Shadowess

Denix Vames - April 9, 2021 "Thanks." Carter placed the frozen peas to his head. He flinched but then soon got use to it. Letting it heal his headache. --- "Oh. I'm guessing he use to be a big scary meanie and now ya'll made him into a teddy bear." ,said Jasper. --- Carter answered his phone. "Hello?" His eyes widened when he heard the nurse's voice. "Alright. Just stay there. I'll be over there right away." He hung up. He looked at Parker. "That was one of the nurses. May. She said she was attacked by the same angel. Looks like he's trying to finish the job with Alex. If that's the case then we need to go down there and ask her some questions. Look for any clues that he could have left behind." He tossed the peas on the chair and headed out the door to his car. "Let's go." shadowess - April 9, 2021 "I have no idea..." Jessica replied, meanwhile Sebastian was nodding a little. "He's tried to kill me and Carter. Then he tried to rape our friend Amelia... later he kidnapped her and used her as a hostage...that last one, Amelia's boyfriend turned up and well...let's just say it didn't end well for Theo." Sebastian explained quietly. "And that's not even mentioning the years of physical and emotional abuse he put Vincent through." "Theo, please." David continued in a gentle tone. "It doesn't have to be this way. We can still help you. You just have to be willing to change." He held out a hand for Theo to take and Theo looked at it for a moment, as if tempted. He then shot to his feet and ran past him, pushing past Sebastian, Jessica and Jasper and running from the building. David watched him run with a sad expression and sighed heavily. "Guess he's just not ready yet..." --- Parker watched Carter answer the phone and as soon as he jumped into action, so did Parker. He followed Carter out to the car then into the hospital when they arrived. When they got to the waiting room, there were ordinary police officers just finishing up taking May's statement and leaving. When she saw them, she gestured for them to enter the waiting room and waited for the other officers to leave before speaking. "I told them what I know without delving into the supernatural side of things...I told them he jumped through the window..." She shuddered and gathered her courage. She quickly went into telling them what had happened as Parker took notes. When she was done, she waited to see what they'd say or whether they might have more questions for her. Denix Vames - April 9, 2021 "Not ready? No offense but it sounds to me that ya'll basically did the same thing that he did to you guys. And I get it. He was a dick who did a lot of fucked up things. But what makes you think he's gonna wanna change now after what you did to him? Guy's practically shitting his pants." --- "Do you mind if we examine the room? See if the police might have missed something?" ,asked Carter. "This is none of your concern, Carter." "Will." Carter turned around and glared at the blonde man who was wearing a bulletproof vest, his buttoned up uniform light blue shirt, and pants. He wore a golden wristwatch and dark shades. He had his arms crossed. "This is our jurisdiction now." "We're just trying to help unlike some people." "What happened to your family was tragic but we had to drop the case. You were making us lose money." "I don't have time to chatter about the past. I need to solve this case. My friends are in danger." "Then you shouldn't even be involved the first place." Will looked at Parker. "What'd you do? Convince the rookie to join your band of merrymen?" "No. He wanted to be a part of this. My detective agency. I'm a private detective which means I can investigate." "But you can't go into places that you're not allowed to go to without a warrant. That could take months." "Same goes for you." He frowned. Seemingly pissed off that Carter got smart. "I'll be seeing you around 'detective.' Don't push your luck." He left. Shadowess - April 9, 2021 "You weren't there..." David said as he stood, turning to face them. "We tried to help him...oh believe me, -we tried-...but each and every time we tried, he tried to kill or harm us in some way." David looked Jasper in the eyes. "He knew exactly what he was doing. Don't let the fact that he's frightened now fool you. Before our last encounter...he was formidable. What we did, we did purely out of self defense." he then sighed. "If we could've helped him and prevented this from happening...we would've...I offered to put him into the redemption program...he tried to use that kindness against me." --- Parker turned and glared at Will as he spoke down to him and Carter. Once he was gone, Parker couldn't help scoffing. "Dick!" The nurse waited until the officer had left before sighing and looking at Carter. "I thought there might be some roadblocks for you guys when our security called the police...I hope you don't mind but I had a quick look around myself when I told security that I needed to use the restroom. Thought it might save you some time..." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a couple of white feathers, handing them to Carter. "It's not much...it's all that was out of place in there. I think the other officers just thought they'd come out of the pillow or something." Denix Vames - April 9, 2021 "Well shit. But don't you think he's finally learned a lesson? Seems like it to me. Maybe this time he just wants to be left alone." ,said Jasper. --- Carter looked at the feathers in his hand. He smirked. Thinking about Will and the police. "What a dumbass." He nodded at her. "Thank you, May. This will definitely help us with our investigations. Just stay safe and take care." He headed to his car as he put the feathers in his pocket. Will had his undercover car parked across the street. He was watching them as he sat there. Seeing them drive off. He followed but made sure not to be seen. --- Leo came back to the mansion wearing a black cloak, a laughing white mask, and brandishing two bloody swords. He was covered in blood as well. Shadowess - April 9, 2021 "I just thought I'd try." David shrugged. "But maybe you're right...As long as he knows we're here to help him when he's ready to change for the better." He looked between them for a moment before frowning. "Where's Alex?" "Oh, he's back in that room you brought us in earlier. He wanted to stay put and I wanted to see the rest of the library." Jessica answered. Seeming a little antsy now, David began walking back to the original room. "Well, I suppose it's time everyone turned in anyway. We might not have real night or day here but we can at least keep a somewhat normal sleep schedule while you're staying here." --- May nodded "You too and good luck, Detectives." she said before leaving to go about her work again. As soon as Carter's car reached the office, Patience appeared on the doorstep to greet them. "I've come back to help. I've brought a few items that might help you in your case as well, courtesy of the Angelic Authorities." she said as she followed them in to show them the various Angelic equipment that she'd laid out on the coffee table. "When I told them that you are a Detective that takes supernatural cases, they wanted to show their appreciation...under the condition, of course, that these be put to proper use and are not abused for political purposes." She lifted the Angelic handcuffs as well as a set of black handcuffs from a pile of three of each pairs. Totaling six sets of handcuffs. "I know you're familiar with these ones." she raised the ones made with Angelic steel. "The steel is an irritant to Demon and Devil skin but more importantly, they are a means of subduing them without resorting to violence. You only need to attach one cuff to their wrist and they will be rendered no more powerful than any ordinary human." she then raised the black pair. "These do the same but for Angels. Made of Demonic Iron. The metals do have more scientific names but I think it's just easier to call them what everyone else calls them..." She put them down onto the table and lifted a compass looking object, the same as the one Leo has. "This is a Purity Dial. Simply place it against someone's chest and it will tell you whether their soul can be saved or if they are simply too lost to evil." She placed it against her own chest to show them. The dial landed on the grey section immediately. "White means the person is pure of heart. Grey means they are not perfect but they still have a chance to become good. Black...they are pure evil." She put the dial back onto the table. "Not many people get the white section. Even fewer get black. You'll quickly find that most people you meet will get the grey result." She then smiled as she lifted a couple of blank slips of paper which she handed to them. "I was told you two might get this reference... The idea for these came from Doctor Who." she rolled her eyes. "They are telepathic papers. Simply think of what you want them to say and whoever looks at them will see it. You could use them to make on the spot warrants or ID cards...etcetera." She then sighed and frowned. "And now for the drastic measures..." she gestures to one black knife and one silver-white. Then one black gun and one silver-white with bullets to go along with them. "Only allow people you trust to make difficult decisions to use these. The Angelic ones have the capacity to destroy a Demon or Devil's soul entirely. The Demonic ones can do the same for Angels...once you use one of these...there's no going back." --- Hearing the door, Oscar paused his game with a smile and headed into the foyer to greet Leo. He then paused and frowned when he saw the state of him. "Leo?...What happened?" he asked uncertainly. Denix Vames - April 9, 2021 "I'm guessing I should go now. Ain't got much to do around here. See ya guys at the wedding. I'll tell all ya'll when we've got a date and time." Jasper disappeared. --- Carter studied the items as she talked about them. He nodded. "We'll keep these locked away in safe at my office." He took the black cuffs. Placing them in his pocket. He grabbed some of the items. "Take some Parker. We're putting these upstairs. Patience, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like you to conjure up a safe in my office. It can be a code type or key one. Whichever works." Will had parked his car not too far from the house. He stayed low as he made his way over. He peeked through the window. Making sure his head was low enough but that he could still see them. "What the hell? Wings? On a person? But how? Some kind of fetish?" --- Leo didn't face him. He continue to walk to the bathroom. "Just did a job. No problem." shadowess - April 9, 2021 When Jasper vanished, both Sebastian and David looked confused. "Wedding?" David asked. "Oh, yeah. Jasper found his old love. They're getting married and he's invited us. That's why he was here." Jessica explained. Sebastian and David smiled. "That's wonderful news." Sebastian said quietly. "It is. Come on then. Time to sleep." David said as he led them back to the other room. It would seem Alex was already one step ahead of them as he was laying on the couch when they walked in and snoring lightly. David smiled gently and pointed to the second couch. "Jessica, you take that couch. Sebastian, I'll try to find some blankets and cushions for you. I'm afraid you'll have to rotate who gets a turn on the couches until this whole thing blows over." Once David got them all a blanket and a pillow each, they were all soon asleep. David stayed awake to keep an eye on them, casually reading a few books to pass the time. --- "Uh..." Patience chuckled. "Nate might be able to conjure things out of thin air, but I'm afraid I don't share the same gifts." she explained. "Although if you can find somewhere safe to stash them in the meantime, I could get one ordered for you?" she offered, feeling bad that she couldn't just provide him with a safe there and then. Parker also took some black handcuffs, putting them in his pocket before helping to take the rest upstairs. "I'd like to help in any way I can. If you don't mind my asking, what information have you managed to gather so far?" Patience asked as she helped them carry the equipment. --- Oscar rose a brow and watched Leo walk towards the bathroom uneasily. "Leo?" he called after him, following at a bit of a distance. "What job, Leo?" he pressed. Denix Vames - April 9, 2021 "Oh." Carter put the equipment in one of the drawers that had a lock on it. Once Parker put the rest of it in, he locked the drawer with a key and put it in his pocket. "Well, the angel has violet eyes. That's about it really. But we did find these feathers." He took them out. Will took out his lockpick. He unlocked the door and slowly closed it. He stood and walked to where the items had once been. "Hmm..." He walked into the kitchen and opened the cabinets carefully. Trying not to make any noise. When he opened the fridge, he froze. Having gone pale, he closed it. "Carter's a maniac. Probably works with these sick bastards so that this attacker can keep doing his thing." He looked around to make sure no one was there. He went to the backyard where he found an impression of a buried body. "This must be the victim. All of their blood must have been drained. Is Carter a blood drinker? Sick bastard." He was about to try his luck with going upstairs when he heard footsteps. He ran into the washroom and closed the door. The smell of the room was awful but he did his best to keep still. --- Leo put his swords aside. He undressed until he was naked. He turned the faucet on. Letting the tub be filled with water before dipping into it. The blood on his body had turned the water red. He looked at one of his hands. Seeing the bloody water run off. "Just killing criminals. The usual." shadowess - April 9, 2021 "Hmm..." Patience looked at the feathers thoughtfully. It wasn't a lot of information to go on and that was concerning. "I could take those to the Angelic Authorities. They might be able to do a DNA analysis on them...Try to narrow down who it could be..." she said as they headed back downstairs. "Oh, I almost forgot." Parker said suddenly, turning to look at Patience. "This Angel keeps repeating the same line. It's been at the bottom of both poems they left behind and according to Sebastian and Alex it was the last thing he said to them before leaving them to die. Punishment Divine." Patience seemed troubled by this news. "I just learned about the Devine from years ago, during my training...you don't think they're back do you?" she asked, turning to look between Parker and Carter. She then winced as her stomach growled and she chuckled out of embarrassment. "Ah, sorry...You don't mind if I take a bag, do you? I haven't had anything to drink all day." --- Oscar watched him worriedly. Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. After a long, awkward pause he tilted his head a little. "So...how is the case going? Is it safe for me to go out with you yet?" he asked. He genuinely wanted to know. This whole thing had him worried.

Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 Carter ran over to him. Tears fell from his eyes. "Sebastian!" He sat next to him and immediately pulled him into his arms as he sobbed. "I'm so glad you're ok! I thought I was going to lose you!" --- "Uh No. The only angel that'll be around at the wedding will be Nate and Patience." ,said Jasper. --- Leo knocked him out with the butt of his knife. He zoomed past some buildings before grabbing another angel by throat. Asking her the same questions. Shadowess - April 8, 2021 Sebastian let Carter hold him and he buried his face in Carter's chest, sobbing heavily and gripping Carter's shirt tightly. Parker had to hold back his own tears, particularly at the sight of them both crying like this. A moment later, David reappeared with Patience in tow. "My God!" she gasped and hurried over to Carter and Sebastian, kneeling in front of them. She looked pained as she saw the condition Sebastian was in. She quickly took Sebastian's hand as he remained sobbing into Carter's chest and she set to work healing all of his wounds, broken ribs and bruises. If only she could heal the mental trauma he'd endured as well... She looked angry suddenly and she stood, turning to look at David. "Tell me everything. Who is responsible for this?!" "That's the thing..." Parker said and Patience's eyes snapped to him. "We don't know. Our group is being attacked by some crazy Angel. Keeps leaving haiku's as calling cards." "I'm going to take Sebastian to Hell with Alex and Jessica to keep him safe." David said to try to reassure Patience then nodded at Carter. "As soon as he's ready, of course." "When he's calm enough, he might know something about the attacker that could help us find him and put a stop to all this." Parker said to Carter. --- Jessica tutted and turned to look at the floor in a huff. She knew Nate was taken and she had no idea who Patience was but she assumed she might be taken as well based on how Jasper answered. Alex chortled. "Hey, it's not the end of the world. I'm sure there's someone out there for you." Jessica rolled her eyes then got up from the couch. "I need to stretch my legs." she said while walking towards the door. "Wait a minute! David said to stay here!" Alex shouted after her. "Chill! I'm guna stay in the stupid library, I just wana see more than just this one room!" she called back. --- The second Angel cried out as Leo grabbed her. Her hands shooting up to grip the arm that held her by the throat. "N-no! I-I don't know anything! Don't hurt me!" Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 Carter soon calmed down. He caressed Sebastian's cheek. "Listen Sebastian. I know how you feel. I can't even begin to imagine how fucked up that entire experience was but you need to tell us everything that happened. From the beginning to the end. Don't leave out any details. I'll be here with you the whole entire time, ok?" --- Jasper followed her. "Don't worry. I can babysit." --- Leo knocked her out too. He kept going after angel after angel. Asking the same questions. Hoping to get any kind of answer that could lead him further into finding the suspect. Shadowess - April 8, 2021 Sebastian nodded but it took him a minute to calm down. He lifted his head and rested it on Carter's shoulder, turning his face a little so he could see the others. After a few deep breaths, he closed his eyes and described everything. From being jumped in the kitchen, to the beating, the impalement, being tied to a tree and doused in gas. He described his attacker as best he could. Though the only distinguishing feature he could make out were the violet eyes. "He had everything he needed stashed near a tree...he'd planned this..." he finished, his voice wavering and breaking a little. "I checked the house when the ambulance picked you up." Parker explained to Carter. "I found a little blood in the kitchen. Must've been from when the attacker hit Sebastian...other than that, there were no signs of forced entry...I think they must've been watching Sebastian prior to the attack if they were able to teleport right behind him like that." "I need to alert the Angel authorities about this. Especially with peace negotiations ongoing, we really don't need a rogue Angel stirring up trouble between Angels and Demons..." Patience said and she looked at Carter. "I'll let them know to not get in the way of your investigation and to help you where possible...Though I have to ask, try to capture them alive if possible so we can take them to our own cells...but if you're left with no other option..." She glanced at Sebastian before making heavy eye contact with Carter. "Fatal force is also acceptable." she finished darkly, giving him the subtle hint that that is what she hoped to happen to the rogue Angel. --- "Ugh! I don't need a babysitter!" Jessica complained as Jasper followed her. "I mean, really? What's guna happen? Am I guna get attacked by Hell's most nerdiest soul??" Jessica laughed. "I can handle myself, you know. I did like, a week of Judo lessons when I was ten..." she joked as she walked along and ran her hand along the spines of the books. Alex chuckled at her stubbornness then sighed, leaning his head back against the chair and closing his eyes to try to relax. He chuckled again when he could still hear Jessica yammering away to Jasper further down the hallway. "God, she doesn't half talk...I hope that's not genetic..." Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 "Parker, I need you to call Leo and tell him this information. Then, I need you to update the report. It should be in one of the drawers of my desk." ,said Carter. He reluctantly looked at Sebastian. "And I need you to go to Hell. To stay safe there. I'll have David take you there. I promise that you can come back once the coast is clear." --- "Doesn't matter. You're in Hell. Still gonna be looking after ya." ,said Jasper. --- Leo was starting to lose his patience. He had gotten to another angel. "Do any of you even know anything?! You're dumb as Hell! Actually, those demons downstairs would know a lot more than you!" shadowess - April 8, 2021 "Yes, sir." Parker nodded and took out his phone. Patience lay a hand on his shoulder. "It's fine. I'll go see him. I need to head out anyway." she let him go and then vanished. Parker then headed up the stairs to update the report. Sebastian looked at Carter and shook his head a little. He was terrified. "N-no, I don't want to. I-I don't want to leave you here." "Sebastian, Carter will be fine. He's got Parker, Leo and Patience to help him with this case. But we need to make sure you're safe so the Angel can't use you against them. We can't put something like that past this person. Not after everything they've done so far." David said gently. "You'll be safe with us. Jessica and Alex are already in Hell, waiting. You know how Alex is and from what I've learned of Jessica, she's not much different in terms of attitude. I'm probably going to need a hand keeping them in line and I can't think of anyone better." --- "Pshh!" Jessica waved a hand at Jasper. "At least someone is!" she laughed. She pulled a random book of the shelf and looked up at Jasper curiously. "Can you read any of these?" Alex sighed. He wasn't going to sleep with Jessica's loud voice echoing through the building. He opened his eyes and got to his feet with a groan. Slowly, he made his way over to the window and looked out at Hell's landscape curiously while leaning against the wall. It literally looked like a run down, grey version of Earth. "What? No brimstone?" he chuckled to himself. --- Patience pulled Leo off the Angel angrily and glared at him. "What the hell are you doing?!" she snapped. "How does attacking random Angels help?!" Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 "Please Sebastian. Do this for me. I promise you that I'll be fine. I can take care of myself." Carter kissed his forehead. "You have nothing to worry about. Just go with David. You'll be safe there." --- "Ain't got a damn clue. I was never taught that mumbo jumbo." ,said Jasper. --- "The damn suspect is an angel! And one of them has to be him or knows where and who he is! I don't have time to sit around and find out!" ,said Leo. He shoved her back. "Are a part of his schemes?! Or are you the suspect? Tell me what information you have!" shadowess - April 9, 2021 Sebastian hesitated but reluctantly nodded. He gave Carter a loving, lingering kiss before letting him go and standing up. "I love you" He whispered as he looked at Carter worriedly as David placed a hand on his shoulder. David looked at Carter. "He'll be safe. Good luck with your case." he said before they both vanished. --- Alex continued to look out the window as he contemplated Hell. He wondered where everyone was. Was Hell really so vast that it still seemed so empty despite how many people must've died over the centuries? He found it amazing that he couldn't see any signs of others anywhere. He wondered where their enemies ended up. Ricky, Rickster, Theo, that Incubus, Bryce... Alex stared at the ground outside. 'Bryce...' He thought and sighed. If only he didn't have these stitches...he'd go out there and see if he could find him. He wanted to forgive him. He couldn't help wondering if it was even possible to save his soul at this point...or if he was just too lost. A part of him wondered if he'd be willing to turn him again but he quickly buried that thought as deep as he could. No...he'd probably just kill him. Alex sighed again. Maybe it was for the best that he couldn't go out and search for him. Maybe finding him wouldn't be such a good idea... Jessica tutted in disappointment and put the book back on the shelf. She heard a scuffling noise come from one of the other rooms and glanced at Jasper warily before looking back in that direction and beginning to walk towards the source of the noise. That's when a blond haired man appeared around the corner, apparently unaware of their presence. He stopped in his tracks and his eyes widened at the sight of Jessica and Jasper. He took a step back uncertainly. It was at this moment that David and Sebastian appeared next to Jessica and the man's eyes widened even more so, fearfully at the sight of David. David blinked and stared at the man for a moment. "Theo?" He asked and Theo ran into one of the other rooms. "Bit skittish, isn't he?" Jessica commented and David held up an arm in front of them to prevent them going into the same room. "He wasn't always...stay here. I need to have a word with him..." David said as he slowly and warily walked towards the room he'd gone in. --- At the first thing Leo said, Patience's eyes widened in anger. "You raci-!" she'd started but was cut off when Leo pushed her back and began yelling the same questions at her. Her eyebrows furrowed furiously. It took a lot to anger Patience but Leo had managed to do it in seconds. Rapidly, she grabbed him by the shirt with both hands and shoved him against the wall. Her fangs sprouted and her black eyes boring into his angrily as she growled. "Sebastian is like a son to me." She then teleported them into the middle of the living room of Carter's office where she shoved him down to the ground. She kept her eyes on him as she spoke. "So, you remember those peace negotiations I mentioned earlier? The ones that are so. very. FRAGILE right now?" she turned her head to look at Carter. "You might want to have a word with your staff while I clean up the mess he just made!" she then vanished, taking off to erase the memories of the Angels that Leo had questioned. Denix Vames - April 9, 2021 Carter nodded at Sebastian before mouthing out the words, 'You too.' He walked over to Parker and gave him his wedding ring. "In case anything happens to me, you need to give this to him. Don't ever leave it out of your sight." --- Jasper raised a brow. "I'm guessing he's somebody ya'll use to know?" --- Leo's eyes widened at the sight of her anger. Then he struggled against her. He stood and dusted himself once she was gone. He was about to leave when Carter grabbed him by his arm. "What the hell did you do?" "I had to do what had to be done! If this is an angel then we need to question all of them!" He slammed him against the wall. "You interrogated angels without my permission? Do you know whats at stake?!" "Yes I do! More than you!" "Oh really? Is that a fact? Because let's not forget that angels and devils are having a conversation about whether or not their ongoing childish feud can stop. And you're making it look bad for them." "Devils aren't involved in what I'm doing!" "But angels are! And just because you aren't devil doesn't mean that Heaven will let this slide. Let's not forget that Oscar is on our side and so is David. They'll pin the blame on them. And then what? What do you think will happen?" "This is about the case! Not them!" "This is about everything!" Leo headbutted him. Making Carter fall back who felt dazed for a moment. He headed to the front door. "Screw this! I'm going back to killing those criminals." "ADIEU!" ,said Carter. Leo stopped. "That's what they did too." Carter stood with the help of Parker. "All that questioning and torture. That's exactly what they did to you too. And now you're doing it to them." "It's completely different." "Is it? Or does it just have a different picture on it? Cause I can tell you something right now. I won't let your actions fuck this agency over. Because what I do is nothing like what they use to do. As of right now, you're suspended until further notice. Go home." Leo gave him a death glare. His canine teeth were out. "I don't need your permission." He zoomed out of the house. "Don't bother going after him. Something tells me he's going to focus on humans for a while." Carter rubbed his head. "Definitely gonna need an ice pack though." shadowess - April 9, 2021 Parker had come back down the stairs just in time to see David and Sebastian leave. When Carter handed him his wedding ring, Parker looked at it for a moment before looking back at Carter with a serious expression and nodding. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that." he said as he carefully placed it into his pocket. It was then that Patience appeared with Leo before leaving to apparently clean up after him. He watched as this caused an argument between Leo and Carter and jumped back, out of his way when he saw his canine teeth. Parker looked back at Carter and thought for a moment. "I don't know about ice packs...but I'm pretty sure I saw a pack of peas in the freezer..." he said as he headed into the kitchen then came back with the frozen peas, handing them to Carter. --- The first few Angels had been easy to get hold of and erase their memories as Leo had knocked them out and left them. The last one however, she had to track down and catch before they could report the attack. She managed to tackle them in an ally and pinned them to the ground while she erased the past 3 hours from their mind for good measure. When she was done, she got up and leant against the wall for a moment and sighed heavily. She lifted a hand to her face, rubbing her eyes for a moment. Then, silently, she cried. --- "He's Vincent's ex..." Sebastian answered Jasper. His voice was still trembling from what had happened on Earth. Jessica looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "You ok there, vampy?" "Fine." Sebastian answered and quickly followed David into the room after Theo. David had knelt down in the middle of the room and was looking sadly at Theo who was huddled in the corner, cowering away from him. "I'm not going to hurt you." David said gently. "It's alright. You can relax. No one here is hunting you. Not unless you give us a reason to." --- At the hospital, the nurse headed into the room that Alex had been staying in to tidy it up, ready for the next patient. The moment she walked through the door, she was grabbed. The door slammed shut and she was pushed against the wall. She stared at the masked man who glared at her with violet eyes as he pointed towards the bed. "The man who was here. Where is he?!" He growled at her. "I-I don't know." the nurse replied with wide eyes then whimpered as the masked man pulled out a gun and pointed it at her. "Don't lie to me. I need to know where he is." he said angrily. "H-he discharged himself this morning. I don't know where he went!" The nurse said, her voice quivering. "Stop blocking your mind!" He growled and took a step towards her. The nurse screamed and dove towards the buttons by the bed, slamming her fist into the panic button to set off the alarm. The male let out a furious growl then vanished. Security ran into the room and after telling them she was attacked, they took her to the waiting room where she could sit and have some water while they called the police. As soon as they left her in there, she took out her mobile and called Carter's number. "D-detective Carter? I-it's Nurse May...You need to come over to the hospital right away...I've just been attacked...th-the man that attacked me was looking for Alex."

Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 Leo searched high and low but found nothing. He took his chances and went to a forest. Sniffing around to see if he would catch not only the angel's scent but Sebastian's as well. --- Carter barely uttered, "G-Gon....No...." before passing out. Shadowess - April 8, 2021 By now, Sebastian had passed out from blood loss. The grass underneath him drenched in blood which had poured from his impalement. --- The ambulance arrived and Parker stood back to let them take Carter to the hospital. Happy that Carter was in good hands, he searched the house quickly but could find no signs of a struggle. The only clue he found was a little blood on the kitchen floor by the fridge which he assumed was from when Sebastian had been taken. Which could mean he was taken by surprise, not leaving much time for a struggle to occur. Not sure of how else to help, he took the car and began searching all the abandoned buildings in the area. Particularly their rooftops. Shadowess - April 8, 2021 *10:30 pm Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 Leo zoomed through the forest as he sniffed the air. Catching a lot of Sebastian's scent. His eyes widened at the sight of him tied to a tree. Impaled by a branch. He zoomed to him. He began cutting off the ropes which cause Sebastian to fall over. "Don't worry. I'm going to get you back home." He yanked the branch out of him then placed him over his shoulder. Shadowess - April 8, 2021 By the time Leo found Sebastian it was 11:30pm. Sebastian's breathing was labored as Leo untied him. He hit the ground and groaned, then cried out as the branch was ripped out of him. His fangs sprouted and he stared at Leo. For a moment, he wanted to jump up and sink his fangs into him. No thoughts running through his mind, just the pure drive to feed. His hunger being just as painful as the impalement had been. But there was something off putting about Leo's blood. He could smell it on him. Something that would cause great harm if he drank it. Too weak to stand, he remained limp as Leo carried him over his shoulder. "H-hungry...need blood...so much...pain..." he muttered deliriously as Leo carried him. Right now, he was far too dangerous to be around anyone else. Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 "There's plenty back home where Carter's waiting for you. He's worried sick but I'll get you there." Leo zoomed through the city until he made it back to the office. He quickly handcuffed Sebastian before he could jump on Parker. He set him on the chair and grabbed a blood bag from the fridge. He placed it near his mouth where he watched him drink from the bag. Shadowess - April 8, 2021 Having had no luck in his search, Parker had returned to the office. He'd been pacing around the living room. Trying to think of what else he could do to help find Sebastian when the door opened and Leo walked in with Sebastian over his shoulder. The instant Parker's blood hit Sebastian's nose, he went feral. His hunger and desperation to feed giving him the strength to try and go after him. He sprang off Leo and attempted to lunge at Parker with his fangs out. Parker jumped back in alarm but it seemed that Leo had been ready as he placed handcuffs on him. "Uh, I don't think that's guna do much to hold him!" Parker warned as Leo sat Sebastian down and went to the kitchen. Sebastian was on the chair for a whole two seconds before he was diving at Parker again, growling hungrily. "Shit!" Parker cried out as he stumbled back and had to hold Sebastian by the shoulders to try and keep him at arms length. Thankfully, Sebastian had lost so much blood that he was too weak to overpower Parker. As soon as Leo placed the bag in front of Sebastian, he snapped at it, drinking from it rapidly. Desperate little moans came out of him as he swallowed mouthful after mouthful. Parker watched him while trying to catch his breath. "Jesus Christ! What happened to him?" When Sebastian was done, he threw the bag to one side and stared at Parker again hungrily. "More!" he growled, having just enough sense now to resist jumping at Parker again, although he was struggling immensely with the instinct to do so. Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 "He got tortured so that he wouldn't move from the tree that he was tied up at. I don't know why the angel left him. It was pretty stupid if you ask me." Leo brought two more blood bags to him. "Drink up buddy. Looks like we're gonna put you under protection as well. I'm sure David wouldn't mind a vampire in Hell." shadowess - April 8, 2021 Parker watched as Sebastian drank the bags desperately. "Maybe they didn't expect anyone to find him?" he suggested, looking over Sebastian's wounds which had started to heal themselves very slowly. "Thank God, Carter isn't here to see him in this state...He was tied to a tree? Where at?" Sebastian finished the second bag with a gasp, having been drinking almost non stop. He caught his breath as he came back to his senses then looked between Leo and Parker. Then at his handcuffs and he remembered what had happened. He felt his stomach and flinched, sucking in air through his teeth. The wound was still there, having not healed yet. Tears fell from his eyes and he began to breath heavily as he dropped to his knees, rocking back and forth. Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 "Some forest. And if they didn't expect us to get him then that must mean this angel never even knew I existed. But he does now. Doesn't matter though. I can defend myself. However...." Leo placed an around Sebastian. Giving him a side hug. "David! Can you hear me? Kinda need ya to come up here!" shadowess - April 8, 2021 David appeared standing near them. "Make it quick, it's not a good idea to leave living people in Hell alone-" David began then his eyes widened at the state of Sebastian. "Another attack?" he asked and Parker nodded. "Yeah, but hang on a minute. Sebastian might know information on his attacker that we don't have yet. Maybe we should wait until he's calmer and ask him some questions first? Besides, I think Carter might like to know we've found him." Parker said while looking at Leo. --- Alex and Jessica were left sitting in the Library when David told them he had to go to Earth for a minute. David had warned them to stay within the library. He'd assured them that Demons wouldn't dare harm them in this building but to be wary of souls wandering through who might not be aware of the rules. Still too sore to move much, Alex sat on the brown leather couch while Jessica wandered around and looked at the books. "Well...this is thrilling...I can't even read any of these books! They're all in some weird language!" she complained. "I think it's like...the language they use here..."Alex suggested as he kept his eye on the door to the room. His senses on alert while they were alone as he listened out for any movement in the building. Jessica tutted and glanced out of the window. "I've never been to Hell before..." she began and Alex looked at her. "I wonder what the rest of it is like..." "I really wouldn't. Not unless you want to become a Devil a lot quicker than expected. I don't know if you know but our little group has made a few enemies that would just love to get their hands on us if they found us here. So don't. Leave. The library!" he warned her. Jessica tutted once more and plopped herself into the couch opposite him with her arms folded. "Spoil sport..." "Believe me. I'm as tempted as you are but I'm not going to be much use with this injury if we get into a fight...I won't be able to protect you..." Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 Leo hesitated. "Fine but make it quick. And you can tell Carter that Sebastian is safe in Hell. I don't have time for this sob story bullshit. I'm going to go put this into my own report. Then I'll start my search again for the angel." He zoomed to Carter's office. --- Jasper appeared. He had a rainbow bandanna around his neck. "Ya'll are a bunch of idiots. More or less just Jessie here. You want to leave the Library just because you want to do your little exploring. So you're gonna brush off the fact that you could die? I feel like I've just taken crazy pills here." shadowess - April 8, 2021 Parker sighed and shook his head at Leo when he'd gone. He knelt by Sebastian and tried to calm him down but Sebastian was struggling, still hysterical. "Where is Carter? Maybe he can calm him down?" David suggested. "At the hospital but I'm not so sure that's a good idea. Carter collapsed when he found Sebastian missing, I can't imagine how he'd react seeing him like this." Parker said. Sebastian looked up at Parker suddenly. "C-Carter's where?!" "It's alri-" Parker began but Sebastian shook his head and cut him off. "N-n-no! I need to see him!" He tried to get to his feet and stumbled. David caught him and sighed. "Stay here with Sebastian. Try to calm him down. I'll go and check on Carter." David said as he helped Sebastian over to the couch before vanishing. --- David arrived at the hospital and headed to the front desk where he asked which room Carter was in. --- Jessica jumped and looked at Jasper warily. The last time she'd seen him he'd been wearing black and had one hell of a temper. "What can I say?" Jessica shrugged. "I live for the thrill." she smirked. "Besides." Alex added, seemingly not too bothered by Jasper's presence anymore. "We all almost die all the time on Earth...what difference does Hell really make at this point?" Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 The nurse said, "Room 34C. I can take you there myself." She guided him to Carter's room where Carter laid in bed with an IV bag attached to him. There was a doctor standing in front of the bed. Telling him that his alcohol addiction and smoking habit was the main cause for his panic being more severe than it should have been. Carter tried his best not to listen. He couldn't imagine a life without a cigarette or some whiskey. --- Jasper shrugged. "I guess not." He smiled. "Guess what?" shadowess - April 8, 2021 "I see..." David replied when the doctor finished explaining what was wrong. He rubbed a hand over his mouth and chin as he thought about how Carter might have actually been better off, health wise, as a vampire. He glanced at Carter then back at the doctor. "Excuse me, I'd like to have a word with Carter in private if possible?" When the doctor had gone, David sat next to Carter's bed. "They found Sebastian." he started. "He's at the office with Parker and Leo..." he shook his head a little. "He's had quite the ordeal. He needs you. Now more than ever." --- Alex rose a brow at Jasper and Jessica looked at him curiously. "What?" she asked with a shrug. Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 Carter's eyes widened. His heart monitor started racing. "Sebastian's at the office?!" He ripped the IV needle out along with the patches for the heart monitor. "We need to go there now!" He started grabbing his clothes. A nurse walked in. "Excuse me sir but you cannot just walk out! You have to be excused by your doctor!" "Look lady, I don't give a shit. My boyfriend went missing and now I finally got him back so kindly fuck off." He threw his clothes on. Slipping out of the patient robes. The nurse, while pissed, had a red face when she saw him naked. She stormed away. --- "I found my boyfriend Beau up in Heaven! We're talking and everything!" ,said Jasper. --- Leo zoomed out of the office. He started his search in abandoned buildings and alley ways. Sniffing for angel blood. Shadowess - April 8, 2021 "I don't think that's necess- Oh, lord..." David had started as he stood from the chair when Carter snapped at the nurse. Then as soon as Carter stripped he stopped and quickly turned around to look at the wall. "Alright, I guess there's no stopping you. Once you're dressed, let me know and I'll take you to him. Just prepare yourself...it's not a pretty sight..." --- "Really?" Alex smiled. "That's awesome, man. I'm happy for you." "Aww. That's sweet." Jessica commented. --- The only thing Leo would find in the abandoned buildings would be homeless people trying to find a sheltered place to sleep. The city was full of Angels, most of whom were just innocently trying to experience a human life. The old angel was still in the abandoned church, praying on his rosary as usual. Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 "I don't care. I just want to see him." Carter unbuttoned his top buttons. "Ok. I'm ready." --- "Yeah! And we're gonna get married in Texas! Everybody's invited." --- Leo shoved an angel that was walking by. Slamming them into the wall. His knife near their neck. "Divine Punishment. Do you know what that means? Do you know the angel that's been trying to kill my friends? Answer me!" shadowess - April 8, 2021 David nodded, turning around now that Carter was dressed and holding out his hand for him to take. When they'd arrive at the office, Sebastian was still sitting on the couch. He still looked battered and bruised. The wound through his stomach had mostly closed up by now but was still healing. He was shaking, still crying and breathing a little heavily. His clothes, which had been drenched with his blood, had now dried. Making them stiff and a bit crusty. Parker had draped a blanket around his shoulders and had been sitting next to him, trying his best to keep Sebastian calm. As soon as David and Carter arrived, Parker looked up at Carter sadly and moved so he could sit next to him instead. Sebastian looked up at Carter tearfully. "C-Carter!" he cried. David placed a hand on Parker's shoulder and whispered to him. "I'll be right back." He then let him go and vanished. --- "Awesome!" Alex beamed. "Sweet! That's so romantic!" Jessica grinned then seemed to thoughtful for a moment before asking. "I don't suppose you know any nice, single Angels or spirits that'll be going to the wedding, do you?" --- The Angel that Leo pinned to the wall looked at him with a mixture of alarm and confusion while holding his hands up by his sides. "Wha-? N-no! Get off me you maniac!"

