, Carter and David in the process before the portal was snapped shut by Donnie. Donnie turned back to look at Billy cautiously before looking at Phineas in annoyance. "Have you any idea what you've done?!" he asked him in shock before looking back at Billy. He seemed almost afraid. He reached an arm out for Insanity and pushed him behind himself defensively while keeping his eyes on the fallen Angel who, due to his severe wound and current location, was about to become an actual Fallen Angel. A Devil. A being capable of actually standing up to Donnie and Insanity. "Even more fucking competition to deal with!" he seethed. "Maybe this doesn't need to be a bad thing?" he wondered aloud then began chanting again, trying to get control of Billy as well. --- "Sure," Lilly answered. "Maybe you could tell me some of the histories from your world too?" she suggested. "And if you'd like, I can tell you some more about where I came from?" "A lot of old looking buildings around here," Bob noted as he looked around. "I'll just follow you guys." --- "Thank you." Patience said in relief when she got the bag. She immediately sank her fangs into it and began drinking hungrily. She, David and Sebastian all jumped when a Demon came flying into the room and rolled across the floor. Before they could react, the portal that the Demon had come through snapped shut but it had been more than enough time for David to sense a familiar presence. "No..." he whispered then looked over at the Demon who seemed to be covered in blood. He was groaning while holding his face and David noted the wound in his chest. He ran over and knelt by his side. "What happened?" "D-Donnie...Insanity... M-mad... they're all mad!" the demon devolved into unintelligible sobs. "My eye..." "Here, sit up. Easy." David said gently while helping him to sit on the floor. "Someone bring him some water... and some bandages," he said while keeping his eyes on the Demon. "It's going to be ok. You're safe now. What's your name?" "Z-Z-Zero..." the Demon sobbed.

Denix Vames - February 21, 2022 Nate frowned. Ignoring what Rob and Gabriel were doing, he looked at Azrael. "Buddy? Ever thought about finding love? Like I mean actual love? It's really not too late. We could help, ya know?" --- "Where will be able to find Demons like that? Is there such a place? Or are they scattered in Hell?" ,asked Insanity. Phineas stood. "You're wrong." Insanity glared. "What did you say?" "You may see them as evil just like they see you as evil too. But the truth is, evil fighting against evil? No one ever wins in a battle like that. I learned that when I attempted to take revenge on the first person who once possessed me. He and I are now friends. We understand each other better. Don't you see? If we talk among ourselves, we can coexist." Phineas held a hopeful smile. Insanity caressed his cheek. He smirked. "Don't ever stop being a fool. You look cute when you do it." Phineas frowned. He shook his head. "No! I refuse to think that you can't be helped!" --- "Oh, they know. We told them. You see, in the UK, all species are protected by the government. It's a law. So, they can be their real selves. They don't have to hide who they are." ,said Storm. --- "No one's forcing you to raise this child. It's all up to you. And if it helps, we would be willing to raise them. Only if you're ok with it. I just want you to know your options so that you don't feel so enclosed about this." said Carter. Shadowess - February 21, 2022 Azrael shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "I just want to have fun tonight." He shrugged. "Besides, I'm really picky about what I want in a partner..." "Preference is one thing but you can't deny yourself the chance at happiness by limiting your options to a set idea," Tom said, turning his head to look at Azrael. "Otherwise you could be searching for years. I'm curious though, what sort of things are you looking for?" Azrael picked up a shot glass and knocked it back. "Well, like I said earlier. My job can get me down. I spend all day every day comforting souls who are grieving their lost lives. So the last thing I want is to come home to someone who mopes, gripes and wants constant reassurance... I need someone who loves to party. Someone who is happy all the time and who is difficult to upset." Tom rose a brow. "Yeah... honest opinion?" Azrael picked up another shot glass. "If you're anything like Nate, something tells me you're going to tell me anyway," he smirked as he took another shot. "What you're looking for sounds more like a robot than an actual living being. No matter who you end up with, there are always going to be bad days along the way. If you're not prepared to support your partner from day one then your relationship just won't last..." Tom watched Azrael carefully, worried that he might have upset him. Azrael became quiet and was thoughtful for a couple of minutes before knocking back one more shot and standing with a grin. "Who's ready to perform a miracle?" he asked them excitedly. --- Donnie stood, holding the blanket around him as he grinned at Phineas while simultaneously staring him down. "Make no mistake. We are fully aware of what we are and we're proud of it. Just a few hours ago I had an Angelic compass pressed to my chest. It revealed to me something that I had suspected for years. My heart is black. Nothing brings me greater joy and pleasure than seeing someone else suffer. So yes, my gullible friend, I cannot be 'helped'." He then looked at Insanity. "To answer your question, I imagine they'd be scattered in Hell. We should start by seeking out those who are still loyal to Lucifer. It'll be dicey, considering Lucifer destroyed me for betraying him all those years ago. But perhaps if we can convince them that we can run a stronger, more ruthless Hell than Amelia will, then we might get them to defect to our side. We just need to remind them that Lucifer would never have tolerated the idea of joining forces with Heaven and that Amelia's ideals are an insult to Demon kind." --- "What?" Lilly's eyes widened and she looked back at Bob and the people talking to him. It seemed so odd to her that they were so comfortable talking to a living skeleton. She half-laughed, her usually stoney expression softened into a relieved smile. "Well this certainly beats the witch hunts and the fires..." she said to herself and her own words suddenly dawned on her. She didn't have to hide anymore. She no longer had to worry about Bob blowing their cover and running from witch hunters who would happily burn her at the stake just for having powers that she was born with and barely understood. She saw something drip onto the drum she was holding and it took a moment for her to realise it was a tear. Blinking, she quickly put the drum in the van and turned away from the band to hide her face. "Excuse me," she said hurriedly before rushing back into the club to clean herself up in the restroom. --- Sebastian looked at Carter then back to Patience as she stared at him. "That's actually not a bad idea. Carter and I were thinking of adopting anyway. Maybe this would be better?" he suggested? "At least then, if you miss it, you know where it is and you know it's safe and with family." Patience lowered her head to look down at herself. "I know that no one is forcing me to do anything," she said after a moment. "I'm just afraid of making the wrong decision and ruining its life." Patience brought her eyes up slowly to look at them. "I'm also afraid... that I'll hate it," she admitted tearfully. "Because seeing it might remind me...of him." Sebastian's heart ached as he saw the pain in Patience's eyes. She was really torn up about this. He exchanged a worried glance with Carter before his expression became more resolute. He looked back at Patience and walked over to her, taking her hands. "Let us adopt this baby. We'll raise it and love it as our own. And maybe instead of thinking about this child as being...his. Think of it as being..." he turned his head a little to smile at Carter. "Ours." He turned his head to look back at her. "What do you think?" Patience blinked at them. Tears rolled slowly down her cheeks as she considered this proposal. The more she thought about it, the more it felt like a weight was being lifted from her shoulders and the more the offer made sense. She smiled, her eyes glistening from the tears as she looked from Sebastian to Carter and she nodded. "Yes." she then bit her lip as for the first time during her pregnancy, she felt genuine excitement. But not for herself. For them. "You're going to have a baby," she said to them, feeling the need to say it out loud for it to feel real. Denix Vames - February 22, 2022 "Whoo!" ,said Nate. "Let's find an idiot!" ,said Gabriel. --- "First, we should steal some clothes from this place. I killed the people who lived here and scattered their remains in Hell. They've got plenty of clothes for you to choose from." Insanity opened the closet. Once Donnie was dressed, they appeared in Hell. "Just stop and think about what you're doing! Whatever that compass said is wrong! You can still-!" Insanity gripped his chin as his other hand gripped his wrist. Raising his arm. "You're starting to be a pest. Do I need to take out your worries by having a little fun?" He rubbed his crotch. Phineas shoved him back. "Kasper is my true lover!" He covered his mouth. Isanity smirked. "Do you hear that? We have another to claim hostage." --- Pain noticed her behavior. He followed her before stopping at the Women's bathroom door. He knocked. "Lily? Is everything alright?" --- Tears dripped down Carter's cheeks as he smiled. "We're going to have a baby!" He kissed Sebastian with such joy before kissing him again. He hugged Patience. "Thank you." He thought about his previous family with Jack. He knew now that he would get to start another family again. That he would get to feel love like this once more. "Carter?" Jean had appeared. Carter turned away. "I'm sorry for...those times at work. You have to understand-" "But I do." Jean hugged him. "Your fits of rage only makes sense after what you went through. And I can see now that you have become a better man." Carter returned the hug. "I'm glad to see you." shadowess - February 22, 2022 "What kind of miracle are you guys going to do?" Tom asked as he got off Nate's lap to stand up. "Good point, we need to go somewhere where humans are still oblivious to the supernatural." Azrael slurred. "I'm not sure why but most of the US is still in the dark about the supernatural. I mean, most places are catching on now. How can you not when the EU are completely converted? But some places think that it's some kind of political or media stunt." Rob pointed out. Azrael rose a brow at Rob then smirked at Gabriel. "He is not nearly drunk enough if he's talking like that!" he laughed. Rob blushed deeply. He and Gabriel had gotten too carried away with their kisses to focus on drinking. "No matter." Azrael chuckled. "We'll buy a bottle of wine each before we go." he stumbled up to the bar to order their bottles. --- Donnie smirked at Insanity's statement about killing the people who'd lived in this apartment. "You certainly have been busy." he chuckled as he made his way to the closet and dropped the blanket. He picked out a plain black shirt and blue jeans. Once dressed he tried on the boots that were by the bedroom door and to his relief, their previous owner had been the same size as him. Once in Hell, he then watched with a wicked smirk as Insanity came on to Phineas. His smirk widened into a grin at Phineas's reaction to this. "Wonderful. I can already see the kinds of fun we could have with this Kasper." he turned and gave Phineas a dark glare. "Unless you behave yourself, that is." he took a step towards him threateningly. "In case you don't get just how much we enjoy shit like this by now, let me make it perfectly clear for you. If you cause us even the slightest bit of trouble, I'll possess that Angelic Doctor to bring his ass down here to join us. Then we will make you watch as we rape and torture him slowly until he loses his mind. And if you go so far as to betray us, then we'll rip him apart and send what's left to oblivion!" he growled. His eyes were lit up red by this point as he stared, unblinking, into Phineas's eye. "Do you understand?" --- Lilly had been dabbing at her eyes with a tissue when she heard Pain's voice. She sniffled and threw the tissue into the bin before checking her face in the mirror to make sure she didn't look like she'd been crying. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she opened the door and looked at Pain. She tried to remain composed as her usually miserable self but she couldn't help the small smile spreading across her face as she looked at him. "I'm...I'm fine. Better than fine actually." she tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "I'm... happy?" she said, as though this feeling was absolutely foreign to her. In all fairness though, it really was. She couldn't stop herself half laughing as she realised this. "For the first time... in a very long time, I'm happy. I spent so much of my life in fear. Always looking over my back and stressed whenever Bob almost revealed us for what we were because..." she frowned. "Because back where I came from... someone like me would have been burned." she glanced around the bar at the people drinking. People she now knew were fully aware of what Bob was but were completely at ease about it. "But I don't have to worry about that anymore and I guess I kind of felt a little... overwhelmed." Since their arrival on Earth, not only was this the longest Lilly had smiled, it had also been the most she'd ever said in one sitting and she had all but poured her heart out to Pain. --- "We're going to have a baby!" Sebastian repeated in excitement after Carter kissed him. Patience hugged Carter back then they watched as Jean appeared and reconciled with Carter. Patience smiled at Jean tearfully. "Jean, I know what I need to do now," she said as she walked over to him and hugged him as well. "Thank you. Thank you so much for your support. You and Hannes. You both gave me somewhere to go when I felt so lost." "A crib!" Sebastian blurted out to Carter in excitement. "We're going to need to make a nursery. A-and buy all the baby things! We'll need a changing table, clothes, teddies, blankets!" he was grinning widely. "Oh my God, this feels like a dream." Denix Vames - February 22, 2022 "What part of America should we go for?" ,asked Nate. --- Phineas lowered his head but glanced at him. "Yes...." Insanity gave him a look before he finished his sentence. "Yes master." "Good. Now have your weapon out. We can defend ourselves but I do love to see a good fight or two." The iron rod appeared in Phineas's hand. Phineas was now filled with hopelessness and despair. --- Pain smiled. "Well, I'm glad you guys came here. Sounds like those people can go fuck off. Honestly, I thought my world sucked but I guess I was wrong. It's good to see that the band is making not only musical differences but personal ones too." He thought for a moment. "You won't slap me if I hug you, will you?" --- "Of course. I could never abandoned a person who needs help." ,said Jean. Carter chuckled. "And we can have a baby shower! Everyone would be there." Denix Vames - February 22, 2022 (basically i dont have medi-cal anymore for some reason even though all poor people are supposed to be able to have it. you cant take it away from someone no matter how old they are. im pretty sure the medi-cal business is just being stupid again. they suck at their jobs) Denix Vames - February 22, 2022 (forgot to mention that me and my mom are gonna try and fix this crap by talking to someone about it. hopefully i dont get more screwed than i already am) shadowess - February 22, 2022 (This shit is the reason I think all countries should have something like the NHS available. No one should have to put themselves into debt to cover health costs I am really sorry to hear you're going through that though and I hope that they do sort it out for you.) Denix Vames - February 22, 2022 (yeah im not exactly a fan of America either. learned enough history to know that they'll fuck over their people no matter what. and thanks. i hope this stuff gets worked out too) shadowess - February 23, 2022 (Well, there are a few things about America that are admirable. It's just the politics that can be a bit messy from what I've noticed.) "Somewhere that's crazy for religion. They'll lap this shit up. I'll let you guys pick." Azrael slurred as he passed them their bottles of wine. He then chuckled. "Can't wait to see their faces when we pop our