Shadowess

shadowess - September 21, 2021 Niko rubbed his own arm awkwardly. Wondering how to phrase the question that he wanted to ask without it coming across the wrong way. He glanced back at the apartment then turned to face forward as they walked, waiting until they were out of earshot before he'd speak. "I can see that you're torn." he started. "I might not have been involved with what happened but I'm very good at paying attention to things that happen around me... I can tell that you love them both in the same way..." he hesitated and came to a stop, turning to face Ben and looking at him nervously. "In my old home...we were very open to all kinds of love. I don't know what you would call it out here but...there was a way of making something like this work...but it depends on whether Jessica and Greg would be happy with it too..." he scratched the back of his neck and looked away, his cheeks turning a little red. "Some relationships back home...had more than just...two people...some had three...maybe even four..." he shrugged. "I just thought that it might be another option for the three of you to consider. That way...no one loses anyone...But what you all choose to do...would be up to each of you..." He looked back at Ben. "Is that something that...you might be interested in?" --- Bob turned his head to look at Storm. "'Cool'?" he looked down at himself and admired the way the jacket looked again. "Huh...cool...I think I like it." Lilly looked at Hades and saw the shirt. She couldn't read the words but she liked the way it looked. Seeing Hades smile, she couldn't help the corner of her mouth twitch a little into a small smirk. She walked over and looked at the shirt more closely, running her fingers over the letters. "What does it say?" she asked. --- Satisfied to see that the visitors were telling the truth about their identity, the Watcher left them to it and returned to his post. Lang stood by awkwardly and watched the reunion with a small, sad smile. --- "Daddy?" Neva called after Vincent. Amelia frowned, watching him run away. She kissed Charles on the cheek then followed after him. On her way past Elliot, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder to reassure him. She hurried up the rest of the stairs then headed towards the bedroom door, knocking on it lightly. "Vincent? It's ok. Let me in and we'll talk about it." she called through the door in a gentle tone. Neva looked at Elliot and smiled at him. "Daddy, come and see Oliver! Isn't he cute?" David and Patience had stopped kissing and sat on the couch, resting. Both of them were still wounded and tired but they watched the baby with small, proud smiles on their faces. --- Oscar nodded and gently took Leo's hand in his before teleporting them to David's location...to find themselves in an already crowded room with a baby! "Woah! Wait, is that the new Prince?" Oscar asked, looking at Charles, apparently forgetting in an instant what they had teleported there for. He beamed and covered his mouth with both his hands out of excitement before turning to look at Leo happily. "Well, at least there is some good news after what happened today!" Denix Vames - September 21, 2021 Ben's face went red. "Are you talking about a three-way? Isn't that wrong?" --- "Then we'll take that one too." ,said Storm who took it off. He grabbed some jeans covered in chains. "Try this on. I think you'll good in it." "It says 'My Dark Souls.' I think you'll like it. Seems like everything here is your style." ,said Hades. --- Both brothers separated from the hug. "So, how have things been at work?" ,asked Jean. "Good. Pretty good." Harley scratched the back of his head nervously. He frowned as he looked away. "What is it?" ,asked Jean. "I...I need to tell you something. It's about what I did at work recently." Harley leaned against the doorway. He hugged himself. "I don't know how to tell you this because I don't want you to think that it's your fault." "Tell me what?" He glanced at Lang before placing a hand through the wall. Jean's eyes widened. "Wha....?" "Jean, I....I killed myself." Jean covered his mouth as he fell to his knees. Sobbing uncontrollably. "I never had any ideas to do it. It just happened because I felt like I let you down." "Let me down? Look at what I did to you!" "Jean-" "I made you feel like you were wrong just for being a cop!" "But I made you feel miserable! That's why you always broke the law!" Harley knelt. Jean grabbed his hand. Holding it close. "But there has to be way! You can't be dead!" Harley brushed some tears off with his thumb. "And there is. I know that because of what I know now. So, you'll see me again." --- "Aww! He's so adorable." ,said Elliot who held him. "Ain't he a cutie?" Leo smiled at the baby. "Let me take a look at him." When he picked him up, Oliver immediately started crying. He held an annoyed expression. "Never mind." He handed Oliver back to Elliot. "Don't worry. Ya'll just gotta do this." Elliot tickled his stomach. He smiled at Oliver's laughter. He stopped tickling and began to do baby talk. "You're the Prince of Hell. Yes you are. Yes you are. And you're gonna kick some ass when you get older." Vincent turned to the door. "I killed babies! Babies for god sakes! I can't do this! I can't look at him without thinking about it!" shadowess - September 22, 2021 "Not where I am from," Niko answered simply. "It's quite normal, actually. But understand, it is not just sex that I'm referring to. It's the relationship as well. For it to work, Greg and Jessica will need to love each other in the same way that you love both of them. These kinds of relationships were rare back at home but the ones that lasted were the ones where all partners loved each other equally and shared each other with the other. Does that make sense?" he sighed and glanced back at the apartment. "So, if this sort of thing interests you. The tricky part would be getting your loves to fall in love with each other as well. But I suppose you could propose that the three of you try dating slowly? See if it would work?" he shrugged. "After all, there's no way of knowing unless it is tried. Just remember, clear communication is essential." --- "Did you rob this off a prisoner?" Bob chuckled, running his hand under the chains. "Wait, why are these chains so dinky? They wouldn't hold a dog!" he looked up at Storm. "Is this 'cool', too?" Lilly's cheeks turned a little pink and she glanced around the shop at the other clothes. "I suppose it is..." she gestured to her black, industrial-style dress. "I took this to blend in with a factory when Bob and I were trying to escape some people that wanted to hurt me. I didn't take it off, even though I didn't need it anymore. I guess I like things that are dark and rough." she frowned a little and glanced at Bob. "But then I suppose that suits my power too." she sighed. Then she looked back at the shirt and smiled a little at Hades. "But perhaps it's time for me to try on something different." --- "He's right," Lang said gently. "Now that you two have reconciled, Harley here can move on. He'll be going to Heaven and I'm sure he'll earn his wings and be back, visiting Earth in no time." he winked. He turned to Harley and smiled. "Oh, when you get there, could you remind Gabriel that he still owes me a drink from the bet he lost? It was decades ago but I like to tease him about it." he chuckled. --- Oscar chuckled and wrapped his arms around Leo from behind. "You looked cute with a baby in your arms," he said and kissed his cheek. "Could I hold him, Elliot?" David asked from the couch. "I'd get up but it's a little painful." Neva ran up to Charles and hugged his legs. "Will you bring him over to play every day?" she asked excitedly. "I'll share my toys with him!" Amelia sighed and leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed. "I know you did..." she said gently. "But I still trust you, Vincent. Because I know that that isn't who you are anymore. You're a completely different person now. You're one of my best friends. My brother." she paused, listening carefully for a moment. "Please come out, Vincent. It would mean the world to me." Denix Vames - September 22, 2021 Ben thought for a moment. "I'll think about it." He disappeared. --- Storm smiled. "Yeah. This is pretty cool." Hades handed her the shirt. She pointed out a changing room. "I'm sure you'll look good in this." --- Harley smiled. "I'll be sure to." Jean hugged him. "I can't believe it. After so long, we finally don't hate each other." "I'm glad we don't. See ya later bro." Harley faded away. Jean smiled. He stood and hugged Lang. "Thank you." --- Leo smiled. "Thanks babe." "Course." Elliot handed Oliver to him. "Ya think I can take him to mud slides when he gets older?" Charles nodded at her. "Whenever we're not tired that is. Being a parent is definitely going to wear us out." Vincent slowly opened the door before facing Amelia. There were tears running down his cheeks. Denix Vames - September 22, 2021 Yami was holding a local bank at gunpoint. Keeping the customers and employees there as hostages. He was able to stuff some stacks of bills in his backpack before the cops came. The officers at the scene had their cars there like a shield as they held their guns at the bank. "Malone, I need you to talk to the suspect." ,said Will who handed him the megaphone. (decided to bring this in cause why not?) shadowess - September 23, 2021 Niko watched Ben vanish and nodded to himself as he turned to face the apartments. "That is all that I ask..." he sighed before walking back. He got back into the apartment, closing the door behind him, and walked over to the bathroom door. He knocked softly. "Jessica?" he called through. No answer came but he could hear her crying quietly inside. "Please open the door, Liebchen...It will be alright," he said gently. He heard movement, then stood back a little when he heard the lock on the door click. Jessica opened the door slowly to look at him. Her cheeks were wet from tears. "How do you know?" she asked sourly. Niko frowned, looking at her for a moment before simply opening his arms to her. "I don't...but I'm here for you," he said gently. Jessica broke down again and walked over to him, hugging him and sobbing into his shoulder. Niko embraced her, stroking the back of her head to comfort her. "I gave him everything he wanted..." she wept. "I would've done anything for him! I love him so much..." --- "I'll take your word for it," Bob said, taking the pants and shoving them over the ones he was already wearing, which was very easy to do given he was all just bones. The chains dragged the pants down and Bob had to keep hold of the hem of the pants to stop them from falling around his ankles. "Ah...no flesh to hold them up...I would need a belt," he said but admired himself in the mirror just the same. "But otherwise, not too shabby." Lilly took the shirt and looked towards the changing room awkwardly. She looked at Hades again for a second to get some reassurance then smiled and walked in. She then realized that she didn't have any pants to wear as she was currently wearing a dress, so she lowered the top half of her dress to her waist and tied it off to make it more of a skirt before putting the shirt on. Cheeks red and a little shy, she stepped out to show Hades. --- "Oh! um! You're welcome." Lang chuckled, taken aback by the hug. He hugged him back briefly before letting him go and looking around. "Harley was worried about you. But I gotta say, it looks like you've done really well for yourself! This is a very nice home you've got." --- "I can help! I could babysit him!" Neva offered eagerly. David chuckled at Elliot's question as he smiled at Oliver. "Maybe. You'd have to ask his parents." he lifted a hand to hold Oliver's hand between his fingers. "Hello, there little one...I'm your grandpa...but er-...don't call me grandpa, ok? David is cool." he grinned. He watched the way Oliver's eyes closed then reopened slowly and he chuckled again. "Getting sleepy huh? Well, I suppose it's been a very long day for you and your mommy." Ellesse walked over to David, knelt down, and held her hands over the baby for a minute or two. She had her eyes closed and her head bowed with a look of concentration on her face. Then she stood and turned to face Charles with a smile. "He's perfectly healthy," she announced then her smile became a little sad. "Well, this is it for me then. Now that Oliver has been born and I'm happy he and Amelia are healthy, I will be reassigned to the next Angel, Demon, or Devil expecting a child. It's been a pleasure working with you and I sincerely wish you all the best for the future. Is there anything else you need from me before I leave?" Amelia looked at Vincent with a sympathetic frown. "It'll be ok," she said gently, taking his hand and offering him a smile. "I know it won't be easy to see him but I trust you." she tilted her head and looked at him thoughtfully. "After all, Neva is going to want to play with her cousin a lot. Especially when he grows a bit...and honestly, I'd be proud for you to be his uncle." --- (lol Fair enough) "M-me boss?" Malone asked, taking the megaphone nervously. He'd never been in this kind of situation before, nor had he ever tried to negotiate with theft in progress. He gulped to steel his nerves before stepping forward and pulling the megaphone up to his mouth. Pressing the button, he winced at the loud feedback before speaking. "Attention! We have the bank surrounded! But this doesn't need to get ugly. No one needs to get hurt. Come out with your hands behind your head." Denix Vames - September 23, 2021 Ben found himself appearing in Hell. In a place where there were abandoned cars. He didn't know why this place called to him but he decided to get into one of the cars where he laid there. Intending to sleep. --- Grim held out a checkered belt. "This should work." Hades clapped happily. "You look great! Maybe you could try out some jeans too? And a couple of other shirts?" --- "Thank you. Um...." Jean stepped back a bit. "Do you want a tour? I wouldn't mind." --- "That's very thoughtful of you. Thank you." ,said Charles. He walked over to Ellesse. "Yes actually. We would like to invite you to Oliver's first birthday party. If you have the time of course. We have yet to get the materials that we need but it shouldn't take us long to set everything up." Vincent's eyes widened at the idea of being an uncle. He looked at her hand before taking it and giving her a smile. --- Yami jumped out of the bank with his backpack in his hands. He was high in the air before he jumped on cop. Making him fall. He jumped to other cops as shouted, "Whoo hoo!" Whacking them with the heavy backpack or sometimes kicking them while he was in the air. Jumping on cars or on cops. Will whacked the back of his head with the megaphone he had taken from Malone. Yami stood but with some stumble. "I-I'm on....top of....the...mountain....!" He passed out on the ground. "Let's get him to the PD." Yami was a werecat so he could deal with hard blows like that. There were no injuries on his person except for a bruise which wouldn't last long. When he had been handcuffed and placed in the backseat of Malone's cruiser, he unconsciously curled up like a cat. Sleeping with purring coming from himself. Something that no one expected. Shadowess - September 23, 2021 One of the souls that had been driven from Desi's harem had been wandering Hell in constant terror. They'd been in that harem since they stumbled into it centuries ago. So, they had no idea that things in Hell were changing and that most Demons didn't torture souls anymore. This soul was female. Looking to be in her mid-thirties. She was very pretty, with curly, shoulder-length brown hair and dark brown eyes. In life, she'd been a black widow and a gold digger. Marrying rich men then, during their honeymoon, killing them in a way that made it look like a freak accident. Then she'd sell his properties, change her name, transfer the money left to her in the will to her new bank accounts, travel to a new location, and do it all over again. She died when it turned out a man she'd been trying to seduce was already married and the jealous wife tracked them down on one of their dates, murdering them both. That's how she ended up going to Hell. She learned quickly to hide from Demons but if it was absolutely necessary, she could bribe a demon with her body to get out of torture. This didn't always work but most of the time, it did. Then there were the few occasions when a Demon would take her up on her bribe, only to torture her afterward anyway. There was never any way of telling if it would work, but it was the only thing she could use to try to protect herself. Then she found the harem and for a while, she felt safe. She became comfortable...but now? Now the harem was no more...and she was right back to wander Hell's various landscapes. Constantly looking over her shoulders. By the time she reached the part of Hell with the abandoned cars, she was starving again and her bare feet were bleeding. She stumbled tiredly between the cars and glanced behind her to make sure she wasn't being followed. She kept glancing into the cars. To the comfy-looking seats. They seemed safe enough...maybe this would be a good place for her to rest for a while? She'd be well hidden and she might actually be able to get some sleep. Exhausted, she stopped and opened up one of the car doors. She climbed in and closed the door behind her. She then lay down, trying to get herself comfortable. As she closed her eyes and began to settle herself, the seatbelts slowly snaked around her. Moving silently and carefully, as if they were alive and fully aware of the soul's presence. In a flash, they'd snapped themselves tightly around one of her wrists and one of her ankles, making her gasp. Confused and alarmed, she tried to pull herself loose. That's when the car's alarms began going off loudly. She panicked, clawing at the belt around her wrist desperately to try and get it off. "N-no! no! Shh! Shush! Shut up!" she hissed at the car frantically while trying to pry herself free. --- "Thanks, bud." Bob took the belt and hooked it through the pant's loops. He checked himself out. Turning this way and that. Then he turned around completely and spun his head around so he could see his back. "I gotta say fellas, you certainly know style!" Lilly's smile grew a little more. "I think I'd like to do that," she said, glancing around at the clothes. --- "Thank you. Um...." Jean stepped back a bit. "Do you want a tour? I wouldn't mind." "Is that ok? I don't want to put you out of your way." Lang said, looking back at him. "I've never seen any place like this one...It's not every day you find a whole building that acts like a village!" --- "You mean his 'zero-th' birthday party?" Oscar smiled. "Seeing as he's technically zero years old..." his speech slowed down a bit as he became a little awkward from explaining his joke. Ellesse gave Oscar a playful smirk then looked back at Charles and nodded with a wide smile. "I would be delighted to attend his first birthday. I have to go for now but call on me when you have everything set up." Her eyes softened and her smile became a warm one. "Thank you...you and Amelia. You've both been so kind and patient with me...this was definitely an interesting first assignment and one I will never forget. Take care. All of you." She vanished. Happy that Vincent seemed to calm down and relax, Amelia nodded to him before turning and walking with him to the stairs. She glanced back at him, giving him a reassuring smile before turning and walking down them with him. When Neva saw Vincent re-emerge, she ran up to meet him halfway, holding her arms out to him. "Daddy!" she beamed. "Oliver is going to be my best friend!" Amelia smiled at Charles and walked over to him once Vincent would have Neva. --- Malone glanced back at Yami and rose a brow. He looked at his partner in the seat next to him. "I know there are supernatural people out there but...Is this normal?"

shadowess - September 18, 2021 (I think I made it look like David was talking to Ellesse xD He was actually talking to Leo. Ellesse is just helping him walk.) Denix Vames - September 18, 2021 (oh lol ill write something down real quick) Leo nodded. He looked at Allie. "Hey, I'll be back soon. I just have to talk to Oscar. Ok?" Allie nodded. "Please stay safe." "Don't worry. The fight's over." He disappeared. Appearing wherever Oscar was. "Oscar? It's me. Somehow, I'm alive." shadowess - September 18, 2021 Jessica hugged Ben. "It needs to be done," she reassured him. She then walked over to the couch and sat down to wait. Her stomach was in knots from nerves. She figured she'd let Ben and Greg do the talking unless spoken to directly and only intervene if things get too tense. --- "Depends, are they comfy?" Bob asked, assuming a lawsuit was a type of clothing. He walked in and looked around. Lilly was already admiring some of the clothes on the racks. She seemed to be quite content. Bob, on the other hand, was a little overwhelmed. "Uh... I'm not sure... I'm so used to wearing suits... I'm not familiar with these styles..." --- Lang teleported them outside the castle and held his hands up when the startled Vampire Watchers aimed crossbows at them. "We're just visitors!" Lang called out to them. "We've come to see Jean Poe. This is his brother, Harley Poe." The Watchers looked at each other uncertainly before turning back to them. "Stay where you are. We'll find out if we can let you in. We had an incident here during the day so we're currently on high alert." one of the Watchers explained while the other ducked into the castle and headed for Hannes's home. He knocked on the door and waited patiently for an answer. --- Patience looked at Bryce in alarm. "But she just had a child!" she gasped, trying to keep her voice low so as not to wake anyone up or startle the baby. "She'd be exhausted already!" --- Amelia laughed softly out of happiness. "We have a baby!" she whispered excitedly then gave him a gentle, lingering kiss. "Let's go and see him," she said as she pushed herself to her feet and held out her hand for Charles. Ellesse watched Amelia and Charles with a small smile. "I need to go with them. I have to make sure the child is healthy and everything before I get reassigned..." David looked at Ellesse and nodded. "Might as well bring me along. I'm eager to meet my new grandchild." he chuckled. He looked back at Allie, feeling awkward that she would be being left on her own. "Would you like us to escort you back inside first?" he offered. --- Oscar had been sitting on what looked like a beach. The waves from the blackened sea crashing gently in front of him. He'd been hugging his knees and sobbing into them, wondering what he would do with his life without Leo. Until he heard his voice and whirled his head around to look at him. He gasped and shot to his feet, wrapping his arms around him tightly. "Leo! Thank God! I thought I'd lost you!" he wept. "I tried to get him, but he was too damn fast!" Denix Vames - September 18, 2021 Greg knocked on the door. Ben let him in. They walked in the kitchen. Whispering to each other before a slam of the door could be heard. Ben walked over to her. Alone. "He's....not taking it too well. But he's never going to bother us again if that helps." --- "Why don't we pick out the clothes for you? See what looks good on you?" ,said Hades. Pain took a jacket with spikes. "Try this on." He helped him into the jacket and guided him to the body mirror. --- Jean rubbed his eyes before sitting up. "Give me a moment!" He got dressed before heading to the door. He opened it. "What's going on? Hannes is asleep. He's really tired from....before." --- "Something tells me a different story. I think she's doing just fine." ,said Bryce. Charles and Amelia appeared where they were laying on the floor. Charles helped Amelia up. He smiled at the baby. "My son." Bryce handed the baby to him. Charles held him close. Kissing his head. "Hey buddy. It's your father. I'm right here." --- "I don't really have a choice. My dad would have a fit if I didn't have someone keeping me safe." ,said Allie. She headed back to the Whitehouse with David and Ellesse following her. Once she was back in her room, she hugged Helena. "Hey it's me. Everything's fine. I had some help. There's no more danger." --- Leo burst into tears. Returning the hug. "It's ok Oscar. That bastard's dead. I don't know how I'm still alive but I'm glad I'm here." shadowess - September 21, 2021 Jessica had expected them all to talk, so was surprised when Ben took Greg into the kitchen for a more private conversation. She was a little more surprised when she found she couldn't even hear their whispers. Not that she was trying but she heard a small static noise drowning out their whispers. Like an untuned radio or running water from a faucet. She sat tensely, waiting for them to come out. The static stopped and a door slammed, making her jump. Then Ben walked back into the room and she stood. She frowned at his words then hugged him. "I'm sorry. I was hoping we could all just talk things out and get along...I guess that was just wishful thinking...Are you alright?" She asked while pulling back a little to look at him, worried about how all of this might've affected him. Niko was a little skeptical about how all of this happened. He'd been sitting in the chair quietly. Simply watching and listening. Like Jessica, he hadn't heard the conversation, and he had actually been trying! Wanting to keep his oath to protect Jessica, he wanted to hear what they were saying to make sure Jessica's heart wouldn't be broken. He'd been wary when they'd decided to speak in private then became suspicious when he found he couldn't hear them at all despite only being one room away. Still, he kept quiet. Simply watching for the moment but he was determined to keep a very close eye on Ben from now on. He was even considering tailing Greg on occasion, just to make sure he really was just letting this go and wouldn't cause any issues later on. --- "Oh. My. God!" Bob said as he looked at himself in the mirror. "I look just like those guys!" he spun his skull 180 degrees to look at Lilly. "Hey! Hey, Lilly! Look! Don't I look like those guys?! You know! Those guys! With the spikes and the big axe sword thingys!" he yelled excitedly across the store to her. Lilly turned red and slowly hid behind some clothes racks while groaning out of embarrassment. "You remember?! When they flung that one guy into the air and cleaved him in half on his way back down?! Those guys!" he clicked his head back around to face himself in the mirror and admired himself again. "Good guys. Good times. Made one hell of an ale." he said to Pain and Hades. "I like it!" --- The Watcher bowed his head quickly and looked at Jean. "Apologies for disturbing you. There are people outside the castle requesting to be let in. One is an Angel and the other claims to be your brother. What would you like us to do?" --- Amelia stood and watched with pride as Charles took their child into his arms and kissed his head. She walked over to Bryce and gave him a hug. "Thank you," she said softly before letting him go and turning to Charles. She hugged his arm and looked at their son with him, smiling at him lovingly. "We need to come up with a name." The baby squinted at them both. His bright blue eyes were not used to looking around at the outside world yet. He wriggled a bit inside the towels and made little cooing noises. Relieved to see they were alright, Patience stood by and watched the scene with a tearful smile. Hearing some commotion downstairs, Neva crept out of her bed and tiptoes to the top of the stairs to peer down at the small crowd in the living room. When she saw Amelia, Charles, and the bundle in his arms, she gasped then hurried down the stairs excitedly. She opened her mouth to speak then hesitated, not wanting to startle the baby by suddenly being loud. "You got your baby!" she said quietly, her eyes lit up. --- David and Ellesse followed Allie back into the building and made sure she got back to her room safely. Helena had been sitting on the bed, waiting anxiously for news when Allie wrapped her arms around her. She hugged her back tightly. She was shivering a bit, reminded of how frightened and confused she'd been when her family home had been attacked by vampires. "I was worried!" she said, relieved. "What happened? What was all that noise?" she shivered. "And that...screaming?" David frowned, looking in on them and noticing the blind woman. "An evil Demon attacked the building. Those screams you heard were him being defeated. You're safe now." he said gently. Helena looked up, in the direction of his voice. "Who are you?" "My name is David. I helped fight off the Demon," he said simply, then looked at Allie and nodded. "I think it's best if we left you both to rest. If you ever need help and for whatever reason you can't get through to Leo, feel free to call on me." --- Relieved, Oscar kissed Leo's cheek and then kissed him passionately. "I'm glad too." he cried. "God, Leo...that was a close one." he shook his head. "We can't let something like this happen again. He was the same kind of Demon that I am but he still moved too quickly for me to track him...and the way he fought...those were some serious skills. David said before that they trained together once..." he looked thoughtful. "Do you think he could train us like that? Maybe then we'd stand a better chance if an enemy like him ever turns up again." Denix Vames - September 21, 2021 Ben's brows furrowed. He stepped away. "I don't know. Did I do the right thing? I remember what me and Greg had. It was special. ANd what I have with you is special too." He placed his hand on his head as he walked away a bit. Facing the front door. "I don't know who to choose. Maybe I need to think for myself for a little while." He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I think we need to take a break. Just until I can sort things out." --- Hades took the jacket off. "Then we'll take that. Let's try another one." "Here." ,said Grim who placed black denim jacket over him that was made to look like it was ripped up. --- Jean gasped. He covered his mouth. Tears peeked from his eyes. "Harley?" He quickly nodded. "Please let them in. I have to know if it's really him." --- Bryce smiled. "No problem." Charles smiled at Neva. He knelt. "Would you like to hold him?" Once he helped her, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "I was wondering if you could name him. If Amelia's alright with that." --- Allie nodded. "Thank you." She hugged herself. "I've never seen him....die before. It felt awful. But then that light came. I'm not sure I know what I saw." --- "I'm sure he has plenty of time to do that now. Let's just hope that nothing like Donnie shows up anyway." ,said Leo. He sighed and shook his head. "I still can't believe that even with all my training from ADIEU, he was able to take me out like that." He clenched his fists. "Makes me feel weak. Like I'm some big fuck up." shadowess - September 21, 2021 Jessica was speechless. She hadn't been sure of what to expect when Greg came over but it hadn't been this. She opened her mouth to speak. Wanting to try to talk to Ben. Maybe talk him out of it. But her words caught in her throat and she found herself feeling sick. Her heart hurt and she didn't want to lose Ben but at the same time knew that this wasn't an easy situation. She didn't want to risk pushing him further away by letting her emotions get the better of her. She covered her mouth, unable to stop a quiet sob from slipping out despite her effort to try and hold herself together. After a moment of trying to hold back her tears, she managed to say the words "Whatever you need." before she ran off into the bathroom to cry. It was obvious by the tone of her voice and the strain behind it that it had been a difficult thing for her to do. Niko stood and sighed. He'd originally suspected that Ben might try to go behind Jessica's back and see Greg in secret. But now he saw that Ben was truly torn between two loves. He couldn't be angry at him. Especially after doing something that difficult. He wasn't happy that Jessica was upset but he respected Ben for being honest. He walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a sympathetic look. "Can we take a walk and talk in private?" he asked gently. "I think Jessica might need some time alone to calm down anyway... And there's something that I want to ask you...If that is ok?" --- "Ooo! It looks nice...but..." Bob said, turning his body left and right to try to see himself at all angles. "It's a little uh-...ripped?" he looked at them, wondering if the fabric was supposed to be torn. Lilly watched them all around Bob with a small frown...not that she smiled much anyway. She watched them all fawning over him, dressing him up, and talking to him excitedly. It was a sight she'd have never seen back at home. Back there, if people figured out that he was a walking skeleton they would panic. Worse still, if those same people figured out that she was behind his resurrection, she would be arrested then burned as a witch... Lilly and Bob had spent years hiding and moving carefully from town to town. Fearful of this possibility. It was nice to find people that were eager to befriend Bob like this. Still, she couldn't help but feel like something was missing. Or that perhaps all of this was simply too good to be true. She kept expecting something to go horribly wrong at any moment and was almost constantly looking over her shoulder. When she'd first arrived here, she had been so disoriented by all the different technologies, magics, and species that she had been convinced that she was dreaming. It had been the main reason that she'd been so relaxed about everything. But now she knew it was real but still questioned whether she could truly relax here. --- The Watcher nodded. "I'll escort them to your home at once," he said before turning and heading back to the entrance. There he whispered into the other Watcher's ear, who seemed to visibly relax, before turning to Lang and Harley. "Please follow me. Jean has agreed to see you. I will show you to his home." he said then held the doors open for them. Lang walked into the castle and stared around them in awe of all the decorations on the walls, as well as how big the interior of the castle was. Once they'd stepped inside, the Watcher walked them to Jean and Hannes's house. There he'd knock on the door again to let Jean know they'd arrived. --- Patience sat down on the couch wearily. Amelia smiled widely as she watched Charles gently place their son in Neva's arms. Neva was grinning from ear to ear but was standing rigid as Charles placed the baby in her arms and she held him as gently as she could, frightened that she would hurt him in some way. "He's so cute!" She whispered excitedly, her eyes wide and full of joy. She then looked up at Charles with her mouth hanging open a bit as he asked her to name him and she looked up at Amelia who chuckled at her expression. "That's fine by me," Amelia replied then winked at Neva. "Pick something good though. He is technically a Prince. No pressure." "U-umm..." Neva hesitated and looked at the baby who looked back at her with furrowed eyebrows as he tried his best to take in her features. "What about...Oliver?" she suggested, looking back up at Charles. --- "I know seeing something like that can be terrible...but Leo is strong. I'm sure he'll be fine..." David said, trying to reassure her. "I'll check on him for you though if you want. As for that light..." David smiled knowingly. "Well, let's just say Leo has friends in all the right places." he chuckled. He then turned to Ellesse. "Now, I do believe I have a grandson to meet." Ellesse smiled and nodded before teleporting them to Carter's house. When they arrived, David stared in awe at the baby then smiled tearfully at Amelia and Charles. "Congratulations! Both of you!" he said happily. "David?" Patience said and slowly stood up again. David turned rapidly to face her with wide eyes. Both of them burst into tears as they hurried over to hug each other. Crying into each other's shoulders. David pulled back then kissed Patience passionately. Patience stiffened at first, then relaxed into it, kissing him back. "Well...so much for conflict of interests..." Amelia chuckled, but she was glad to see them finally getting their relationship out into the open. --- Oscar shook his head. "I know how you feel...all those years as a Punisher Demon...we're supposed to be some of the best fighters...but it all counted for nothing against him..." he sighed and placed his hands on Leo's shoulders. "But we can't blame ourselves for that... David and Donnie were trained by Demons who were far more skilled...and far more frightening than any Punisher Demon could hope to be..." he paused and shivered. "Lucifer's Soldiers... They were the elite. Without THAT kind of training, we simply didn't stand a chance." he let go of his shoulders and glanced up towards the black sky. "Which is why we should ask David to train us...properly...the way he was trained. Because He and Donnie weren't the only Demons trained that way and who knows if or when another one will snap?... We need to be ready...just in case." Denix Vames - September 21, 2021 "Uh sure. What is it?" They left the apartment. Ben walked beside him. --- Storm laughed. "That's the whole point. It's cool to have ripped clothes. Especially when they're jeans. But they look good on jackets too." Hades waved her over as she held a top that said, 'My Dark Soul.' She smiled. --- Harley bit his lip. Wondering what Jean would say to him. Jean opened the door. Both brothers were surprised to actually see each other. "Jean?" "H-Harley!" Jean threw himself in his arms. Sobbing over his chest. Harley wrapped his arms around him as he cried too. "I'm so sorry about what I told you years ago. I didn't mean it. Not one bit." --- "Oliver it is then." Charles stood. He smiled at David. "His name's Oliver." Vincent and Elliot came walking down the stairs with a lazy walk as they had just woken up. Elliot scratched the back of his head. Revealing lots hickeys on his neck. "What's going on here? I'm trying to-" His eyes widened as he pointed at Oliver. "Holy shit! That's a baby!" Vincent seemed frightened. He took a step back which led him to falling on the stairs. "Hey man. You alright?" Elliot reached out to help him but Vincent ran back to the bedroom. Recalling what he use to do to children and their families. He had also killed infants. Something that he was now ashamed of and scared to do to Oliver. Even though there was no way of that happening these days. --- Leo thought for a moment then nodded. "Alright. Let's go see him."