Shadowess - April 8, 2021 Tom had blushed at his comment at the Eiffel Tower. When Nate collapsed, Tom's eyes widened and he knelt down next to him, holding his shoulders. "Are you alright?!" he asked, his eyes full of worry. "What's wrong?" --- Parker's cheeks turned red at what Leo was doing and he rolled his eyes, groaning in embarrassment. Still, they watched and they waited. By now the sky had turned dark and absolutely nothing had happened. "Something tells me this isn't working..." Parker sighed in frustration. Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 Nate did his best to smile. "Must have overdone it with my powers. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Just need to shake this off." He flinched and grit his teeth as he nearly keeled over. --- "Maybe he only goes after demons and devils?" ,asked Carter. He watched Leo shoo some young guy away who wanted a piece of him. When that didn't work, the man tried grabbing him. Leo punched him. Sending the now pissed off man with a bloody nose. "Well, at least we don't have to worry about him." shadowess - April 8, 2021 Tom kept hold of him to keep him steady and frowned. "C'mon. Let's get back to the hotel so you can rest. And no powers this time. We'll take a taxi." he offered him a smiled then slipped his arm around his waist, pulling his arm over his shoulders to help him to his feet. --- "Maybe..." Parker agreed thoughtfully. He chuckled at Carter's comment about Leo then glanced around them. There was still no sign of anyone that might be watching or acting suspicious. Carter's suggestion had gotten him a little worried. What if this psycho used this time while they were distracted to go after his family? "Maybe we should check on Alex? Make sure him and the others are alright." Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 Nate sighed. "I'm sorry I ruined our date. You should be having fun. Not worrying about me." --- "Yeah, let's do that." Carter whistled at Leo. Leo went into a dark corner where he changed back into how he normally looked like. Putting on the mask as well. He ran over to the car. Hopping in. "We're going to the hospital to check on Alex." "Fine by me." Carter drove to the hospital. Shadowess - April 8, 2021 "Are you kidding?" Tom grinned at him. "You didn't ruin anything. Ok, so we have to go chill out now. That's no big deal. Today has been the best day of my life! We're in freaking Paris!" he chuckled. "C'mon. Let's get back and cuddle on that big bed." He got them a taxi back to the hotel and helped Nate back to the room where he eased him down to sit on the bed. He sat next to him and kissed him lovingly. "Today has been amazing. But not just today...everyday that we've spent time together has made me so happy. I never knew I could feel this happy before I met you. I love you, Nate. With all my heart." he whispered to him softly. --- They got to the hospital and Parker hurried to Alex's room where David and Jessica seemed to be getting ready to leave again. Everything here seemed fine. "Hey guys." he said as he walked in. He looked at Alex. "How're you feeling?" Alex shrugged. "Doc says I've got at least another day in here before they'll let me go. They wana make sure I don't get an infection." David smiled at them. "Any luck in your search?" Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 Nate blushed. "Ok. I think that was the cheesiest thing that I have ever heard." He caressed his cheek. "But I love it and I love you too." He kissed him. --- "Unfortunately no. The angel didn't go after Leo." ,said Carter. Leo kicked a passing doctor in the balls from behind when he heard him whistle at him. He heard the doctor groan as he went down on his knees. Carter quickly closed the door as everybody was in the room now. "So yeah, we're thinking that this shithead is only after devils and demons." ,said Leo. Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 (not gonna have scenes of men trying to hit on Leo all the time. just thought it would be funny to write that scene) shadowess - April 8, 2021 (Lol, I thought it was amusing.) Tom's cheeks turned red and he chuckled when Nate commented on how cheesy his words had been. He then kissed him back, his heart fluttering in his chest again when Nate had told him he loved him as well. He felt happy and complete with him. He knew they'd eventually have to go back and return to reality but for now, he was just happy to be spending this time with Nate. Feeling like they were the only two people in the world right now, and nothing else mattered. He was going to cherish the memory of this day for the rest of his life. However long that ended up being. --- Parker rose a brow at Leo's reaction but said nothing as he turned his attention back to his family. Alex tensed at the news. "Fuck..." David seemed alarmed and thoughtful. He looked between Alex, Gary, Jessica and Parker then sighed. "I can keep them safe but I'd have to take them to Hell where the angel won't be able to reach them...I raised Amelia in the Library there with no issues. It's the safest part of Hell. Demons are forbidden from fighting or hunting while on the premises. As soon as you send word that it is safe to return, I'll bring them back." He nodded at Parker. "I'll take him too." "No way! I'm staying here to help with the case." Parker replied stubbornly. Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 (awesome) Nate clutched his chest again. His eyes started to close as he fell back on the bed. "Damn it." --- "Hey that's right! Parker, you could be bait instead. Why didn't I think of that before?" ,said Carter. "Guess I'll be sitting in the car with you then." ,said Leo. Shadowess - April 8, 2021 "It's ok." Tom said gently. "We'll just rest tonight." he kissed his cheek. "There's always tomorrow." He helped Nate lay on the bed with his head on the pillow and then he lay next to him. Cuddling up to his side and closing his eyes. --- "You want to use my great grandson as bait?" David's eyebrows furrowed. "I actually think that might be the best chance we have." Parker replied, defending the idea. "So far, the psycho has only made it clear that they are after Devils or Demons...judging by the poem anyway and the fact they tried to kill someone that was once a Devil. I want to help bring this criminal in. It's my job." David stared at Parker uncertainly then sighed in defeat before he looked between Carter and Leo. "Look out for him." he said before turning to Alex, Jessica and Gary. "Are you three ready? Once we're there, under no circumstance leave the library. Understood?" --- Back at the office, Sebastian was gone. A note lay on the bed. "Test subject vampire, Daylight's fire will consume you, Punishment Divine." The current time was 9pm. Approximately nine hours left to sunrise. Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 Nate smiled before closing his eyes too. Falling asleep. --- Leo nodded. "But it seems like he can look after himself." "Uh I actually have to go to work. Sorry but I don't want to get fired." ,said Gary. He kissed Alex. "I'll see you later when this whole thing blows over. I promise." He left the room. "Alright. We should head back to the office. I think food's calling me." ,said Carter. "I guess a break wouldn't be such a bad idea." ,said Leo. (omg! :O) shadowess - April 8, 2021 ( Mwa ha ha! The countdown begins ) Alex watched Gary leave the room worriedly. "But-..." "I'm sure he'll be fine." David reassured him. "Right now, we need to focus on protecting you two." He turned and glanced at Carter. "You may want to explain Alex's self discharge from the hospital or they might report him missing." he looked at Parker and nodded. "Good luck." David then placed a hand on Alex's shoulder while Jessica took his other hand and they all vanished. When Carter and Leo talked about food, Parker nodded. "Yeah, that's actually not a bad idea. I'm pretty hungry too." he followed them back to Carter's car after they let the nurses know about Alex 'going home'. By the time they'd get back, it would be 9:30pm. Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 At the office, Carter walked in. He smiled. Ready to see him. "Hey Sebastian! We're here for a quick meal. How was sleep?" When he didn't get an answer, he went upstairs. He stepped into the room. His eyes widened at the note on the bed. He picked it up. Reading through. He started shaking as his grip on the note became tight. His heart beat fast. He was sweating. He grit his teeth. Anger and fear boiled within him. "FUCKING BASTARD!" Leo looked up as Carter started running down the stairs. "Carter, what's-" Carter slammed him against the wall. "He took him!" "Took who?!" "That fucking maniac kidnapped Sebastian! He's going to kill him!" "Sebastian?! But I thought he only killed sinners!" "I don't care what he thinks! We need to find him! He's going to die if we don't get to him on time!" "Try to calm down Carter. Just let us read the note. I'm sure we can-" "We don't have time! Sebas-!" Carter dropped the note. He breathed heavily. As if he was slowly suffocating. He stood from Leo who picked up the note. The world was becoming a blur in Carter's eyes who fell to his knees. He clutched his chest where his heart was. He wasn't so sure but for the first time in a long time, he was having a panic attack. "Parker, I need you to call an ambulance. I'm going to go find Sebastian before time runs out. I was built to be a super soldier which means that the skills I have are enough to deal with this. Just make sure that Carter is fine. That angel couldn't have gone that far. I'm sure I can find him." Leo zoomed out of the office. Sniffing the air for an angel's scent. Shadowess - April 8, 2021 Earlier that evening, shortly after the sun had set, Sebastian had gotten up to grab himself a bag of blood. The house was quiet. Everyone had gone out and by the looks of things, Carter hadn't come back yet. He hoped he was alright and that they were making progress on the case. He walked into the kitchen and placed his hand on the fridge handle, then paused. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and he felt like he was being watched. He glanced behind him but there was no one there. Trying to shrug off the feeling, he turned back to the fridge and opened it, reaching for the bag. Something hard struck the back of his head and he fell to the floor. Dazed, he blinked through tears to see a male figure with their hood up and a mask covering their mouth and nose. Violet eyes glistened as they stared at Sebastian. The male then grabbed Sebastian and teleported him to the outskirts of the woods, overlooking a field. Needing Sebastian to be too weak to escape, the male then proceeded to beat Sebastian mercilessly. By the time he was done, Sebastian's face was swollen, his lip busted. He'd gotten a black eye. A few ribs had been broken as well and the rest of his body was covered in large, ugly bruises. The grass around him was stained in the blood that he'd been coughing up. But Sebastian's suffering was far from over. On the off chance that Sebastian is found and released, the male also planned on making sure Sebastian would be too hungry to distinguish friend from food. For that, he propped Sebastian against one of the large trees and rammed a thick, sharpened branch through his abdomen as well as through the tree behind him, pinning him. Sebastian let out a cry then vomited blood onto the ground in front of him. Sebastian gripped the branch as he watched the male walk around one of the trees and come back with some thick rope that had apparently been stashed nearby. It was at this point that Sebastian realized with horror that this attack wasn't something out of the blue...it had been planned! "Why are you doing this?!" Sebastian screamed at him as the male then proceeded to wrap the rope around Sebastian and the tree, leaving the branch protruding from his stomach. "Who are you?!" The male didn't answer. He tied the rope in a tight knot then walked around the trees again, coming back with a canister of gasoline. "Please! Please no!" He struggled in the ropes as the male poured the gasoline around him and over him. Sebastian gasped and cried out a little as the gas stung his multiple wounds as well as his eyes. The male then stood back to admire his work. Sebastian whimpered and tried to breath through his chattering teeth. "Th-they'll find you..." he cried. "After this...they'll kill you." The male didn't move though his eyes lit up and Sebastian could tell that he was smiling under that mask. The male then checked his watched before looking back at Sebastian. "You only have a few hours. I suggest you use that time to repent." "Repent for what?! I haven't done anything!" Sebastian despaired. The male turned away from him, picking up the gas canister. "Punishment Divine." is all he said before vanishing, leaving Sebastian to suffer. --- 9:45pm at the office. Parker looked up at Carter in alarm as he raced downstairs and raved that Sebastian had been taken. "What?!" He watched as Leo picked up the note as he knelt next to Carter when he clutched his chest. He nodded at Leo and took out his phone, calling the ambulance. When he was done he turned his attention back to Carter. "Carter, breathe! We'll find him! We need to try to stay calm and focus though. C'mon, deep breaths and let's think." He glanced towards the stairs. "Was there anything else amiss in the room?" He hoped there might be some other clue left behind that might help them find him.

Denix Vames - April 7, 2021 Blushing, Nate chuckled. "Normally, I'm the worst thing but I guess that part of my past got left behind." He opened the menu that was given to him. The waiter gave Tom one too. "And they understand me because I use my powers on language barriers. It's more easier than cramming languages in my head even if I can just conjure the knowledge up." ---- "Alright. I'll be there. Just give me a sec." Leo hung up. He sighed. "Looks like I'm being called for a mission. Thankfully, by the sound of it, it seems like Carter is doing a lot better. He's not acting like a dick anymore." He threw on his clothes then put on his mask. "I'm sure I won't be gone for long. You won't even miss me." ---- Carter couldn't remember the last time they had been this close. It felt like a long time ago which was maybe an exaggeration. But to Carter, it was a fact. With the arguing and drama, he missed being like this with Sebastian. He gripped the back of his head. Running his hand through. He pinned him against the wall. Slipping his tongue into his mouth as he lifted his leg up. Rubbing his thigh and squeezing. His hot breath hitting hard. Shadowess - April 7, 2021 Tom lifted his eyebrows at Nate's comment. He knew some of his history but even so, he couldn't imagine him being anything other than the strong, caring and gentle man he'd gotten to know. In fact, he could no longer even picture his life without Nate in it. "Oh, that explains it." He chuckled at the explanation of being able to understand what was being said. He opened up the menu and looked at the options, uncertain of what to try. It all sounded so exotic and new to Tom. --- Oscar smiled and watched Leo getting dressed. ,"Shouldn't I come with you?" He asked. --- When Carter pinned him to the wall, Sebastian moaned a little, letting Carter take control of him and enjoying the way he pressed his body against his. Enjoying his warmth, the way his tongue flicked against his enticingly. He moaned again when he lifted his leg. He'd missed this too. (Private Time) Denix Vames - April 7, 2021 "I'd recommend Ratatouille. It's pretty good." ,said Nate. --- "This is about a maniac angel so no." Leo frowned. "I want you to come with me. I really do. But this is dangerous. I don't want you to get killed." shadowess - April 7, 2021 Tom smiled. Anyone else might get annoyed by someone being able to see their thoughts all the time, but not Tom. He loved it. He felt so open around Nate. Nothing to hide and no pretences. Accepted for being exactly who he was. He put the menu down while closing it. "I'll try that then." --- Oscar frowned and sighed. "I feel helpless and I hate it..." He stood and walked over to Leo, placing his hands on his hips as he kissed him. "Keep yourself safe then. I guess I could polish up my mortal combat skills while I'm waiting for you to get back..." He then smirked. "Maybe have a think about where we could do it next." He winked. "I wana have you in every room of this place." Denix Vames - April 7, 2021 "Then I'll have Duck confit." Nate waved a hand at a waiter who took their orders. When the waiter left, he looked at Tom. "You know I always wanted to fuck you in an outfit. Maybe dressing you up as a waiter would be hot." --- Leo caressed his cheek. "You're useful. It's just that these are different circumstances." He chuckled. "I can't wait to see your improved skills." He blushed. "How about the hot tub as a quick thought? It seemed like fun to be there already." He kissed him before heading out. "Anyway, have a good day. And I love you baby." shadowess - April 7, 2021 Tom's cheeks turned red at Nate's suggestion and he couldn't help grinning at the idea. "I think that could be fun." he chuckled. "Or how about your personal butler?" he purred. --- Oscar grinned at the idea of them both having fun in the hot tub and he kissed Leo back. "I love you too." he said after him as he watched him leave. Sighing, he looked around the empty house for a moment before heading into the living room with the consoles to play a few games. --- Parker sat on the couch with a cup of coffee, waiting for Leo to arrive and Carter to come back downstairs. Denix Vames - April 7, 2021 "That could work too." The waiter soon arrived with their meals and a bottle of red wine. He opened the bottle then handed the cork to Nate. He poured the liquid into both of their glasses. "Enjoy." "Thank you." He nodded before leaving. Nate held out the cork. "You should smell it first. The scent of wine is always sweet." --- Leo zoomed to the house. He knocked on the door. --- Carter caught his breath after they were done. Both were laying on the floor. Covered in Carter's overcoat. Naked under it. "Well, looks like I need a new change of clothes before I can head down." shadowess - April 7, 2021 Tom watched the wine being poured then remembered what he was. He'd been so swept away by Nate and the date that he'd utterly forgotten that he wasn't human anymore. While he was a little sad at this realization, it didn't completely ruin the date for him. He knew he could still eat and drink a small amount before the meal could make him sick. So at least he can pretend, even if it's only for a short while. He smiled a little as Nate held out the cork and he took a whiff. His smile grew a little, the smell of the wine was lovely. He imagined it would taste just as good as it smelled. "It smells nice." he said, grinning a little. --- Parker got up from the couch and opened the door to let Leo in. "Hey, good to see you. We're just waiting for Carter to come back. Do you want a coffee?" --- Sebastian was also trying to catch his breath. A wide grin on his face as he lay with his head on Carter's chest. He chuckled at Carter's comment. "Worth it." he lifted his head and kissed Carter. "I'm going to go to bed and try to get some sleep." he caressed Carter's cheek. "Wake me up when you come home. So, we can spend a little more time together." he smiled and gave Carter one more, deep kiss. "I love you." Denix Vames - April 7, 2021 Nate snapped his fingers. A waiter walked over. He whispered into his ear. The waiter seemed to realize something. "Oh forgive me Thomas. I do apologize for the mistake. You can enjoy however much you can of the food and wine but your real meal will arrive soon." He walked away to inform the chef. --- Leo zoomed to the couch and sat down. "Sure." He sniffed the air then smiled. "You really had to wait a long time, didn't you? Seems like they're done fucking." --- "I promise to let you know." Carter smiled. "I love you too." When Sebastian left, Carter opened up the mini closet in his office for emergencies. He threw on some black pants, buttoned up green shirt, and a black overcoat. He tossed the dirty clothes aside then headed downstairs. Shadowess - April 7, 2021 Tom watched as Nate spoke to the waiter then his eyebrows rose a little at what the waiter said to him. "Real meal?" he said quietly then looked back at Nate in surprise. He hadn't wanted to cause a fuss but once again, Nate was looking out for him without him even saying anything. He half laughed in amazement. "What would I do without you?" he asked with a grin. He was also surprised that the restaurant catered for his kind. He knew that people here were more accepting from what Nate had told him but it was still an idea that Tom was trying to get used to. --- Parker jumped a little at Leo's sudden movement. Being human again, the sight of someone moving so quickly was now a little jarring. He closed the front door then walked through the room. His face turned a deep shade of red at Leo's words. He could guess what Carter and Sebastian had been up to by the way they both disappeared for a while but he hadn't wanted to bring attention to it or even think about it. Thinking it a bit awkward considering Carter was his boss and also someone that he looked up to. He faked a cough to hide his awkwardness and turned to walk into the kitchen while saying "I'll just-...I'll just make that coffee then..." Once he'd made the coffee, he brought it back through and placed it onto the coffee table in front of Leo. He then turned to look at Carter as he came down the stairs in different clothes. "Sorry sir, did you want a coffee too?" he asked, trying to pull attention away from what Carter had been up to upstairs. Denix Vames - April 7, 2021 Nate chuckled. "I'm wondering the same thing." He began to eat his food and drink some of the wine. It didn't take long for the waiter to return with a bowl of hot blood and a new glass with some blood in like wine. "I hope you enjoy your meal." --- Leo drank some coffee. Carter raised a brow at Parker's face. "Uh Sure. You doing all right by the way?" He unbuttoned his top buttons when he felt uncomfortable having it up to his neck. He wished he had put on a tie but at this point he just wanted to focus on the case. Shadowess - April 7, 2021 "Woah!" Tom looked amazed at the way the blood was served to him like it was any other meal. It was a very simple thing yet it made all the difference. He didn't feel so odd here. It felt like this was the most normal thing in the world. If only the rest of the world had such an open mind...being able to live life as a vampire and feel that it is normal, without having to hide all the time, would be absolutely amazing. He looked at the bowl of hot blood curiously. Having not tried it hot before. But it smelled fantastic. He picked up his spoon and tried some. His eyes lit up and he smiled. It was far better than the blood bags he was used to. He happily drank the rest with the spoon. He tried some of the ratatouille and wine that had been ordered as well and enjoyed the small amount he was able to have. He sat back in his chair with the glass of blood, satisfied and smiled. This whole experience had left him utterly amazed. "I feel so spoilt." he chuckled. "Wow...Just, wow...I haven't been on many dates but I gotta say, this has by far been the best so far." --- Parker scratched the back of his head awkwardly and turned to head back into the kitchen while replying to Carter. "Yeah, just itching to get on with the case is all..." he poured Carter a coffee and brought it to him. He then moved over to the chair and picking up his own cup from earlier, taking a sip while waiting for Carter to brief them on the plan. Denix Vames - April 7, 2021 "I'm glad you liked it." Nate waved his hand over the table. Leaving some money for the dishes. "We should go see some scenery. Look at the old places." --- Carter drank slowly. Enjoying the taste of the coffee. He sighed before setting it down. "Now, Leo we need you to be bait so that we can lure the suspect to us." Leo raised a brow. "Excuse me?" "Well, this angel thinks he knows sinners better than anyone else and intends to kill them. Permanently. So I figured since you use to kill criminals left and right without thinking about it that-" He threw a knife past Carter which stuck to a wall. Carter raised his hands. "No offense but you get what I'm saying, right?" Leo sighed. "I guess so. So what? I just stand around and do nothing?" "More like walking around and being casual." "Hard to do that these days but I can try." shadowess - April 7, 2021 Tom put the glass down on the table and smiled at Nate's suggestion. "I'd like that." he nodded. --- When Leo threw the knife, Parker looked at him in alarm. "Dude!" he'd exclaimed then became quiet again as Carter continued. Parker nodded when they'd finished. "We doubt they'd return to the scene of the crime but who knows? Maybe they'll be watching from a distance. I don't know for sure but if they have telepathy, maybe they can pick up thoughts at a distance too?" he suggested. Denix Vames - April 7, 2021 Nate stood. Once he held his hand, they left the place. Walking down the street. "We can look at the tower first. I'm not sure what else is around. I never really cared to look." --- "Then I'll walk in one of those alleys or something. It's easy to attacked there." ,said Leo. "And we'll be monitoring from my car." ,said Carter. Shadowess - April 8, 2021 Tom took Nate's hand and within a moment they were looking at the Eiffel Tower. Arriving just in time to see it light up and sparkle. Tom's eyes lit up as he watched it. When the lights stopped, Tom grinned. "I read somewhere that it only does that for five minutes on the hour, every hour once the sun goes down." After the tower, they managed to reach the Louvre Museum before it closed, where they saw the famous Mona Lisa painting. After that, the Arc de Triomphe and finally they stood outside, looking up at the Notre-Dame Cathedral. --- Parker agreed with the plan and went with Carter to keep an eye on Leo. Apart from a few homeless people approaching Leo to ask for money, nothing else really happened. Parker sat in the passenger side of Carter's car as they watched. His elbow propped against the door so he could rest his head on his hand. The sky was beginning to grow dark, but still nothing had happened. "Maybe they won't attack as soon as they see him?" He thought out loud. "I keep thinking about that poem...they'd planned their attack ahead of time then, surely? So, if they do decide to attack Leo, they might not do it today...I think we should stay close to him as he goes about life normally. Just in case they plan an attack for tomorrow or something." Denix Vames - April 8, 2021 Nate smiled. "An interesting fact but the Eiffel Tower isn't as beautiful as you." In front of the Notre Dame, Nate clutched his chest as he fell to his knees. Groaning. "Shit!" He had forgotten how much he had used his powers to heal his friends. Traveling across the world and doing all this was definitely not making things any easier. --- "Good thinking. But really, I don't even know if this guy disagrees with what Leo is doing. We're just basing things off of assumptions here." Leo was tired of no one showing up. So he did what he thought would make sense. Assuming that the angel wouldn't like the idea. He hid in a dark corner where he took off his mask, tied his shirt up, revealing his abs, and pulled a bit down on his pants so that the top of his V line was visible. He leaned against the wall where Parker and Carter could see him. He had one hand on his hip as he bit his lip. Trying to make himself look desperate for anyone to fuck him. "Does he really think that the angel will stab him because of prostitution?" ,asked Carter.

Denix Vames - April 6, 2021 "Hmm....How about just Sebastian? Maybe Jack needs to realize that he's already got someone?" Nate snapped his fingers. Sebastian appeared. Shadowess - April 6, 2021 Still asleep, Sebastian popped into the living room and Tom had to hurriedly catch him. Slightly annoyed and amused at the same time, Tom rose a brow at Nate. "We could've just gone upstairs and woken him up first...Also, you can do that?!" he said, referring to Nate's ability to apparently summon people to him. "Huh! Nice...anyways..." he sat Sebastian in the chair and gently shook him by the shoulders. "Wakey, wakey. Kinda need your help, buddy." "What?" Sebastian groaned, turning his head against the back of the chair with his eyes still closed. He opened them a little and looked down at the chair he was sitting in. "Wha- how did I get here?" he blinked his eyes open a bit more and looked at Tom and Nate in confusion before turning to look at Carter...then Jack. Sebastian's eyes shot open and he stared at Jack, remembering his face from all the photos that Carter had shown him in his house. His breath caught in his throat and for a long, silent moment, he couldn't do anything more than just stare at him. "What's going on?" he asked finally, his voice quivering and his eyes remaining fixed on Jack. Denix Vames - April 6, 2021 "Well either Carter feels guilty for the things he said to some us and doesn't think he can rely on anyone for support anymore but his dead husband or Jack doesn't think Carter has anyone. So take your pick. Either way, you need to convince Jack here that he can move on." ,said Nate. Jack held Carter's hand. Looking at him with those loving eyes. Shadowess - April 6, 2021 Sebastian's eyes widened a little at the explanation and he took a moment to think things through. He watched the way Jack looked at Carter and he felt his heart aching. He couldn't imagine what must be going through Jack's mind right now. Tom stood back, next to Nate, and watched anxiously. Holding Nate's hand for comfort. Sighing softly, Sebastian slowly got to his feet and walked around the chairs to approach Jack. He stopped a short distance from him so as not to make him feel uncomfortable. "Hi Jack..." he started sadly. "Carter's told me a lot about you...he really loved you." he nodded and studied Jack's reactions carefully. "I um-...It's guna sound a little daft but...I used to think of things I might say to you...if I ever ended up meeting you..." He shrugged. "Knowing a lot about the afterlife...thoughts like that tend to come up eventually, right?...and yet, now I've got the chance...I don't know where to even start!" he chuckled softly, then looked at the ground sadly. "He showed me pictures...of you and the kids...your family was beautiful...it really was...That day that he showed them to me...I made a promise to you...I'd always hoped you'd heard me but I could never be sure...I promised I'd look after him for you...and I meant it, Jack." he brought his eyes back up to his tearfully. "I can never replace you...and I don't intend to...the only thing I want is to be there for him. To love him. To be there when he needs someone to talk to..." a couple of tears fell. "I hope he knows it but I'd never do anything to hurt him. I'd never abandon him. Hell...like you, I'd die for him if I had to." as he said those last few words, his eyes hardened, indicating that he was absolutely resolute in his claim. His love for Carter, unwavering. Denix Vames - April 6, 2021 Nate kept Tom close. Rubbing his arm gently. Jack turned to Sebastian when he finished talking. He smiled. "I can see that he has a lot of people that care about him. I'm glad. And I'm happy that he has you Sebastian. I think you and him just need to talk. Just like we had to sometimes." He looked back at Carter. "You're so silly sometimes Apples. Someone else is waiting for you when you wake up. Don't worry about me and the kids. We're up there having fun. Watching over you." He brushed Carter's tears off. He kissed his forehead. "I love you." He transformed into a ball of light then went through the ceiling. Carter slowly opened his eyes. Shadowess - April 6, 2021 Tom felt better with Nate's arm around him and he watched as everything unfolded. When Jack left, he couldn't help smiling. His own eyes filling with tears which he tried to blink away. "Holy crap, that was so romantic..." he whispered. Sebastian listened to Jack and couldn't help smiling gently when he spoke. He watched him with soft eyes as Jack kissed Carter's forehead before floating away. He stared at the spot in the ceiling he'd gone through, still smiling and whispered "Thank you." Looking back at Carter, he wiped his own tears away before moving towards him and kneeling next to the couch, taking Carter's hand in his. "Hey." he whispered softly. Denix Vames - April 6, 2021 Carter raised a brow at him. "Hey...." He looked around. "What happened?" Denix Vames - April 6, 2021 (forgot to include this) Nick placed his hand on his waist. "Maybe we should go to a fancy place. My treat." Denix Vames - April 6, 2021 Nate* shadowess - April 6, 2021 Tom looked up at Nate and grinned. So much had happened since their first meeting that they hadn't had much chance to have a proper date yet. In fact, up until now it wasn't even something that had even crossed his mind. Tom had been so content to just have Nate in his life that he wasn't really all that bothered about being wined and dined. He had to admit though, the idea excited him a little. "Sure." he said softly, turning to wrap his arms around his shoulders and looking into his eyes lovingly. "I'd like that." Sebastian hesitated then half laughed as he wiped away a few more tears that fell from his eyes. "Well...erm...I just...I just spoke to Jack." he said simply, as if still coming to terms with what had just happened himself. Denix Vames - April 6, 2021 Nate pressed his forehead against. He smiled. "I know just the place. First, we should get dressed. I can conjure up any outfit. What should we dress in?" Carter sat up. His eyes widened. "You did? Where is he?" shadowess - April 6, 2021 Blushing, Tom thought for a moment. "Something smart-casual, I guess?" he suggested. Sebastian's eyes were a little sad at the question and he sighed a little. He moved to sit next to him on the couch and proceeded to tell him everything that had happened from when he'd woken up on the chair. Denix Vames - April 6, 2021 "I think I've got an idea." Nate snapped his fingers. He was in bell bottom jeans, a red crop top, and leather boots. His abs were visible. "Any suggestions for what your outfit should look like? I'm kind of stumped." Carter frowned. "He really said that huh?" He smirked. "Well, that does sound like him." He rubbed his tears off. "Now I know where they are." He looked at Sebastian. "I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. This case has been hard but I shouldn't take it out on you guys." shadowess - April 6, 2021 Tom couldn't help staring at his outfit, feeling his cheeks getting hot. "Uh..." he stammered then forced himself to look back at Nate's face as he wracked his brains on what he should wear. "I um...I guess, some jeans and a button up shirt?" he suggested. It was all he could think of as his mind primarily wandered between wondering where they were going and how hot Nate looked. Sebastian looked at Carter and smiled. He wrapped and arm around him and kissed his cheek lovingly. "It's alright." he nodded towards Nate and Tom who seemed to be occupied doing their own thing. "I think the others have already let it go and forgiven you anyway. We all know it's hard and we've each had our own difficulties. But what makes us such a strong team is that we're all here for each other anyway. Helping each other no matter what." he gave Carter a gentle squeeze to comfort him. "I meant it when I said you're not alone. So, please don't put so much pressure on yourself. Let us help you." Parker walking in through the front door and looked at them all. "Hey guys. Alex is alright. Gary is with him. Jessica and David are on their way back to the hospital to keep them company." he then looked at Carter and nodded. "Ready when you are." he smiled. "Sir." Denix Vames - April 6, 2021 "Alrighty then." He snapped his fingers. Tom was in jeans and a plaid buttoned up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. "Now, let's go to Paris. They have really great scallops there." Carter smiled. "Thank you, Sebastian." He stood. "We can't do much now. What you can do for me is write what we have so far in the report. I'm thinking that if this angel can read minds then we can put someone as bait for them to try and kill. Someone who can defend themselves from that blade they carry." shadowess - April 6, 2021 "Paris?!" Tom gasped and couldn't help beaming with excitement. He'd never left the country before. Hell, he'd never gone further than the city before! Sebastian smiled back and watched as Carter addressed Parker. Parker nodded. "Yes, sir. In that case, I guess we can rule out Jessica, Oscar and David. Being demons and half devil puts them even more at risk than anyone else." he suggested before heading up the stairs to the office to add his notes to the report that Carter had started. When he was done, he brought the report down and handed it to Carter. Denix Vames - April 6, 2021 "Of course. Did you think I was going to take us to some old american diner?" Nate held his hand. They appeared in a hotel room with all the blinds closed. "I booked this room before. There's a restaurant not too far from here." ---- "Thank you Parker." Carter accepted the report. "Then either vampire or spirit will do. Jasper, Sebastian, and maybe even Vincent if he feels like coming back. I can't imagine a knife like that could damage a Reaper but I don't know about this crap myself." He skimmed through the report. "Looks pretty organized. I'm impressed." shadowess - April 6, 2021 Tom chuckled at his question, his cheeks turning pink. When they appeared in the hotel room, he looked around them briefly then at the blinds. "We're...really in Paris?" he walked over to the blinds and peeked through. Sure enough, there was the famous tower in the distance. With Paris being six hours ahead of the US, it was late afternoon and the sun was beginning to set on the opposite side of the building. Not that this really mattered much to Tom. "Oh, wow!" he let go of the blinds and turned to look at Nate. "You're amazing, you know that?" --- "Just remember that I'm limited to the night." Sebastian reminded him. Unlike Tom, the sun was still a threat to Sebastian. "Yeah, your guess is as good as mine on that one..." Parker admitted when Carter said he didn't know much about Spirits, Reapers and Demons. When Carter complimented the report, Parker smiled. "Thanks, sir." Sebastian sat back and relaxed on the couch, smiling up at them as they worked. He smirked at Carter, silently admiring the way he took charge now. "I think we can probably write off the park as a location for a trap. Considering this guy took the time to plan the attack and write a poem beforehand, I doubt they'd be dumb enough to revisit a place where they'd already committed a crime. That being said, it might be a good idea to look around the park now that it's well lit and see if we can find anything we might've missed." Parker suggested. Denix Vames - April 6, 2021 Nate winked. "I try to be. Now c'mon. We've got reservations." He held out his hand. ---- "I'll keep that in mind." Carter paused. "We should probably have Leo as bait. He's done some awful things but he's forgiven himself. I doubt a guy like him would understand that." He nodded. "We'll both head there right now. Sebastian, I'll be back before you even know it." He kissed him. "I'll go put this report upstairs in its file before we head out." He walked upstairs. Shadowess - April 6, 2021 Tom's heart was fluttering in his chest. He walked back to Nate, taking his hand. --- Parker nodded. "Sounds like a plan. I'll give Leo a call now to update him." Sebastian kissed Carter back and watched him walk up the stairs. He wondered how he felt about it all. About Jack coming to make sure he was alright. About the case and the plan they were getting ready to put into motion. He also wanted to spend a little time with Carter before he went anywhere. Knowing this newest case was a particularly dangerous one, he worried for his safety and found himself resenting the fact he couldn't leave the house until after sunset. He got up and headed towards the stairs as Parker made himself busy by calling Leo. He climbed the stairs and looked for Carter in his office. Standing in the doorway and smiling at him gently. "Be safe." he said softly. Denix Vames - April 7, 2021 At the restaurant, it smelled like wine and high-class seafood. "We have reservations." "Ah yes. Nate The Angel. We already know about your table. Right this way." The man guided them to the table. "I'm pretty popular here. You see these days, Europe is accepting of all species. They like me because I use to bless orgies to keep people from getting STDs. I stopped whenever wars were happening but lately the craze for orgies pretty much died." ---- Leo lazily walked to the phone. "Sometimes I wish you guys wouldn't call me after sex. What is it?" Carter put the report in a file in the drawer at his desk. He checked his gun to make sure it was loaded before putting it in his holster. He smiled. "You know I will." He walked over to Sebastian. He placed his hands on his waist. Bringing him close. Kissing him deeply. Shadowess - April 7, 2021 Tom followed Nate into the restaurant and couldn't help looking around them curiously. Admiring how fancy everything was. He listened to Nate and by now he wasn't so surprised that a part of his history involved sex in some way. He'd come to accept that that had been how his life used to be before he'd met Tom and that there might be more stories from him that involved sex and orgies. He was even more surprised that this part of the world seemed to be aware of the supernatural and were not as afraid of them as humans might be back home. That and the fact the staff spoke in fluent English. He'd honestly half expected Nate to end up speaking to them in French. Even as they sat down, he couldn't help looking around them every so often. "I never thought I'd ever get to leave the country...or that I'd be taken to a fancy restaurant!" he chuckled. He looked back at Nate with soft eyes. "Or that I'd fall head over heels in love. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me." --- "-Um!...Sorry..." Parker stammered then hesitated. "We're guna need you to come back to the office. We've come up with a plan to catch the attacker and we're going to need your help." he explained simply. --- When Carter gripped his waist and pulled him close, Sebastian smiled and melted into his kisses. He brought his hands around his shoulders and enjoyed the moment. Not wanting it to end.