wings out!" --- Seeing Phineas's spirit break, Donnie smiled and turned away from him to lead their little group. "I know just the place to start. It's a little bar that was set up way back for Lucifer's soldiers to wind down during their downtime. I wonder if a few of its customers are still loyal..." He took Insanity's hand. "Prepare yourself. Don't let your guard down and even when they pledge themselves, don't trust a single one of them." --- Lilly hesitated. She wasn't usually a fan of people touching her, let alone hugging her. It was a defensive thing. Living the majority of her life on the run had meant that she'd run into her fair share of creeps that would try to lure her into a false sense of security by offering her safety and might've hurt her or worse if it hadn't been for Bob being around to see them for what they really were. But this wasn't her world and these people were not the same. Particularly this group that she had found herself with. If they had been up to anything nefarious, Bob would have picked up on it by now and warned her. So, she supposed she could trust them. She smiled at Pain and shook her head. "No, I won't slap you." she chuckled. --- Patience let Jean go and smiled at him thankfully. "Never change," she said softly. Then turned to Carter and Sebastian who were excitedly making plans. "Maybe I should stay with you two until the baby is born? So, that you can be involved in the pregnancy part as well?" she suggested. Denix Vames - February 23, 2022 "How about Alabama? Those guys are stupid over there." ,said Nate. --- Insanity nodded. "Right. Although, I wouldn't mind cutting some of them should they stab us in the back." He held Phineas's hand before they all teleported. Once they were there, Phineas silently cried as he followed them. --- "Thanks." Pain gave her a gentle hug. "Figured you could use one." --- Jean smiled. "I won't." "That doesn't sound like a bad idea." ,said Carter. "You could help us pick out clothes for the baby too. And some other things that they'll need." Denix Vames - February 24, 2022 (i just want to be happy already. i want this whole medi-cal to be taken care of. i want my moms social worker to stop being stupid. i need my medicine. it takes away my depression and anxiety. i need a therapist. i just want to get better. i feel like dying somewhere so i wont be a bother to anyone. i just want to stop suffering) shadowess - February 26, 2022 Although going along with it all, Rob was still a little uncomfortable about this plan. But he supposed, as long as no one was getting hurt, then what harm was there in having a little fun? Tom on the other hand was drunk enough now to be excited about the plan as he grinned and wrapped an arm around Nate's waist. Azrael shrugged and gestured to Nate. "Lead the way." he chuckled as he uncapped his bottle and took a swig. --- "Cut it out, cyclops. If these Demons are as loyal to Lucifer as they used to be then tears are a major sign of weakness. And we will not tolerate weakness." Donnie growled at Phineas as they arrived just outside the bar. "Now, follow my lead." Inside, the bar was packed with Demons. All with varying abilities. They spoke among themselves while drinking from black glass bottles. A hush fell over the room as Donnie, Insanity and Phineas stepped inside. All of them immediately recognised Donnie and Insanity as not only fugitives and traitors, but as Devils as well. Donnie grinned at them as he stepped forward with his arms opened and his palms facing upwards. Strutting with confidence. "My fellow Hellions." he greeted them. "I know what you're all thinking. You're thinking of capturing us and delivering us to the 'Queen' of Hell." he said the word 'queen' in a mocking tone while doing air quotes with his hands. "Most of you here know who I am from a time before that girl ever inherited the crown. From a time when Lucifer reigned." He looked at each of them carefully. "Who here really thinks that she's fit to rule? Why does SHE get to inherit Hell? She wasn't even related to Lucifer. Neither was Damien for that matter! So what gives her the right?!" "She's a Devil." one of the Demons said then the room erupted in murmurs of agreement from the other demons. Donnie wasn't hampered by this statement however as he smiled and pointed to the Demon who spoke. "You're right. She IS a Devil," he said then opened his arms and shook his head while looking around at them all. "But so are WE! What makes us any less qualified to run Hell?" he jumped up onto a table and looked down at them all. "Let me ask you all just one more question..." he said and gave a quick, sly grin to Insanity. "Would you rather have a weak ruler who believes in the idiotic notion of peace? Or a strong ruler who will restart Lucifers war and destroy those feathery fuckers?!" For a minute the bar was quiet. Then, the Demons looked at each other uncertainly. "Make us your Kings, and we will ensure that sinners are PUNISHED for their crimes! Make us Kings and we will reward loyalty handsomely! Make us Kings and we will give you the freedom to do all the things that once made Demons great! Make us you Kings and together we will bring Heaven to its knees! I don't just want things to go back to how they were when Lucifer ruled, I want us to be far stronger and ruthless as a race than we have ever been!" Donnie hadn't been wrong about this particular group of Demons. As his speech reached its end, they cheered and repeatedly banged their fists on their tables in excitement. All but one Demon at the back that had put their drink down and was now slowly making their way towards the back door. Donnie waved his hands around suddenly to hush the crowd and looked as if he was smelling the air. "Do you all smell that?" he asked them and they looked back at him curiously. Then Donnie pointed out the Demon who was trying to leave quietly. "Smells like a rat!" he looked at Insanity and grinned. "Perhaps we should show them what happens to those who are disloyal? My love. My Artist. Carve for me. Show them all what happens to traitors." The Demon at the back's eyes had widened. "This isn't right!" he shouted at them then darted for the back door, running out into the alley. --- Lilly was tense at first as Pain wrapped his arms around her. Then she found herself surprised by how warm and pleasant the hug felt. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders to hug him back and felt herself relaxing. Outside, Bob said goodbye to the people he'd been chatting with and rejoined the rest of the group by the van. He looked around briefly and noted that both Lilly and Pain were missing. "What? Did they need to pee at the same time?" he asked as he placed his hands on his hips. "This is what happens when you use the bathroom too soon after you start drinking..." he tutted. "End up taking a piss every two damn minutes." --- Patience nodded. "I think that would be ok." Sebastian placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a gentle smile. "Let's go home?" he asked then looked at Carter. "We could always come back once we're settled. I'd love to come back here and see how vampires live in a community." he then looked over at Jean. "If that would be ok?"

Denix Vames - February 19, 2022 "That sounds perfect but I think you can take the sex part." ,said Nate. "Yeah, we've already got someone." ,said Gabriel. --- Phineas attempted to take the collar off before Insanity punched him. He clutched his cheek. "Why won't this damn collar work?!" Insanity grabbed Donnie before grabbing Phineas's arm. Making him fall with such a pull of force. "No! Doctor! Help!" "Your powers! Use them!" ,shouted Leo. Phineas wondered what he could possibly as he recalled that he wasn't human anymore. The iron rod appeared in his hand. He stabbed Insanity through his chest he was kicked off. Insanity grabbed him by his leg. Dragging him as they disappeared. He placed a spell so that no one would find them. All three men were in an apartment. "No! Get away from me!" At Phineas's words, he began to kick him. "You will obey me!" Phineas clutched his stomach as he cried out. --- As the bartender made his drink, everyone had placed the equipment on stage. Making sure everything was hooked up. "Let's order some food. I'm hungry." ,said Hades. --- Carter's eyes widened when he appeared in the castle. "Holy shit! This place is straight out of Game of Thrones!" shadowess - February 20, 2022 "Oh yeah..." Azrael looked thoughtful then shrugged. "So, bring them along for the ride? Then we can all have some fun. Besides, I gotta meet the mortals that finally calmed you two down!" he laughed. --- Realising that Kasper had been right and that Phineas was in danger, the doctor ran forward. He dove at them to try to grab one of them before they'd vanish but was slightly too late as he hit the grass where they'd been standing. He tried to teleport but couldn't. "I don't understand! Why can't I follow them?!" he said as he stood, turning to look at Leo. "What just happened!? Who were they?!" Donnie heard the commotion and felt the ground under him shift. He wasn't as cold but he was still shivering as he crawled over what felt like carpet. He found a couch, which he propped himself against until he regained his sight. Slowly, the room came into focus. At first, all he could see were dark blurs, then he looked at Insanity and Phineas, alarmed by the rod sticking out of Insanity's chest. "My love! He hurt you?" he gasped. He tried to stand, wobbled for a moment then sat back down on the couch. He was too weak yet to move. Apparently being turned into a tree then reborn from the same tree in the space of one evening is very tiring work. --- "Me too." Lilly nodded as she stepped off the stage to join the others. Bob took the drink and was about to take a sip when Lilly swiped it from him. "No, Bob." She looked at the bartender. "I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate you leaving a puddle in the middle of their establishment." "If you're saying that I have a weak bladder, then that is simply not true!" Bob huffed and leaned against the bar with his arms folded. "That's because you don't have a bladder at all, numbskull!" "Maybe YOU should have that drink then? You could do with loosening up a little!" Bob suggested and Lilly squinted at him. "The only reason I'll drink this is that you've already paid for it, and it'd go to waste otherwise." "Paid for it?" Bob pulled out his pockets which were empty and Lilly rolled her eyes. "Of course..." she huffed and set the drink down on the bar before pulling out her own purse. "Maybe if you smiled more, someone would buy that drink for you?" Bob suggested as he walked past her to head to the dance floor. --- Egon saw the pair having appeared with David before David had left them. He approached them cautiously and took note that they were speaking English. "Guten Abend, visitors." he greeted them. "Oh! uh-" Sebastian turned around to see Egon and held on tightly to the Tupperware that he had. Carter wasn't wrong! Egon was wearing what appeared to be ancient armour. Sword in a sheath and all! "Good evening. We came to visit Patience. She's my maker. Apparently, she's here?" "Last I saw, our King had taken her to settle into her own room." Egon nodded. "This way, I'll show you." "How long has this castle been here?" Sebastian asked as he looked around curiously while they followed Egon. "Centuries. It was first built in 1025. Though it was much smaller back then. Over time, we added to its size to accommodate the vampire families who moved in... there aren't as many of us now. Most of us were hunted off. But our war with the hunters has just ended, so we look forward to filling up the rooms once more." Denix Vames - February 20, 2022 In just a flash, Tom and Rob were there. "Rob isn't exactly mortal but he's a good man either way." ,said Gabriel. Nate winked at Tom. "What can I say? I love humanity." --- "It's a long complicated story." Leo spilled the beans on Donnie and Insanity. He balled up his fists. "We have to call in a search. I'll notify my boss. You tell Heaven." He walked away. --- Insanity pulled out the iron rod. He set it aside. "I'm alright." He grabbed a blanket and placed it over Donnie. "You should be more slow with this. You might hurt yourself. Anyway, I'll need your help to control our new servant. It seems like we might have overused the collar." --- Hades and the others ordered some meals before they began eating. It would take some time but the concert would soon start. With enough of an audience, the band was playing. Hades was backstage making sure everything was alright. --- "I kind of want to try staying here for a day. Would that be alright?" ,said Carter. Shadowess - February 20, 2022 At first, both Rob and Tom were surprised that they'd been teleported into the bar but they each relaxed when they saw they'd been brought to their parter's sides. Rob blushed and shrugged at Gabriel's compliment. "Well, I am now. Thanks to you." Tom had chuckled at Nate's comment. He seemed far more relaxed than Rob was but then again he was used to random teleportations by now. "And I love this Angel with all my heart." he purred as he wrapped his arms around Nate's shoulders. "Nice to finally meet you both. My name is Azrael. Gabriel, Nate and I go way back." Azrael introduced himself. "Wait, Azrael? THE Angel of Death?" Rob seemed star-struck. But then, he supposed, it only made sense that one of the most famous Angels in Heaven is friends with an Angel who is just as famous. "That's me..." Azrael shrugged. "My job can take a hell of a toll on my mental health, so when I'm not on the clock, I like to party as much as I can. I used to get into all kinds of trouble with these two." he pointed drunkenly to Gabriel and Nate. "Speaking of which, we're going to perform some miracles to earn adoration. What do you think, fellas? Want to be treated like royalty for an evening?" "I-I don't know...Isn't that unethical?" Rob asked as he looked between them. Tom looked thoughtful then smirked at Rob before picking up one of Nate's empty shot glasses. "If there's one thing I've learned since dating Nate, it's to relax more and enjoy life to the fullest," he said before pressing the glass under one of his fangs to fill it. "Besides, it's not like we're hurting anyone," he commented before knocking the shot back and sitting on Nate's lap. "Though I think it's only fair that you allow us a chance to catch up to you guys first." he gestured to the shot glasses while grinning at them. Rob looked around at them then smiled bashfully at Gabriel, relenting. "Alright. It's just a bit of fun, right?" he asked, as though looking for reassurance. Azrael beamed at them then waved at the bartender. "Another round of shots!" --- The doctor nodded then vanished, returning to Heaven to report the kidnapping and Donnie's escape. --- Donnie gripped the blanket around him, desperate to feel any sort of warmth. He glanced at Phineas then looked up at Insanity. "Why are you still trying to use such unreliable tools? I gave you the power to possess. You know the words. Chant them and force him to become your zombified slave." he said through chattering teeth. "Or if you want it to be more fun, use something to bribe him with. A secret he doesn't want out or hold one of his loved ones hostage. You're my Artist! Be creative! Be the professional that caught my attention all those years ago!" he said, trying to inspire his lover while he was currently too drained to do anything else. --- Lilly had had the drink on an empty stomach and felt herself becoming inebriated too quick for her liking. She was glad when food was ordered and she ate to sober up. It wasn't long before she was watching Bob prancing around on the stage next to the band as they played. He tap-danced and at one point attempted to breakdance. Despite his terrible moves, he seemed to be a big hit with the audience who lapped up the band and their dermatologically-challenged mascot like they were already famous. Tired of watching Bob dancing around like a lunatic, Lilly walked around backstage and stood near Hades. The sound of the band playing was very loud, particularly this close, so Lilly had to lean in for Hades to hear her. "Hey. Is there anything I can help with here?" --- "You're welcome to stay. We can arrange a room for you to stay in." Egon nodded. Sebastian was contemplative. "I guess we could sort of use this as a holiday. But let's not forget, we're not here for us. We're here for..." he trailed off as a room with an open door caught his eye. He wandered over, causing Egon to pause and follow him over. "Carter, look! There are children here." He said quietly