Denix Vames - September 17, 2021 Allie ran back to her room. "Helena! Please stay inside. I have to help my friends." She helped her to the bed and closed the door. She gasped at the sound of Leo crying out in pain. Leo's leg bone was partially sticking out. Broken. He screamed bloody murder. Writhing in pain as tears ran down his cheeks. Allie continued to make her way out of the Whitehouse until she reached the gardens. She held a pool table stick. Running towards them. She swung at Donnie who made her fall. She dropped the stick and grunted as she hit the ground. She pushed herself back as she watched him get ready to kill her. Crying at the sight of it all. "Please don't!" "Allie!" Leo suddenly appeared in front of her. Taking the piercing blow which penetrated his heart. He gasped before blood poured out of his mouth. His eyes held a lifeless expression. His body hit the ground. Allie crawled over to him. "LEO!" She sobbed over his body. Holding him close. --- "Greg's my boyfriend. I remember now." Ben glared at her. He stood. "And you never tried to encourage me to talk to him! You never tried to help! You're selfish!" --- "Wait what?" ,said Pain. "Basically, people will think he's a robot." ,said Hades. "Oh that makes sense." "Then let's go." ,said Grim. Everyone would get into a messy smelly old van. Storm was driving. --- "Fucking christ!" Carter tore his pants off. Ready to give Sebastian what he needed. (private time) --- "Couch. But I can give you a couple of sheets or blankets to feel comfortable." ,said Blaire. --- Bryce quickly cut the cord and fixed everything up as best as he could. He damped a towel with some water before gently placing it over the baby's head. He smiled. "He's handsome. Looks just like you." --- "He's gone! He's never coming back! He's in Germany! I drove him away! I did this!" Harley's voice sounded more demonic with each sentence. The coffee machine suddenly burst with boiling coffee. Shadowess - September 17, 2021 Jessica's eyes widened. She felt both hurt and angry at the accusation. She also felt incredibly worried that Ben was about to leave her for a memory. "Are you kidding me?!" She snapped back. "I told you about Greg as soon as he said he thought he knew you! YOU said you didn't know him! I gave you his fucking number so that you could speak to him! Even when he came over and threatened to tell everyone about me, you said you didn't know him! And I believed you! I trusted you when you said you didn't know him! I thought it was some mad coincidence or that maybe Greg was just crazy!" her eyes filled with tears. "Ben, I love you! You can't tell me that what we had wasn't real! Are you really going to throw that away?!" --- Lilly sat in the van, crinkling her nose again and feeling a little squished in the now crowded van. "What is that strange smell?" she asked. "I don't smell nothin'," Bob said again and Lily rolled her eyes. "You've already done that bit, Bob." "What bit?" "The 'nose' bit." "Knows what?" "No. 'Nose'." "No 'no's'? Sounds good to me. 'Yes' is my favorite word anyway." "What? No! That is not-" "Yes!" "...Give me strength!" Lilly mumbled and rubbed her temples. She then looked around at the others, trying hard to ignore Bob. "No, -" "Yes." "...-but seriously, what is that smell? I smelled it in that other place and it seems to have followed us here. Is it something to be concerned about?" Lilly finished her sentence while glaring at Bob. If it weren't for the fact that he was already grinning, she had a feeling he would be right now. Bob seemed to find annoying her as much as possible incredibly entertaining. --- "That would be lovely, thank you." Desi smiled. --- "Woah! Slow down!" Lang tried then yelped and jumped out of the way of the exploding coffee machine. "Easy! Take a deep breath! I'm sure we can work this out! Look, why don't we just go to Germany and see how he's doing, huh? Talk to him! It's not too late! It's never too late!" --- Once the child was clean and wrapped up in towels to keep him warm, Amelia wasted no time in feeding him. Ensuring that he was given as much strength as possible, quickly. She smiled at him lovingly while watching him drinking from her. "I can see his father in him." She whispered, stroking his little arm with her finger. She cupped one of his feet in her hand and felt her heart swell at how small it was in comparison to her hand. "Gosh, he's so tiny!" she chuckled. She frowned and let out a heavy sigh. "I can't let Donnie get his hands on you. I won't let anyone hurt you," she said softly, though her tone had a hint of fierceness to it. She lifted her hand to look at it, feeling a tingling sensation wash over her as her powers returned. Looking back down at her child, she gently brought him away from her chest and covered herself up again. She lifted him and kissed his head softly. "I love you. With all my heart," she whispered to him before looking at Bryce. "I need you to watch him for me," she said, her tone had a sense of urgency. "My powers are back and I believe..." she looked around, towards the ceiling. "that the act of bringing life into the realm of death might have weakened whatever spell Donnie put on this place. I can feel it. Like a hole has been punched into an invisible shield." she looked back at Bryce with a serious expression. "Take him. Take Patience. Teleport somewhere safe. I'll come and find you when Donnie isn't a threat anymore." Amelia pushed the child into his arms, making it clear that she wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. "Do this for me. Please," she said before pushing herself off the bed and stepping away from them. She gave one last look to her child as if memorizing him, before vanishing. --- Donnie tore Leo's heart out with his clawed hand before letting it drop to the floor. "LEO!!!" Oscar screamed and turned on Donnie, letting out a furious battle cry as he charged at him. When it came to Angels and Demons, such a strike from another Demon would merely cause them to re-awaken in either Heaven or Hell. But with Leo being what he was, this possibility was uncertain. Because Oscar had no way of knowing whether or not Leo would recover from his wound, he reacted as if he'd just watched him die permanently. By now, both Donnie and Oscar had shifted into their reptilian forms. Both were very similar with the only difference being the color of their scales. Oscar's were green while Donnie's were black. Donnie glanced back and ducked out of Oscar's way before rapidly bringing his own tail around and whipping it across Oscar's throat. Oscar slowed to a stop with wide eyes, simply staring ahead of him in shock. A second later, a slit formed across his throat with blood spraying and gushing out of the wound. He lifted his hands to his throat, trying in vain to stop the bleeding as he fell to his knees before falling forward onto the blood-stained grass. His form shifting back into a human as his body twitched for a couple of minutes, before falling still. His eyes were glassy and staring across the garden. His mouth hanging open. "No!!" David ran at Donnie next, managing to land a couple of punches to his face and sides. Donnie backed away from him, lifting his fists to shield his face. He flicked his tail at David but he'd backflipped away from it before it could swipe him. David then ran back within striking distance and aimed a few more punches at Donnie. "Do you mean to tell me that you still don't have a second form, David?!" Donnie mocked him while darting left and right to avoid David's punches. "Honestly, it's like you're only half a Demon!" "That's still half more Demon than you'll ever be!" David retorted before attempting another punch towards Donnie's face. This time, however, Donnie manages to snatch David's wrist and flips him around, kicking one of his knees out from under him and holding his arm at an awkward angle. Donnie then brings his tail down on David's shoulder where its sharp edge became embedded. David let out a pained scream while Donnie laughs. He grins evilly at Charles. "Are these supposed to be your best fighters?! You're fucking pathetic for a leader!" Donnie yanks his tail out of David's shoulder, gaining another scream from him. "But don't worry. I'm not going to kill this one yet. I want this traitorous bastard to see his world fall completely apart before I end him!" It was at this moment that Amelia appeared in front of them. In nothing but a very bloody nightdress and the crystal that hung around her neck. She looked around at Leo and Oscar's bodies. She glanced at Charles and gave him a small, reassuring smile. 'He's safe. And he's beautiful.' she thought to him as she turned her attention to Donnie and what he'd done to her father. She glared at him dangerously while he looked at her in confusion, wondering how she'd managed to teleport out of the mansion. She held up three fingers. "Three important things you should know about me," she said calmly. "One. I'm the Queen of Hell." she tucked in one finger, leaving only two up. "Two. Don't. Ever. Fuck with the people I love." she tucked in another finger, leaving just one more. "And Three." she brought her hand to her necklace, tearing it off and holding it out to one side. "I have Devil's Rage." she dropped the pendant. Within seconds, the whites of her eyes had turned black while her iris's had turned a deep crimson. A low growl slipped through her lips as she reared herself up, preparing to propel herself forward. "Devil's Rage?!" Donnie gasped, loosening his grip on David and taking a step back. This was bad for him. Now that she'd allowed herself to slip into the rage, he was her primary threat and she would not stop until he was utterly destroyed. "Fuck-!" he let go of David completely, intending on teleporting out of there immediately. Amelia looked as if she was about to run forward but instead teleported from where she was to right in front of him, carrying forward that momentum to grab Donnie's throat and slam him into the nearby brick wall. Knocking bricks out of the wall and leaving a hole from the impact. She then dragged him along it for a minute, more bricks flying out and crashing to the floor as she went before flinging him back into the gardens, seemingly towards Charles. David had never seen something like this happen before. Usually, when someone under the Devil's Rage goes into a frenzy, it is extremely unwise to get involved in case the Devil in question mistakes you for another threat and targets you as well. But Amelia seemed to have retained some control and was giving Charles an opportunity to get some hits in on Donnie mid-rage. Co-operating with the goal of destroying a major threat. Once Charles would get his hits in, Amelia would recapture Donnie and throw him around like a ragdoll. Flames engulfed her as she darted across the grounds, kicking him around like he was a new soccer ball. Her hair glowed yellow as if made of pure sunlight. The sounds of Donnie's breaking bones and screams echoed into the night. At some point, Donnie's injuries became so great that he could no longer keep up his second form and involuntarily changed back into his human form. He cried out and screamed with every hit. Unable to move quick enough to block her attacks or flee. Finally, she grabbed hold of one of his arms. He screamed and writhed as her flames burned his skin. She flung him towards Charles whilst keeping hold of his arm, hoping that Charles would grab his other arm so they could literally tear him apart. 'For our friends. For everyone, he's ever hurt. For the safety of our son!' she thought to Charles as she pulled with all her strength. Denix Vames - September 17, 2021 Ben frowned. He looked down. "No. I still love you. Even now with my memories back. I guess Greg is unstable these days. It's unfortunate for me to hear but I know it's true." --- "Oh that's called weed. It's something people smoke when they want to relax." ,said Storm. They reached a local Hot Topic. "Here we are. Trust me guys. You're going to wish that you could live here." --- Blaire took out a blanket and sheet from the closet of her room. "Here you go." She handed them to him. "These should be warm enough. If you need anything else, let me know." She walked into her room. --- Harley studied his face. "But how? I'm dead. And I know he wouldn't want to see me." He covered his face. "I know he hates me." --- Bryce nodded. "I will." With the baby in his arms, he went to Patience and helped free her from her binds. "Let's go to Carter's house. It's safe there." --- Charles pulled at the other side. Enjoying the torture that they were bringing on Donnie. Once they tore him apart, he dropped the piece that he held and caught his breath. Exhausted, he collapsed. Allie continued to sob over Leo. Hugging his head. "Please Leo! Wake up! Uncle! C'mon! You can't leave me!" A sudden ray of light showered on Leo who floated up. She gasped. Standing back as she watched a purple aura surround him. His body began to regenerate before black wings sprouted. His eyes were glowing purple before he was gently placed on the ground where he was sleeping. The light had disappeared. "Wha....What happened?" It was God who had given Leo a second. chance. Leo wouldn't be a hybrid but rather a Leviathan. Something that he knows Leo could handle. Shadowess - September 18, 2021 Niko sat in a nearby chair, feeling a little awkward and unsure of what to do as the two of them spoke. Jessica sighed, her shoulders dropping a little. Relieved that Ben still loved her but still troubled over whether Greg would try to come between them again. She knew what needed to be done, for Ben's sake, even if she was reluctant to do so. She walked over to him and gently placed her hands on his shoulders, looking into his eyes. "Maybe we should try talking to Greg? Together. Peacefully. If we don't, then I don't think something like this is ever going to stop following us...I think you both need some closure." --- "Hey Lilly, you should smoke some weed!" Bob announced. "You're never relaxed! Heck, I don't think I've ever seen you smile!" "Bob..." Lilly rubbed her temples, shutting her eyes and shaking her head. "Not like me! I'm always smilin'!" "You don't have-! You know what? No. I'm not getting sucked into another idiotic conversation with you..." she got out of the van in a huff and walked towards the store. Bob looked over at Storm and nudged him with his elbow. "Don't suppose this weed stuff could be slipped into her food?" he said quietly with a chuckle before climbing out and following Lilly into the store as well. --- "Thank you." Desi smiled and took the blankets. Once she was gone, he sighed and lay down on the couch, pulling the blanket over him and worrying over what he was going to say to Cindy. --- "Being dead doesn't mean you're stuck," Lang said gently. "And you don't know that. Things might've changed. Besides, talking to him might do you both some good." he held out a hand. "I can take us there now. Please, trust me on this." --- Patience had been looking at the chains in confusion. She felt the spell around them give out and on top of that, her chains became flimsy and powerless. She'd found herself able to snap them easily and shrug them off of her. She struggled with the ones around her wings, unable to reach them. That's when Bryce hurried into the room with a small bundle in his arm and suddenly, it all made sense as to why the chains and the spells in the mansion had lost their power. "Is that-? Oh God, where's Amelia?" she asked, worriedly while Bryce helped to pry the chains from her wings. Hearing him, she looked at the baby and frowned. She didn't want to potentially leave Amelia behind but she was too weak to fight anyone right now and they had to worry about protecting her child. Nodding, she gently wrapped her arms around them and teleported them into Carter's living room. It being so late at night when they arrived, Neva was fast asleep in her bedroom. The baby squirmed a bit and whined, a little uncomfortable from the teleporting but otherwise fine. Patience let them go and stood back a bit to look at the child properly. "Oh, he's beautiful," she whispered. --- Once Donnie had been ripped in half, Amelia dropped the half of him she was holding too. Her flames died out. Her hair and eyes returning to normal. Tiredly, she stumbled over to her necklace and picked it up before stumbling over to Charles and laying with him on the grass, trying to catch her breath. "No one...fucks...with my family..." she breathed. "Charles..." she lifted herself to look at him, stroking his cheek. "You should see our son." she smiled, tears filling her eyes. "He looks so much like you." David managed to pull himself to his feet. He watched as Leo was brought back to life and recognized the bright light that accompanied his healing. He glanced up towards the sky and smiled. "Thanks." he breathed then tried to walk over to them. He stumbled but was caught by Ellesse who helped him walk the rest of the way. "You might want to let Oscar know you're alive," David said, nodding towards Oscar's body. "He tried to charge at Donnie head-on when you were struck down. No doubt he's in Hell somewhere, grieving. I'm sure he'll be relieved to know he hasn't lost you." David then looked towards Donnie's body. "The bastard got what he deserved." Denix Vames - September 18, 2021 Ben nodded. "Yeah. You're right. I'll call him. Tell him to come over here so that we can talk." He pulled out his phone and called up Greg. Telling him to get to the apartment. Once the call ended, he took a deep breath. "I never thought I'd be doing this." --- "No can do. Not unless you want a lawsuit on your hands." ,said Storm. Everybody got out. Walking into the store. "Tell me what catches your sockets." ,said Hades. --- Harley looked at his hand before taking it. --- "He is, isn't he? Amelia's fine by the way. She went to go help the others against Donnie." ,said Bryce. --- Tears streamed down Charles's cheeks as he smiled. "I'm a dad! I have a son!" Leo slowly opened his eyes. He sat up. "Huh? What happened?" Allie threw herself to him. Wrapping her arms around him. He was taken aback by this. "Don't you ever leave me again! I thought I was never going to see you! You dummy!" She sobbed over his shoulder. He placed a hand on her back and smiled. "It's ok, Allie. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

Shadowess - September 17, 2021 "What?!" David turned pale. "Wha-?! When?! How?!" "Who's Donnie?" Ellesse asked. She then looked between them both, looking very alarmed. "We need to find her! My patient alarm went off! She's in labor!" "Wha-?!" David became even more panicked then immediately looked incredibly serious. "Wait! Shh! You two hear that?!" he paused for a minute, hearing Jessica's telepathic cries for help. His eyes widened and he looked at Charles. "We get to Donnie, we find Amelia!" --- At Pain's question, Bob bowed in a theatrical way. "In the bone, baby!" Lilly rolled her eyes at him and leaned against the nearby wall with her arms crossed. "All this attention is going to go right to his skull!" Bob didn't hear her, too excited by all the attention he was receiving. "Any pose you like, my man. Hell, I can take parts off and rearrange 'em if you like! By the by, just putting it out there, but I think what would really pull my look together would be a black top hat. Can you dig it?" --- Sebastian tilted his head back and let out ragged breaths. Moaning a little and enjoying the way Carter made him feel. He ran his fingers of both hands through his hair, gently gliding his nails over his scalp. "Oh, Carter!" he breathed excitedly, moving his hands down to feel his back, his sides, and then the rim of his pants. He bit his lip a little. --- River hesitated. He was tempted but it felt wrong to give up this gift that Will had given him. Especially after it seemed to take so much energy to do so. He looked at his hands. Brand new skin. No blemishes. Lifting them, he felt his face. Tracing the details with his fingers. Eyes, nose, eyebrows, lips...he caught sight of himself through his reflection in the glass on the door and stared at himself for a minute. He thought about Balconi's offer. He thought about how his presence had affected Parker and Will. He shook his head. "N-no..." he said quietly. "Never again...it never needs to happen again..." he looked at his hands again. "That's why he gave me a body...Others can't handle me...but I can handle me...I am my own being..." He tried to stand but these legs had never walked before and he stumbled, struggling to hold up his own weight. --- Desi smiled at her. "Well, it hardly matters now. He's been gone for years and it doesn't look like he's coming back..." he sat back in the chair and seemed thoughtful for a minute. "It's kind of funny though... the new ruler of hell seems to have fallen for a man with some resemblance to him." He shrugged. "Only minor details, mind you. Blond hair, blue eyes. Flaming skeletal second form... although Lucifer's skeletal form was humanoid... But I'm sure it's just a coincidence." --- By the time Bryce had come back, Amelia looked like she was in intense pain again. She was laying with her head tilted back, beads of sweat forming on her face and she gripped the bed sheets tightly. After a minute or two, she seemed to relax a bit and caught her breath. "Now we wait until it's the right time..." she said through heavy breaths. "Shouldn't be long...contractions are getting closer together." she flinched and groaned, moving a hand to hold her stomach. A couple of tears slid down her cheeks. "I want Charles...he should be here..." she cried. --- Donnie looked up and glared at Jessica before turning hurriedly to Ben and moving towards him, intent on teleporting with him. "DON'T YOU FUCKING TOUCH HIM!!" Jessica screamed and an instant later, she'd appeared next to Donnie, striking him across the face with her fist, taking him by surprise, and knocking him to the ground. Jessica took a step back from him and thought quickly, sending out her thoughts to anyone who might hear her. 'He's here! Donnie is here! Please help!' She then turned to Ben, a little panicked. "He's the one who kidnapped me! Ben, we have to go! Now!" Donnie growled angrily, lifting himself to his feet and turning to glare at the pair. His nose was bleeding a little. "You stupid bitch!" --- Lang lifted his arms to shield his head as the bulbs shattered overhead. He was then knocked off his feet and in his moment of surprise, his wings burst out through the back of his uniform, cushioning his fall. He looked up, his eyes widening. He could swear he was seeing the dead cop glowering over him. "You-? Wait, why haven't you moved on??" Lang gasped, shuffling away from him. Denix Vames - September 17, 2021 Charles suddenly appeared in front of Donnie. "Give her back to me!" He blew fire in his direction. Ben ran over to Jessica. Scared by the whole situation. --- "Hell yeah!" ,said Pain. "This is just what we need to make our breakthrough." ,said Grim. "All we need is to get him a couple of more outfits. Something that says I'm dying on the inside and I'm already dead." ,said Storm. "Let's go to Hot Topic then." ,said Hades. Hades whispered into Storm's ear before he nodded and chuckled. "Hey funny bones!" She lifted her shirt up. Flashing him then put it down. "Just a little motivation for ya. And I wanted to see the look on your face." She laughed. --- Carter kissed every part of his chest before moving to his belt. He unbuckled him. Rubbing his hand under there. "Sebastian....I love you." --- Balconi helped him stand. "We'll teach you how to walk. It's not too difficult to learn. You'll get the knack for it like everyone else." Will slowly opened his eyes. He had a full set of purple eyes now. "Parker?" Tears dripped down his cheeks as he frowned. "Oh god! Parker! What did I do to you?! I shot myself in front of you! In front of my friends! What the fuck is wrong with me?! I'm so sorry!" --- "Wait a minute. There can be new leaders? Since when was this a thing?" ,said Blaire. --- "I know but unfortunately I can't even bring him even if I tried. But just try to focus on me, ok? I'm right here. I'm a friend." Bryce caught his breath. "I'm sorry for what I put you through. I deserved all the things that your friends did to me. I can't even forgive myself. That's why I'm going to help you." --- Harley was taken aback by Lang. "Wait a minute. You can see me?!" He shook his head. "It's not like it matters. You're all liars!" He grabbed the photo of himself and ripped it up. Letting the pieces fall. "Stop talking about me!" shadowess - September 17, 2021 Donnie's eyes widened when Charles appeared in front of him and he jumped out of the way of the fire before it could hit him. "How did you find me?!" he snapped, and before he could do anything, David appeared next to him and struck him in the stomach. He doubled over, wheezing a little. He then growled and grabbed David's arm, yanking it one way while he drove his elbow into the side of David's face. Jessica took Ben's hand and ran with him out of the line of fire, towards the building just as Niko was running out to see what the commotion was. "What's going on?!" He shouted towards them then turned pale at the sight of Donnie. Memories of what he and Insanity did to him forcing their way into his mind and leaving him a shivering, terrified mess. "We need to get out of here, take my hand!" Jessica shouted and once Niko did, she'd teleport the three of them back to Ben's apartment. Helena sat up in her bed, woken up by the noises outside. She turned to face where Allie normally slept. "What's that noise?" she whispered in alarm. After a couple of blows to each other, Donnie headbutted David and he fell back. He was about to aim a punch for his head when Ellesse appeared and grabbed his wrist with both of her hands. "Enough!" She shouted at him, though her voice quivered fearfully. "A Midwife?" Donnie blinked at her then grinned viciously. "Then it's almost my time!" he said triumphantly before backhanding her and knocking her to the side. She squealed and landed on the lawn, holding her face. --- "But I'm more alive than ever!" Bob said to Storm then turned to Hades. For a moment, he didn't move, and then his jaw dropped off from his skull and clattered onto the floor. Lilly's eyes widened a little and she quickly turned her gaze away. Her cheeks turning pink. "How crass..." she said, trying to hide her awkwardness. She then faked a cough into her fist and snapped at Bob. "Pick your jaw up! Someone might slip on it!" "'Eah, 'eah..." he mumbled and picked his jaw up from the floor, clicking it back onto his skull. He turned back to Hades and snapped his fingers before pointing at her "Consider me motivated, baby!" --- Sebastian gasped and then moaned at Carter's touch. "I love you too!" he breathed shakily. He unbuckled Carter's pants as well before wrapping his legs around him. Pulling him to him and slipping his tongue into his mouth again. He slid a hand into his pants and squeezed his backside. --- River leaned against Balconi as he tried to find his balance. He looked at him with a thankful expression. "You're kind..." he said softly. "I'm proud to have been named after you." As soon as Will spoke, Parker looked at him and his grip on the rose tightened a little. As he saw Will begin to cry over what had happened, Parker finally found himself able to express his emotions. He couldn't stop it. Everything simply came pouring out of him. He began sobbing almost uncontrollably as he flung his arms around him. He buried his face in his chest and gripped him tightly. "Will!" he wept, clinging tightly to his shirt. "Oh, Will! I forgive you! I was so scared I'd lost you! I didn't know what to do! Will, I love you so much!" --- Desi sighed. "Oh, since always." he chuckled. "Fun fact, most of what you humans recorded about the afterlife is either made up, muddled up information, or mostly incorrect. It's like the world's longest game of Chinese Whispers!" He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Like 'the Devil's name' for instance. You all seem to think that it's one Devil with a dozen names. Actually, it's just whatever Devil that was the leader at the time! Before Lucifer, there was Satan. And way before Lucifer and his kin were sent down to Hell there were the naturally occurring Devils. Back then, there was Beelzebub and so on..." he waved his hand a little towards the end of his sentence. "Before Lucifer disappeared, he took Damien in as his apprentice. Basically ensuring he had an heir before he up and vanished. Then Damien adopted Amelia as his sister. This technically put her next in line so when Damien was destroyed, Amelia found herself inheriting Hell." he sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Poor dear. I don't know if she ever found time to grieve. The gossip among Demons is that she and Damien were very close. You'd never think they weren't blood-related. Amelia herself never showed any signs of wanting to rule, either. She preferred running off to Earth at every opportunity to find 'adventures'...one such adventure was taking down the ADIEU facilities." He shrugged and looked back at Blaire. "To be perfectly honest, I was very much a part of the Lucifer fan club. I was very loyal. So, when Amelia began making her changes in Hell, I-...was resistant to change. But I think I get it now. I think the worlds need this. It's about time we all strived for peace." --- Amelia looked at Bryce. She was shaking. Her pupils dilating from the pain she was feeling but she tried with all her might to hide it. She listened to what he said while occasionally wiping away some tears. She reached out a hand, wanting him to sit with her on the bed. Finding some comfort in him being there. "I'm sorry too." she cried. "For burning down your house. No, listen. It doesn't matter what you did, I was angry and I reacted poorly. I'm supposed to be a leader. I'm supposed to be rational and not let stupid, petty things like revenge get the better of me. I'm sorry!" She gasped and tilted her head back again, gritting her teeth. She writhed a little and groaned. Gripping the bed sheets tightly with one hand and squeezing Bryce's hand with the other. When the contraction eased off, she caught her breath and relaxed a bit but whimpered. "Bryce, I'm scared!" --- "Lying about what?" Lang asked, getting to his feet and holding his hands up. "Look, maybe I can help you. Do you know what it is that's stopping you from moving on? Poe, please. I'd like to help." Denix Vames - September 17, 2021 "I don't know." Allie ran out of her room and went to one of the big windows. She opened it. Frightened by what she saw she shouted, "Leo! Help!" Leo appeared in front of Donnie and high kicked him. He did a spinning kick once he was in the air before stomping his feet on him. Bringing him straight to the ground where he made an imprint on the ground. --- Ben caught his breath. "What the hell's going on?! And where's Greg? I need to call him! I have to let him know that I'm alright!" --- "Wait a minute. How are we going to get him to the store without people freaking out?" ,asked Grim. "Huh. I hadn't thought of that. Maybe you could draw us some designs on clothes you were thinking of having? Remember it has to be gothic and punk." ,said Storm. He handed him a notepad and a pen. --- Carter sank his fangs into his neck. He let his blood drip down. Licking it up before taking his pants off. --- Balconi smiled. "Thanks. But I think I have you to thank for looking out for him." "I love you too Parker!" ,said Will. He tried to move. "Hey! Why am I-?" "I can't free you unless I know you won't try to kill yourself again. I know now you regret it but I don't know what you're going to be like in the future. The other angels can run tests on you. Just to make sure." ,said Balconi. Will sighed. "Ok." --- "Uh wow. I just felt like I was watching one of those war movies. Anyway, I'm gonna hit the hay. You can watch whatever. I really don't care." ,said Blaire. --- Bryce gently squeezed. "It's going to be ok. I'm right here. You can squeeze my hand as hard as you can. I can take it." --- "I was never a good cop! I couldn't save my own fucking brother from his mistakes! It's all my fault!" Filing cabinets opened up as papers flew out of them. Shadowess - September 17, 2021 "Allie, where are you?" Helena called in a shaking voice after hearing Allie calling for Leo from the corridor. She had gotten out of the bed and was feeling around the room blindly, trying to find her. Donnie grunted as Leo kicked him to the ground. Donnie's skin had shifted into black, armoured scales. His mouth and nose elongated into a snout with sharp, protruding teeth. His eyes turned red. He gasped, a little winded but recovered quickly and grabbed Leo's leg with both hands. He jerked the leg rapidly at an awkward angle, aiming to break it or at the very least cause a fracture. "This is ridiculous! Where are you all coming from!?" he raved in frustration then quickly jumped back to avoid a jet of fire aimed at him by Oscar who had come with Leo, then ducked to dodge another swing from David. "Don't let him teleport! He's got Amelia captive and she's in labour!" David shouted to Leo and Oscar. --- "Who is Greg?" Niko asked, looking between them with a confused expression. "Wait, Greg?" Jessica looked at Ben. "Why would you want to talk to him after what he tried to do?" --- "I don't know what either of those things are but I know I look dapper in a suit." Bob shrugged. Lilly sighed. "If it helps, I used to say his walking around was some kind of trick. Like he had hidden machinery under his clothes or something. The technology we had in our world was crude and mostly steam-powered but it existed. They were far more likely to believe it was an illusion than admit to themselves that what they were seeing was real." --- Sebastian moaned a little louder when he felt Carter's fangs sink into his throat and his venom enter his system, then let out ragged breaths as he watched him licking blood from his chest. "Oh fuck, that's hot!" he breathed and leant forward, running his fangs over Carter's shoulder towards his neck, leaving faint scratches. He bit into Carter as well and licked the blood from the wound. He then bit into his own tongue before slipping it back into Carter's mouth for a deep and bloody kiss. --- River blushed and scratched the back of his head shyly. "Just trying to live up to my name." he chuckled. Parker looked at Will sadly and lifted his hands to help wipe his tears away. "It'll be ok," he said softly. "I'll stay here with you. I'm not going anywhere. No matter how long it takes." --- "Um, ok," Desi said, feeling a little awkward. He worried he'd been boring her. "Where shall I sleep?" he asked, looking at her curiously. Wondering if he'd have to sleep on the couch or if there was a spare bed somewhere for him to retire to. --- Amelia nodded, trying to take deep, steady breaths as another contraction started within just a minute or two after the last one. "Oh, fuck!" she groaned and gripped his hand tightly. Her entire body tensing from the pain. She suddenly felt a deep urge and instinctively acted on it. This resulted in her gritting her teeth and letting out a long, low groan and gradually increased into a pained cry. Her entire body shaking violently from the tension. When she stopped, she took a minute to catch her breath and couldn't help sobbing a little. "Oh God, this is it." she breathed between sobs. She focussed on a part of the wall across the room and took some steady, deliberate breaths in preparation. Beads of sweat rolling down her face. When she felt ready, she tensed again and grit her teeth. Grimacing against the pain as she groaned until she was crying out. Squeezing Bryce's hand so tightly and at that moment knowing nothing but pain, yet she didn't let up. She kept going, even doubling over as much as she could while practically screaming until she felt it finally happen. Letting go of Bryce, she stuck her hands between her legs, under the nightdress and caught her son as he began to cry loudly. Without wasting time and ignoring her exhaustion, she made sure his mouth wasn't obstructed before pulling him to her chest, simply holding him to her as she laid back against the large pillows. Her body relaxing now that the hardest part was over. Tears streaming down her face, she couldn't help but laugh. Overcome with so much joy and love. She didn't care that he was still covered in her blood, she was simply glad that he was there. Alive and safe. She looked at Bryce tearfully, unable to stop smiling. "Thank you." she cried. Then looked at the child, gently supporting his head with her hand. Amazed at how small he seemed against her. "Hi there," she whispered. "It's nice to finally meet you." --- Lang jumped as papers flew up and around him but he kept his eyes on Poe. "What mistakes? Talk to me. Maybe we could see him and figure this whole thing out?"