Omg, right? Bless her! 😄

Denix Vames - April 5, 2021 (sorry for not writing elliot's scene. Will do it tomorrow it's getting late. Night) shadowess - April 5, 2021 (No worries. Did you want me to hold off posting my reply until you've written Elliot's bit?) Denix Vames - April 5, 2021 (i guess you can reply now lol) Nate nodded at Sebastian. He guided Elliot to the couch where they both sat there. Elliot couldn't look at anyone. Instead, he stared at the ground. "Ya'll should have let me die." shadowess - April 5, 2021 "Don't be daft!" Jessica piped up. She didn't know Elliot but she had a soft spot for people who were in clear need of help. "That's not what friends are for!" "Besides, I'm pretty sure Neva looks up to you, dude." Tom added. "From what I've seen she clings to you more than anyone else. Like you're a father figure or big brother or something. I'm not trying to add guilt or anything, just saying, you've definitely got people here that would miss you if anything happened to you." David nodded. "From my experience, Elliot. Suicide solves nothing. All it does is transfer you from one realm to another. Whatever pain you're feeling now would end up going with you. You're better off surrounding yourself with people that can help you." --- Sebastian listened to him quietly. He didn't move nor look away. He didn't even flinch as Carter threw the papers onto the floor. He watched him for a moment after he'd finished speaking then shook his head a little. "You're talking as if you're in this on your own. You're putting far too much pressure on yourself! We all want to help you Carter. We want to catch this criminal as much as you do and we all want to look after each other! But you're not going to get very far if you don't stop to let us take over here and there to give yourself a break. You need to trust us. By all means, communicate to us what you think needs to be done and whatever information we might need to help you but stop barking at us like we're some sort of army! And when someone in this group needs help, help them! Because they're your FRIEND! You of all people should know what it's like to need someone to turn to but feel alone! How dangerous it can be to become that vulnerable and feel ignored. Hell, you as much as just said so yourself!" Sebastian sighed. He'd started his speech in a gentle manner but as he thought on how callously Carter had come into the building and how he was now somehow making this about himself, Sebastian found himself growing increasingly frustrated. He had to stop himself or he'd wind up going into a full blown rant. He tore his eyes away from Carter and took a minute to calm himself before speaking again. "It's been a stressful night. For everyone... " he said, staring at the wall. He lifted a hand and rubbed his eyes, feeling tired. When he lowered his hands and opened his eyes, there were fresh tears there but he held them back. "I'm going to see if Elliot is alright. Then I'm going to go to bed. I'm sure David, Jessica, Parker and Gary would like to see Alex. I'd suggest you let them do that for the sake of all their sanities." He looked back at Carter. "You should try to get some rest too if you can. I imagine you'll still be able to pick up where you left off after some sleep." He walked over to the door and paused with his hand on the handle. "It won't always be like this...We have to hope things will get better. Don't give up. I won't." he said quietly before leaving the room. He headed downstairs and stood to one side, looking at Elliot with a frown. "How are you feeling? You gave us all a scare there." He asked gently. He then glanced at Parker. "Might want to give him a minute before you go in. Knock on the door first." he advised him and Parker nodded. Hesitantly he headed up the stairs and nervously knocked on the door. "Uh, Carter? I got those notes...I didn't manage to get around to questioning Nate though...because well...you know..." he called through the door while scratching the back of his head. Denix Vames - April 5, 2021 Elliot looked at them. "I just wish Vincent was here. I don't know why he couldn't tell me anything before he left." ---- Carter watched and listened. When Sebastian left, he sighed. He brushed his tears away then threw the bent cigarette in the trash can. He threw away the empty pen as well. He picked up the fallen papers. Stacking and placing them on the desk. He took a deep breath before pulling out a new cigarette. He lit up and took a puff. He sat down with a new pen. He cleared his throat. "Come in." He tapped the butt of the cigarette on the ash tray. Releasing some ashes. Shadowess - April 5, 2021 "I'm sure he had his reasons and that they were good ones." Sebastian said in a gentle tone. As he said this David's eyes momentarily darted to Gary before moving back to Elliot, coming to the quick conclusion that Elliot might not know what had happened in Hell when Vincent became a Reaper. Sebastian continued to speak. "Give it time. He loves you and I'm certain he'll come back to talk to you when he's ready." 'This shit is why I don't bother with all that lovey dovey stuff...' Jessica thought to herself. 'Too much pain...' Sebastian then looked up at David, Jessica and Gary. "I've suggested to Carter that he let you visit Alex. I'm sure Alex will need all the comfort and support he can get after tonight's events. Just don't forget to look after yourselves as well." David nodded then looked between Gary and Jessica. "I can teleport us there when you two are ready." --- Parker opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind him. He handed Carter his notes quietly and waiting for more orders or to answer any questions Carter might have. Denix Vames - April 5, 2021 Gary raised a brow at Elliot. "What the fuck?! You actually love that fucking pyscho?" "Hey!" Elliot stood. Glaring at him. "You don't know who he really is!" "He tortured me!" "What?!" His eyes widened. "Th-That's not true! He wouldn't do that!" ---- Carter took the notes. "Thanks." He took a puff. "Let David, Jessica, and Gary know that they can visit Alex. And when you're done, take a break will ya?" shadowess - April 5, 2021 "I-It's complicated." David interjected quickly, trying to prevent an argument. "Elliot, you know by now that Vincent has had some trouble controlling a certain side of himself for some time. Well, that side took over after a traumatic event and he ended up losing control and dragging Gary to Hell. Then Jasper intervened and gave him a crystal to help him keep control. My bet is...he's probably feeling too ashamed to face you just yet. There's more but I believe that is something he should discuss with you personally." He then turned to Gary with a sigh. "Vincent had actually been making positive progress to become a better person before that incident. He's helped this group numerous times through difficult situations. I don't suppose Alex has told you about his own dark past? Think of Vincent as having gone through something similar...He's trying. But changing completely is not easy. He needs support if he's to have any hope." As he said the last couple of sentences, he was referring to both Alex and Vincent. --- Parker blinked then nodded. He'd half expected Carter to be in a mood after the way he'd come into the building. He couldn't help wondering what it was that Sebastian did or said that calmed him down so much. "Thanks, sir." he then smiled. "I'll be back soon." He appreciated Carter telling him to take a break but having just found out what had happened all he wanted to do now was see if Alex was ok and then get straight back to work, helping Carter with the case. He headed downstairs to the others to see the scene between Gary, Elliot and David unfolding. Denix Vames - April 5, 2021 Gary sighed and crossed his arms. "I guess you're right." Elliot walked to the kitchen. "Then I'll wait for him. Even if I have to wait my whole life, I'll be here to see him come back home." ---- Carter started writing out the report with all the information he had so far. He continued to smoke as he was writing. He soon mashed the half cigarette in the ashtray. He opened up a bottle of whiskey and took a sip. Trying to relax. He continued to drink until he fell asleep after crying. He wanted to apologize to everybody for how he was acting but didn't know the right words. He just drowned himself in his own sorrows. Shadowess - April 5, 2021 Happy that Elliot was no longer a danger to himself and that David had prevented a fight before one could happen, Sebastian left them to it and headed off to the main bedroom where he climbed into bed and tried to sleep. Parker looked between them. "Carter said you can see Alex now. I'm guna come with you, if you don't mind." David nodded with a small, sad smile and held out his hands. "Ready when you lot are." He'd wait until Jessica, Parker and Gary held his hands before teleporting them to Alex's hospital room where Alex was still awake but now had very red eyes from when he'd been sobbing. He was staring off at the far wall and barely moved when they arrived. Oscar sighed and teleported back to Ricky's mansion where he wandered around, cleaning up the mess he and Leo had made. All while wondering where he was and how he felt about what had happened between them. Under the couch, light reflected off of tiny cat eyes. Neva had been hiding under the couch and had watched everything unfold. Tom, having finished tidying up, walked over to Nate and wrapped his arms around him. Resting his head on his shoulder. "Are you ok?" he asked. Wondering what Nate thought about all of this. Denix Vames - April 5, 2021 Everyone had held hands. When Gary saw the state that Alex was in, he ran over to his side. He did his best to smile. "Hey babe." He held his hand. "Did ya miss us?" ---- Leo arrived in the mansion. He looked for Oscar until he found him in the kitchen. "Oscar? I couldn't find anything or anyone. I failed at my mission." ---- Elliot took the coke back to the living room. Setting it on the table. He noticed the eyes under the couch. He knelt and held out his hand. "Hey there Neva. It's alright to come out now." ---- Nate sighed. "Honestly? No, not really. Carter's being a racist jackass. Keeping me from being near Alex just because an angel is trying to kill him." shadowess - April 5, 2021 When Gary took his hand, Alex blinked and looked at him as if just realising he was there. He then slowly looked around the room at the others before bringing his eyes back to Gary. His eyes watered again and he let out a shaky breath, trying to hold himself together enough to speak. "What if they're right?" he asked in a broken voice. "I deserve to die...I should've died...Gary, I'm a monster...the things I've done...I can never take back..." "What's he talking about?" Jessica leaned over to Parker and whispered. "Long story...I'll tell you later..." Parker whispered back. "...Is it about when you two were the same guy?" "...Yeah." David leant against the wall and watched Alex with a hand over his mouth. Regretting not knowing about his existence until it was too late to save him from that fate. --- Oscar looked at Leo and his eyes widened when he heard what he said. "Is THAT what Carter sent you to do?! We don't even know that the guy looks like!" He shook his head in disbelief. "You haven't failed at anything. Carter failed you by sending you out with no clear objective! We need information before we can hunt a criminal! Description. A trail to follow. Fucking SOMETHING!" --- Neva hadn't expected Elliot to notice her so when he knelt down and spoke to her, she hesitated before stepping onto his hand and curling into a ball. Her brown eyes watching him carefully, almost questioningly. --- "Wait, what?" Tom pulled back a little to look at Nate, keeping his arms around him. He looked angry. "Seriously?" he shook his head a little and lowered his eyes a bit. "Asshole!" he then looked back at Nate and kissed his cheek. "I'll talk to him." he said, trying to comfort him although he intended to give Carter a piece of his mind rather than just talk to him. It was rare for Tom to get this angry. Denix Vames - April 5, 2021 "No, you don't. We've all done shit that we're not proud of but we make up for it by trying to be a better person." Gary caressed his cheek. "You can't blame yourself everything. I mean Bryce was the one that convinced to do all those things, right? It was his fault. Not yours." ---- Leo shook his head. "Stop it Oscar." He placed his hands on his shoulders. "I think he's just dealing with some of his own issues. That's why he's acting out. I don't want to be mad at him." ---- Elliot smiled. "Aren't you the cutest kitty ever?" He sat on the couch and scratched her neck. ---- Nate patted his arm. "Try to go easy on him. I think he knows that he's the one at fault. He's already tortured himself about it. You'll know what I mean when you head up there." shadowess - April 5, 2021 Alex lifted his hand to cup Gary's on his cheek. He cried and shook his head a little. "Not all of them..." he admitted. "The power I had...it was too much...it got to my head...I could make people do things that I told them to do...and-...and I liked it..." He looked away from Gary, ashamed. --- Oscar relaxed a little when Leo placed his hands on his shoulders but he looked away from him with a frown. He seemed to debate for a moment whether or not he still wanted to be angry before sighing. "Fine...so..." he looked back at Leo awkwardly, his cheeks a little pink. "So...what did you think of...what happened earlier..." he asked, a little nervous about what Leo's answer might be. --- Neva began purring as Elliot scratched her neck. Being petted in her kitten form was still not something she was used to but boy, did she love it. As much as she wanted to stay there and purr her little heart out, she wanted to be able to talk and to hug Elliot. She reluctantly tore herself away from Elliot's scratches to jump onto the seat next to him, popping back into her human form. She then leant against Elliot to hug him. After a long hesitant moment, she tilted her head to look up at him, having gotten up the courage to talk about what had happened. "I almost died today too..." she said quietly, in a half whisper. "I just wanted to know...I needed to see for myself...that Rickster was never going to come back...he found me...and grabbed me...so, I shocked him and he threw me." She hugged Elliot a little tighter, fighting back tears. "I was scared...I hit my head...and then I woke up here..." --- Tom hesitated at Nate's words and turned his head to look up the stairs. He listened for a moment to Carter's heartbeat and breathing, the current rhythm for both suggested he was sleeping. Tom then sighed and shook his head. "I'll take your word for it...he's sleeping right now anyways...he might only be human, but something tells me waking him would be the equivalent of prodding a bear in hibernation..." he chuckled. "I'll talk to him in the morning..." he glanced at the clock. "Or well...later this morning, I guess..." Denix Vames - April 5, 2021 "You can still move on from this. Please Alex. I don't want to lose you. You're the best thing that's happened to me. I already deal with people's bullshit. The fact that I get to take out my frustration by being with you is amazing." Gary kissed his cheek. "I love you. I do. So don't leave me. Please." ---- Leo wrapped his arms around him. He smiled. "It's been years since I've had sex. But what we had....It was love. And I enjoyed every second of it." He kissed him. ---- Elliot wrapped an arm around her. Keeping her close. A few tears left him. "Well, I'm glad you're safe and sound." ---- Nate smirked. "Guess that gives us time to ourselves." He picked him up like a bride and began kissing his neck. ---- Later on in the morning, Tom would find Jack, Carter's dead husband, standing behind Carter with a hand on his shoulder with the office feeling cold. Shadowess - April 5, 2021 (I'll wrap up the others before I have Tom walk into the office ) Alex heard Gary and looked at him when he said he didn't want to lose him. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down again then nodded. "I love you, too." he cried. He squeezed Gary's hand a little. "Please, don't leave me alone..." he shook his head a bit. "I don't think I can handle being alone right now." "It's getting late for the rest of us and I'm certain the staff won't allow us all to stay the night..." David said. "Gary, you can stay if you want. I'll teleport these two to a hotel nearby where we'll stay until the morning. Alex, we'll be back to keep supporting with you then." "They will be. I'm guna help Carter catch this bastard." Parker let Alex know. --- Oscar smiled and kissed Leo back passionately, holding his waist. "Me too." he breathed when the kiss broke for a moment then kissed him again. While kissing him, Oscar smirked and backed him up to the dining table, gently pushing him down to lay on top of it, throwing it's contents onto the floor and leaning on top of him. Letting his passion take the lead. --- Having talked about what had happened and with Elliot holding her, Neva felt comforted. She kept looking up at him and although she was sad to see his tears, she smiled at his words. "I'm glad you are, too." she said quietly then hesitated before asking. "Elliot? Can-...can you be like, my dad? I've never had one...and-...and when Vincent comes back...he could be my dad, too?" --- Tom gasped and chuckled when Nate lifted him and he tilted his head back with a grin as he kissed his neck. He bit his lower lip a little, excitedly. "We er-..." he chuckled and glanced over at Elliot and Neva. "We should go somewhere more private." Denix Vames - April 5, 2021 (ok) "I promise that I'll never leave your side." Gary nodded. "I won't make too much noise so that I can stay here without the nurses knowing that i'm here." ---- Leo was surprised at his sudden moves but quickly accepted them. He grabbed his ass as he was pinned to the table. He ran his hands down to his thighs as he continued to kiss him. ---- Elliot was in disbelief when he heard her. He nodded. "Yeah. That wouldn't be a problem." ---- Nate smiled. "Don't worry. I know just the place." He carried him to the washroom as he kissed him. Shadowess - April 5, 2021 "I'm sure it'd be fine." David reassured Gary. "Come on then you two. Bedtime." "Oi, I'm not eleven!" Jessica complained with a smirk. David grinned at her. "No, but I'm still the oldest member of your family, so behave." "Whatevz Grandpa." Jessica bantered back as she strode over to Alex, bending down to kiss his forehead. "I'll see you in the morning." she said and turned to walk back towards the other two, pausing briefly as they both raised an eyebrow at her. "What? You don't kiss or hug your relatives goodbye?" "Not really..." Parker chuckled. "We -are- your relatives." David answered. "Yeah, one HALF of my relatives. Still got family back in Ireland 'aven't I?" "Oh, joy..." David chuckled as he took hers and Parker's hand. He looked at Alex and Gary. "Try to get some rest. We'll see you both tomorrow." then they vanished. "...Yeah, ok...maybe -that's- where I get the crazy from..." Alex smirked at Gary while wiping the tears from his eyes. --------- Feeling Leo's hands on his backside and thighs, Oscar moaned and slipped his tongue into his mouth. His hand slid under his shirt, running his fingers up his side while his other hand moved down to his pants, quickly undoing them. (Private time) --- When Elliot said he could be her dad, Neva's face lit up and her eyes watered now from happiness. She snuggled into his chest, happy to have something that she'd always wanted. A real, loving family. "I love you!" she cried happily. --- Tom chuckled as Nate kissed him and carried him towards the washroom. The fond memory they have in that room only made him grow even more excited as they went in. He kissed him back passionately. 'fuck, I love you so much!' he couldn't help thinking as he continued to kiss him. He meant it, too. The only time Tom has ever felt complete or happy is when Nate is with him. Denix Vames - April 5, 2021 Gary chuckled. "I guess so." He kissed him. --- Elliot laughed. "I love you too." --- Nate pinned him over the washer. "You love me that much eh?" His wings sprouted. "Once I show you what I can do with these feathers on you then you'll really love me." He ripped his shirt open. He ran his hands all over his chest as he slipped his tongue into his mouth. Kissing him. His wings vibrated. Shadowess - April 5, 2021 Alex kissed Gary back tenderly. He then rested his head against Gary's and felt a little frustrated that his wound meant he couldn't move much without risking pulling his stitches. He sighed and kissed Gary once more. "We should probably try to get some sleep..." he suggested. --- Neva didn't want to move. Happy to just stay in Elliot's arms. Eventually, she fell asleep there. --- At his words, Tom's cheeks turned a deep pink, especially when he saw his wings sprout out. He always got excited at the sight of them now. It was like a Pavlov effect at this point. Whenever he saw those wings while they were alone, it usually meant he was in for a mind blowing time. But when Nate said he could do more with them, Tom was intrigued. He gasped with a smile when his shirt was ripped open. His tongue in his mouth and his hands on his chest, Tom was already beginning to moan from all the excitement. He brought one hand up to cup Nate's cheek as they kissed while his other hand moved around to his backside. Then Nate's wings began to vibrate and Tom's eyes lit up and he moaned again as he felt the vibrations pass through his whole body. Between Nate's wings and the washer, Tom just knew he was going to have a hard time keeping quiet as they had their fun. (Private Time) Denix Vames - April 5, 2021 "Yeah....Try...." Gary rested his on the side of the bed as he closed his eyes. Still thinking about everything that had happened. ---- Elliot carried Neva upstairs to a bedroom where they could sleep when he heard the noise coming from the washroom. Shadowess - April 6, 2021 Alex rubbed his thumb over the back of Gary's hand as he lay back and closed his eyes. He wouldn't sleep for a while either. Unable to help replaying the stabbing over and over in his mind, as well as dwell on his guilt. --- Later in the morning, Tom reluctantly got dressed and left the washroom. Although his legs still felt a little numb and he walked with a slight limp. He couldn't help smirking as he thought about what happened in the washroom to cause him to feel like this as he climbed the stairs. Once outside Carter's office door, he paused and took a deep breath to steady his nerves. He knocked lightly and opened the door, walking in. "Hey Cart-" he'd started saying until he froze at the sight of a stranger in the room. The room was so cold, it was like walking into a freezer. "Who are you?!" Tom asked, taking another step into the office warily. "What are you doing in here? How did you get in here!?" Denix Vames - April 6, 2021 Carter groaned awake. "Can you keep it down? My head's killing me." He squinted at Tom. "What?" He slowly turned at where he was looking. His eyes widened at the sight of his dead husband. He immediately fainted. Falling over along with the chair as the bottle in his hand landed by his side. Spilling its contents on the floor. Jack disappeared. Shadowess - April 6, 2021 Tom didn't move at first. Still staring at the spot the stranger had been standing in. When the room began to warm up a bit, he snapped out of his trance and hurried over to Carter. He lifted him and took him downstairs, setting him on the couch. He then grabbed a glass of water and a cup of coffee, unsure which he'd want when he woke up, and set them on the coffee table. He wet a small towel and placed it on Carter's forehead, then went and got himself a bag of blood. He sat in a chair, close to Carter, as he drank it. He was shaking a little, his mind brimming with questions as he waited for Carter to wake up. Denix Vames - April 6, 2021 "Carter...." ,said an unknown male whisper. Carter seemed uncomfortable in his sleep. Mumbling. Shadowess - April 6, 2021 Tom jumped a little and looked around the room warily. Seeing Carter mumbling and stirring, Tom placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and shook him a little. "Carter? Carter, are you ok?" He asked, trying to wake him. Denix Vames - April 6, 2021 Jack gripped Tom's wrist defensively. Squeezing it tightly. Carter's breath came out like a fog. "Apples...." shadowess - April 6, 2021 Tom gasped, his eyes widening but staying fixed on Carter out of fear. His wrist felt ice cold and he felt it being gripped. He froze, not daring to move in case he made them angry. He'd seen Jasper as a ghost but this was something else. This was frightening him. Whoever they were, they were after Carter and Tom didn't know what to do. 'Nate! Help!' he thought frantically then thought about trying to talk to whoever it was. "Please...I don't understand." he said shakily. Denix Vames - April 6, 2021 Nate appeared. "Well, this is new." Jack looked at him. "You can let him go. We're all friends of your husband." He hesitated before doing so. "Looks like the stress finally got to Carter. He must have accidentally summoned his late husband when it felt like no one else was there to help him. The only way we can help Jack move on is to convince Carter that he's got us. The problem is that he feels like a burden after what he said to some of us. Feels guilty." shadowess - April 6, 2021 As soon as Jack let go of Tom's wrist, Tom shot to his feet and ran to Nate's side while rubbing his wrist. When Nate explained who he was, Tom looked between Jack and Carter sadly. "Oh...shit..." he then glanced at the stairs and cringed before looking back at Nate. "Ohh...this is going to be one hell of an awkward conversation when Sebastian wakes up...So, what should we do?" Denix Vames - April 6, 2021 "Unfortunately, we'll have to get everyone here as a sort of group therapy session. Hope to convince Carter that we forgive him since it seems like he planned on apologizing anyway. Once he can wake up. Until then, he'll be sleeping unless Jack crosses over." ,said Nate. Jack caressed Carter's cheek. "Apples...." shadowess - April 6, 2021 When Nate told him what they needed to do, Tom nodded in understanding. "Alright...I'll head to Leo's place. Pick up Leo and Oscar. I'll call Parker too, try to get him to bring David and Jessica...wait, what about Alex though? He's stuck at the hospital until he can get discharged."

Shadowess - April 4, 2021 The old Angel smiled with softened eyes when he saw the rosary and he took it back thankfully. He then laughed a little at Nate's reaction to him as well as the sandwich that appeared. He took it with a grin while shaking his head a little. "Oh, I miss having those kinds of powers..." He chuckled with a sigh. --- Sebastian jumped a little when Nate appeared and then nodded at him with a smile, his phone still pressed to his ear. "Yeah, he just arrived. In that case, I'll see if I can get hold of Leo for you. I'll call you back when I know anything. Stay safe. I love you." He hung up the phone and sighed, looking between Nate and Alex. "I suppose Alex can tell you what's going on. Afraid I have to go for now." He looked at Alex. "I'll visit again tomorrow night, ok?" Alex nodded and happy he'd be safe with Nate, he headed back to the office where he'd be safe from the rising sun while he looked up the number for Ricky's mansion and texted it to Carter. --- Apart from Gary, the park was now deserted. The only thing out of place being the pool of Alex's blood from where he'd been laying earlier. Denix Vames - April 4, 2021 "Love you too." Carter put his phone away. He looked at the angel. "Looks like this interviews over. You can leave, I'll take you outside. I've got to be somewhere else anyway.". Both men left the house. He got into the car and drove off. ---- Nate nodded. "Hey Alex. How's....everything?" ---- Gary continued his walk. "Hey! Anyone there? Show yourself!" ---- Carter made a mental note that he would call Leo later. Right now, he was still driving to the park. Shadowess - April 4, 2021 "Then I wish you the best of luck in bringing this individual to justice." the old Angel nodded and followed him outside. Once Carter jumped into his car and drove away, the old Angel began walking back towards the abandoned church to continue his prayers. --- Alex gave Nate a bemused smile. "I'm pretty sure I have somewhere between twenty and thirty stitches in my gut, so you know...great I guess." he replied in a playfully sarcastic tone. He then frowned and sighed. "I don't know why it happened... I was in the park when some guy came up to me and stuck an Angelic knife into my stomach...the only thing they said before leaving me there was 'Punishment Divine'...Fucking psycho..." he then seemed anxious. "And now Gary's out there looking for him...I don't like this...something feels really wrong about all this..." The nurse that had spoken to Carter the last time they were in the hospital poked her head into the room. She looked between Alex and Nate for a moment before looking at Nate. "You're an Angel, right?" she asked quietly, being careful not to be heard by any of the other staff in the hallway. "Could I have a quick word? I tried calling Carter but it went straight to voicemail. I guess he was already on the phone when I tried. I promise, it won't take a minute." --- Having been driving towards Carter's office, a concerned look already on his face, Parker was driving past the park when he spotted Gary wandering around. Apparently shouting into the darkness and brandishing a knife. "What now?!" he sighed as he pulled up. He got out of the car and walked into the park, towards Gary but keeping a bit of distance between them while Gary had the knife out. "Gary? What are you doing out here? What's going on? Where's Alex?" Denix Vames - April 4, 2021 "Don't worry. I'll make sure that nothing bad happens to any of you. At this point, I'm like you and Gary's bodyguard. But I have a feeling that Gary will be fine." ,said Nate. He turned his attention to the nurse. "Sure. What is it?" He walked over. ---- Gary glared. He raised the knife. "Who are you? Are you that bastard who almost killed Alex? Show yourself! You son of a bitch!" Carter parked the car at the side of the road. He ran over where Parker was. "Gary? I need you to calm down. There's nobody here but us. Everything's alright. I'm telling you now that I will get to the bottom of this. I'm a private detective for a reason." Gary pressed his hands against his forehead. Flinching at the migraine he was having. "C-Carter....?" Carter slowly walked over to him. "It's alright Gary. It's going to be ok. Just hand me the knife and everything will be fine." Gary pointed the blade at him. "No! How am I supposed to know that you're telling the truth? What if this monster has special superpowers or some crap like that?!" Carter froze. "I get it but I'm not the suspect. I'm human. I can't do anything anymore. But I was never an angel. And this person is probably just a human who can read minds. I don't know. One thing I do know is that your name is Gary and you met Alex in this very same park. You talked to him right here. You took him into your home and the two of enjoyed each other's company. This place is where something magical happened. Do you really want those memories to be tainted because of this?" Gary was shaking now. Tears fell as he handed the knife to Carter. He fell to his knees and sobbed. Shadowess - April 4, 2021 The nurse kept her voice low so as not to alarm Alex as she spoke to Nate. "Non of the other doctors are aware of the significance...they thought it was some random coincidence or something...while operating on Alex they found a feather inside him...it was probably attached to the knife when it...well...it's since been thrown into the bio-waste bin...I thought, being his friend, you ought to know. Like I said, I tried to contact Carter as well. Maybe he could use that information? I'm assuming he's already taken this case?" --- "Wha-? Dude, it's me! Parker! Alex's brother. I was there when you woke up at Carter's office!" Parker said while holding up his hands to show he wasn't a threat. "Wait- What happened to Alex?!" He was shocked to learn Alex was almost killed and was relieved when Carter turned up to speak some sense into Gary. When Gary dropped to his knees, Parker knelt down next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I can take it from here if you need to go..." He said to Carter before turning to Gary. "C'mon. I'll give you a ride. Is Alex at the hospital, then?" he was shaking a little. What the hell had he missed?! "Has anyone told Jessica yet? or David?" Considering they were family, it was only right that they be informed as well. Denix Vames - April 4, 2021 Nate's eyes widened. "A feather? Shit. Well, thank you for letting me know. I'll be sure to tell Carter." ---- "An angel tried to assassinate Alex. He thought he was a still a devil." ,said Carter. "Just take him to my office. I need to question him there. He's not a suspect but I do need some information from him." He sighed. "Telling the family is always the part that I hate about working on a case. I'll tell Jessica and get David over in a second. In the mean time, I'm going to check on Alex. Get some answers out of him if there's anything else I don't know about." He got in the car. "Since you're going to be at my office, I expect you to inform Jessica and David instead. And question Gary actually. If some of you are working for me then I expect things to happen." He drove to the hospital. Shadowess - April 4, 2021 The nurse nodded. "I'll be by later to check on Alex." she said before leaving them to it, having other patients to see to first. "Yo, what was that about?" Alex called over, having been watching them curiously but unable to hear their conversation. --- "Well, sure but-" Parker began but Carter was already on his way to the hospital. "But I...don't know how to contact David in Hell..." he trailed off then sighed. He looked around warily then looked back at Gary, helping him to his feet. "C'mon buddy, let's get you to the office. You can help me break the news to our sister...Not sure what information he wants from you though..." he shrugged as he walked him over to the car. He sighed. "I'm guessing you'd probably like a stiff drink after all this?" he smiled. "Pretty sure there's some at the office. You can have some while we talk." he opened the door for him. Denix Vames - April 4, 2021 Nate walked back to Alex. "Apparently, there was a feather in your body. Someone was really trying to kill you." Carter walked into the room. "You! Get out!" "What? Why?" "I can't trust any angel because of this case. With all due respect, you need to leave or I'll arrest you." Nate glared before disappearing. Carter took out a notepad. "I have two security guards standing by to keep this room safe. No one goes in without security check first. Only medical staff are allowed in your room. You cannot leave this room under any circumstances unless it is because of medical reasons or hygienic purposes which includes using the bathroom. Do you understand?" ---- Gary nodded. He got into the passenger seat. When the door closed, he leaned against the window. He didn't speak. He just watched the lights go by as Parker drove. Shadowess - April 4, 2021 If Alex could turn any paler, he would have at the news of a feather being found in his body. "What the shit?! Why?! What the hell did I do to them?!" He gripped the sheets of his bed tightly, terrified that some random stranger had attempted to destroy his soul under the assumption that he was still a Devil. "Oh, fuck! What the fuck? This is so fucked up!" When Carter came in and barked at Nate to leave, Alex wanted to protest, especially at the way Carter spoke to him. Then Carter began giving him rules to follow for his safety and the gravity of the situation quickly sank in. He nodded, still gripping the sheets tightly and shaking a little. He was a little panicked by it all but he tried to keep himself calm. He wished Gary was here with him. --- Parker glanced at Gary every so often from the mirror as he drove. Deeply concerned about the state he was in. Once they arrived at Carter's office, he got out and went around to Gary's door. Making sure he wasn't leaning on it first, Parker opened it for him and walked him inside. Jessica and Neva were still sleeping on the couch. Sebastian was pacing in the same room as them, anxious to hear what was going on. When he saw Gary and Parker, he stopped in his tracks to look at them. "Carter wants me to ask Gary some questions. He's gone back to the hospital to question Alex." Parker explained then nodded at Jessica. "I also need to let my sister know what's happening...and David too...if I can figure out how to contact him..." Sebastian nodded. "I'll take Neva to the bed upstairs so she doesn't have to hear this..." he said and gently took Neva into his arms, being careful not to wake her. He took her upstairs and laid her down on the bed, tucking her in before leaving her there and rejoining Parker. Parker looked at Gary and gestured to the chair. "You may as well make yourself comfortable... I'll get you that drink in just a minute." He then turned to Jessica and gently shook her awake. "Hey. Wake up. Something's happened." Jessica's eyes flickered open and she looked up at Parker curiously. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What's happened?" Parker sighed. "Alex has been attacked...apparently an Angel tried to destroy him. He's in hospital." "What?!" Jessica jumped to her feet. "Well, we have to go then! We need to be there for him!" "Not right now." Sebastian interjected softly. "Carter is conducting an investigation into this. Right now, we need to give him space to work and Alex space to recover. We'll go see him as soon as Carter says it's alright to." Jessica reluctantly sat back down with a frown. "Drinks all 'round it is..." Parker sighed and headed into the kitchen. He came back a few moments later with three glasses and some whiskey. He poured some in each glass then handed one each to Gary and Jessica before taking one for himself. He took a quick sip and sighed, then placed his glass onto the coffee table. He took out his pen and notepad and looked at Gary. "Might as well get this over with...Guess I should start with the usual crap. Do you know anyone that might be holding a grudge against you or Alex? Anyone either of you might have pissed off lately? Have you noticed anyone acting weird around either of you?" While waiting for Parker to finish his questioning, Sebastian decided to call the number to Ricky's house in the hopes of saving Carter a job if he's going to be busy at the hospital for the time being. Before he dialed the number though, he wondered if either Jasper or Vincent would be able to hear him from wherever they are. In case they decided to pop in, Sebastian didn't want to spook Gary. So, he went into another room, out of sight, and concentrated on trying to send them his thoughts. 'Vincent, Jasper, if either of you can hear me. We need to get word to David to come back to Earth asap.' He thought. He had no idea if this would actually work but he had to try something. He then dialed the number to Ricky's house. Denix Vames - April 4, 2021 "Now, can you tell me if you have any enemies?" ,asked Carter. ---- Gary shook his head. He looked at the drink. He barely took a sip. He felt sick to his stomach. Things didn't make any sense anymore. He gripped the glass. "I...." He bit his lip. "Alex...." He held the drink against his chest. ---- Jasper appeared in front of David. "Hey buddy! Sebastian says you need to come down to Carter's Office. Apparently, something's going on." ---- Leo groaned as he woke up. He was laying next to Oscar in the kitchen. Both men were naked. He stood. Leaning against the counter. He reached out for the phone attached to the wall. He answered as he messed up his hair. "Hello?" shadowess - April 4, 2021 Alex thought for a moment but quickly shook his head. "The only people I pissed off were you guys when I was with..." he trailed off and lowered his eyes to his bedsheets in shame, unable to even mention his name at this point. --- Parker sighed and scribbled a couple of notes. He then watched the way Gary was acting and his eyes softened. "Hey, look at me." he said gently. "Alex is safe now and we're going to do everything we can to catch this bastard, ok? I need you to work with me though. Can you think of anything that happened that might be related to the attack prior to it taking place? Even if it's something small or seemingly insignificant." --- "Leo! Thank God, you're there. Listen, something has happened. Alex was attacked earlier. Can you head over to the hospital and meet up with Carter? He said he's going to need your help on this one." Sebastian explained quickly. --- David looked up from the book he was reading, sat on the couch in the library. He looked at Jasper in surprise then concern as he told him Sebastian was asking for him at Carter's office. He quickly shut the book and nodded at Jasper. "Thank you, Jasper. I'll head there now." He put the book to one side and appeared in front of the house to ring the bell, letting them know he was there. Jessica got up and answered the door, letting David in and quickly telling him what was happening in a hushed tone. David's face turned pale and before Jessica could warn him to stay away from the hospital for now, he'd already vanished. Appearing in the room with Carter and Alex. He looked at Alex for a moment with worry then turned to Carter. "How did this happen?!" he asked in alarm. Denix Vames - April 4, 2021 Carter wrote in his notepad. "I see." He glared at David. "Sebastian can tell you everything. Get to the office now. You are not allowed to be in here. Leave!" ---- Gary nodded. "I-I was attacked by a burglar but he died when Alex protected me. That's all. I really don't remember much. I've been so busy with work and trying to accept some things." ---- "I understand. I'll be there right away." Leo hung up. "Hey Oscar." He began to get dressed. "I need you to teleport me to the hospital. Take me to where Carter is. He needs to talk to me." He put his mask on. Shadowess - April 4, 2021 David glared back at Carter. "He might be in a different body but he is still my great grand-son. As his oldest relative, I have a right to be here as his next of kin or guardian or whatever." he shot back. Alex was touched by David's defensiveness towards him but not wanting any more confrontations today and just wanting to get this over with quickly, he piped up. "David, please. I'll be alright. Just come back later, would you?" David looked back at Alex, seeming to be conflicted. He then sighed and turned back to Carter with a serious expression. Although his tone remained stern, there was now a softness there. "Let me know as soon as I can see him." He glanced back at Alex one more time. "Keep him safe." he vanished. Alex sighed in relief and dropped his head back onto his pillow, staring upwards at the ceiling, trying hard to hold back his tears. --------- "Wait, when did this happen?" Parker asked, scribbling the details quickly. "I know coming to terms with all this crazy shit is hard. It get's easier, just trust me on that..." He said to try and comfort Gary. He could see he was still struggling. "And are you certain the burglar died? Do you remember seeing their body?" he pressed. --- Oscar opened his eyes and blinked at Leo, watching him getting dressed for a moment before nodding. He got up and picked up his clothes, putting them on quickly. "Alright." he said and held out his hand. Once Leo would take it, he'd focus on appearing wherever Carter was. Denix Vames - April 4, 2021 Carter nodded at David. He saw Oscar and Leo appeared. "Ah good." He looked at Oscar. "You can leave now." Leo walked over. "Carter, what did-?" Carter slammed him against the wall. Leo's eyes widened. "Where the hell were you?" "What?!" "If you're going to be doing this kind of job then you need to make sure that you're always on watch. This only happened because you weren't around. You failed at your mission. This better not happen next time. Do you hear me?" "I-" "Do you hear me?" Leo stood and positioned himself as if he were a soldier at attention. "Yes sir." "Good. Now go find this hooded bastard. Search every criminal you can find that's wandering the streets. The suspect might be an angel." "Understood." Leo jumped out the window. Landing on his feet. He ran off in search for any suspicious characters. ---- "I don't know. Maybe some days ago? And no, I didn't. But Nate told me what happened at some point. The body's in a dessert." ,said Gary. He drank the rest of his whiskey before pouring some more. Shadowess - April 4, 2021 Oscar looked between Leo and Carter uncertainly before nodding and vanishing. Watching the way Carter handled Leo and barked orders at him like he was some commanding officer was jarring to Alex. He stared at Carter with wide eyes, even after Leo had run off. "Dude..." he said shakily, his whole body tense. He was having flashbacks of when Carter lost his mind in Bryce's mansion and it was beginning to freak him out. "You're kind of...scaring me...a bit..." his eyes darted between Carter and the door, not that he could move from the bed. "Do you have to talk like that to everyone? We're all on the same side..." --- Parker wrote everything down hurriedly. He sighed, unsure of where to take this from here. He had no idea where Nate was to be able to question him. The only thing he could do now was report this information to Carter and see what he suggests he do next. "It could be nothing...or it could be everything. For now, try to relax a bit. Help yourself to the whiskey if it helps. Just don't leave this building. We don't know if this person is just after Alex or if they might be after you next so it's best that you stay where we can keep an eye on you." He glanced over at Jessica who was hugging David after he'd just arrived. "I'm going to make a phone call. Remember. Make yourself comfortable but don't leave the house." he walked off to another room where he called Carter and gave him all the information he'd gotten from Gary. Oscar appeared shortly after David. Then Sebastian rejoined them in the living room, placing a comforting hand on Gary's shoulder. "Let me know if you need anything." he said gently. Denix Vames - April 4, 2021 "I know that we're on the same side but right now I need to take this seriously. And so does everybody else. Now, I need to answer some more questions for more. Did you mess with anybody while you were still with Bryce?" ,asked Carter. ---- Leo looked through alleys. Trying to find anyone that seemed out of the ordinary. ---- Gary nodded at Parker. He hugged himself when he heard his stomach growl. "Some food would be nice. Anything really. I don't mind." ---- Carter answered his phone. "Alright. Thank you for the info. See if you can find Nate and question him too." shadowess - April 4, 2021 (Just a heads up, none of them will find the true culprit for a while. They've got 5 Haiku's left to deliver. Two of which will be delivered at the same time xD and probably not all within the same day.) --- When Carter explained his reasoning, Alex nodded quietly. Then when he asked about his time with Bryce, his eyes widened for just a second before he lowered his gaze to the bedsheets. His eyes watered as he remembered Bryce teaching him how to hunt, feed and fill a bottle with blood. It had only happened over the course of a night or two but a lot had happened in that time. He hesitated to answer, feeling ashamed that he had found a thrill in it at the time. "Um..." he stammered, his voice shaking and he closed his eyes tightly, his tears falling. He bit his lip for a moment before opening his eyes, not daring to look Carter in his as he admitted what they did. "Bryce...h-he taught me how to hunt...t-to feed until they...they died...T-then we went hunting for a new victim..." Alex quickly wiped away his tears, his heart was beating hard. "Bryce...he...-we-...toyed...with them...for a while...then he showed me how to drain their blood into a bottle to save for later..." Alex crumbled, lifting his hands to his head to cover his face as he wept into them. Not only guilty that he'd helped in such a horrid act...but that he'd enjoyed it at the time. "We left no survivors..." --- Sebastian nodded and looked around at the others. "Anyone else hungry?" he asked. Jessica nodded. "Yeah...I could eat." Said Oscar. "Alright. I'll see what I can throw together..." Sebastian said as he made his way to the kitchen. "I'll help." David said, following him. He needed the distraction. They found some ingredients in the fridge to make a decent sandwich. Making a couple of plates full, they took the plates through to the living room and set them onto the coffee table. "Help yourselves." Sebastian said as he moved to stand against one of the walls. David sat in a chair and looked contemplative as Jessica and Oscar grabbed a sandwich each. --- "Alright, I'm on it." Parker said and hung up the phone. He walked into the living room and looked around at them all. "Hey, has anyone seen Nate or Tom?" he asked. "Not since earlier in the day..." Jessica replied. "I fell asleep before they left." "Same..." Sebastian replied. Denix Vames - April 4, 2021 (alright) Carter wrote some notes down. "That means it's nobody from your past so that rules them out." He sighed. "I think that's all you can really give me. Just try to relax. I'm going to leave." --- Gary took a bite out of his sandwich. Nate appeared with Tom. Both men's clothes were wrinkly and their hair was a mess. "We were discussing important stuff about...." Nate cleared his throat. "The case." ---- Water dripped down the stairs which lead from the bathroom. Elliot was in the overflowing bathtub. His wrists were bleeding. Making the water turn red. He was unconscious. Shadowess - April 5, 2021 Alex barely heard Carter. So wrapped up in his guilt and shame that he continued to weep into his hands. If his stitches would allow him to rock back and forth, he'd be doing that too. All he could think about was that maybe he really did deserve to die. That he deserved to be destroyed. Maybe this person who tried to kill him had a good point? --- Parker looked over at Nate and Tom as they arrived and tried very to hard not roll his eyes. "Of course you were..." Jessica and Oscar tried to stifle a chuckle at them. Jessica trying to suppress old habits so as to not make things weird around them. Had this been any other time, she might have found them both attractive and asked them if they'd ever had or were into three ways. Instead, she tore her eyes away from them to continue eating her sandwich. Hearing the subtle sound of water trickling and suddenly smelling blood very strongly, Sebastian and Tom looked over at the stairs to see the water dripping down. "What the-?!" Tom exclaimed. Sebastian had already run past him and shot up the stairs to knock on the bathroom door. "Is someone in there??" He could heard the water splashing onto the floor inside but there came no answer. "Open the door!" Still nothing. Sebastian had an awful feeling that something was wrong and he used his shoulder to break the door in. Seeing the state Elliot was in, his eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat. "NATE!" he screamed "WE'RE GOING TO NEED YOUR POWER!" he ran over to Elliot and turned the tap off before pulling him out of the tub. He tried to keep pressure on both his wrists. Denix Vames - April 5, 2021 Carter started the drive to his office. ---- Nate ran upstairs. His eyes widened. "Damn..." He went to Elliot's side where he knelt. He placed his hands on his chest. Slowly, he began to heal his wrists. Shadowess - April 5, 2021 "What's going on?" Parker called up the stairs. "STAY DOWN THERE!" Sebastian shouted back as Nate worked. The last thing they needed was the others crowding into the bathroom, getting in the way and gawping at Elliot. "Oh, Elliot. Why didn't you just talk to us? C'mon. Come back to us." He said to the unconscious Elliot in a shaking voice. Denix Vames - April 5, 2021 Elliot's wrists soon healed up. He slowly opened his eyes. He frowned. "S-Sebastian....? Nate?" Carter walked inside. "What the hell is going on?! Why's there a mess in my office? Tom! Clean this up!" He headed upstairs. Past the scene as he could see Elliot was awake but didn't bother seeing what was going on. The case was the only thing on his mind. The one thing giving him a headache. He went into his office where he set his notes on the desk. He shouted, "Parker! I need your notes! Now!" He took out some blank sheet of paper to start rewriting the notes. He placed a pen nearby but waited for Parker. Shadowess - April 5, 2021 Tom jumped at being yelled at for the mess and quickly went about cleaning up, his face had turned a deep red. Sebastian tried to hide his anger at Carter's lack of concern for Elliot, but he was glaring hard at the ground. "Nate, take Elliot downstairs with the others where we can keep an eye on him." He said gently. "Talk to him. Elliot needs our support right now...I need to talk to Carter." Parker had been running up the stairs with his notes when Sebastian held up a hand to stop him. "Give us a moment first, Parker. This won't take a minute." He walked into Carter's office calmly and closed the door behind him. He walked over to the chair opposite Carter's desk and rested his hands on it's back. "By all means, investigate this crime. But do not forget who your friends are. Elliot almost died just now. Probably because he felt alone and like he had no one to talk to...and you didn't even bat an eye in his general direction." He said, unable to contain his disappointment. Denix Vames - April 5, 2021 Carter tried to write but found the pen empty. He grit his teeth and threw it at the wall. "Fuck!" He looked at him. "You don't think I don't know what I saw? Every goddamn day, you and whoever the fuck else is in this group are always trying to kill each other or yourselves! And I have to be the one to tell everybody that it's gonna be alright! That I can solve this case! That nobody is going to hurt any of them anymore!" He took a cigarette out with a shaky hand as tears fell. "'Don't worry Carter! We'll find him before you even know it! Sorry for your loss! Is there anything we can do to help you? Also, we're giving you a shrink! Or hey sorry we couldn't find him but try to move on! I know it's hard but this will all past! Just make sure you keep in touching with the fucking doctor BECAUSE YOU'RE SO FUCKED UP!" He shoved the papers on the desk off. He placed his hands on his head before sitting down with the cigarette now bent in his hand. He lowered his head. "It's always like this...."

Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 Jasper appeared. He awkwardly waved at Sebastian. "Hey." shadowess - April 3, 2021 Sebastian jumped a little when Jasper appeared. He hadn't been around when Vincent kidnapped Gary, so had no idea that Jasper wasn't a Reaper anymore, nor that Vincent had taken his place. He looked at him warily and slowly lowered the blood bag from his lips. "Jasper?" he greeted while giving him a questioning look. "What brings you here?" Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 "Just wanted to apologize for acting all weird and stuff. Ya know? Scaring you guys into thinking that I was going rogue and trying to kill Gary." He flustered. "You didn't know about that stuff, did ya?" shadowess - April 3, 2021 "I did miss out on a few events..." Sebastian admitted with a nod. "So, you're not going to try and kill any of us anymore?" he asked curiously. "I thought that was part of your job, being a Reaper and all..." Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 "Nah! I quit that job cause it was getting to my head. So I gave it to Vincent who hasn't been seen apparently." He leaned against the counter. "Anyway, I'm now the Spirit of Fairness. Whatever that means. I just sorta made that up." shadowess - April 3, 2021 "Oh..." Sebastian looked surprised. "I guess I did miss a lot..." When Jasper said he was the spirit of fairness, he rose a brow then chuckled. "I'm afraid I don't know much about the way spirits work...Amelia told me a lot about how Hell works. Well, the basics really. But I guess there's still a lot to learn about the afterlife." He bit back into his blood bag and drank what was left before throwing the bag into the trash. Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 "Yeah well...." Jasper shrugged. "I figured since I can't cross over then that must mean that I have to people. So I'm trying to do just that." shadowess - April 3, 2021 "I see..." Sebastian nodded. "Well, good luck with that, I suppose." he said kindly as he walked past him and into the living room to look at Jessica and Neva sleeping on the couch. He frowned, wondering what he was going to do to keep himself busy during the night. While he thought on this, he took out a blanket and carefully draped it over the girls while they slept. He then wandered over to the window and stared out at the dark world, lost in thought. --- Alex wandered the park he'd met Gary in. He walked up to the bench he'd been sitting on at the time and smiled at it. He hoped Gary was alright. He'd dropped him off at work earlier and was waiting to hear from him. He could understand why he might want a bit of space and some distraction after everything that happened. He sat on the bench and looked up at the stars, still finding it amazing how far he'd come from the angry, blood thirsty man he'd been before. The man that had been desperate to not be human, even if it meant waltzing into the vampire club and paying a random vampire to turn him. He frowned. He knew he was still a ways off from perfect. He still got angry at the slightest provocation and struggled to keep it in check. Even now, he still sort of resented being human and missed the short time he'd spent with Bryce, hunting and drinking from humans. The thrill of the chase. The feeling of his fangs sinking into flesh. The hot, salty blood rushing down his throat. The way he'd loved it when the blood made him feel warm as it filled him. He sighed and leant forward, resting his head in his hands. His elbows on his knees. 'What the fuck is wrong with me??' he thought. Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 "Do you need some help?" ,said Jasper as he walked over to him. ---- A firetruck with blaring sirens past by. Gary was in the passenger seat. Heading for a fire at some poor guy's house. Shadowess - April 3, 2021 "Hmm? Me?" Sebastian turned to look at Jasper then smiled and shook his head a little. "Oh, no. I'm fine, thank you. I guess after everything we've all gone through, I'm just not used to everyone being asleep during the night and nothing catastrophic happening. I'm not complaining, mind you...I guess I'm just having a little difficulty relaxing...I keep feeling like something is going to go wrong and that I should be ready for it..." he chuckled quietly. "I guess, given all the crap we've all gone through...feeling like this is probably to be expected for a while..." --- The sirens from the firetruck caught Alex's attention, pulling him out of his depressive spiral and he watched it speed past. 'I'll bet Gary is in there..." he thought as he watched it with a frown. Recalling what happened the last time Gary got called out to a fire, Alex became nervous for him. He was half tempted to follow it but it was going far too fast and he had no vehicle to follow them in. He'd lose sight of it before he'd even reach the corner. Besides, he couldn't follow Gary to every job he had just because he was anxious. That would be ridiculous and he might even cause Gary to feel suffocated by him if he did so. No, he needed to trust Gary will be alright. It was his job after all. He knows the risks. He sighed heavily and got up from the bench, beginning to walk down the path that leads out of the park. He saw a man in a white hooded jacket walking on the path ahead of him, going in the opposite direction, but didn't really pay him much attention. He went back to thinking about what he wanted from this new life of his. Whether he really wanted to change back into a vampire or just stay human. He wasn't certain. He hated feeling weak and vulnerable as a human and missed being a vampire. Yet, he wasn't sure if the others would let him go through with it or how they'd react if he did. Would they force the cure down his throat? Would they abandon him? Maybe he could talk to them first? Gary too. Tell them how he feels and try to reassure them that he just wanted to be a vampire because that's what he feels he should be. That he wouldn't change back into the psychopath he'd once been. He'd mean them no harm and would continue trying to change for the better. Maybe they'll listen? Or maybe they'll just chastise him and tell him- ! He'd been so lost in thought that he was caught off guard when the male walking in the opposite direction plunged a silver-white knife into his stomach as he got close enough to pass him by. Alex's eyes widened and he stumbled, gripping the stranger to keep from falling to his knees as he stared at him in disbelief and confusion. The male leaned in close to his ear. He slipped a piece of paper into Alex's pocket while whispering "Punishment Divine." before yanking the knife out and pulling away, letting Alex fall as he ran from the scene. Whimpering and breathing heavily, Alex turned onto his side and held the wound with a shaking hand. He looked down and saw his blood soaking through his shirt. "F-fuck!" With his free hand he fumbled to pull out his phone and dialed a random number from his contacts. His vision fading and his muscles aching, he laid back with the phone by his head. Listening until he heard the phone answered and groaned "H-help! P-park! S-stabbed! Hurry!" is all he managed to get out before losing consciousness. The slip of paper in his pocket had a haiku written on it; 'A Blood God disgraced, His judge shall be his victims, Punishment Divine.' Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 Carter groaned awake as he heard his phone ringing. He picked it up. "Hello? Alex, where are you?" His eyes widened. "What?! Listen I'll be there! Just hold on!" He ran downstairs with his gun on himself and his phone tucked away in his pocket. "Alex's been stabbed at the park! I'm going to go get him!" He ran out the door and hopped into his car. Speeding off. Jasper raised his hand at Sebastian. "I can take you there if you'd like." ---- Carter parked his car at the side of the road. He ran to Alex's side. "Are you fucking kidding me?!" He grabbed the note on the ground and stuffed it in his pocket before putting pressure on the wound. He took out his phone. Calling for medical help. Letting them know what had happened. "Just stay with me Alex! You're gonna be alright! I promise!" shadowess - April 3, 2021 When Carter ran down the stairs and told them Alex had been stabbed, Sebastian's eyes widened and he looked at Jasper. "You see what I mean?" he asked before nodding and taking Jaspers hand. --- When they arrived at the scene, Carter was just pulling up. Sebastian listened to Alex's heartbeat. It was beginning to slow down. As Carter put pressure on his wound, the pain caused Alex to gasp and his eyes opened a little. He groaned and whimpered, breathing heavily again and trying to stay awake. Frightened that if he lost consciousness again, he'd never wake up. Tears slid down the sides of his face and he looked up at them, his face contorted in pain. "Why'd he do that?!" Alex cried quietly between breaths. "I didn't do anything to him!" Sebastian held a hand over his mouth as he watched. When he'd woken up, Alex's heart rate increased a bit but right now, that might be doing him more harm than good as his heart pumped blood to his wound faster. The ambulance sirens could be heard in the distance, growing louder as it got closer. "Alex, quickly. Who was it? What did they look like?" Sebastian asked and Alex looked at him tearfully, shaking his head a little. "Couldn't see. His hood was up...h-he whispered...P-Punishment Devine...then he ran." Alex's teeth chattered as he shook. "I'm-...I'm scared." He said quietly as a few more tears fall from his eyes. His eyelids grew unbearably heavy again and his eyes began to roll. Sebastian looked alarmed as he heard his heart slowing down significantly. "Alex, try to stay awake!" The ambulance pulled up and two paramedics jumped out, running over with a stretcher just as Alex's heart gave out. His head rolled to one side as he let out a sigh, his eyes closed. Sebastian took hold of Carter to pull him out of the way and give the paramedics room to work, but he was barely holding himself together as he did so. Turning to hug Carter, and burying his face into his shoulder as he began to cry. "No pulse. Get the portable defibrillator." One of the paramedics said and the other one ran back to the ambulance, hurrying back with what looked like a heavy box as the first one took out some gauze and pressed it firmly on the wound. The paramedic then opened up Alex's shirt and began working on restarting his heart with the defibrillator, announcing 'Clear!' before pressing the plates against his chest and causing Alex's body to jump a bit. The one holding the wound looked up at the others. "What's his name?" "Alex Parker." Sebastian replied, his voice shaking. "We'll do everything we can, ok? We'll take him to the hospital as soon as we've got his heart going again. Feel free to follow us there." they said, trying to be reassuring. After several tense minutes of the paramedic working, Alex gasped and groaned again. The paramedics wasted no time. They immediately lifted him into the stretcher, causing him to cry out in pain. "It's alright Alex. Everything is going to be fine!" One of them said to him. Hurriedly they packed up the defibrillator and wheeled him over to the ambulance. One of them stayed in the back with Alex to continue helping him while the other jumped in the front and sped off to the hospital. Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 Carter gently rubbed Sebastian's back. "It's alright. Don't worry. I'm going to get to the bottom of this. I'll find out who the fuck did this to him. And I have a feeling it has a lot to do with angels." "I imagine one of ya'll should tell Gary." ,said Jasper. Shadowess - April 3, 2021 "It's just...listening to his heart stop...God, that was awful..." Sebastian cried into his shoulder. He pulled away and nodded at Carter, wiping away his tears. "He said, Punishment Divine..." Sebastian looked thoughtful and shook his head a little. "It sounds so familiar but I can't place where I've heard it before..." He then looked at Jasper when he suggested one of them call Gary. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Shit, you're right...This isn't going to go down well. We just got one out of the hospital and now the other one is going in..." He sighed and picked up Alex's phone from the ground, looking at Carter seriously. "Find the bastards. But please, be careful. If it's Angels, you'll need some sort of plan before you confront them. From the stories Amelia's told me, they can be pretty ruthless." He kissed him then stepped away to dial Gary's number. Whether he answered or it went to voicemail, he'd say the same thing; "Hey Gary, it's Sebastian. Alex is hurt. Pretty bad. He's at the hospital now. I'm heading there now to keep an eye on him but I'll need to be gone before morning." Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 Carter nodded. "I will. I promise. You just stay safe too. And try to relax as best as you can. I'm going to get changed first. Then I'll see what's going on." He hopped into the car and drove off. Heading to his own house so he could think about this alone. Once he was inside, he got changed into some dark brown pants, a white buttoned shirt, dark green crooked tie, and threw on a dark brown overcoat. He looked over at the words on the note that the suspect left behind. He glared at them. "Just you wait, you angelic bastard. I'm going to take you down." He got in the car and drove to an abandoned church. Feeling like that may be the angel's hideout as cheesy as that seemed to be. ---- Gary listened to the voicemail after he was done with work. His eyes widened when he heard about Alex. He immediately took a cab to the hospital. He ran inside with fear and worry in his eyes as he went up to the nurse. "Alex Parker! Where is he? His room number? Please! I have to know!" shadowess - April 3, 2021 In the church were a few homeless people. Sleeping on the pews that weren't broken. One had sheltered themselves in the confessional booth to sleep. One man sat near the alter and seemed to be praying. He had dark, heavily greying hair. Wrinkles covered his face and hands. He held a rosary, praying onto each beads. His head bent forward with his eyes closed. His clothes were tattered and dirty. --- The nurse held up her hands to try to calm Gary down. "Take it easy. Let me just take a look and I'll let you know." she said gently as she made her way over to the computer to look up the name he gave. "Ah..." The nurse hesitated then looked up at Gary. "He's still in surgery at the minute. His friend is still in the waiting room if you want to wait with him? We'll let you know as soon as he's out." Sebastian sat in the waiting room, staring at the clock anxiously. Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 Carter walked into the abandoned church with caution. He looked around at the homeless people there. "Excuse me? I'm not with the police. I just need to know if anyone here knows about the phrase Divine Punishment. Does anybody knows what that means?" ---- Gary frowned. He nodded. "Alright." He went into the waiting room where he saw Sebastian looking at the clock. He walked over. "....Hey." shadowess - April 3, 2021 When Carter walked into the church, one of the homeless men sitting in the pews very hurriedly tried to hide a crack pipe. Until he said he wasn't with the police and then he took it right back out again and kept trying to light the end with a lighter that just wouldn't light. When Carter asked about Divine Punishment, no one in the church moved nor showed any sign of knowing what he was talking about. Except the man at the front on his knees, whose head lifted a little and he stopped whispering his prayers into the rosary. His back still to Carter, he didn't move. Despite his appearance, his voice was strong and it echoed through the church. "Well. Diving Judgement is to be judged by God." he began. "So, one can only assume what Divine Punishment means...Unless... you know better..." Wings sprouted from the man and rested behind him. They looked grey and battered. Quite a few feathers were missing as if he'd been in a vicious fight and barely made it out...Years ago. He made no other movements, staying in his position in front of the alter and not turning to look at Carter. The homeless man with the crack pipe stared at the winged man with wide eyes and he coughed. Spluttering as he looked rapidly between his pipe and the Angel a few times before throwing his pipe to one side and hiding his head in his hands, rocking on the pew. "I suppose you meant, Punishment Divine? That's a phrase I haven't heard in a while..." The Angel said as he lifted his head a little to look back at Carter. --- Sebastian looked up at Gary when he walked in and stood to greet him properly. "Hi. He'll be alright." he said straight away, trying to comfort him. "They need to give him a few stitches...inside and outside..." He nodded down the corridor. "I can hear his heartbeat from here. I've been listening to it since he went in. So far there haven't been any issues. He's a fighter." Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 Carter aimed his gun at the angel. "Don't move! You're coming with me! My name is Private Detective Travis Carter. I need to question you about an attempted murder." --- Gary sat next to him. Tears dripped down his cheeks. "I just can't believe this happened. Do you know who did this?" He squeezed his pants as his hands were shaking. Shadowess - April 3, 2021 The Angel remained still. The only movement he made was to slowly hold his hands up in surrender while his wings retracted back inside him. His rosary still wrapped around the fingers of one of his hands as he lifted them. "I can assure you that I had nothing to do with any attempted murders. However, I will not resist and will be happy to answer your questions." he said calmly. --- "Not yet, but we'll find out. Carter is investigating this as we speak." Sebastian sat back down when Gary sat down. He looked around briefly and saw the box of tissues on the nearby table, next to a bunch of magazines. He picked up the box and handed it to Gary. "As far as we can tell, it was unprovoked." he sighed. "We'll get them, don't you worry." he then tried to reassure him. Not too long later, the surgery doors opened down the corridor and Alex was wheeled out and into a nearby room where the nurses went about transferring him into the bed and making him comfortable. He was still unconscious from the anesthetic as all this was going on. His skin was very pale from the amount of blood that he lost in the park. The nurses fitted him up with both an IV drip and a blood transfusion. Once he was ready, one of the nurses stepped into the waiting room, looking at Gary and Sebastian. "The operation is over. Alex is fine, but he's still asleep. You can go and see him if you'd like. He's in room 27B." Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 Carter glared. He slowly made his way over to him. He grabbed the rosary. Putting it in his pocket. He quickly handcuffed the angel and put his gun away. "Get up." He led him to the car where he placed him in the backseat. He began the drive to his office. --- Gary took a tissue. He soaked up his tears with it. He nodded when the nurse came over and updated him. He followed her to the room where his legs nearly gave out at the sight of Alex. He leaned against the doorway before walking to the bed. He took a seat near him. He held his hand. Squeezing it. "I should have stayed with you. I shouldn't have left." His head rested on the side of the bed where he cried. Shadowess - April 3, 2021 True to his word, the Angel made no attempts to fight or flee as Carter approached him. Even when his rosary was taken from him. He merely turned his head a little to look at Carter, his eyes seemed tired. "Please be careful with those...they were my wife's..." he said quietly. He stood when Carter told him to and walked to Carter's car as he was lead out of the church. Once in the car, he stared quietly out of the window as Carter drove him to the office. --- Sebastian followed them into the room and he watched Gary with a frown as he walked to Alex's side. Apparently regretting leaving him alone. "You couldn't have known something like this was going to happen." He said gently as he walked over and placed a gentle hand on Gary's shoulder. "No one could've predicted this. It's no one's fault but the person who stabbed him...and I believe it's only a matter of time before we find them and bring them to justice." He sighed, looking at Alex's pale, sleeping features. "He's probably going to be asleep for a while...do you want me to bring you anything? Food? Coffee? Anything for Alex for when he wakes up?" he suggested. Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 Carter looked at the rearview. "So are you an undercover angel or something? Waiting until the next bad soul comes around?" ---- "Something for him. Not for me." ,said Gary shadowess - April 3, 2021 The Angel looked away from the window to look at the mirror. "I'm exiled." he answered simply. "I was exiled fifty years ago. Angels aren't supposed to age." he explained. "I was a soldier. Deployed to Earth to hunt and destroy Demons." he shook his head and looked out of the window again. "I didn't agree with my orders so I deserted my position. My punishment for my empathy is to be trapped on Earth and to age as humans do. Only when I eventually die of old age, I will cease to exist...My wings don't even hold the power to burn Demons anymore." --- Sebastian nodded. "Ok." he gave Gary's shoulder a quick, gentle squeeze before leaving the room. He headed down to the cafeteria where he picked up a sandwich and a bottle of water for when Alex would wake up. He then headed back to the room and set them on the bedside table. He checked his watch to make sure he still had plenty of time then moved to sit in a nearby chair. "I'll stick around to make sure you're both safe. When it's my time to leave, I'll see if someone else can come over to watch over you two until the criminal is caught." --- Approximately thirty to forty minutes later, Alex groaned and turned his head. His eyes flickered open and landed on Gary. "Gary? Where-?" he looked around the room, at Sebastian then at the IV and blood bag. If that wasn't enough to remind him what had happened, the pain in his stomach soon did the trick. "Oh...yeah..." he groaned and shifted in the bed out of discomfort. "Try not to move too much. You don't want to pull the stitches." Sebastian said gently. "Well...this sucks..." Alex complained then looked over at Gary and gave him a weak smile, squeezing his hand a little. "Didn't scare ya too much, did I?" Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 "So, you're like Nate? Thrown out. Apparently, God sent him to ADIEU where he was experimented on and tortured. Supposedly, it was because he was either killing or fucking some of the other angels up there." Carter made it to the office. He got out of the car and escorted him inside. He took him upstairs where there was a private office room. He had him sit there and locked the door. He uncuffed him. Knowing that he couldn't do anything. Especially after hearing his story. He leaned against the desk. "Is there any way you can help me track this angel?" ---- Gary's voice was shaky. "You jackass." He kissed him deeply. Holding on for a moment before letting go. Shadowess - April 3, 2021 The Angel shook his head a little. "I don't know a Nate." he replied. "I don't know what ADIEU is either." Once they were in the office, the Angel sat on the chair and rubbed his wrists a little once the cuffs were off. He looked up at Carter as he asked if he could help him track the Angel in question. "I'm afraid I'm about as useful at tracking people as any human you might pull off the streets..." he shrugged. "However, I do have some information regarding that phrase that you mentioned." He looked down at his hands thoughtfully for a moment before delving into the story. "A few decades ago, a group of Angels rose up against everyone. They called themselves the 'Devine'. Spelled with an E. It was named after their leader, John Devine, who had a vision of ending all conflicts and poverty once and for all...by destroying Heaven and Hell and then purging Earth of all life bar his 'chosen few' selected to repopulate the world. He called this vision 'New Eden.'" He sighed and shook his head. "This group believed themselves to be higher than all others, including God. They were ruthless. They hunted human, Demon and Angel alike for their 'sins' then went out of their way to destroy them. Some unlucky few endured torture before being destroyed. Then I guess John's ego got too big for him. He and his followers decided they were ready to storm Hell... They didn't stand a chance. Especially in his realm. Lucifer destroyed all of them. But he saved John for last. He made him watch his follower's destruction one by one. Then personally tortured him senseless for ten years. Then publicly executed him on Earth to set an example." The Angel huffed a short laugh. "The Angels had a field day trying to erase that memory from all the human witnesses! That was probably the first and only time Heaven turned a blind eye to Lucifer destroying an Angel. Because it was within everyone's best interests." He looked up at Carter and nodded. "That phrase. Punishment Divine. That was what they used to say before carrying out a punishment or an assassination. It's like their pledge or something...I doubt they're making a comeback though. Most likely, you're looking for a copycat or some sort of sick fanatic." --- Alex chuckled weakly and kissed him back, not wanting to let him go. He looked at him, his eyes filling with tears. "I thought...I was afraid I wasn't going to see you again." his voice shook as he spoke. Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 "Do you think this copycat could be angel? Or a human that remembers all this?" ,asked Carter. He pulled out the note and handed it to him. "Somehow, somebody recalled that Alex was once a devil. The thing is, he's human now. And no one else knows about his existence except for my friends and me. How was the suspect able to find out?" ---- "Well, I'm right here and you're alive. And I don't care what anyone says because I'm going to get this bastard." ,said Gary. Shadowess - April 3, 2021 The Angel shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. You now know as much as I do." he replied. When Carter talked about Alex, the Angel rose his eyebrows while reaching over to take the note. "A Devil turned Human? Now that's new..." he commented, seemingly impressed with this achievement. Then he saw the Haiku and frowned. "He was a Blood God?" he looked back up at Carter in surprise then chortled. "It's no wonder he's human now then. Let me guess, you being his friends, had to force him into becoming human? Blood Gods are notorious for going mad with power. It's a wonder none of them last long. A Blood God who is both mad and intelligent would be a fearsome thing indeed." He frowned, looking over the note more carefully. "Haikus were never something the Devine did...this is new." he looked back up at Carter. "If whoever did this has telepathy then it might be very easy for them to figure who is what and what their history is without ever speaking to them." he handed the note back. --- Alex suddenly gripped Gary's hand tighter at his words and shook his head fearfully. "Please, don't. Gary, I don't think they're human. I don't know what they are but... I just have a really bad feeling about this...Also, I'm pretty sure the knife he stuck in me was Angelic steel. I don't know if he knew that I'm not a Devil anymore. Which means, for all I know, he didn't -just- want to kill me...he was trying to destroy my soul as well!" Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 Carter bit his lip. Staring at the note again. "This sounds bad." He sighed. "Guess this case is gonna get a lot more complicated." He nodded at him. "Thanks for the help. I can help try and reverse your aging process if you'd like." --- Gary kissed his forehead. "I promise you that I'll be fine." He stood from the chair. "I'll come back later." He stormed out of the room. Leaving the hospital. He started making his way to the park. With his pocket knife in his jacket, he could no doubt defend himself with it. He just wanted that bastard dead. Shadowess - April 4, 2021 The Angel gave Carter a sad smile. "I don't believe my condition can be halted. But thank you for the thought." he sighed. "That's alright though. By now I've already come to terms with my fate." he then nodded at the note in Carter's hand with a frown. "Whoever did this had time to write out a poem about it beforehand. That could only mean that this attack wasn't something that was spur of the moment...it was premeditated. They've probably been following your friend around for a while, waiting to catch them alone...I'd be very careful about how this gets handled if I were you." --- Alex watched Gary with worry and when he moved to leave the room, he tried calling after him. "Gary, wait!" but he was gone. He looked at Sebastian, who seemed to have already gotten his phone out and was nodding at Alex. "Don't worry, I've got this." he reassured Alex as he dialed Carter's number. "Carter, Alex is out of surgery and awake. Gary came by but has stormed out to look for the guy that attacked him. I think he's headed to the park. There's more..." he glanced at Alex, having been listening to the conversation. "Alex says he thinks the knife that was used on him was Angelic Steel. He thinks whoever did this might not have realized he has turned human and tried to destroy his soul as well as kill him." he sighs. "If that's the case then Alex is still in danger. They might come back to try and finish the job so I'm going to stay here with him until sunrise. Someone is going to have to take over my watch later though." Denix Vames - April 4, 2021 "Don't worry. I know how to take care of these kinds of cases. I've had enough experience by now." Carter answered his phone. "I'll get right on this situation. And don't worry. Nate will take over your shift. I've got to find Leo though. If anyone has his number then please have them give it to me. I'm not even sure he has phone. Maybe that building they're staying at does? Either way, I need to contact him about this." Nate appeared. "You called?" He flustered as he saw the dying angel in front of him. He looked away. "Uh....Why-?" "Long story. Just give him a sandwich for what he's done for this case. Make it good." Carter handed the angel his rosary back. "Got it." Nate handed him a sub that suddenly appeared. "And I need you to-" Nate disappeared before he could say anything else. Carter rolled his eyes. "Nate should be there now. I'm going to head to the park to fetch Gary." ---- Gary wandered around the park with his pocket knife out. Looking to see if there were any suspicious characters around.

Shadowess - April 1, 2021 "I'd say that's a pretty accurate description." Oscar chuckled. "More importantly, did you like it?" he took another sip of his wine. --- "Thank you." Cindy smiled. She leant forward and rested her head on his shoulder again, finding comfort in just being near him. "Thank you for everything." she said softly. Denix Vames - April 1, 2021 Leo thought about it. "I did." He smiled. "It was a new experience that wasn't painful this time." He cut a piece of meat off and placed it over a cracker with a piece of cheese on top. "Do you want some?" --- Kite held her hand. He brushed his thumb over it. "Your welcome." The doorbell rang. He got up and slowly made his way over. Opening the door, he grabbed the two bags and gave them to Cindy before grabbing his wallet from the bedroom. Hanging over twenty bucks to the delivery man who soon left with the money. He licked his lips. "That smell never gets old." shadowess - April 1, 2021 Oscar looked at Leo curiously. What an odd thing to say...what had this human gone through? When he was offered some of the cheese board, he smiled. "Ah, you know what? Go on then. It's not often that I get time to indulge myself." He said while looking over the food, wondering which he craved more, meat or apple. --- Cindy followed Kite to the door to help him get the food in. As she held the bags while Kite paid, she couldn't help looking at them curiously as she smelled the aroma coming from the food. She brought the bags over to the table and smiled at Kite's comment. "I have to admit, it does smell pretty good." She waited for Kite to divvy up the food as she was uncertain as to what went with what. Denix Vames - April 1, 2021 Leo nodded. He began cutting the cheese, apple, and meat. Setting up crackers with all kinds of combinations of the toppings. "If you don't mind me asking, what do you do for a living?" --- Kite closed the door. He sat next to her on the couch where he took out the food. Placing the containers on the table and setting the plastic bags aside. There were plastic forks and spoons that he put on top of the food. Napkins sat nearby with soy sauce packets. He opened up a container which held dumplings. "These are my favorite." He stuck the fork in. Taking one out and bringing it to her lips. "Blow on it though. It's probably hot." shadowess - April 1, 2021 Oscar watched Leo making up the little combinations with a small smile. When he asked his question though, his smile slipped a bit and he shifted a little, uncomfortably. "Uh...I'm a Punisher Demon. I seek out Souls in Hell who refuse to seek redemption and well...I punish them for the sins they committed while on Earth. The worse the sin, the more severe the punishment." He sighed a little. "Whenever I feel the work is taxing on me mentally, I come up to Earth to take a break from it all...I come to Earth often..." He admitted. When he'd first become a Demon, he'd loved his role as a Punisher Demon. But as time has gone on, he finds that he likes the job less and less. The less he likes the job, the more frequently he visits Earth. Particularly since the invention of Comic books then later video games. Those were his favorite form of escapism. --- Cindy watched him intently as he took the containers out of the bags and set them up on the table. When he took out a dumpling and said it was his favorite, she looked at it curiously. It didn't look very appetizing. It just looked like a pale, shriveled up bit of pastry. But then again, the smell coming from them was something else. When Kite lifted it to her lips and suggested she blow on it as it might be hot, she brought her eyes to his and smiled. Her cheeks turned pink as she pursed her lips and blew onto the dumpling while maintaining eye contact. She then took a slow bite out of the dumpling and chewed it slowly. Her eyes wandered to the floor as she took in it's strange flavor and texture. She swallowed it and smiled, her eyes lit up as she brought them back to Kite's. "It's so good!" Denix Vames - April 1, 2021 "So you finish my job? Good to know." Leo moved the tray a bit over near him. "I kill whoever's pure evil." --- Kite smiled. "I'm glad you like it." He ate the rest of it. He opened another container which revealed egg rolls. He placed one on a napkin. "This is some good shit here." He handed her the napkin. He started opening the other containers. Revealing rice, chow mein, and sweet and sour chicken. Shadowess - April 1, 2021 "Yeah...I saw your compass." Oscar commented with a nod. "You must've seriously impressed an Angel for them to just hand that over. Weapons among Angels are as common as they come but trinkets or tools like the one you have?" he shook his head. "Those are rare." --- Cindy was enjoying herself. She took the egg roll that Kite passed to her and tried that too, finding it just as delicious as the dumpling had been. As he introduced each dish, she tried a little of each of them. Learning that sweet and sour chicken was best eaten with the rice. She quickly found that Chinese food was a firm favorite and this little experience made her eager to try all sorts of different foods. Not having a huge appetite, it didn't take a lot of food to make her feel full and before long she was sitting back on the couch, feeling satisfied and even a little sleepy. "This stuff is so good." she chuckled. "I think I want to learn how to cook dishes like these." Denix Vames - April 1, 2021 Leo shrugged. "Some Angel named Patience didn't want me to kill criminals without knowing about their so called souls or hearts. So before I kill a criminal, I put it on their chest to see if they're evil or not. If they are, I kill them. If they aren't then the beating they took was enough for them to learn a lesson I guess." --- "I heard homemade Chinese food takes a bit longer to make so good luck with that." Kite scarved down some rice, chow mein, chicken, and everything else. Not finishing but eating most of it. Shadowess - April 1, 2021 "Hmm...never heard of her." Oscar shrugged. "It's not a bad idea though, to be fair. I get that bringing down evil people brings it's own level of satisfaction...but after torturing souls for so long...I sometimes find myself wondering if I'm really any better than them." He shrugged again. "Just be careful, is all I'm saying. While carrying out justice against those who would harm others, it can be so easy to lose your way yourself. The line between justice and revenge is very fine. So fine, that sometimes-" he looked Leo directly in the eye. "It just becomes impossible to see." --- Cindy chuckled at his comment. "Well, I'm sure with enough practice, I'll get the hang of cooking any dish quick enough." she said optimistically. Denix Vames - April 1, 2021 Leo raised a brow. "Well, that sounds ominous as fuck." He smiled. "But I can tell you that I'll be fine." He blushed at the eye contact. "I know what I'm doing." He sipped some wine. ---- "I'd say that's for sure. You always surprise me with something new." Kite sighed and pat his stomach as he had finished. He leaned his head against hers. "I feel like a stuffed pig." shadowess - April 1, 2021 Oscar half laughed at his comment. He had only meant it to be advice, not something to freak him out with. He smirked when he saw him blush again and watched him drink his wine. "Good. Because I'd really rather not see you wind up as another damned soul to punish." He stretched a little and stood up, his eyes wandering about the room. "I wonder if this place has a hot tub somewhere. That'd be awesome. Now -that- is how you relax!" --- Cindy blushed when he leant his head against hers then giggled at his comment. "That makes two of us." She kissed him slowly and tenderly, still tasting some of the Chinese food on his lips. She then grinned at him cheekily. "So, how's about we go and be a couple of pigs in blankets?" she giggled a little at her own pun as her cheeks turned pink. Denix Vames - April 1, 2021 Leo ate another cracker. This time with cheese and meat. He nervously cleared his throat. "What's a hot tub?" --- Kite chuckled. "I wouldn't mind." They headed into the bedroom where he carefully sat on the bed. Shadowess - April 1, 2021 Oscar looked at Leo in surprise. How sheltered had this guy been? He felt his own cheeks warming up. "Uh...well, it's sort of like a cross between a pool and a bath. The water's hot...obviously, and there's usually jets in it to make bubbles to help you relax. You sit in it either alone or with friends...you can wear swimming trunks while in it or go in nude...depending on how close you are with people you're going to be sitting with." He could feel himself getting hotter under the collar as he explained. "Couples occasionally use them to have fun in...uh, they're usually in big houses like this one or really fancy hotels and resorts." He shrugged. "I'm guna go take a look around. See if I can find one...Feeling the hot water and jets would be so good right now." --- Following him into the bedroom, Cindy sat next to him on the bed and smiled at him. She knew he might be limited because of his injury, but if he wanted any fun then she had a few ideas as to how they could still have some without risking him getting hurt. She leaned in and pressed her lips against his, lifting a hand to caress his cheek. Denix Vames - April 1, 2021 Leo's face grew more red as he listened. He awkwardly played with his thumbs. "I don't have a bathing suit." He slowly lifted his head up. "So does that mean the gas baths improved?" --- Kite placed his hand over her waist. Kissing her deeply and slow. Shadowess - April 2, 2021 Oscar looked back at Leo and smirked with his own face turning a little red. "Neither do I..." he then blinked at the question. "Gas baths?...wait, how old are you?" he asked. If he was talking about how Victorians used to heat their baths then that would make this 'human' very old, despite his appearance. --- Cindy moved a little closer to him as she kissed him. His hand on her waist sent excited shivers up her spine. She kept her hand on his cheek while her other hand wandered to his shirt, slipping underneath to feel his abdomen and hips. Denix Vames - April 2, 2021 Leo shrugged. "I'm not sure. I lost track of time when I was....busy." He stood. "We should go find this hot tub." --- Kite moaned at her touch. He moved his lips to her neck. His hand slid to her thigh. Shadowess - April 2, 2021 The more Leo referred to his past, the more curious Oscar grew about him. He nodded and they began wandering the mansion. It didn't take them long to find the indoor swimming pool. Close to that was the sauna, what looked to be a massage parlour and finally, the hot tub. "Good God!" Oscar exclaimed at their discovery. "That Ricky guy was a huge asshole but he knew how to live!" He turned to Leo with a grin. "Now -this- is how you relax! C'mon let's take a dip!" He said eagerly and without waiting, he began to strip. The only piece of clothing he left on were his boxer shorts. He then hurried excitedly over to the hot top and eased himself into it, letting out a happy sigh as he settled into the seat. --- Cindy let out a shaky breath with a smile as she tilted her head back a little, loving the feeling of his lips on her neck. She then shivered and moaned a little when she felt his hand on her thigh. "Oh, Kite..." She breathed, closing her eyes and running a hand through his hair. Her hand that was under his shirt wandered down to his trousers where she ran a finger around, just under them until her hand reached the button and zipper. She began to slowly undo his pants. Denix Vames - April 2, 2021 Leo blushed as he watched him take his clothes off. He hesitantly nodded. "Uh ok." He began taking off his own clothes. Revealing his muscled chest. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist when he took off his briefs. He walked over to the hot tub. Hesitantly, he dipped a toe into the tub. --- Kite reached under her shirt. Bringing it close to her bra. He moved his lips to her collarbone. Continuing to moan as he felt her touch his pants. Shadowess - April 2, 2021 Oscar was almost thankful that the water was so warm as it gave him a good excuse for his cheeks being so red as he watched Leo undress. He couldn't help admiring his physique. He also couldn't help his imagination taking a wander as he watched Leo wrap a towel around himself. When he saw Leo dipping his toe into the water, he chuckled. "It's pretty hot but you get used to it quick enough once you're in. It helps to soothe and relax you're muscles." --- Feeling his hand under her shirt, gliding over her skin made her moan a little again. She bit her lip excitedly as his hand got closer to her bra. His lips moving down to her collarbone brought more shivers, filling her with desire. Once his pants were undone, she moved her hands to his shirt to take it off him. She wanted to give him more pleasure than she'd ever given anyone. She might have to be careful but that didn't mean she couldn't still absolutely blow his mind. She smiled at him seductively as she gently and slowly pushed his shoulder to make him lay down. She then knelt over him and she began kissing him from his neck, down to his collar, then to his chest, then stomach...all while taking a hold of his pants by either side of his hips and beginning to slowly pull them down as she worked her kisses down his body... (Private Time) Denix Vames - April 2, 2021 Leo nodded. "I guess I'll try this out." He put one leg in then jumped back at the heat. He tried again. Thinking about how less painful this was compared to the torture he went through with ADIEU. He went further in until he was sitting down. Trying to keep the towel over his crotch which was feeling heavy and seemingly attempting to float up. "I really wish I had some shorts." shadowess - April 2, 2021 Oscar couldn't help staring as Leo stepped into the hot tub. He watched him with a small smirk as he tried to keep himself covered under the water. He leant back in his seat and rested his arms along the sides of the tub, tilting his head back a bit and closing his eyes. Enjoying the feeling of the hot water and the jets. "Try to relax. I'm sure the bubbles do a decent job of keeping you covered and even if they don't I promise not to look." He then opened his eyes to look at Leo and smirked cheekily. "Not unless you want me to." he said with a wink before closing his eyes again and settling into his seat. Denix Vames - April 2, 2021 Leo nervously messed with the towel. "O-Ok..." He let the towel go. Letting it float away. He slowly moved his legs. Leaning back the same way so that he could feel relaxed. But his face was still red and he kept thinking a lot about Oscar. "So this is relaxing? It feels weird. I haven't had a vacation in such a long time. I use to play Bottles or Chase with my....my family." shadowess - April 2, 2021 Oscar opened his eyes when Leo finished speaking. His head still tilted back so that his eyes would be staring upwards when he opened them. He stared at the ceiling for a long moment in silence as he thought about Leo's words. As well as all the little comments Leo had been coming out with up until this point. "You miss them." he said softly. "I can tell by your tone that they're no longer around...I'm sorry for your loss." He brought his head back up but made sure to keep his eyes on Leo's so as to not make him uncomfortable. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked gently, letting Leo know that he would be willing to listen if he needed someone to confide in. Denix Vames - April 2, 2021 Leo shook his head. Holding back tears. His voice was almost shaky when spoke again. "I don't want to remember. It was horrible. What happened to them was....Sometimes I wish I could see them. Tell them that I'm sorry." shadowess - April 2, 2021 Oscar studied him for a long moment with a frown. He didn't know Leo's story but he could tell by the way that he spoke that he held an awful amount of guilt in his heart. He sighed and tilted his head back once more, closing his eyes again. "If it's any consolation, Heaven has skilled therapists to help traumatized souls to cope with their passing and forgive those who wronged them during their life. They're very big on forgiveness apparently..." he shrugged. "I dated an Angel a few decades ago...in secret...before we were found out and he-..." he sighed heavily. "I really hope this peace thing works out..." Denix Vames - April 2, 2021 Leo bit his lip. "I'm sorry about what happened to him." He raised a brow at what he said next. "What peace thing?" shadowess - April 2, 2021 Oscar nodded a little in thanks. At Leo's question, he waved a hand lazily. "Long story short? Heaven and Hell have been at war practically since not long after the birth of mankind...Lucifer ruled Hell for most of that time and then a while ago he just up and vanished without a word. He picked out an heir and began training him to rule Hell in his stead...That heir ruled Hell for a few years after Lucifer vanished and seemed to be a double of Lucifer mentality wise...then he adopted a sister...then I guess she made him turn soft... he let his guard down and got himself murdered...his sister destroyed his murderer and took the throne... and now she's working on finally ending the war by brokering peace between Heaven and Hell." Denix Vames - April 2, 2021 "Wow...! I think I'm glad that I'm not a devil or angel." Leo eyed him accidentally. "So, what do we do now? Do we just sit here? Talk? I'm not sure how to do this." shadowess - April 2, 2021 Oscar shrugged. "It's definitely no picnic to be either while there's still a war going on...Half the time, when an Angel and Demon bump into each other on Earth, a fight breaks out...it usually results in one or both parties being killed or destroyed...it can be pretty brutal and finding friends among the opposing side is rare...almost non existent. There's a lot of distrust..." When Leo asked his question, Oscar opened his eyes and lowered his head again to look at him curiously. A little confused and caught off guard by the question. "What do you mean?" he tilted his head a little. "Do what?" Denix Vames - April 2, 2021 Leo nodded at the tub. "Well, we're just sitting here. And I really don't know else what to talk about. I'm not really great at socializing. Sorry." shadowess - April 2, 2021 Oscar chuckled at his awkwardness. He shrugged. "The whole point of the hot tub is to relax. If chatting is what makes you feel comfortable enough to relax then feel free to chat. But if sitting in silence and just basking in the moment is what helps to put you at ease then do that. You don't have to find things to talk about when you're among friends. The best kind of company is the kind where you can sit together without needing to talk. Just simply enjoying each other's company." He sat up, lowering his arms back into the tub. "We could do something else if that makes you more comfortable?" Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 Leo shrugged. "I don't know what else we could do. I think talking and sitting here is nice." He sighed. "I'm really but it's hard to relax at all." He grabbed the towel and covered his crotch as he stood. "I think I'll get dressed and explore this place. I feel like I'm just ruining your day." He grabbed his clothes and headed to a different room to dry off and change. Shadowess - April 3, 2021 Oscar frowned when Leo said he felt like he was ruining his day. When he grabbed the towel to cover himself and got out, he couldn't help staring at the water on his body, the steam rising off him from the hot water, then his backside as he turned around. He didn't want Leo to feel the way he did so he got out of the tub as well and followed him, not realizing that the water was causing his shorts to cling keenly to his shape, or that a certain part of his body was currently stood to attention. "Wait." he called after him, "You weren't ruining anything." he started then paused, looking Leo over once more. At the towel keeping him covered. Bringing his eyes back up to Leo's, he smirked. "Maybe, before you can relax, you need to tire yourself out somehow?" he suggested in a playful tone. Despite his calm appearance, his heart was hammering in his chest. He wasn't used to things like this and was nervous he would be rejected. Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 Leo turned to him. He blushed at the sight of him but frowned. "I loved someone once and failed them. I don't want to do that to you too." shadowess - April 3, 2021 Oscar's smirk slipped at his words and he thought for a moment. "I-...I know how that feels. But I'm pretty good a defending myself if I need to and I'm sure you are too. We're fighters and punishers. It's what we do." he shrugged. "But if you don't want to risk getting hurt...or hurting me, we could always just start out as a physical thing? No strings attached." Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 "You don't get it!" Leo looked away. "Even if we were to just do it, I'd give more of a shit about you because of it." He shut his eyes as tears fell. He could hardly speak without sounding shaky. "I want to love again but I don't know if I even deserve it." shadowess - April 3, 2021 Oscar felt awful. Like he was to blame for Leo feeling this way. He opened his mouth to say something but faltered and looked to the ground to rethink what he wanted to say. "You're talking to a Demon that tortures souls day in and day out about deserving love..." he half laughed, although his laughter was sad. There was a long silent pause before Oscar spoke again. His own voice sounding a little broken. "It's my fault...we got found out because I was careless." He turned and walked towards the door. "They tortured and destroyed him because he fell in love with me...I am no better than the souls that I torture. But who will torture me?" he left the room quietly, heading towards one of the bedrooms and wanting to be alone. Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 Leo got dressed. He went into the kitchen. He looked at the mask before throwing it aside. It hit the floor. With anger boiling in his blood, he started destroying cabinets by either tearing off the little doors or punching a hole through them. He smashed bottles and shoved items on the counter off. Letting them hit the floor. He soon sat against the bottom cabinets. Hugging his legs as he rested his head over his knees. Silently crying as he thought about what Oscar said. He wondered if he had any right to kill those criminals. After what he had done in the past, was he any better than them? Shadowess - April 3, 2021 Oscar sat on the huge bed with his knees pulled up. His back against the headrest and his head tilted back a bit to stare at the ceiling as tears slid down the sides of his face. Talking about his past had dragged up all the memories he'd been trying so hard to repress. He could still see his face. The way the sunlight would shimmer on his wings as he stretched them. His beautiful blue eyes that sometimes looked a little purple. The short, black curls that clung to his head. That smile that always melted his heart. Oscar lay down. He wept quietly and bitterly into the pillow. It had been decades but the wound that was left was deep. He heard the crashes coming from downstairs but he didn't move. He didn't want anyone to see him like this, least of all Leo. Maybe sticking around on Earth wasn't such a good idea... Maybe he should just go back to Hell and pretend none of this happened... take his frustrations out on Ricky and Rickster and punish them severely for what they did to him...when he could pull himself together, of course. Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 Leo let out a frustrated scream. Unable to hold his pain any longer. He sobbed uncontrollably. Wanting the memories to be something that he could move on from. He laid on his side. Continuing to scream near the mask and the mess that surrounded him. He hated that he made Oscar feel awful. He hated that he killed his own family and so many innocent people. And he hated becoming the monster he once was. Shadowess - April 3, 2021 Oscar heard Leo screaming and lifted his head to look in the direction of the door. He sighed and sat up, wiping his tears away. His eyelids were red from crying. He wandered over to the wardrobe and pulled out some clothes. Putting them on and ignoring the fact that he was still a bit damp. He still wanted to leave but he didn't want to leave Leo in this state. Not when he felt responsible for him feeling this way. "I shouldn't have come on to him..." he whispered to himself bitterly as he headed out of the room and followed the sound of the screaming. He found Leo in the kitchen and sighed at the state of everything. Quietly, he walked over to Leo and sat next to him. Gently, he pulled him up and into his arms to hold him. "Shh, breathe. It's ok, just take some deep breaths." he said in a comforting tone. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come on to you like that. If you're not ready, then you're not ready and there's nothing wrong with that...I know these things take time...I didn't mean to seem pushy..." Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 Leo buried his head on his shoulder. He grasped his shirt. Squeezing as he desperately wished for some form of comfort. Oscar was the right answer at the moment. He suddenly kissed him. Seeking for the pain to go away. To forget about the memories. He didn't care if he didn't deserve love. He was tired of punishing himself. Tired of the past. Shadowess - April 3, 2021 When Leo kissed him, Oscar was taken aback. At first, he kissed back out of reflex then he pulled away a bit to stare at Leo questioningly. Then, quickly giving into his desire, he kissed Leo again. He kissed him hard and passionately while pulling him close so that their bodies pressed against each other. He slipped his tongue into his mouth and gently but firmly pushed him down to lay on the floor while he lay on top of him. Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 Leo moaned into the kisses. He dug his hands under his shirt. Touching his chest. Shadowess - April 3, 2021 Feeling his hands on his skin, Oscar moaned as well. He briefly broke the kiss to tear his shirt off then bent back down to continue kissing him. One hand slipped under him to the small of his back and pulled Leo's hips up to press them against his own while his other hand wandered up Leo's thigh. He began kissing from Leo's lips, down to his neck and gently nibbling as he did. Denix Vames - April 3, 2021 Leo's hot breath came out in low moans. He was melted in his grasp. He started undoing his own belt and zipper. "Fuck..." He almost found it hard to believe that this was happening. But he loved every second of it. Shadowess - April 3, 2021 Hearing his moans spurred Oscar on. He stuck his tongue out and ran it back up from his collarbone, up his neck, to his earlobe where he nibbled it gently for a moment. Kissing and sucking on it a little. He then kissed from his earlobe, across his jawline, his cheek, then back to his mouth. He slipped his tongue back into his mouth and kissed him passionately. As he did all this, he unbuckled his own pants. If there was one thing Oscar knew how to do and could do well, it was make this kind of passion last all night. Which is exactly what he intended to do with Leo. (Private time) --- Sebastian awoke later that night and watched Carter sleeping peacefully. Feeling his hunger begin to grow and finding he could once again smell his blood like he used to when they first met, he carefully got out of bed, not wanting to wake him. He headed downstairs towards the kitchen and saw that by now, Jessica had fallen asleep sat up on the couch. Neva was laying down and resting her head on Jessica's lap, also asleep. He couldn't see anyone else yet. Maybe everyone was asleep? It felt a little odd to be the only one awake for once. He headed into the kitchen and pulled out a blood bag, sinking his fangs into it and beginning to drink.