as he looked in on what appeared to be a creche. There were several adult vampires dotted around the colourfully decorated room. Each was playing and caring for small groups of children. All of them seemed to be aged between two and three years. "It's like a little nursery!" he gasped, his heart melted from the sight. "Of course. Where else would our children go during the night?" Egon asked. "We've never seen...vampire children before," Sebastian explained as he looked at Egon then smiled at Carter. "We were both turned." "Ohh, that explains it." "A-are they difficult to raise?" "Any child is." Egon chuckled. "But that's what rewarding about it, right?" "Right." Sebastian turned a little red with embarrassment. "But what I mean is... and I'm sorry if I sound daft... they do, y'know, grow up? right?" Egon turned a rose an eyebrow at Sebastian. "Of course they do," he answered. "You said Patience was your maker? Did she never talk to you about this stuff?" "It... never came up. We were both prisoners at the time. Then we got separated for decades." "I see." Egon turned away from the room. "Well, while you're here we'd be happy to teach you. So, don't be embarrassed about asking." Denix Vames - February 20, 2022 "Of course it is!" ,sad Gabriel. He kissed him before taking a shot. He pressed his lips against his. Making the shot go through Rob's mouth. Nate rubbed his hand over Tom's thigh as he kissed his neck. --- "Oh right. Sorry dear. It's been a struggle without your guidance. Although, I'll let him wear the collar. It suits him." ,said Insanity. He knelt and cupped Phineas's chin. "I want to see how far I can make you listen." Phineas glared. "You're nothing but a monster! A bastard who deserves to burn in Hell!" Insanity grinned. "If you don't listen then I will kill Autumn. Because you see, no matter what your friends do, I will always find her." Phineas's eye widened. Tears dripped down his cheek. "No....I-I'll listen." He lowered his head. Insanity stood. "Call me master." Phineas bit his lip before saying, "Yes master." Insanity chuckled. --- "Honestly, there's nothing to do. I'm just watching them from the backstage in case anything happens. You can watch from here too." ,said Hades. --- "It's just that..." Carter blushed. "We're thinking of adopting. We want to start a family. But we need some help with that. It seems like you guys know what to do." shadowess - February 20, 2022 Rob stifled a moan as Gabriel pushed the drink into his mouth. He then cringed at the strength of the drink before forcing himself to swallow it. He pulled away from Gabriel to cough a little and chuckled. "Oh, man...That's what you guys are drinking? That stuff is strong!" He then picked up another shot glass and brought it up to his own lips while looking at Gabriel suggestively. "Maybe I could return the favour?" Meanwhile, Tom was blushing madly as Nate kissed his neck. Though he was grinning from ear to ear as he filled glass after glass with his own venom which he proceeded to drink in order to keep up with them. Feeling a little left out, for now, Azrael settled for taking a few shots as he waited for the others to finish up the round. --- Donnie watched Insanity work. As he did, he thought about all they'd gone through so far as well as the loyalty Insanity had displayed by bringing him back from his wooden prison. He admired him as he watched the way he broke Phineas's spirit and as he demanded to be called master, Donnie couldn't take his eyes off him. Nothing else in his life had ever felt more right for him than this man. "Insanity," he said in a serious tone and no longer through chattering teeth. "Marry me." --- Lilly nodded and turned to watch the others on stage. Not entirely sure what they were supposed to be keeping a lookout for but remaining vigilant regardless. --- Egon looked sideways at the pair as they walked. "But that's wonderful news!" he exclaimed and came to a stop to face them fully. "Just before the war with the hunters ended, our castle was attacked. A lot of vampires lost their lives. As a result, a lot of our children here were left without parents. Adopting just one of our children would make all the difference, I'm sure! Especially to the child. Most of the ones who were orphaned are, thankfully, too young to remember what happened." Therefore too young to have known or miss their parents. "We would be happy to provide support and guidance, of course. But I'm sure this will be something that you both will need to think over. Come, Patience's home is not far now." He lead them to Patience's door and gestured to it. "Here we are. If you are hungry, I'd recommend joining us in the dining hall at around midnight. We have plenty of human or animal blood to go around. We have also arranged to begin opening our Gardens at that time, now that we don't need to fear any future attacks. Feel free to take a walk and enjoy the smell of the flowers." he knocked on the door for them and they waited until Patience answered. She opened the door then paused at the sight of Sebastian before throwing her arms around him. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?" She asked through happy tears. "David dropped us off. He was worried about you. We are too. Can we come in?" Patience had stiffened at the mention of David. She stood back and folded her arms. "Did he ask you to talk to me for him?" she looked between Sebastian and Carter warily. Worried that they were only here to try to convince her to take David back. Denix Vames - February 21, 2022 "Sure thing." ,said Gabriel. Nate glanced at Azrael. "C'mon man. Why don't we find you a sexy guy to have fun all night long with." --- Insanity walked over. He knelt by Donnie's side. "I do." He passionately kissed him as he gripped his head. "Why?" ,said Phineas. Insanity turned. "Everyone else is good but the two of you. What happened to you both? If it's any problem at all, you can come to Heaven with me. Please. They can help you there." He walked over. "You're actually serious?" He laughed. "There's nothing wrong with us. We just like doing things the way we do them." He slapped him. Phineas fell over as he curled up. "Now stay quiet until you're spoken to!" --- At some point, the concert was over. The band began putting their equipment back in the van. --- "David just wants you to know that whatever you decide....that he'll support you no matter what. He just wants you to feel better. And from where I'm standing, I want you both to feel better. You guys are my friends. Honestly, I wished you guys had told me about this. I know it sounds selfish but I wanted to be there for all of you. To fight against this bastard and his psycho boyfriend." Carter bit his lip as he held back tears. His grip on Sebastian's hand was tightening. "I lost my family once. I just got a new one. You guys. Please don't make me lose another one." He lowered his head. "I'm sorry. Just think things through. I won't force you." shadowess - February 21, 2022 Rob smirked and took the shot before pushing it into Gabriel's mouth in the same way. Only he waited until Gabriel swallowed the drink before slipping his tongue into his mouth as well to kiss him deeply. It was only a brief kiss and when he pulled back, he rested his head against his and looked into his eyes. "You're so beautiful," he whispered to him before picking up another shot glass. Azrael shrugged at Nate and took another shot himself. "I'm in no rush. Besides, once we do a miracle, I'm sure I'll find a few men to have fun with tonight." --- Donnie glared at Phineas. "You and your friends would call us insane or evil. I call it Strength. We're willing to do what needs to be done and we take pleasure in doing so. There's nothing wrong with that." he sat up and sighed. "God, I miss the other pets. At least they didn't talk back. But now, my love, we need to plan our next steps. If you'll recall, that bitch of a Queen placed a bounty on our heads with all Angels in Heaven." He seethed. "Damn woman is smarter than I gave her credit for. She chose the one kind of warrior that could actually destroy us and offered them a handsome reward... We're on the lam thanks to her." he shook his head. "We'll destroy her and her family in due time. First, if there is one thing that I realised we needed when our home was broken into, it's that we need an army. We need to search and rally together some like-minded Demons and employ them in secret. We grow our numbers then we make our move to cease Hell for ourselves." --- Lilly picked up some of the equipment and helped to load it back into the van with the others. "Seems like they liked you guys." she pointed out as she looked over at Bob who was chatting away to some of the audience members who had stepped outside for a smoke. "It's a wonder they haven't figured out that he's not mechanical yet." --- "Patience, we had no idea about anything that had happened until David came and told us. You're like a mother to me. I'm worried about you. We both are!" Sebastian added, giving Carter's hand a gentle squeeze back. "Look, what you want to do is your choice. But please don't shut us out." Patience looked between them and her stern expression melted away. She stood to one side quietly to let them in. Sebastian walked into the room with Carter and was in just as much awe with this room as he had been with the rest of the castle. "This is where you're staying?" "Yes. Jean picked out the room. He's been a great source of support through this." Patience answered as she closed the door behind them. Egon had opted to stand outside the room to give them privacy and wait until he was needed. Sebastian turned to face her and glanced at her stomach. "Is it true? Are you pregnant?" Patience hesitated then nodded and placed her hands over her stomach. "I'll see it to term but... I don't know if I have the strength to raise it myself." she admitted while looking away from them in shame.

Denix Vames - February 16, 2022 Nate chuckled. "I think that's the dumbest thing that I've ever heard you say. Everyone can fnd love. You just have to find it in the right places. Or let it come to you." "He's not wrong there." ,said Gabriel who drank some. Nate downed his before getting another drink. "Just wanted to take a shot this one time." --- Xenos said sarcastically, "Oh I'm sure we will." He winked at Donnie with a smile. "Alright men! Let's start construction of the barrier! First, measure the area." --- "Oh! Well, I can give you an old friend's room. He doesn't show up these days since he's busy with his own business. But I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you stayed in that room." Jean helped her up. They appeared in Xenos's old room. "You can stay here. Ring the bell near your bed when you're hungry. We've got plenty of animal and human blood." --- "Well, I got my food over here." Phineas guided him to the same pathway that he followed where they reached the eating area. He raised a brow at what was in the see-through fridge. "Oatmilk? But there are no udders in oats to get milk." --- "I'm way ahead of you." ,said Storm. He sprinkled some salt in before adding chocolate sauce to the mix. He chuckked some popcorn in his mouth before chewing. Suddenly, the other band members woke up from the smell. They ran over and grabbed some share of the popcorn. Hades looked at the people that she was with. She smiled. "I think I'll be alright. Besides, I kicked Donnie's ass just recently. If anything happens, I'll be there to give him another smackdown." shadowess - February 17, 2022 Once again Azrael was surprised by his friend's new attitudes on the subject. He smiled at then then smirked as he also drank the rest of his drink quickly. "Speaking of shots, should we party the way we used to and get a few rounds in?" --- Donnie couldn't see the wink but he caught the sarcasm. Unable to gain control of the others he had one last thing to try. He chanted quickly, trying to gain control of Xenos or at the very least latch a part of his mind to his. --- Patience looked around the room in amazement. "This room is beautiful." She gasped. She looked back at Jean and nodded. "Thank you. I think I'll try to get some rest first though." --- Kasper chuckled at Phineas and couldn't help wondering what his reaction to 'nut milk' would have been. "I'm not sure how they do it but it's a low fat alternative to dairy. For people who are lactose intolerant. Or people who just like the taste." He shrugged. "Maybe we could try some in cereal?" He suggested. --- "Hey fellas, save some for the skeleton! This was my idea!" Bob called over their shoulders. The commotion awoke Lilly who squinted at them. At first she was annoyed at having been woken up but she then caught the smell of the popcorn. Stomach growling, she stood and walked over to them. She leant against the wall, being aloof as she watched them eat. David couldn't help but grin at Hades. He ruffled her hair playfully. "That's my girl." He praised her. "Still call me if you need to, though." He added before vanishing. --- David appeared just outside of Carter's office building, where he straightened up his suit before ringing the bell. If there was anyone that Patience trusted and would listen to, it was Sebastian. Denix Vames - February 18, 2022 "Hell yeah!" ,said Nate. Gabriel nodded. Soon, the shot battle was on! --- Xenos clutched his head as he struggled to fight against him. "Sir!" ,shouted Leo who ran over. He was about to grab him when his arm suddenly twisted. He cried out. --- "Alright. Take care and sleep well. I'll be here for you no matter what." ,said Jean. He headed out of her home. --- "I think it's best that I take sip first." ,said Phneas. He took the milk out of the fridge. He twisted the top before pouring some in a cup. He sniffed at the milk then drank some. He suddenly covered his mouth as he gagged. He set the cup down. "Oh dear god! That tastes like vomit!" --- "Don't worry. We've got plenty of popcorn." ,said Storm. Hades nodded. "I will." She walked over to the band. "So guys! While I was kind of busy dealing with a recent enemy, I found us a gig!" "Whoa! Really? Where?" ,said Storm. "At the Cavern's Club!" The band members were shocked. "No way! That's where rock music began!" ,said Grim. "The Beatles were the true rebels." ,said Pain. "And you can dance on stage, Bob!" ,said Hades. --- Carter opened the door. He rubbed his eyes. "Please tell me there's something exciting happening. It's honestly been hell not having any case to work on." shadowess - February 19, 2022 In minutes, there was a tray full of shot glasses on their table. All of them filled with a clear liquid. Considering they were all Angels, it would take a lot of shots of them all to get drunk... and a lot of shots they had. Azrael laughed with his friends as they downed glass after glass. "We should do something crazy..." he slurred once all the shots were gone and he was now at the drunken stage where he felt invincible. "Like we used to! Have a little fun!" --- "Well now, what do we have here?" Donnie chuckled as he broke into Xenos's mind. "So much anger in you... such a vengeful soul... I think I'd like to take you for a spin!" he fought to gain control over Xenos. "I want you to find a way for me to escape this fucking tree. Find me a spell, a potion. Anything! There MUST be a way! Or at least find me an empty body to inhabit and used a spell to transfer me into it. I will not rot here for eternity! I refuse!" --- "Here, drink this to wash away the taste!" Kasper said as he quickly filled a glass with orange juice and handed Phineas the drink. "I guess oat milk isn't for everyone. Personally, I prefer almond or hazelnut milk, but only if normal milk isn't available." --- Bob took a single piece of popcorn and threw it into his jaw, which then landed on the floor behind him. "That's enough for me," he said while striking a pose. "Got to watch my figure!" When the gig was announced, Bob spun on the spot then began tap dancing. "Oh, yeah! I've been practising my taps, baby!" Lilly shook her head at the skeleton but couldn't help smiling a little which she quickly tried to conceal. Since being in this world and not having the same worries as she'd had in her own world, she'd slowly begun to warm up to the band, and even her skeletal companion. She looked at the others, still feeling like a bit of an outsider. "Is there anything that I can do to help?" --- David sighed and shook his head. "Trust me, you'll be glad you weren't involved in this one... Is Sebastian home? I really need to talk to him." As it happened, Sebastian was in the kitchen. He'd been experimenting with blood to see if he could make food edible for vampires without making them sick. If successful, he could potentially go into business himself as a vampire baker, or chef. But for now, he was still working out the kinks. He was wearing an apron with a floral pattern as he pulled a tray out of the oven and set it on a cooling rack. The tray was full of what appeared to be red velvet cupcakes. Denix Vames - February 19, 2022 Nate hiccuped. "How about convincing some couple to fuck over a Jesus statue? That'll definitely make a scene." --- Xenos's mind revealed that only Nephalem blood could free Donnie. The only Nephalem around was Phineas Gage. Insanity appeared behind the tree. Shifted as a bird. "Do not worry my lover. I will convince Phineas to come to me. Once that is done, his blood will save you from this Hell." Leo struggled to do anything. He felt like a force was keeping him down. --- Phineas drank some orange juice. He held a sour face. "This doesn't taste like real orange juice. Is everything made by factory now?" --- "You can help us move the equipment to our van." ,said Storm. "Speaking of which, we should get moving now." ,said Grim. He picked up a cymbal. Bringing it to the opened back of the van. --- "He's in the kitchen." Carter pulled out a cigarette. "You seem like you could use one." shadowess - February 19, 2022 Azrael chortled and shook his head. "Man...I don't wanna lose my job! The last time we pulled shit like that, we were sentenced to following a bunch of priests around for a decade...most of whom we fucked, but that's beside the point!" Azrael slurred while swaying a little on his chair. "Actually...what even was my point again?" he blinked, having already forgotten what he had been rambling about. --- Donnie saw it too and he heard Insanity's words. Content that he wouldn't be trapped here forever, he let Xenos go. But he didn't want to risk Xenos foiling their plans, so he first wiped his memory from just before he'd attacked him and manipulated his thoughts so that he would think Donnie had been too weak to successfully take over his mind... which is mostly true. Donnie's attempts as well as his effort to manipulate his thoughts and memories had left him feeling exhausted. 