shadowess - September 16, 2021 "You really think they'll let a living skeleton out into your world? I got the impression that such a thing didn't exist here." Lilly pointed out. "Oh! But that guy wanted me to be in his band! Where'd he go anyway?" Bob said excitedly. "I'm afraid your friend has a point. I don't think the CIA will be too eager to let a walking, talking skeleton loose to frighten people." Simon said uncertainly. "Oh dear, that's a shame. Well bye, Bob." Lilly said sarcastically and for a fraction of a second, her lips twitched into a smirk as she started walking away from him. "Wha-? No! I can't stay here! I got fame and fans just waitin' for me! You'll see!" Bob chased after her. --- David tilted his head a little. "Of course not." he smiled. "All I want for you is what any father would want for their child. That you and Storm talk things through and plan things properly, making sure you're prepared before bringing a child into the picture. But that being said, if you two did have a...little surprise, I would still love you and support you." he said gently while walking over to her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "But I'd still nut shot Storm for it," he said jokingly, unable to help himself as he chuckled. --- Sebastian paced and shrugged. "I-I dunno..." he said tiredly. "I want to try and get some rest but I just know sleep is going to be a struggle..." He looked into the living room, at the TV and the sofa. "Maybe we could watch a movie? Try to distract ourselves for a while until we fall asleep?" He looked at Carter. Seeing the cigarette in his mouth and the tired expression. He was immediately reminded of how he was when they'd first met. He licked his lips and glanced at the ground for a moment, before walking a little closer to him. "A-and maybe I could...make us a couple of mugs of...hot blood," he said as he slowly brought his eyes back up to meet his. Strangely, of all times for it to happen, he felt the same electric attraction now as he had when they'd shared their first kiss. --- River appeared in Will's mind, standing outside the cage and glaring at him. "Well, what are you waiting for?" he said sourly. "Here's your chance to get rid of me. That's what you wanted, isn't it?!" his voice broke and he turned his back on him. "And here I thought I actually meant a damn to you! I should've known... Something like me doesn't get the luxury of 'friends'...I'm just a tool...an instrument...a weapon...nothing more..." He sniffled then stiffened and wiped at his face, looking at the liquid on them. "That's weird...I shouldn't be able to cry in here...it's not real..." he wiped at his eyes again. "It won't stop!" he sobbed. "Why can't I stop? What have you done to me?!" Unaware of what was happening in his head, Parker approached Will cautiously, holding on to the rose. "Will?" his voice was soft, almost a whisper. "Will, please say something. Please look at us." --- Desi laughed heartily at Blaire's comment. "I think you'll be fine!" he chuckled. "Generally if you've lived a good life, you'll go to Heaven. But because Heaven wouldn't be 'heaven' to you, you'll go exactly where you want to go." he shrugged. "But if you wanted to play it safe you could always ask a Devil to make you into a Demon." --- Amelia glanced into a room through glass doors and saw a bookcase. She shrugged. "I've seen weirder in this world..." she agreed and walked into the room. She walked over to the bookcase and tried pulling on all the books to see if they unlocked any secret doors. "Well, that rules that out..." she sighed. "Maybe he has a safe or-" she gasped and doubled over before falling to her knees. The pain shooting up her back and around her stomach. She gripped her stomach and grimaced for a long moment before catching her breath then looked at the wooden floor underneath her, seeing a puddle growing around her knees, drenching her nightdress. "Bryce..." she said shakily and looked up at him, panic in her eyes. "I don't think they're Brackston Hicks..." --- Donnie's smile grew a little, feeling like his ploy was working. "I've trained Blood God's before. Centuries ago before Lucifer made everyone believe they were all mad and had them destroyed." he lied. "No, I don't have a room here. I'm a wanderer. I travel from place to place, helping those that I sense need my help. I sensed you and your beloved. I sensed her maker and knew you both had little to no real guidance. I don't want to intrude on your life, so I will impart my wisdom to you telepathically so that you can take that knowledge and teach your beloved too. Please, I cannot leave here knowing I haven't been able to help." he kept his arms open to him, beckoning him. Planning on using his telepathy, once he got close enough, to unlock Ben's lost memories instead, thereby staying true to the deal he'd made with Greg. Denix Vames - September 16, 2021 "Wait what? I didn't mean outside. I meant a room in here." ,said Adrian who followed them. --- Hades giggled. "Just try not to be too hard on him. Anyway, I've got talk to Bob. He's supposed to meet with the band. I'll see ya later dad." She kissed his cheek and gave him a quick hug before disappearing. She appeared in front of Bob. "Hey man. C'mon. We've got to meet the band." She held out a hand. --- Carter nodded. "Y-Yeah. That sounds like a good idea." He locked eyes with him. Getting closer. "And maybe we could make fun of that stupid Twilight series again." --- Will began to chant in Latin. His non-red eye glowed purple suddenly. In the cage, he was slowly breaking apart like a paper being slowly ripped into pieces. Flowing in the wind. He looked at River. "I give my body to you. I give my body to you. I give...." The red eye suddenly came out and instantly began to transform into a man who resembled somewhat like Will but not entirely. It would be River in his new body. Will suddenly passed out. Balconi placed a hand on his chest. "He's still alive. Just exhausted. I've never seen this before though. Making a person like that?" --- "And how does that happen? Do I just have to die or something?" ,asked Blaire. --- Bryce's eyes widened. "Fuck me! I've never deliver a baby before! What the hell am I supposed to do?!" --- Ben slowly walked over. He cried out when old memories that he never knew he had until had rushed back into him. He collapsed. Catching his breath as he clutched his head. "What the hell....?" He looked around. "Greg! Where's Greg?! What did you do with him?!" shadowess - September 17, 2021 "Take care," David said warmly while hugging Hades goodbye. Once she was gone, he frowned and walked over to the window. He placed a hand on the glass and looked out across Hell's landscape. "Where are you?" he whispered, sounding pained. "No take backsies!" Bob chuckled as Adrian chased after them. He then came to an abrupt stop when Hades appeared in front of him. Not recognizing Hades, a wolf whistle came from Bob's skull. "That Hades fella never said he had babes in his band!" "Hold on!" Lilly stopped and walked back to them. "If you need Bob, you'll have to take me with you." "I knew you wasn't guna leave me!" "We're stuck together...It's part of the spell that keeps him alive...I can explain it later." Lilly continued, ignoring Bob. --- Sebastian half laughed, lost in Carter's eyes. He could feel Carter's body heat now from standing so close to him. Feel his warm breath on his skin. He felt like he was being drawn to him and he didn't fight it. He didn't want this feeling to stop. Letting the feeling take control, he stood closer to Carter and captured his lips with his own, holding on and savoring the feeling. --- "Will?" River turned around, alarmed. His face was wet with tears. "What are you doing? Stop it!" He looked down at himself, feeling strange. "No, I don't like this! Will, please!" he ran towards the cage, reaching out to grab the bars. "I don't want to go! Will-...!" River faded away mid-thought. River opened his new eyes and coughed. Hacking and throwing up a strange liquid as his lungs began to work. He gasped and inhaled sharply, breathing heavily and shivering violently. "C-cold!" he managed to gasp the word out. "I-I'm c-cold!" he curled up into a ball, trying to keep himself warm. He looked up at Will on the bed and sobbed. "I d-didn't m-mean it! I w-was just s-sore with you!" Parker had watched the whole thing in shock, standing near Will's bed with his back to the wall and staring at the new body. "R-River?" --- Desi nodded. "Unfortunately. It's part of the process. Sort of like a rebirth. Devils can turn souls into Demons but if a Devil is skilled enough and kills a human with the intention of changing them into a Demon, then the human will simply change there and then. It's tricky but it's possible." he looked at the TV thoughtfully. "The last Devil I ever saw perform that trick was Lucifer..." --- Amelia placed a hand on the coffee table near her and eased herself back to her feet slowly. She looked at Bryce, shaking. "Well, for starters, don't panic. Because if you panic, I'm going to panic..." she said then looked around. "Ok, we need to think of a new plan but right now, I need to focus on the baby. Help me back to that bedroom. I need to try to relax." --- Donnie grinned. This was perfect! Having him leave Jessica for Greg would be the perfect revenge against her. "I haven't done anything to him. In fact, here." he took out his phone and offered it to Ben. "Why don't you give him a call? He's been waiting so patiently to hear from you." Denix Vames - September 17, 2021 Charles was blowing fire wherever he was. Shouting Amelia's name. He had soon come into David's view. Not seeing him and only focused on his girlfriend. --- Hades's rolled her eyes. "It's me! Hades! I just had a sex change. And sure. I don't mind having you around. You seem pretty cool." She held their hands. They appeared in the storage room where the band was currently sleeping. Snoring loudly. There were crushed cans of beer lying around that had been drunk. Weed filled the air and lots torn papers everywhere. --- Carter crushed the cigarette in his hand. Putting it out. He cupped his cheeks. Slipping a tongue into his mouth as he passionately kissed him. Running a hand through his hair while he pulled him in close. Pressing himself against. --- Balconi waved a hand at River who was now wearing a jacket and some sweats to keep warm. "It's alright. Will just wanted you to be free." He knelt and placed a gentle hand on his arm. "He feels guilty for putting you through so much pain. He doesn't want you to suffer anymore. That's why he was able to create that body for you. His powers were strong enough for a moment." --- "I'm gonna guess by the sound of your tone that Lucifer wasn't the lovable plushie that I use to sleep with when I was seven." ,said Blaire. --- Bryce took a quick breath before nodding. "Ok." He helped her to the room where he brought her to the bed. "You're going to have to tell me the process here. As best as possible. I have a feeling that you're in more pain than I ever was when I died from the sun." --- Ben hesitantly took the phone. He dialed Greg's number. Greg answered. "H-Hello?" "Ben! Is that you?! Do you remember me? It's Greg!" "Of course I remember you!" Tears dripped down Ben's cheeks. His voice was breaking. "I can't believe it! I thought we were never going to make it out of ADIEU but here we are!" "I just want to hold you right now. Please come home." "Where do you live?" "Donnie knows. I have a good feeling he does. Just tell him to take you there. I live in an apartment." "O-Ok. I'll let him know." "And Ben?" "Yeah?" "I love you." He covered his mouth for a moment before answering with a tearfilled smile. "I love you too!" Once the call ended, he looked up at Donnie. "Greg said that you could take me to his home. Is that right?" --- Harley Poe was recently declared as dead due to hanging himself in his own office. After the funeral, his ghost has been roaming not the precinct he worked at but where his brother did. Feeling guilty for making themselves so distant from each other. His last note before death was, 'It's all my fault. I'm sorry Jean.' Harley was invisible to everyone's eyes. He wallowed in sadness and guilt. Wandering the halls just today. He noticed that an Officer Lang was looking at his photo. Not emotionally broken but he could see that he was sad by the news. Saying that he was a good cop and that he did such great things. Pissed by his assumptions, he suddenly made the computer crack. Shadowess - September 17, 2021 Seeing Charles in the distance looking frantic and shouting for Amelia sent shivers down David's spine. "No..." he whispered and teleported to Charles's side. "Charles! What's happened?" he said while looking at him worriedly. As he looked at him, he got the strangest sense of deja vu. But right now he was so focused on finding out what was wrong that he couldn't put his finger on what Charles was reminding him of. At that same moment, Ellesse appeared and also seemed to look panicked. "I can't teleport to Amelia! Where is she? What happened?!" --- "Wait, you can do that?!" Bob gasped. Once they arrived in the storage room, they looked around at all the sleeping bodies. Lilly crinkled her nose and covered it with a hand. "Ugh, what is that smell?" she asked in a hushed tone. "I don't smell nothin'," Bob said in a regular volume. "Because you don't have a nose, bonehead!" Bob gasped and covered where his nose should be with his hands. "You know I'm self-conscious about that!" --- Sebastian moaned, caressing Carter's tongue with his own and matching his passion. He couldn't get enough of feeling Carter's body against his. One hand slipped under Carter's shirt to feel his torso while the other hurriedly knocked things off an end table so he could perch himself on the edge of it. --- River sat up and looked at his clothes. He was still shivering a bit but only because he wasn't used to being outside, in the real world. He looked at Balconi tearfully then looked back at Will. He suddenly felt alone. Unable to project his thoughts directly to Will anymore. Cut off from him mentally. To River, who was so used to having a direct connection to a host, this was an awful and frightening feeling. "Wha-what do I do now, though? I'm-I'm alone...I don't know what to do..." --- Desi chuckled. "Depends who you ask... He was..." he thought for a moment, wondering how to describe him. "I think he was simply misunderstood," he said finally. "Sure, he ruled with an iron fist and collected souls through his contracts to keep himself powerful... he could be very cunning...fierce...but he was fair." he nodded. "That was the thing about him. He never lied and if he gave you his word he would go out of his way to ensure he kept it. I know the war against Heaven was awful but he did everything he could to keep his world and his Demons safe." Desi frowned. "Just a shame people only seem to remember his anger, brutality, and wrath...But at least towards the end, before he vanished, he showed a bit of humanity. He made Damien into his apprentice but few know that he also took the boy under his wing as though he was his own son. He didn't show it to anyone but I think he really loved him. In his own way...But who knows...maybe that ended up being his downfall in the end..." --- Amelia chuckled as she set herself on the bed and tried to make herself comfortable by propping herself up with the large pillows. "I'm alright until the next contraction hits..." she sighed. "And when they get closer together, I might not be able to think straight...I might even say some things that I don't mean, so...y'know...sorry in advance." she laughed nervously. She looked around the room, getting used to her surroundings. "Ok...so, we're going to need some towels and a bowl of warm water to clean the baby once it's out. You're also going to need something to tie off the cord and something to cut it," she told him quickly. "You go get those things, I'll be fine here for a minute." --- Donnie nodded, grinning at how well this was going. "That's right," he said and held out his hand for Ben to take. At that moment, Jessica sleepily moved her hand over where Ben had been sleeping earlier. She lifted her head and opened her eyes to find he wasn't there. "Ben?" she groaned, looking around the room. The en suite door was ajar so he wasn't in there. "Ben?" she stood, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and starting to worry about where Ben might have gone. She saw figures in the garden through the window and she wandered over to it to get a better look. Seeing Ben with Donnie, her heart jumped into her throat and she flung the window open to yell out at him. Hoping to stop him in time. "BEN! NO! DON'T TRUST HIM!" --- Lang jumped and looked at his monitor in alarm. He looked around the room but saw nothing. "What the-?" he stood and continued to look around. "Is someone messing with me? It's not funny, I still have work to do you know!" he called out then started mumbling in annoyance about having to file for a replacement computer monitor and that he was going to have to share a monitor with someone else until he gets a new one. Denix Vames - September 17, 2021 Charles shouted, "DONNIE TOOK HER!" He rammed himself against a building. Intent on breaking it down. "BASTARD!" --- The band members groaned awake at the noises. They were immediately surprised to three strangers in their place. Especially when they saw Bob. "Whoa! Is that a real life talking skeleton?" ,said Pain. "Maybe we smoke too much." ,said Storm who chuckled. Hades walked over. "Hey Storm. I brought in our new a mascot. A walking talking skeleton. His name's Bob." "Bob huh? And how many poses can Bob do?" --- Carter tore his shirt off. He got on top of him. Kissing his neck and leaving marks there as he dug his hands under his shirt. Feeling up his chest. --- "You're never alone. You've got us. But if it really bothers you that much that you're in a person's mind then I can make it so that you can go into mine. And let me assure that I have the capability of dealing with your powers." ,said Balconi. --- "Ha! As if!" Blaire sat on a chair. "No offense to the big guy downstairs but he could have easily done whatever he wanted and no one would bat an eye. Because even if they did, they'd be dead." --- "Right!" Bryce ran out. He soon brought a couple of towels, a bowl warm water, and a pair of surgical scissors. "Alright. What do I do now?" --- Ben turned to her shouts. "Jessica?" --- "LIARS!" The lightbulbs suddenly shattered. Lang was pushed off balance. Hitting the floor. Harley glared.

shadowess - September 16, 2021 "So...what you're saying is..." Bob began, seeming for a moment to grasp what Adrian was saying. "You wanna know what makes us sexy!" he finished excitedly and ran his hands down his chest. "Idiot. They want to know if we are the same as them, anatomically." Lilly said, stepping into the room. "I knew that..." "I was wondering where you'd snuck off to, bone head." Lilly then walked over to Adrian, standing close, and seemed to size him up. "Where I am from, someone asking for a body part is suspicious. Such things can be used in dark spells." she then turned away and walked over to the chair that David had been sat in earlier and she took a seat. "But I know a real physician when I see one. You're a man of science, not magic. I respect that." "And she don't even respect the dead!" Bob commented, pointing towards her with his thumb. --- David frowned and walked over to Hades. He sat next to him. "Come here," he said gently while wrapping an arm around him and pulling him into a hug. "Listen to me. In our line of work, fucked up things tend to happen. We can't dwell on them. We can't afford to. We must be strong. We must be logical and deal with each new problem as it presents itself." he rubbed his arm in a comforting way. "Hades, you're one of the strongest, brightest people I know. I trust you to make the right decisions. Even if, sometimes, those decisions are difficult. I wouldn't have offered for you to be my apprentice if I didn't." he sighed. "Eternity is long. We will likely lose people we love along the way. Not everything is within our control. But it's how we deal with those times that matters. We must be strong and we must be ready for anything." he looked at him and smiled. "I believe in you, son." --- Rickster caught him and gripped his thighs while kissing him back. He carried him over to the bed and lay him down, getting on top of him and slipping his tongue into his mouth. He unbuckled Ricky's belt then slipped a hand into his pants. --- Sebastian began to calm down, clinging to Carter's shirt. He wiped some tears away and shook his head. "I don't know anymore..." he said. His voice breaking. "I don't know if I want to bring a kid home to this kind of shit...it wouldn't be fair..." --- Parker couldn't speak. He stared at Balconi in a broken way. Unable to even cry. He couldn't stop replaying Will's death over and over in his head. He could still hear himself screaming. Recalling how helpless he'd felt and how Will ignored his every plea to stop. He was heartbroken that he couldn't give Will the love that he'd needed to stop him from resorting to suicide. That Will would just leave him like that, or worse yet, to do so in front of him. Mostly, he was deeply traumatized and generally in a state of shock. --- Desi looked around as he walked into her apartment. "Nice place," he commented as he walked towards one of the chairs and sat down. --- Amelia had cried out, keeping her head turned away while she lifted a hand to her cheek and shivered. Content with what he was seeing, Donnie paid Amelia little attention as he shrugged off Bryce's concern. "Depends on how you handle them. With Blood Gods like your ex, you have to make them believe that they're the ones in charge. They're much easier to manipulate if you appeal to their wants and needs. The newer they are, the easier it is to get them to trust you. Something tells me this new one will be quite easy to convince to join my endeavors." He turned to leave. "Well, I can see that you have everything handled here. Try not to rough her up too much. I still need that child intact. Oh, and try not to feed on her until the brat is out of her. Your venom might damage it." he vanished and Amelia let out a sigh of relief before turning back to look at Bryce uncertainly. "So...where do we begin?" she looked around the door and into the corridor. "And where's Patience being kept?" Denix Vames - September 16, 2021 "Well, I'm glad to hear that we have an agreement. Would you mind if I take the samples right now?" ,asked Adrian. --- Hades smiled. He hugged him. "Thanks dad." He nervously scratched the back of his head. "But I wanted to let you know that I've been feeling more like a woman, ya know? Like I want to be....female." --- Ricky wrapped his legs around him as he moaned. He reached for his shirt. Trying to take it off. --- Tears dripped down from Carter's cheeks. "This is all my fault. I overreacted. We both did. All four of us. Will just killed himself because of me! What the hell kind of person does that make me?" --- "Listen Parker. Will wasn't thinking straight. The guilt of hurting Carter and probably killing him had gotten to him. He can't have this kind of power anymore. Now, Will is in a mental hospital up in Heaven. What I'm planning to do is take the red eye and put it in myself. I'm much more capable of handling it." Balconi pulled out a rose from thin air. "Will needs you right now. He feels guilty that he even did what he did in front of you." He placed the rose on his lap. "Right now, he's in shock too. He's stuck in his own head. Not talking to anyone. So, when you've picked yourself up, I can take you to him." --- "Thanks." Blaire switched the TV on to some Daria that she had downloaded. --- "Follow me." Bryce led her to where Patience's was. "I'm not sure what kind of plan to form here but there's got to be a way to take him down. He can't be a superman forever." shadowess - September 16, 2021 "Will it hurt, doc?" Bob asked and Lilly rose a brow at him. "You have no nerves..." Lilly pointed out in a tired tone. "Excuse me, I'll have you know that I have nerves of steel!" At that moment, Simon had been prepping the tools and pulled out a syringe. Bob looked over and immediately fell to pieces on the floor. Bones and joints rolling out from the suit while his skull rolled off into the corner of the room. Lilly rolled her eyes and looked at Simon and Adrian. "That's how he 'faints'...Nerves of steel, my backside!" she rolled up a sleeve and rested her arm on the armrest of the chair she was in, looking quite relaxed. "Alright, let's get this over with." --- "Oh! Um..." David smiled a little awkwardly. He wasn't used to such ideas. He knew that the Earth was becoming more and more accepting recently and he supported the idea that people should be free to be whoever they choose. But he came from a time when such things were frowned upon and since then had been sheltered away in this library. Still, he wanted to understand and more importantly, he wanted Hades to be happy and feel comfortable. "Alright," he said gently. "So, I guess I call you daughter instead?" he asked. Then gave Hades a warmer smile. "If this is something you want, then I will support you. You er..." he chuckled nervously. "may have to be patient with me and explain things now and then though. This isn't an area I'm familiar with." he admitted. --- Rickster took his shirt off then gripped Ricky's hands, putting his fingers between his and pinning him down. He slipped his tongue into Ricky's mouth again and moaned while gently grinding his hips against his. He moved his kisses down to Ricky's neck and nibbled a bit. --- Sebastian shook his head. "No... I'm the one who went too far... I shouldn't have lost my temper... I shouldn't have slapped him...God, I had no idea it would drive him mad!" he then gasped and gripped Carter's arm suddenly, a look of realization on his face. "Carter! What if he has Devil's Rage like Amelia does? Without her crystal, you only have to make her feel slightly threatened and she'll go on a murderous rampage! She'd have no control over it either! And once it's started, it's almost impossible to stop! What if that's what happened!?" --- Parker listened to him silently and looked at the rose. When he stopped talking, he slowly lifted the rose to look at it more. He opened his mouth to speak then paused. Quickly, he closed his mouth again and swallowed hard to stop himself from throwing up then took a deep breath. The rose shook in his hand from how much he was trembling. Slowly, he looked up at Balconi. "What about River?" he asked weakly. "The other one...in the eye. Did he make him do those things? Is that why he ripped his eye out?" Parker was looking for someone or something to blame for what had happened. He had no idea that River had actively tried to stop Will. --- "We don't have a television in Hell," Desi said whilst looking at the TV curiously. "Or at least...I don't think we do...a few decades ago we didn't have cars but then a new part of Hell created itself and it was filled with countless old, rusted cars. Quite ingenious the way Hell grows itself...almost like it's alive...like it just knows what it needs..." he said thoughtfully. --- Amelia nodded and started following Bryce, gliding her hand along the banister. She then stopped suddenly, doubling over and gritting her teeth. She grunted then sucked air in through her teeth sharply. "It's ok," she said quickly, a little strained. "It's just...Brackston Hicks...The nurse said they can happen when I get stressed..." she let out a long sigh and stood upright again. "And I think it's safe to say, I'm pretty stressed out right now..." She started walking again. "C'mon. No time to lose!" Once they reached Patience, Amelia hurried over and knelt beside her. She wrapped her arms around her to hug her tightly. "Patience! Are you alright?" "Been better...but you need to get out of here! Don't wait around, just go!" "Not a chance. We have to find a way to take this bastard down. Besides, it's not like I could get very far before he came back..." Patience looked between them worriedly. "These are Demonic chains. He has the key on him, so you may as well forget about me. I was telling Bryce earlier, he has spell books locked away somewhere. The spell he wants to use is in one of those books-" "Then that's what we look for!" Amelia stood. "Amelia, no! Bryce could look for them! You need to get out of here! Before he comes back!" "And go where? I can't teleport, I'm practically human and I don't know if you've noticed but it looks like this place is surrounded by miles of desert!" "I don't know! But you can't face him as you are!" Patience was beginning to get exasperated. "Bryce, tell her!" "I am not going to run when the fate of my people is at stake!" Amelia turned on her heels and marched out of the room. "Bryce, you have to convince her to leave. If he gets his hands on her child, there'll be no stopping him!" Patience pleaded. "Donnie is not patient! If she doesn't go into labor before his patience runs out, he won't hesitate to just cut it out of her!" A noise like grating metal could be heard from the foyer and Amelia poked her head around the door, waving what appeared to be a bit of metal railing torn loose from the staircase. "I'll gut him if he tries!" she sang with a grin. "How-?! I can't tell if you're insane, stubborn, or both!" Patience called after her. Amelia's giggle could be heard as she casually walked away. --- Donnie appeared in the gardens, behind the building, and looked up towards the window where Ben and Jessica were sleeping. He grinned and projected his thoughts to Ben. 'Ben. Come out to the gardens. Come alone. I have important information for you.' Denix Vames - September 16, 2021 "Simon, you take some blood. I'll get the bone dust." Adrian walked over to Bob with a small bag and a razor. He scrapped some bone off of his arm. Getting it in the bag. --- Hades chuckled. "That's fine. You're definitely a lot more accepting compared to human fathers." He stood back before transforming in a purple glow. His body was now that of a woman's. She had long grey dyed hair, piercing purple eyes, black liner, a grey crop top with a pentagram design holding it up, and black shorts. She wore black fingerless gloves. His cheeks turned red. "So uh....how do I look?" --- (private time) --- "It's a big possibility at this point but that angel is here to help. I think. He might know how to deal with this." ,said Carter. --- "It was trying to stop him. Will can't handle being a Blood God anymore. Once I take that thing out, he'll be a Leviathan again. And Leviathans are more capable of handling their emotions. If this comparison helps, Leviathans are like the emos and goths of the afterlife. They're stable." ,said Balconi. --- "Really? Maybe I could get one of those cars?" ,said Blaire. --- Bryce walked over to Amelia. "Normally, I would have said no to you being a part of this but we don't have a choice. Just please be careful. We need to work together and agree on things." --- Ben's eyes shot opened. He wasn't sure if he was hearing that correctly. A voice? Was it from his dreams? And then he heard the message again. He suddenly appeared in the gardens where he gasped. Surprised that he was able to appear out of thin air. He sat up and locked eyes with Donnie. "Who the hell are you? What do you want with me?" He quickly stood. Taking some hurried steps back. "Get away from me!" shadowess - September 16, 2021 A giggle came from Bob's skull. Lilly looked over, barely paying attention to Simon taking her blood. "He's ticklish..." --- David watched Hades's transformation in amazement. He hadn't been aware that he could change his gender on a whim like this. He stood and looked at his changed form...or rather her changed form, and smiled. "Suits you." he nodded. "You look lovely." he then scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "If you can change...are you...I mean...anatomically..." he coughed into his fist awkwardly. "Am I going to have to be one of those fathers that worries about you and Storm not using protection?" he asked finally, suddenly feeling a little more defensive of her than he had when she'd been male. "Only, it's not the first time I've had a daughter and my first one made exactly that mistake..." He then gave her a playful, teasing grin. "Are we going to have to have 'the talk'? Shall I threaten Storm? Tell him he has to have you home no later than eight?" he chuckled, unable to contain himself. --- Wiping his tears away, Sebastian nodded then shakily got to his feet and offered a hand to Carter to help him up as well. "We should go inside..." --- Parker looked back down at the rose then nodded. "I'd like to see Will now," he said quietly. --- "Oh, no! You wouldn't want one of these cars!" Desi chuckled. "I should explain. Hell creates areas that give Demons an advantage over souls. In this particular instance, the cars look old and rusted, and useless. So, when a weary soul stumbles across them, they think it's their lucky day. They climb inside, hoping to sleep in a safe little hiding place. But then the cars come alive, their seatbelts tangle themselves around the soul, trapping them there and then the cars make such a horrendous noise to alert nearby Demons of the capture. Once upon a time, that might've been used by Demons looking to punish souls, but now? Now, I suppose it'd be a convenient and safe way to find souls that haven't yet been signed up to David's Redemption Programme." --- "Believe me, in my current condition I really don't want to be here," Amelia said to him frankly, holding the metal railing over her shoulder. "Still, it sort of reminds me of the kinds of crazy situations me and Damien would get into back when he was around..." she smiled. "He could never convince me to stay out of trouble either." she chuckled then stopped and gripped her stomach, dropping the railing with a clatter. "God, these hicks are intense this time!" she groaned. Grimacing, she looked up and around them. Letting out a long breath, she stood straight again. "Alright...if I were some crusty old books, where would I be hidden?" she breathed, wiping some sweat from her forehead as she starting to walk forward again. --- Donnie smiled and lifted his hands to show he wasn't a threat. "I'm a friend, that's all," he said warmly. "There is some important information that I need to share with you." he extended his arms as if beckoning Ben to approach him. "About you. It could help you to protect the one you love. I can help you control your new powers." he glanced at the building. "They mean well but they can't help you. One is a vampire with no hope of ever understanding what it's like to be what you are. The other is new to this whole thing herself, so cannot train you. But I? I could teach you. Then you could teach them. You could lead them. Protect them. Isn't that what you want?" Denix Vames - September 16, 2021 "I see. Well, I've got what I need." Adrian set the sealed bag on the counter. He helped Bob to get his bones put back together before helping him into his suit. "There. You're both free to go. I'm sure the boss around here will help you guys find a place to stay." --- Hades hugged her arms and shyly turned away. She pushed some of her hair back over her ear. "Don't worry. Me and Storm were always using protection. But if we did ever find ourselves wanting a little brat....Would you mind?" --- "Yeah, we should." Carter stood with him. Going inside the house. "Sebastian, we should get some rest. Or do something, anything, to try and forget about all this." He pulled out a cigarette with a shaky hand before lighting it up. He inhaled for a long moment before blowing out the smoke. He sighed. --- Balconi placed a hand on his arm before appearing in the room that Will was in. Will never responded to their presence. "Will? Parker's here. He's worried about you. He knows that you didn't mean what you did back there. That you feel guilty for it. But I can help. I'll take the red eye as my own and you can go back to being a Leviathan." Will never responded. Balconi walked over. "Will? Can you hear me?" Will had trapped himself in a visual of a cage. Laying there all curled up as he stared out into the darkness. --- "Sheesh. I think I'm glad they're used for a different reason nowadays." Blaire thought for a moment. "Am I gonna be able to go to Hell since I'm a satanist cause I'd be pretty disappointed if I went to Heaven. Probably would have to kick someone's feathery ass to even end up in Hell." --- "Maybe he has some cliches? Like a secret entrance that can only be opened by moving an object?" ,said Bryce as he followed. --- Ben hesitantly nodded. "But where and how will you teach me? Are you a Blood God too? Do you have a room in the Whitehouse?"