Denix Vames - March 31, 2021 Leo blushed. He nervously chuckled. "Sure. I wouldn't mind beating you." --- Kite's grip on her grew tight. "Cindy, we need to set up rules. You can't stay in a place any longer than you have to. And when it seems like shit's about to hit the fan then you have to teleport back here no matter what. I can make a call to the police station about this. Obviously, I can't mention the whole angel feather thing but I can say he has a thing for feathers." shadowess - March 31, 2021 Oscar grinned, enjoying seeing his cheeks turn pink. "Oooh! That's fighting talk! You're on!" he chuckled as he took the game back to the character selection screen to pick new characters. "Mkay, I think I'll go with Kano this time." --- Cindy buried her face in Kite's shoulder as he held her tightly. When he told her the rules to keep her safe and said he'd report it to the police, she nodded. "Ok." She said, her voice cracking a little as she struggled to hold back tears. "I just wanted to know what it was like to be human..." she said sadly. "To live a human life...Even if I just had to pretend...How can I do that with some psycho stalker waving a feather in my face and reminding me of what I am?..." Denix Vames - March 31, 2021 Leo moved the glowing box around. "I think I'll go with douchebag this time." ---- "Don't worry. We'll get that son of a bitch." Kite kissed her head. "Just try to relax. I'm going to make a phone call." He made his way into the bedroom where he called up the secretary at the station to let them know what's been going on and to give the message to the Captain. Shadowess - March 31, 2021 Oscar grinned, genuinely having fun. He took a quick sip of his wine before the fight started, having almost forgotten it was even there. This time around, Oscar put up more of a fight. Using the combo's he knew to try to win. He laughed when one of them triggered the 'Toasty' guy to pop up, almost forgetting that that was a thing and being so surprised and amused when he saw it that his concentration slipped momentarily. --- Cindy tried a smile when Kite reassured her. When he told her to relax while he made the call, she nodded and headed over to the couch to sit down, breath and calm down a bit. She quickly wiped away her tears before they could fall and took some deep breaths to help hold them back. When Kite was done and he came back through, she looked up at him. "How is your leg? Feeling any better?" she asked, just wanting to take her mind off of what had happened. Denix Vames - March 31, 2021 Leo was weirded out and surprised by the Toasty guy. However, he quickly pushed some buttons. Finding himself even more surprised by Johnny hitting the guy's dick with his fist. "I wonder if I can do that move in real life?" ---- Kite shrugged. "It's doing fine." He sat next to her. He held her hand. "Hey, I could call for some takeout if you don't feel like doing anything. It's no problem." shadowess - March 31, 2021 "Oof! Low blow!" Oscar laughed when he saw Johnny nut shot Kano. When Leo wondered if he could do that in real life, Oscar winced at the thought. "It's effective for sure, but there aint no honor in it." he chuckled. He quickly pressed a few buttons, making his character perform jump kicks and spins. ---- Cindy rested her head on his shoulder as he held her hand and when he offered to order takeout, she looked at the floor thoughtfully. "I don't know...I kinda feel worn out but I also sort of want to do something to keep my mind off it..." She shrugged her shoulders, indecisive as she brought her eyes back up to look into his. Denix Vames - March 31, 2021 Leo shrugged. "I think I'll use it when shit gets tough." His character did some jumps and punches. --- Kite kissed her slowly. Caressing her cheek. "We could do this all day. Being close and only thinking about each other." shadowess - March 31, 2021 Leo's character managed to hit Oscar's character in mid-air, knocking him down and reducing his health bar to zero. "Oh, what?!" Oscar exclaimed as he watched his character stand in one spot and sway their head in circles as the words 'Finish Him!' were announced. "Damn! You're a fast learner..." he chuckled. --- When Kite kissed her, Cindy kissed him back. The way he kissed her and caressed her cheek was so sweet and tender, she didn't want it to end. When the kiss broke and he said they could do this all day, she looked into his eyes again and found herself utterly captivated by him. She bit her lower lip, wanting to kiss him again. Wanting his arms around her. To feel his body against hers. "I think I'd like that." she whispered, leaning in to recapture his lips with hers. Denix Vames - March 31, 2021 Leo smiled. "I've been able to learn many things when I was....Well, let's just say I am a fast learner." He didn't know how to do the fatality for this character so he ended up punching him instead. "Guess I'll have to do that special move next time." ---- Kite kissed her again. He placed his hand on her waist. "So, what kind of food were you thinking? Maybe I should call a pizza place? Chinese?" shadowess - March 31, 2021 Oscar looked over at Leo when he trailed off momentarily before finishing by simply agreeing that he was a fast learner. He rose a brow but didn't push the matter as it was clear that it was a touchy subject. He watched his character get punched, ending the match and he chuckled as he picked up his wine glass. "Yeah, I think some moves take a little practice." he said as he took a sip and sat back on the couch, relaxing a bit. "Did you want another match or do you want to do something else for a while?" --- Cindy loved being so close to him. Feeling his hand on her waist. The way he made her feel. She was no stranger to lust, but this? This was definitely different. When he asked what kind of food they should order, she had to think a moment. "I'm not sure. Most foods are still new to me...The only foods I'm really familiar with are the ones that could be used for-...um...well..." her cheeks turned red and she bit her lip with a bashful smile. "Let's just say, they weren't for eating..." She giggled, and buried her head in his shoulder shyly. "Maybe you could pick something? I'm happy to try anything new." she suggested. Denix Vames - March 31, 2021 Leo set the controller down. "I think I rather try these new snacks. Never had them before." He cut the apple with precision and ease. He took some cheese and placed it on a cracker before putting an apple slice on top then shoved it down his mouth. Chewing it. ---- Kite blushed. "Oh! Well um....I guess I'll order Chinese then." He called up from his contacts as he had kept the local Chinese place in record. Ordering some chow mein, rice, sweet and sour chicken, dumplings, and egg rolls. Shadowess - March 31, 2021 "Fair enough. I think I'll just keep drinking some wine and relax for a bit." Oscar yawned a little, already feeling relaxed. He placed his controller onto the little table near them and sat back to sip his wine as he watched Leo try the cheese and apple combination. Interested to see what he makes of it. --- Seeing his reaction only made Cindy giggle more. She sat back while she waited for him to place the order and wondered what those foods looked like, what they smelled like and what they tasted like. Denix Vames - March 31, 2021 Leo paused when he swallowed the snack. "It tastes....different." He took a sip of his glass. "And so does this. It's hard to describe what I've never had before. Maybe sweet and salty?" ---- Kite set the phone down. "The order will be here soon. I'm sure you'll like something."

Shadowess - March 30, 2021 Sebastian smiled at his comment. "Funny, sometimes I think the same about me deserving you..." he chuckled. Keeping an arm around his shoulders, he turned to walk him to the bedroom. "Ok." he said as he walked with him. Once in the bedroom, he closed the door behind them and moved to sit with him on the bed. Just holding him quietly for now. Letting him relax and giving him time to cry if he needed to. He'd wait patiently until Carter felt ready to talk to him. "Take as much time as you need. I'm right here." he whispered to him gently, kissing his head again while he rubbed his back. --- Feeling better after a very hot shower, Oscar still had a little steam rising off his skin as he made his way downstairs. Dressed in the clothes he found in the wardrobe, he was still rubbing his hair dry with a towel when he stepped into the kitchen and paused at the sight of Leo eating a block of cheese. He smirked in amusement. "If you slice it up, it goes really well with apple slices and crackers." he suggested as he made his way over to the fridge to see what was in there. "Bonus!" he said, pulling out a board of deli meats. "Now, all we need is some fruit preserve and wine, then we've got a classic cheeseboard." Denix Vames - March 30, 2021 Carter cried in his arms as he thought about what happened Neva. "I thought I almost lost her. Another child. Just like...." ---- Leo blushed as he was caught by Oscar. He felt himself blushing even more at the sight of him. "I'll go look for some." He went through the cabinets and found cracks. He opened the fridge. Taking out an apple. Shadowess - March 30, 2021 When Carter trailed off, Sebastian frowned and gave him a gentle squeeze. "I know..." he whispered while stroking his hair. "I know...But she's alright. She's safe now and I can only assume you are to thank for that." --- Oscar saw Leo's cheeks turning red and he maintained his smirk. When he turned around to look through the cabinets, Oscar took a moment to subtly look him over before moving towards the door at the back of the room. When he opened it up, there were dozens of wine racks, most of which were filled with expensive bottles of wine. He picked out a bottle of white wine that would go well with what they'd be eating and set it on the island cabinet in the kitchen. He then moved to a cupboard and took out two wine glasses, pouring a glass each for them. "Depending on whether you like sweet with salty or just prefer savory tastes, you could either try a slice of cheese on a cracker with an apple slice on top or you could have cracker, cheese and meat. Personally, I prefer either. Both are pretty good combinations." he carefully slid the second glass of wine down the island counter to Leo. Denix Vames - March 30, 2021 "Oscar took us back. Nate was the one who healed her. I just....I couldn't do anything." He began to shake. "Just like before." ---- Leo took his mask off. Setting it on the kitchen counter. He placed a small knife on the tray as he put the block of cheese, apple, crackers, and deli meat on there as well. "Good to know." He took the glass. "We should take this to the living room unless he's got four of those." shadowess - March 30, 2021 Sebastian didn't know what had actually happened. He'd only been told that Neva almost died. He had no idea that Carter had been the one to reach her first. That he'd called the others into action, probably causing them to react as quick as they did and saving Neva's life. Sebastian thought on his words with a frown. Continuing to stroke his hair as he gently kissed his head once more. "I don't know what happened." Sebastian admits. "But I do know that, regardless of how Neva was saved, she's alive now and safe. And if you couldn't do anything for her then, then maybe you could do something for her now. You're not alone here Carter, we're all in this together. We all look out for each other and we each have a role to play. Oscar...whoever that is...got Neva to safety. Nate healed her wounds. And you? You could help her recover. She looked like she was still in shock downstairs. She might be having trouble coping. So, it might help her to know she can open up and talk to us if she needs to. That she's not alone and that we've all been through hardships that might help us to understand what she's going through. What do you think?" --- It was Oscar's turn to blush a little as Leo took off his mask and he saw more of his face. He nodded, lifting his own glass and beginning to walk to Leo through the mansion. "I thought a saw a living room to the left." he mentioned as they walked. "There was a bar and a huge ass TV in there at least." he chuckled. "So, what's with the outfit? If you don't mind me asking." Denix Vames - March 30, 2021 Carter thought for a moment. He nodded. "Y-Yeah. I think I could do that." ---- Leo followed him. "I don't want people to know who I am or see me so easily. Black was the only color that made sense." They soon reached the living room where he set the tray on the table and his glass. Shadowess - March 30, 2021 Sebastian smiled. "I think you'd do great. There's no rush though. The woman downstairs seems to be doing an ok job...In fact, I'm pretty sure I can smell hot chocolate being made. Take your time. Make sure you're alright before you do anything else." --- "Plus it hides blood stains as an added bonus." Oscar chuckled. "So, what? Are you like some sort of super hero or something?" he asked curiously. He spent enough time travelling between Hell and Earth to know how Earth runs. Whenever he'd visit Earth he always managed to end up reading a comic book or two. But seeing someone on Earth who literally hides their identity and fights crime? That was new. "Oh, sweet!" Oscar exclaimed when they entered the living room and saw the huge TV. Specifically, he was excited about the games consoles in the display cabinets underneath it. All ranging from the oldest to the very newest. "You wana play mortal combat or something?" he grinned at Leo. Denix Vames - March 30, 2021 Carter buried his face against his chest. "Thank you. I...." He looked at him. "I'm glad you're here." He kissed him slowly. Savoring the moment. ---- "I don't like to label myself as anything. I'm just doing what I think is best." He sat on the couch and raised a brow. "Mortal Kombat? What's that?" shadowess - March 31, 2021 Sebastian smiled gently and when Carter kissed him, he kissed him back. He moved his hand from his hair to cup his cheek as they kissed and when the kiss eventually broke, he rested his head against Carter's. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be." he whispered to him. --- "Fair enough." Oscar said with a shrug. He then grinned at the question. "I'll bet you'd like it." He said as he walked over to the cabinet and set up the game. "Here." he said as he passed him a controller. He then sat on the couch and turned on the tv and set the channel to see the game title playing. "Let's see who can get the most wins." he grinned. Denix Vames - March 31, 2021 Carter closed his eyes. Relaxing in his arms. He soon fell asleep. ---- Leo took the controller. He looked at it curiously. Checking under and around it to see what it was. "I'll try but I've never played games like this before." He saw the characters on the display screen. "Looks like the only white guy is a douchebag." He shrugged. "They're not wrong." shadowess - March 31, 2021 Sebastian continued to hold Carter, even as he watched him fall asleep. He smiled at his peaceful features. Careful not to wake him, he brushed some of his hair out of his face while looking at him lovingly. Gently, he lifted him into his arms and placed him onto the bed so that his head rested on the pillow. Keeping his arm around his shoulders, he lay next to him, cuddling up to him and closed his eyes. Finally able to get some sleep as well, now that he knew Carter was safe and close by. --- "It's pretty easy to get the hang of. We'll do a few practice runs so you can get used to the controls." Oscar said as he looked over the characters. When he heard Leo's comment, he couldn't help laughing. "Personally, I like Scorpion. But to make things fair, I guess we could rotate through the different characters when we start a new match so you can figure out which character you prefer." He said as he selected Scorpion. --- Cindy left work just as the sky was beginning to darken. There weren't many people about as she walked down the street. She could always teleport back home but she wanted to try the human way of doing things for a while. She found the walk to be peaceful as she headed in the direction of Kite's apartment. She took out her phone, slowing her pace a little so that she could concentrate on typing out a text to Kite; 'Just finished work. On my way over. Looking forward to cooking for you again. xxx' Smiling, she put her phone back into her purse and glanced dreamily up at the sky. Maybe this will work out. Maybe she could get used to this life and have a happy lifetime with Kite. That would be nice. To forget the thing that she is. To put behind her every terrible thing she'd ever done and just...start over....Could it really be this easy? She came to a slow stop and looked ahead of her with a frown. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and something in her gut told her she was being watched. That she should be wary of her surroundings. She tried to probe for nearby thoughts that might give away anyone watching her with ill intent but she picked up nothing. But the feeling didn't subside. She looked around her, trying to spot anyone that might be watching her but she couldn't see anything. Her heart beat a little faster. 'Maybe I'm just being paranoid?' she thought, still feeling uneasy as she began to walk again. She picked up her speed a bit, hoping to get to Kite's faster. Worst comes to worst, she could always teleport. Denix Vames - March 31, 2021 Carter started shaking and mumbling as he dreamed of that terrible night. His family's death. ---- "Then I guess I pick her." Leo moved a button to the only woman in the display. ---- Kite replied, 'Can't wait to try out your new dishes. ' shadowess - March 31, 2021 Sebastian's eyes flickered open when Carter began mumbling and he watched him for a moment with a frown. He carefully pulled him into his embrace and kissed the side of his head gently. "You're ok. Everything is ok. I'm here and I love you." he whispered into his ear then kissed his cheek tenderly. --- "Sonya." Oscar nodded. "Alright, let's see how we do." They started the match. Oscar gave Leo plenty of room and opportunity to learn what his character could do. Occasionally he'd point out button combinations to show Leo the cool moves their character's could do. When Leo had managed to whittle his character's health down to zero, he then told Leo how to perform a 'Fatality' move to end the round. --- While walking and still looking around her uneasily, she heard her phone make a noise from her purse. She stopped to pull it out and check it. Reading what Kite had sent made her smile and she locked her phone and placed it back into her purse. As she looked up, she saw a light haired male ahead of her that hadn't been there earlier. He was leaning against the wall just on the corner of an alley and staring at her with a malicious grin. She glanced around quickly and realized the street was deserted. She watched as he took his hand out of his jacket pocket, bringing out a white feather and caressed his own cheek with it while making eye contact with her. She shivered, her breath catching in her throat. No, this had to be some kind of crazy coincidence. He could just be some random psycho with a fetish for feathers...She didn't fancy taking her chances though. Trying to appear calm and also making sure to keep him within her sight, she doubled back and headed to the nearest crossing. She briefly looked away from him to make sure she could cross the road safely and when she reached the other side of the road, she looked back. He was gone. She looked around her wildly for a moment, feeling like she was being toyed with. A little freaked out, she hurriedly made her way to Kite's apartment where she knocked on the door a little faster than she intended. Still looking behind her to make sure she was definitely alone, a little out of breath from practically power walking there and praying Kite opened the door quickly. Wanting to feel safe in his presence. Denix Vames - March 31, 2021 Carter soon calmed down by his touch. ---- Leo did the fatality. He was surprised to find that lady blowing a kiss which turned into the opponent burning to death until they were a skeleton. "Geez. That's pretty brutal." ---- Kite opened the door. His smile soon faltered when he saw her expression. He frowned. "Cindy? What's wrong? What happened? Are you alright?" He wrapped an arm around her as she pressed herself against him. Shadowess - March 31, 2021 Happy that Carter seemed calmer, Sebastian settled back down to sleep. Keeping his arm around Carter as he did. --- Oscar chuckled at his reaction. "Yep! Thank god, it's only a game, huh? Want another match? It'll be a proper one this time. I won't go easy on you." he winked with a cheeky smirk. --- When Kite opened the door, Cindy hurried in and made sure the door was closed behind her before hugging Kite. She was still shivering a little but she sighed with relief once she felt his arm around her. "I'm not sure..." She admitted. "It could be nothing...I might just be imagining things...but-" She quickly told him about her walk back. About how she felt like she was being watched. How the guy just seemed to appear while she wasn't looking and then similarly disappear when she looked away for half a second. About the feather. "If it's an Angel feather, they can burn a demon's skin...if a feather is forced into a Demon's heart...they're destroyed...they just...cease to exist." She shivered, recalling how close she'd been to being turned to dust by the Angel at the hospital.

shadowess - March 29, 2021 Hearing the scream and the gunshot, Rickster jumped up from the couch he was sitting on. His heart pounding. He watched the guards running up the stairs and knew whoever was breaking in hadn't come in via conventional means. Which means they teleported in...perhaps he should've checked up on Oscar a lot sooner. While the guards began firing rounds upstairs, Rickster backed up towards the back door. He opened it up and ran out. As he began running down the garden path, he ground to a halt, catching Neva's scent. He grinned maliciously as he imagined standing behind her. Neva had been watching Rickster nervously and when he suddenly stopped in his tracks and vanished, she'd gasped. Her eyes wide and looking around frantically to see where he'd teleported to. Before she could see him, he'd grabbed her, lifting her off her feet and she screamed. "Hello Kitten." he chuckled. "You're going to be my meat shield today." --- "I think more than just Rickster heard that!" Tom said as he became aware of the thundering footsteps of several guards running in their direction. He held his knife at the ready. The first couple ran through the door and Tom ran at one of them, using his inhuman speed to run up and slice at them before they could begin firing their gun. Oscar teleported behind another and snapped their neck. He then aimed his hand out of the door. "Stand back!" he warned the others before firing a controlled jet of flames through the door to clear them a path out of the room. Hearing a scream, Tom looked out of the window and his eyes widened. "Rickster's in the garden! He's got Neva!" --- "Let me go!" Neva had cried out, panicking. Tears began to fall as she struggled in his grip. "Keep still!" He'd growled at her, his growl sounding a bit inhuman. Frantic, Neva concentrated a short, sharp shock to zap Rickster. Feeling like he was being tased, Rickster yelped and threw her away from him, causing her to trip. He heard a crack and when he'd recovered from the shock, he looked over at Neva who was laying on the ground, her little body twitching and jerking a bit. Her eyes staring blankly at the mansion. Blood seeping from a wound in her head and covering a part of the stone bench she'd hit her head on when she fell. A little blood dripped from her mouth. "N-Neva?..." He nudged her foot, gaining no response. "Kitten?" his eyes widened and he looked around at the house, aware he was out in the open and weaponless with a dying child near him. He ran from the garden. Denix Vames - March 29, 2021 Carter ran to Neva's side. "Fuck! We need to get Nate to heal her! Oscar, you have to take me back to the office!" He gently held her close. Leo zoomed to Rickster. He fired shots at him. Hitting his back. Shadowess - March 29, 2021 Oscar ran to Carter's side. He didn't know who the kid was but it was clear she was dear to these people. Not to mention the sight of a child in this state was utterly gut wrenching, even for a Demon like Oscar. He placed a hand on Carter's shoulder and focused on appearing near Nate. Rickster cried out and fell forward when he felt the bullet hit his back. He gasped and panted while trying to crawl away. "N-no!" he cried out in anguish. "Not again!" He coughed up blood and when he realized he wasn't going to be able to escape them, he turned over to lay on his back, looking up at them with his hands up defensively. "H-have mercy! I'm not armed!" he begged. Being severely injured prevented him being able to teleport away, or he would have done so by now. Tom remained behind Leo, glaring at Rickster furiously. "Did you give Neva mercy?!" he growled at Rickster. "You heartless bastard! You hurt her and left her to die! You deserve to go back to Hell!" "I can change!" Rickster tried. "I-I'll turn my life around! I'll quit the life of crime! Please!" He was, of course, lying through his teeth to try and save his own skin. Denix Vames - March 29, 2021 Nate ran to their side. "Help her! She's been badly hurt!" ,said Carter. Nate placed a hand over her chest and began to heal her. ---- Leo placed the compass on his chest. It went to black. He glared as he placed his foot over his chest. "Nice try." He shot him in the head. Shadowess - March 29, 2021 "Oh, my God!" Jessica had exclaimed, placing her hands over her mouth and nose as she saw Carter and Oscar return with the child she'd seen earlier who looked severely injured. She watched anxiously as Nate rushed over to them to try and help. Oscar backed away from them to give them room to work as he watched nervously as well. "What was she doing there?!" Parker gasped. Slowly. Very slowly, Neva's wounds began to heal. After several tense minutes, her body shivered and she blinked before crying out and trying to jump from Carter's arms, her last memory was being grabbed by Rickster. She quickly stopped and looked around her in confusion when she saw it wasn't him and that they were back at the office. She then broke down into hysterical sobbing and she hugged Carter, burying her face in his chest. --- Tom watched as Leo approached Rickster who stared up at him apprehensively. He then watched curiously as Leo placed what looked like a compass on his chest and the needle pointed to a portion of black space. When Leo placed his foot on Rickster's chest, he cried out and gripped his foot. His eyes stared at Leo's gun fearfully and at Leo's words he'd started to scream. His scream being cut short by the gun shot and Tom quickly averted his eyes, not wanting to see the mess Leo had just made. "What is that?" He asked Leo, nodding to the compass. "Some kind of lie detector?" Denix Vames - March 29, 2021 Carter kept her close. "Shh. It's ok. It's over now." He gently rubbed her back. "Just don't sneak out like that ever again. You nearly gave us a heart attack." ---- "It tells me whether a criminal deserves to be saved or not. White is for purity, grey is for in between, and black is for evil." He placed it over his neck. "It's pretty easy these days to take down criminals now." He slung Rickster over his shoulder. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I have someone guards that I need to take care of." He zoomed into the mansion where he began taking out every guard there was with ease. Shadowess - March 29, 2021 "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Neva wept into Carter's chest. It would take her several long minutes to calm down. Parker had grabbed a blanket and hurried over to them, draping it over Neva's back. Seeing the child was alright, Oscar sighed out of relief. "I'm going back to the mansion to help the other two." he said before vanishing. --- Tom was curious about the compass. Mostly, he was curious what his own result would be. He bet it'd be grey, considering his history. He knew he wasn't evil. He couldn't stand the thought of hurting people. So much so, that when Leo ran back into the mansion, he hesitated to follow him. He didn't like fighting but he couldn't just leave in case Leo needed help. He ran into the mansion after him to help take out the guards, though he soon found that Leo barely needed help at all. Oscar appeared at some point at well and helped by taking out the last few guards. Once the mansion was clear and full of bodies, he looked between the two and nodded at them. "You guys want me to take you back?" he asked while looking around at the blood stained décor. Denix Vames - March 29, 2021 "Right now, all that matters is that you're safe. Just take your time and breath slow." ,said Carter. ---- "Actually, I'm going to clean up this place. I don't mind living in a building like this." ,said Leo who held two guards over his shoulders. Heading to the back of the building. Planning on burying them. Shadowess - March 30, 2021 Neva calmed down, though her breathing was still shaky. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she silently held on to Carter. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Jessica asked, having been watching and feeling helpless. --- "Would you like a hand?" Oscar asked as he watched Leo with the bodies. Seeing as both Leo and Oscar seemed intent on staying a little longer, Tom felt he didn't need to hang around anymore and was anxious to see if Neva was ok. "I'm guna head back and see if Neva is alright." Tom said. "Good luck with the cleaning up." He then ran from the building and headed straight for Carter's office as fast as he could. Denix Vames - March 30, 2021 Carter nodded. "Keep an eye on her." He gave Neva to her. He quickly went upstairs into the bathroom where he shut the door. He sat against the wall and sobbed. Seeing Neva almost die reminded him of his family. How his kids had died and he couldn't do anything to stop it. He was shaking and covering his face. ---- "See ya around." ,said Leo. He nodded at Oscar. "Sure thing. We should make sure the graves are deep enough to hide the bodies once we cut them up." shadowess - March 30, 2021 At first Neva didn't want to leave Carter. Seeing how Carter looked, Jessica gently persuaded Neva to let him go and took her over to the couch to hold onto her for a bit. Neva sat, cuddling Jessica silently. Tears still falling but beginning to slow down now. She looked very tired. Jessica just held her, stroking her hair. Occasionally whispering to her that she was ok and that everything was going to be alright. Doing her best to comfort the child who seemed utterly traumatized by what had happened. Parker had watched Carter head upstairs with some concern. He knew about his past and knew that seeing Neva like that couldn't have been easy. If only it wasn't daylight out and Sebastian wasn't sleeping at Carter's house...He glanced over at Nate. "Um...if you're not too tired from healing Neva...I don't suppose you'd mind bringing Sebastian here? I think Carter might need his comfort right now..." Just as he asked this, Tom walked through the door, a little out of breath from running. He strode into the living room and sighed with relief, seeing Neva alive. "Oh, good! You guys made it in time!" he breathed. "Rickster and Ricky are dead." he reported to them. "Leo's taking over Ricky's mansion...Where's Carter?" --- Oscar nodded then looked at the corpses thoughtfully. "This mansion seems pretty big, I'll bet they have a furnace in the basement. I could always use my power to make the fire burn hot enough to cremate the bodies instead? Save us digging up this garden." he suggested. Denix Vames - March 30, 2021 Nate nodded. "Sure." He soon appeared with Sebastian, fully clothed, by his side. "You need to talk to Carter. Seeing Neva almost die sparked some past memories. Pretty awful ones." ---- Leo smiled. "That could work." They soon brought all the bodies into the basement where there really was a furnace. Shadowess - March 30, 2021 Sebastian had been unable to sleep for a couple of hours but had also been unable to leave the house due to the sunlight. He'd woken up when he realized Carter's house was silent and no longer used to such peace, it had disturbed him. He'd just finished drinking a blood bag when Nate appeared and teleported them to Carter's office. When he explained what had happened, Sebastian had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knew the peace and quiet was too good to be true! "Oh, God..." He gasped then nodded at Nate seriously. "Alright. Thanks for bringing me to him." he then ran up the stairs. When he didn't find him in the bedroom, he knocked on the bathroom door. "Carter? You in there? Do you want me to-" he paused. He could smell Carter's blood through the door. His heart sank a little as he realized he must've taken the antidote but he quickly pushed the thought away as comforting Carter was more important right now. "Do you want me to come in there with you?" he finished, his voice soft. Parker headed into the kitchen. He didn't know if it would help her now but he figured it wouldn't hurt to make some hot chocolate to try and comfort Neva. Tom sighed, watching Jessica try to comfort Neva. He leant against the wall, unsure on what to do or if there was anything he could do to help. --- Oscar smirked at the sight of the furnace. Although, with how many bodies there were, it'd probably speed things up to cut the bodies into pieces. He sprouted a smaller version of just his tail from his second form. The tail was covered in green and black scales. It had sharp spines near the end which would cut through bone like butter. "This won't take long." He smiled, cracking his knuckles. "We'll be helping ourselves to Ricky's booze and caviar in no time." He got to work. He placed a hand onto the furnace and focused on keeping the fire inside hot enough to turn the bodies to ash quickly. He'd also use his tail to slice up the bodies as Leo brought them in and threw the limbs into the fire piece by piece. Denix Vames - March 30, 2021 "S-Sebastian...?" Carter opened the door. He rubbed his eyes. "You can probably already tell that I drank it. I'm sorry. It was an emergency. Kite and Cindy. They were going to get hurt if I didn't make it in time." ---- Once the burning was done, Leo headed upstairs. "I'm going to go look in the kitchen for some food." shadowess - March 30, 2021 Seeing how he was and the way he apologized for doing what he did, Sebastian's heart ached. He shook his head. "You did what you had to. I said I'd support you no matter what." he offered him a kind smile as he gently pulled him into his arms. He kissed the side of his head lovingly. "and I meant it. C'mon. Let's go to the bedroom. We can talk if you want to talk or we can just cuddle for a while if you're not up to talking yet." --- Oscar nodded and looked down at his blood stained clothes. Cutting up bodies was a messy job. "No worries, I'm guna go find a bathroom and get washed up." he said as he made his way upstairs. He found one of the many bedrooms with an en suite bathroom. Routing through the wardrobe, he found some fresh clothes that would fit him and took them into the bathroom, placing them nearby while he took a shower. Denix Vames - March 30, 2021 Carter almost couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I swear I don't deserve you." He nodded. "Let's just go." ---- Leo went into the kitchen which was large. He looked through the cabinets and found a block of cheese. He took a big bite out of the cheese block. Eating it slowly to understand its flavor.

Denix Vames - March 29, 2021 "Help?" Leo laughed. "Look lady, I recommend watching any action film. Find the character that talks with that suspicious touch in their voice and that relaxed sexy I-don't-care attitude movement. You'll know what I'm talking about. Because from where I'm standing, I have a feeling that you were telling them things in your words like, 'Let's just say I can help you darlings out. The thing is I can't get involved. Not really.' Something like that. Because when people want to help them, they usually say 'Hey my name is David and I'm friends with your friend Matt. Nice to meet ya. I heard about this problem you've been having.' You have to talk like a next door neighbor but also don't overdo it." ---- "Vincent! Vincent, where are ya?!" Elliot ran downstairs. He stopped when he saw everybody. "What the-?! Where's Vincent?" "It's a long story but I'll explain everything soon." ,said Nate. "No! Tell me now!" He sighed and took him into the kitchen. Telling him all the details. "NO!" "Elliot! Wait!" Elliot ran to the door. "That's not true! You're lying to me! I'll go find him myself!" Nate placed a hand on his shoulder. "I don't lie. Not to any of you. I read his mind when he was here for a short time. He's not coming back. Not until he feels like he can. Right now, he's helping people crossover. He's a reaper. Jasper gave him the job." Elliot burst into tears as Nate kept him close. Carter helped Oscar to a chair. "Where is it? The spell? Is there a symbol?" ---- Kite chuckled. "Y-Yeah. Maybe you're right. Guess I'll be going then. Stay safe." He began his slow walk back to the apartment. Shadowess - March 29, 2021 Atma was growing frustrated again. "I do not have time for such things. When I need to do something, I need to do it quickly. It makes most conversations I have to be brief. If that comes across as cold or bitchy, then I'm sorry but I simply do not have time for a conversation to go around in circles before I can actually get to my point!" She finished off her smoke as her pace quickened. "Now if you'll excuse me, there's an Angel on the other side of the planet having twins!" she flicked her cigarette away and vanished. --- Tom watched what was going on between Nate and Elliot with a frown. He felt bad for Elliot but knew this would probably be a good thing for Vincent. He sighed, hugging himself as he thought how heartbroken he would be as well if Nate were to suddenly disappear like that for an unknown amount of time. When agonized cries filled the house, Tom looked over at Carter helping a stranger into the house who apparently looked to be in a lot of pain. Once sat down, Oscar gripped the arm of the chair tightly as he screamed through grit teeth. He was sweating now and shaking from the pain. He just about heard Carter's question and had to take a few quick breaths to summon up the strength to speak again. "B-back!" is all he managed to say before crying out again. "There!" Tom hurried over and pointed to the red glow under Oscar's shirt. "What is that? What's wrong with him?" Denix Vames - March 29, 2021 Leo glared at where she once stood. "Hmph! Bitch..." He walked away. ---- Carter lifted his shirt up. "Some kind of symbol that's keeping him under control." Leo zoomed to the front door which he knocked. Nate opened the door. Leo awkwardly stepped inside. "I had a feeling something was happening." "Honestly, I'm just glad you're here. Just help me stop this." "How?" "Unfortunately, you're gonna have to cut through this. Not too deep. Just enough to get it to stop." Leo pulled out his knife. "Sorry about this. Drinks are on me when this is over." He stuck the blade in. Going down as he broke the symbol. Shadowess - March 29, 2021 Tom stepped back to give them room to work as Leo came in. Oscar continued to grip the arm of the chair, still crying out from the pain as they talked about what they should do. When Leo apologized for what he was going to do, Oscar shut his eyes tightly and tensed. "Do what you have to. J-just make it stop!" he cried. When he felt the blade cutting through the scar, Oscar screamed. His grip on the chair tightening. As the symbol broke, he felt the pain it had been inflicting ebb away, leaving just the pain from the fresh cut in his back. In comparison, the pain from the cut was far easier to deal with. Oscar's screaming stopped, replaced by him panting and groaning. Then, out of sheer relief, he laughed. His laughter soon turning to sobs. "It's over..." he cried, relieved. Denix Vames - March 29, 2021 Leo poured Oscar a glass of whiskey. "I hate to be an ass about this but you're going to have to tell me what's been going on. Who put that symbol on you? And why?" ,said Carter who stood in front of him with his notepad and pen out. Nate took Elliot upstairs to relax. He soon retrieved a coke and an instantly made sandwich by his own powers. Heading up there to give both to him. Shadowess - March 29, 2021 "Thank you..." Oscar said quietly as he accepted the drink Leo gave him. He remained a little leant over the side of the chair, the new wound on his back making it difficult for him to sit back without it hurting. Though he knew it wouldn't take too long to heal. "They were souls in Hell...A Ricky and Rickster. They jumped me. Knocked me out and carved that symbol into my back to keep me obedient. They ordered me to resurrect them and bring them to Earth. Then they ordered me to kidnap Cindy and Officer Kite...I found your card while searching for them...I had to try anything to put a stop to this..." He half laughed. "I honestly half expected you to be some human cop that didn't know anything about the supernatural...glad you turned out to be in the know..." Oscar smiled then took a sip of the drink. "Carter?" Tom said when Oscar had finished speaking. "When you get a minute, can I have a word?" Denix Vames - March 29, 2021 Carter wrote notes down with a frown. Knowing who Ricky and Rickster were. "Thanks for the info. Just relax. Make yourself comfortable. You can be safe here." He walked over to Tom. "Yeah sure. What is it?" He put his things away. Shadowess - March 29, 2021 Tom seemed to hesitate, unsure of how to say what he wanted to say. "Look, I don't know about how you're feeling about going from vampire to human like that. I don't know if you wanted to change anyway or if it was literally a spare of the moment thing." he said quietly and scratched the back of his head nervously. "It was really admirable of you by the way! The way you just did that without hesitation to save someone... But if you ever want to change back...and you want to still be able to move around in daylight, I'd be happy to turn you if you want." Tom shrugged his shoulders a little. "Just, thought I'd let you know that that's an option. That's all." Oscar looked around the place now that he was calm enough to do so. He glanced at the man sleeping on the couch and then back at Leo. "What is this place anyway? I was half expecting to be hauled off to the police station...Not that I'm complaining...this is way better than I thought things would turn out." Parker, Alex and Jessica re-entered the house. All of them with a serious expression. "David's gone back to the peace talks..." Parker said on his way past the others. Jessica leant against the wall, staring off across the room. Alex moved to Gary's side, sitting next to him and watching over him. Parker sighed and looked over at Jessica. "Coffee?" he offered. "Anything stronger?" Jessica asked, still staring off into space. Denix Vames - March 29, 2021 "Thanks but I would have to talk to Sebastian about that. Getting bitten is a very personal thing between me and him." ,said Carter. He walked over to Oscar. "I'm Private Detective Travis Carter. This is my office building and these are my employees slash family." Leo poured her a glass. He gave it to her. "Enjoy. Looks like you could use it." Dreaming, Gary was in Hell. Right in the cage where he felt the pain of the knife being stabbed into him over and over. Vincent's laughter echoed in the distance. He tried to run away when he was suddenly free. Yet, Atma was there. Putting her arm through his chest. Blood dripped from his mouth. He screamed awake as he sat up. He backed up into a corner of the couch and breathed heavily. Shadowess - March 29, 2021 Tom thought through Carter's words and understood where he was coming from. "If it helps, I could just pour some of my blood for you to drink into a vial or something and Sebastian could still be the one to bite you." He then shrugged. "It's your choice at the end of the day." he headed into the kitchen when Carter walked over to Oscar. All this talk of blood was making him hungry and the smell from Jessica was beginning to make him drool. He headed to the fridge and took out a bag to drink. Oscar nodded at the introduction and looked at each of them with a small smile. "Well..." he took another sip of his drink. "Thank you. I appreciate the help. Oh! I know the address of the men that forced me to help them." he said, looking at Carter as he remembered the mansion. He quickly told him the address. "If you need an extra hand in taking them down, I'd be happy to pay them back for what they did to me." He added. Jessica took the glass when Leo offered it to her and she smiled at him. "Thanks...yeah, it's been...one hell of a day..." she half laughed though her eyes were a little sad. When Gary woke up, Alex moved over to him and placed his hands on his shoulders. "Hey, it's ok! You're ok! You're safe now!" he said softly. Denix Vames - March 29, 2021 Carter nodded. "We could definitely team up. I don't think we should bring too many of us just in case so I'll think of who gets to go. Obviously, you're coming with us for a reason that makes sense. But if one's a human and the other's a trickster then we should have a problem taking them out. We just need Tom, you, Leo, and me. Leo placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I hope things get better for you." "A-Alex?" Gary cupped his cheeks and passionately kissed him. Relieved to find himself safe and alive but also happy to find Alex with him. Shadowess - March 29, 2021 "Ready when you are." Tom said as he threw his empty bag into the trash and rejoined them in the living room. Oscar nodded with a serious expression, getting to his feet. "Alright. I don't think these guys will sit around waiting for too long before they realize I'm not under their control anymore. This is probably as good a time as any. They won't see it coming." Just happy that he was safe and in his arms again, Alex kissed Gary back just as passionately. One of his hands gently holding the back of his head while his other arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him close. Jessica's eyes softened and she smiled at Leo. "Thank you." Her cheeks then grew a little red when Gary began kissing Alex and she quickly averted her gaze with an awkward smile. Even Parker didn't know where to look. Upstairs, Neva had been sitting near the stairs and hidden by the wall. She'd heard everything and intended on following them to Rickster. She had to see for herself that he'd be taken down once and for all or she'd never be able to relax. In Vincent's book, Neva's name would appear in faded ink. Her fate not yet solidified. Denix Vames - March 29, 2021 "First we need some weapons. I already have my gun. Leo's got plenty unless any of you guys don't need a weapon." ,said Carter. Leo cleared his throat. Gary broke the kiss. He blushed. "Sorry." He looked around. "He's not here, is he?" "No, he left. Said he wasn't coming back until he felt like it was the right time." ,said Carter. Gary nodded. "Good. Good to know." ---- Vincent looked in the book and sighed. Shadowess - March 29, 2021 "I'll be fine for weapons. My power is pyromancy. Failing that, I could always take my second form." Oscar smirks. Tom shrugged. "I could probably use a weapon but I guess I could always use my fangs as a last resort." he said, although he wasn't a fan of the idea of biting anyone. Alex's cheeks turned red. In the heat of the moment, he'd forgotten that they weren't alone. He gently moved some of Gary's hair out of his face. "Do you want us to go back to your place to relax for a while?" Denix Vames - March 29, 2021 Leo gave him a kitchen knife. "I'm sure you'll find this useful." "If we're all ready then let's head there right now. I can imagine that Oscar can teleport us there." ,said Carter. Gary sighed. "I just want to go to work. To get my mind off things. But you can walk me there." He kissed his forehead. Shadowess - March 29, 2021 Alex frowned but nodded. "Alright." he held his hand and gently caressed it with his thumb. "Whatever you need." Tom took the knife and nodded. "Thanks." When Carter said Oscar could teleport them, Oscar smirked. "No problem. Let's pay them a surprise visit." he held out his hands for them to take and planned on teleporting right in front of Ricky. Neva teleported too, although she focused on teleporting a little distance away from them so she could hide and watch. She ended up in the gardens, where she hid behind large plant pots and statues as she slowly made her way towards them, trying to get a good view. Denix Vames - March 29, 2021 Gary smiled. "Thank you." They left the office. ---- The team appeared in front of Ricky who was snoring. Leo walked over with his gun by his side. "Boo!" Ricky jumped awake as he screamed before Leo shot him in the head. Killing him instantly. "Well, I'm pretty sure Rickster heard that."