'Hurry my love...' he thought to Insanity tiredly. 'I can feel my consciousness slipping. I believe this form is trying to put me into a comatose state...and I've spent so much energy trying to escape already...' --- Kasper was taken aback by Phineas's reaction and he double-checked the carton. "But...it says 100% juice..." he pointed out. The doctor had been watching the pair from nearby. It hadn't been intentional. He'd originally come in for his own breakfast and couldn't help observing Phineas's behaviour. He sighed and walked over to the pair. "Phineas, Kasper. Lovely to see you both. How are you settling in?" he greeted them and watched them both carefully to see how they'd both answer his question. "Doctor, is there any chance that the juice here is exactly like current juice on Earth? With preservatives?" Kasper asked him and the doctor rose a brow at him. "I believe so, as most modern souls are used to the taste. There are options for foods and drinks made using older methods...within reason that is. I swear it's a miracle that humans survived the Victorian era given what they used to lace their foods with, in an attempt to either make it last longer or make themselves appear richer than they were." he shook his head. --- Lilly watched Grim picking up some of the equipment and her lips thinned a little at the idea of lugging heavy instruments around. But she nodded and walked over to the pile and lifted some of the amplifying equipment. Bob watched and tilted his skull. "Huh...I was half expecting some kind of gripe to come from ol' sourpuss there..." he commented as Lilly got out of earshot. Once outside, Lilly carefully placed the equipment onto the back of the van then sighed as she looked at Grim. "You know, when I fell through that portal... the one that brought me here, I was certain that I was about to die." She smiled, tucking some hair behind her ear. "This is better." she then wiped the smile from her face and glanced over her shoulder. "Don't tell the bag o' bones that I said that. He'll never let me live it down," she said to him quietly with a subtle smirk. --- "Ah- No, thank you." David shook his head and waved his hand a little at the offer. "I don't smoke." he stepped inside and walked towards the kitchen, wrinkling his nose at the smell as he walked. "What is that?" he grimaced. "Just something I'm trying out." Sebastian shrugged as he walked into the main room to greet them. "Blood muffins...Bluffins?...I'm still working on the name." he chuckled. "That explains it. I imagine it smells much more pleasant to you two than it would for me." David gave a weak smile and Sebastian frowned. Not because of the comment about his muffins, but because he could see that there was something wrong. "What's happened?" he asked, almost afraid of what the answer might be. "It's Patience..." David began and Sebastian's heart sank. "What's wrong with Patience? Is she ok?" "You might want to sit down for this, Sebastian..." Sebastian took a seat on the couch with Carter and held his hand as David sat across from them and told them everything he knew. By the end of it, Sebastian was in tears. "Why didn't anyone come to get me?!" he demanded. "I should've been told! Where is she now?!" "A vampire castle in Germany. She won't talk to me-" "I don't blame her! It was YOU that he was trying to get back at! You're the reason she got hurt!" Sebastian snapped back then gasped at what he'd said when he saw the look on David's face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean-... I wasn't thinking-" "I know... you're very close with Patience. You have a right to be worried for her." David sighed. "She's like a mother to me," Sebastian said while squeezing Carter's hand. "Will you take us to her?" David nodded and stood. "As I said, she won't speak to me so I'll have to just drop you off there... call me though, when you're ready to come home." Sebastian stood as well. "Oh, wait." he quickly took off his apron and draped it over the arm of the chair. He ran into the kitchen and put some of the 'Bluffins' into Tupperware before rejoining them in the main room. "Maybe these will help to cheer her up?" he said as he took Carter's hand again. Denix Vames - February 19, 2022 "How about we get some people to dress like Jesus and do the hokey pokey?" ,said Gabriel. --- Xenos suddenly stood. Blinking blankly before returning to his typical self. He glared at the tree. "Did you break my agent's arm? You really are bored." Leo stood. He shifted his arm so that it would heal in the right place. "C'mon. Let's leave this area." Both men headed off. Insanity nodded. "I will be back." --- "What do you mean? What my family did with their food was perfect. We enjoyed our meals." ,said Phineas. His eyes suddenly widened. he froze. Witnessing a hallucination of Autumn and Kodi being tied up to a tree. It looked as though they had been tortured. "No! That bastard has them! I must find them!" He appeared at the park where Donnie was. "Autumn? Where are they?" Insanity shifted into his human form. He grabbed him from behind and cut his neck open. Phineas choked on air as he collapsed. His blood having showered the tree. In a matter of seconds, Insanity placed his head properly in its place as his own body healed on its own. Insanity smiled. "The greatest thing about Nephalems is that you can never truly die. My pet..." He placed the collar around him. "Welcome back." --- Grim chuckled. "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me." Once all the equipment was in the van, everyone got in the car. "Alright! Now, it's my time to shine." ,said Hades who placed her hands on the dashboard. With her power, she teleported everything at a parking lot that was somewhat close to the club. --- "Whoa whoa! Wait a minute. There's a castle for vampires?" ,said Carter. Shadowess - February 19, 2022 "Why are you two so obsessed with that guy?" Azrael asked, then waved a hand dismissively. "Nah, nah fellas...I got it, I got it, I got it, right? Listen, listen..." he leaned on the table and gestured for them to lean in as well so he could tell them his plan in private, not realising that his volume wouldn't change due to his drunkenness. "Why don't we just perform, a good ol' fashonnned -hic- miracle? -hic-...Like, we just... turnnn up at someplace and healll someone who needs it. The BOOM! We show 'em our wings and get -hic- alllll -hic- the admiration for the rest of the night....and booze, we get more booze too...and maybe some tail... my god I need to get llllaid...." --- Too weak to retort, Donnie remained silent as Xenos gauded him. It seemed like his manipulation had worked. Now all he had to do was wait and hope that Insanity's plan would work. --- "Phineas?!" Both the doctor and Kasper had said in unison as they watched him vanish, seemingly in a panic. Out of the two of them, only Kasper understood what had just happened and he turned pale as he looked at the doctor desperately. "The man! The dangerous man! He's gone after him! Please, you have to help him! I can't lose him!" "Calm yourself, Kasper. I'm sure he'll be fine-" "No!! I have to help him. I have to find a way to him! Please take me to him! I won't leave him!!" "Kasper, you'll be put into a jacket if you don't get a hold of yourself!" The doctor warned in a much sterner tone. "You're not listening to me!!!" Kasper had gone too far by grabbing the doctor's jacket and shaking him as he yelled. Within seconds he was tackled to the ground and forced into a straight jacket. He struggled, kicking and screaming as the nurses held him in place on the ground. "This is for your safety and everyone else's. We have a zero-tolerance policy on violence Mr Steinheil." the doctor said while injecting him with a sedative. "Take him back to his room and lock him in until he's calmer. I'll check on him in a few minutes." the doctor sighed while getting to his feet and checking his watch. "I need to find our other patient..." he said before vanishing. --- When the blood sprayed the tree, nothing happened at first. Then, with a very loud crack, the centre of the tree split. The wood groaned and creaked as the tree was torn open from the inside. Although it was still rooted into the ground and remained stood in the same spot, it had broken perfectly in half. Naked and covered in what appeared to be blood, Donnie slid out of the crack and onto the grass in front of the tree. For a minute, he was unresponsive and seemingly lifeless as he lay there. Then he gasped for air, shivered and tried to look around wildly. "I-Insanity?!" He called out, hugging himself as he continued to shiver. "I'm s-so cold...a-and I can't see!" he said. His new eyes had yet to adjust, so he was practically blind until he got used to having them again. It was at about this point that the doctor from Heaven's mental hospital appeared to look for Phineas and froze, unsure of what it was exactly that he was seeing. "What the-?! Phineas?!" he looked at Insanity. "Who are you?" he then saw Donnie and being unfamiliar with who he was, only saw a naked man covered in blood. "My God, is he alright?!" he asked in concern. --- Bob had gotten changed into the clothes that the band had picked out for him before climbing into the car. He continuously asked if they were there yet as the others were still loading up the van. Once they were done, Lilly joined Bob and sat in the car with the others. "Now THAT'S how you beat traffic!" Bob exclaimed as they appeared in the parking lot. He got out of the car and looked at the early arrivals who gawked at him in disbelief. "Ahhh! Always nice to meet the fans!" "Calm down, bonehead. You're not famous yet." Lilly rolled her eyes as she got out as well and started to help the others unload the van. "You should really help with the heavy lifting." "I don't want to pull a muscle before my big debut!" "You don't have any musc-! You know what? Forget it." Lilly huffed as she hoisted some equipment into her arms and followed the others into the club. Bob followed them and strutted towards the bar. "Hey, barkeep! I'll have a martini, hold the olive!" --- David's eyes widened and he hesitated. "Oh, wow...you two really have missed a lot, haven't you?" He said while scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "Well, do you remember a man named Jean Poe? I believe you worked with him at one point, Carter? He- uh... Well, long story short, he's now the King of that castle. I'm sure he'll be happy to catch up with you and tell you the story himself. As for the castle, it had been completely secluded up until very recently. So most of the decor and furniture there is very old." He held out his hands. "Ready to see it for yourself?" Sebastian looked at Carter. He'd been so caught up in worrying about Patience that he hadn't even acknowledged David telling them that there was a castle for Vampires out there. But when Carter had pointed it out, he had listened with intent curiosity. Now that they were going to see this castle for themselves, his interest peaked and he took David's hand eagerly. As soon as Carter would take his hand as well, David would nod to them both. "Just shout when you want to go home," he said briefly then vanished hurriedly. Not wanting to upset Patience with his presence.

Denix Vames - February 13, 2022 Gary moaned at his kisses. "You are mine." He moved his hands to his hips. Getting under his shirt and feeling his chest with his nails. "If anyone ever tries to take you away from me again, I'll kick their ass. I won't show mercy. But for you, I'll always give you my heart." --- "No!" Greg ran and umped in front of him. "Please. Don't leave me. You're not going to make my life any more crazy than it already is. Having you around makes me feel better about what I have to deal with." He placed a hand over his chest. "I like you. And I'll do anything I can to make you feel loved. I don't want you to think that you're in the way." --- "Hell yeah!" ,said Nate. "Then it's settled. Let's get going." said Gabriel. Will nodded. "This seems like a above police thing. I think I'll have to get Leo here again." Black cars suddenly drove up to the park. Leo stepped out of one of them. "I informed my boss as quickly as possible. The CIA are going to keep this park closed and guarded at all times. We were going to test out the limits of Donnie's abilities. Maybe in a certain radius, he can't give us those hallucinations." Xenos appeared. "Although, I am disappointed that I was not informed of Donnie's actions, I will do my best to keep him dull." "Guess I can go back home. Good luck guys," ,said Will who disappeared. --- Jean sighed. He sat next to her. "Here is how I see things. This child is an innocent. If you and him chose to raise this child together, you could teach them on what's right and wrong. You can help them grow to become a wonderful person. Donnie may be powerful at times but there is one thing that he could never beat. And that is love." He placed a hand over his chest. 'Whatever you decide is up to you. I am only telling you my opinion." --- "As far as I'm concerned, we are safe. But I can't let this man run free. He needs to be stopped. I know what he's capable of. And with these new powers on my side, I will surely have a better advantage." ,said Phineas. He began to get dressed. "I know you're worried and I understand. I just...I can't stand it. Knowing that he's still out there." Denix Vames - February 13, 2022 (forgot about this) Hades regained her balance when she was back with the band. "Thank you." She hugged him. "I'm sorry about everything that happened. If you ever need any help, just let me know." shadowess - February 13, 2022 Alex shivered and gasped softly at the feeling of Gary's nails on his skin. He kissed him deeply and passionately while running his hand through his hair. "Show me." he moaned. "Show me what it means to be loved by you." he kissed him again and this time he gently pulled on Gary's lower lip with his teeth. --- When Greg ran in front of him and started asking him not to leave, Theo turned his head away. "Greg..." he started but paused when he felt his hand on his chest. He slightly turned his head back to look at him while listening to the rest of what he had to say. When he was finished, Theo regarded him silently before grabbing him rapidly by the shoulders and pinning him against the wall. He look into his eyes with the same flare in his own that he'd had when they first met. "I am a very dangerous man," he emphasised. "My life is nothing but danger and constantly looking over my shoulders. You already know all this but you still want to be with me?" Theo broke into a wide grin. "You've got balls. I respect that." he leaned in close, bringing his lips close to his. "Are you absolutely certain that you want this? I might fuck your life up. You'll never be able to go back to a normal life." --- "I'm a little rusty when it comes to going out for drinks so I'll let you two pick the place," Azrael said with a smile while looking between them. "Let's actually try to keep each other out of trouble this time though, eh? We don't want a repeat of Greece..." he then smirked at Gabriel then at Nate. "Right, -Adonis- and -Eros-?" he jabbed playfully, implying that these three Angels claimed to be Greek Gods at one point after a particularly heavy drinking session. River followed after Will. Sensing that David, Hades and Will were no longer close enough for him to torment, Donnie settled for lashing out at anyone else he could find as a way of occupying his time. His interests peaked when he sensed Xenos. 