Denix Vames - September 15, 2021 "I'm guessing that in their world, science hasn't evolved. That's probably why this works." ,said Adrian. --- "Now, how about we do something to take our minds off of things?" ,asked Ricky. "It can be whatever you want." --- Jean laid next to Hannes in bed. Pulling the covers over both of them. He rested his head over his chest. He yawned. "It's been such a long day. I can barely keep my eyes open." --- River Balconi appeared with wings. He picked up the eye and placed it in Will's socket before healing his wounds. Slowly bringing him back to life. Will gasped awake as he caught some air. His red eye glowed for a moment. Balconi walked over to Sebastian and Carter. "I can help. I'm a friend." He knelt and placed his hand on Carter's head. Healing him too. Carter groaned awake. He lifted his head up. "Sebastian? You alright?" --- Blaire parked her in the public garage. She guided him into an apartment building. Taking the elevator to the fourth floor. "I wouldn't mind listening to a song. Just to hear how different it is." --- Bryce chuckled. "Oh I'm sure I can." Once Donnie would disappear, he would walk to Patience. "Sorry about this but don't worry. I've got a sort of plan. I'll help you escape when the time's right. For now, I'm playing along. So just try your best not to piss him off. He practically hates you for being an Angel unfortunately. But like I said, I'll find a way to get you out of here. I promise." --- Charles and Amelia were sleeping in bed. When Donnie appeared, Charles would sit up. His fire aura surrounded himself before he zoomed towards him. Throwing some fire. Shadowess - September 15, 2021 "Huh!" David smiled. "I guess so...Well, I suppose a deal is a deal. I'll speak to your handlers here and see what we can get set up for you. Thank you, Adrian, I'll come back and visit as soon as I have a properly laid out plan for you. In the meantime, I have other souls to see to and a missing Angel to find." He gave him a playful eye roll. "Even when I'm sick, my work never slows down." he got up and handed Rickster's rune to him. "Here, this might come in useful if you're going to be working as a Doctor for the sick here." he glanced at Simon expectantly. "I assume that will be his role from now on? Rather than sitting in a cell?" "Oh! uh- Y-yes, after today, I don't see why not..." Simon replied quickly, feeling put on the spot. --- Rickster smirked and rose an eyebrow at him playfully. "Can I do you?" he purred and started kissing his neck. --- Hannes wrapped an arm around Jean and looked over at the wall where he had pinned Janik earlier. "Me too..." he lied as he tore his eyes away from the wall, not wanting to worry Jean. He kissed his head and gave him a gentle squeeze with his arm, caressing his side with his thumb and simply holding on to him. "I love you," he said softly while looking down at him lovingly. --- "I'm...not dead..." River gasped, his voice shaking. "Y-you...tried to...kill me..." he sounded hurt. Parker looked up in surprise when he saw River and watched silently as he healed Will. He stayed by Will's side as he woke up but barely moved, staring across the lawn with a broken expression. Sebastian looked at River and watched, shaking as he healed Carter as well. "Th-thank you," he said, his voice trembling. He looked at Carter and when he asked if he was alright, he struggled to speak again. He simply shook his head, leaned his head against his shoulder, and started sobbing. --- (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GC2DmonNow&ab_channel=ApocalypticaVEVO) "I believe there are a few bands on Earth made up of Demons that managed to capture what our music used to be like. I could try to find them on the internet for you? Have you heard of Apocalyptica? They're one of the more accurate ones." Desi replied as he followed her to her home. --- When Bryce began to approach her, Patience glared at him and shuffled away as much as she could, expecting him to try feeding on her. But then he spoke to her and her eyes widened a little before softening. She nodded to show she understood. "He hates me because I'm associated with David. He's out to make him suffer most of all. David has told me stories about him...He has spell books somewhere. Probably locked away behind various protection spells." she said quietly. "You must be careful. He's smarter and stronger than he appears. If he asks you to do something, no matter how foul, he'll be testing you. Don't hesitate, even for a moment or he'll suspect you...He is not above rape and torture. In fact, I'm certain he gets some sick pleasure from it. If he thinks for a moment that you'd betray him, he won't hesitate to make you or someone you love his new plaything." she warned him hurriedly. --- Donnie chuckled as he jumped back, away from Charles's attacks. Continuously moving backward and taunting Charles to goad him into trying to hit him. Amelia had sat up when she'd felt the heat from Charles's aura and she looked around wildly, watching him trying to fight the intruder while his fireballs set little fires here and there in the apartment. She placed a hand on her belly defensively and was so caught up in watching Charles seemingly succeeding in getting Donnie to retreat that she didn't notice a second Donnie appear standing next to the bed. The first one that Charles was fighting, merely being an illusion to draw Charles away from Amelia. The second Donnie made a move towards Amelia and only then did she realize he was there and let out a scream. At this point, one of Charles's fireballs would pass straight through the fake Donnie who would then smile at him maniacally before fading away. "CHARLES!" Amelia cried out, her voice full of fear as she tried to scramble off the bed, away from the second Donnie who rapidly grabbed one of her arms while laughing then teleported them both back to his mansion. Once again, because of the spells in place, following Donnie was not an option. --- "Let go of me!" Amelia's angry shout would echo from the foyer, followed by Donnie's laughter. "Bryce! Come say hello to our newest guest!" Donnie shouted gleefully. He then turned to Amelia who was struggling to get out of his grip. "Now, now dear Queen! You must try to calm yourself. You don't want to stress out the baby, do you?" he chuckled then pushed her against the wall. "Maybe I could help you to relax?" he then suggested in a dark tone and stepped close to her. Fury lighting up in Amelia's eyes, she shoved him and slapped him hard across the face. The slap echoing through the foyer. "Pig!" she growled. For a moment, Donnie seemed stunned. Then he slowly turned his head to glare at her. His lip was cut and bleeding a little. His eyes shone red and for a moment Amelia's resolve wavered, wondering if he would hurt her for it. But then he did something that filled her with dread and made a shiver run up her spine. He smiled. His eyes were still angry but his smile grew into a grin that made him look demented. He wiped his thumb over his lip then looked at the blood on it for a second before grabbing her suddenly, making her gasp. He held her with her back to him and his hand gently around her throat. He turned to face Bryce and grinned at him savagely. "You remember Bryce, don't you?" he said pleasantly, though his voice growled a little from his anger. Amelia whimpered, holding the hand that was around her throat while Donnie had a tight hold of her other wrist. Hurting her a little. She looked at Bryce, fear building in her as memories of all he'd done flashed through her mind. "I know you remember. I see your memories but more importantly, I also know everything you felt. Nothing can be hidden from me, this is what would make me a greater ruler than you!" he glared at her. "You remember don't you?" he chuckled, apparently enjoying causing her pain. "How cold it was in that basement. Staring at the bricks. The taste of the fabric in your mouth. The hunger pains. Your dry throat. Your sore legs and those shackles digging into your wrists." "Stop it!" "Do you remember how it felt? Those teeth." Donnie whispered into her ear, loud enough for Bryce to hear him. He glanced over, watching Bryce carefully. Looking for any signs of regret that could cause Donnie to doubt his loyalty. Amelia shivered and shut her eyes tightly. "The pain and then the overwhelming numbness. The helplessness. You remember hearing them, don't you? The sounds they made when they swallowed your blood." Amelia struggled to free herself from his grip but Donnie squeezed her throat a little as a warning and she stopped. He grinned at her as she whimpered. "But do you know what part about that memory that I find the most interesting? The part that you buried deep down and deny to yourself?" he paused, listening to her whimpers for a moment and savoring her fear before bringing his lips close to her ear and smirking at Bryce while whispering "You. Enjoyed. It." "No!" "Yes, you did!" Donnie laughed heartily. "You LOVED it! Through all the pain and the humiliation, you found a moment of peace when they drank from you! A tenderness in their embrace. Particularly from Bryce here, when he drank from you oh so slowly. You didn't want him to stop!" Amelia shook her head, tears dripping from her eyes which remained shut tightly. Her cheeks turned a dark shade of red. "You can deny it all you want, but I know you've missed that feeling! But don't be sad, my Queen! Because once I have that little bundle of joy in my arms, Bryce here will have you all to himself! Which I think is only fair considering what you did to him." Amelia's eyes snapped open and she glared. "What I did to HIM?!" "Don't you remember? You burned his home down then betrayed him when you said you'd help him!" Donnie tutted. "Well, it's about time you finally got put in your place! Bryce, take her to one of the rooms and make her comfortable." he pushed her forward, making her stumble. Once she found her footing, she recoiled from Bryce. "Don't you touch me!" she snapped at him defensively. Donnie was watching Bryce again, very carefully. Denix Vames - September 15, 2021 "I'd recommend notifying the cure to all of your agents before we leave this area." ,said Adrian. He nodded at David. "And thank you." He turned to Bob. "You are a revolution for science. We could use you for studying bones by watching your movements and so much more. Still bones are dull." --- Ricky moaned at his kisses. He chuckled. "You just know when to break the tension, don't you?" --- "I love you too." Jean soon fell asleep. --- Will sat up. Balconi walked over. He knelt. Surprising Will. "I'm disappointed in you." Balconi's words had made Will sob into his hands. Never wanting to hear those words from him. 'I-I wasn't trying to kill you! River! I thought I was saving you from dying with me!' "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Balconi frowned. He pulled him into an embrace. His wings covered him. "It's ok. Everything's ok now." Carter kept a tight hold on Sebastian. "I'm alright now." Tears dripped down his cheeks. He grasped the back of his head. "As long as you're ok, I'm fine too." He looked at him. "And let's stop arguing. I think we both went a bit too far on things." --- "Heard of the name but never listened to them. I'll take a listen when we get back home." Blaire parked the car in the public garage. "Which is now." They hopped out of the car. She led him to the elevator. Once they were both inside, she pushed the fourth floor button. --- Bryce nodded. "I'll keep that in mind." He turned to Donnie. He raised a brow at Amelia. "Wait a minute? You liked it? Well, that's kind of awkward. I'm not straight so better luck next time." He gripped her arm and glared. "C'mon!" He led her to a room. With the door shut, he placed a hand over her mouth and kept a grip on her arms with his other hand. "I have a plan," he whispered. "We work together and find a way to beat him. Right now, I have to play the bad guy here. FYI, Patience is here too. She's being kept prisoner." --- Charles shouted, "AMELIA!" He transformed into his dragon self. He started blowing fire everywhere. Appearing in Hell, he continued to call out her name. "Amelia! Where are you?!" He blew fire at every turn. Filled with fear and anger. Shadowess - September 16, 2021 David nodded, then vanished to look for Hades in the library. Bob had snuck into the room and had pretended to be one of the skeletal structures so he could see what was happening. He was surprised when Adrian addressed him directly but then again, he supposed the suit might have tipped him off. "Who you calling dull, flesh bag?" he responded indignantly. "The Doctor has a point." Simon backed him up. "You're also a skeleton from an entirely different dimension. Before your arrival, for all, we knew civilizations might've been made up of a completely different species but it looks as though your dimension has humanoid species as well. If we could possibly take a bone marrow sample from you, we could learn all there is to know about how different the DNA is from people in your dimension, compared to ours." he looked at Adrian excitedly. "And we could do the same with the lady that came through! We could take a blood sample and see if her genetic makeup is the same or similar to ours." "Lilly doesn't wear makeup." Bob pointed out. "Says it's a waste of effort when that time could be spent honing skills." "I- that-...not the same kind of makeup..." Simon flustered. Bob shrugged. "All kinds. She doesn't even wear lipstick!" --- "Mmhmm." Rickster hummed as he kept kissing Ricky's neck. He then worked his way up and kissed his jaw and his cheek before kissing his lips. He kissed him deeply and passionately while walking him towards one of the walls to press him against it while pressing his body against his. Oscar walked out from the kitchen with a can of cola in his hand and he paused, cringing at the sight. "Guys, there are bedrooms here..." he said before shouting jokingly up the stairs. "Hey Atma! Clean up on aisle three!" "Oh, shut up!" Rickster couldn't help chuckling. He took Ricky's hand and grinned at him, pulling him towards the stairs as Oscar walked past them towards the living room, chuckling to himself. --- "Dude, I need a host to survive and Hades trapped me in this eye...I couldn't go anywhere even if I wanted to...I trusted you, man..." River replied before he vanished into Will's subconscious, wanting to be left alone for a while. Sebastian nodded, still clinging to Carter and sobbing. He blamed himself for Will snapping the way he did. Why couldn't he have just let the matter drop? Parker still sat by Will, watching River embrace him for a moment. He stared down the street with a faraway look in his eyes. His heart had shattered completely, leaving him broken and numb. Without a word, he stood and walked away, into the house. He headed into the bathroom and locked the door behind him before sitting on the floor, against the door and just staring at the ground. There were no more tears from him. No sound. Just shock. --- Desi stood patiently in the elevator with Blaire and looked at the floor they were going to. Once it stopped and the doors opened, he'd step out with her and follow her to her apartment. --- "Shut up! You're not even my type!" Amelia had snapped, her face turning a little redder. She tried to pull away as he dragged her to one of the rooms but as soon as he shut the door and whispered to her, she stopped struggling to look at him curiously. Then she relaxed a little as he explained his plan until she heard the creaking of floorboards outside the bedroom and knew Donnie was approaching. Probably to watch Bryce at work. Her eyes darted to the door and back to Bryce worriedly, wondering what he'd do to sell that he was on Donnie's side. She gave him a serious look and nodded silently, giving him permission to do whatever it took to keep Donnie convinced until he'd leave and she would play along. The door handle turned and Donnie entered the room to watch them. "Can't let you have all the fun, can I?" he chuckled. His hands were in his pockets as he looked on expectantly. "Just making sure you have everything under control before I leave you in charge. There's a certain Blood God that I need to talk to as well. Might as well have as many options as possible, eh?" Denix Vames - September 16, 2021 "How about making this make sense? You and Lily have special bodies in our world. We would like to take a scrap of bone from you and a little blood from her to see what makes you two as the beings that you are. What magic surrounds your beings which gives you strength and your existence. Do you get that?" ,asked Adrian. --- Hades would be alone in the library. All the books were organized. He was sitting there. Hugging his knees as he silently cried. He looked down when David appeared. "I keep thinking about what my dad told me. I know I should be ignoring it but I can't get his words out of my head. Especially after what happened to you." --- Ricky moaned louder. He clutched to the back of his coat. He blushed when Oscar made his comment but went back to focusing on Rickster. He smiled at him. Following into a bedroom. Once there, he threw his own shirt and coat off then jumped on him. Kissing him passionately. --- Balconi lifted a silent Will off the ground. Will's eyes held a dead look in them. As if he was trapped in his own mind. Like if he shut down. "I'm going to take him to a specialist. I'll be back to help you guys out." Carter raised a brow. "Is Will going to be ok?" "With the right professionals? Yes." --- Balconi appeared in a padded room which was one of many in Heaven for the mentally ill souls. He placed him on the bed before snapping his fingers. Will's uniform had become a strait jacket. He waved his hand at the walls. Making sure they were marked with symbols that would prevent him from leaving. "These Angels....They'll help you. I promise." He disappeared. Leaving a lone sitting Will in silence. --- Balconi appeared in front of Parker. "I've loved him too. So believe me when I say that I know how you feel." He knelt. "So please. Talk to me. Get everything off of your chest." --- Blaire unlocked the door to her place. Opening it. "Ta da! Make yourself at home!" She threw the keys at the coffee table. "There's no rules by the way. Just do whatever." --- Bryce quickly slapped her before turning his attention to Donnie. "Last I recalled, a Blood God can't be reasoned with at all. My last boyfriend was a bit difficult."

Denix Vames - September 14, 2021 "Um....Well, we haven't actually read through the book yet. Sorry." ,said Hades who flustered. --- X appeared. "Jean..." He knelt. "You're braver than you think. Your heart is strong but you don't know it yet." He took out a small blade from his pocket. Cutting his wrist as he let his blood drip on his lips. Even with the blood, Jean's heart was dying. A broken heart. He dropped the blade. "It won't work." He placed his hands over his chest. "Listen to me, Jean. Hannes is here for you. We all are. You can't die like this. You wanted to become a Warrior, right? Well, you're not gonna do that if you're dead. So wake up for us." Jean's heart began pumping after X used his powers. He did it a few more times before Jean began to breathe for himself. He smiled. "He's alive." Jean slowly opened his eyes. "Hannes?" --- Will's eyes widened at the slap. He growled before a bottle of alcohol suddenly appeared in his hand. He threw it at the front door. "Why don't you go drink your shitty problems away?! Fucking bitch!" His skin turned red as his horns appeared. His wings sprouted. He clutched his head. Getting more and more pissed as his red aura surrounded him. Carter placed a hand on Sebastian's back. "Hey, you alright?" He flinched at the sound of glass breaking. He opened the door. "What the-?!" He raised his hands. "Will! Calm down! We can talk about this!" --- "I don't have a partner." Blaire frowned. "Unfortunately not anymore. We had our differences. But I really only live with my son. I don't think he'd mind you." --- Bryce opened the door. He glared. "What do you want? Who told you where I live?" shadowess - September 14, 2021 (For David, there'll be nothing in the book but Adrian can run a few tests on David's blood and come up with an 'Anti-venom' using chemicals to counter the venom found in his blood?) David smiled at him patiently. "It's alright. Open it up and have a read of it now. See if you can find anything relating to my symptoms." "What should we do?" Rickster asked. "I imagine this room is already too crowded for Doctor Adrian's liking. You two can go home now and I'll call for you if I need you. Thank you for your help. Both of you." Rickster nodded then hesitated. "Oh, the reason we came looking for you...do you know if my hench-...my 'friends' are on the redemption programme too?" David frowned but nodded. "I'm sorry, Rickster. They asked me not to tell you where they were. Neither of them wants to see you." he said gently. "Oh..." Rickster frowned, his shoulders dropping. "I see..." "Give it time, Rickster. They'll come around." David tried to reassure him but Rickster shrugged. "Sure..." he said, disheartened as he turned to Ricky. "C'mon...let's go home..." --- Hannes gasped and held Jean to him, crying into his shoulder. His entire body shaking. "Jean! Meine Jean! I was so scared! I thought I was going to lose you again!" He looked up and looked at X tearfully. "Thank you! Thank you!" Egon had watched X work in silent amazement. He kept himself knelt and bowed his head low again once Jean was awake. "Thank you for your mercy, sire," he said quietly. --- "I don't know..." Sebastian answered Carter, sounding surprised with himself. He'd spent so long being calm and collected that he'd almost forgotten what it was like for him to lose his cool. He then jumped and flinched when the bottle hit the door and he spun around, turning pale at the sight of Will changing. In his anger, he'd completely forgotten that Will was a Blood God. "Will? Will, please try to calm down!" Parker hurried to stand in front of him, holding his hands up. "Please!" "Oohh no. C'mon man, you don't wanna do this." River reasoned. "It's a shitty situation for everyone. Don't go doing something that you'll regret later! Stop and think for a second! Look, you're frightening Parker! Hasn't he dealt with enough today?" --- Desi frowned and looked down at the bar. "I'm sorry to hear about that," he said before nodding. "Alright then. Thank you and I promise I won't take up your space for long. I'll start looking for places to rent first thing in the morning." he smiled. --- Donnie grinned. "My, your eyes truly are fierce aren't they? I can see why Desi became fascinated with you." he chuckled. "I have my ways... Coming back from Oblivion left me with a few new gifts." he held out a hand for Bryce to shake. "Donnie Shadow. Soon to be the new ruler of Hell," he said casually. "I have a proposition for you. May I?" he gestured to Bryce's apartment, asking to be invited in so that their conversation could become more private. Denix Vames - September 14, 2021 (yeah sure but you're going to have to help me with the combo. i dont know lots of things) Hades looked through the book. As he was reading, he frowned. "Nothing." He dropped the book. "There's nothing." "Would you please not break anything? This is a very delicate lab." ,said Adrian. Ricky hugged Rickster's arm. "It's ok. I'm sure they will talk to you soon." --- "Of course. You're all my family. I wouldn't let any of you die." ,said X who disappeared. Jean teared up. He clutched Hannes's shirt. "Did I just die?!" --- Will zoomed past Parker. He raised a hand. Ready to swipe his claws at Sebastian. Carter shoved Sebastian out of the way. Will threw him at a tree near the house. Carter gasped out some air before falling on the ground. --- "Thanks but it won't be a problem." ,said Blaire. She looked around. "I think I might need to close up tonight. It's been a long day." --- Bryce continued to glare at him. Not shaking his hand. "And why should I invite a stranger into my home? Did Desi told you things about me?" shadowess - September 14, 2021 (It's cool. I guess this is just one of those things where we could make up the remedy considering the venom came from a different dimension lol So it could be as simple as injecting David with antibiotics, saline, or just giving him a common painkiller lol Ha! Could you imagine? The cure for this super deadly venom from another dimension being a couple of mg of ibuprofen or something? rofl!) David gave Hades a sympathetic look. "It's alright, Hades. It was worth a try...would you kindly take my book back? and handle it with care, those books are very old and fragile." he said with a nod. Rickster looked at Ricky and placed his free hand on his arm. "Yeah..." he sighed and teleported them both back home. "So, I guess there really is nothing we can do but wait then..." --- Hannes stroked Jean's hair and looked at him, tears streaming down his face as he nodded. "Y-your heart stopped. My love! I don't know what I'd do if I lost you!" he sobbed and pressed his forehead against his. Egon slowly stood, watching them for a moment. Quietly, he left the room to give them some privacy. Although he was hesitant in doing so in case they needed him. He stood outside the room and went back to his duty of guarding over their home. --- "Will don't!" Parker shouted after him. Sebastian lifted his hands to shield his head, expecting to be struck when he saw Carter diving in front of him. "CARTER!" He yelled, panicked. He ran over to Carter's side and dropped to his knees, checking to see if Carter was alright. "Carter, are you alright?!" "Ok, TIME OUT!" River snapped and tried to sap Will's powers from him to stop him from causing any more harm. "Holy shit!" Parker had lifted his hands to the sides of his head as he watched nervously to see if Carter was alright. --- Desi nodded, looking around at the empty dance floor. "I'll help, just tell me what you need." --- "Because this stranger can offer you power beyond your wildest dreams," Donnie answered calmly, though his eyebrow twitched a little out of agitation. "And no. Desi and I are not on speaking terms. Much like you and he." He sighed. "Look, I know you miss how things once were. The simplicity of it all. The peaceful life you had in that fine manor of yours. Such a shame it was burned to the ground..." he smiled warmly at Bryce. "What if you could have it back? All of it? When I become Hell's new ruler, I will give you your own mansion in the same style and layout as your old one. Casket upon casket of blood in its basement. Your new lover could live there with you if you wished it. And the icing on the cake? You can personally get back at the bitch who burned it all down! The one whose very presence brought about your downfall because, let's face it, Bryce, your plan was going swimmingly until she came along and complicated everything!" Donnie's grin became a little more sinister. "It's a win-win. You get your revenge and your old life back and I have my rival for power taken out of the picture, leaving a power vacuum that I can use to my advantage to finally seize power over Hell. What do you say?" Denix Vames - September 14, 2021 (omg that would be hilarious! We should do something like that. but which one?) Hades nodded. He picked up the book and disappeared. --- Ricky cupped his cheeks. Looking into his eyes. "It's going to be alright. We'll get through this." --- Jean sobbed too. "Hannes! I'm so sorry! I didn't know! I don't know what came over me! I don't know how it happened!" --- Carter's head was bleeding. He was still breathing but wasn't waking up. Will was ready to attack Sebastian when he felt a sudden drain of his powers. He collapsed. Passing out on the doorsteps. --- "There's not much to do. I'll just lock up the place and then we could go home. I drive a car so we'll have to stick to that since i don't want anyone stealing it." ,said Blaire. Once she did lock the club, they headed to her car. With both inside, she drove to the local apartments that she lived at. Blasting some Joy Division from the radio. --- Bryce thought for a moment then grinned. He shook his hand. "You have a deal." Donnie's phone would ring. When or if he answers, it would be Greg at the other end. "I told him everything and he still loves her! You promised me that I would get him back! Liar! I want him! He's mine! I love him!" shadowess - September 15, 2021 (Aspirin? xD) Once Hades had left, David sat back in his chair and closed his eyes for a moment. He felt utterly exhausted. --- Rickster nodded, leaning his head against Ricky's. "I just hate feeling so helpless..." he sighed. --- Hannes shook his head and hugged Jean to him again, crying into his shoulder. "It's alright, meine geliebte. You're alive and you're with me. You're safe. I would do anything to protect you. I would happily give my life to save yours. You mean everything to me." --- "Carter?!" Sebastian panicked a little. Normally a vampire would recover from a wound like this with no problems but because the damage was dealt by a Devil, he wasn't so sure. He used his hands to put pressure on Carter's wound and looked up in time to see Will looking like he was about to strike him. Parker was behind him, screaming at him and begging him to stop. He whimpered and threw himself over Carter to make sure Carter didn't get hit again then looked up when he heard a body hit the ground. Seeing that Will had passed out, Sebastian burst into tears and turned his attention back to Carter. "N-Nate! Please help!" he called out between sobs while trying to keep pressure on Carter's head. "Will?" Parker knelt by Will to make sure he was alright then frowned at Sebastian and Carter, feeling awful. "S-Sebastian, I'm so sor-" "No!" Sebastian snapped, glaring at him through his tears. "You two have done enough! Take him home and stay away from us!" River pulled Will's consciousness into the dream room where he stood with his arms crossed. He pointed to the ceiling. "You hear that?" he asked Will in a disappointed tone. "If you'd listened to me and just dropped it, this wouldn't be happening." --- Desi sat in the car, feeling a little awkward as he wasn't used to not teleporting everywhere but he was smiling as he listened to the music. "There isn't a lot of music from Earth that I've listened to. But I have to say, you humans are quite talented when it comes to the arts." --- "Excellent!" Donnie beamed, shaking Bryce's hand. His phone went off and he took it out of his pocket. "Ah, excuse me one moment," he said to Bryce before answering the phone. Hearing Greg's voice, Donnie couldn't help grinning. "Calm down, Greg. I said I'd help him remember you if you told him about Jessica, remember?" He said in a gentle tone, though his eyes gave away just how much he was enjoying himself. "You've done your part, now just sit back and relax while I do mine, alright? I'll let you know when it is done." he hung up the phone and turned back to Bryce. "Alright, are you ready then? I'll take you to my home and we'll get things started." he held out his hand for Bryce to take. "Just so you know, there is a spell in place. Once you're there, you won't be able to teleport out without me. For my own safety, you understand. That way we can speak and plot in absolute privacy." Denix Vames - September 15, 2021 (perfect) "Hmm....I thought so. Does anyone have any Aspirin?" ,asked Adrian. Once he was given the bottle of pills, he shook David awake. "Take two of these and see what happens. I think this might be it. Believe it or not." --- "You're doing the best that you can. And I'd say you're doing a pretty good job at being a friend." Ricky kissed him. --- Jean's voice was breaking as he spoke. "Oh Hannes. Let's sleep together. Our bed. I want to be in our bed." --- "I don't care! It's their fault! Now wake me up!" ,shouted Will. When River would refuse, he would growl. "Fine! I'll wake myself up! And you can't stop me!" His eyes shot opened. He transformed again. He knew he would hear River's attempts at getting him to stop. Not to mention trying to force him to stop too. So with all his might, he ripped out his red eye. Blood dripped from his socket. He fell to the ground. Catching his breath and looking at his surroundings, he realized what he had done. Overwhelmed by the guilt and the loss of many in his life, he shot himself in the head. Killing himself. --- "Thanks. How's music in Hell like?" ,asked Blaire --- Greg sighed. "Alright." Bryce took his hand. "As long as there's blood there for me to drink then I don't mind the rules. Your safety honestly seems quite fair. I wish I had something like that." shadowess - September 15, 2021 David looked at the pain relief in Adrian's hand before raising an eyebrow at him. "Seriously? Is this a joke?" he asked as he took the bottle from him and shrugged. "Well, regardless I guess I could use some right now...this illness is starting to give me a whopping headache..." he tapped two onto his hand and threw them into his mouth, swallowing them dry. For several minutes, nothing happened. But as the aspirin broke down and entered his bloodstream, David found himself feeling much more awake than he had before. "Are you kidding me?" he chuckled and looked at his arm. The scratch beginning to heal itself. "Seriously?!" --- Rickster smiled a little and kissed Ricky back slowly, placing his hands on his hips. "Thank you," he whispered. --- Hannes nodded and kissed Jean tenderly. "Let's try to get some rest," he said softly and groaned as he tried to stand up. Using Jean for support, he'd walk with him into the bedroom. When he saw the bed, he stiffened a little but hid his pain. Waking up to Janik had been jarring and he wanted desperately to forget that feeling. --- "Will! Will Stop!" River shouted, trying with all his might to get Will to stop. Parker gasped and jumped back from Will when he got up and began transforming again. Sebastian stared up at him, terrified but refusing to move from Carter's side. "Someone help!" he screamed. When Will began digging his eye out, River began to really panic. "Will don't! Please don't do this! Will, you'll kill me!! Will, I'm sorry! Please!!" Parker and Sebastian watched with a mixture of confusion and horror as Will tore his eye out. The next part happened before either of them could react and it took a moment for Parker to realize what had just happened. Suddenly the street was filled with agonized, heartbroken screams as Parker ran forward and threw himself at Will's side. He could do nothing but scream and scream as tears streamed down his cheeks. He gripped Will's shirt and sobbed loudly into his chest. Sebastian was left speechless, holding Carter while watching Parker grieving over Will. River was trapped in the eye which lay on the small patch of grass near Will's body. It was facing the scene so River had watched what had happened. "H-help? S-s-someone?" he projected his thoughts out. "I-It's really...r-r-really cold here..." he wished he could simply jump into either Parker, Sebastian, or Carter but Hades had trapped him in this eye. He was helpless and he was dying fast without a host. "I-I'm sorry...I-I couldn't...stop him...I'm sorry...f-for everything..." The light behind the eye faded. --- Desi shrugged. "Mostly drums and violins. Though, over the years some Demons picked up some of the human's instruments as they were invented and learned how to play them as the humans do. But those Demons tend to stay on Earth so Hell doesn't really get a lot of new music to listen to." --- "Oh, there is blood." Donnie chuckled darkly before teleporting them to his second lair. Another mansion, seemingly in the middle of a desert in Hell. Yet again, Donnie had cleared the mansion out of its previous occupants before moving in. He had his spell books locked away in a safe in the cellar. They had arrived in the castle's foyer and Donnie gestured for Bryce to follow him. "Here, my backup plan, in case things with the child go south," he said as he opened some sliding double doors to reveal Patience chained to the floor. The chain was so short that she was forced to sit on the ground in the corner of the room. She looked like she had been beaten recently. Her dress was torn here and there. Her hair was a mess and her wings were tied back behind her to stop her from trying to use them as weapons. The bindings around her wings looked tight and painful. "Angels turn into Devils if they die in Hell," Donnie explained. "The perfect revenge against my former friend. If it is not his grandchild that will grant me the power to take over Hell, it will be his secret lover." He gestured towards her. "If you're hungry, there is your food source. I hear Angel blood is like drinking gold to a vampire. Just be sure not to kill her yet. Now then..." he checked his watch before staring off into the distance for a moment. He grinned. "Perfect. The time to strike is now. I'll leave you here to let you make yourself comfortable. I will be back shortly with Amelia. I am putting you in charge of making sure our ah- 'guests' are 'comfortable'. Think you can handle that?"