Denix Vames - March 28, 2021 Leo pulled out his compass and placed it on her chest. The needle stopped between grey and black. "Huh! That's weird." He put it away and presented the bag. "Want a peanut?" ---- Vincent laughed. "I missed this! The begging! The suffering!" "Look David. I came here to help. Not to fight." ,said Nate who pointed at Vincent. "And I want to help him and Gary. I don't want to kill anyone. So I'm fine." He looked at the entire scene for what it was. "And besides, I think Vincent has relasped into his old habits. We need to bring him back to reality." Gary forced himself up. He clutched his arm. "Alex?" He saw them all standing there. To him, it seemed like there would be a fight. Vincent smiled at him. "Wakey wakey!" Gary gasped. He backed away but cringed as he moved fast. Causing pain on his wounds. He started hyperventilating. Unable to breath as he passed out. ---- "No problem. Hope you make it on time." ,said Kite who watched her leave. When he heard someone coming into his home, he grabbed his gun and got on his crutches. The intruder had already left to his disappointment. Yet, he put on a shoe and strapped his gun to his good leg. He followed the man. He had only made it after the phone call. He raised the gun at him. "NYPD! Put your hands up!" ---- Carter picked up the phone. "Hello? Who is this?" He listened to the man over the phone. His eyes widened. "Hey! Wait a minute! Wha-?" But he had been hung up before he could have asked anything. "Damn it!" He grabbed the green vial. "It's a long story but I have to get somewhere right now." He downed the vial. Immediately, he fell to his knees. Crying out in pain before the process was done. His fangs had turned into ash. He didn't smell blood. "Stay here with them." He opened the closet and unlocked the metal box. Revealing a handgun. He checked it over before strapping a waist holster on himself. Placing the gun in. "I've got another case." He ran out of the house and hopped into the car. Driving to the location. ---- Ricky drank some wine. "I get it. We'll carve drawings on both of their asses. Not literally but you get what I'm saying." He chuckled. Shadowess - March 28, 2021 Atma didn't move as Leo placed the compass onto her chest. Rather, she watched with mild amusement as the needle fell onto the line between two colors. She chuckled as she took a puff of her cigarette and blew the smoke away from Leo. "No, thank you. The Angelic contraptions don't work on Spirits, darling. But take my word for it, I mean no harm." she sighed and looked away almost sadly. "Even if most people consider me cold." --- "I know you don't want to fight...and believe me, I know you only mean to help but that's not the way other Demons will see it if they decide to come investigate your presence themselves." David said and then thought to Nate to avoid Vincent hearing him; 'Look, leave this to me. Please. Get Alex out of here. I don't want you risking yourself here. By simply being here your power will weaken and you'll be vulnerable! I can take on Vincent...but I can't stop Demons if they arrive in numbers.' Seeing the way Gary reacted to Vincent, Alex's anger bubbled forth. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!" he yelled furiously. He wouldn't need much more provoking to really set his anger off. He was struggling to not let his fury take over. --- "Wha-? Wait!" Tom tried to stop Carter but then watched in stunned silence as Carter took the potion then rushed out of the house. "He...he did remember I'm a day walker...right?" "I don't even know what's going on anymore..." Parker said, looking at the door in confusion. "That makes two of us..." Jessica added. --- "I understand." Rickster grinned. He wondered how Oscar was doing. --- Just as Oscar watched a blonde walk towards the florist, he heard the voice behind him. He turned slowly to look at the male. "Don't tell me your name!" he said immediately. Worried he might be the officer he was supposed to grab. As long as he didn't know who he was, he didn't have any reason to grab him. "Please...don't hesitate." he stared at Kite with frightened eyes. "Pull the trigger." Now that Oscar knew for certain who at least one target was, if Kite hesitated to shoot him, missed him or decided to try stalling to ask questions, Oscar would be successful in teleporting to Cindy's side, grabbing her, causing her to scream in surprise and vanishing. Throwing her down in front of Ricky. Denix Vames - March 28, 2021 "You're probably just rubbing people the wrong way. If what you're saying is a fact then maybe you should start acting like a mother. Makes a whole lot more sense than being ominous." Leo threw peanut into his mouth. Chewing it. ---- Nate grit his teeth. He reluctantly grabbed Alex and disappeared. Placing themselves in Carter's office. "Aw! What's the matter? Afraid that you'll get a little nick?" ,said Vincent when they left. Jasper fired a shot. Making the knife fly out of his hand. Vincent grabbed his hand. Checking to see if it was alright. He glared at him. "What the hell?!" Jasper smiled. "I thought to myself why I went bat shit crazy? And then I realized something. I forgot about my friends." He put the pistol away and placed a hand on his shoulder. "So let me remind you who your friends are." He ripped the pages of the book he had in his hands. Throwing them aside. His black outfit went back to its original look. "I'm not a Reaper anymore. I'm a friend now. A Spirit Of Fairness." He hugged him which surprised Vincent. "And you are ok." Tears soon fell from Vincent's eyes as he collapsed to his knees. Jasper placed a necklace over him with a crystal. "You'll be just fine. I promise." ---- "What the hell is wrong with you?!" ,said Kite. Carter hopped out of the car. He aimed his gun at Oscar. Grabbing him by the collar. "You're coming with me!" He dragged him over to the car. Shoving him in the backseat. "What the hell?! This is my-!" "Just go check on Cindy. Tell her some bullshit excuse. That you wanted to know a thing or two about flowers. Right now, this is a private case and I've got to question him." Carter locked the car doors before heading back to his office. Kite reluctantly put his gun in its holster. "Damn freaking...." He shook his head but went into the flower shop. He awkwardly looked at Cindy. Blushing. "Uh hey. Don't think that I'm being the weird stalker boyfriend here. I just....Something happened and I wanted to make sure that you weren't involved. That's all." ---- "I've got some spare bedrooms if ya want to relax." ,said Ricky. Shadowess - March 28, 2021 "Do mothers not have a firm but fair nature?" Atma questioned with a smirk. "All I have done is explain myself and defend myself from attacks. Yet, I am the bad guy. Honestly, I was stabbed in the chest and had my head ripped off...and this was -after- I tried to explain that I was there to help Jasper...The most I did to defend myself was deflect damage already done to me back to one of them and pin one to a wall...I released them and healed them when it seemed they might be calm enough to listen and what do they do? Literally rip my head off! ...all of their attacks against me were intended to be lethal...whereas mine were merely to injure or restrain in self defense..." She takes a frustrated puff on her cigarette. "Of course, it doesn't help that Spirits are bound by laws forbidding them from directly interfering in mortal affairs..." She then blinked and her eyebrows furrowed as she moved her eye to look at Leo questioningly. "...Why am I telling you all this?" she asked slowly, in a half whisper and she seemed genuinely confused. "Apologies. My concerns are not yours..." She pushed herself away from the wall a little and began walking away. --- "Nate?" Tom looked surprised when he saw Nate and Alex appear. Parker hadn't managed to explain everything yet. He currently sat in a chair near the couch. Jessica was sitting on the couch. "What are you doing?!" Alex rounded on Nate angrily. His eyes full of fear for Gary's sake. He wasn't aware of the danger they'd been in. "We can't just leave him there! There was three of us! We could've taken him!" --- David watched what happened between Jasper and Vincent with uncertainty. He had no idea how the whole 'Spirit' thing worked but if he was on their side, then that was fine by David. "I'm afraid that's more than can be said for this human..." David said, his voice a little sour with disappointment as he strode over to the cage and yanked the door off. He knelt and pulled Gary into his arms before looking at Vincent with hurt eyes. He opened his mouth to say something then closed it and vanished. He knew Vincent was trying his best but right now he couldn't mask how much this act of malice from him had let him down. Especially today, of all days. --- David arrived in Carter's office with Gary in his arms and sighed sadly, looking between Nate and Alex. Alex seemed to forget his anger as soon as he saw Gary and he rushed over to him. He reached out to touch Gary but hesitated when he saw all the wounds. His hands shook and his rage soon returned. "Alex, Gary will be fine. Go and get some air. Calm down." David said gently when he saw the look on his face. Alex looked like he wanted to start mouthing off again but stormed out to the garden instead and began pacing on the lawn. David then turned his attention to Nate and he sighed. "Thank you...for taking my advice. I don't suppose you could help Gary to recover?" --- Thankfully, during the confrontation between the officers, no names were mentioned. Unfortunately, because he was delaying capturing Cindy, his rune began flaring up and he groaned as Carter shoved him into his car. However, he made no attempts to fight or flee. He wanted to be stopped. As Carter started to drive, the pain gradually intensified and he ended up laying down, hiding his face in the seat while whimpering and clawing at the chair a bit. The rune on his shoulder blade was glowing red through his shirt. By the time they were pulling up he was crying out from the agony he was in. --- Cindy had been pruning some roses when Kite walked in. She looked at him in surprise then grinned when he wasn't a weird stalker boyfriend. His next words, however, caused her to blink and frown. "What's happened?" she asked, walking around the counter she'd been working at the stand on front of him. Her features reflecting the worry she felt. She could always read his mind to find out, but she didn't want to. She wanted to know what it was like to trust someone to just tell you the truth. So, had decided she wouldn't ever intrude on his thoughts. Not unless he specifically said he was fine with it. --- Rickster smiled at the offer. "That's kind of you. It may take Oscar a little while to come back with your prizes if he goes about his job properly. Hopefully not too long though. I'll check on him if he's not back by tomorrow." he assured Ricky. Denix Vames - March 29, 2021 Leo caught up to her. "Then let me tell you this. This group are a family. They're my family. And they've been through a lot. All of them were tortured and manipulated in some way. For you to drop into their lives is like their alarm system going off inside their heads. They don't trust anyone unless they have a good reason to. And by the way, human mothers are not strict these days." ---- Vincent's outfit changed into an all black suit. His knife was now made of a dark red blade and a dark handle. He held a book in his hand. "He gave me the job huh? Looks like I have to say goodbye to someone." He appeared near Elliot who was asleep on a bed. He smiled. "You have done nothing but have been a kind lover to me. I couldn't have asked for anything less." He kissed his forehead. "Goodbye Elliot. And Goodbye to the rest of them." He disappeared. Elliot gasped awake. "Vincent!" ---- Nate went to Gary's side. "David said that us being there was dangerous enough." He placed a hand over his chest. As he began to heal him, Vincent had circled Gary's name. Keeping him as living until natural causes. Gary was fully healed and now breathing. He was still asleep. ---- Carter helped Oscar out of the car and into the office. "What the hell's wrong with you? Is there something that's hurting you?" ---- Kite nervously scratched the back of his head. "It's nothing really. Just some police work. I know I'm supposed to be resting but sometimes the job just never sleeps, ya know?" ---- Ricky ate some more before yawning. "Today has been one hell of a day. I think I'll leave ya to it." He set his empty glass down before heading to bed. Shadowess - March 29, 2021 Atma's pace slowed as she considered his words with a frown. "Still." She says after a minute. "If their reaction to someone trying to help is to kill them, even if it's just because they don't like their attitude, then how is anyone supposed to feel comfortable approaching them for help?" she questioned. "I can understand they've been through a lot. But it does not excuse such blood lust." she then shrugged. "I wouldn't know. I've never had nor been a mother...never had the time." She had that tired look again. She'd been doing this job practically since the dawn of time with no breaks and no opportunities to spend enough time with anyone to get close to them. It was no wonder then that her social skills might be a bit lacking. --- Alex continued pacing on the lawn, thinking through what Nate had said and beginning to calm down. David watched Nate heal Gary and when he was done, he nodded at Nate. "Thank you." He then turned to place him on the couch and paused when he saw the red haired female. "Excuse me miss, would you mind?" He asked after a moment and Jessica nodded. Quickly, she got up to move over to a nearby chair so that David could lay Gary on the couch. "And who might you be?" he asked her pleasantly. "Jessica." She answered. "My long lost half sister, apparently." Parker added and David's eyes widened a little as he looked between the two for a moment. "Ah..." David looked hesitant as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Perhaps it was time they knew. "Parker...and Jessica..." he started then glanced towards the curtained window, knowing Alex was pacing around outside. "I need to talk to you both...Alex as well...Would you two mind joining me in the Garden so we can all have a chat?" Parker and Jessica looked at each other curiously then got up to follow David into the Garden. --- Oscar grit his teeth and held on to Carter, barely able to walk on his own as Carter helped him into the office. "T-torture s-spell...causes p-pain to get w-worse the longer I a-avoid c-completing o-order given...!" He took a few quick breaths to try to cope. "N-now I know w-what one target l-looks like...O-only way to s-stop pain is to d-deliver them..." By the time Carter would get him into the building, he would be crying out in agony again. --- Seeming to relax a little, Cindy sighs with a small smile as she shakes her head at him. "Go home and rest, silly!" she chuckles while stepping close to him and kissing him. "I'm sure the world won't end if you take some time off work. I'll come over when I finish. I'm thinking of trying to cook a stir fry when I get back." She grins excitedly.

Denix Vames - March 27, 2021 Vincent stabbed her in the chest. He maniacally laughed. A wide grin was on his face. "Things only became childish when you showed up. Let me guess. You were a princess before you died?" Carter struggled to get Alex off of the wall. "Just stop this! Let him go and Let Jasper go! You manipulated him! He shouldn't even be here! His friends are dead! He should be with them!" He glared. "Vincent! Get that knife out! Now!" Vincent twisted the knife and pulled it out. "As you wish." He took a step back and licked the knife. ----- "Well, the chick's name is Cindy and she's got blonde hair in a ponytail. Likes to dress like a slut. Then there's her boyfriend who's a dumb cop. Brown hair and probably in a cast after the damage that I did to him." He chuckled. "His name's Kite by the way." shadowess - March 27, 2021 The knife sank into her chest and while Atma barely reacted, Jessica jumped from the couch and stumbled away, wide eyed and staring at what looked like a murder taking place while shouting "JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!" Atma stared up at Vincent with an unamused scowl as blood pooled into her mouth and dripped down her chin. She grunted a little as he twisted the knife before pulling it out and then she smiled. Seeing the smile, Parker and Alex immediately knew she was about to do something in retaliation. Alex tried to shout something but it just came out as a muffled scream as his lips remained shut together. "Don't-!" Parker began to warn her but she moved quickly. She made a motion to the wound in her chest with her fingers, as if picking it up and the flicked her fingers at Vincent's leg. Transferring the wound he'd made in her chest to his thigh instead. "Let him go? Manipulated him" Atma asked when the blood in her mouth dried. She took out a handkerchief and began dabbing her chin with it casually. "Darling, you haven't the foggiest of what you're talking about. I never did anything to Jasper. I'm merely here as a guidance." She explained pleasantly. Jessica had gone white as a sheet by this point and stumbled over to a wall to lean on. "I think I'm guna faint again..." "Oh, don't be so dramatic Jessica." Atma waved at her dismissively. "Jasper. The anger. We need to chat, darling. I don't think you quite realize just how good you have it. You are neither Angel nor Demon. Not even a Devil. You're a Spirit. Like me. Which makes you neutral." she paused to see if he understood what she was getting at. "Which means...as long as you do not involve yourself in the politics of Heaven and Hell, you can visit either plane of existence freely. So, any souls on the other side that are dear to you, you can see at any time. You know, as long as you keep on top of your duties as a Reaper of souls." She shook her head a little at him, giving him an understanding smile. "Had you stuck around your tutor, they would have told you this. Also, don't let your anger get the better of you. Death is a difficult transition for any mortal, therefore it is imperative that you remain patient and understanding towards them. Be caring. That is when they need a friendly face the most." She sighed and looked at the others. "There. That was all I came for. Now if you promise to behave in a more mature manner, I will be happy to answer any more questions you might have." She waved a hand and Alex fell from the wall, able to speak again. Simultaneously, Vincent's wound would heal as well. "I am not a friend." Atma says calmly. "But I am not an enemy either. I will, however, defend myself when necessary." --- Rickster turned to Oscar once it seemed like Ricky had given him all the information that he could. "Well, Oscar? Chop chop." Oscar glared at them both before vanishing. Rickster took another sip of his champagne. "This is going to be fun." Denix Vames - March 27, 2021 Vincent cried out as he dropped his knife. Falling back, he clutched his wound. "Vincent!" ,said Carter. His fangs sprouted as he growled. "You bitch!" He was about to walk over when Nate raised his arm in front of him. "I'll handle this." He placed the opening to the head of his weapon over her head. It latched on but wouldn't rip her head off without himself doing the move. "You reapers all think you're better than everybody else but you're not. Don't think for one second that I'm just going to let what you did slide by me as if I wasn't even here. What I want to know is how we can get Jasper back as a spirit and not a reaper? He's clearly not well enough to hold all that power. What I want as his friend is for him to cross over to wherever his friends are. Heaven or Hell. It doesn't matter." Jasper adjusted his hat. He pulled out his pistol. "Ya'll are a couple of idiots. Now if ya don't mind me, I'm going to get this list done. Gary's been waiting for me for a while." He disappeared. ---- "It sure is." Ricky drank some more. "Let's go to my living room. It's more comfy there." shadowess - March 28, 2021 Even at the threat of having her head ripped off, Atma remained calm and composed. Even lifting one leg to rest it over the other to show just how relaxed she was despite the weapon on her. She sighed heavily, staring up at Nate in a bored way. "You've barely listened to me. I am not a reaper. I'm the opposite. I help life to begin, he helps life to end. As for him changing back? For one, he was always a reaper. Whether he knew it or not at the time doesn't matter. And two, that is not something that is within my power." She glanced over at Vincent. "Oh, relax. It should have healed back up by now." she said to him dismissively. When Jasper mentioned Gary before vanishing, Alex shot to his feet. "No! Gary!" he looked over at Nate panicked. "Nate! We can't let him take him!" Atma's eye slowly moved over to Jessica. "If only you knew someone that could swap their life for his with very little consequence..." she hinted. She couldn't directly help them with this problem in particular as that might be seen as interference, but she can help them figure out on their own that lives can be traded. In this instance, Jessica had years of life left ahead of her. But considering she was a half Devil, the moment she died she would become a full blooded Devil and therefore would have the ability to return to Earth whenever she wanted. So, if she wanted, she could offer her death to give the years she had left to Gary. Saving him. The catch was, of course, she had to give her life willingly. --- "Sure." Rickster smiled and followed Ricky to his living room where he sat on one of the lavish couches. He sipped his champagne, relaxing as he did. "So, have you thought about what you're going to do with them when you've got them? Other than kill them, of course." he then lifted a finger. "Although, I should point out that killing a Demon by conventional methods just results in them going to Hell where they can come back to kill you. So, I'd be careful with that one." Denix Vames - March 28, 2021 Vincent stood. He examined his leg. "If what you said is true then what exactly are you called?" He raised his knife. "We're not going to sacrifice anybody! We're not like you!" ,shouted Carter. Nate ripped her head off but didn't expect it to kill her. He merely did it to satisfy his anger before taking Alex with him and disappearing. ---- Gary had gotten dressed. His arm was still bandaged. "I hope Alex doesn't mind if I take myself home. It's sunny enough." He headed out of the hospital. Making his way down the street when Jasper pulled him into an alley. Jasper slammed him against the wall. Gary flinched. "Damn it! Can't I get one day without you trying to kill me?" Alex and Nate appeared. ---- A guard brought in a silver tray of deviled eggs and crackers with a jar of caviar next to. He set them on the table then left. Ricky took a deviled egg and ate one. "Actually, I might just keep her alive. I did claim Kite as my officer by branding him. He won't do his job right if she's dead. I think I'll keep her as a motivation for him and as a little gift for myself." shadowess - March 28, 2021 Atma's head rolled across the floor and Jessica had screamed, shutting her eyes and covering her face as she turned towards the wall. Parker ran over to her and pulled her into his arms where she buried her face in his shoulder, refusing to look. Atma's body remained sitting upright. Her foot even tapping a little as if the body itself was growing impatient. Then it stood and walked over to the head, picking it up and readjusting it to the neck until the skin began reattaching. Once her head was back on, she sighed and cracked her neck a little. "Well, that was just rude." she commented before turning to look at Vincent. "And once again, you lot just seem intent on not listening to me. I've already told you what I am. I am the spirit of LIFE. My job is to make sure Angels, Demons and Devils are brought to Earth safely when they are pregnant. The event of new life cannot happen within the realm of death. It would be catastrophic for all planes of existence if it did. I only came here to try and help an apparent trainee Reaper who'd managed to get himself into trouble." she gestured to the handcuffs which had fallen off of Jasper earlier. "Now, if you'll excuse me, it would seem this trainee is just as incompetent at using his listening skills as his 'friends'." she vanished. --- Alex arrived in the alley with Nate, just in time to see Jasper holding Gary against the wall. "Let him go!" Alex barked at Jasper angrily, readying himself for a fight. Atma appeared next to Jasper and shoved him off of Gary forcefully and with surprising strength for her size. "That is not how you deal with a dying mortal!" she scolded him. "Where is your compassion?!" she then turned to Gary and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I apologize, this is not how this kind of thing is usually handled. I'm going to grant you one week of life as an apology. Perhaps you can make good use of that time?" She tried to wink but considering she was wearing an eyepatch, it may have looked more like a blink. She was trying to hint that it would be plenty of time for him to find a way to avoid dying so soon. She then turned back to Jasper. "Check your book. His name should have been temporarily removed. Now, you and I need to have a very serious chat." Her voice was stern when speaking to Jasper. --- Rickster glanced at the food but didn't indulge himself. He'd had a rather big breakfast on the way here. He grinned at Ricky's explanation though. "How wonderfully vengeful of you." he complimented. "Perhaps you'd like to learn the rune to keep her obedient? Rule out the possibility of her trying to trick you again?" Denix Vames - March 28, 2021 "Fucking bitch!" Vincent disappeared. ---- "What the hell?!" Gary shoved her off. "Get away from me lady! I don't want an extra week! I'm going to live until I'm a wrinkly old bastard! Now get the hell-!" Vincent clamped his hand over his mouth. Keeping his knife at his back. Both men disappeared. Nate glared at her. "You are no pure being as you make yourself out to be. Not even a decent person. You're just some bitch that happen to get the title of the so called Spirit Of Life." "Let me make one thing clear for all ya'll. I ain't nobody's bitch. So I'm heading out of here and finding my friends." ,said Jasper who disappeared. "Good luck trying to find him. C'mon Alex. I'll take you to Gary." Nate and him disappeared. Leo had been eating a bag of peanuts as he watched. He waved. "Hey." ---- Vincent threw Nate into a cage which shut and locked itself. "W-Where are we? Why am I here?" ,asked Gary who looked around. "You my friend are in Hell. And I need you here so that they can all talk things out because it seems as though you're the big picture around here." Vincent's outfit changed to that of the one he had worn when he kidnapped and tortured Carter. He chuckled. "I thought I could have a little fun." He pulled out his knife. He stabbed him, not too far, in the arm. "Ah!" Gary clutched his arm. He looked at the blood on his hand. "You son of a-!" There was another stab. As he was rolling around, trying to get away from him, the stabs kept coming. Vincent had made sure not to make him deep or give him too much. He didn't want him to bleed to death. Just to suffer. He had forgotten how much he missed doing this. The torture. The suffering. He enjoyed every minute of it. And then he stopped. Allowing Gary to lay there in pain with blood staining his clothes. Alex and Nate appeared. Nate quickly put his wings away. ---- "That could work but why not just put it on him? I mean, it's not like I need anything from her. Especially when I've got plenty of guards and angel steel to keep her from escaping." Ricky grabbed a cracker and placed some caviar on it. He took a bite. Shadowess - March 28, 2021 (I'll have to reply when I finish work. Just to point out though, Nate being in Hell puts him at a huge disadvantage. He'd be weaker than he would be on Earth and if he 'dies' there he'll transform into a Devil.) Denix Vames - March 28, 2021 (alright. good to know) shadowess - March 28, 2021 Atma blinked when Gary pushed her off. Had her hint not been obvious enough? She couldn't help any of them directly. It's against the laws the spirits have to abide by. But she could at least help them to try and figure things out on their own. When Vincent appeared, grabbed Gary and vanished, Atma stared at the spot where they'd been with mild confusion. She didn't know what that was about but she wasn't able to get involved regardless. Alex on the other hand looked alarmed. The way Vincent had grabbed him hadn't seemed right and he had an awful feeling that something was wrong with Vincent. When Nate began talking down to Atma, she rolled her eye. "Oh, there you go. Judging things without bothering to understand them again! So ignorant!" She snapped back before they left. She'd watched Jasper leave, concerned about his state of mind. Perhaps Nate had been correct about one thing; that Jasper was not fit to Reap Souls. She sighed heavily, her cheeks a little red from frustration then her eye landed on Leo who waved at her. Her expression softened a little as she took a pack of cigarettes out of her pocket. "Good morning, Leo." she sighed in response as she placed a cigarette in her mouth and lit it. She took a long drag on it while putting the packet and the lighter away. Exhaling the smoke, she then took out her phone and proceeded to dial a number before pressing the phone to her ear. "It's Atma...I need to make a report for investigation. The new recruit...Jasper...Anger issues and violence towards mortals...Yes...Yes...I understand...Thank you...Bye." she hung up the phone and leant against the wall, looking tired as she continued to smoke. Being a Spirit was far more difficult and required so much more responsibility than most mortals assumed. You had to be neutral to everything and were forbidden from getting involved in mortal matters altogether. Breaking the laws results in your status being revoked. At best, you're demoted to a soul and sent to Hell. At worst, you are destroyed. --- The second Nate stepped foot in Hell, several things happened at once. Every Demon and Devil in existence, whether they were on Earth or in Hell at the time, suddenly became aware of an Angelic presence in Hell. On the other side of the city, the negotiations for peace were already underway. Amelia sat in a meeting room that they had rented out for the negotiations to take place in. Next to her were Charles and David. Across from her was Patience and two other Angels. On the table in front of them, David had slid across the reports he'd gathered on the Redemption Programme which the Angels seem to be quite interested in. "You see, since the Programme began we have had resounding success when it comes to rehabilitating damned souls. A few have opted to become Demons in order to help other souls redeem themselves in the Programme while most have chosen to ascend to Heaven as soon as they'd repented and changed their ways." David explained as he pointed to the correlating figures on the charts he'd drawn up. "You can see here, we started with just a few but as the Programme's popularity has grown-" David paused, staring blankly at the page for a moment then glanced at Charles worriedly. He'd felt the sudden Angelic presence in Hell and knew Charles would as well. Amelia, being in her current condition, had no idea why David had paused. 'I'll check it out.' David thought to Charles hurriedly. 'It took years to get this meeting to happen. We can't blow this chance now.' David turned back to the Angels who seemed to be oblivious to what was happening. "Aha...Apologies. I'm afraid there is an urgent matter that I must attend to. But I will leave you in the capable hands of Charles and Amelia. Please, feel free to read through my reports on the Programme. I'm sure you will find this information beneficial." he said politely, shaking their hands briefly. He turned as gave Charles a serious look on his way out. As soon as he left the room, he vanished. --- Cindy woke up, still holding onto Kite. She turned her head with a frown as she felt the Angelic presence arrive in Hell. "What's going on?" she whispered then glanced at the clock. "Crap!" She gently shook Kite awake "Oh, sorry Kite. I'm going to have to move you off me...I'm running late for work." Her first official day at the florists and she was going to be late! She kissed him on the forehead as she let him go then got up and fixed her hair and outfit hurriedly. "I'll be back later. I said I'd work this afternoon so that I could help you get home this morning." she said while straightening herself up. "If you need anything, call me." she smiled kissing him before hurrying out the door. --- When Alex and Nate arrived in Hell, Alex saw the state Gary was in in the cage and he immediately felt his rage boiling inside him. Fists clenched, glaring furiously at Vincent, Alex's first impulse was to run over and attack him...but he didn't. He stood next to Nate, seething but Gary's words from the night before echoed in his mind. 'You can't let your anger take over you like that.' He's right. If Alex lost control now, he'd be putting Gary into even more danger and he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if anything happened to Gary as a result of his anger issues. "Vincent, what are you doing? Let him go!" Alex tried to reason with him, biting back his anger as best he could. David appeared and took a moment to see what was going on. "Nate, you can't be here! It's too dangerous! Every Demon and Devil knows you're here! With a war still ongoing, they'll view you as a trespasser! This could jeopardize the peace treaty! Especially if a fight were to break out! And that's not even mentioning the fact there are two living mortals in Hell!" David then looked at Vincent and what he was doing and quickly became horrified by what he was seeing. He had literally just been singing Vincent's praises at the meeting as well! "Vincent!" He shook his head. "What are you doing?! Let that man go, right now!" --- In Cindy's apartment, Oscar had broken down the door. Upon finding that she wasn't home, he began hunting for clues as to where he might find her. He found Carter's business card, the Angelic handcuffs and gun as well as Cindy's work schedule for the local florists. Now that he knew she had work soon, he couldn't waste time or his scar would begin torturing him. He left the apartment and began heading into the direction of the florists. While walking, he looked over Carter's card again and wondered if he could prevent himself carrying out the kidnappings. After all, Rickster hadn't told him he couldn't warn anyone. While walking, he rang Carter's number. Whether Carter answered or it went to voicemail, he would say the same thing hurriedly; "I don't have a lot of time and I need someone- anyone to stop me. I'm being forced to kidnap some people against my will. I'm tortured whenever I disobey. I've been instructed to kidnap a woman named Cindy and an Officer named Kite. I've found Cindy's work schedule and I'm on my way to stake out her work right now. She works at the little florists in town and she begins work at one PM. As soon as I see her, I'll have no choice but to take her. Please hurry. If you fail to stop me from taking her, then my next target will be Kite. If it comes to it, I'll call you to update you on where I'm heading and the time...please...stop me...and if you really have to...if there's no other way..." he gulped, pausing in the corner of an alley to watch the florists across the street. "kill me." he hung up. --- Rickster grinned at his answer but raised a brow. "I see...so, are guards and Angelic steel what prevented her escape last time?" He asked, pointing out the flaw in his logic. "You must be cautious with Demons. They are notoriously difficult to keep captive. Especially when they can teleport at will." --- Parker had been trying to comfort Jessica who was looking at the bloody mess the others had left behind. Still trying to fathom how Atma had put her head back on and left! Tom walked into the office and looked between them curiously when he saw the mess and the stranger in Parker's arms. "What did I miss?"

Denix Vames - March 27, 2021 "Maybe that red eye had something to do with it? I almost thought it was pinkeye until I saw how bad it really looked." ----- "Go ahead. I smoke sometimes too." ,said Carter. He raised a brow. "Attacked? By who? Can you describe who did this?" He pulled out his notepad and went to a new page on it. Ready to write down any details. ---- "Perfect!" He opened the vial and chugged it down. He cried out as he dropped the bottle. It shattered on impact when it hit the floor. He pulled the eye patch off. He fell to his knees as continued to cry out about the pain. His eye slowly turning back to its original form as the red veins thinned out into nothing. He caught his breath. A guard helped him up and gave him a mirror. He looked at his reflection. "Holy shit! That stuff really worked! I'm handsome again!" shadowess - March 27, 2021 "Maybe..." Cindy nodded thoughtfully. Then she sighed. "At least he's gone now..." she smiled at him and gently squeezed his hand a little. "What do you want to do now?" --- Jessica nodded thankfully to Carter and placed a cigarette in her mouth, lighting it up. She then held out her packet, offering him one as well. When he started asking questions about the attack, she nodded and lowered her eyes to the ground as she recalled what had happened. "Some guy. Light blond hair...dressed in all black. He just appeared out of nowhere...kind of like you guys earlier and said I was on some kind of list...I took a look at his book and told him the name was spelled a little differently and he got mad at me for touching his book..." She pulled the collar of her jacket down a bit to show them the hand-shaped bruise around her neck. "Started strangling me. I said I was sorry and he let me go...but threatened me before he disappeared...said he'd better not see me around here again..." she shivered, taking a drag on her cigarette to calm her nerves. Her hand shook a little as she held the cigarette between her fingers. "Son of a-..." Alex seethed under his breath. Clenching his fists. He glanced at Carter, knowing who she'd been talking about. Parker sat quietly, disturbed by her story but had no clue about what had happened to Jasper. --- Rickster smiled as he watched Ricky's reaction. "You're welcome." he grinned. "I'd say this calls for celebration, don't you?" He glanced at Oscar then back at Ricky. "Oh, and if you require any further services, please don't hesitate to ask." Denix Vames - March 27, 2021 A few tears fell from Kite's eyes. He started shaking. He pressed his head against her chest. Listening to her heart beat. "I just want you to stay close to me right now. I want to remember that you're still alive." ---- Carter took one. He lit it up. Holding it in his mouth as he let the smoke out. He wrote some notes down then wrote the name Jasper. "Don't be alarmed but you may have encounter a reaper. A grim reaper. We can keep you safe here while we search for him. There's plenty of food for you here." ---- Ricky smirked. "I guess it does, doesn't it?" The guard poured a glass for each person. Ricky handed them both a drink. He held one himself. Raising it. "To new business deals and finally having both of my eyes back to normal." Their glasses tapped each others before he took a sip. "You two can stay here and make yourselves comfortable. Right now, I have someone who's waiting for me in bed." shadowess - March 27, 2021 Cindy was taken aback by Kite's tears and she gently held his head with one hand while draping her other arm around his back. She stroked his hair a bit while lowering her head to kiss the top of his. "I'm here." she whispered softly, trying to comfort him. "I'm not going anywhere." --- "Grim reapers are real too?" Jessica looked at Carter. "Yeah, this is news to me as well..." Parker also looked at Carter. "I'd stay here with her but I gotta head to the hospital later..." Alex said, looking between them. "Wait, why? What's up with you?" Parker then turned to look at Alex who scratched the back of his head nervously. "Uh...I'm seeing someone who's there at the minute." "When did that happen?!" "Does that really matter right now? Last I checked, you work for Carter and right now you two have a job to do." Alex answered then looked over at Vincent. "Would you mind staying here with her? She's probably better off being watched by someone with powers anyway." --- Oscar took the glass and stared at it with a frown. Barely moving as Ricky made his toast. Rickster meanwhile, was grinning away and happily took a sip of the champagne. He was looking forward to using his skills (and his new puppet) to earn himself more money from this guy. Once Ricky left them to it, Oscar approached Rickster. "Alright. You've had your fun. I gotta admit, I'm impressed. There aren't many mortals that can get one up on a Demon and get them to do their bidding but enough is enough. I did what you wanted, release me now. I'll leave you to live out your sordid new life as long as you let me go immediately." Rickster, still grinning, blinked at Oscar then shook his head while chuckling. "What makes you think you're any kind of threat to me now? If I tell you to do something, you are bound to do it. I'm not just going to give that up because you gave me an empty threat!" "I can literally rip you apart with my bear hands!" Oscar seethed. "But you won't." Rickster smirked. "Because I forbid you to raise a hand against me. Now, put down your glass a moment." Oscar put his glass down, already feeling his scar tingle at his hesitation. "Good. Now slap yourself across the face." "What? -ah!" He flinched, his shoulder beginning to hurt and he quickly struck himself across the face to stop it. "There, you see?" Rickster chuckled. "Why would I possibly want to give this up? It's far too much fun. Now pick your glass back up and drink it. You're being rude to our host." Rickster took a sip from his own glass and took a seat on one of the couches while they waited for Ricky to return. Denix Vames - March 27, 2021 It didn't take long for Kite to calm down. Finding comfort in her hold. He closed his eyes. Listening. ---- "It's a long story but yeah. Reapers are a thing." ,said Carter. Vincent nodded. "I wouldn't mind watching her." "I'm going to go look for this reaper unless the sun's still up." Nate appeared with his wings out. "I can track him for you. It won't be a problem." "Then go and find him for me. Bring him here. I need to question him. Just make sure you put these on him." He pulled out some handcuffs. "No problem." He disappeared. ---- Ricky took some time with the woman. Fully clothed, she soon left as she was counting the bills she had been given. He returned in a casual suit. "So? Are you two planning on doing anything?" shadowess - March 27, 2021 Cindy continued to hold Kite, closing her own eyes and stroking his hair. Just taking the moment to enjoy holding onto him. Enjoying how peaceful this felt. This was something she'd never experienced before. Having always been on the move and eager to do the next thing. She'd never stopped to just spend time with one person for so long before. She liked it. --- "The sun is up..." Parker looked over at Carter as he said he was going to look for the Reaper. When Nate appeared, Jessica almost dropped her cigarette as she jumped. She stared wide eyed at his wings with her mouth agape. When he vanished, she pointed at where he'd been standing. "That was a real Angel!" "Yeah...This stuff might take you a little while to get used to." Parker said as he looked back at her. "But...if I'm a half Devil, wouldn't that make us enemies?" She looked at Parker worriedly. "Usually yeah, but not him. He's on our side. Also apparently there's a negotiation happening today to broker peace between Heaven and Hell." Alex explained. "Also, when you eventually die and become a Devil, you gotta watch out for Angel feathers as well as the steel they make. They burn your skin and if they stab you in the heart with 'em or you get shot with an bullet made out of their steel and don't take it out quick enough, they can destroy your soul." "Holy crap..." Jessica lowered her eyes to the ground as she processed this information. "Yeah, and any handcuffs made from Angelic steel renders you powerless." Parker added. "I er-...I might need a minute...just to let that sink in...it's still so...surreal..." Jessica said as she sat back and took another drag on her cigarette, finishing it off before snubbing it out in the ash tray nearby. --- Oscar hiccupped a little, having downed his glass as soon as Rickster told him to drink it because he hadn't said how quickly he should drink it. Rickster paid him very little attention as he watched Ricky rejoin them. When asked if they had any plans, Rickster smiled. "Eventually I plan on decimating the bastard that killed me but right now he and his friends believe me to be dead. So, I am in no rush. I'd rather let them continue to believe I'm dead for a while. Lull them into a false sense of security to make my reappearance all the more shocking." He stood, turning to face Ricky casually. "In the meantime, I suppose I could offer my services to you. Earn a bit of cash to go towards my own plans and maybe have some fun in the process. Speaking of which;" he took a sip of his champagne. "Did you have anything in mind that I could help you with? Perhaps I could help you get even with the Demon that tricked you and trapped you in Hell?" Denix Vames - March 27, 2021 Kite soon fell asleep. ---- Carter put his notepad away. He started puffing on the cigarette. Nate soon appeared with Jasper in handcuffs. He forced him on his knees. Jasper struggled against the cuffs. He glared at them. "What the fuck?! Let me go!" "First, you've got to answers my questions. And if I found out that you're lying then I'm going to punch you." ,said Carter. Jasper smirked. "Thought we was friends?" "We were before you decide to try and kill Gary. And now that you almost killed Jessica, this is an even bigger problem. So answer me this, Why are you doing this? Who chose you to become a reaper?" "Hell if I know. I just got the job. That's about it." ----- "Getting that bitch what she deserves would be great. But how the hell are you gonna find her?" shadowess - March 27, 2021 When Nate reappeared with Jasper, Jessica's features turned pale. "It's him!" she gasped, pressing her back into the back of the couch. She, Parker and Alex all watched quietly as Carter began questioning Jasper. When Carter asked who chose him to become a Reaper, the sound of fingers snapping could be heard behind them and Jasper's cuffed sprung open, releasing him. "On your feet Jasper." Came a new, stern sounding, female voice from behind them. Looking over, they'd see a skinny woman with blond hair and a black eyepatch standing against the wall. "And do control that dreadful temper of yours." Her blue eye then shot to Carter. "You have no jurisdiction when it comes to spirits. Kindly stay within your own laws." "Who the hell are you?!" Alex snapped, rounding on her angrily. Parker had jumped to his feet, facing her. "Atma." she answered simply. "I am the spirit of life, more commonly referred to as The Midwife." she introduced herself as she walked over to Jasper. "You're new..." she said looking over him. "Where is your tutor? You shouldn't be working alone. You should be learning from a more experienced Reaper." --- Rickster's smile never wavered as he looked over at Oscar. "We deploy a spy to track her, of course." Oscar looked between them, catching Rickster's meaning. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me..." Denix Vames - March 27, 2021 Carter glared. He mashed his cigarette on the ash tray then walked over to her. "This is my jurisdiction. And whatever you did to Jasper needs to stop now. I won't let you mess with my family." He poked at her chest, above her breasts. "You are going to stay here and answer my questions too." Nate appeared from behind and wrapped his arms around her. Keeping a tight grip on her with his wings surrounding both of them. Jasper stood. He massaged his wrists. "I've been around since the old West. I know a thing or two about hunting. I don't need a damn teacher." ---- Ricky smiled. "Sounds perfect. And just because I'm being nice for today, you can have any kind of lady that you want to fuck. Or guy if you're into that once you get back here with her and her boyfriend. I want them both." shadowess - March 27, 2021 "Oh, no. Whatever will I do?" Atma rolled her eye as Nate grabbed her and Carter poked her. She vanished from his grasp and reappeared sitting on the couch next to Jessica who jumped with a squeal. "Keep it down, darling." she said casually to Jessica before turning to look at the others once more. "Now, when we are all done behaving like children, perhaps we can talk like adults?" "You cocky bitch!" Alex growled and began marching over to her. Atma merely flexed a hand and he flew back against the far wall and remained there as if being held by something invisible. "Jasper, do not try my patience." Atma warned. "You have been given a unique power and must be trained properly to avoid said power being abused." "She says, totally abusing her power!" Alex snapped, glaring at her from the wall. "Quiet child." she pinched her fingers together and Alex's mouth shut. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move his lips apart and angrily made noises at her. "Let him go!" Parker shouted at her and she turned her head to look at him in annoyance. "Shout at me again and you'll join him on the wall." Atma says simply. "Oh, don't look at me like that! It's not like I'm hurting him. This is literally the equivalent of being put in a time out. Perhaps now we can have a more mature conversation?" --- "How generous of you." Oscar said sarcastically and Rickster's smile became strained. "Pardon us a moment?" Rickster said to Ricky pleasantly before turning to Oscar. "Put your glass down then punch yourself in the crotch." he ordered and Oscar reluctantly complied, falling to his knees and groaning from the pain. "Every time you are rude to our host, I will punish you." Rickster said before turning back to Ricky. "Thank you for your offer. I will ensure both targets are delivered to you as soon as possible." he assured him then walked over to Oscar who was still holding his groin and groaning a bit. "When Ricky gives you the information to help you find the targets, you will track them, capture them and bring them here alive." he ordered. He then turned his head to look at Ricky. "He's going to need descriptions. Names too if you know them. The more information he has on what to look out for, the faster he can find them."