'You're an interesting one. So full of...brutality! Oh, if I still had a body...the things I would do to you!' his words slipped into Xenos's mind. --- Patience carefully thought through what Jean said and was quiet for a long while after he'd spoken. "What if I can't?" she asked. "I feel so awful for thinking it but I'm worried. What if I decide to stay with David and raise the child... and then it's born and I realise that I don't love it? That it's just a painful reminder of when I was helpless, alone and tortured?" she covered her face with her hands. "I don't know..." --- "Then take me with you?" Kasper asked as he got to his feet. "I'm more capable than I look, I promise. I don't want you to have to go through this alone." --- Hades regained her balance when she was back with the band. "Thank you." She hugged him. "I'm sorry about everything that happened. If you ever need any help, just let me know." David gave a strained smile and nodded at Hades's words. "Hmm?" Bob tilted his head to look at them, then scrambled to try to catch the phone as it slipped out of his grip before hitting the floor. He stared at it for a moment before shrugging and getting to his feet. "Eh, I'm sure it's fine." he walked over to them, his boney feet clacking on the tiles as he moved. "Y'know, I might not have eyes but I see more than most people think." he paused, half expecting one of Lilly's snide remarks to accompany his statement but then he glanced over his shoulder and remembered she was currently asleep. "...anyway," he said while turning his head back to face them. "You got a real look of pain on you, my friend. Dame got away and took your heart with her?" David blinked at the skeleton, taken aback by his accuracy, then looked between him and Hades awkwardly for a moment. "I should probably get back to Hell..." David said while forcing back tears. "There's probably a few souls waiting for me to start them on their path of redemption by now..." "That's a 'yes'," Bob noted. "Burying your head in work won't change her mind, bud." "So, you're a psychiatrist skeleton now?" David shot back in agitation. "I don't know nothin' about feet, man..." Bob answered obliviously then looked down at his own. "Unless you count the rhyme about the piggies?" Mind boggled by Bob's apparent stupidity, David pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath to calm himself before chuckling and shaking his head. Then, while he was already in that pose, David's laughter quickly shifted to silent tears. Despite his strength when it came to keeping his emotions under control, David had been so caught off guard by Bob's comments that he'd struggled to maintain the wall that he'd had built up over the years. He supposed, in his own stupid way, it kind of made Bob a genius. Whether or not Bob actually knew what he was doing though, remained to be seen. Denix Vames - February 13, 2022 Gary took his own shirt off. He unbuckled Alex's belt before pinning him to the floor where he rubbed himself against him. He tore Alex's shirt off and began to stroke his chest with his claws as he kissed on those parts of him. --- Between you and me, handsome? I never had a normal life to begin with." Greg kissed him. --- Nate laughed. "It still got me some pretty good orgies." "And it got me....Well, I rather not think about it. Anyway, we should go to Germany. I haven't been there in a while." Xenos suddenly laughed. "Do you really think you can scare me? I am more stronger than you. When you become human again, I will end your life permanently." His men began setting up barries so that no one would go in the park. --- Jean lowered his eyes to her belly. "I think I understand. If it helps, I can find a suitable mother for the little one. And as I said before, you can visit your child whenever you want to." --- "You don't get it. He's more powerful than you. I can only that my powers can beat him." ,said Phineas. He shook his head. "I doubt they would let me leave this place anyway. I should just leave things to my new friends. Maybe they know more than I do." --- Hades laid a hand on his shoulder. "Dad....I know what happened to Patience. And I want you to know that I wouldn't mind raising that kid as my own." Storm yawned and stretched. He got up from his cardboard bed. Walking over. "What's with all this whispering?" shadowess - February 15, 2022 Alex moaned and lay back, tossing his head from side to side as he let Gary scratch and kiss him. He shivered with excitement from the way he moved and kept a hand in his hair, loving how it felt between his fingers. When Gary's kisses would move close enough to his head, Alex would lean forward to capture his lips with his own again while moving his hands down to feel his chest and unbuckle his belt as well. --- Theo smirked and pushed Greg into the wall, pinning him with his body as he deepened the kiss. He quickly unbuckled Greg's belt and dove his hand into his pants. He gripped his hair to tilt his head back while he kissed and licked at his neck. "I'm going to fuck you, right up against this wall," he whispered into his ear. --- Azrael smirked at Gabriel's comment as he recalled him getting himself into a love triangle and having to fake his death just to get out of it... with Azrael's help. "Germany it is, then. I'll follow you two." For a minute, the tree was silent. Then, in an angry growl, Donnie's voice echoed in Xenos's head. 'If I had my body, I'd love to see you try! As for scaring you...' Donnie flashed the image of Xenos's secret family in his head. Tia and Jack, in their new home that Xenos had provided. 'It'd be a shame if something were to happen to them.' Donnie chuckled. --- Patience leant against Jean for comfort and stared off at the far wall. "But that's just it... what if that would be a mistake as well and I end up regretting giving it up? I need time... I need to think this through." --- Kasper faltered. Phineas might have a point there. He recalled the shock of seeing someone as powerful as Jean appear in their family dining room and wondered how terrifying it might've been if he'd turned out to be evil with that kind of power. Still, he didn't like the idea of Phineas putting himself in danger. "Maybe they do." he agreed. "Maybe we should give them a chance to fight first? Stay here where it's safe. Who knows, maybe he won't be a problem for much longer?" --- David looked up at Hades in surprise. All the times he'd appeared to help Patience, it had been just after the child had been mentioned. It didn't help that Patience had been actively avoiding talking about it in front of him. Because he kept missing this important part of her conversations, he had no idea she was pregnant. Until now. "Kid? W-what kid?" "Dun dun duuun. The plot thickens." Bob said then turned and started walking towards the kitchen. "We're going to need some popcorn for this..." he said to Storm on his way through. Denix Vames - February 15, 2022 (private time) --- Greg moaned at his touch. He bit his lip. "Oh god! Yes! Break my fucking wall!" --- The three angels would appear at a bar where Gabriel began ordering drinks for them. "Nothing will happen to them because you are sitting here like a weak stump." ,said Xenos. He shrugged. "You see? No matter what you do, I will never fall." --- "Then you can have time. Please think about this. I won't rush you." ,said Jean. --- Phineas sighed. "I guess you're right. Besides, any time I try to help, I only got possessed. I'm not exactly a great fighter." He walked over to the door. "I think I'll try some more modern food to ease off this growing thought in my head. Care to join me?" --- Hades's became flushed. She awkwardly lowered her head. "Patience never told you. She's pregnant....With Donnie's kid." "I've got some popcorn." Storm stuck a bag into the microwave so that it could start making itself. Shadowess - February 16, 2022 Theo kissed Greg deeply and roughly. He unbuckled his own pants then lifted Greg's shirt from him to throw onto the floor before kissing him again. He kissed down his chest as he gripped his pants to pull them down along the way. Then ran his tongue over his torso on his way back up. He then gripped Greg's thighs, lifting him to rest on his hips while he held him against the wall. "Challenge accepted." he grinned, then started kissing him again. (Private Time) --- Azrael looked around the bar curiously as Gabriel ordered their drinks. "I don't believe I've been here before." he looked back at the other two. "Well, it's been a long time since we last got into trouble together. What have you two been up to lately?" The tree was silent again. What Donnie was unable to express was his sheer rage at Xenos's words. However, he soon found an outlet... One of the agents helping to set up the parameter paused to look around. "Anyone else hear that?" "Hear what?" "Like...chanting..." he looked confused and then concerned when it became apparent that no one else could hear it. A moment later though, he was gripping his head and falling to his knees. Then Donnie's voice would be heard once more in Xenos's head. "A weak stump? Let's see how your men appreciate you threatening someone capable of ending their lives." Although Donnie's spell had taken control of the Agent's body, he wasn't strong enough anymore to control their consciousness as well. So, the Agent was fully aware and actively fighting as he stood against his will and pulled out his own gun. His hand shook violently as it was raised against his will to point at his own head. He looked at the others for help. His eyes darting from Agent to Agent. "I can't stop! What's happening?! I can't stop!!" --- Patience nodded then looked at Jean while wiping away her tears. "Where should I stay?" She asked quietly. --- "I'd love to!" Kasper smiled as he got up and quickly dressed himself. He was relieved that Phineas wasn't going to leave to face a dangerous man. The thought of losing him was almost unbearable. "What things did you use to have for breakfast?" He asked him curiously. --- Bob looked at Storm and although he didn't have facial features to express himself he was surprised that he'd taken him seriously and was now making popcorn for a skeleton. Either this man was too sleepy to realise what he was doing or they both had the same sense of humour. "I think you're my favourite human." He said in amusement as they waited for the popcorn to finish cooking. David was so shocked by this news that his jaw hung open as he slowly sat in one of the bean chairs. "That's why she won't let me near her..." He mumbled while staring off into space. "Does she think I'd hate her for it? But I know this isn't her fault... Is she afraid I'd abandon her?...abandon them?..." He stood suddenly. "I should talk to her! Let her know that I still want to be there for her... for them!" Denix Vames - February 16, 2022 Nate looked at his own as he held it. "Well, I've been able to do whatever ever since I left ADIEU. I found a handsome man who I can't imagine now never having in my life." Gabriel blushed. "Same here. I think Rob taught me to understand more. What about you, Azrael?" --- Xenos quickly grabbed the gun out of the agent's grip. "Someone take him away from this area! Now!" He made sure that the agent was forcibly escorted off the premises. He glared at the tree. "I will never understand why David thought of saving you." --- "You can stay here for as long as you want. I can provide a room." ,said Jean. --- "Well, oatmeal mostly but I want to try modern food again. I want to know what breakfast is like these days." ,said Phineas. --- Storm held a small smile. "Alright favorite skeleton. The popcorn's done." He took out the bag from the microwave. Opening it up carefully as it was hot. Hades shook her head. "She knew you would say that. Right now, she really needs some space to think. To clear her head. Please. At least give her that before talking to her." She nervously rubbed her arm. "I know it's not easy. Doing that. But this would be the best thing that you could possibly give her right now." shadowess - February 16, 2022 At the mention of ADIEU, Azrael stiffened. That whole disgusting organisation had kept him busy for decades and the number of souls who needed therapy in the afterlife as a result of their 'tests' was horrendous. But that wasn't the only reason Azrael was uncomfortable when it came to that topic. When God had sent Nate there as punishment, both Azrael and Gabriel had been forbidden from contacting him or they'd meet the same fate. Because of this, Azrael had always felt guilty for his obedience as he felt like he'd let one of his closest friends down. He smiled a little in surprise though when both of his friends told him they'd found someone. He had noted that they were each far calmer than the mischievous, carefree men he'd known. At the question though, Azrael looked down at his drink and shrugged. "When would I ever find the time? About the most I've ever had is the occasional fling whenever we've gotten drunk together." He brought the glass up to his lips. "I don't believe that I'm destined for anything like that," he said before taking a sip. --- The agent had jumped as Xenos snatched the gun away from him just as his finger had squeezed the trigger and the bullet had missed his head by a hair. His ear rang and he blinked back tears as the agents grabbed him. Donnie made his body fight back, but as they forced him away his hold on him weakened considerably until he was completely free. "Wait!" one of the other agents shouted to them. "Don't move from there!" In minutes, the agents had worked together. Measuring from where the previously possessed agent now stood, all the way to the tree. When one heard 'chanting' they immediately announced it and ran to join the first agent before Donnie's spells could take hold. When they had finished their measurements, they knew exactly how far they needed to set up the barrier to prevent passersby from being harmed. Their teamwork, quick thinking and communication enraged Donnie who had been trying desperately to bribe any who he thought might be corruptable. Finally, he spoke to Xenos once more. "You'll all regret this! When I am free of this prison! I'll come for you all! I swear it!" --- Patience half laughed while drying her eyes. "That's kinda what I meant..." she smiled as Jean had already previously offered her a room here and had meant to ask which room she should stay in. --- Kasper smiled. "My favourite are waffles. They're kind of big where I'm from. Or sausages. Maybe they'll be serving some?...where do we get breakfast here anyway?" he asked as he walked with him. --- "Yum!" Bob exclaimed and dove a hand into the hot bag of popcorn. Of course, he didn't have any nerves so couldn't actually feel the heat. He shovelled a handful out and threw it into his open jaw. The Popcorn hit the ground behind him and around his feet. "Eh...It's kinda bland. Maybe we should add something to it?" he suggested. David gawped at Hades. He didn't want to just let Patience think that she was alone. He needed her to know that he would support her no matter what she decided to do. But if she wouldn't listen to him then maybe she'd listen to someone she trusts. Someone she'd known for far longer than she's known him. Hades was right. He needed to give her time and space. So for now, he planned to confide in her closest friend until she was ready to talk to him. He nodded and gave Hades a sad yet proud smile. "You're right... Thank you," he said tearfully. "I know what I need to do... but first, are you sure you're alright? I know how vile Donnie can be. I can only imagine the horrid things he made you see."