Denix Vames - September 13, 2021 The angel agent bit his lip before nodding. "Alright. I can put this aside for the sake of this mission." Adrian's eyes widened. He thought for a moment before nodding. "I'll do whatever it takes to make the cure." Adrian was escorted to a lab where he was uncuffed. There were many supplies there for him to use for his research. He took out an empty blood bag. "Now, I am going to need your blood. Just a pint. Please have a seat. Try to make yourself comfortable." He read over David's physical reaction to the illness. "As best as you can." --- "That seems reasonable. Then how about three? And when you do leave, we will help you find jobs. Would that be a problem?" ,said X. --- Jean closed his eyes. "Hannes....I love you...." --- "Yeah sure. We should probably think about this later." ,said Carter who returned the kiss. He headed upstairs with Sebastian. Once they were in their room, he turned on the lights. His eyes widened as he blushed. Seeing a naked Parker and Will sleeping together under the covers. "What the hell?!" Will immediately sat up. "Uh Carter! Sebastian! When did you two get here?" His face was red as he awkwardly cleared his throat. --- Ben drank up her blood until he felt an unbearable pain. He groaned. Clutching his stomach. He drank the venom that he was given. Yet, he clutched the covers of the bed. An agent knocked on the door. Once the door was opened, he would give the cooler of blood bags to Niko. He nodded at him before leaving. Ben sniffed the air. Realizing that he could smell everyone's blood. His mouth watered. Once he was given a blood bag, he immediately popped it as he savagely began drinking it. Licking up what had spilled. --- "Eh sort of. I know some of his friends but others have been so busy doing their own thing that I don't really get to see them. Still, they're good friends. Some of them have helped me out a couple of times. Let's just say that every once in a while they can get a free drink here." ,said Blaire. Shadowess - September 13, 2021 "Done!" Rickster announced just in time for Adrian to agree to David's offer. He handed the stone to David. "It won't cure you but it might help stop the disease progressing for a while," he told him and David nodded. "Thank you, Rickster. Would you mind checking on Hades and Ricky? See if they need a hand." Rickster nodded before vanishing. David put the stone into his pocket then followed Adrian to the lab. He sat back in a chair and rested his arm on the armrest so that blood could be taken. "If we need to see if any potential cures work, I'll remove the stone. If it becomes too much, you might have to kill me so that I can come back and we'll pick up where we left off." David told Adrian then sighed. "Something tells me that may happen a few times before we find the right answer..." Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, he gave Adrian a determined smile. "The floor is yours...Doctor." Simon had followed them into the room and was ready to help Adrian with anything he might need, all while continuously taking notes of their progress. --- The leader looked around the room at the rest of his pack and saw that they all seemed to consider this proposal favorably. He looked back at X and nodded. "Sounds good," he said with an approving nod. --- "I love you too, meine geliebte. I always will." Hannes said softly, laying down with Jean while keeping him in his arms. Holding him close as he too closed his eyes. --- Sebastian's face had turned red as well and he quickly averted his gaze. Parker sat up with wide eyes and red cheeks, hurriedly covering himself with the blanket. "Shit! Wrong room!" he gasped and hid behind Will, embarrassed. "Oof. This is awkward as hell..." River commented. "Hang on..." some faint popping noises could be heard in Will's mind, followed by the smell of popcorn. "Okay, proceed." River said, sounding like his mouth was full. --- Niko placed the cooler by the bed and watched quietly as Jessica fed Ben her venom when he showed signs of pain. When he seemed to calm down and Niko saw his fangs sprout, he passed him one of the blood bags. He then flinched and took a step back in alarm when Ben snatched it and drank it in the way that he did. Even Jessica seemed alarmed. She remembered the hunger being painful and gnawing but when she'd fed from Donnie, it was to try and save her friends. So she had no idea if, under the right circumstances, she would've reacted in the same way. Seeing him lapping up the spilled blood, Niko guessed that Ben was still very hungry and offered him another bag, a little more nervously this time. "Ben?" Jessica whispered to him, watching him carefully. "How do you feel?" --- Desi smiled widely. "It must be nice to have so many people looking out for you," he said while looking at his beer bottle. "I suppose I have a lot of work to do if I'm to earn my place among them. Though, I can't really blame them for not trusting me..." he sighed. "I'm just nervous about seeing my sister mostly. We didn't really have time to talk or introduce ourselves when we saw each other and God only knows what her partner is going to think of me...I feel like I'm intruding on their life." Denix Vames - September 13, 2021 Adrian nodded. "Well, you might want to take that rune out just in case." He inserted the needle into his arm. Blood went up and into the blood bag until it became full. He took the needle out and closed up the blood bag. "I'll have a look at the red cells and see what's happening in them. I'll try and find similarities of their side effects to that of supernatural diseases and human diseases." He placed some gloves on and a mask over his face. "I need everyone to give me some space. David, you can stay here. Simon, I want you to dress prepared for this. If any single blood drops then I want you to immediately clean it up and burn the rag that you use to soak it off the floor. We cant take any chances." He placed a drop of David's blood on some glass. Inspecting it with a microscope. --- Hades and Ricky had been looking around. Taking out book after. Looking through pages only to find nothing. Ricky turned when he heard someone. "Rickster! What are you doing here? How's David doing?" "Ah ha! Found it!" Hades pulled out a book on curses and diseases. --- "I'm glad to hear. I'll have an agent inform the females as well. In the meantime, you should all follow this agent right here. He will teach you lessons on sex education." ,said X. The agent guided them outside where he would discuss the topic with the use of a large whiteboard being held by a stand. He held a black marker. --- Jean fell into a deep sleep. His heart slowed. His body was shaking. Shivering as if he gotten a fever which was impossible. It was his body's reaction to the mental and physical trauma that he had endured. --- 'You're not helping!' ,said Will. "Look, I don't mind when you guys want to have your alone time but I've already had to deal with enough crap for one day. And now, I can't even sleep in my own fucking bed?!" ,said Carter. "I'm sorry man. It was a mistake. We were in the moment." ,said Will who quickly got his pants on. Carter shoved him. "I don't care! I just want to get some damn rest!" "Hey man! What the hell's your problem?! I know I fucked up but you don't have to get that pissed about!" Will shoved him back. "It's not like I crapped on your bed!" Carter punched him. Will glared before starting a fist fight with him. It wasn't much of a fight since they were both trying to punch other but kept grabbing at each other. --- Ben sanked his fangs in another blood bag. Drinking up fast. He took a deep breath before leaning back. His eyes rolled. Blood dripped from his lips. "So hungry...." --- "Family are always generally awkward. No matter what the person is. I'm sure they'll get use to you soon." ,said Blaire. Shadowess - September 13, 2021 (So, here's my idea for Donnie's downfall and Bryce's redemption. Donnie approaches Bryce and seemingly convinces him to join his side. Donnie then finds a way to distract Charles long enough to kidnap Amelia. Donnie instructs Bryce to guard Amelia and Patience until he returned. I was going to have him try to convince Jessica to join him again but I'm thinking now that he might find Ben more appealing. Before he can get too far in his attempt to convince him, Charles would catch up to him and a fight would break out. In the meantime, Bryce would reveal that he actually intended to get on Donnie's good side so that he could try to find a way to destroy him from the inside. Amelia agrees to help Bryce snoop around Donnie's home looking for potential weaknesses. Unfortunately, Amelia goes into labor before they can snoop around too much and Bryce winds up having to help her deliver the baby instead. Once the baby is born, Amelia gets all her devil powers back, hands the child to Bryce to hold, and teleports to Donnie, beating the ever-loving shit out of him and demonstrating exactly why she is Queen of Hell xD) "Yes, Doctor." Simon nodded and put on a pair of gloves, goggles, a face mask, and a disposable apron. He stood by, ready. David nodded and took the stone out of his pocket as instructed. He tried to relax as Adrian took his blood and explained what he was doing. "I'm afraid all things science are a little outside of my own expertise but I'll take your word for it, Doctor," he said with a small smile then coughed into his fist. His chest beginning to feel a little tight again. "Ah...here we go again..." --- "He's alright for now. I gave him a rune that will stop his disease from getting worse...at least, I hope it will. Hard to say if it will actually work." Rickster replied while giving him a quick hug. He then turned and saw Hades pulling out the book that David had recommended that they find. "What's that language? Is that Demonic?" Rickster asked while nodding at the unfamiliar writing on the cover. --- Hannes opened his eyes and looked at Jean worriedly. "Jean?" he said softly then gently shook him, trying to wake him. "Jean! Meine Geliebte! What's wrong?" --- "Stop it!" Parker protested, reaching for his pants on the floor and pulling them under the covers so he could keep himself covered while trying to put them on quickly. "Yeah, I agree with Parker...this is just embarrassing..." River commented. "I mean, are you trying to punch the guy or hug him here?" "Carter, Will, that's enough!" Sebastian shouted at them. "You're behaving like children! Parker-!" Parker ground to a halt and looked at Sebastian, having been about to run over and attempt to break up the fight. "Strip the bed and clean the sheets!" he barked. When Parker hesitated, Sebastian gave him a look as if warning him not to talk back to him. "Now!" he snapped and Parker jumped, whirled around, and immediately began stripping the bed. Sebastian then turned to Will. "And you! There's fresh bedding in the airing cupboard. I'd strongly suggest you remake the bed! Carter and I are going to go calm down and drink some blood. This bed had better be made by the time we come back!" "Pfft! Yes, mom!" River laughed. "Well, get cracking Will. Or mama Sebastian will spank us and put us in the corner!" he cackled. --- Two bags were the norm. But three? Niko had originally ordered four bags with the intention that Ben would drink two and that would leave one each left for himself and Jessica. But with how Ben seemed to be right now, it looked like he was going to have to just keep handing him bags until his thirst was satisfied. He took out the third bag and gingerly passed it to Ben. He took out the fourth and passed it to Jessica. "You should drink some too, Liebchen. Keep up your strength," he said to her gently. Jessica took the bag and looked at him curiously. "Why do you keep calling me that?" Niko paused and blushed. "I uh... I don't know your name," he admitted. "Oh... It's Jessica," she replied and Niko smiled at her warmly. "Jessica." he nodded. "I am Niko." "I know." she smiled and looked at the blood bag. "I remember you telling me..." Niko half laughed to himself and nodded as he turned and walked back to the phone, ordering some more bags just in case they'd be needed. Jessica quietly bit into her bag and slowly drank from it while watching Ben carefully. --- "I hope so." Desi smiled and drank the rest of his beer. "I suppose the next thing on my 'to do' list is find somewhere to call home..." he sighed. "I should probably rent a motel room for tonight and do some research on places to rent tomorrow. What time would you like me to start work, by the way?" Denix Vames - September 13, 2021 (sounds awesome) "You can put that rune back on yourself." ,said Adrian who began looking through the lens. Examining to see what was on the red cells. --- "Yeah and it's just what we need. Let's go back and give this to them." ,said Hades who disappeared. Ricky held Rickster's hand. "Ready when you are." --- Jean would not wake. He began to sweat. His hands were shaking. His heart stopped. --- "No! This is ridiculous! We make a simple mistake and all of a sudden it's a big deal fucking deal?! Well, we're not helping clean up!" ,said Will as he got dressed. "Cmon Parker. Don't clean. Just get dressed and follow me." He helped pick up Parker's clothes. Giving them to him to put on. Once they were dressed, he held his hand and walked out of the room. Carter frowned. Realizing that he was probably overreacting. He followed them to the front door. "Will, I didn't mean-" "No!" Will whipped his head. Glaring. "You don't get to apologize like everything's going to be fine! Every time something minor happens, you're always making everything about you! How about you think about not being an egotistical prick for once!" He slammed the door closed as the couple left. Carter shook his head. He ran a hand through his hair. "Why did I yell at him over that crap? He's right. It was awkward but I made it seem like it was much worse." --- Once Ben finished his third bag, he sighed out of relief. He laid on his side. Closing his eyes and curling up where he fell asleep. An agent gave Niko another cooler of blood bags. --- "Well, normally things are pretty busy at night so I'd say nine PM. Also, you can stay with me if you want. I don't mind the company. And you wouldn't be a problem if that's what you were thinking." ,said Blaire. Shadowess - September 14, 2021 David put the rune back into his pocket and sat back in the chair, feeling exhausted already. It was then that Hades, Rickster, and Ricky would appear in the room. David looked at them all in surprise. "Blimey, you lot were quick! What've you found? Anything?" --- Hannes's breath caught in his throat and he listened closely to Jean for a moment, wondering if he was mistaken. But when he heard no heartbeat, he began to panic. He shook Jean a little more roughly and began to weep. "Jean! Jean!!" He looked around wildly, screaming in German. "Help me!" Egon had come running in after hearing his screams and looked at Jean with wide eyes. "What happened?" "I don't know! I don't know what to do!" Hannes sobbed, clinging to Jean. Egon dropped to his knees and bowed his head with his eyes closed. He was praying. Begging their king to come and help them again. --- Parker had paused and watched the argument awkwardly. He got dressed while not daring to look at Carter and Sebastian. He eld Will's hand and walked out with him, all while keeping his gaze lowered. His face was still very red. "I wonder how much more awkward this will be for Parker when he has to go to work tomorrow." River said. "Did that thought cross your mind once while you were yelling at his boss? Don't answer that. I know it didn't." Sebastian had watched the way Will had spoken to Carter and made Carter doubt himself. All the while he continued to glare at Will. Once they'd left, he found himself staring at the front door angrily. He tried to listen to Carter and tried to see their point of view but he shook his head. "No. I'm sorry. No. I will not drop this. That is not acceptable." he said angrily before bolting out of the house and stopping in front of Will and Parker. There he'd strike Will across the face, the slap echoing down the street. Parker had stopped and was staring at Sebastian in shock. "How dare you?" Sebastian growled. "How fucking dare you?! I don't know who raised you but where I'm from, what you just did is incredibly disrespectful! To top that off you try to make Carter seem bad for being angry?! I will not hold my tongue for such blatant disrespect! We welcome you into our home as a guest and this is how you treat us?! We have EVERY right to be angry! Not two minutes after we get home, we find the place has been shot up, we end up spending the day getting the mafia off our backs instead of unpacking and unwinding, we stop a demon from kidnapping one of our friends and when we finally get a moment of peace to actually relax, we find we have a night of cleaning to do instead! And WE'RE the egotistical ones?? By the way, where the hell were YOU TWO during the ordeal with the Mafia and the Demon, hmm?? No, but of course, you're right. Clearly, WE'RE the bad guys here!" He said the last part sarcastically. Sebastian shook his head, looking at them both with disgust. "I would strongly, STRONGLY recommend that you two do some serious thinking about your priorities before you come back." he turned and began walking away from them, back towards the house. He wasn't sure what to feel now. He didn't quite know what had come over him. Just that he refused to sit back and be treated the way Will had just tried to treat them. But now that he was walking away he wondered if, like Carter, he might've overreacted. Now he wasn't even certain which thing had set him off. Whether it had been the incident itself or the way Will had spoken to Carter. Yet he still felt very angry and could still feel his heart beating hard from the rush of yelling at them as he had. Parker stared ahead of them, his mouth slightly agape and his eyes wide. He slowly turned his head to quietly look at Will, wondering what he thought of what had just happened. Even River was too stunned to say anything anymore. --- Jessica watched Ben, wondering if changing him had been the right thing to do. She knew it had been Ben's choice, but that didn't necessarily mean it had been the right choice. What if he'd only said it in the heat of the moment and would regret it later? What if he blamed his change on her? What if he was still too drunk to think clearly when he asked her and now there was no turning back! She ran a hand through his hair, trying to push those thoughts from her mind as she lay next to him. Niko picked up one of the blood bags and moved the cooler over to the bed. He looked at them both and sighed. "Do you want me to leave you two alone?" he asked. Jessica looked up at him and shrugged. Niko looked down at his blood bag then pointed to the cooler. "Make sure he drinks something when he wakes. I'll leave you both to sleep and come back tomorrow, alright?" Jessica nodded and Niko nodded back before leaving the room to go back to his own. He sat on the bed and looked at his blood bag with a frown, not really feeling hungry anymore but knowing he'd need to feed. Sighing, he sat back on the bed and drank from the bag while his mind raced, thinking of what this might mean for them going forward. --- Desi blinked and looked at Blaire uncertainly. "Are you sure? Would your partner mind?" --- Donnie had waited until Bryce's lover had left the apartment, having been watching the place from afar for a few hours now. He smiled, appearing in front of the door and knocking on it calmly. He was hoping to try and convince Bryce to join his side by appealing to his dark impulses. Though he supposed if that failed, he could always capture that new lover of his and use his safety as a motivator.