Denix Vames - March 26, 2021 "Maybe you can teach me sometimes." He continued to eat. ---- Carter read her face. "You have to be lying. What kind of game are you trying to pull here? Cause up until a few hours ago, he wasn't even separated from his brother until he got into a new body. You might as well just cut the crap and tell me who you really are." shadowess - March 26, 2021 "I'd be happy to." Cindy smiled and she ate what was on her plate. When they'd both finished, she'd take their plates into the kitchen to wash them. While washing up the things she'd used, she called through to Kite. "So, how did you want to spend the rest of today?" --- At first Jessica glared at Carter for calling her a liar but then he said something that really confused the hell out of her. "What? Wait! Hang on! His BROTHER?!" She stood up and walked away from the couch a bit, towards the middle of the room. "He has a brother?! I have another brother?!" She looked back at Carter questioningly then looked angry as her eyes wandered away from him. "That...that cheating, whoring son OF A BITCH!" she began pacing. "Ohhh, this is just great! How many more kids, dad?! How many more siblings do I have that I don't know about?! You ARSEHOLE!" she shouted at nothing then paused in the middle of the room with her shaking hand over her mouth, trying to calm herself down. She then looked back at Carter. "Alright, I'm done answering your questions. It's your turn to answer mine. Where is me brother?...where are my brotherS?? I need to talk to them." Denix Vames - March 26, 2021 "Well, first I need to go change out of my uniform if I'm going to relax at home." He got up and slowly made his way to the bedroom. ---- "So Damian really did fuck that many women? Huh! Never thought I would hear that." Carter stood. "Alright. Calm down. Look, I can get Alex and Parker over here. Just hold on a second." He went upstairs to tell Vincent who came back with both men in the living room. Appearing out of thin air. Shadowess - March 26, 2021 Cindy dried her hands and watched Kite making his way into the bedroom. "Do you need any help?" she called through, not wanting to assume he'd want her back in his bedroom so soon after restarting their relationship. --- When Carter said he'd get Alex and Parker, Jessica looked at him puzzled. "You mean...Alex Parker, right?" she asked but he left without giving her an answer. Maybe he didn't hear her question. She waited for a moment then jumped when Vincent appeared with both Alex and Parker. Both of whom looked just as confused as she did. Having been woken up, Alex looked a little disgruntled while Parker just seemed confused and curious that he'd been pulled into Carter's office. "Seriously...how are you doing that?" Jessica asked Vincent, looking at him warily now. "Because it's really starting to freak me out here..." her voice shook a little. "Who's Carrot Top here?" Alex asked, squinting at her with a small smirk. "Oh, haha." Jessica replied sarcastically while smirking and narrowing her eyes at him. "W-which one of you is Alex Parker?" "I am" Both Alex and Parker said in unison. They then looked at each other. Parker looking a little deflated while Alex apparently finding some amusement in what had just happened. "Uh..." Jessica looked between them. "I'm sorry, I'm confused..." "We're both Alex Parker...it's sort of complicated..." Parker replied, looking at her sympathetically. "Y-You're brothers?" "Uh...I guess...technically...Yeah." "The real question is, who are you and what do you want with us?" Alex asked her bluntly. Jessica hesitated. Still confused about the name thing. She licked her lips nervously. "My name is Jessica Wilson..." she looked between them both for a moment. "I'm your sister...we have the same dad..." Both Alex and Parker blinked at her in disbelief then looked at each other before looking back at her. "Are you sure?" Parker asked. "Positive." Jessica replied. "Apparently my mum left our dad when she found out he was sleeping with other women while on his 'business trips'" She then shook her head, still trying to get her head around having two brothers with the same name. "So...why do you both have the same name?" "Apparently daddy dearest had a sense of humor." Alex replied sarcastically then flinched when Parker elbowed him in the side. "We should tell her." Parker said to him seriously. "Tell me what?" Jessica looked between them. "What, right now? Do you not think finding out we have another sibling is enough of a shock for one day?" "Tell me what??" Jessica was growing annoyed, her head was hurting from trying to process what was going on. "What if she ends up going through what we went through??" Parker turned to Alex. "She needs to know for her own safety!" "Fellas, what is going on?" Jessica persisted. Denix Vames - March 26, 2021 "Nah! I'm good!" Kite took some clothes out from his closet. He was able to change into his grey shirt. Yet, when it came to taking off his pants, he fell on his back. "Fuck!" ---- Carter sighed. "Look, don't freak out or anything. Because honestly? I'm getting real tired of that bullshit. The point is that the supernatural is real. So, your dad was a slutty Devil which makes you possibly half Devil and they are human because of complicated reasons. Also, Vincent's a demon. That's sort of why he can teleport. And I..." He pointed at his fangs. "Am a vampire. And no, I won't suck your blood." shadowess - March 26, 2021 (Hope it's not too late to add this. Figured a little more interaction might make things a bit easier.) Everything became too much for Jessica. Being attacked the night before. Learning she had another brother and that both her brothers had the same name. People popping into and out of existence in front of her and now her brothers needed to tell her something to keep her safe? Her head spun and no sooner had she asked what was going on, her eyes rolled and she stumbled back. Parker rushed forward to catch her before she could hit the ground. "She passed out." Parker said, holding her while looking between Vincent and Alex. "Yeah, we can see that..." Alex rolled his eyes. "Would you just shut up and help me get her onto the couch!" "Fine..." Alex lifted her legs while Parker held her under her arms and they carried her over to the couch. "I think we should talk about what we should call you...this shit is getting confusing..." Parker said as they carried her. "Me? I'm settled on Alex, thank you very much! Why don't we change your name? Everyone just calls you Parker anyways." "Fine. I'll just be Draven Parker then. Should make things a little easier..." They gently placed her onto the couch and looked at her for a moment. "So..." Alex breathed, a little out of breath from carrying her. "Yeah..." Parker huffed. "A sister..." "Yep..." "I give it a day..." "Until what?" "Something disastrous happens." Parker narrowed his eyes at Alex. "What? If she's our sister, then that means she's half Devil as well. Only a matter of time before some dick finds out and tries to take advantage of that..." Alex defended. "Like with Bryce...Which is why I want to tell her what's going on! It's obvious she has no clue about the real world!" Parker said with a sigh and sat on a chair nearby with his hands over his mouth and nose while his elbows rested on his knees. "Yeah...but how do we break that news to her without her losing her mind?" Alex folded his arms, looking between Parker and Vincent. Shadowess - March 26, 2021 (Fuck! xD) shadowess - March 26, 2021 (Although, reading through your reply, it still sort of fits lol) shadowess - March 26, 2021 (Alright, for Jessica. I'd say she heard what Carter said and that's what caused her to pass out. Alex and Parker could still have had the same conversation because they're not sure if what Carter had told her had sunk in. lol I should really refresh the page before pasting my reply in xD ) Hearing the thud of Kite falling onto his back along with him shouting, Cindy hurried into his bedroom to see him on his back. "Are you alright?!" she hurried to his side and helped him sit up. Denix Vames - March 27, 2021 (It's fine. I mistakes too.) "Yeah yeah. I'm fine." He sighed as he sat at the edge of the bed. "Guess it's going to be a struggle for me for a while." His cheeks went red. "Maybe I do need some help." He nodded at the black sweats near him. ----- Carter rolled his eyes. "You know, I'm trying to understand but honestly her fainting was a bit overdramatic for me. That probably makes me sound like a douchebag. Sorry." shadowess - March 27, 2021 Offering Kite a kind smile, she leant in and kissed his cheek. "It's alright." she said softly and she grabbed the sweats and helped him to change. Once they were on him, she sat next to him with a frown, looking at the spot where he'd been stabbed. "This was my fault..." she sighed. --- "Yeah, it does." Alex said to Carter bluntly, earning him a soft punch to the side from Parker. "What? Seriously, do you both not remember how you reacted when you found out the world was completely different to what you were told growing up?" He then defended, raising his hands by his sides as he spoke. Parker sighed. "He kinda has a point." he said to Carter. "I remember going into denial and you having to try to calm me down when I learned that the supernatural were real..." "And I'm willing to bet your reaction was no better." Alex nodded at Carter. "So, I dunno, maybe lets not try to judge someone for the way they react to being told their entire life was a lie?" Parker squinted at Alex with a smirk. "Since when did you become empathetic? What happened to you since you left the house?" Parker had no idea about Gary yet. Alex's face turned a little red and he shifted uncomfortably on his feet, averting his gaze. He didn't want to be viewed as having gone soft. "Nothing. Don't know what you're talking about. I haven't changed!" he flustered. "Shaddup..." Jessica groaned, turning her head a little. Her eyebrows furrowed and she lifted a hand to her head which was pounding. "Oh hey, that was quick." Alex turned to look at her, glad the focus was no longer on him. "I'll get her some water." Parker hurried off to the kitchen. "What-?" Jessica groaned then sat up and looked around at them all, remembering what had happened. She cringed. "I fainted, didn't I?" she asked, clear disappointment in her voice. Apparently more bothered that she'd passed out in front of them than she was about learning what they were. --- Oscar and Rickster appeared outside Ricky's mansion. Rickster was smiling as he held up his hands to show the guards they meant no harm. "Let your boss know he needs to get another fifty thousand ready. And some champagne. We have his cure." Denix Vames - March 27, 2021 Kite held her hand. "No, it's not. I wanted to help you. I'm the one who risked my own life. Don't blame yourself for what I did." ----- Carter shrugged. "Fair enough." "Is that common? You passing out in front of people?" ----- The guards let them. Ricky was wearing an eye patch to conceal his red eye. He had been wearing it while he slept with a woman. He was wearing a bed robe when he stepped out of his room. Walking to them with a suitcase filled with fifty grand. A guard brought in a moving silver tray with a bucket of ice and champagne inside. There were three wine glasses. "I heard the news. Now cough up the cure. I can't look like a pirate when I fuck some chick." shadowess - March 27, 2021 Cindy sighed, still troubled. "I just...I don't understand how he knew what I was...I'd never met him before and he seemed to know what I was as soon as he saw me...And the weapons he had...the handcuffs... I mean, if he had access to those things and could tell a Demon apart from a human, then who else out there can do the same? The thought is frightening..." --- "Nah, it's just embarrassing..." Jessica answered honestly. She reached into her handbag and pulled out the pack of cigarettes. "Do you mind if I light one up? It's been a hell of a day..." Parker came back in and placed the glass of water in front of her, on the coffee table. "Thanks." She said as she lifted the glass and took a sip. Parker sat back down on the chair and Alex stood nearby with his arms folded, staring at her. When Jessica put the glass back down, she looked between them all for a moment. "So...ok, let me just wrap my head around this. You're a vampire?" she looked at Carter then she pointed at Vincent. "He's a Demon?" she then looks between Alex and Parker. "And you two are human?" "And father dear was a Devil." Alex nodded. "Wait...so if I'm half Devil, why aren't you two?" "A spell...it's a long story..." Parker answered. "Huh..." Jessica sat back on the couch and shrugged. "Well...I got nowhere else to be right now..." Nodding, Parker told Jessica everything he and Alex knew. When they were done, Jessica sat in silence for a good couple of minutes as she thought through everything she was just told. "Ok..." she nods finally. "So...as long as I don't let a vampire turn me, I'm all good?" "Basically." Alex nods. "and I'll just turn into a full Devil when I die?" "Only if you end up going to Hell...If you lived a good life, you'll become an Angel if you go to Heaven instead..." Parker answered. Jessica stared at him for a moment before lowering her gaze to the floor. "Devil it is then..." she then looked a little confused as she looked up at them all. "So, what was the guy that attacked me last night?" "You were attacked?" Parker looked a little alarmed. --- Rickster clicked his fingers and Oscar pulled out a vial of blue liquid. "Drink that and any supernatural ailment caused by a Devil or Demon is cured." Rickster explained as he swapped it for the suitcase.

Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 Ricky glared. "Fine! Let's go to my little vault." Which was in fact a huge room. He led him over there. Down below the first floor. Shadowess - March 25, 2021 Rickster followed him casually with his hands in his pockets. Once he saw the size of the room, he whistled, impressed. "Now, I believe we settled on half?" he chuckled, jokingly. "Tell you what, considering you're probably going to want a few more of my services, how's about I just settle for fifty grand for every job completed? So let's see. I arranged for you to be brought back to life, bring you to Earth and get you back into your old body so far. That brings it to one hundred and fifty thousand so far. Then another fifty thousand if my Demon returns with a cure for your eye problem." Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 Ricky shook his head. "You fucking freaks." He snapped his fingers. A guard walked over. He typed in the code and spun the wheel. Opening the vault. "One hundred and fifty thousand for now." The guard took out some packed bills. Placing them in a suitcase which he gave Rickster. He then closed the vault. "I'll give you that fifty thousand when that demon shit does fix my fucked up eye." shadowess - March 25, 2021 Rickster was a little pissed at the insult but considering he was still getting paid, he didn't complain. He took the suitcase and chuckled. "Pleasure doing business with you, Ricky. I'll see you tomorrow." he grinned then vanished. Disappearing to begin making arrangements to get the money laundered into his various accounts. Once that was taken care of, he appeared in his home, deciding to rest for the night after such an eventful day. He'd catch up with Ricky tomorrow. With any luck, the Demon will return tomorrow too and he'll be in for another pay day. Shadowess - March 25, 2021 (Shall we cut to next morning? I could post as Cindy picking up Kite, if you want? Not sure who else would be up and about first thing in the morning lol) Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 Carter woke up. He found himself resting his head on Sebastian's chest. He looked up at his sleeping face and smiled. "That beautiful face. I swear....Can't take my eyes off of it." Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 (yeah hold up a sec) shadowess - March 25, 2021 (lol Never mind, I think we posted at exactly the same time lol) Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 (write that scene like now lol) Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 (wtf is going on. we're typing too fast XD) shadowess - March 25, 2021 (ROFL I'll reply at the same time as writing up Cindy xD) Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 (alright) shadowess - March 25, 2021 Cindy's alarm rang, waking her up and she groaned as she picked up her phone to turn it off. After a quick shower and some breakfast, she paused at the mirror to make sure she looked good before teleporting to the hospital, being sure to appear in the security camera's blind spot. She wasted no time in heading straight up to Kite's room. Knocking on the door before walking in with a smile. "Good morning." she said cheerily. --- Half asleep and eyes still closed, Sebastian smiled. He had his arm around Carter and gave him a gentle squeeze, holding him close as he kissed his forehead. "Struggling to sleep?" he asked in a half whisper. They'd only been in bed a couple of hours and had yet to have a full days sleep. It was no wonder their sleep schedule was a little messed up. Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 Kite smiled. He was on crutches, wearing his police uniform as that was the only pair of clothes he had in the hospital. "Morning." He stumbled a bit but was able to limp over with the help of those crutches. "Still trying to get use to this." ---- Carter smiled. "Maybe. I just can't stop looking at you." shadowess - March 26, 2021 Cindy smiled and fixed his collar when he made it over to her. "Let's hope your leg heals up quickly." she said softly then leaned in to kiss him tenderly. "Did you want to go straight home or did you need to go anywhere else first? I'd be happy to teleport us anywhere." --- Sebastian grinned and opened his eyes a little to look at Carter. He gently moved his fingers through his hair before cupping his cheek. "I know what you mean...if I could take you with me into my dreams, then I would. Just so I didn't have to take my eyes off you when I close them." He kissed his forehead again as he thought about how he just sounded then half laughed, flopping his head back on the pillow and rolling his eyes. "God, that must've sounded so cheesy!" he chuckled. Denix Vames - March 26, 2021 Kite sighed. "Nah. Looks like I'm really gonna have to stay at home. But on the bright side, I won't be there alone." He caressed her cheek. ---- Carter moved himself so that he was head to head with Sebastian. Leaning on his elbow. "Not really. I think I've heard worse pick up lines from Kite. Back when we use to flirt, he would give me the most cheesiest pick up lines. You should have heard him." shadowess - March 26, 2021 Cindy grinned, blushing at his touch. "Home it is then." she said softly and leaned in to kiss him once more. When he'd open his eyes again as the kiss broke, they'd be standing in his living room. "Do you need me to get you anything?" --- Sebastian chuckled. "Really? Like what?" He grinned at him, enjoying this quiet moment together. --- Looking over the business card that the officer in the station had given her, Jessica approached the 'office' and looked up at it skeptically. "This is an office? Looks more like a house..." she shrugged and stepped up to the door. "Well...if this is where he's supposed to be working now..." she rang the doorbell. The doorbell awoke Neva who had been sleeping on the couch and she sat up to look in the direction of the door warily, waiting to see if Vincent would answer it and who it might be. Denix Vames - March 26, 2021 Kite shook his head. "I think I'm ok. I'll probably order takeout for some breakfast." ---- Carter thought for a moment. "Well like....'Aside from being sexy, what do you do for a living?'" ---- Vincent walked to the door. He opened it. "Ah! Sorry ma'am. He's not here but I can fetch him for you. Just step inside and I'll go get him." He closed the door behind her as he left. He soon appeared in Carter's bedroom. He quickly turned away so as not to face them. "I'm sorry Carter but you have a client. And for some reason, she got your card at the police station." Carter sat up. "The precinct? I thought they hated my guts there?" "I don't know. I'm not sure what's going on but she needs your help." He sighed. "Alright. Looks like we're gonna have to hang out later Sebastian." He quickly got dressed. "I'll see you later. I promise." He kissed Sebastian before taking Vincent's hand and appearing in the living room. "Hello ma'am. My name is Carter. What's yours?" shadowess - March 26, 2021 "Don't be silly!" Cindy grinned. "Sit down and relax, I'm sure I could cook something for you..." she said as she headed towards the fridge. She may not be familiar with the modern day snacks but she'd learned enough from souls that came to her Harem to know how to cook the basics such as bacon. --- Sebastian cracked up laughing. "That is pretty bad." --- Jessica smiled initially when the door opened but then Vincent seemed to already know why she was here and asked her to come inside the house. "Wait, how did-?" she trailed off, having walked in and turned to ask him how he knew what she was here for only to see he'd vanished. Her features became a little pale. Just like that guy last night! She turned back around to look at Neva sitting on the couch. Neva stared back, not sure what to make of this woman with wild red hair. "Hi." Jessica waved at her awkwardly and Neva smiled a little. --- Sebastian frowned a little, disappointed that Carter was being pulled away for work. But at the same time, he was glad he was because this would be the first real client that had sought out Carter's help on their own. He smiled at this thought, proud that Carter's business was beginning to grow. He kissed Carter back "It's alright. Good luck with your new client." he grinned at him as he watched him vanish with Vincent. He then laid back down, settling down to try and get a little more sleep. --- "Woah!" Jessica jumped when Carter and Vincent reappeared and she stared between them for a moment. "How'd ya do that?!" she then grinned "That- ok, that was pretty cool, I gotta admit." she held out her hand to shake Carter's. "Hi, I'm Jessica Wilson. I er-...I was told Alex Parker works for you?" her eyes shifted between Carter and Vincent for a moment questioningly. "Oh, and the officer that gave me your card also said you might be able to help me with that guy that attacked me last night. It was super weird..." While Jessica was talking to Carter, Neva had gotten up from the couch and walked over to Vincent. Pulling on his sleeve a little so she could whisper to him. "Her aura feels weird." her eyes looked at Jessica briefly. "Not bad. Just weird." Scent wise, Jessica's blood would smell similar to Amelia. Overbearingly sweet. Denix Vames - March 26, 2021 Kite sat on the couch. "Ok. This is kind of exciting. I've never had home made cooking before." ---- Carter shook her hand. He raised a brow. "How do you know Alex? And what officer?" Vincent held Neva's hand. Taking her upstairs. "Let's leave them be. I'm sure Carter can figure things out from here." He rubbed his chin while thinking. "Also, you smell like a friend of mine. Do you wear the same perfume as hers?" He figured he couldn't mention anything about demons if she didn't even know anything about teleportation. Shadowess - March 26, 2021 Cindy chuckled as she took some eggs and bacon out of the fridge. "I guess this is a first for both of us then!" She sang cheerily then smiled at him. "Don't worry. I learned how to cook from some souls during my time in Hell. This shouldn't be too difficult..." She cut up the bacon then whisked the eggs together. She then took out some cheese, spring onions, salt and pepper. She threw the chopped bacon into the pan to begin cooking them, seasoning them with the salt and pepper, then chopped up the spring onions. She threw those into the pan as well then added the eggs. While waiting for the omelet to cook, she grated the cheese and threw it on top to melt it a bit. Once it was done cooking, she turned off the heat and split the omelet in two before putting each half onto plates. It was a very simple recipe, but according to the soul she got it from it was one of the best dishes to start off with as a beginner. She placed a knife and fork onto each plate before taking one of the plates over to Kite. "Grubs up." she winked as she turned to go and get her own plate. "I hope it's alright...It's literally the first thing I've cooked since arriving on Earth." --- "Uh, Officer Lang? When I told him about what happened last night, he said I was better off coming here..." Jessica answered, her accent had an Irish twang to it. She then hesitated to answer his question about Alex. "Well, technically...I don't. I only learned he even existed a few days ago...travelled here as soon as I could to try and find him. He's um..." she hugged herself as she spoke and looked around the room briefly. "Apparently he's my brother...same dad, different mothers...Apparently my mother kicked him out when she found out about Alex's mother...I was just a baby when it happened...never met my dad...I only found out about Alex because she slipped up while we were arguing..." she sighed. "I was hoping to get to know him...always wanted a brother..." She smiled a little then looked at Carter a little oddly when he pointed out her perfume. Had she put too much on? She hadn't thought it was that noticeable..."Maybe? I guess it's a common brand. Does she wear Charlie Perfume?" Denix Vames - March 26, 2021 Kite took a sniff at the air. "It smells pretty good." He cut a piece and put it in his mouth. He slowly chewed. Feeling the flavor. His face lit up. "This is so damn good! I love it!" ---- Carter shook his head as he walked to a chair. He sat there. "This doesn't make any sense." He pointed at the couch across from him. Letting her know that she could sit. "There's no way Alex has any relatives. And I'll have to talk to Lang. See if he knows more about me." He crossed his arms. "And don't worry about the perfume. I just need to ask you something. Do you believe in the supernatural?" shadowess - March 26, 2021 Seeing him love her cooking filled Cindy with pride as she sat next to him with her own plate and tried a bite for herself. "Well, I suppose that soul knew what he was talking about after all!" she chuckled. "This is fun. I think I might cook more often! See what else I can make." --- When he sat down and gestured to the couch, Jessica walked over and sat down. Watching his reaction. "Well...to be fair, up until a couple days ago, I believed I was an only child so..." she shrugged, trailing off and looking at the ground. She was then puzzled by his next question. "That's an odd thing to ask." she chuckled. "What, you mean like, ghosts and that?" she asked, looking at him in amusement. "Nah, not really. Though me mother tried to get me into Tarot when I was younger." she shrugged. "Just wasn't into it. Reading people's futures? Load of bollocks, isn't it?"

Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 Kite laughed with her then wondered. "Maybe she's right. I mean, you have been here for a long time. You should get some rest. Go home. You can pick me up tomorrow morning." ---- Carter throw the bag in the trash. "That's good. It's about time he went back home. He looked like me whenever I was on a case that took me forever to close." ---- Ricky gave him an annoyed look as he crossed his arms. "Well, it works on the guys and chicks from where I live." ---- Blaire grabbed her by the back of her shirt. "You need to leave. Now." shadowess - March 25, 2021 Still smiling, Cindy nodded. "Yeah, maybe that's not such a bad idea...I feel pretty tired after today, I think some sleep would do me some good..." she stood up and leant over to kiss him one more time. "I'll see you in the morning." she whispered. --- Sebastian smiled at Carter. "Well, it was still an eventful evening...but at least it wasn't as bat shit insane the kind of nights we've had so far. Maybe things are finally starting to calm down a bit?" he chuckled as he threw his own empty bag into the trash as well. He walked over to Carter and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. "Now, where were we?" he grinned. --- "Hmph!" Rickster turned back to the Demon and continued to carve into him. "Welcome to Hell." he commented. It took several more minutes before Rickster took a step back from the Demon to admire his work. "There. That should do it." he walked around the Demon and slapped him across the face. The Demon groaned and looked up at Rickster before jumping to his feet. "I'll fucking tear you apart!" he growled at Rickster as he took a calm step away from him. "You will not harm me whatsoever." Rickster said calmly and the Demon laughed. "Do you want to bet? You filthy fucki- ah!" The rune on the Demon's back lit up. Glowing crimson. The Demon seemed to be in a great deal of pain as he fell to his knees, a hand holding his shoulder. "What the fuck?!" Rickster grinned, seeing his rune at work. "Oh, that'll be the spell I carved into your back while you were unconscious. Anytime you attempt to disobey me, the rune will punish you. Each punishment becoming increasingly painful so I would highly recommend just doing as you're told." "W-what?!" "Now, be a good Demon and tell me your name." "Fuck you!" the Demon growled then immediately began screaming as the rune lit up again. "The sooner you answer the question, the sooner the pain will stop." Rickster told said over his screams while rolling his eyes. "O-Oscar! Oscar De Graaf!" the Demon cried out then fell forward, leaning on his hands as he caught his breath. "Lovely to meet you Oscar. Now, myself and Ricky here would like to return to Earth and I know you Demons have a resurrection spell that you can perform to get us there. Perform it for us. Bring us both back to life and then take us to Earth." "You've got to be kiddi-" the Demon began screaming again, the rune lighting up once more. "FUCK IT! FINE! FINE! I'LL GO GET THE DAMN SPELL! FUCK!" he vanished. Rickster, looking quite please with himself, grinned at Ricky. "And that is how you make a Demon your personal slave." --- "Alright! Alright! Geez!" Jessica stumbled back a little before she could get too close to the others on the dancefloor. "Chill, I didn't know this was an exclusive club!" She put her hands up by her sides and looked at Blaire sideways. "Will ya let go of my shirt if I promise to leave?" she asked while giving Blaire the sweetest eyes she could. Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 Kite smiled into the kiss. "Take care and stay safe" ---- Carter sighed. "I'm hoping." He smirked at him. His hands were on his waist. He leaned in and kissed him. ---- Ricky laughed. "Oh man! This is so much fun! I gotta do that trick at some point. Ya think maybe he can give me some hair to grow? I hate being bald." ---- Blaire gave her an annoyed look. "I'm so sick and tired of people like you being so fucking naive." She gripped her arm and forced her out of the club. "Just don't come back here ever again!" She slammed the door closed. Shadowess - March 25, 2021 Cindy leant her head against Kite's once the kiss broke. "You too." she whispered with a smile before stepping away and vanishing. She appeared in her flat and looked around at the suitcase she'd half packed. She half laughed while shaking her head. To think she was ready to just leave it all behind. She got to work putting everything back, planning on going to bed as soon as she was done. --- Smiling, Sebastian returned the kiss. Lifting one hand behind his head to run it through his hair as he deepened the kiss. --- "I'm sure we could work something out." Rickster grinned. "For a price." Oscar reappeared, he handed the book to Rickster. "Hold this." he said coldly and got to work painting a seal on the ground. When he was done, he stepped outside of the circle and pointed to it. "Alright, we gotta do this one at a time. One of you step inside it while I go get the sacrifices." he then vanished again. Appearing a short time later with two unconscious men. --- "What-!?" Jessica tried to pull her arm out of Blaire's grasp as she dragged her to the door. "What the hell is your problem?!" She stumbled out of the door and turned in time to see the door being slammed closed. "Oh, don't worry. I won't. Christ, you'd think I'd spiked someone or some shit..." she took out a packet of cigarettes from her purse and lit one up in her mouth. She walked a little down the street and leant against the wall to smoke for a bit. Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 Carter's grip tightened. His chest was against his. He slipped his tongue into his mouth. His hands getting under his shirt. ---- Ricky raised a brow. "What kind of price?" He hopped into the circle when Oscar said so. ----- Jasper appeared behind her. "Guess you're not going to die today. But you are on my list. Unless this is a typo." shadowess - March 25, 2021 Carter's tongue in his mouth, his body pressed against his and feeling his hands slipping under his shirt all began to drive Sebastian mad with passion. His kisses becoming increasingly passionate as a soft moan escaped him. He moved his kisses down Carter's neck, gripping his hair a little gently to tease him. --- Rickster shrugged. "Let's just focus on getting out of here. Then we can discuss new business." he then watched as Ricky stepped into the circle. Oscar stepped into the circle as well shoved one of the passed out men into his arms along with a small knife. "When I give you the signal, slit his throat. He isn't a soul like you. He's actually alive. So by killing him, you are granted new life. Understood?" He then stepped outside the circle and maneuvered the second body into it as well, being sure to keep his head just outside the circle so he could kill him without stepping into the seal himself. He held a knife over the second male's head and began chanting the spell. He gave the signal for Ricky to kill his sacrifice and as soon as the blood would be spilled, he slit the throat of the second male as well, to complete the spell. Once this was done, Oscar would vanish to bring back two more unconscious people to sacrifice and do the same for Rickster. --- Taking a puff on her cigarette, Jessica jumped a little when Jasper appeared behind her then glanced at the book he was holding curiously as he spoke about her being on some kind of list. "What is that? A hit list or somethin'? Lemme see." she said as she swiped it from his grasp to skim read it. Without missing a beat she pointed at the name. "Yeah, see this says Jessica Willson with two L's, I'm Jessica Wilson with one L." she said casually and handed it back to him with a shrug. "Sucks to be her, I'll bet." she chuckled as she took another drag on her smoke. "But hey, don't sweat it, yeah?" she gently nudged his arm with her elbow. "I didn't see nothin'" she winked then began walking away, down the street. Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 Carter felt himself being pressed against the wall. He cupped his ass. Moaning at his touch. "Oh fuck...." ---- Ricky cut the man's throat without hesitation. He smiled when he found himself fully dressed and near his building. ---- Jasper glared. He appeared again and wrapped his hand around her neck. Slamming her against the wall. "Don't you dare touch a Reaper's book ever again!" shadowess - March 25, 2021 Sebastian chuckled into his ear before gently biting his earlobe. "If you insist." he slipped his fingers just inside Carter's pants and tugged him towards the stairs with a playful grin. --- Only a couple of minutes after Ricky stood outside his mansion, Rickster found himself standing next to him with Oscar stood nearby. The security guards of the fake Ricky charged out and aimed their weapons at them. "Oscar, knock these gentlemen out." Rickster ordered and within seconds, Oscar had appeared behind each of them, whacking them over the back of their heads and knocking them out. "Now, first things first. I believe you have an imposter to take care of." he turned to grin at Ricky. "And then we can discuss the payment for my services." --- Jessica dropped her cigarette as Jasper seemed to just appear in front of her and slam her against the wall by her neck. She gasped, struggling to breathe as she stared at him wide eyed. "I-I'm sorry! I was just trying to be friendly! I promise I won't touch your Death Note! Let me go? Please?" Despite her predicament, she was trying to stay cool but her heart was beating wildly. Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 Carter laughed. "That's a good one." He followed him into the bedroom where he was pinned to the bed. He became lost in his touch. Those kisses. ---- "Yeah yeah! I just want to kill that handsome looking bastard. But I need that body too. I need to go back in my body. There's no way I can ruin it." ,said Ricky. ---- Jasper grit his teeth. "I best not see you around these parts again." He let her go then disappeared. Shadowess - March 25, 2021 (Private time) --- Rickster looked over at Oscar. "There's a way to switch them back, isn't there?" Oscar hesitated, then hissed and hurriedly answered before the rune could hurt him more. "Yes!" he averted his gaze, hating the fact he'd become some mortal's plaything. "New task, find Ricky's old body, knock him out then conduct whatever spell you need to switch them back." he ordered and Oscar sighed as he disappeared. "I should've gotten a Demon servant years ago..." Rickster commented with a chuckle. --- Jessica doubled over when he let her go and she coughed, trying to catch her breath again. She looked around warily to see if he was still around. "What the fuck?" she wheezed, gripping her throat which still felt sore and oddly cold. "What the fuck just happened??" she began hurriedly walking away from the club. Getting into a cab to go to the hotel she'd booked. 'At least I was already planning on dropping into the police station in the morning...' she thought as she looked out the car window, watching the club get further away. Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 Ricky smiled. "Maybe I can get myself a hot Demon chick or two." shadowess - March 25, 2021 "Maybe." Rickster chuckled. "One thing at a time, my friend." Oscar appeared in front of them once more and sighed heavily before speaking in a bored tone. "It's done. He's passed out in the basement. Everything is ready to go..." he looks at Ricky. "You gotta stand in the middle of the circle again with him. I've already drawn it up." He stood to one side and waited for them both to step into the mansion and head down to the basement where they would find Ricky's original body out cold in the middle of a freshly painted seal. Once Ricky would stand in the center, Oscar would begin chanting the spell to switch their bodies back again. This time, Ricky would remain conscious throughout the whole thing. Only blacking out momentarily as their souls swapped bodies. Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 Ricky stood in the circle. He passed out before waking up in his original body. He pat himself to make sure it really was him. "Oh hell yeah!" He pointed at his red eye. "Is there a solution for this?" shadowess - March 25, 2021 Rickster looked at Oscar expectantly when Ricky asked the question. "Answer his question honestly." Oscar thought for a moment before answering quickly, feeling the rune begin to tingle just at him taking too long to answer. "Maybe? I don't know, I haven't seen anything like it. I'd have to do some research." "Get to it then. Don't waste time, I want you hunting for a cure until I call you or you find one, understood?" Oscar closed his eyes for a moment, before sighing and nodding. "Do I have a choice?..." he asked bitterly before he vanished. "Now then." Rickster folded his arms and looked over at Ricky. "About my fee." he then pointed to where Oscar had been standing. "Oh, and I got you back to earth, anything I help you with after that is extra, just so you know."

Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 Kite read her face. He smirked as he stuck a chip in her mouth. Letting her suck off the cheese from his finger. "How is it?" ---- Gary shook his head. "I'm fine. How are you? It looks like you did some real damage to your arm." Carter's eyes widened at what she said. Nearly falling from it. "Wha-? What was that?" ---- Ricky laughed. He hugged him. "You're a lovable pooch! I like dogs!" He gave him the old kissing cheek greeting. "You've got yourself a deal so long as we can work together." shadowess - March 25, 2021 Desi smirked, her mouth wrapped around his finger briefly as she pulled back a little, slowly. Waiting until his finger was out of her mouth before chewing the chip. "Mmm, it's good." she purred then giggled a little again. Her cheeks still pink as she bit her lower lip. She wished his leg wasn't injured and that they could go back to his place but she supposed she'd just have to be patient for the time being. --- Alex glanced at his arm briefly. Smiling, a little embarrassed. "Oh, it's nothing. Just a few scratches..." he said, trying to play it off cool. "Oh, before I forget. I set up some burglar alarms at your house. Figured you'd need one less thing to worry about when you got out of here." The nurse rolled her eyes a little. "Oh, don't give me that. I know what you are and I know an Angel when I sense one. I've been around the sick and dying long enough to be thankful when one decides to help us out." She glanced out of the door in the direction that Alex had gone. "And...I also remember sending that guy to the morgue a few days ago when he died of a brain aneurism...Relax. Your secrets are safe with me. Just make sure you keep your friends under control when they visit, alright?" --- Rickster was a little taken aback by the hug and he stiffened, watching Ricky cautiously. When he said they had a deal though, he soon smiled. "Good. Now then, first things first. We find ourselves a Demon and bend it to our will." He began walking and sniffing the air. "Come along. It's time to hunt." Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 "Really?" Kite looked at her lips then her. "Can I taste it?" ---- "Thanks Alex. I appreciate it. Just get some rest though. You look like shit. No offense. And take it easy on that arm. I know an injured one when I see it. I'm a firefighter after all." ,said Gary. Carter nodded. "Yeah, I'll do my best to do that. So, care to explain why you know shit about people like us?" ---- As they were walking, Ricky asked, "Can I ride you at some point? Not like in a weird sexual kind of way. Just wanting to have fun riding on a giant dog. Ya know?" shadowess - March 25, 2021 "Of course." Desi purred and she leant forward, placing her hands on either side of him on the bed as she pressed her lips against his. --- Alex chuckled when Gary told him he looked like crap and nodded. "Alright, but-..." he glanced around the room warily. "W-what about Jasper?" he asked worriedly. "What if he comes back while I'm not here?" The nurse hesitated before answering. "I'm...I have a gift for sensing what people are when they're near me." she answered. "It's kind of hard to explain. It's like...I duno, I just know what someone is when they're close. Made for one hell of a confusing childhood, that's for sure." --- "I am not your pet or your ride." Rickster answered shortly. "When I change into my dog form, it's to either kill or intimidate, got it?" He paused in his tracks and inhaled a few more times before grinning evilly. "Got one. Follow me and keep quiet." he said as he began walking again, being careful to not make any noise as he moved. Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 Kite deepened the kiss. He caressed her cheek. ---- "Even if he does, I know Nate will be here to protect me from him. Please Alex. You've done enough for me and I appreciate it. But I want you to take some time off." He brought his hand over his cheek. "Ok?" "I can guess that." Carter made sure no one was listening when he said this. "Anyway, if you ever need any help in relation to what I do then feel free to call me from that number at any time." ---- "Alright alright. I got it. Geez. So sensitive." ,said Ricky who raised his hands. He nodded at him before following behind. He nearly tripped over a rock when he was following. Shadowess - March 25, 2021 (I think for the duration of Desi going by the name of 'Cindy' I'm just guna call her that in rp to avoid confusion xD I'll call her Desi again if she ever shifts form or if her history gets pulled to the surface.) Cindy kissed Kite back, relaxing at his touch and wanting to lose herself to him. 'Maybe...just one lifetime being someone else wouldn't hurt...' she thought as she began settling into the idea of staying as 'Cindy'. No one needed to know. Maybe she could start over? Be someone else for a while instead of 'Desi'? Live a better life than she had as a Demon? She lifted a hand to cup his on her cheek. She didn't want this to end. --- Alex held his hand and turned his head to kiss it. He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. He nodded reluctantly as he opened his eyes to look back at Gary. "Ok...I'll be back as soon as I can." he promised and leant forward to kiss him tenderly. "I love you." he whispered. The nurse nodded. "I appreciate that." She said as she gathered up the equipment in her arms and headed out of the room. Sebastian had stepped out of Gary's room to give Alex and Gary a moment of privacy. He stood outside the door, a little to the side of it to let the janitor clean up the broken glass on the floor as he waited for Carter to come back. --- Hearing the scuffle behind him as Ricky almost tripped, Rickster came to a stop and turned to glare at him for a moment before turning back towards the smell and continuing to move quietly. A male with short, dark blond hair was ahead of them with his back to them. Apparently relaxing with bloodied hands after torturing a soul. The soul in question was laying at his feet, barely recognizable. His chest rising and falling shallowly before it fell still and the body vanished, along with the blood on the Demon's hands. The Demon moved over to a bench and sat back with a sigh, seeming content with a job well done. Rickster slowed to a stop and glanced back at Ricky, holding a finger to his lips. "You grab him and pin him down. I'll grab his weapon and carve a rune into his skin to make him obedient to me." he whispered. "We'll need to be quick." --- The vampire club was busy as Jessica walked through the doors. She noticed a few of the patrons turning to look at her but failed to notice the hungry look in their eyes as they caught her sweet scent. She just assumed she looked good this evening and smirked at the attention as she made her way towards the bar. She paused when she saw Hades serving drinks. "You sure you're old enough to be pulling drinks, kid?" she asked, shouting over the loud music. She then shrugged and smiled. "Whatever, I aint your ma. Get me a Vodka Coke, would ya?" She slapped some money onto the bar, including a tip. Her green eyes glanced at a good looking woman near her and she winked at her with a smirk. Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 (sure) Kite slipped a tongue into her mouth. Savoring those kisses. ---- Gary used his bandaged arm to cup his cheek as they kissed. His lips slightly gripping just to hold on for a little bit longer. When the kiss broke, he smiled. "I love you too." Carter nodded. He suddenly clutched his stomach. "I-I'm alright." He ran over to Sebastian. "Hey man. Look, I'm a damn idiot and forgot to drink. I'm going to go back home, ok? You just pay for the damages." ----- Ricky froze when he glared. He rolled his eyes when he wasn't looking. He nodded. "Got it." He soon crept up to the demon from behind. He gripped his arms. "Gotcha! Do it now pooch!" ----- "Aren't you a little human to be around here?" ,said Hades. He rolled his eyes. "Yeah sure." He made the drink and gave it to her. Blaire walked over with a tray in her hands. "Uh excuse me ma'am but what are you doing here?" shadowess - March 25, 2021 A small moan escaped Cindy as Kite's tongue slid into her mouth and the way he moved it against hers sent shivers through her. She continued to kiss him, her passion growing, leaving her wanting more. Before things could get too heated however, the nurse that had spoken to Carter walked into the room and rolled her eyes. "For goodness sakes! This is a hospital not a hotel room!" she scolded them. Red faced and trying hard not to smirk while biting her lip, Cindy pulled away from Kite and sat on the chair next to the bed again. The nurse ignored her and walked around the other side of the bed to check Kite's chart. "How are you feeling Mr. Ryder? Better by the looks of things." she flipped through the chart's pages briefly before looking at him. "Well, the good news is that you should be able to go home first thing in the morning. We'll loan you a crutch to help you walk until your leg has healed enough to support your weight again. You should stay off work for a few weeks until you've fully recovered. We'll write you a prescription for some pain relief before you leave." She then looked at Cindy. "I understand you might be worried about your boyfriend but visiting time ended hours ago. You can come and pick him up in the morning if you'd like?" She looked between them both. "We should have everything in order by eight in the morning. Ten at the latest." --- "Ok, no problem. I'm guessing we'll be done here soon anyway. I'll see you at home." Sebastian said and leant in to give Carter a kiss before watching him leave. A shiver ran through Alex at the way Gary kissed him. He'd missed how intense he could be and couldn't wait to take him home. Grinning a little, he pulled away reluctantly and headed towards the door. He glanced back once more before opening the door, not wanting to leave him here. When he walked through the door, he sighed heavily. Sebastian looked over at him with a small smile. "Do you need a lift home?" Alex looked at Sebastian then at the ground an nodded quietly. "Come on then, I'll make sure you get home safely." They left the hospital, Sebastian dropping Alex off at Gary's house before heading to Carter's house himself. --- Seeing the Demon begin to struggle against Ricky's grip, growling angrily, Rickster ran up and slipped the Demon's dagger from his belt. He looked over it briefly, admiring the engravings in the handle. "You have taste, my friend!" He complimented as he stayed behind the Demon. "Who the fuck-? Let go of me!" The Demon shouted angrily. His skin shimmered and shook. For a moment, it looked like he had scales. "Shit! He's one of those that can change!" Rickster exclaimed before smacking the side of the Demon's head with the hilt of his dagger. The Demon fell limp, knocked out from the blow and still in human form. "I can't have him changing while I'm working. Scales are not easy to carve into." He waved Ricky away so he could get to work carving the rune into the Demon's back, taking up much of the Demon's left shoulder and upper back. --- At first, Jessica squinted at Hades with mild confusion then she seemed to realize something. "Ohh, I get it! This is one of those themed clubs ya gotta dress up for. Got it. In that case then, yes. I am-" she winks at the woman next to her again suggestively "very human." she finished. She picked up the drink and held it up a little at Hades. "Cheers, kid." she grinned and turned to face the dancefloor while taking a sip. When Blaire walked over, Jessica looked her up and down with a smirk. "This is a night club isn't it?" she asked with a chuckle. "I came here to have a good time." Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 "It's alright nurse. I'm an officer." Kite winked. "Besides, I think I can manage to work." ---- Carter left the building and zoomed his way back home. Once he got there, he immediately went to the fridge and took a bag out. He drank fast. Enjoying the flavor. ---- Ricky let the demon go. Stepping away so that Rickster could work. "You know I don't need these symbols to own people. I already do that." ---- Hades shook his head and sighed. Tired of her crap. Blaire gave her a serious irritated look. "These are actual vampires who want to suck you dry if you stay here any longer. Now, I suggest leaving before shit hits the fan and you become a vampire out of the blue." shadowess - March 25, 2021 The nurse just shrugged. "I can only give you the advice, I can't force you to follow any of it." she said as she jotted down a couple of notes on the clipboard. She replaced it into it's holder and looked between them for a moment. "Fine." she sighed. "She can stick around. But no funny business in here. This is still a hospital. Understood?" She said firmly before leaving the room. As soon as she left, Cindy chortled and hid her red face in her hands as she giggled. Being caught like that gave her a guilty little thrill. --- Sebastian stepped into the house several minutes later and also headed towards the fridge, having not had anything to drink yet either. "Alex is staying at Gary's house while he's in hospital." he called through to Carter as he took out a bag. He bit into it, drinking it slowly. --- Rickster was about halfway through the carving when Ricky starting boasting about not needing runes. He paused and stood straight then turned his head slowly to look at Ricky in amusement. "Oh, really?" he asked sarcastically then stood back and gestured to the unconscious Demon. "I beg your pardon! Then please do, go right ahead and convince this soul torturing Demon to do your bidding! I'm sure he'll be so willing to help out a random, naked human soul and not try to trick him in any way!" Rickster was, of course, calling Ricky's bluff. It was a flex on Rickster's part to show him he was really out of his depth when it came to the Demons here in Hell whereas Rickster had dozens of tricks at his disposal to get the Demon to do what he wanted. --- Jessica downed the rest of her drink and placed the glass onto the bar before turning back to Blaire. "You guys really take your job seriously. Good work! For a second there, I almost believed you!" she laughed and walked past her towards the dance floor. Vampires dancing began turning to look at her as she approached and they caught her scent.

shadowess - March 24, 2021 Desi smiled, her cheeks turning a little pink. "Do you want me to get you anything while you're in here?" She asked, wanting to help him in some way while he was stuck in hospital because she felt responsible for him being here in the first place. --- Sebastian's phone rang and he answered it, having already been making his way back towards Kite's room after getting his text. He came to a pause though when he heard Carter get cut off, a clattering noise then Jasper's voice closely followed by Alex screaming "LET HIM GO!". His heart pounding, Sebastian ran as fast as he could to Gary's room. --- Jasper hurting Carter for trying to help was the last straw. Alex felt something in him snap and he screamed for Jasper to let Carter go before diving from the bed at Jasper, hoping to tackle him off as well as throw a few punches at his head. Just as he dove, Sebastian burst into the room and immediately tried to pry Carter away from Jasper as well. "What the hell is going on?!" --- Smirking, Rickster stood in one of the 'abandoned' buildings of Lost City in Hell. He zipped up his fly then turned to look at the battered and bruised male cowering naked in the corner of the room. "Perhaps next time you won't be so quick to assume the newest souls are weak or easy." he chuckled darkly as he walked out of the building. "The next time I see you, I'll skin you alive." he growled as he walked through the door and stepped out onto the street. He hadn't seen either of his minions since his arrival in Hell but he wasn't all that bothered. What he really needed was to find a Demon. Then he could get back to Earth and claim what was rightfully his. Denix Vames - March 24, 2021 "Something from the vending machine would be nice. Chips and some hot coffee from the cafeteria." Kite blushed as he looked at her. "You can get something for yourself and maybe we can have our date here?" ---- Jasper jumped back from everybody. Carter fell to the floor as he coughed. Catching his breath. He glared. "Gary was supposed to die. It said so on the book they gave me. It will happen soon and you will have to expect it. For now, I'll be watching." He disappeared. ---- "Hey! Anybody there? What's a rich guy gotta do to get somebody's help around here?" ,shouted Ricky. Shadowess - March 24, 2021 Grinning at his suggestion, Desi nodded and stood up. "I'd like that. I'll be right back then." She blushed as she turned to walk out of the room. She headed to the vending machines, oblivious to what was happening in Gary's room. She bought a few different flavored bags of chips, unsure of which Kite would like, then headed down to the cafeteria to buy two cups of coffee which she took back to the room. She set the coffees and chips onto the little bedside table before taking a seat. "I wasn't sure what flavor you liked, so I got a few different ones." she chuckled. "To be fair, I've never eaten anything like these before. I never needed to eat before coming to Earth." She admitted then smiled. "But I like the idea of trying all the different foods that your world has to offer." --- Sebastian held Carter in his arms, looking around the room wildly after Jasper had left. Meanwhile, Alex turned around and around angrily, trying to see Jasper. Infuriated and hating the feeling of utter helplessness, Alex let out an enraged scream and punched through the glass in the door. Not paying any attention to the blood dripping down his arm he strode around the room, still looking around angrily. "YOU'LL STAY AWAY! DO YOU HEAR ME!? YOU WILL NOT TAKE HIM FROM ME! I WON'T ALLOW IT! EVEN IF IT MEANS I HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD!" Nurses outside the room were looking through the broken window in alarm and had already called security. "DO YOU HEAR ME, JASPER?!" Alex continued to rage. "I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU IF I HAVE TO!" --- "Rich, eh?" Rickster's voice came from behind Ricky as he rounded the corner. "How rich are we talking exactly?" he approached Ricky casually with his hands in his pockets. Denix Vames - March 24, 2021 Kite smiled. "That's alright. We can have some fun trying these chips." He took a sip of coffee and sighed then set it on the drawer near him. He grabbed a barbecue chip one. "These have a tangy flavor to them that I think you'll like." ---- Carter gripped Alex's shoulders. "Stop it! You're going to be arrested if you keep acting up like this! Just calm down!" Gary's heart monitor was going high. He was shaking. Worried that everything was going wrong. His hand fell off the bed. Hanging there loosely as he flat lined. ----- Ricky jumped back. He covered his crotch. "Hey! Don't sneak up on a guy like that!" He looked him up and down. "And what's it to ya?" shadowess - March 24, 2021 When Kite tried to describe the flavor, Desi smirked "Oh? Let me try one then." she then leant forward, opening her mouth so he could place a chip onto her tongue. --- As Carter got up to stop Alex from freaking out, Sebastian stood to one side, unsure of what to do. He looked over at Gary as the heart monitor began to increase. "Shit!" he rushed over to the bed and hit the help button to summon the nurses to the room. As soon as he'd pressed it, the heart monitor flat lined and Alex's wide eyes shot to it. His rage turned to panic. His face turning from red to white. "GARY!" He screamed and ran from Carter's grip to Gary's side, beginning to try and give him chest compressions again. "Gary please! I'm sorry! I lost control! I'm sorry! Don't leave!" he begged. "Please! I need you!" Nurses ran into the room along with security officers who tried to pull Alex away from the bed. "No! Let go of me! Leave me alone! He needs me! Please!" he panicked as they dragged him out while the nurses worked frantically to try and restart Gary's heart again. He clawed at the doorframe as they pulled him through but the two security officers were too strong for him to maintain his grip for long. Sebastian stood back to let the nurses work. His back against the wall with his hands covering his mouth and nose as he stared at Carter worriedly. --- Rickster chuckled at Ricky's reaction. "Where are your clothes man? You know you can bring them with you when you die, right?" He began walking around Ricky, looking him up and down. "And don't worry. I'm er-" he glanced behind him at the building he'd just come from. "Tapped out for now. If you get my meaning." He walked over to a nearby wall and leant against it, keeping his eyes on Ricky. "I might know of a way to get back to Earth. I could take you with me...for a price. After all, it'd be awfully difficult for me to return to Earth with nothing in the bank, wouldn't you say?" Denix Vames - March 24, 2021 Kite smirked as he placed the chip over her tongue. ----- Gary was still flat lining. It felt like an eternity. Watching them work on him. Carter wrapped an arm around Sebastian. Bringing him close. "It's ok. Everything's going to be alright." Nate appeared but made sure no one could see him. He placed a hand on Gary's chest when the defib hit his chest once more. Gary's eyes opened wide as he sat up. Gasping for air because of the tubes in his mouth. ----- "First off! I'm only like this cause some bitch stole my body! And second, the last time I did a deal, the fucker scammed my ass!" ,said Ricky. Shadowess - March 25, 2021 Desi smiled as he placed the chip onto her tongue. She blushed as she closed her mouth around it, biting down on the chip as she did then giggling into her hand as she chewed. "It's strange. But I like it." she giggled. --- Sebastian held on to Carter, nestling his face into his neck and feeling awful for Alex. He imagined being in his shoes. If that was Carter on the hospital bed. He didn't know if he would be able to cope either. Then Gary sat up. The nurses hurriedly and carefully tried to help him remove the tubes from his airways. Alex had been taken to a nearby waiting area to calm down. A nurse sat with him, removing glass from his arm and stitching some of the wounds as he sat shaking with wide eyes staring at the door, waiting for news. His heart beating so loud he could barely hear anything else. The security guards stood by the door in case Alex decided to make another scene. --- Rickster shrugged, still smirking. "Or I could always just leave you here while I go back to Earth alone." Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 "Glad you do. I'm more of a cheesy type of a guy. I guess that would be the next flavor to try." ,said Kite who winked. ---- "Holy shit! He's awake! Gary's awake!" ,said Carter. Gary caught his breath once the tubes were out. ----- Ricky glared but sighed. "Alright! Fine! I'll sign your damn contract. I swear you freaks are so annoying. My contracts are a lot fairer than yours." shadowess - March 25, 2021 Desi giggled. Her cheeks pink. She was genuinely enjoying this time with Kite. "Well alright, I can't wait!" she giggled, picking up her cup of coffee and taking a sip before putting it back down. She'd cringed a little at the taste. "Oh, I was not expecting coffee to be that bitter." she laughed. --- Sebastian pulled his face from Carter's neck and turned to look at the nurses helping Gary, bringing him water to help soothe his throat after having tubes down them for so long. "We've gotta tell Alex!" he said, beginning to smile as he turned to kiss Carter's cheek hurriedly. "I'll go tell him." he then left the room to find him. He reached the waiting room. Alex had been staring at the door, still wide eyed and looking panicked. By now the nurse had started bandaging his arm and hand but he paid her very little attention. When he saw Sebastian, he held his breath, hoping for good news and simultaneously dreading bad news. "Gary's awake." Sebastian smiled at him gently and Alex caught his breath, his eyes tearing up out of sheer relief. Sebastian looked between the security guards and the nurse "I'll keep an eye on him." he assured them. The nurse turned to glare at him. "This man smashed the glass in one of our doors. That's destruction of property! He's being detained until police arrive!" Alex frowned guiltily, his heart aching. Sebastian saw his expression and looked back at the nurse seriously. "So? It's not like I'm taking him out of the building. Let him see his boyfriend while he waits. I'm sure he won't cause anymore trouble in the meantime, right Alex?" "R-right." Alex nodded and looked between Sebastian and the nurse who seemed to hesitate before sighing, giving in. "Fine. But if you do cause any more trouble, you'll be sitting in here until police get here. Understood?" "Got it." Alex nodded hurriedly and got to his feet, following Sebastian eagerly back to Gary's room. "Gary!" Alex cried as he re-entered the room and saw Gary sitting up. He hurried to his side, wanting to hug him but not wanting to hurt him. He sat down and took his uninjured hand in his. "I'm sorry! I was scared!" Sebastian stepped into the room and walked back over to Carter, whispering into his ear what the nurse had said about police being called for destruction of property. --- "Contract?" Rickster asked, a little confused. Then he chuckled and shook his head. "I'm flattered but I'm not a Demon. No, I just make verbal agreements and if I'm ever double crossed..." his eyes narrowed at Ricky. "I just kill them." he finished coldly. "Now then, what do you say?" He stepped towards Ricky with a hand out to shake. "I'll get you back to Earth and you give me, ohh say, half? of your riches. I'd say that's fair given the difficulty of the task." Denix Vames - March 25, 2021 Kite laughed. "It tastes a lot better when you mix sugar and creamer with it." He ate another chip before opening the cheesy bag one. ---- Gary had been drinking some water. Sighing in relief as he finally felt normal. He smiled from the cold refreshing beverage. He set the glass down beside himself when he heard Alex. He was immediately concerned when he saw his bandaged arm. He squeezed his hand. "Alex, you should have been more careful. I know you were scared but you can't let your anger take over you like that." He frowned. "I'm glad that we're both ok but you have to calm down. Please babe." Carter frowned when he heard what Sebastian said. He headed to the waiting room. "Excuse me nurse?" He pulled out his business card and handed it to her. "My name is Private Detective Travis Carter. I already heard the news about police being called here but I can assure you ma'am that I have everything under control. I can escort this man on my own and pay for the damages myself." ---- "Ha! That's funny! You're not exactly scary like you think you are." Ricky shrugged. "Half of my money huh? That just means you're working for me from now on. And what I do ain't no joke." He shook his hand. Shadowess - March 25, 2021 "I'll have to bear that in mind." Desi giggled. When he opened the next packet, she did the same as before. Leaning forward and opening her mouth, her eyes looking into his seductively. --- Crying, Alex nodded as Gary gently scolded him for what he'd done. "Ok. Ok, I'll try." he said quietly then looked at Gary worriedly. "Are you ok? Do you need anything?" The nurse had been tidying up the equipment she'd been using on Alex when Carter had entered the waiting room and spoken to her. She nodded to the security guards who left them alone, one of them would call off the police for her. She then took the card from Carter and looked it over briefly. "Fine." she sighed then she looked over his shoulder briefly before giving him a stern look. "In future, try to keep the supernatural crap to a minimum. We don't need the human patients freaking out every five minutes." she said in a hushed tone. --- Rickster laughed at his comments but his eyes reflected anger momentarily as he thought on Ricky's words. "Not scary, huh? Working for you?" he chuckled darkly then turned to glare at Ricky. "I don't think you quite realize who I am." he took his hands out of his pockets and held them out by his sides. "Allow me to demonstrate." In just a few moments, Ricky had violently and painfully transformed into the giant Dobermann. His head just about as high as the second story windows of the buildings around them. He growled and snarled at Ricky, running at him and nudging him with his nose to knock him off his feet where he would bare his huge teeth over him threateningly, still growling. His words arriving in Ricky's head; 'I am Rickster the Trickster. Master Magician and the new up and coming crime lord. I have trafficked drugs, weapons, humans and even supernaturals. I have raped and murdered enough to lose count. AND I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN DOWN TO!' Rickster backed off and changed back into his human form. Panting a little from how much energy it took to change shape. "Now." he breathed. "Let's get one thing straight. I'll help you get back to Earth. But you and your guys will belong to ME. Understood?" He shook his head again and held out his hands. "Or I'll just throw you right back in here!"

Denix Vames - March 23, 2021 Carter texted back, 'I'll go to her apartment and check.' He soon arrived there. Knocking on her door. "Hello? Cindy? Are you there?" ----- "HELL?!" "Now hold on a second pops! Things have changed. You don't-" "No! You listen here! My friends don't deserve to burn! We took down crooks! Thieves and killers! They should get their damn wings! Ain't no hell for them!" shadowess - March 23, 2021 A suitcase on the bed, Desi was stuffing clothes into it hurriedly when she heard the knocking. Wiping tears from her eyes, she paused to look over at the door. "Leave me alone!" she shouted back, storming into the next room to grab a few more items to throw into the suitcase. "I shouldn't have come here! I should've just stayed in Hell! But no! I wanted to know what it was like! I wanted to experience something different! Well, I got different alright! All these...Feelings! Why does it hurt so much?!" She threw more items into the suitcase then threw herself into a chair where she sobbed into her hands. --- Neva jumped when Jasper started shouting, her eyes widening at him and filling with tears. She had only been trying to help. She didn't mean to make him angry. Beginning to cry, Neva jumped to her feet and began running in a random direction away from them. Denix Vames - March 23, 2021 "Maybe because you're finally understanding a couple of things about being on this planet. It's not all sex and games. It's something a whole lot more. And I know it hurts now but I'm sure once you and Kite calm down and talk things out, I'm sure you'll enjoy it." ,said Carter. ---- "Neva!" Elliot turned to him. "Wait right here. I'll go get her." He ran off after her. "Neva! Wait up!" shadowess - March 23, 2021 Desi held her head in her hands, still crying. "He doesn't want to talk to me! You should've seen how he looked at me! He hates me! and he's right to...I'm no good for anyone..." --- As she ran, Neva's mind was stuck in the Trickster's lair. Remembering how Ricky would yell at her for so much as talking without permission. The yelling always lead to her crying and her crying always lead to Ricky getting angrier. Then she'd get hurt and cry some more...and he'd hurt her some more until she passed out. She kept running, as if trying to outrun the memories themselves, unable to hear Elliot behind her. She tripped and landed on her knees, then sobbed as she turned to hold them, the skin on both knees being grazed. Denix Vames - March 23, 2021 "You're wrong Cindy. He just needed some space. I'm sure if you go down there now then he'll want to talk to you. So please open this door and let me take you there." ,said Carter. ---- Elliot caught up to her. He knelt. "Hey, you're alright. You're gonna be just fine. Pops didn't mean to yell. He just misses his friends. That's all." He looked over at her knees. "Why don't we go home and get that taken care of?" shadowess - March 23, 2021 Taking a few deep breaths, Desi began to calm down. She wiped away her tears and hesitantly got to her feet. Sniffing a little, she made her way over to the door and removed the chain before opening it. She looked at Carter for a moment before lowering her gaze to the floor. "You really think he'll want to talk to me?" --- Neva gripped her legs just below her knees and continued to cry as she looked at the blood trickling down from the grazes. When Elliot suggested going home, she nodded and held her arms out, wanting to be hugged. Denix Vames - March 23, 2021 Carter smiled. "I'm positive." ---- "C'mon." Elliot lifted her off the ground. Holding her in his arms. He walked over to the tree. "Hey pops! We're going. You can apologize when we-" He froze. "Shit! He's gone." shadowess - March 23, 2021 Taking another deep breath, she wiped her eyes once more and glanced behind her at the suitcase before bringing her gaze back to Carter, as if weighing her options. She then nodded. "Alright...let me just get a jacket..." she stepped away from the door, leaving it open for a moment while she put a coat on and picked up her flat keys. She stepped outside and locked the door behind her. Sighing, she turned to Carter. "Ok, where's your car?" --- Neva wrapped her arms around Elliot's neck as he held her and she rested her head on his shoulder. She looked around when he said Jasper had gone and she felt a pang of guilt for upsetting him. "What do we do?" she asked quietly, her voice a little broken from crying. Denix Vames - March 23, 2021 "Don't need one. I'm already faster than a car. I can just carry you there." ,said Carter. ---- "First, we should take care of you. We can come back here later. Let's just go, ok?" ,said Elliot. Shadowess - March 23, 2021 Desi hesitated then smirked, holding out her hand. "Or I could just teleport us there?" --- Nodding, Neva closed her eyes and imagined being back in Carter's office with Parker and Vincent. By this point, Parker had been helping himself to some of the booze that was left in the fridge. When he saw Elliot and Neva appear he hurriedly put his glass down on the coffee table. "What happened?!" he asked as he jumped to his feet. "Hold on, I'll go get the first aid kit from upstairs." he hurried off, up the stairs to grab it, then hurried back down to help patch up Neva's knees. Shadowess - March 24, 2021 (Just had a thought. If you ever want to rp as any of the souls in Hell at any point, I could always make a new Demon/soul or have Theo meet them. Just let me know ) Denix Vames - March 24, 2021 (sure. sounds like it would be interesting. we could do it whenever so i guess now. idk if i could make myself a character for that so yeah it would be cool if you made a soul for Theo to meet. although i figured Ricky would be meeting him at some point anyway. idk, whichever works) Carter awkwardly chuckled. "Or that too." He held her hand. ---- Elliot set Neva on the couch. "We went to see pops' friends graves. But when he went to take some plants off of one of them, they went dead. Neva got scared and he ran off. We didn't see him after that. I want to go back and find him later when Neva feels alright." ---- Jasper appeared in Gary's room in an all black outfit. "So I'm supposed to be the new grim reaper huh? Then I guess I might as well finish the job here." shadowess - March 24, 2021 (Well, as well as making a new demon or soul, I could do Rickster the Trickster or one of his minions. You've always got Bryce in Hell as well. Maybe Ricky could meet the Trickster and they team up to take a Demon hostage to get out of Hell?) Once he took her hand, Desi teleported them outside the hospital, in the security camera's blind spot. Just as they arrived, Carter's phone would alert him of a new message from Sebastian stating he still couldn't find Cindy and was growing worried. Desi looked up at the building apprehensively and took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "Ok...here goes..." she said as she started heading inside and towards Kite's room. She hovered outside the door for a moment, nervously. Then she knocked on the door softly, looking in. "Can we talk?" she asked quietly. --- Once Neva was on the couch, Parker began patching up her knees. He cleaned them up with an antiseptic wipe which made her hiss in pain. "I know, I'm sorry. But we gotta keep them clean or they could get infected." Parker said gently then took out a couple of big square band aids and placed them over the cuts while listening to Elliot. He looked up at Neva worriedly then back at Elliot. "Honestly, you're probably better off going looking for him with someone else who can teleport. Neva's looking kinda tired and I think this is the most she's ever teleported in a day. Let's not push her too hard." --- Alex had been snoozing. He kept jumping himself awake whenever the sound of Gary's monitor started to fade as he began falling asleep. Terrified that it would flat line again while he was sleeping. He still had his head on the side of the bed with his eyes closed, holding on to Gary's hand and every so often caressing it with his thumb. When he recognized Jasper's voice in the room, he froze. When he heard what he said however, his eyes shot open and he jumped to his feet, leaning across the bed to make himself a sort of shield. "Don't you dare!" he growled defensively at Jasper. Then he shook his head, his eyes tearing up. "Don't take him from me. Please." Denix Vames - March 24, 2021 (i had Bryce give up on his crap. Ricky and Trickster teaming up would be cool) Carter texted back, 'She's here. I brought him to Kite. They're going to talk.' He nodded at her. "Good luck." Kite lifted his head. He shrugged. "I guess." ---- Elliot nodded. "Right. Guess I could get Nate to help me. I'm figuring he's at Carter's office." ---- Jasper held no pity in his eyes. He was through with it all. Losing his friends and boyfriend. He was done with love. "Sorry fella but he's on the list." He walked over to the bed. Shadowess - March 24, 2021 (No worries Just guna think up a Demon they could take hostage lol) Silently, Desi nodded and slowly walked over to the chair by his bed. She sat down and took a deep breath before sighing. She could barely look him in the eyes. "I'm sorry." she started. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you straight away. I should've. I-..." She looked around the room briefly, holding back her tears. "I've never been to Earth before...I only really had a vague idea of how things worked here before I arrived...and I didn't know if you were a human that already knew about us...I thought you might think I was mad...or that you might think worse of me because of-...because of the type of Demon that I am...we don't exactly have a great reputation when it comes to relationships as it is..." she looked down at her hands while she fidgeted nervously. --- "You mean his house?" Parker asked as he stepped away from Neva and stood facing Elliot. They were already at the office, after all. "I'll come with you. I'm sure Neva will be fine here with Vincent for a while." He said while glancing at Neva who was currently making herself comfortable on the couch, looking as if she was about ready to fall asleep. --- Alex didn't move. If anything, he leant over Gary a little more, trying to get in Jasper's way. "No! Please Jasper! You don't understand! I don't know if I could handle it! He's the only person that's keeping me sane! If I lose him I don't know what I'll do!" He wept although he could already feel a dark rage deep within him trying to resurface. He was using every ounce of will power he had to keep himself from getting angry. "Jasper please! I love him! Please don't take him from me!" Denix Vames - March 24, 2021 (alright) Kite sighed. "I probably would have thought you were crazy if I had never gone to see Carter again. Honestly, I really don't know what to say to you. I'm disappointed but I'd be lying if I didn't say that you've been the best thing that's happened to me recently." He enclosed his hands together. Staring at them. "The truth is that I was losing hope in living until I found you." ----- "Uh yeah. His house." ,said Elliot. Vincent nodded. "I'll keep her safe." "We're gonna have to walk though." ----- "I don't really care what you want." ,said Jasper. Carter opened the door. "What the-?!" Jasper turned to him. "Stay out of this." Carter went in as he closed the door behind himself. "What's going on? What are you doing?" shadowess - March 24, 2021 Desi listened to him and as he finished speaking, she slowly brought her eyes back up to look at him. Lost for words. She felt a horrid guilt that he didn't know who she really was but she had already decided that she would die before that truth got out. Hell, if that truth came out, she'd probably be killed for it anyway. She'd certainly done enough against this group to warrant them wanting her head if they ever found out. She sniffed and wiped at her eyes, brushing away the tears before they could fall. "Do you...do you think that maybe...we could start again?" she gave him a shaky smile. "We never did get to go on that date..." --- Parker nodded at Vincent. "Thanks" then turned to Elliot. "Ah, that's fine. Honestly, with how frequently we all end up teleporting everywhere it's a wonder we haven't put on weight from lack of exercise!" he chuckled as he started making his way to the door. "I wouldn't mind a decent walk anyways." --- Hearing how callous Jasper had become, all Alex could do was stare, shaking and crying. Being human meant he could do very little to protect his beloved and he hated that! When Carter walked in, Alex's eyes shot to him pleadingly. Sure, they weren't exactly on good terms right now, not after what happened the last time they were in the same room together, but Alex prayed he'd help him anyway. "Carter! Jasper is a reaper! He's trying to take Gary!" he cried out, his voice full of pure desperation. Denix Vames - March 24, 2021 Kite smirked. "I guess we never did, did we?" He slightly smiled. "I wouldn't mind trying things again." ---- Elliot chuckled. "I never thought about that part." He stepped out of the house. "But yeah. I guess it's a good enough walk." ---- "I'm going to call Sebastian." Carter dialed up his number. "Seb-" Jasper appeared from behind and wrapped his around his neck. Lifting him off the ground. Carter dropped the phone as he gasped for air. "Don't mess with reaper work."

Denix Vames - March 23, 2021 Kite flinched she hugged him. "It's alright babe but please be gentle when you hug me, ok?" He frowned. "A lead? I guess that's a good thing but I really don't want him to get. That asshole wasn't a joke. He really fucked me up." ---- Gary's eyes seemed to be moving under his lids. He was trying so hard to move but couldn't. He couldn't even open his eyes. This caused a bit of stress on his body. His heart monitor seemed to beep faster. ---- Vincent smiled. "It is, isn't it?" "Why ya'll got a rubber ducky?" ,asked Jasper who squeezed the duck. Getting a squeak out of it. "It's for company when you take a bath!" ,said Elliot. Jasper came back downstairs with the duck. "Really? Can I keep it?" Elliot shrugged. "Don't see why not." Jasper smiled. "Well alrighty then." He looked at the duck. "I'll call you Beau Jr." shadowess - March 23, 2021 "Oh! Sorry!" Desi let him go and sat on the edge of the bed. "Yeah..." Sebastian looked at Desi expectantly. "I don't think that's going to be a problem..." Desi glanced at Sebastian with a frown then looked back at Kite tearfully. "I...I was going to tell you...I was just afraid you'd think less of me if you found out what I am..." she began nervously, lowering her gaze. "I'm...I'm a Demon, Kite. Specifically...I'm a Succubus." she then quickly brought her eyes back to his as she added "But I swear, I didn't use any tricks on you! I just...I wanted to know what it was like...to have something real for once...Then th-that guy...I don't know how...but he figured out what I was and-" Desi proceeded to tell Kite the same story she'd given Sebastian and Carter. When she finished she was crying again. "I'm sorry! You got hurt because of what I am!" --- Hearing his monitor, Alex looked up and watched his face for a moment before squeezing his hand a little. "Hey, it's ok. It's ok. Relax." he said, wiping away his tears hurriedly. "Don't push yourself so hard. We can talk when you're feeling better, ok?" he gently lifted his hand and kissed it. "I'll be alright. I'll just have to wait, that's all." --- Neva giggled at Jasper with the rubber duck. Parker was smirking, finding the whole thing amusing. When Neva rubbed her eyes, Parker looked back at her and sighed. "Well, if you want to try and find your friends, we might want to make it quick before she falls asleep." Denix Vames - March 23, 2021 Kite couldn't believe it. "Are you fucking kidding me? You lied to me?" A few tears fell from his eyes. He shook his head. "I don't want to talk to you right now. Just get out. Leave me alone." He lowered his head. He pressed a hand against his head. "I loved you Cindy and you lied to me." ----- The heart monitor showed a stable heart rate as Gary calmed down. He brushed his fingers over his cheek when he felt that kiss. ----- Jasper quickly stuffed the duck in his satchel. He ran to Neva and held her hand. "Take me to my friends! Now!" shadowess - March 23, 2021 Desi's eyes widened at his reaction. She was even more surprised that she was hurt by it. She'd expected him to be a little angry, but she hadn't expected him to tell her to leave or that she'd genuinely be upset by that. "Kite..." she gasped, tears still falling as she reached out a hand to his. "Please! I wanted to tell you! I just didn't know how!" Sebastian had turned his gaze away from them, finding it difficult to watch. --- Feeling his fingers move against his cheek, Alex smiled. Holding his hand to his face lovingly while resting his head on the side of the bed. "I love you." he whispered, closing his eyes and beginning to drift off to sleep once more. -- Neva flinched when Jasper ran over to her and Parker got to his feet, placing a hand on Jasper's shoulder and then shivering at how cold it felt. "Hey, take it easy. She's still recovering from all the crap she went through." Neva got to her feet as well and looked over at Vincent and Elliot. "Are you coming with us?" she asked them quietly. Denix Vames - March 23, 2021 "Just get out of here!" He slapped her hand away. ---- Gary's hand moved before he fell asleep too. ----- Jasper nodded. "Sorry." Elliot held out his hand; "Sure thing." "I might just sit this one out." ,said Vincent. Shadowess - March 23, 2021 Jumping a little when he slapped her hand away, Desi stared at him tearfully for a moment before running out of the room towards the public restrooms where she locked herself into a stall to cry. Sebastian watched her run out of the room with a frown then looked over at Kite, feeling a little awkward. "Do you um...do you want to be alone for a minute?" he asked. --- Parker glanced at Vincent. He was still a little concerned after how they'd found him. "Do you want some company?" If so, Parker would opt to stay behind. Neva took Elliot's hand and then Jaspers, seeming to be unaffected by how cold he felt. She waited to find out whether or not Parker would be coming too before closing her eyes and trying to picture the gravestones of Jasper's friends. This is difficult enough considering she had no idea who they were or what their graves looked like. But she tried her best. Denix Vames - March 23, 2021 Kite glared. "What do you think?" ---- Vincent nodded. "I'd like that." Jasper waited with his heart racing. He couldn't wait to see his old friends. Maybe he could even find Beau. Shadowess - March 23, 2021 Sebastian held up his hands and left the room, standing outside and keeping an eye on the door to the women's restroom in case 'Cindy' came back out. He took out his phone and text Carter. 'I hope you're having better luck than me. Kite mad & Cindy upset.' --- "I'll stay here then." Parker smiled and sat back down. Neva smiled at them and closed her eyes, trying to focus. "I don't know if it'll work...I don't know what your friends look like..." Regardless, she kept trying. Denix Vames - March 23, 2021 Carter texted back, 'Really? What happened? And I told Nate to back off for a bit but then he got mad. So he and Tom are now fucking. Let me tell you when I say that I won't ever forget about the noises. Not even when I'm a thousand years old.' ---- "Oh that won't be a problem." ,said Jasper who pulled out a torn page from what looked to be a book. He held out a picture of four men. A few were either standing or kneeling. Holding their guns. From left to right, it was Jasper, Billy The Kid, a cowgirl with braids, and a cowboy with a big mustache. There was a signature on the photo which read as, 'Photographed by Beau Carter.' shadowess - March 23, 2021 Reading Carter's text, Sebastian couldn't help snickering before texting back. 'Lol Glad I wasn't there! Apparently Cindy hadn't managed to tell Kite the truth about what she really is yet. She told him everything and he lost his temper. Told her to get out. She's currently crying in the women's bathroom and I'm standing outside the room because he wanted to be alone...' --- Neva opened her eyes and took a good look at the photo. Trying to memorize all their faces as best she could. "Ok...here goes..." she held their hands tightly, her hands sweating a little from nerves. She closed her eyes once more and tried to imagine standing near those men in the picture... Denix Vames - March 23, 2021 Carter texted back, 'Keeping secrets never ends well for anyone. If she really is sad about this then maybe we can help them? Do some kind of counseling? It can't be me though. Jack was always the negotiator.' ---- They soon appeared in a cemetery in front of four graves. Jasper's eyes widened. "They're here! They're actually here!" He knelt. "All my pals." He frowned. "But I can't talk to them." shadowess - March 23, 2021 Sebastian sighed heavily. He really didn't think it was his place to get involved with something like this but seeing the both of them upset was horrible. 'I'll see what I can do but I'm not sure how much help I can be...' he texted Carter back. He then stopped a nurse on her way past. "Excuse me, miss? I have a friend in there, she's pretty upset. Would you mind just checking on her for me? Her name is Cindy. Blonde hair, blue eyes." He said and the nurse smiled and nodded. "Of course." before walking away towards the restroom. Looking back into the room where Kite was, Sebastian thought about how to broach the subject before taking a deep breath and just heading back into the room. "Hey, how are you feeling? Do you want to talk about it? Vent a little?" he asked kindly as he stood by the wall. --- Neva looked at the graves sadly, wondering why his friends had managed to move on but Jasper hadn't. She glanced up at Elliot, frowning. Denix Vames - March 23, 2021 Carter texted back, 'Just try your best. Good luck.' Kite glared. "Honestly? I feel like kicking someone's fucking ass." ---- Elliot frowned too. Not sure what to make of this. Jasper pulled off one of his gloves. He brushed some plants that were over one of the graves. Suddenly, that plant rotted. He jumped at the sight. "What the hell?! How did I-? Did I seriously do that?" shadowess - March 23, 2021 Sebastian nodded understandingly. "I can imagine..." he sighed. He walked over to a chair and sat down, thinking through what he could say. "Being...supernatural...I know it's not easy telling a human what you are...It took for a werewolf to attack us before I told Carter what I was...it's dicey. You never know how it's going to turn out, especially when it's a human you've just met." He then held his hands up before Kite could say anything. "I'm not defending her by the way. You're right, she should have told you before dating you...all I'm saying is...if she thought you were a regular human who didn't know about our world...then maybe she was just scared? Scared that you...well...you would react...the way that you did...or worse...believe it or not some humans become violent when they find out what we are...It's always a gamble." --- Seeing what Jasper did to the flower by touching it, Neva gripped Elliot's arm and hid behind him a little. Apprehensive about holding his hand again. If he could do that to a flower, what could he do to a person? Denix Vames - March 23, 2021 Kite frowned. "I hate this so much. What couldn't she have been an actual dumb blonde? This would have made things so much easier." ---- Elliot smiled at her. "It's alright Neva. You're with me." "What? But I'm not going to hurt ya'll! I'd never!" "Pops. The ground." Jasper looked at where his hand was. On the grass where parts of it died by his touch. "No!" He grabbed his glove and ran off. "Pops!" He sat against a tree. Both gloves were on now. He hid his face over his knees. Shadowess - March 23, 2021 Sebastian shrugged with a sigh. "I don't know about dumb...but she seems sweet...and being what she is shouldn't affect who she is..." Sebastian shook his head a little. "Look, I don't know her well enough to know what kind of person she is, but I do know that the first thing she asked when we spoke to her was 'is Kite ok?'. Sure, she fucked up by not telling you the truth right away...but her heart seems to be in the right place." He sat back in the chair and shrugged again. "I don't know. Maybe this is something you two could talk out between yourselves when you're calm enough?" --- Neva was shaking as she watched Jasper. She was frightened of what he could do but she also felt terrible for him as she watched how he reacted. She watched him run off towards the tree and when he sat down, Neva hesitantly left Elliot's side to walk towards him. She paused a little ways off, watching him silently before moving to sit next to him. Looking over at him sadly. Denix Vames - March 23, 2021 Kite looked at his bandaged leg. "I don't know. Maybe." ---- Tears fell from Jasper who hugged his legs. "Get away from me. I don't want to hurt you." Elliot walked over. "You won't. I know this is scary but we can help you." "Help? My friends are gone. I don't even know where Beau is and you think you can help me? You must be out of your damn mind." shadowess - March 23, 2021 The nurse that Sebastian had stopped earlier knocked on the door. He looked over at her then back at Kite as he stood up. "Take your time and think it over. I'll be back in a minute." he said before leaving the room. "Hey, is she ok?" Sebastian asked the nurse once he got outside the room. "She's still upset but she's calming down. I took her to the cafeteria so she could sit down and have some coffee." the nurse replied and Sebastian nodded. "Thank you. I'll go and check on her." He headed down to the cafeteria to look for her but when he got down there he couldn't see her at any of the tables. On one table he saw a full cup of coffee that had been left there. "Shit..." Sebastian cursed under his breath and took out his phone to text Carter. 'Kite calming down but Cindy gone AWOL. Think she's still upset. Going to look around hospital for her but have a feeling she might have gone home.' he put his phone away and started looking around. --- Neva continued to watch him sadly, then she looked at the ground thoughtfully. "What if they're in Heaven or Hell?" she asked quietly. "Could Vincent or Patience take you to them?"