Denix Vames - February 9, 2022 Hades smiled. "It's what I do." Greg ran over to him. "Oh thank you!" He burst into tears as he threw himself in his arms. "I was so worried. I heard all that noise. I just wish I could have been there to help." Vincent lifted a very confused naked Elliot off the floor. "Wha-What happened?" ,said Elliot. "It's a long story but I'll explain everything at home. They disappeared. --- Insanity laughed. "Phineas Gage, was it? He still seems like an adorable pet. I heard through the grapevine that he's in Heaven's asylum? Not for long. It won't be now or later. But it will be soon. You see, with what Phineas is now, there so many possibilities. And I do have to do a few other things. So ta ta!" He grinned. "For now." He disappeared. Keeping a spell up so that no one would find him. "Phineas Gage? Wait, who was he talking about?" ,said Hades. "He's a man who I played a cruel joke on years ago." ,said Nate as he looked at the tree. "I did this to him. Starting all of this suffering? I was such an ass back then." --- Vincent appeared with Elliot back home. He threw a blanket over him so that Elliot could cover everything. Elliot kept that blanket very close. "Neva? Pumpkin! I'm home!" Gary smiled. "Sounds like both dads are here. Why don't we go see them?" shadowess - February 9, 2022 Relieved to hear her dad's voices, Neva jumped out of Gary's arms and bolted into the room. She didn't stop as she ran straight to Elliot and threw herself into his arms. Tears were already rolling down her cheeks. "Dad!" After Alex had found a small bag of his own clothes that Donnie had robbed when he was pretending to be him, he quickly got dressed then let Desi teleport him home as well. As soon as he arrived and saw Gary, he burst into tears and hugged him tightly. He was still shaking from his experiences and had no doubts that Gary would be able to smell the change on him. --- Theo hugged Greg tightly. "There wasn't much of a fight anyway," he said while running his hand through his hair. "By the time I got in there, more help had arrived than any of us were expected. Donnie and Insanity were overwhelmed... But they got away." he looked at Greg and caressed his cheek. "There's nothing more we can do here. Amelia has set a bounty so they're now being hunted by Angels. They'll be taken care of before long... we should go home. Oscar's waiting inside to take us." --- David patted Hades's shoulder with a proud look on his face. "We should follow the others. Make sure they don't get far... then you can tell me how you've been." Oscar was sat at one side of the room, cradling Leo in his arms as he waited for Theo and Greg to join them. --- "I don't like the sound of that..." River commented after having watched Insanity disappear. "We all were." Azrael appeared next to Nate, having left Warren to wait in Hell's Library for David. "We made quite the trio back then. You, me and Gabriel." he sighed, reminiscing. Azrael hadn't been involved with Phineas. He'd been tending to his duties as a Reaper when that had happened. But that wasn't to say that he didn't get up to other mischiefs when he found time to spend with his friends. "What's done is done. If we linger on the past we'll all go mad. All we can do is try to be better." he glanced around. "When I heard Amelia announcing the prize for destroying the fugitives, I half expected Gabriel to be here as well. I wonder what's holding him up..." Amelia meanwhile was pissed that at least one of them had escaped punishment. "The bounty stands. The Angel to bring me his ashes will be the Ambassador to Hell," she announced, sending out this message to Heaven and any Angel who might be on Earth at that time. For now, though, she needed to get home. She felt guilty for leaving Charles and Oliver the way that she had but was also deeply concerned that there was now a Devil on the loose with enough motivation to try to harm them. She turned on the spot and vanished. Donnie wasn't sure if Insanity had actually heard him or not. He hoped he had. Meanwhile, he was still so filled with fury and malice that he lashed out in the only way that he could. He sent telepathic words to Patience to scorn her. He filled her mind with horrid images and threats towards her, and all those she loved. He instilled dread in her that he might one day return when their child had grown enough for him to influence and turn against her. That he would steal the child and raise it to do all kinds of evil and disturbing things. All of this affected Patience who began to hyperventilate in panic. Tears streamed down her face and she gripped her head. "Stop it! Stop!" she cried out but Donnie kept pushing those thoughts on her. Trying to break her mentality. To make her as mad as Insanity. It would be at this point that David and Hades would appear and he'd see how she was. He ran over to her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him while stroking her hair. "Easy. Breathe. What's wrong? Tell me." he said to her urgently. "He's in my head!" Patience cried, holding onto him tightly. David looked around, confused. "Where are they?" he asked the others. Unaware of what had happened to Donnie. Denix Vames - February 9, 2022 Tears streamed down Elliot's cheeks as he held her tightly. "I'm so glad to see you too. I'm not sure what happened but I'm just thankful that everything's fine." "Neva, give him a moment. He needs to get dressed." ,said Vincent. Once parted, Elliot went into the bathroom where he put on a pair of clean clothes. He came out and held Neva in his arms. Gary's eyes widened at the sight of Alex. When he smelled him, he gripped him. Making sure that he wouldn't leave his embrace. "Alex? What happened? Who did this to you?!" He cupped his cheeks. "I can smell something nasty. Not just you but someone else. Who turned you?" --- "Sure thing." ,said Hades. Greg nodded. "Let's go home." Leo had opened his eyes. "Hm? Oscar? What happened?" --- Gabriel appeared. "I don't really care for the reward. But I think it's best that we leave this park. Donnie has been turned into a tree. He will remain here for eternity." Will's eyes suddenly glowed. With no will power of his own, he threw David aside. Grabbing Patience, his eyes became red. Similar to that of Insanity's. He raised his fist. Through his voice, it was doubled by Insanity's. "Donnie and I will rule no matter what." He grinned. "You and the rest of your pathetic friends will never win." shadowess - February 10, 2022 "Ok, daddy." Neva sniffled and let go of Elliot to stand outside the room until he was dressed. As soon as she was called back in, she made another beeline for Elliot and wrapped her little arms around him. She rested her head on his shoulder, just glad to be back in his arms. She was so exhausted from worrying about her dads. Now that she knew they were home and safe, she relaxed so much that she began dozing in Elliot's arms while still keeping a tight hold on him. "I love you daddy Elliot and daddy Vincent..." she mumbled sweetly. Alex stared at Gary, hesitating to answer. His eyes darted to one side to look behind him towards Elliot but he quickly looked back at Gary. "It's not his fault," he said in a broken voice. "He was under a spell and not himself. D-Donnie and Insanity... Th-They had this collar on him and it made him act like someone else. They tried to-..." Alex looked a little ill at the thought of Insanity trying to kiss him as he lightly touched his own lips with the tips of his fingers but quickly shook his head. "B-but they didn't. Vincent and the others turned up in time to stop them." His eyes welled up again and he leaned his head against Gary's chest. "They used me to trick my dad... he thought Donnie was me and made him a Devil... now I don't know where my dad is or if he's even alive and it's my fault! I should've just been happy with what I had!" --- Theo smiled and took Greg's hand before walking back inside. Oscar smiled out of relief when Leo woke up. "Welcome back. You missed it. Will, River, Hades and Desi showed up too and helped beat the crap out of Donnie and Insanity. They freaked out and ran so the others have gone after them. Amelia put a bounty on their heads. The reward is Ambassador to Hell or something like that. So, even Angels will be going after those creeps now. They're going to be hunted no matter where they go. Oh, Alex and Elliot have been freed from their control and gone home too. Speaking of..." he looked up and saw Theo walking in with Greg. "We gotta take these two home before we can go home." --- Azrael nodded at Gabriel. "You're probably right. He might be a tree but he's still evil." he sighed and shook his head at it. "Something tells me he's going to become a tourist spot for mortals as a 'haunted' tree..." "Wait, he's a tree?!" David gasped and glanced over at the large, leafless tree. This moment of distraction helped Will to break him apart from Patience. He stumbled back and stared in surprise at him while Patience wriggled in his grip. She gasped and writhed, still being sent images and messages from Donnie who was now trying desperately to brainwash her. "N-no! Don't hurt her!" David said quickly, holding his hands in front of him. "Insanity, let them go. Please!" "Will! Stop! You've gotta fight him! Don't let him win!" River shouted to him as well. "Well, this took a turn." Azrael watched what was happening with Will and the others. "You know the rules guys. I'm forbidden from interfering," he said as he brought out his black book and flicked it open quickly. "The good news is none of them is due to die tonight." Denix Vames - February 10, 2022 Gary shook his head. "No." He looked at him. "It wasn't your fault. You wanted to become a Devil out of your own free will. What Donnie and Insanity did was horrible. They're the ones who deserve the blame." He growled. "I swear if I ever see them, I'm going to rip their heads off!" --- Elliot and Vincent smiled at her. "We love you too." ,said Elliot. They appeared in their previous home. Feeling as though they could live there again. Heading upstairs and into their room, they let Neva sleep between them under the covers where they fell asleep too. --- Leo sat up. "Really? Well, at least I know they're not so high and mighty like they use to be." He held out his hand. "Alright guys. Let's go home." --- Will let her go. He turned around to face David. "I'll let you all suffer sooner or later!" His eyes turned from red to purple as his body recoiled back. Twitching strongly. "Enjoy....Chief...." Those were Insanity's last words before leaving his body. Will collapsed as he clutched his stomach. He cried out. Feeling like his insides were being squished. It was the worst kind of stomach ache he had ever had. He turned himself over as he vomited out blood. "Please! Make it stop!" shadowess - February 11, 2022 "No, don't!" Alex whimpered and clung tightly to Gary. "I don't want them to hurt you. They're too strong." He lifted his head to look at him tearfully. "It hurt so much! When I changed. And all the time that it was happening, I couldn't help thinking that this was what you went through!" --- Theo kept Greg's hand in his while taking Leo's with his free hand. Oscar kept hold of Leo and within seconds they were standing in Greg's house. "Those creeps are still out there somewhere, so be careful. If you see either of them, shout for us. Don't try to take them on alone." Oscar said to them as Theo let go of Leo's hand with a nod. --- David caught Patience and held her to him while she hid her face in his chest. She was still gripping her head and whimpering. They then watched as Insanity left Will but seemed to continue to torture him. Azrael looked in annoyance between Gabriel and Nate who seemed to have been just standing around and watching the entire time. At least Azrael had a good reason for doing so! "Guys, aren't you going to help? You both have healing abilities." He pointed out while gesturing to Will. Patience cried out from what she was going through and David glanced angrily at the tree. "I need to get her away from it! Hades, help Will!" he said to the others before vanishing with her. Meanwhile, River looked around them, worried for Will but unsure of how else to help. "Stop it, you bastard!" he screamed at Insanity. "Show yourself! Face me! Or are you a coward?!" Denix Vames - February 11, 2022 Gary frowned. "I'm sorry that you went through this." He looked at him. "I'm so sorry. Why don't we go rest? Maybe that will help us feel better." --- Greg nodded. "Of course. We'll let you know right away." Leo and Oscar disappeared. --- "Calm down. I assumed this wouldn't last forever." ,said Gabriel. He waved his hand at Will who felt no more sudden pains. Will caught his breath as he slowly stood. "Thank you." --- Phineas had seen images of Insanity in his head while he was dreaming. He could hear what this madman truly wanted from him. His eye shot opened. He looked down at Kasper who was holding on to him. He smiled. Seeing how peaceful he looked. He caressed his cheek before kissing his lips. Denix Vames - February 12, 2022 "Can someone get Patience away from this bitch?!" ,said Hades. She stormed over to the tree. "Asshole! Knock it off!" shadowess - February 13, 2022 Alex thought about it but he knew there was no chance of him getting any sleep right now. He shook his head. "No... I'm not tired. I'm still full of adrenaline..." he looked at Gary, not sure what to suggest. He needed a way to vent this excess energy that he had. Preferably in a way that was cathartic. --- Once Leo and Oscar had vanished, Theo turned to Greg and held his arms while looking him over. "Are you alright?" --- "I am calm!" Azrael snapped suddenly then blinked at his own outburst. He sighed and rubbed his temples with his fingers. "Sorry..." he said bashfully. "I can't remember the last time I took a break from my job... I think I could use one... but I don't know..." With Patience no longer in range of Donnie's attacks, he focussed his attention on Hades. Though he couldn't see her, he knew she was yelling at him. His evil laughter would echo in her head, followed by his words 'As much as it sucks to be a fucking tree, it does have its perks. For instance, I am now indestructible. So, no matter how much you want me gone, I will always be right here.' he'd laugh again. 'Wana know another perk?' he then asked slyly and began projecting the same horrific images into Hades's mind, relentlessly. --- David had tried to take Patience to the hospital in Heaven but she fought his teleportation and they ended up standing in the German Castle instead. He looked around in confusion. "Have I been here before?" "I have..." Patience answered as she stepped away from him and folded her arms. David looked back at her with a look of confusion while Patience avoided eye contact. "David, I don't want to make this any more painful or awkward than it already is." she started. "Thank you for saving me but... but I still can't... I'll be safe here..." she looked back at him expectantly and it dawned on David that she was asking him to leave her here. "But-...but I want to help you..." He stammered. "I know," she replied softly with a sad look. "But this is for the best. Please, David. Do this for me-" "-No, please don't say it-" "-Let me go. Please." David's eyes teared up. He looked like he wanted to say something then stopped and simply nodded before vanishing, returning to the tree to meet up with the others. Patience stared at where he'd been standing for a moment before lifting her hand to her mouth to stifle her sobbing. --- The gentle press of Phineas's lips on his woke Kasper from his sleep. His eyelids fluttered open sleepily and he squinted at Phineas before smiling. "This really is Heaven," he said softly, his smile growing into a grin as he spoke. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes then rested his chin on his hands which were over Phineas's chest. He smiled at him dreamily. "What should we do today? Do you think they'll let us explore the rest of Heaven yet?" Denix Vames - February 13, 2022 "Then maybe we could do this?" Gary kissed him. "Only if you want to." --- Greg nodded. He rubbed his eyes. "I only wish that I wasn't useless. I know I can read minds but I want to do more than that." --- "Let's get some drinks then. We could use some." ,said Gabriel. Hades clutched her head as she fell to her knees. She screamed. "Hey! Leave her alone!" ,said Will who ran over. He strike the tree with a powerful punch. His hand recoiled as he groaned at the pain. With no other choice, Will grabbed him with his good arm. Running to David. "Please! Take her away from this park!" --- Jean appeared. He knelt and laid his hands on her arms. "It's alright. You can stay here for as long as you like." --- Phineas thought for a moment. He frowned. "Kasper? Would you be mad at me if I decided to take a chance at fighting?" He sat up. "I should explain myself. There was a man who took over my mind. With the help of some friends, I was free. However, I fear that he's trying to get me to come back to him. I just had a dream. He was trying to command me." He caressed his cheek. "Don't be scared. Please don't. But I need to seek him out and kill him. It's the only way I can end this nightmare." shadowess - February 13, 2022 At first, Alex flinched as the memory of Insanity trying to kiss him flashed through his mind. Then he paused and looked at Gary. No, this isn't the same and maybe Alex could even use this to create a memory strong enough to replace that one? It was worth a shot and right now, Alex was willing to do anything to forget what had happened to him back in Hell. He pressed himself against Gary and started kissing down his neck. "Tell me I'm yours." he breathed onto his neck. "I'm yours and only yours. No one else can have me." he kissed back up to his ear and gently nibbled on his earlobe. --- Theo looked at Greg with a serious expression and shook his head while lifting his hands to cup Greg's face. "You don't want that. Then you'd never be left alone to live your own life," he said then glanced away. "What I wouldn't give to have an ordinary life now... but I fucked that up for myself..." he looked back at Greg as a look of realisation crossed his features and he suddenly let him go to take a step back. "What am I doing? If I stay here, I'll just fuck up your life too... I'm sorry... I need to leave." he moved to walk past him. --- "You mean it?" Azrael looked at Gabriel. He then looked at Nate. "What about you? For old times sake?" David held on to Hades as soon as Will pushed her into his arms. He looked at Will then nodded to the tree. "I'll get her out of here. I'd suggest getting this park blocked off so that no one else gets hurt. Don't let anyone near that damn tree!" he said before teleporting himself and Hades back to Storm's garage. Lilly was fast asleep on a bean bag with her head hanging over the back of it. While she was asleep, Bob was sitting nearby and had gotten ahold of a phone from one of the band members pockets. He'd been casually passing the time by attempting to take selfies while struggling to keep a good grip on the phone with his boney fingers. --- Patience looked up at Jean then leant forward to hug him. "Damn it all, I still love him..." she wept. "But I can't have him near me... not now... I just know that if he stayed with me he'd try to convince me to raise the child with him..." she shook her head. "I can't do that... I just can't... Is that wrong? Am I doing the right thing or am I an awful person?" --- Kasper sat up as well and looked at Phineas with a frown as he explained his situation. "But what if it goes wrong? What if you get hurt? or worse?" Kasper said worriedly then held his hands. "I don't want to lose you, too. I've already lost so much. We're safe here, aren't we?"