Denix Vames - September 12, 2021 "What? Me? You want me to help out?" ,said Ricky. "Sure. That wouldn't be a problem. I'll do my best to hurry." ,said Hades. He turned to Ricky. "C'mon." He grabbed his arm before they disappeared. An agent came back with a basket full of what Rickster needed. "Here are all of the items that you detailed." Adrian glared. He punched Bob's head off. "Well, I'm sorry for not being above my level clearance when I was working there! They only ever assigned me on DNA Testing!" --- "Oh dear. I see." X looked at three walking. "Sorry everyone but I require all of you to change here. We're in a bit of a hurry. I have to go talk to a very important wolf pack." --- "Thank you." Jean ran over to Hannes. "Hannes!" He hugged him tightly before kissing him. "I'm so glad you're alright." He stood. "I can help you. Please. I heard about people who would want to kill you so that they could take your job but I won't let that happen. I promise." --- "You wouldn't. Trust me." Carter walked over to him. He caressed his cheek. "I can help you out with this parenting stuff. I've done it before." He smiled. "I was scared when Jack suggested it the first time but I don't regret ever having those kids. And I don't think I'll ever regret adopting another with you." --- Ben turned away. "Maybe I'm not the right person for you. I hurt you and you felt terrible. That's not something that I want to do to you." He realized something. "Maybe you have to turn me so that I can understand you?" He looked at her. "Because I want to understand. I don't care if I have to drink blood for the rest of my life. I want to know you better as a person. You're my girlfriend. I should know who you are. We're only distant because I don't get what you're going through. I really don't." He walked over. "Please Jess. I know you're scared but I'm consenting to this. I want you to turn me." He bit his lip. "But I don't want you to think that I'm forcing you to. You don't have to do this." --- "Cool. What's your kind of drink?" ,asked Blaire who walked over to the bar. Shadowess - September 13, 2021 Rickster watched Ricky vanish with Hades and smiled, wondering how well those two would co-operate. "Thank you," he said to the agent and took everything to a nearby table, setting them out and grinding up the herbs while chanting under his breath. "Hey!" Bob protested as his head went flying from his body and spun on the floor a bit before coming to a slow stop. If he could glare back at Adrian, he would've. "Man, just you wait until I get my head back on!" he said as his body began feeling around the room blindly for his skull. "Guna shove my femur so far up your ass!" his body accidentally groped one of the female nurses and Bob's skull bashfully apologized to her before angrily shouting at his body. "Dammit! You're looking for hard things, not squishy! Hard!" his body then turned to face a male nurse and paused as Bob suddenly shouted, "Don't you dare, smartass!" "Bob, pull yourself together! You're making a scene!" Lilly snapped at him. "I'm trying!" Bob complained. Lilly marched over, grabbed Bob's head, and slapped it back onto his neck. "Such a nuisance!" Lilly scolded him. David glared at Adrian. "Well then, it's a good thing that there's an abundance of new DNA in this room, isn't it?" he shot back. "You have the skills and the equipment needed to run tests on samples from this;" he pointed to the scratch on his arm. "So, what's really stopping you?" he pressed, getting the impression there was more to Adrian's apprehensiveness to help than he was letting on. --- "Here?!" Natali broke her silence to look horrified. Self-conscious about changing out in the open. "Wolf pack?!" Tristan gasped, worried that they'd be in danger of being bitten. Janik didn't say anything. He took his clothes and immediately started to change without complaint. The Agent paid little attention to the vampires as he quietly gave X the locations of both the males and the females before leaving to tend to other responsibilities. --- Hannes winced but hugged Jean back. He then rose a brow at Jean's words and looked at Egon questioningly. "Janik and Natali have been taken away by our King for treason, sir," Egon explained. "It has been revealed that they were responsible for Bjorn's death and rigged the votes so that Janik could take his seat. Based on this, I don't believe Janik and Natali will be the last to try such treachery in order to gain power." Hannes nodded with a serious expression. "I see." "I will ensure you and your fiance are escorted safely, sir." "Thank you. We appreciate it." Once Jean would have a good grip on Hannes, they'd begin walking towards Hannes's home. Hannes looked at Jean as they walked. "Are you alright, meine geliebte?" he asked softly. --- Sebastian listened to Carter and lifted his hand to touch his. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea? A family of their own... someone to raise, care for, and love. He smiled nervously and nodded. "Ok," he said softly. "Ok, let's be dads." he pressed his forehead against his and stood close to him. "Let's adopt." --- Jessica stared at Ben anxiously at his request. She hugged herself, unsure of what to think about it all. "I don't know..." she said hesitantly. "I barely understand what I am right now and I don't know if me turning you would make you a vampire or...like me..." she said, looking down at the ground. "If you turn into what I am, you might go insane...and what if I can't stop myself when I drink from you? The only person I've ever drunk from after changing was Donnie and he had to slap hot iron to my leg to get me to let go!" --- Desi put away the sweeping brush and emptied the dustpan into a trash can before following Blaire over to the bar. "Usually wine or cocktails. I've always been a sucker for the fancier drinks." he shrugged. "But a beer is just as good." he chuckled, knowing his preference wasn't exactly a cheap one. Denix Vames - September 13, 2021 Adrian grabbed a fistful of David's coat. "Because I'm stuck in these chains! Not to mention I don't have a place to do any research!" One of the agents in the room had pulled him back. "We will get you a lab and have David there with you. However, we will also have a couple of agents in case you try to do anything." Adrian scoffed. "Try to do anything?" He shook his head. "There's no point in that crap. Even if I somehow managed to escape, I'd be killed anyway." --- "Ah! I forgot about that." ,said X. "Well, werewolves that I have met are not viscous towards vampires. But if it makes you feel better, I can put you all in your own separate rooms for now. I will come back for you all later when I am done talking to them." Once all three were in each of their own cells, X appeared where the male wolves were at. He cleared his throat. "I understand that you all don't understand why it would be terrible for you to mate with your female allies. The thing is overpopulation. And with overpopulation comes the food shortage. There wouldn't be enough meat for everyone. Also, I am going to have an agent here explain sex a lot more clearer. A female agent will do the same for your females. Any questions?" --- "I'm fine. I'm just glad that you're alright." Jean leaned his head against his shoulder. "I told Egon that I want to become a Warrior. He said he's going to tell his superiors. I can finally be strong. I'll be able to protect you so that this doesn't happen again." --- Carter slowly kissed him. He took a deep breath. "Where should we start? Jack always did the research. I'm not sure what to do now." --- "I know you won't do that to me because you're better than that bastard." Ben took his jacket off. Letting it fall. He wrapped his arms around her waist. Bringing her close. "You're Jessica Wilson. The woman that I saved who saved me in return. You always told me how much of a hero I am but you're the real hero. Enduring all that pain and still fighting? That's a hero in my book." --- Blaire popped open two bottles of beer. "Yeah. Unfortunately, we're not fancy. Anything in a wine glass will always be blood." She set his drink on the counter before taking a sip of hers. Shadowess - September 13, 2021 "And you'll have me to help you." Simon reminded him. David was thoughtful. "You've already died once, haven't you? You were denied your chance in the redemption programme when you were snatched from Hell to be a prisoner here..." he then looked at the Agents with an annoyed look. "Without permission from Hell's ruler." he pointed out. "Only a Devil can resurrect a soul so easily, so I can only assume you had X resurrect him as soon as he arrived, yes? Still..." David looked back at Adrian. "How about I make you a deal? You work with me to try and find a cure for this and I'll ensure you're given the chance to redeem your soul and gain your freedom. No death necessary. What do you say?" "Psst. Lilly. What are they talkin' about?" Bob leaned close to Lilly to try to whisper to her, though his whisper wasn't all that quiet. "How should I know? I know just as much about this world as you do, bonehead." Lilly answered. Rickster had burned up the herbs and was using a small brush to paint symbols onto the stone with the ashes, while still chanting. --- "When will we be able to leave?" The leader spoke up. Murmurs immediately broke out among the male wolves in agreeance. All of them now feeling claustrophobic from being in the facility for so long. All now frustrated with all the rules they have to follow. Being denied sex was just the tipping point. "We appreciate all you have done for us but we cannot stay here forever. We want to live out there, where we can be free to do the things that we want to do." --- "Is that right?" Hannes smiled. "Look at you, getting your foot in the door with the Warriors. I suppose you're really determined to join them." he turned his head and kissed the top of Jean's. Egon stood to one side once they reached Hannes's home, to let them walk inside. "I can remain stationed outside your home for the rest of the day if it puts you both at ease?" he offered. "That would be good. Thank you, Egon." Hannes replied and Egon nodded before standing guard next to their front door. Hannes would then walk into the house with Jean and close the door behind him. He looked around the living room with a frown. "Funny how one bad event can make you feel unsafe in a place you once felt so comfortable..." he muttered. --- Sebastian shrugged. "I'm not sure. It's not something I've ever considered before..." he admitted then bit his lip thoughtfully. "What if the child is like us? Vampires can be born too... So, I guess we have a few options... We could adopt a human, or find a way to adopt a vampire...or we could even look into surrogacy." --- Jessica looked into his eyes as he drew her close to him and she could feel her heart beating harder from nerves. She was touched by his words but still a little frightened that she'd end up hurting him. She could smell his blood and felt her fangs lengthen at the thought of drinking it. She leaned her head against his and closed her eyes for a moment. Tears sliding down her cheeks as he called her a hero. "Ben..." she whispered. If this was really something that he wanted, then who was she to deny him? She knew in her heart that she loved him and if turning him would bring him happiness then she would do so, even though she was afraid that something might go wrong. She kissed him tenderly before hesitantly moving her mouth to his neck. "If it's what you want..." she whispered shakily, kissing his neck sweetly before sinking her fangs into him and starting to drink from him slowly, letting out a soft moan as his blood hit her tongue. --- "That's understandable." Desi nodded as he took his beer and sipped some of it. "It's better than what I have been drinking lately, anyway. I had a harem in Hell, you know. Spent centuries since my creation drinking and whoring in there. Souls would seek out my palace because they knew it was safe. They had everything they could ever want. Safety, a roof over their heads, food, drink, and sex with whoever they chose whenever they wanted it...but I only realized recently just how much I'd been hindering their chance at redemption. They weren't learning anything in my palace. Just running away and hiding from their guilt. Maybe because I was doing the same..." he sighed and took another swig of his beer. "But I'm getting off-topic. After the incident with Donnie, that Demon that was here, I threw them all out and drank myself into a stupor with a beverage we Demons make...it's called Demon's brew. Powerful stuff. Toxic to humans but the equivalent of aged whiskey to a Demon, Devil or Angel." he stared at his bottle for a moment before chuckling. "It's a wonder I'm not sick of drinking..." Denix Vames - September 13, 2021 "That doesn't sound like a bad idea but what that one guy? I met him in Hell and he fucked with me. Ended up scaring the shit out of me." ,said Adrian. The angel agent glared at David. "This agency has a higher authority on earth. Your rules mean nothing." --- "I understand your frustrations. However, you all must be taught many subjects in order to go out there. You see people learn a couple of things in places that are called schools in order to go out into the world. That's how they can get jobs and make money so that they can get food. If it'll make you feel better, we can do these classes outside where there are opened fields." ,said X. --- Jean suddenly went pale. His heart was emotionally breaking. Exhausted with what had happened. He collapsed. Silently crying as he curled up. "I'm so tired...." --- "Are they places where you can adopt vampire kids? I never realized that." ,said Carter. --- Ben's eyes widened at the pain but then he soon became sleepy. He nearly fell until Jessica held him. He closed his eyes. Breathing slowly. Overwhelmed by the effects of the venom. --- "How about soda? Its a whole lot better than alcohol. Honestly, the best ones are the fruity flavors. You could get addicted to that. It's somewhat better. But I'm gonna guess that you don't get diabetes so you'll be just fine." ,said Blaire. She shrugged. "I don't know. Hope that helps." She took a sip. Shadowess - September 13, 2021 "On Earth, in the US, over this country's living citizens," David replied to the Agent in a calm yet firm tone. "When Adrian here died, however, he became a citizen of Hell and therefore authorization from Hell's leader should have been gained before resurrecting him to make him your prisoner. As an Angel, who knows how long and difficult it has been to achieve peace between Heaven and Hell, you should know better. But I'm not here to argue semantics, we need to work together to figure this out or we potentially risk it happening again. Possibly even on a wider scale." David looked back at Adrian and spoke more gently. "Hell is changing. There is no need for Punisher Demons anymore. We have found that we get more results when rehabilitating souls rather than simply punishing them. Besides, there is no need for you to go back to Hell. Killing you now would just be cruel and pointless. Instead, I am offering you the chance to go through the same programme while you're still alive and if these agents are willing to co-operate with me, maybe even get you your freedom back. A second chance at life." Feeling his temperature rising and his forehead beginning to sweat, David knew it wouldn't be much longer before he'd be struggling to breathe again. Still, he ignored the illness as best he could as he reached out to place a hand on Adrian's shoulder. "By helping to find a cure for this disease, you could very well be preventing a very fatal, global pandemic. You've spent your whole life doing awful deeds for ADIEU. It's time to change that and use your skills for the greater good. For the sake of countless innocent lives. Please, Adrian." --- The room was filled with agitated murmurs from the males. The leader held up a hand to quiet them and looked at X. "Maybe we'd feel better if you could tell us how long we'll be here. Give us a time to aim for. To look forward to. One more moon cycle? Two? Three?" The males around him nodded and looked at X for answers. --- "Meine Geliebte!" Hannes had watched Jean collapse with concern. He tried to move towards him quickly but his burns stung just from the movement and he sucked air in through his teeth from the pain, grimacing. "Nein, meine geliebte. Don't cry. Come." he moved slowly over to him and sat next to him, gently pulling him into his arms and ignoring the pain. "It's over, my sweet man. We can rest now. We can heal. Together." he kissed his forehead. "We have survived so much in so little time. We deserve some peace and quiet now." --- Sebastian shrugged. "I don't know. But maybe we could ask some of our friends? We can figure it out tomorrow. Let's just try to get some rest for now." he kissed Carter again, slowly and sweetly. --- Jessica drank until she felt his heart start to slow down. Wary of taking too much, she forced herself to stop and caught her breath for a moment while moving over to the bed to lay him down so that his head rested on her lap. She lifted her wrist to her lips and hesitated, anticipating that biting herself would hurt before pushing herself to go through with it. She gasped at the pain and the feeling of her own venom pulsing through her wrist and into the rest of her body. Quickly, she pressed her wrist to Ben's mouth while looking at him tearfully and stroking his hair with her free hand. "I love you, Ben," she whispered to him. Smelling the blood and worried for her safety, Niko had run back into the room and his eyes widened at what he saw. "What are you doing, Liebchen?!" he gasped and shut the door behind him before walking over hurriedly and running a hand through his hair. "H-he asked me to," Jessica replied while looking up at Niko with a guilty expression. Niko bit his fist and paced a bit. "Nein...nein, Liebchen...He will be like you...now you are both inexperienced Blood God's that will need teaching! Scheisse! Alright, alright, here..." he rushed over to the little bar in the room and pulled out a glass. "He will be in pain soon. You remember what that was like?" "Yes..." Jessica said and looked down at Ben, worried about the pain he was about to feel. "There's a trick to help changing vampires cope with it...I didn't get to do it for you but we can do it for him..." Niko walked over and held the glass close to her face. "Open your mouth, Liebchen. Trust me." Jessica looked up at him for a moment then opened her mouth. Niko gently pushed the glass under her fangs and Jessica jumped a little, groaning at the strange sensation as her venom slowly poured into the glass. When there was enough, Niko pulled it away and Jessica stared at the liquid curiously. "Our venom. It will numb his pain when he changes. We just have to feed it to him as soon as he lets go of your wrist, alright?" Jessica nodded and looked back down at Ben, stroking his hair again. While waiting for Ben to finish drinking from Jessica, Niko hurried over to the phone in the room and dialed the number he was given. "Hello? This is Niko Bernbaum. We're going to need a few blood bags. Better bring four to be safe..." once he was assured they were on their way, Niko hung up the phone and turned back to watch them anxiously. --- Desi chuckled and waved a hand dismissively. "If I'm being honest, this beer is practically like drinking soda for someone like me anyway. So, you've got nothing to worry about." He then leaned against the bar, placing his drink down and looking at Blaire with a smile. "But I've been talking almost nonstop about myself. What about you? I only know you as a friend of Carter's group. Have you known them long?"

shadowess - September 11, 2021 "Count yourself lucky you're not the one with the scratch," David replied. By this time, Rickster and Ricky had been shown into the room. David looked at them with a raised eyebrow. "What are you two doing here?" "Could ask you the same thing," Rickster replied then nodded towards his scratch which already seemed to show signs of infection again. "Tell me about that." David shrugged. "Nasty creature from another dimension got a lucky swipe at me. Made me incredibly sick. As you can see..." he gestured to the bed where his body still lay, dead. "I've already died from this once. Angelic healing doesn't seem to do anything. As soon as I reawakened, the scratch returned. Almost like I'm stuck in a loop. I'll get sick, die, wake up and get sick again." Rickster blinked, taking in all the information. He scratched his head uncertainly. "I-I'm not sure then...I could make a rune to hold off the progress of the illness but it's not a cure and considering an Angel couldn't heal you...Well, don't be surprised if the rune doesn't work either..." "Even just the attempt would be appreciated, Rickster." David nodded then turned to the Angel Agent. "In the meantime, would you mind seeing if there are any scientists around that might have a few ideas on how they could help me? Might as well try everything." Rickster also turned to the agent that had guided them to David's room. "I'm going to need a few supplies. I'll write them down." "Your father sounds like a prick," Lilly said bluntly. "What a bullshit thing to say to someone!" she stood, holding her side a little as she walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Look, if there's one thing I learned from my own fucked up world, it's that if you blamed yourself for everyone who ever got hurt, you'd only end up driving yourself insane. People get hurt. That's life. As long as your intentions aren't bad then you've got nothing to be sorry for, got it?" "A little on the nose but she means well." Bob pointed out. "You saved my life, Hades. I am in your debt for that." Lilly said, ignoring Bob's input. She then looked at the ground sadly. "I-..." she sighed. "I can't go back to my world now... Bob and I are stranded here. So, I suppose we should try to fit in with this one...Maybe helping you and your friend will be a good place to start?" "Speaking of which, maybe we could see how your pal is doing?" Bob suggested. --- At last, Natali was calm enough to listen to what was happening around her. Her eyesockets healed enough to not cause her as much agony. She was breathing heavily and still sobbing, but much more quietly now. When X suggested that they work for him that she'd get her eyes back, she nodded slowly. Her body shaking. "Any-anything...you want..." she cried. Tristan had fallen to his knees against the bars, also starting to calm down now. Though his throat hurt from his screams and he was also crying. He nodded much more eagerly to X's suggestion. "D-don't let them kill us!" Only Janik seemed a little disappointed by the arrangement. Having convinced himself that allowing Jean to kill him would've been for the best. He stayed quiet though, knowing that this arrangement would mean his sister and Tristan stood a better chance at survival if he simply agreed to it. He nodded with a frown and turned away from X to hide his tears. The warrior with Jean turned his head to look at X when it seemed he'd changed his mind yet again. Trying not to question his King, he went back to his duty of taking Jean and Hannes back to their home while making a mental note to stop the other warrior from arranging the trial on his way. --- Sebastian chuckled, unable to stop the mental image of their group in girl scout uniforms. "I guess." he agreed. "Let's go home." he smiled at Carter. --- Niko hesitated, watching Ben nervously. This wasn't how he'd wanted to talk to them, but he supposed there was no way to redo his entrance at this point. He sighed heavily, his shoulders drooping. "Yes..." he looked away from Ben, feeling ashamed. "I was... tricked into it. They bled me until I was starving then locked her in with me. I don't remember-..." he shivered, holding back his own tears. "All I remember is holding her in my arms...she was dying when I came to my senses so I did the only thing I could to try and save her...I didn't know that that was what they wanted me to do..." He glanced at the en suite door then back at Ben, unable to help glaring a bit. "You rave and complain at her about how bad it is for you now...yet, you have no idea what it was like to be their prisoner!" he pointed to the door while still glaring at Ben. "They tried to make her like them! The conniving bastard used his knowledge of how her friends mistreat her to tried to convince her that he was the only one she could trust. Despite that, she still fought to protect her friends and come home to you! Only for you to prove him right and treat her exactly how he said you would!" He took a step towards Ben and gave him a very serious stare. "If you and her friends don't start treating her right, you're all going to drive her straight into his arms! Considering what she is, you don't need me to tell you just how much of a bad thing that would be!" --- Desi had started sweeping the floor when Blaire asked her question and he paused, glancing at her nervously for a moment. "Um...well, it wouldn't be the first time he'd have killed me to be fair..." he chuckled. "But, I suppose I did have it coming..." he admitted, continuing to sweep as he spoke. "I became friends with an old enemy of his...Bryce. I'd like to say he was a bad influence on me but that wouldn't be fair on him...we were a terrible influence on each other. I helped him try to take Carter from Sebastian. But as your little friend group so often does with anyone who tries to cross them, they foiled our plan... on both occasions. The second time was especially bad and it drove both Bryce and myself apart. Maybe for the best... I sulked in my harem for a while then ended up getting roped into the whole ordeal with Donnie. After that, I spent some time rethinking my life and deciding I needed a drastic change...and here I am." he stopped sweeping and looked at the floor sadly. "If I could go back and do things over..." he said thoughtfully then shook his head and continued to sweep. "But there is no point dwelling on such thoughts. For there to be progress, one must always be moving forward. Not looking back...I believe that is something David would say." he chuckled. Denix Vames - September 11, 2021 "Of course." The angel agent walked out. The agent nodded at Rickster. "What do you need?" He pulled out a notepad. Ready to write everything down with his pen. Hades smiled a little. He nodded. He got off the bed. Taking them to him as he was reading everyone's minds in order to get a good idea of things. When he reached where David was, the angel agent had brought in a prisoner whose name was stitched in to say 'Adrian Black.' "David!" Hades ran up and hugged him. --- "Then come with me." ,said X who kept them close. They appeared in a cell of the facility. "I'll have someone heal you. Your new uniforms will be suits. I'll get them." He disappeared. An angel agent appeared. She placed a hand over Natali's face and began to heal her. Getting her eyes to come back. --- Jean screamed at the top of his lungs. Frustrated with everything that had happened. "Hannes....He's hurt because of me. I just know it. I hae no one to blame but myself." --- "I think it's about time we did." ,said Carter who drove them back to the office. "After we unpack, I think I'm gonna take a nap. It's been a long day." --- Ben looked at the floor. More tears fell. He started shaking. He collapsed to his knees where he sobbed. "What have I done?! What the hell's wrong with me?! I did the one thing that I promised her I would never do! I always loved her! I still do! But now....I scared her. She won't want someone like me. Not after everything that I did to her!" --- "Seems like David rubs off on people the right way. That's good to hear. Maybe that means the only fights I'll have to worry about are the ones at my bar." ,said Blaire. Shadowess - September 11, 2021 "I'm going to need a stone. But not just any stone. It's got to be a perfect circle, smooth and flat. About the size of my hand. Like the kind of stone that's perfect for skipping across water. I'll need a chisel. Some charcoal, sea salt, lavender, and sage. I'll need something to grind those in and something to burn them in." Rickster listed everything that he needed. David looked up then grinned as Hades ran in and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around Hades, ignoring the pain in his arm as he held him tightly, stroking the back of his head. "Hades! I'm so glad to see you're alright. I was worried." he said gently before letting him go and holding him at arm's length to look at him. "It would seem we will need to put a minor delay on your training. Just until a cure is found for uh...my condition," he said a little awkwardly, feeling bad that he was having to delay his training once again. He glanced at Adrien a little nervously before looking back at Hades. "But listen, I'll be fine. Alright? I'll be staying here for a little while until we figure this out but that doesn't mean that you have to stay here. Go and spend some time with your boyfriend." he suggested, also feeling bad that he'd dragged Hades away from Storm. After his fever dream, he'd found himself regretting not having spent as much time with his wife as he could've before her death. He didn't want to be the reason for Hades to do the same. "Just make sure you come and visit now and then." he smiled at him reassuringly. Meanwhile, Bob walked right past them all and made a beeline for a skeleton that was hanging in the room as an anatomical display. There he placed a hand on the wall behind it while standing next to it. "Why hello there beautiful! What's your name?" he took its hand and lifted it to his mouth (teeth?) where a small 'kiss' noise could be heard. "I don't think that one is reanimated, Bob..." Lilly pointed out. Bob dropped the hand and stepped away from the display, wiping his hands on his jacket as if he just touched something dirty. "Ugh! Tease! I wasn't into her anyway..." --- Natali tried her best to keep still but the process of growing new eyes was both painful and uncomfortable. She groaned and whimpered, flinching every now and then as the pain shot through her head. When it was done, she sat up and looked at the Angel uncertainly. "Th-thank you," she said in a half-whisper. Her entire body trembling. Janik sat on one of the beds nearby and stared at the wall, brooding. Tristan couldn't take his eyes off the Angel agent. Once again reminded that his immortality was just as fragile as any human's and that there was something waiting for him after his death...most likely Hell. The realization launching him into a deep existential crisis. --- The Warrior guiding Jean stopped to let Jean vent then suddenly pressed him gently but firmly against the wall. "Listen to me, newborn," he said seriously and in a hushed tone. "Enough of the self-pity! You know full well that what happened was the fault of those miserable whelps in our King's clutches. They will get the punishment they deserve. We must believe that. For now, we must find the strength in ourselves to move forward. Hannes will need you. Especially now that he is vulnerable, do you understand? There are two new Guard positions to fill but Warriors wanting to increase their chances of being voted the next Guard might find ways to ensure he dies of his wounds before he can heal to open up a third position. So, for his sake, pull yourself together!" he let him go and took a step back. "Come now, newborn. Quickly." --- "I think I'll join you." Sebastian smiled. "I have to admit though, I kind of missed all of this action. Maybe I just think that because we managed to get a decent amount of rest, though?" he chuckled. --- Niko watched him for a moment before glancing at the door. He sighed and knelt by Ben, placing a hand on his shoulder. "If that was true, she would have left completely instead of just running to the bathroom. Besides... you were not nearly as bad as I was to-...my ex..." He stood and took a step back from him while looking away with a sorrowful expression. "I didn't realize the error of my ways until it was much too late...but you still have a chance to make things right." he gestured to the door once more. "I'll give you both some privacy for now. I'll come back to talk to you both later." he turned and walked towards the door then stopped and looked back at him. "My name is Niko, by the way. Niko Bernbaum." --- "Not if I do my job right!" Desi chuckled. He tilted his head towards her and gave her a small smile. "Thank you...for giving me this chance. I promise I won't let you down." Denix Vames - September 11, 2021 The agent wrote down the details. He nodded. "I'll be back." He left. Hades frowned. He clutched his arm when he saw the cut. "No...." Tears dripped down his cheeks. "I can't leave you like this. I have to help." Adrian nodded at Bob. "I probably have a better of finding him a date than finding a cure for that mystery illness. Sorry sir but last I checked, ADIEU never involved themselves with the idea of dimensions and their diseases." He turned away. "I'm sorry. I wish I could help." --- The angel agent nodded before disappearing. X appeared with a pile of three suits. "We have bathrooms in this facility. You can change in them. I'll take you guys there." -- Jean caught up to him. "Then teach me! I want to become a Warrior. I want to protect Hannes and my friends here. I don't want to be stepped on anymore." --- Carter smirked. "I think I get what you're saying." Once inside, he placed his clothes back in the closet. "Sebastian? Can I ask you something?" He frowned and hesitantly said, "I still miss the idea of having someone to love and look out for, ya know? I want....I want to adopt again." He looked at him. "But with you." --- Ben looked at him. "Ben Collins." When Niko would leave, Ben would get up. He walked over to the door. that Jessica was behind. "Jessica? I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said. This is all just new to me. I don't know how to deal with any of this. But I shouldn't take it out on you. You don't deserve what I did to you. If you don't want to be with me then I wouldn't blame you." He took a deep breath. "I love you Jess." --- "After what I saw today, I'm sure you won't." Blaire nodded. "How about we have some drinks after this? Take a break and talk?" shadowess - September 12, 2021 David smiled at Hades kindly. "It's ok, Hades." an idea then struck him and he looked over at Ricky. "Actually, there might be something you can do," he said to Hades. "Ricky was my assistant for a short time in my library. He has a good idea of how the building is laid out. Perhaps the two of you could go there and search for something that might help me?" he suggested. "I'd recommend looking for books about rare curses and diseases." "I thought doctors were supposed to be brave and inquisitive?" Lilly challenged Adrian with a stern look. Hand on her hip. "But all I see before me is a coward who has given up his pursuit of knowledge." "Oh, snap!" Bob exclaimed and snapped his fingers three times. A male nurse, named Simon, who had been assigned to be Adrien's 'assistant' had come in with him and now looked at Adrian with disappointment. "Oh, come off it! ADIEU might only have been conducting those horrid tests to develop weapons against the supernatural, but even you can't deny that at their core they were doing what any other scientific group was doing. Learning everything they could about 'the unknown'! You were kept alive and brought here because, in all of your years of working for them, you developed the skills needed to deal with exactly this kind of situation!" --- Janik got up. As did Natali. They all moved to follow X. Janik barged past his sister and roughly knocked her shoulder before turning his head to glare at her for a moment, then continued to follow X. He blamed everything on her and hated her deeply for it. None of them spoke a word. Each dealing with their situation in their own way. An Agent approached X as they were walking. He glanced at the three vampires briefly before talking in a hushed voice to X. "Sir, I've been instructed to make you aware of temporary changes to the wolves' accommodations. It's getting close to another full moon and they were all getting...well..." he blushed a little but pressed on. "We've had to split the males up from the females until we can talk to them about contraception. The children are with the women for now. Some understand our reasoning but a few of the males are getting a little...pent up and aggressive. They don't understand how unplanned children might cause problems. We have a team with them currently, trying to educate them. We thought you should be updated as you helped with their rescue mission." --- The Warrior glanced at Jean as they walked towards the hall and he nodded. "It's a noble role but it is not an easy one. Be sure you're certain of your decision. I'll let my superiors know of your interest and see what I can do." he said as they reached the door to the hall and he placed his hand on the handle. "My name is Egon," he said, pushing the handle down and opening the door. When they'd step into the hall, they'd see Hannes now sitting in a chair, looking tired but healed more than he had been earlier. His hair had started to grow back and was currently very short. He looked up and smiled at Jean, glad to see he was safe. "Jean!" Egon walked over and bowed his head briefly. "Sir, I've been instructed to guide you and Jean back to your home." Hannes nodded. "Thank you. I'll be glad to rest somewhere more comfortable than here. I'll need help walking. I still feel very weak." --- Sebastian looked up at Carter curiously while unfolding one of his shirts from the suitcase. He listened to him speak then his eyes widened and he froze with the shirt still in his hands. "U-um-!" he stammered, taken aback. He looked down at the suitcase in thought. "I-I don't know. I never really thought about becoming a father before," he admitted. "I don't know if I'd be any good at it. What if I mess up and the kid grows up wrong?" --- Niko nodded before leaving the room and heading back to his own where he sat on the bed and closed his eyes, taking some deep breaths to calm himself down. Jessica was sobbing into her hands when she heard Ben at the door. She hesitated. She loved Ben and wanted to run out and wrap her arms around him but she was still very angry at him for making her feel like everything that had happened was somehow her fault. Then he said about her not wanting to be with him before telling her he loved her and she looked at the door tearfully. Slowly, she unlocked the door and opened it to look at Ben. "I love you too," she said quietly while looking at him with a small frown, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I don't want to leave you." She sniffled and hid her face in her hands, crying. "You made me so angry...I could feel it growing in me...I felt so close to losing control, Ben! I was so scared I would hurt you if you didn't stop!" --- Desi looked up at Blaire and smiled. "That would be lovely." he nodded.

Denix Vames - September 9, 2021 "Probably not. Maybe he's just busy organizing his library?" ,said Ricky who held his hand. Ready to go with him. --- Overwhelmed and raged by the story, X grabbed her and threw her against the wall. He ripped her eyes out. Letting her suffer. "You all disgust me! All of you!" He knelt. Facing her. "However, she is by far the worst. The three of you will be my new servants. Obviously, you won't be allowed to stay in this castle any longer but I have a facility that you can work for me in. You will have to wear chains just to make sure none of you attempt to escape." --- Carter sighed. "Alright. I believe you. I can tell that you're being honest. But if I catch even a glance of you doing something suspicious, I will kill you." Denix Vames - September 10, 2021 (i completely forgot to reply to Jean and Hannes's scene. ill do that right now) Jean held a sad smile. "Oh Hannes." He laid next to him. Placing a hand over his chest as he leaned his head against his. "My brave knight." shadowess - September 10, 2021 (No worries, I'll reply after work. Also, just remembered that Adrien would still be at the facility. The scientist from ADIEU that changed Leo and was later taken out of Hell before Oscar could tear him to shreds lol Maybe we could do something with him? Especially with David's new illness & visitors from another dimension now being in the facility. Maybe he'd be interested in working with/on them?) Denix Vames - September 10, 2021 (maybe. that would be very interesting) shadowess - September 10, 2021 "He does love his books." Rickster chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Alright then, let's go." he kissed Ricky's cheek before teleporting them to David's locations where they immediately had to raise their hands as they quickly found security guards pointing guns at them. "We're unarmed!" Rickster called to them hurriedly. "We're friends of David!" Meanwhile, David had woken up in a coughing fit. Seeming to struggle to catch his breath, even with the oxygen mask on. His skin had turned pale and he was still sweating from his fever. In the next room, bored out of his mind, Bob had walked over to a still unconscious Hades where he stared at him curiously. "Who's this guy?" he asked and Lilly shrugged. "How should I know? We've only been here for about an hour...he was with the other guy. Helped get rid of the wraith...by the way, I wouldn't stare at him so closely." "Why?" "If he wakes up to see you in his face, he might freak out." Bob stood straight and turned to Lilly, placing a boney hand on his chest and pretending to be shocked by making a small audible gasp. "Are you calling me ugly?!" "Well, I mean...technically..." "How rude!" "Oh, shut up you stupid bag of bones!" "Sourpuss." --- Hannes lifted his hand shakily and caressed Jean's cheek. "My...sweet man, ...I'd do...anything...to keep you...safe." He frowned, his tears stinging his burned cheeks as they slid down. "I'm sorry... I couldn't save... you sooner... That I... didn't wake up... in time to... stop them... from taking you." He stopped to catch his breath a little from the effort of simply speaking. "I think... they put something... in the bottle... Janik gave us..." he speculated. "We...got so drunk... so fast..." Natali gasped when X grabbed her and threw her against the wall. Her hairpin that she'd been using to try to pick the lock, fell from her hand and clattered on the stone floor. She only had enough time to say the words "Please, don't-!" before her eyes were torn from their sockets and she was left screaming in agony. She put her hands over her eyes, feeling her hot blood pouring out of her skull as she writhed violently before falling to the floor. Her screams becoming mixed with loud sobs as she continued to roll a bit and writhe from the pain. Her screams eventually died down into loud groans as she continued to sob, unable to see anything anymore. Tristan and Janik had both looked up to watch it all unfold with looks of utter shock and terror. Natali had jumped and shivered when X spoke again and all three of them became filled with dread and uncertainty as they were told they would all now have to serve X in an unfamiliar place. None of them spoke at this point. All three of them knew they had been defeated and wouldn't stand a chance against X. Particularly not right now. The two warriors in the dungeon, who had watched all of this unfold, looked at each other before one stepped forward and knelt with his head bowed low. "Sire, we will inform the castle of their dishonor at once. Is there anything else that you require from us?" --- Desi raised his hands. "I'll be sure to do nothing to earn your distrust. You have my word." "Well, this turned into an eventful day...We haven't even had time to unpack!" Sebastian smiled at Carter. --- Niko paced in his room. Gathering his courage. He needed to face her sooner or later. He wondered if she hated him for what he did to her. If her partner hated him. But he made an oath and he was intent on keeping it! With a big sigh, he left his room and walked over to Jessica and Ben's room. He hesitated before knocking on the door gingerly. Denix Vames - September 10, 2021 An agent walked over. "X did inform us about the changes in Hell. You two must be the ones who are going through the program. Well, it's unfortunate for me to tell you that David is sick. He got some strange illness from a creature that isn't from our world. A different dimension apparently." Ricky's eyes widened. "What?! Monsters can just show up out of nowhere like that?" He shook his head. "C-Can we see David?" "I wouldn't recommend it. He's under careful watch and our doctors are doing everything they can to help him." Hades slowly opened his eyes. He looked at Bob. "Hmm...Never seen someone like you before." He sat up. "Honestly, I like it. You could be Storm's poster boy. He's got a rock band." The doctor summoned an angel agent who placed their hand on David's chest. Hoping to heal his sickness. --- "Janik?!" Jean grit his teeth. His eyes held a fury of anger. He clenched his fists. "That monster! I'll kill him! I will!" He zoomed to the scent of Janik. Entering the cells. X turned to him. "Let me kill him! That bastard doesn't deserve to live! He hurt Hannes!" He frowned. Holding back tears, he sighed. "Look at what I've done. Making it seem like doing this is natural. That it is ok." He turned to the prisoners. "Guards....I want there to be a trial. I want everyone to vote on what should happen to these three. Please let them all know this. And help Jean and Hannes back to their home." --- "Speaking of which, we really should." ,said Carter. He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "Uh mind taking us back? Our car was kind of there." --- Ben had been smoking and drinking. He was drunk enough that he realized how much he wished he wasn't in this situation. He was so pissed off that he shouted at her. Blaming her for what was going on right now. He even threw a half empty bottle past her. It broke against the wall. "Why does something always have to happen to you?! Why can't you just stay home?!" shadowess - September 10, 2021 Rickster's eyes widened at the news and frowned when they were told they couldn't see him. He ran a hand through his hair and thought for a moment. "Is there anything that we can do to help?" he asked. Lilly rolled her eyes at Hades. "Oh, don't give him attention, it'll go right to his head!" she groaned. "A band, huh? I heard of Jazz bands, but I ain't never heard of a 'rock' band before." Bob said, turning to face Hades. "You'd really want me on a poster?" he asked, looking at himself in a mirror across the room. He turned his skull this way and that with a couple of fingers on his chin. "Alright, but make sure you get my good side! I want ladies to fall head over heels for me!" Unfortunately, the Angel's attempts did little more than ease his pain slightly. With a high temperature and lack of oxygen, David began to relive old memories in brief fever dreams. He walked into his kitchen when he'd been alive and saw a heavily pregnant woman with short, black hair. She was cleaning dishes at the sink. "Jayla..." he muttered in his sleep, while in his dream he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her cheek and felt her belly lovingly. She turned to him and for a second, her face changed to Patience's face and then back to Jayla's. The dream shifted. He was holding a small bundle in his arms while facing an open grave. A wooden casket was being lowered into the ground. The tombstone read 'Jayla. Loving wife and mother." On the hospital bed, tears slid down David's cheeks. --- Janik looked up guiltily at Jean when he entered the dungeon with murderous intent. When X spoke, both Janik and Tristan looked at him, unsure of how to feel about his change of mind. Natali was in too much pain to pay any attention. At least they'd known they'd still live when X had told them what he'd planned for them but now? They knew they were really doomed. No vampire here would simply let the three of them walk away for everything they'd done. There would hardly be a trial at all and all three of them knew it. They'd be sentenced to death and tied outside to await the sunrise. Janik had placed his hands over his mouth and leaned against the wall at this realization. Tristan looked at X pleadingly. "Please! They'll kill us!" he begged him. He crawled over to X and gripped his pant leg desperately. "Please! Have mercy!" The warrior stood and nodded. "Yes, sire," he said simply before leaving the dungeon. The other Warrior walked over to Jean. "I'll escort you and Hannes home." --- "Oh! Of course!" Desi's cheeks turned a little red. Having forgotten that he'd teleported them there. He turned to Blaire. "I'll come back right after to help you clean up if you'd like," he said before holding his hands out for Carter and Sebastian to take. --- Jessica didn't understand what had happened. One minute Ben was loving and protective, then he'd had a few drinks and was suddenly lashing out at her. She didn't hear the knock on their door as Ben yelled at her. She flinched as the bottle flew past her and jumped as it smashed against the wall behind her. Tears stinging her eyes as she looked at him angrily. "You think I wanted any of this to happen?! This isn't my fault!" she shouted back. Niko paused, listening in on the argument. His heart beating a little harder and he felt himself growing angry but he remained quiet for now, simply listening to make sure she would be alright. "Why are you doing this?! You said you'd protect me!" Jessica continued. Denix Vames - September 10, 2021 "I'm honestly not sure. We've never dealt with this before. Do you know how to heal?" ,asked the agent. "I'll take us to the band but first I have to see David." Hades looked around. "Where is he?" The angel agent frowned. He wondered if by killing him, would the illness leave? He took a deep breath before using a knife to stab his heart. --- "There's a program that Hell has where bad people are taught to become good. That what they did in the past was wrong. Are you willing to see the errors in your ways? To do some good for this world and its people?" He looked at them. "All of you?" "What?! Are you kidding me?! They deserve to die!" Jean was about to run over to the cell when he suddenly got held back by a guard. He struggled. "Let me go! I need to punish them!" Tears burst from his eyes. "They hurt him! They nearly killed Hannes! You bastards!" --- "Would love the help." ,said Blaire. Carter and Sebastian walked to their car. "Thanks for the lift. Guess we'll be seeing you sometimes." --- "Well, I didn't know how bad things would get!" Ben threw a vase on the floor. Breaking it. "I'm supposed to just do cop work! That's it! None of this!" He grabbed her wrist. Squeezing. "This is because of you!" shadowess - September 11, 2021 "No, but I know a few spells and seals that might help. I once made pendants that acted as shields." Rickster said thoughtfully. "Myself and my minions used to wear them." Bob turned his head to look at Lilly who sighed. "He got scratched by the Pestilence Wraith. He is deathly ill as a result. Your doctors here are trying to make him well...but our doctors could never find a cure." she explained somberly. She then gave him a puzzled look. "He said he was already dead. Is he like Bob, then? A reanimated corpse? If so, the wraith's scratch should not have had any effect..." "I don't think he's the same as me," Bob said, turning his head to look in the direction of the room David had gone to. "He looks very 'alive' for something that should be rotting." By now, it would be clear that although Bob was a walking skeleton, neither of them had seen or heard of life after death. In Bob's case, he simply couldn't remember his death...or his life for that matter. By the time Lilly had accidentally granted his bones life, he had already been buried for several decades. David let out one last gasp as the knife sank into his chest. He lifted his hand and gripped the Angel's hand around the knife's handle and gave him a calm look before pushing the knife in further. Blood oozed out of his mouth and his head fell back against the pillow. His hand dropped to the side of the bed and his eyes became unfocused. A minute or two later, David popped back into the room with the Angel, straightening out his suit. "Much better." he sighed. "That was awful! If I'd been mortal, I wouldn't have stood a chance!" He looked at the Angel with a smile. "Thank you for your quick thinking. I dread to think how much longer I would've had to endure-" he paused and blinked, looking down at the ground in thought for a moment. "Huh... I'm so sorry to do this in front of you, but-" he took off his jacket and quickly unbuttoned his long-sleeved shirt. Taking it off, he looked at his arm and his heart sank. "Ah...I fear we may have a problem..." he said, trying his best to stay calm as he looked at the scratch that had just reappeared. "I fear killing me might only reset my condition. We'll need to find a cure. Do you have any scientists in the building?" he asked, trying hard not to think about the perpetual cycle of illness and death that this one scratch was now going to cause him. --- Janik and Tristan gave X a horrified look. They barely heard his explanation about the programme. All they really clung to was that they'd be killed and sent to Hell. All three of them had never died before, so it was only natural to them that they would fight to try to stay alive. It was the most basic instinct of all living creatures. Tristan let go of X's leg slowly while looking up at him fearfully. "I-I don't want to die!" he sobbed before getting up and throwing himself against the bars, yanking on them while sobbing and screaming. He knew there was no way out. This was simply a way to vent his anguish and his general feeling of being trapped. Natali was still crying and groaning on the floor, though her sobs were a lot quieter now. Still in too much pain to focus on anything else. Janik's eyes darted to Jean during his outburst and they widened when he heard that Hannes had almost died. "N-no!" he gasped, recalling Hannes leaving the castle as the sun was rising, despite the warnings. "No! Hannes! I never intended-! Oh, God!" he wept, feeling awful. Trying to imagine the kind of pain that Hannes must have endured. He supposed it wouldn't be long until he found out. He fell to his knees and sobbed into his hands. "I didn't mean for him to get hurt! I didn't want anyone to get hurt! I'm so sorry!" He looked up and wiped his eyes suddenly, getting to his feet to look at X. "Let him kill me." he said, trying to sound resolute and mask the fear in his tone. "I did this to them. I slipped drugs into their drinks and allowed Tristan to kidnap him. Let me bear the brunt of this responsibility. Give me one last chance to right this wrong." --- Desi smiled and nodded at Blaire before teleporting Carter and Sebastian back to their car. "No problem. I guess you will..." he thought for a moment and recalled one more person who might immediately think he's up to no good if he ever saw him again. "Oh and, if you see him, would you mind letting Vincent know that I've changed as well? I'll be happy to apologize to him in person if he wants. For now, though, take care of yourselves." he waved at them before teleporting back to the bar to help Blaire. Sebastian sighed and got into the passenger side of the car. "So, what do you think? Think he'll stick to being 'good'?" --- Jessica jumped again and flinched when he threw the vase and it broke on the floor. When he gripped her wrist, she winced and looked at him with hurt eyes for a moment before staring at him with a mixture of fear and anger. She could feel a deep fury beginning to bubble up. It was a strong urge to fight back that she desperately tried to repress. She knew she was now far stronger than he was and that lashing out at him might end up seriously injuring him or worse. As angry as she was, she was terrified of hurting him. This gave her an awful sense of powerlessness as he vented his frustrations onto her. "Ben!" she gasped in a warning tone. "Stop it! Please! Let go!" Alarmed by Jessica's words, he kicked down the door and bolted into the room. He put himself between them and shoved Ben away from Jessica gently but firmly. "Do not harm her!" he barked at him. "You!" Jessica gasped, looking at Niko. She then turned her gaze to Ben and gave him that hurt look again. "I'm sorry for being such a fucking burden to you!" she said sourly, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Maybe you should've just left me on that roof!" she cried and ran into the en suite, locking the door behind her. Leaning against the wall and sobbing into her hands. Niko remained in the room with Ben, glaring at him. "Take my word for it," he said after a minute, his voice tinged with anger but he tried to keep himself calm. "Don't hurt the person who loves you. Never take your anger out on them. Or you'll lose them forever. You will end up a lonely, angry man for the rest of your life." Denix Vames - September 11, 2021 "I'll take you to him." ,said the agent who guided them to where David was. The angel agent frowned. "Of all things to be real, why did one of them had to be this?" Hades hugged his knees. He looked down. "This is my fault. I put myself in the Wraith's grasp. I saved you, Lily, but I also gave that monster an opportunity to hurt someone else. It seems like my father was right. I'm doomed to hurt people anyway." --- X thought for a moment. "No. I don't think Hannes would want that. Neither would Jean. Deep down, he knows he's not ready to kill anyone. He's only overwhelmed with emotions. Look, how about the three of you start working for me as my assistants at the facility that I work at? No chains. Just suits." He looked at Natali. "And I'll replace those eyes too." Jean, defeated, nearly collapsed to his knees as he sobbed. Letting the guard guide him to his home. --- Carter nodded. "Sure thing." He got in the car and sighed. "I don't know. Maybe? I mean, our friends didn't exactly use to be girl scouts." --- Ben glared at first but then stared at him. Listening. A few tears fell. "It's you. She told me that you did this to her. Is that true?" --- Blaire and Desi were cleaning up the place. Picking up any broken pieces of glasses or bottles, setting up stools and chairs, and sanitizing furniture. "So, what's the big story on you? I thought Carter was going to rip your heart out there for a second." She cringed. "Sorry. Bad joke."

Denix Vames - September 8, 2021 (they're back at the castle. i thought there was only one meeting room there? you know that one scene we did where X was talking to everybody) shadowess - September 8, 2021 Desi looked between Carter and Sebastian desperately. "It's not! I-I haven't even seen Bryce in months!" he blurted out. 'Why the hell did I bring him up? Now I really look like I'm hiding something!' he thought, feeling himself cringe inwardly at his own nervousness. But to be fair, Carter had been terrifying the last time he'd seen him. Which was exactly the kind of thing Donnie would never expect...he hoped. He shook his head and tried to blurt out why he was here. "Blaire! The club! Get out of the car and I'll teleport you! It's not a trick I swear!" Sebastian was skeptical. "The last time we saw you, you tried to get Carter to fall in love with that psycho! Now you pop up out of the blue and expect us to just trust you?" "Yes!" Desi answered quickly, feeling like he didn't have time to explain everything. Donnie wasn't one for hanging around for longer than was necessary. --- David lay on the bed and within minutes of the oxygen mask being placed on him, he passed out. His temperature had risen, giving him a fever. His breathing became more labored. The scratch on his arm had turned bright red and began to ooze with a yellow puss as though it had gotten infected. --- Alex moaned, running his hands up both of Gary's thighs. He grinned and took hold of the belt, lightly pulling it to make Gary bend down to kiss him. "You know how to drive me wild!" he breathed excitedly before slipping his tongue into his mouth and feeling his backside with his free hand. --- Rickster stayed there for a few minutes, thinking things through. Suddenly, he got to his feet and began pacing with an angry look on his face. "No! I will not be this weak, helpless man! I need to do something! I can't just sit here waiting for something to happen!" he raved, running a hand through his hair. "There must be something I can do! I can transform! I can cast spells! I am Rickster the Trickster, dammit! I was feared! I was fierce! I had connections! I had minions!" he snapped his fingers. "My minions! They're in Hell! I wonder if they managed to get onto the programme! I could have my little army once again! My spy and my brute!" --- Hannes could barely keep himself awake. He could feel himself slipping, his heart slowing. He could've sworn he saw a stranger in the room with them. Unseen by all but him, it would seem. Dark wings, a black book in their hand, and a sad smile on their face. Hannes clung to Jean fearfully and groaned, not feeling ready to leave him. Not like this. Not when he just got him back! He smelled blood and as soon as it touched his lips he knew it would save him. At least for now. Though X's blood would buy him a little extra time, Hannes's name had already been written in the book of death. Shaking and desperate, he drank from the cup and looked up tearfully at Jean before looking back at the winged figure, only to find they'd left. Relieved, convinced he'd been saved, he clung to Jean and wept between groans of pain. His body was still badly burned but now beginning to heal itself, very slowly. Tristan had just started to come around when X grabbed him and teleported him into the castle. Face still badly swollen and bruised from the beating Hannes had given him, he could just barely open his eyes and see X. Having not been around during X's visit and Niko's trial, Tristan had never met X. Nor did he believe in the fabled 'Blood God'. He'd assumed the stories he'd heard had all been exaggerations. Though his eyes were so swollen, they still managed to widen as much as he could make them when he saw X's wings sprout. Suddenly all of his beliefs were called into question. Then he saw the fangs and knew he was in a lot of trouble. He gasped and let out gargled screams as X continued to beat him, adding more damage to injuries he'd already received. Bones broken, he could do nothing to defend himself. Jaw broken, he couldn't even beg for his life. The most he could do was groan and sob pitifully. Terrified that X would kill him or worse, hot liquid ran down his legs and formed a puddle underneath him. He shut his eyes out of humiliation, unable to stop it from happening. 'Oh, God! It's real! He's real! Oh, God! Oh, fuck! Don't kill me! Please don't kill me!' his panicked thoughts went around and around in his head. A crowd of vampires had gathered to see what the commotion was. They watched silently as X beat Tristan. Natali had only just received word that her brother had been involved in this and had been on her way to the dungeons to speak to him when she came across this scene. Hands over her mouth, she watched it unfold, shaking as she worried that Janik would reveal all their secrets and take her down with him. Silently, she slipped through past the scene, hiding behind the crowd as she hurried to the dungeons to confront her brother. "Leave us!" she growled, waving dismissively at the guards who left the dungeon immediately. She hurried over to his cell and scowled at him through the bars. "You stupid fucking idiot!" she snapped at him in German. "Do you know what you've done?! You've brought the King's wrath upon yourself and Tristan!" Still a little drunk, Janik sat up and stared at her fearfully. "What?" "Why did you have to go and fuck everything up?!" she continued to rave. "After everything, I did for you! After every risk I took! You threw it all away you fucking moron!" "N-no! H-he bribed me!" Janik tried desperately. "H-he knew about...about what we did..." "Of course he knew! Who do you think got rid of the creature we created?!" Natali tried to keep her voice down but she struggled with her anger and panic. "Did he bribe you to force yourself onto Hannes?!" she shook her head. "You were so close! You just had to be patient for just a little while longer! Now you're fucked and I'm telling you now, you'd better not even think about trying to take me down with you! Do you understand? This was all you and Tristan!" Janik stared at his sister in disbelief. Feeling like he was being abandoned. "You're not going to help me?" "Help you?! How can I possibly help you?! The King knows what you did! He knows of your guilt! Janik, you are fucked! But you'd better be a good brother and keep your mouth shut if you won't even make it to your trial!" she threatened. Despite the threat, Janik smiled knowingly. "...You're scared...because you know you can't stop me." "Shut up! I can absolutely stop you!" "No..." Janik stood and leaned against the wall behind him. "This little empire that you so carefully plotted to take over is on the brink of ruins...it's destiny in my hands...and you're scared." he leaned forward a little, giving her a satisfied smirk. "So, if I were you, dear sister, I'd find a way to get me out of here. Tell them I was framed. Brainwashed. Whatever works to save my life. Do what you do best, you manipulative bitch, or I'll reveal every last sordid little secret!" Natali glared at him for a minute before huffing in defeat. "Bastard!" Janik then grinned as he watched his sister storm out of the dungeons. --- Donnie was taken aback and stood away from the bar as Blaire walked around. For a moment, he seemed confused but then he gave her an amused grin and began to chuckle darkly. "My, oh, my!" he laughed and clapped his hands slowly as the vampires surrounded them. "It would appear my reputation does indeed proceed me! I suppose Hades needed to get his spunk from somewhere!" he glanced around the room at the vampires. "Too bad he didn't tell you just how much of a bad idea it is to try and fight me," he said darkly, his eyes turning red as he turned back to grin evilly at Blaire. He snapped his fingers and began chanting a few words. The vampires around them gripped their heads and let out cries. Just like he'd done with Desi when the group had attempted to fight him in his house, he took control of them all and had them stand by idly while he'd deal with Blaire personally. "There now. That seems fairer, don't you think?" he said, apparently amused. "Now, what to do with you, hm? Should I leave you paralyzed for the rest of your life?" he took a step towards her threateningly. If she'd swing her bat at him, he was fully prepared to catch it and yank it out of her grip. "Blind you?" he took another step. "Or should I have my new friends here pin you down so I can give Hades a surprise little brother or sister?" his grin became more twisted, the ideas filling him with excitement. Denix Vames - September 8, 2021 Carter read his face for a moment before sighing. "Fine! But you better be telling the truth or else." He got out of the car. Once Sebastian and him were close enough to Desi, they were ready to go. --- The doctor did his best to clean up the wound and bandaged it. He place a small cold wet towel over his forehead. --- Gary moaned into the passionate kisses. His nails became slightly sharp. Digging into the fabric of his shirt. --- Ricky stood. "But how do you even know that they decided to join the program? I mean, did you ever saw them when you were in Hell?" --- Jean leaned his head against his. Sobbing over him. "Oh Hannes....I'm so sorry. I never realized that he was interested me. I wished I had known. I'm such a terrible cop. I could never do my job right. And now I'm not even a good boyfriend." X ripped a chunk of his throat out with his own fangs before letting him drop. He appeared in front of Janik. Blood dripping from his mouth as he glared. "You! You don't even deserve a trial!" His eyes widened as he read his mind. "Natali was here! Tell me everything that the two of you have kept secret! Now!" He appeared in the cell. "And if I find out that you're attempting to lie to me then I will kill you. I already know what's in your head. I just want to make sure that you're being honest with me as well." "First...." He snapped his fingers. "Guards! Get Natali for me! She's a suspect in this investigation as well. And do not keep me waiting." --- Blaire swung the bat. She gasped when he caught it. She grit her teeth and clenched her fists. Ready to fight. "You bastard! No one gets to mind control my customers! And don't you even dare say my son's name!" When Carter, Sebastian, and Desi appeared, Carter immediately saw what was going on. Seeing the stranger in front of me, he made a quick guess that he was the bad guy in this scene. So he grabbed and spun him around before headbutting him. "Whoo! That's what I'm talking about!" ,said Blaire who picked up the fallen bat. She swung at Donnie. Hitting his stomach. Shadowess - September 8, 2021 (Figured we'd leave David for a bit, considering he's passed out.) Alex didn't notice Gary's nails, caught up in the moment as he continued to kiss him passionately. He pulled back a bit then proceeded to kiss his chest before running his tongue over each of his nipples. All while grinding his hips against his and squeezing his backside. --- Rickster slowed to a stop, his enthusiasm deflating a bit. "I-... I don't...and I didn't...I thought I saw one of them in her raven form once but she flew off before I could get close..." he admitted then looked at Ricky uncertainly. "You-...you don't think they blame me...for their deaths, do you?" --- Hannes shook his head, crying as well. "Not...your fault..." he breathed. "H-he didn't...work...alone..." Talking was a little difficult but Hannes mustered the strength, wanting Jean to know that this whole thing had been planned and there had been no way for either of them to know. "J-Janik...h-he let T-Tristan take you...then tried...to-...to..." Hannes swallowed hard, recalling waking up to Janik in the bed. "force himself...on me..." he gave Jean a weak smile. "Kicked....his ass...too." Tristan's eyes widened. He fell to the ground, gagging and choking on the blood that poured from his wound. He looked up at the vampires watching him and reached out a shaking, mangled hand towards them for help. But no help came. Instead, they all gave him a disgusted look before turning their backs to him. Letting him bleed out alone. Tristen knew what this was. One of the few reasons that blood would ever go to waste in the castle. The wound inflicted by a Blood God would cause him to die, which meant he'd been dishonored. If by some divine miracle, he survived this wound, he would be exiled from the castle and disowned by any family that he had here. But he wasn't going to be saved. He was going to die. His blood would be cleaned up by evening and his body thrown out to burn to ashes in the sun. This was his fate now. Beyond that, Tristan had no idea. Janik's face turned pale when he saw X and the blood around his mouth. "Mein Gott!" he gasped, pressing his back against the wall as if he could somehow get further away if he did so. He listened to X and began trembling violently when he appeared inside the cell with him. He dropped to his knees and begged in German. "Please! I'll tell you anything! Please do not dishonor me, my King!" The Warriors had run out of the dungeon at X's orders and just moments later had dragged an angry-looking Natali down into the dungeon. "What is the meaning of this?!" she snapped at the Warriors on their way down the steps. "I am a Guard! Your superior! Unhand me at once!" she demanded then fell silent when she saw X in Janik's cell and Janik looking terrified. Of course, Natali hadn't heard X's warning for honesty so assumed she could still talk her way out of anything. "My King!" she feined pleasant surprise as the Warriors shoved her forward, towards the cell. She glanced at Janik then back at X. "Has my brother angered you, sire?" she tried to play dumb. "If so, I offer you my sincerest apologies. I will be sure to deal with him appropriately." --- "Ooh! Fiesty! I love it when I get to break a spirit!" Donnie chuckled, taking another step towards Blaire. He was then taken by surprise when he felt himself being grabbed and turned around. Before he could get a chance to react or see who it was, Carter had already headbutted him and he hit the ground with a grunt. "What-? Who-?" he blinked back tears from his nose being hit as he tried to see what was going on. He then grunted again when he felt the bat strike his stomach. Quickly grabbing it before Blaire could pull it back, he looked up at her and smiled in an evil and cunning way. Seeing the look he was giving her and noticing that he was connected to her through the bat, Desi guessed what Donnie was about to do. "No!" he shouted and dove at her, grabbing and pulling her away to force her to let go of the bat just as Donnie teleported away. Had he not intervened, he would've taken her with him and it would've been almost impossibly to trace where he'd take her. The second Donnie was gone, the vampires around them all groaned and rubbed their heads. Coming back to their senses. Desi immediately let Blaire go and cleared his throat awkwardly. "Sorry...he's extremely dangerous and once he teleports he's impossible to follow. He was going to attempt to take you with him," he explained then held out his hand for her to shake. "My name is Desi Dimitriadis. I..." he glanced nervously at Carter and Sebastian. "I'm a reformed Incubus...trying to find my place in the world...I was hoping I could apply for the security guard position here...um-..." he reached into his pocket and pulled out the resume that he'd very hurriedly stuffed into his jacket when he'd spotted Donnie. It was crumpled and full of creases now. "Oh...sorry, it-...let me just-..." he tried his best to flatten it out again, starting to sweat from nerves and feeling like he was blowing his chance. Denix Vames - September 8, 2021 (thats fine) Gary slipped his own pants off. He went down on his knees to unbuckle Alex's pants. He kissed where his crotch was before pulling his pants down. --- "I really don't know. I've never met your friends before. I'm sorry. But maybe we could ask David to help us? He could take us to them." ,said Ricky. --- X smiled. "I have a perfect idea for the both of you traitors. In fact, I should bring Tristan for this as well." He appeared with Tristan. He called up one of his agents who was an Angel. Telling him to heal Tristan. Once that was done, the agent would disappear. X grabbed Natali. Appearing in the cell with both of them. "Now..." He knelt. He pointed at Tristan. "I think I'll cut your ears off." He moved his finger to Natali. "And you, your tongue." He looked at Janik. "Your eyes will be taken." He stood. Fixing his tie. "Now, please explain to me the whole story of how you planned for a guard to get killed so that you could become one, Janik. And I know that you're part of this too, Natali." --- Blaire smiled. "No problem man. You already got the job just by saving my ass. You really are a qualified security guard." Carter still glared at him. "I don't believe that for a second! You honestly expect me to believe that you did all this just because you're now nice? You're not expecting anything in return?" shadowess - September 9, 2021 Alex gasped at the kiss and bit his lip as he watched Gary removing his pants. "Show me how much you want the job!" he grinned playfully. (Private time) --- Rickster smiled at Ricky. "This is why I love you!" he announced. "David! Are you around? I need a favor..." But no answer came and David did not appear. "Huh...do you think he's busy?" Rickster asked then seemed thoughtful. "I could always teleport us to him...Do you think he'd mind?" --- Just as Tristan could feel himself drifting out of consciousness, he felt himself being lifted then laid down again. He could barely see, his vision a blur as he stared up at the Angel as they healed him in the dungeon. When he could see more clearly, he realized that he wasn't dead and he was looking right at yet another proof that life after death existed. When the Angel vanished, he sat up and looked at himself. He was covered in blood and stank of urine, but he was alive and completely healed. He shook violently, staring hard at the floor as the shock of it all became overwhelming. He looked up when X knelt and told them which parts of each of them he wanted to cut off. Slowly, shakily, he lifted a hand and placed it over his ear with a look of dread on his face. Janik felt sick at the thought of losing his eyes. But he supposed it would be better than being executed. They would still be exiled from the castle if they survived, there was no doubt about that. Natali was shivering but trying her best to look brave while X instructed Janik to tell them about the murder that they had arranged years ago. She shot Janik an angry look, under the impression that Janik had already said something about it when she hadn't been here. "That is simply not true, sire!" she gasped, pretending to be shocked by what she'd heard and opened her mouth to say more but Janik interrupted her, not wanting to anger their King further by allowing her to continue lying. "It was Natali's idea!" "Janik!" "I was turned down by Hannes but I was desperate for him to see that I wasn't like the other suitors! That I could be respected and handle the kinds of responsibilities that he had!" "Don't listen to him! He's desperate! He'll say anythi-!" "-I wept and told Natali of the rejection and she said the only way he'd see me as an equal is if I became a Guard too!" "Sire, please don't listen to-!" "I didn't realize what she meant until she'd already hired Tristan to commit the murder!" "Bjorn was killed by a Steinheil arrow!" "An arrow YOU acquired and TRISTAN fired!" Janik shouted at his sister. "YOU lured him out with a fake emergency then you had him shot down and blamed the hunters! YOU rigged the election so I would be voted the next guard! Then YOU blackmailed me into keeping it a secret! Told me I'd go down with you because I 'put you up to it' but that WAS BULLSHIT NATALI!" "Janik! You're still drunk, you need to stop talking!" "No! I'm tired! I'm tired of keeping it a secret! Of chasing a dream that will never happen! Of grieving over our son!" "Don't-!" "Oh, what?! You don't want me to bring him up!? Because he never happened, right?! You never got drunk and talked me into sleeping with you by threatening to tell everyone that I killed the guard and that I acted alone?!" tears slid down Janik's cheeks. "You didn't hide yourself in Tristan's cabin outside the castle while you were pregnant with my child?! You didn't have Tristan kill him then bury him in some unmarked grave somewhere in the woods as soon as e was born?! Say it, Natali! You killed our son! Our baby!...My boy..." Janik began to sob, covering his mouth and turning away from Natali as he did. Natali had fallen into a stunned silence. Her face was red and tears stinging the corners of her eyes as she stared dumbfounded at her brother. "Wasn't killed..." Tristan spoke quietly. He'd been hugging himself and staring at the stones on the floor throughout the entire argument. "Died...he was born too early...he died less than an hour after he was born..." Tristan lifted his head and gave Janik a sympathetic look. "He was inbred, Janik. He died because his body was not strong enough to survive." Janik stared at Tristan for a moment in surprise. "But...you told me..." "If you didn't have me to blame, you would have blamed yourself..." Tristan answered hollowly. "You were protecting me?" "No...I was protecting our secret...the murder...the election...if you broke and sank into depression, you could have become a risk to Natali and Me...We were protecting ourselves..." Janik looked between Natali and Tristan in shock for a moment then looked down at the ground, running both of his hands through his hair as he slumped against the wall and slid down it, crumpling into a sobbing mess. Tristan went back to staring at the stones on the floor as well, apparently having given up. Natali, on the other hand, had realized now that their secret was out and her life was truly in danger. While Tristan had been speaking to Janik, she'd inched herself closer and closer to the cell door and tried to quietly and subtly pick the lock, intending on trying to make a run for it. --- At first, Desi was delighted when Blaire told him he'd gotten the job but then he faltered as Carter called his intentions into question. "I'm really not." he tried to assure him. "I know I crossed some lines with you both in the past and I'm sorry. Things have changed. I... I just learned that I have a sister. Not only that, but I also learned that she is pregnant. So, I did some thinking...I took a long, hard look at the life I had been living and decided that things needed to change. I want to be a part of their life...to be there for her family. Please, Carter...Sebastian...please believe me." Sebastian looked between Desi, Carter, and Blaire uncertainly. "I don't know...how do we know you're telling the truth? You could be making this 'sister' up." "I'm not! You know her!" "Oh yeah? Who is it?" Desi hesitated, biting his lip. "Cindy..." he answered then held up his hands. "But I haven't had a chance to talk to her about this yet! I only met her briefly...that Demon that was here had kidnapped her because he wanted to use her as leverage to get something from me. David helped me rescue her and deliver her back to Kite. I-...didn't want to face her until I'd...well...sorted my life out, so to speak."