Denix Vames - February 6, 2022 Leo laughed. "I'll make one of those stories to tell at social gatherings." Nate flew too. "Please tell me his scent's getting closer, Theo." --- Insanity said, "Elliot. Turn back and come over here." Elliot transformed. Revealing himself to be naked without covering himself. He walked over. Insanity cupped both men's chins. "Now, isn't this exciting?" He licked the left cheek of Alex. (lol it was funny) Denix Vames - February 6, 2022 Vincent glared ahead at what was in front of him. "If anything happens to him, I will skin them alive." shadowess - February 7, 2022 'Great...' Oscar joked with Leo. Amelia looked at Vincent with a serious expression before turning her head to look straight ahead. "I've been there..." she sighed, admitting that she'd skinned someone before for hurting a loved one. "I could give you pointers." she half-joked. Theo sniffed the air but it was apparent by the stressed look in his eyes that he was struggling to follow the scent. "Fuck! No! I-I've lost it... There's a stronger smell ahead. Like burning grass. It's covering up their scents...I can't..." he took in several deep breaths in a panic. "No, it's gone! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I've failed!" "It's not your fault... It was only a matter of time before we encountered something burning in Hell..." David said as he strained to scan the ground below them on the off chance that he'd catch sight of them even though he knew that they were likely hiding. Amelia on the other hand looked thoughtful. "Theo...trust me on this. Follow the burning smell. Lead us to whatever is on fire." Theo looked back at her, momentarily confused. Then he saw what she was getting at and nodded to her before turning to face the front again and sniffing the air. He pointed in one direction. "That way. Hurry!" --- Alex didn't know where to look when Elliot transformed. His eyes teared up and he tried to look at anything other than the men in the room. But then he was forced to look at them when Insanity cupped his chin. He whimpered and shivered when Insanity licked his cheek but he did nothing to stop him. Donnie walked over to them and removed his shirt along the way. He tossed it to one side and smirked at Insanity as he stood across from him. Alex was on his left while Elliot was on his right. He lifted his hands to cup both Alex and Elliot's backsides. Alex jumped and tensed at the touch. "You really should relax, Alex," Donnie told him coyly. "It'll hurt far less if you do." he chuckled then leaned towards Elliot and started to slowly kiss his neck. Denix Vames - February 7, 2022 Once they arrived at where it was burning, Vincent jumped to the ground. "Someone has to put the flames out!" Insanity nodded. "Donnie's right. Take a moment, will you?" He brushed his hand against his chest as he kissed him. Shadowess - February 7, 2022 Theo jumped down as well. He was covering his mouth and nose while the smoke from the fire stung his eyes. "I can't smell anything through this!" he complained. 'Yeah, let us get right on that with the fire hoses we brought with us.' Oscar thought sarcastically. Amelia jumped down, wondering if she could extinguish the fire the same way that she could cause them but all she ended up doing was adding more flames to the already large fire. "Oops... Sorry, was trying to see if I could reverse it... Guess now I know my flames are a one-way thing." she said before coughing, then covering her own mouth and nose with her sleeve. Oscar tried pawing at it with his large, scaly claw in an attempt to suffocate the fire. But as he patted at its centre, it wafted the flames around his claw outward, spreading the fire further. 'Well, that didn't work as well as I thought. Does anyone else have any ideas?' "I think you had the right idea!" Theo shouted up at Oscar. "Keep doing that but quicker and around the edges towards the centre!" Oscar seemed unsure but began patting at the flames quickly. Some flames spread to surrounding areas but he was beating at the flames so quickly that he soon put out the fire completely. 'Hey, it worked!' Theo started sniffing the air again then looked frustrated. "Dammit! Now all I can smell is smoke!" he growled. --- If it wasn't for the fact that Donnie's attention was on the fun they were about to have, he would already have noticed by now that the group was a lot closer to them. He turned and began to feel Elliot's chest and hips while kissing him deeply. He ran one hand through his hair and gripped it roughly, intending to take his time and enjoy every second of what he and Insanity were about to do to them. Alex shivered at the feeling of Insanity's hand on his chest and as much as he didn't want to make either of their captors angry, his instincts took over as soon as he felt Insanity's lips on his. Without thinking and before he could stop himself, he'd raised his hand and slapped at Insanity's face. It was only when he felt his hand stinging from the impact that he realised what he'd just done and turned pale with fright. "I'm-I'm sorry!" he gasped. Having heard the slap, Donnie stiffened and turned his head to see how Insanity would handle this. Denix Vames - February 8, 2022 "Let's start searching!" ,said Vincent as he ran ahead of the group. "Vincent! Wait!" ,said Leo who followed. Insanity glared. "You son of a bitch! You're a disobedient dog that needs to be punished!" He raised his hand. Vincent somehow found a door through the fields. He burst through it. Seeing Elliot near Donnie like that made him angry. "Get away from my fiance!" He was about to run over when Elliot turned into a wolf. He jumped at Vincent. Knocking him back. "Elliot! Don't!" He dodged another attack when Insanity suddenly stabbed him in the back. Vincent coughed up some blood. Insanity grabbed him. Making sure that the knife went straight through. Vincent collapsed. Denix Vames - February 8, 2022 Leo rushed in with his guns out. Firing at Donnie who dodged every bullet. He was met with a kick to the face which sent him flying back. Hitting the wall where he slumped over. Having been knocked out by the kick. Blood dripped from his nose. Shadowess - February 8, 2022 Amelia and David ran after the others. Once he no longer had anyone on his back, Oscar shifted into his human form and ran after them. Theo ran a little ahead of Greg. When he heard the commotion in a tent up ahead, he paused and turned to look at Greg. "This will be dangerous. You should hide somewhere," he said to him, worried that he'd get hurt. Alex shook and braced himself for how much a strike from a Devil might hurt when Vincent burst into the tent. At first, Alex was relieved. Then everything became crazy, fast. He watched helplessly as Insanity moved too fast for Vincent to stand a chance. "No!!" he screamed when he watched him being stabbed, his hopes of rescue beginning to fade. Once Leo was knocked out, Donnie had turned to glare at Alex, who was still just standing in the same spot. Knowing Alex would never willingly attack his friends, he smirked and began chanting a few words under his breath. Alex gripped his head and groaned. "No! Please!" he gasped. Seconds later, Alex had shifted into his wolf form and was growling at the others like Elliot. It was at that moment that David and Amelia burst into the tent. "Vincent!!" Amelia screamed, running to his side. 'Oh, this is Christmas come early!' Donnie thought to Insanity. 'Grab the bitch. We could still use her once her family are destroyed. We'll surrogate a pure heir then destroy her when she's outlived her usefulness.' He then gave David an evil grin. "Hello old friend," he growled then snapped his fingers and Alex began barking at him fiercely. David blinked at the wolf. Not recognising him but immediately sensing him. "Alex?!" Alex dove at David and tried snapping at him, knocking him back. "Alex, stop! It's me!" Oscar was next to run into the tent and when he saw Leo on the ground, he was immediately filled with rage. His face shifted into its reptilian shape as he roared at the pair furiously. "Don't you remember what happened the last time you faced me, twit?" Donnie mocked him and his sharp tail coiled around his legs as a warning. "Or do you need a reminder?" Denix Vames - February 8, 2022 Greg reluctantly nodded. "Just stay alive. That's all I'm asking." He ran away from the house. Hiding by the fields. Vincent slowly opened his eyes. "A-Amelia....?" Insanity was about to grab her when Will appeared. "What the?! Who the fuck are you?" Will smirked. "Charles sent me here. By the way, I'm Chief of the police of New York City. Oh! And I also happen to be a Leviathan." He cracked his knuckles. "You know, I really hate seeing my friends like this." His eyes glowed. He grabbed his head. "Time to teach you kids a lesson!" He slammed him against the wall before dragging his head with such speed. Insanity cried out as blood and teeth left him. Some flesh had flown off. Despite being under their control, a slip of Elliot could see what was wrong. He ran to Alex who he shoved away from David. Jumping on him and biting his chest. He barked and growled. Hades appeared. She glared at Donnie. "You motherfuckers!" She punched Donnie. Making him lose his focus. "You fucked with my family!" Another punch. "My friends!" A third punch. "But most of all?" Her aura surrounded herself. "YOU FUCKED WITH MY DAD!" As she landed the last blow, black spikes shot up from her knuckles. Piercing into his skin. Shadowess - February 8, 2022 Theo nodded and watched Greg run off before shifting into his wolf form and darting after the others. Amelia's eyes watered as she looked at Vincent. Too distracted to notice Insanity making his move until Will appeared. She looked up in surprise and watched the way Will handled Insanity. "Charles?..." she mumbled, feeling a little guilty for their argument. She turned her attention back to Vincent. "Nate, over here!" she called out, hoping he'd help with Vincent's wounds. Even Donnie was taken aback by his appearance. "How?! My spell should stop you teleporting anywhere near here!" This distraction helped Hades to gain the upper hand when she appeared in front of him and began striking him. David had been just barely holding Alex off by his throat as he snapped, almost rabidly, at his neck and face. Alex yelped when Elliot tackled him off David then rounded on him, snarling and baring his teeth. His hackles were raised. But as soon as Hades landed her first blow on Donnie and broke his concentration, both Alex and Desi snapped out of his control. Alex stopped growling and quickly came back to his senses. He glanced around, taking quick note of the mayhem surrounding him before jumping at Elliot's collar, gripping it in his teeth and pulling it over his head to break the spell on him as well. Theo ran in and saw the other two wolves were now free from their spells. He howled to rally them to him then growled at Insanity and Donnie. With the house they were in being so small, it wouldn't be long before Will would run out of wall and Insanity would be thrown to the ground. At which point River stood in Insanity's way, grinning at him mischievously. "Seeing double, pal?" he mocked then kicked him across what was left of his face. Donnie hit the ground upon Hades's final punch and groaned, holding his jaw and cheek which still had the spikes embedded in them. He spat out blood and glared at her then looked in alarm at what had happened to Insanity, as well as the sheer number of their enemies who now occupied his lair. "Who called in the fucking cavalry?" Donnie growled sourly. All that careful planning and he severely underestimated just how closely knit this group really was! He should have built his own army! Then they might've stood a chance! There was still time... Remembering what Donnie had made him do and absolutely livid about it, Desi was next to teleport into Donnie's lair. "YOU BASTARD!!" He screamed. "And that's officially my home at capacity!" Donnie seethed. In seconds, he'd teleported to Insanity's side, grabbed him and then teleported to Earth in an attempt to put distance between them and the group. "Quick! Don't let them get away!" David shouted, getting to his feet with the help of Oscar. "No more mercy!" Amelia announced, standing as well. "We've given them enough chances! This ends now!" she glanced up. "If you can hear me in Heaven, send your Angels! They need to be destroyed! The peace that we've struggled to achieve is in danger! I am granting authority for Angelic forces to pursue Donnie Shadow and Insanity!" She looked at Nate and smirked. "First Angel to turn them to dust, I'll make the official ambassador to Hell." --- Donnie and Insanity appeared in a park on Earth. It was the middle of the night, so the entire park was shrouded in darkness. Donnie helped Insanity to stay on his feet. "Easy. You'll heal. You just need time." he said to him. "Oh, my love... we should have dedicated some time to build a force of our own! How careless we've been! We'll make it through this, I swear. Even if we don't..." he tried to give Insanity a reassuring smile. "I've been to Oblivion before. I'll show you how to carve a path back to existence. They can fight us. They can kill us. But we are eternal, my love. We'll just keep coming back. Then we'll make them pay! Horrifically and painfully! They'll pay!" "Donnie." Patience's voice came from in front of them and Donnie realised she'd been hidden by the darkness and watching them the entire time. "You? Let me guess. You've come to get your revenge for what I did to you? What's wrong? Didn't you like it?" Donnie grinned at her maliciously but her expression remained unchanged. "You have a bounty on your head. Both of you. Angels are coming." Donnie shivered but didn't outwardly show his fear. "Why are you telling me this?" "Because I want to know..." "Know what? Out with it, woman!" "If you would have been a good father... If you could have changed." Silence. Donnie stared at Patience in disbelief. "What are you-? You're not-?" he burst into laughter. "Oh, that's just perfect! Insanity, we would have had an heir after all! And as an added bonus the mother is the love of my greatest enemy!" he continued to laugh as Patience walked calmly towards them. She took out a compass and pressed it against his chest, making him flinch and look at her with an amused smirk. His glee only grew as Patience frowned. The needle had dropped to black the second it touched his chest. "You're pure evil!" she gasped. "So, you're saying I wouldn't be a good daddy then? Diddums." he chuckled. Patience looked at him. All emotion seemed to drain from her eyes, leaving a cold stare. "I have to do what is right," she whispered as she glanced off to one side. "You'd better go through with delivering my heir, bitch!" Donnie growled at her. "Forgive me, Gabriel. I used you... but there was no other way." she whispered again. This time, Donnie didn't hear her and he stared at her in annoyance. "Look, if we're in as much danger as you say we are then we don't have time for this conversation. And don't think for one minute that you're not coming with us-" Patience had moved so suddenly that Donnie had been caught off guard. He gawped at her in shock, feeling a sharp pain in his stomach. He stared at her for a moment in confusion then looked down at the green blade she'd stabbed him with. She let go of it, revealing the short, wooden hilt that resembled a branch with carvings all around it. The weapon was the last of its kind. Heaven had stopped making them around the Roman era. Patience had lifted it from the museum in Heaven while the others had been distracted. She knew that Donnie would be able to just return if he was destroyed, so had thought of a more permanent solution to this problem. The Huàyǐng. Donnie shook as he tried to grip the hilt but then gasped and cried out as the dagger began moving further into his stomach. Panicking, he let go of Insanity and tried to grab the hilt to pull it out, but it was already too far in. Finally, it vanished into his abdomen and what followed would be utterly horrifying. Patience took a couple of steps back and was unable to take her eyes off Donnie as he screamed endlessly. Cracking and creaking noises came from his body and his feet seemed to break then to root themselves into the ground. He tried to frantically pull them out but was forced to stand straight while his skin, bones and muscles hardened. His shape grew and his screams distorted until his vocal cords finally solidified. Within minutes, what was once a power-crazed Devil was now a harmless- if somewhat indestructible- tree. The only thing left of Donnie was his ripped clothes on the ground and the faintest outline of an agonised, screaming face in its trunk. Denix Vames - February 9, 2022 Nate knelt down. He placed a hand on Vincent. Healing his wounds. Elliot shook his head. Confused by what just happened. But Theo's call had gotten his attention. He followed him. Ready to attack when both men had disappeared. Nate smirked at Amelia. "You're on!" --- "NO! What's happening?! Donnie! My dear!" Insanity crawled to the tree that was once his lover. He punched the tree. Trying to see if he could get Donnie out. But it was useless. "NO! DONNIE!" Tears burst from him. He screamed out his rage. Suddenly, he stopped. "No....It's useless. Even if I tried to fight back, I would be taken to Oblivion. I won't....I won't attack. Not unless you promise me that you let me stay with him. I'll do anything but please....Let me stay with him." shadowess - February 9, 2022 Seeing the danger had passed, Alex shifted back into his human form and flung his arms around David to hug him tightly. "I'm sorry! That wasn't me!" he burst into tears. "I know..." David said gently while patting his back. "It's ok. You're safe now... Oscar. Desi. Help teleport the humans back to Earth. The rest of us will handle the fugitives." He looked at Vincent. "You should go home too. Make sure Elliot is alright." David then looked at Hades with a small smile. "Atta girl. Thank you." Theo shifted back into his human form as well then darted out to the fields. "Greg! It's over! We're safe!" he called out. Amelia, River and the others teleported to give chase to Donnie and Insanity. Not wanting to let them get away. They would appear just in time to see Donnie's violent transformation into a tree. "What the-?!" River gasped. Amelia stared at the tree, confused. "How?" Patience watched Insanity's heartbreak with a frown. While she didn't regret what she did, she felt terrible for Insanity. "I'm so sorry... that was the last dagger..." she said to him quietly. "Heaven doesn't make them anymore... they were considered too 'cruel and unusual to use... so, use of them became illegal among Angels..." But despite this, she didn't fear the repercussions of her actions. She had felt it was necessary to use such a weapon on this occasion. Despite his new shape, Donnie was still very much alive. He couldn't see, but he could feel and hear. He heard Insanity's anguish but didn't want his beloved to be destroyed, which would certainly happen regardless of if he gave up now. He also didn't want to spend eternity as a damn tree and refused to believe that there was no way out of this. He wondered if Insanity could still hear him if he communicated telepathically. 'Save me. Spells. Potions. Do what you must. This can't be it for me, it just can't! Don't let them win! Don't let them kill you! Flee! And find a way to save me!'

Denix Vames - February 6, 2022 Phineas was surprised for a moment but soon settled into the kiss. He wrapped his arms around him before deepening the kiss. --- "I really don't mind. I know why you're helping him." Greg touched his arm. "I want to help too. Any friend of yours is mine." He cupped his cheek. "You have nothing to worry about. I'm not jealous. I only care that we get our friend back." --- "Oh?" Insanity leaned his head forward as he knelt. Looming over him. "And how do I know this isn't a trick?" He tapped the knife on his nose playfully. Shadowess - February 6, 2022 Kasper moaned softly and quietly as the kiss deepened. When he felt Phineas's arms around him, he moved his hands to his shoulders. A little nervous and wanting to be as close to Phineas as possible, Kasper moved onto his lap so that he could feel his body against his. --- "Y-you...know?" Theo asked, looking at Greg with shame in his eyes. He lifted his hand to take his then brought it to his lips. He left a lingering kiss on his hand before sighing and nodding. "Thank you." he then got up and quickly got himself dressed. He waited until Greg was dressed as well before rejoining the others in the hallway. "Alright, let's find Elliot." --- Alex shivered, staring up at Insanity fearfully. He flinched when the knife touched his nose and he couldn't help glaring at him defiantly for a second. Heat and pain shot through him, making him turn his head away and groan. "What am I going to do, huh?" he questioned, his voice full of agitation as he tried to deal with the pain. "I wouldn't stand a chance against either of you..." he glanced at Elliot, feeling awful for him while also dreading the idea that Insanity could just as easily rob him of his own free will. "C'mon, man... you've already won... I'll do what you want." he groaned, not looking up at either of them. Denix Vames - February 6, 2022 Phineas brought his hands to his waist as he slipped his tongue into his mouth. "Kasper....I never thought I would feel like this until now. Thank you." --- "Since Insanity took him, we can only assume that they're in Hell. Once we arrive there, you can start sniffing him out." ,said Vincent. Everyone held hands before appearing in Hell. --- Insanity cackled. "Two pets? What a chance!" He turned to Donnie. "Is there any way we could heal this little puppy of ours? If I'm going to have another guard dog, I need him to be ready to attack on sight." shadowess - February 6, 2022 Kasper was breathless as he rested his forehead against Phineas's. He looked into his eye and cupped his cheek. "No, thank you," he said softly. "I never thought I'd feel this kind of connection with anyone again. I want to be close to you." He kissed him again, slowly and tenderly. --- Theo nodded. As soon as they arrived in Hell, David gasped at the sight of Damien behind the bars. "Damien?! How did you get in there?!" He shouted but Damien didn't respond. He was still out cold from his earlier encounter with Donnie. David ran over and pulled out a set of keys from his pocket. He unlocked the door and ran in to look at him. Meanwhile, Theo had already transformed into his wolf form and had started sniffing around. He picked up on a couple of scents. One of which was remarkably like the way Vincent used to smell. He growled and followed it to the door that lead out of the cells before barking at the others. --- Alex lay back on the grass, relieved that Insanity seemed to like the idea of having him as a pet rather than a plaything. Now all he needed to focus on was dealing with this pain as he turned and try his best not to piss his captors off. He gripped his side with his free arm, groaned and tensed as the pain shot through him again. His teeth began to ache and he could feel a couple of them sharpening in his mouth. It was both an unusual and uncomfortable sensation that made him feel just a bit nauseous. Donnie looked Alex over at Insanity's words. "He's still turning. His wounds will heal as part of this process. The only thing we can do is wait and beat him if he forgets himself." Donnie kissed Insanity's cheek. "It's a very painful process. It'll be a lot of fun to watch him go through it. Considering how much we'll need him to change, let's not bother wasting clothes on him." he glanced off to one side then frowned. "Are you seeing this?" he asked him. "They're using a wolf. They'll track our new pets and one of them isn't even ready to fight yet." Alex's eyes lit up with hope and he quickly looked away from them, frightened they'd see. His heart lifted a little. His friends were coming! He suddenly cried out as the pain intensified. His cries turned quickly to screams when he felt his bones and muscles start to reshape themselves. His leg was already healing but at the same time, his mouth and nose were growing. His eyes widened in horror as he watched his nose grow in front of his face. He lifted his hand to his now dog-like nose to feel it, as if unable to believe it was real. He screamed again but this time out of shock rather than pain. He then groaned and his eyes watered as his nose and mouth shifted back into their normal, human shape. "Oh, fuck!! This is really happening! Oh, fuck! f-fuck! I don't like it! It feels weird! No, no, no- ah!" he rambled in a panic before screaming again. "We should drag him inside until he's done," Donnie said, his eyes scanning the horizon warily. "I'll set the grass around the seal ablaze. Perhaps the burning smell will mask the smell of our pets until he's ready?" Denix Vames - February 6, 2022 Phineas placed a hand over his chest. He grabbed a fistful of his shirt. "Would it be too quick of me to say that I wouldn't mind if you saw me without clothes?" --- Vincent ran after Theo. Following him. Greg had stayed behind to say, "He's out cold but he'll be fine. Donnie tricked him. He's a Devil now." --- "Sounds like a great idea." Insanity grabbed Alex by his leg and dragged him into their home where he let him go. Letting him deal with more pain that he had given to him. He hugged himself. "I never thought I would feel so happy." He bent his back at an odd angle as his smile became unsettling for any sane person. He looked at Donnie. "But thanks to you! I am free!" shadowess - February 6, 2022 Excitement rose in Kasper and he looked at Phineas longingly. "I don't think I'd mind seeing you without clothes either," he smirked playfully. --- "A Devil?!" David stood and stared at Greg. "Are you sure? Damien would never help him become a Devil willingly. How did he trick him?" he then looked around at the others quickly. "Can someone take Damien to Earth?" Meanwhile, Theo had been scratching at the door until Vincent opened it. He darted out and began sniffing the ground. He could still smell Insanity as well as someone else. He assumed the second scent was Donnie. He sniffed at the grass, then at the air, then looked in a specific direction before looking back at Vincent and barking. Letting him know to tell the others he'd caught their scent and could start tracking. What he didn't know yet was that Donnie had flown across a large distance from here and that closer to where they are his ability to track them would be hindered by the smell of burning grass. --- Alex let out a mixture of pained screams and howls as Insanity pulled him across the grass by his injured leg. "Stop! Please stop! That fucking hurts!!" he screamed as they went. Meanwhile, Donnie walked towards the outskirts of their little village and singed a large portion of the grass outside their barrier to mask Alex and Elliot's scents. Smiling at his work, he headed back into their tent and grinned at the way Insanity looked. Alex was gritting his teeth as he watched them. The sight of Insanity acting the way he was disturbed him deeply. But he didn't have much time to dwell on it before he was crying out again. "I knew from the first moment I watched you at work from my prison in Oblivion that you were destined to rule by my side," Donnie told him as he walked toward him. "My love, you were made to rule by my side. I'm certain of it. Once we butcher Hell's royal family, no one will dare to defy us. We will torture souls for amusement and pleasure. We'll drag new toys, kicking and screaming, from Earth to Hell. To do whatever we want with and we will do it all together. Our time is now." Finally, with one last and very loud scream, Alex turned to stand on all fours. Bones cracked as he changed rapidly, it only took a couple of minutes before he was panting and whining near them in his wolf form. His ears were folded back and his tail was tucked between his legs as he simply stood, shaking. Coming to terms with what had just happened to him. His eyes had turned yellow and almost matched the colour of his fur perfectly. Shadowess - February 6, 2022 (Alex's wolf form ) Attached Image Denix Vames - February 6, 2022 Phineas smiled. He hesitantly took his coat off before unbuttoning his shirt. "My body doesn't look terrible, does it?" --- Leo shouted, "Get Damien to Earth, Oscar! I'm going to follow Vincent and Theo!" He ran after them. Greg looked at David. "He pretended to be Alex." He followed Leo. Not wanting to waste any time. --- Insanity grabbed him before kissing him passionately. He looked at Alex before walking over. "Elliot! Come boy!" Elliot ran over. "Now play nice. Get to know your new friend because you two will need to work together if you want to kill whoever we tell you to kill." He sniffed at Alex curiously. He saw him as nothing much but another wolf. Instead, he focused on his master. He walked to Insanity and rubbed his head against his leg. "You know for someone who is meant to be vicious, you can be cute. In this case, that's not a bad thing." Insanity cupped his chin. "I wonder. Donnie? Would you be interested in a threeway?" (awesome) shadowess - February 6, 2022 Kasper watched Phineas removing his shirt then brought his eyes up to his. "Would I kiss it if it did?" he asked with a smile then leant forward and started to kiss Phineas's chest. After leaving a few kisses across his chest, neck and collarbones, Kasper pulled back then began to slowly unbutton his own shirt while maintaining eye contact with Phineas. --- "Right!" Oscar ran into the cell and lifted Damien into his arms before vanishing. "Alex?" David's heart sank. If Donnie was pretending to be Alex...then where was Alex?? David's eyes turned red as he shook with rage. "He has messed with my family for the last time! I was a fool to think that he could be saved! I should've destroyed him when I had the chance!" he marched out of the cells and followed the others. He watched the way Theo sniffed the ground and ran ahead of them. "There has to be a faster way..." "There is," Oscar said as he reappeared next to them. "Stay here..." he ran off to one side until he was a decent distance away then shifted into a large dragon. He bent down as low as he could and leant on his side to give them all a way to climb onto him. 'Not just a pretty face.' He thought playfully to Leo. "Wait!" David called out suddenly. Having had a minute to calm down a little and think. "What are we doing? He's a Devil now and chances are he's already changed Insanity... we can't face them both as we are now. They'll destroy us all..." he said then glanced up nervously. "We need Angels. We need Angelic weaponry. Those are the only things that can destroy a Devil." "That and another Devil." Amelia's voice came from beside David. "Sorry, I'm late to the party. Had a hell of a time convincing Charles to mind Oliver while I risk my life for my Kingdom. It was a whole thing. I don't want to go into it." she shrugged. "No-!" David began to protest then Amelia waved a dismissive hand at him while marching straight over to Oscar. "I've always wanted to ride a Dragon! Should I wear those weird goggles the pilots in the olden days used to wear?" she said cheerily as David chased after her. "Amelia-!" "Or what about parachutes? I mean, what if one of us falls off?" "AMELIA!" "DAD!" Amelia rounded on her father rapidly. "I've already had an argument with Charles over this. I'm not arguing with you as well! Oh, and when exactly were any of you going to tell me that my brother was back from Oblivion?!" she looked around at them all angrily, apparently sore that Damien hadn't contacted her since his return. David fell silent and Amelia nodded at them. "Then it's settled. I'm coming with. Oh, and good shout on the Angel thing by the way. We definitely need Angelic help with this before we face them. Oi, Nate! You coming or what?!" --- Donnie had wrapped his arms around Insanity as they'd kissed. He let him go and watched him lustfully as he interacted with the wolves. Alex jumped and looked at Elliot as he sniffed him. His eyes moved between Elliot and Insanity uncertainly. He really wanted to bite Elliot's collar and pull it off him but knew that it wouldn't do Elliot any good. At least right now he wasn't conscious of what he was doing so he wouldn't have to feel fear or regret... unlike Alex. "It's like you were reading my mind." Donnie chuckled then glanced at Alex with an evil smirk. "Though, perhaps a four-way could be interesting this time?" he suggested. At this, Alex yelped and darted underneath a nearby table causing Donnie to laugh at his fear. "Get out of there stupid and change into your human form." he chuckled then his expression became stern. "Now." But Alex didn't move. Too frightened to leave his hiding place. "Beloved, it would seem your newest pet is misbehaving." Donnie rolled his eyes. Denix Vames - February 6, 2022 Phineas moaned at the kisses on his chest. He shyly smiled. "I really never took lead. Mind being in charge?" --- Leo pulled out his guns. His wings sprouted before he flew up. He winked at Oscar. "Same goes here. I really want to try these new wings." Nate appeared. He smiled. "I never thought you'd ask." Vincent hopped on the back of Oscar. --- Insanity walked to the table. "Now Alex. You don't want me to break your arm again, do you?" shadowess - February 6, 2022 "That's ok," Kasper said softly. "I never really got a chance to make love before," he admitted as he threw his shirt to one side and sat close to Phineas again. "But I want to make love to you." he breathed and kissed him deeply. Gently, he pushed Phineas down and climbed over him. His hands wandered eagerly across his torso and down to his hips. "I promise I'll be gentle. Let's take it slow," he whispered as he unbuckled his belt. (Private Time) --- Amelia jumped onto Oscar's back as well and held on to Vincent. "How are you holding up, bro?" she asked him quietly. After all this time she still considered Vincent to be like a brother. "Try not to worry. We'll save him. Ok?" David jumped up and onto Oscar's back as well, still not happy that Amelia was joining them on this dangerous mission. Theo shifted back into his human form, knowing he wouldn't be able to hold on to Oscar's scales as a wolf. His cheeks turned red as he realised he'd be climbing onto his back, bare ass naked. "Sorry..." he mumbled to him as he climbed up as well. Oscar was quiet for a moment then, despite his reptilian features, he gave Leo an uncomfortable look. 'I'm never going to live this down, am I?' Once all the people who couldn't fly were on Oscar's back, he stood tall and stretched out his wings. 'Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking.' Oscar thought to them all in a mock pilot's voice while he stretched. Amelia giggled in amusement. 'Welcome aboard Demon airlines non-stop flight to kicking some ass. Our flight time will be however long it takes for Lassie back there to tell us we're close and we'll be flying at an altitude of really fucking high. Please keep your arms and legs on the dragon at all times. Demon airlines regret to inform you that refreshments, oxygen masks and life vests are currently unavailable. So, in the event of an emergency please assume the brace position, which in this case would involve bending forward until your head is between your legs and kissing your ass goodbye! Now sit back, relax and enjoy your flight. Thank you!' At this, Theo held on tightly to Greg while gripping Oscar's scales. Without wasting any more time, he beat his wings powerfully and ran until he was soaring over Hell's plains. "Whooooooo!!!!!" Amelia grinned as she felt the rush of wind blowing past them. Theo was leaning from side to side, trying to keep track of the scent and telling Oscar which way to go. --- Alex whined and hesitated before slowly climbing out from under the table. For a moment he wasn't sure how to change back but after some concentration, he was on his knees in front of him. Covering his groin with his hands and looking fearfully at Vincent. His eyes reflected his longing to be defiant but he shook, knowing he didn't have any choice. "N-no..." he answered shakily as he stood slowly. He lowered his gaze. "P-please don't make me do this," he begged in a quiet voice. Meanwhile, Donnie was excited by the idea. It was just another way he could get back at David and the thought of that man being tormented by the thought of his great-grandson suffering like this only made him want it more. (I may have had way too much fun writing the airline bit xD )