Denix Vames - September 4, 2021 "Why don't we go celebrate somewhere nice and fancy?" ,said Bern who winked at him. Carter gripped his chin. Looking into his eyes. "It sure as hell is." --- "Actually, we have a better way of transportation." ,said X who touched his arm. They appeared in the surgery room. --- Travis moaned louder. He gripped his back. Digging his nails into him. "M-Ma...lone...!" --- Gary rubbed his crotch as he looked into his eyes. He whispered, "Really badly." --- "Goodbye." ,said Vincent. Ricky drove off. "Do you...Do you want to do something? Just to keep your mind off of things?" --- Jean mumbled as he moved a bit from his touch. Still in a deep sleep. "Hannes...." --- Blaire poured him a whiskey and took his money. She rolled her eyes. "I'm a lesbian." shadowess - September 4, 2021 "Ya mean it?" Mon asked excitedly. Sebastian smiled and bit his lip a little before kissing Carter slowly. --- David went with them, still holding Hades in his arms. As soon as they arrived, Lilly looked at them again just as shocked to see people just appearing. Bob was quiet for a moment then his jaw dropped right off his skull and clattered onto the floor. The doctors and nurses stopped what they were doing to look at the skeleton standing in the room. "Oh, Bob...you're alive...goodie..." Lilly said sarcastically. She didn't seem the least bit bothered that a doctor was currently trying to stitch up her wound. Bob picked his jaw up and clicked it back onto his skull. "Aww, I knew you'd miss me!" he said then looked around at the stares he was getting. "What?" he asked them then looked down at himself and let out another girlish squeal. "Why didn't anyone tell me I was naked?!" he squealed and covered his hip bones with his hands while crossing his legs. Still, a little weirded out, David could barely take his eyes off the skeleton when he walked over to one of the beds and gently lay Hades down. "Hey, so I wouldn't normally ask but considering it came from a creature that's from another dimension, would someone mind taking a look at my arm?" he asked the nurses nearest him and pointed to the tear in his suit. By this point, the wound had become enflamed and turned a little purple. David was beginning to sweat and he was beginning to fail a little faint. --- Malone gasped at hearing his name then moaned loudly when he felt Travis's nails in his back. "Oh, Travis!" he gasped and kissed him deeply. His hands went down to his pants and rubbed him over the fabric a bit before moving to his belt and began to unbuckle it. --- Alex gasped softly and bit his lip with a smile. He leaned in closer to Gary so that his lips were hovering over his. "Prove it," he whispered back. --- Rickster shrugged, still not feeling strong enough to talk yet without breaking down. He rested his elbow on the door and propped his head on his hand. When he finally felt like he could risk talking, he spoke in a broken voice. "Can we just go home?" --- Tristan frowned when Jean said Hannes's name in his sleep. "No, my love. Not Hannes," he whispered as he stood back from the bed and proceeded to undress. "Better." Meanwhile, Janik had been standing over Hannes. A bottle of venomed blood in his hands as he took a large swig. The original plan was to let Hannes think that Jean had just left or 'gone missing' so Janik could be there to comfort him. But Janik had been drinking out of nerves and in his drunken state reasoned that he'd been waiting decades for this moment. To have Hannes all to himself. He simply couldn't wait any longer. Placing the bottle on the bedside table, he climbed into the bed with him and started kissing his neck, his hand slipping under the covers to his hips. Hannes moaned in his sleep and tilted his head back. A smile crept across his lips as he moaned; "Jean..." Sleepily, he lifted a hand to run it through his hair, only to find the hair was shorter than Jean's. Confused, Hannes opened his eyes and looked at Janik. His eyes widened and darted around the room, looking for Jean. When he couldn't find him he pushed Janik off him and shoved him into the wall. "What are you doing?! Where's Jean?!" he demanded in German. Janik immediately began to cry pitifully. "Why don't you love me, Hannes?" he slurred drunkenly. "I love you! I want you! I've always been here for you!" Hannes pulled Janik back then slammed him into the wall again, his anger and panic growing. "Where's. Jean?! What have you done with him?!" "It's ok! He's safe! He'll be happy, too! and then me and you can be happy! We could be so happy, Hannes!" "WHERE'S JEAN?!" Hannes yelled, his panic now being overwhelmed by fury. "He's not here! He's gone, Hannes! He'll be happier away from here! Just let me love you!" Hannes threw Janik to one side and threw on some pants before marching out of his room. He stormed towards the main doors where two Warriors stopped him. "Sir! The sun is coming up! You can't go out now!" one of them warned him. Hannes stood there, staring at the door angrily. He might burn alive before he could get close to finding where Jean was! Janik had run after Hannes and gripped his arm, looking at him imploringly. "Please! Leave him be! You'll die if you chase him and he'll be happier where he is!" The warriors looked between each other before looking back at Hannes and Janik in confusion. "Sirs? What's going on?" one of them asked. Just as the warrior had finished his question, Hannes gripped Janik's hair, causing him to cry out and he threw him to the warrior's feet. "This Guard is to be trialed for abusing his position! Take him to the cells and inform the other Guards. Contact our King as well." "Hannes!" Janik cried as the warriors took his arms. "Hannes, no! I did it for you! I did it for us!" "You'd better pray that I don't make it back!" Hannes growled at him threateningly. "What do you-?" Janik began then his eyes widened as they watched Hannes unlocking and opening the main doors. "HANNES, NO!!" But Hannes didn't listen. He opened the door and stepped out into the hot air outside. He grit his teeth to bear the heat as he tried his best to pick up Jean's scent before taking off at full speed through the forest, ducking into shadows as the sun continued to rise, casting deadly rays of light through the breaks in the trees. --- Donnie raised his glass a little to Blaire. "Apologies if I offended you. It wasn't my intention," he said kindly and gave her a warm smile. Inwardly, however, he didn't really care what she was into. It didn't matter to him. All that mattered to Donnie was hurting Hades as much as possible. He took a sip of the whiskey and put the glass down on the bar. "You know, I have some experience in bartending. I could give you a hand if you want? Seems pretty busy tonight." he offered, hoping to have a good enough excuse to stick around past closing time so he could get her alone. Denix Vames - September 4, 2021 Bern kissed him. "Of course. We could go to the local Italian restaurant." Carter cupped his cheek as he kissed him. He moved his hand to his chest. Getting under his shirt. "We should go home." --- "We'll get you some clothes." ,said X. He led Bob out of the surgery room and to a changing room where he gave him a suit. "You can wear this. We don't have anything less formal unfortunately." A doctor walked over to David. Examining his arm. --- (private time) --- "Oh I will." Gary stood back. He took off his shirt before slowly moving his hips. Brushing his hands over his own chest. Dancing for him. --- "Sure." Ricky soon parked at the mansion. "I can stay with you if you want me to." --- Jean moved his hands. He slowly opened his eyes. He could barely see much but the scents all around him were different. He tried to pull against the fabric. "Hannes....?" He found a different face. "Wh-Where's Hannes?" Tears dripped down his cheeks. --- "First of all, you'd have to apply. And second of all, I don't even know who you are." ,said Blaire. Shadowess - September 7, 2021 (Don't worry, Desi to the rescue xD) "Mangiamo's?!" Mon asked excitedly. "I love that place!" he kissed Bern passionately. "You're so good to me!" Sebastian blushed, unable to tear his eyes away from Carter's. He bit his lip and nodded, turning to face the front and getting ready to go home when an unexpected face appeared in front of their car; Desi! --- "This is perfect!" Bob exclaimed as he eagerly began dressing. "Alls I need now is a top hat!" he strut towards a mirror and admired himself for a moment. "Oh yeah, the ladies are guna love this!" he said excitedly, seeming to forget that he was nothing but a pile of bones in a suit. "This isn't...right..." David breathed, wiping sweat away with the sleeve of his other arm. "Demons my age don't get sick...I don't feel right." Lilly watched David awkwardly for a moment. "Did the wraith do that to you?" she asked after a moment. "Yeah, is that what it's called?" David answered. Lilly nodded. "It's called the Pestilence Wraith... Where I'm from, they bring about disease to all forms of life. Being bitten or scratched by one is a death sentence." "Well, it's a good thing I'm already dead then, isn't it?" David gave her a smile. Lilly didn't smile. Merely nodded with a quiet 'mhmm...' David's smile faltered at this. Did that mean he should be worried? --- Alex watched Gary with a lustful smirk. He bit his lip playfully and reached out a hand to feel the muscles on his abdomen. --- Rickster nodded and got out of the car without a word. He headed into the house and straight for one of the couches, where he sat down heavily with a sigh. When Ricky would sit next to him, he'd cuddle up to him. "Do you think she'll ever forgive me?" he asked quietly. --- Once Janik was secure in one of the cells, the warriors began spreading the word of his betrayal. A few Warriors began praying to X to watch over Hannes and Jean. As well as praying that he delivers justice to both Janik and Tristan for their crimes. "Hush, my love," Tristan spoke softly, climbing onto the bed and running a hand up his thigh. "Forget about Hannes. I'm here for you now. I can make you so happy, you'll see. Once you've had a taste of what I can do, you'll never want to go back to Hannes." he bent over him and kissed Jean's neck slowly. Hannes raced through the forest, darting from shadow to shadow. By now he was covered in the odd, angry-looking burn marks from where the sun had clipped him through the trees as he moved. He paused in the shadow of a large tree to catch his breath and try to catch Jean's scent again. "Hold on, meine geliebte...I'm coming..." he breathed, his heart racing. Tristan moved his kisses up Jean's neck to his mouth, forcing his tongue through his lips. He caressed Jean's chest and hips, apparently content to take his time. Hannes had started running again but ground to a sudden halt when he found the source of Jean's scent. It was coming from a small cabin ahead of him...that was in the middle of a clearing, surrounded and doused in sunlight. He stood at the edge of the clearing, in the shadows and stared at the cabin. Squinting, the light from the sun hurt his eyes. He'd burst into flames before reaching the door. He ran a hand through his hair, trembling. It would only be when he'd hear Jean calling for help that he'd be spurred into throwing his fears aside and begin sprinting across the clearing. "JEAN!" he called then began screaming as he ran, his clothes catching fire and his skin blistering from the flames which engulfed him. Still, he kept running. Bursting through the cabin door and following Jean's cries to the bedroom where he ran in and pulled Tristan off of him while still smoldering. Tristan had no time to react, taken completely by surprise by Hannes's determination to get Jean back. Enraged and in agony, Hannes began beating Tristan savagely. He'd shoved him to the ground and punched him continuously in the head until Tristan's nose & jaw broke and he became unrecognizable from his face becoming swollen and bruised. By this point, Tristan had lost consciousness but Hannes didn't stop. He threw his body into the next room...-through the wall.- then proceeded to stamp on his stomach, arms and legs until he'd broken most of his body. He walked over to a chair and snapped a leg off, getting ready to run the sharp wood through Tristan's heart to finish him off, then paused. "No..." he growled. "Death is too easy for you." he threw the leg to one side, planning on dragging Tristan back to the castle. He hoped X would dishonor him the way Niko had been dishonored. Or worse. But for now, he turned back towards the bedroom and stumbled towards the bed. He untied Jean and helped him up before hugging him tightly, ignoring the searing pain from his burns. "My Jean...are you alright? Did he hurt you?" he wept. The damage from the sun was extensive. Hanne's hair had all but burned off. over 90% of his body was burned and blistered. His clothes, or what was left of them, were burned into his skin. Because of all this trauma, only a moment after asking his question, he collapsed. Struggling to breathe. --- Donnie held up his hands and smirked. "I understand. You have to look out for your business. Don't want to risk hiring some stranger in case you get robbed." he held out a hand for her to shake. "My name is Daniel. I'm not looking for a new job or pay. I'm just offering some help. If it makes you comfortable, you can take the payments and I'll just make the drinks. I'm a dab hand at cocktails." he winked. "C'mon, what's the worst that could happen?" By complete luck, Desi walked into the club. Since throwing the souls out of his harem, he'd been doing a lot of thinking...and a lot of drinking. After some reflection, he finally came to the conclusion that perhaps Cindy had the right idea about things. Maybe there was more to life than drink and sex. Maybe, somewhere on Earth, there was a place for him. Where he could find his place and maybe even some love. At first, he despaired over this revelation because he had no idea where to even begin. Then the realization hit him. It was so simple and obvious! He could simply be here for Cindy, as a 'brother'. He hadn't been to visit Cindy and Kite yet. He wanted to make sure he had a job and somewhere to live before having that awkward conversation. This brings him to this moment, walking into the vampire club with a resume in hand. He'd only met Blaire once, very briefly. He wasn't sure if she was familiar with his involvement with Bryce and the group in the past but he knew this was one of the very few places that were openly accepting of supernatural creatures. So he walked into the club with the intention of applying for the security guard position. He spotted Blaire behind the bar from the door and cleared his throat nervously while gathering his courage to go over and speak to her. It was then that he noticed the man she was talking to and he turned pale. Donnie had no idea that Desi was stood behind him at that moment and Desi looked between him and Blaire for a minute. When he'd catch Blaire's eye, he'd mouth the words; "Don't trust him!" while pointing to Donnie. He then made a motion with his hand as if telling her to stall him then mouthed the words "I'll get help!" before vanishing. He hoped she wouldn't be daft enough to let him catch her on her own. If she did, it might as well all be over for her and the chances of saving her would be slim. He teleported to the first person that came to his mind, appearing in front of Carter's car. He realized the minute that he appeared that the last time they saw each other, Desi had been an enemy that Carter had murdered brutally. Immediately, he held up his hands and spoke quickly. "I need your help!" Denix Vames - September 7, 2021 Bern blushed. He held his hands. "C'mon. Let's go there now. Hopefully, Maria will be there with her beautiful voice." They went into one of the many cars that the Salvo gang had. Carter glared. Gritting his teeth. "This better not be a trick!" --- "I'm sure they will." ,said X. He raised a brow. "Give me a moment. I'm being summoned." He disappeared. "Here. Why don't I take you to a separate room? I'll try to help you as best as I can." ,said the doctor. He guided David to a room where he helped him to the bed. Placing an oxygen mask over him so that he can breath easier. --- Gary sat on his lap. Rubbing himself against him. He slipped his belt. Wrapping it around his own neck and buckling it. "I've got a leash for you to tug baby." --- Ricky gently brushed the back of his head with his hand. He sighed. "I don't know. I really don't." --- "No! Leave me alone! Don't touch me!" ,shouted Jean who struggled. He gasped at the sight of Hannes. Clutching to his burnt clothes when he was free. "Hannes!" He covered his mouth. "Hannes!" X appeared. He grabbed him and Hannes. Teleporting them to the meeting room where he cut his own wrist. Pouring his blood into a cup. "Give this to him." He handed the cup to Jean who did just that. Being careful to delicately tip the drink against Hannes's lips. "Drink this. Please. This will help you." Tears fell from Jean. He was shaking. "Please Hannes! Don't leave me!" X grabbed Tristan. He appeared in a hallway of the castle. His eyes held a piercing anger. His wings sprouted. He threw Tristan about. Hitting him against the walls. "YOU! DO! NOT! TOUCH!" His fangs sprouted. He growled. "How dare you violate someone else's lover?! You bastard!" --- Blaire nodded. She took out the baseball bat from under the bar. "Alright! Listen here bitch! You better get out or else I'll make you get out!" She stormed over to him. With the bartender ready to fight someone who she thought didn't belong, some of the vampires zoomed forward. Ready to back her up. Shadowess - September 8, 2021 (Quick question just to clarify; Which meeting room have Hannes and Jean been taken to? lol)

Denix Vames - September 3, 2021 Salvo seemed surprised by the story. He turned his head to the car door opening. Out came Galiel who stumbled a bit but was able to help himself. He slowly made his way over to Salvo. Tears running down his cheeks. He clinged to him when he got there. Wrapping his arms around his neck. "Please Salvo. You're the first person who's made me feel this special feeling. I don't want to lose you. I...I love you." Salvo could feel his own tears leave him. He placed his hands on his waist as he kissed him slowly. Bern's mouth gaped open as he watched. --- X frowned. "I'm sorry but your friend is dead. However, we were able to put that monster back where it came from." --- Gabriel appeared. He knelt by Hades's side. Placing a hand on his head as he began to heal him. "I don't know's going on but you need to explain the whole story. Even God is afraid." --- Travis moaned into the kisses. He felt himself down there and wondered if he should even try to make love. He moved his lips to his neck. Hoping he was doing his best at kissing him there. --- Gary shook his head. "You wouldn't like the schedule yourself. You'd rarely see me." He thought for a moment. "Maybe I could still work in Fire but as a paramedic? They're not allowed anywhere near the danger until the storm's settled. That's when they can go out there and help the injured." --- Ricky hugged his arm. Hoping to comfort him. Elliot took some steps back as he gently brushed his hand over the back of her head. "It's ok, Elliot. Rickster just wants to tell her something. He isn't here to hurt her or take her away. He's here to let her know the truth about something." ,said Vincent. "And what would that be?" ,asked Elliot who glared. Shadowess - September 3, 2021 Mon clasped his hands over his mouth and could barely contain the wide smile growing across his face as he watched. Sebastian smiled and looked back into the car at Carter in a loving way. "What did I say? Dating agency..." he chuckled. "We should start charging!" he joked. --- The woman's eyes fixed on X as he spoke and she looked at him skeptically. "Dead? Are you certain? He's a bit of an idio- I mean- joker. He sometimes plays dead. Kick him in the ribs. Usually works for me. He's incredibly ticklish..." --- David shook his head while looking at Gabriel worriedly. "I-I don't know. I've never seen anything like...whatever that was," he admitted. "But it's not just that... Gabriel, I think Donnie has managed to get to Patience! I can't sense her and she didn't answer when I called her." David was shaking. He no longer cared about whether or not their love affair got out, he just wanted her to be safe! As David worried over Patience, one of the scientists picked up the skull from the ground and placed it into a body bag with the rest of the bones. He then moved to grab it's rib-cage when a snortle could be heard coming from the bag. The scientist paused and let go of the ribs to look back at the body bag curiously but all he saw was the other bones and the skull. He shook his head, figuring he must be hearing things as he turned back to the rib cage and wrapped his hands around it again. The same noise came from the body bag, followed by; "Easy, buddy! That tickles!" The scientist jumped and whirled around to look at the bag in alarm just in time to see the skull's jaw clacking together as the word "What?" came from it. The scientist, rightfully so, began freaking out. Letting go of the rib cage and pointing to the body bag frantically. "I-It's talking! It talked! The skeleton is talking!!!" David's eyes widened as he looked at the scientist then back at Gabriel. "A lot of firsts today..." --- Surprised by Travis's advances, Malone moaned softly and tilted his head back a little when he felt his kisses and hot breath on his neck. He bit his lip a little and ran one of his hands through Travis's hair while letting out shaky breaths. --- Alex smiled. Relieved that Gary seemed to have found a job role that would fit him perfectly. "That sounds perfect. I just know you'd be great at it!" --- Rickster glanced at Ricky on his arm. He didn't say anything but he did feel some level of comfort just from having him with him. He walked into the house and stayed across the room from Elliot and Neva as Vincent spoke. When Elliot asked his question, Rickster took a deep breath and let it out slowly to calm himself as he watched his daughter crying. The guilt was overwhelming and it made him feel quite sick. He almost resented David for making him go through the programme. Because if he hadn't he might not feel so terrible now. But then again, he'd still be a monster if he hadn't. "The truth about Neva's birth parents... " Rickster said somberly. At the mention of her parents, Neva's cries became quieter as she began to listen in. Though she kept her face hidden in Elliot's chest, too frightened to look at the man who had terrorized her for most of her life. "Neva...is-...she's-..." Rickster stammered nervously then glanced at Ricky once more for support. Looking back at Elliot, he regathered himself and pushed himself to tell them. "I'm her biological father..." he said finally. He then held up his hands and shook his head. "I'm not here to try and take her back or anything... I know she's happier and safer with you two. I just-... She deserves to know..." "Dirty liar!" Neva cried, turning to look at Rickster angrily. "YOU'RE A DIRTY LIAR!" she screamed at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "YOU'RE NOT MY DADDY! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! GO AWAY!!" Denix Vames - September 3, 2021 Carter laughed. "You've got that right." Salvo lifted Galiel off the ground. "C'mon. Let's go inside." He carried him to the front door. "Mon, get the door for me." Once it was opened, he smiled at Sebastian and Carter. "Thank you." He stepped into the house. Taking Galiel to his bedroom. --- X raised a brow. "Wait a minute...." He appeared at the scene. "Bob? Are you really just a skeleton?" Once Hades's wounds were fully healed, Gabriel walked over to Bob. "Well, this is new. Normally, people die when they have no skin or meat on their bodies." --- Travis placed his hands on his waist. He got on his lap. Kissing him passionately. --- "Thanks." Gary nervously scratched the back of his head. "I just don't know how the interview is going to go. The last time I had an interview, I wasn't the greatest at it but somehow I got the job." --- "Shhh It's ok." ,said Elliot. Vincent sighed. "Neva? I think he's telling the truth." Denix Vames - September 4, 2021 (almost forgot about that situation cause of the skeleton lol) Gabriel turned to David. "Sorry. Got distracted. I'll inform the Angelic Authorities about Patience." He disappeared. Shadowess - September 4, 2021 (Lol! It's cool These are the comic relief characters that I mentioned earlier.) Sebastian watched them disappear into the mansion with a smile before climbing back into the car with Carter. "We should get home too," he said while looking at him lovingly and placing a hand on his thigh. "All this love talk has me feeling a little... restless." he winked at him. --- The woman stared at the spot where X had been standing. In shock at having watched him vanish into thin air. David nodded at Gabriel in thanks before getting to his feet with Hades still in his arms. Lifting him as though he weighed nothing. He walked over to stand near X as they looked at Bob curiously. Although Bob didn't have any eyes, he could see around him perfectly. He looked at them all and if he wasn't already grinning by default, he would be from amusement. "Whaaat? You mean to tell me you ain't never seen a walking, talking skeleton before?" Bob answered a little sarcastically. "Shucks, I feel so special!" Within a few seconds, Bob's bones were magically pulled back together in the right order and he stood in front of them, despite having no muscles to support him. "Ta-da!" he sang while giving them jazz hands. His head then snapped in the direction of his left hand and he let out a girlish squeal. "Hey! What's the big deal?! Where's my pinky bones?!" he complained, just now noticing that he was missing the top two bones from his little finger, leaving him with just a stub. He looked at where the portal and once been and his posture sagged in defeat. "Naw! Don't tell me they didn't come through with me! Hey, speaking of missing things..." his skull turned left and right, then swiveled in his spine until he was looking behind him without actually turning the rest of his body around. His skull then swiveled back to look at X and David again. "Hey, I don't suppose you fine fellas have seen a woman come through here? About yay big, light purple hair... permanent scowl..." David merely continued to stare at the skeleton in amazement. "I feel like I just stepped into a cartoon..." he muttered to X. "Is this real? Are we dreaming?" --- Malone moaned a little when he felt Travis's hands on his waist then moaned a little more when he climbed into his lap. Now that he was on his lap, Travis would definitely be able to feel a certain swollen part of him that he'd been trying to hide with the pillow, but he was so lost in the moment. His hands moved to Travis's back to keep him supported as they continued to kiss. --- Alex smiled at him. "You'll ace it!" he said encouragingly. "I can barely remember the interview to get into the police department... but I guess we could do a little research and some role-plays if it'll help?" --- Neva shook her head at them. "No, no, no, no, no!!" she wept before breaking down and turning back to Elliot to hide her face in his chest again, sobbing. Rickster watched her tearfully, knowing that it might take her some time to calm down and accept the truth. In the meantime, all his presence was doing was making her more and more upset. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you and scaring you instead of being there for you when you needed someone," he said ashamedly while looking at the ground. "I'm sorry for almost killing you and then leaving you for dead when you hurt your head..." he looked up at Elliot and Vincent. "I should go. I've upset her enough...and she needs comfort from people who love her." he turned to leave then paused. "There was another reason that I came... Donnie has sworn revenge against me, David, Hades, Desi, and X. He said he'd come after people we love so if he ever figured out that Neva is mine and thought that it might get to me to hurt her..." he trailed off, looking between them grimly. "Don't let your guards down. He's smart...and he's strong. He's worse than I ever was. I'll help if you need me, but if you'd prefer that I stay away then that's fair too. I'll respect your decisions as her parents." Rickster then left the house and took a deep breath. Tears rolled down his cheeks but he made no noise to indicate he was upset. Instead, he marched towards the car without a word, just wanting to go home. Denix Vames - September 4, 2021 Bern walked over to Mon. "Is this real? Holy shit! I can't believe it!" He rubbed his tears off. "I'm so proud of the Don." Carter chuckled. He kissed him passionately. "Wait till you can't walk for a while." --- "I wish we were dreaming." ,said X. He cleared his throat. "Now, we will need you to come with us. Your friend is in surgery. We can give you some spare bones from our deceased prisoners that we have kept in a safe room." He walked around. Examining him. He poked his head. "You are obviously from a different dimension. In our world, skeletons cannot function alone." --- Travis rubbed himself against him. Beginning to feel comfortable with the idea of getting physical. He took his shirt off then his own. Allowing their bodies to touch. He moaned at the kisses on his neck. Tilting his head back. --- Gary smirked. "Why do I get the feeling that the roleplays are gonna turn sexual?" --- Tears left Elliot as he worried for Neva's safety. He backed against the wall. Ricky followed Rickster out the door. He frowned. Wishing he could make him feel better. He got into the driver's seat. Starting the car. Vincent appeared with a written note. Handing it to Rickster. "This is my number. If Neva begins to....accept you. Then you can call me so that you can talk to her." Vincent frowned as he looked away. Rubbing his arm. "I use to kill families because I believed it was art. I didn't care about anyone but my work. So I'm no different than you. Had Neva met me a couple of months back, she would have been dead. I'm just saying that you were a much decent person than I ever was." shadowess - September 4, 2021 Mon nodded happily. "I know! I never thought I'd see the day!" he chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Bern. "I'm so happy right now!" Sebastian grinned. "Is that a promise?" he asked playfully. --- "You keep the bones of your prisoners?" Bob asked X. "Gross. Heh, but hey, if they're not using them anymore..." When X poked his head after walking around him, his skull spun around to face him. "Hey!" he then listened to X and a chuckle could be heard from the skeleton. "Yeah, folks like me aren't exactly common where I come from either. Takes some strong magic, a lunar eclipse and, in my case, some accidental necromancy...but I'm sure Lilly could tell you about that." he turned around to look at all the scientists who watched in utter fascination, some holding recording equipment to capture Bob's every movement and sound. "So er...where's your horse?" he asked, wondering how they were going to get to Lilly. --- Malone moaned at the way Travis moved on him. He was surprised when Travis took both their shirts off but continued to kiss him passionately, savoring the feeling of his skin against his. He kissed his neck then paused briefly when he heard Travis moan. It was the first sound Travis had made around him. He continued to kiss his neck and his shoulder, wanting to hear him some more. Gently, he lifted Travis before laying him down on the soft carpet. He climbing on top of him, slipping his tongue into his mouth while pressing his body against his and gently grinding his hips against his. --- Alex chuckled. "They might." he winked. "So, how badly do you want this job, Mr. Dunn?" he asked, putting on what he thought was a professional-sounding voice. --- Rickster took the note through his open window and looked up at Vincent as he spoke. Touched by his words, his mouth opened a little, but he couldn't bring himself to speak without crying audibly so he closed his mouth again and simply nodded at him in thanks while looking down at the note. He doubted Neva would ever forgive him enough to speak to him but having the note gave him a little hope. --- Hannes was in a very deep sleep after making love to Jean. The bottled blood they drank played some part in how deeply they both slept. Janik kept a lookout in the corridors. Sending Warriors home and assuring them he'd run their patrol for them to make sure the castle was safe. The party was over and the hall was empty. Jean and Racheal's gifts would be delivered from the hall to their homes the following night, but right now everyone had gone home to rest before the sun came up. The garden had been emptied and closed in advance to ensure no one would be stuck outside when the sun rose. Only around an hour or so before the sun would creep over the horizon, Tristan picked the lock of Hannes's home and crept through the house. He silently walked over to their bed and lifted Jean into his arms gently. He stared at him momentarily before slipping out with him and heading towards the gardens. Janik lead the way to make sure no one would spot them then opened the door to the gardens, letting him out. Once Tristan had left, he locked the door behind him and walked back to Hannes's room while Tristan sped quietly out of the gardens, through the forest, and into his cabin just a few miles away from the castle. This wasn't his actual home but it served as a good resting point between his house and the castle. He placed him into his own bed and caressed his cheek before pulling out some fabrics to tie his wrists to the bed frame. "This is only temporary, my love," he whispered in German. "Just until I can show you that I am better for you than Hannes. I promise I'll let you out of these bonds when I know that you love me and I can trust you." --- With the group's attention on other things, Donnie had found it very easy to snatch Patience and lock her away in another hidden lair in Hell. His plan for revenge and eventual take over of Hell was coming together quite nicely. For now, he was looking to have a bit of fun. And what better way than messing with David's friends and causing fear among the group? He appeared near the vampire club and walked in casually, content that Blaire would have no idea what he looked like. To her, he may seem like just another demonic patron in her vampiric club. But for him, this was just one of many ways he could get back at Hades. Especially Hades, after he'd murdered his beloved in front of him. He made his way over to the bar and looked at Blaire calmly. "Hello, beautiful. Don't suppose you have any Demon Brew, on hand? If not, whiskey would be just as good." he said as he took out a wallet and pulled out some notes. "I heard this was the place to be if you're supernatural. So, I thought I'd check it out." he glanced around briefly. "Say, you're not working here alone are you? All this work for one person? That takes some serious management skills." he complimented her smoothly.

Shadowess - September 2, 2021 (I think that's enough group building for one day lol I'll post more lore and stuff tomorrow.) "You got it." Mon nodded and headed into the mansion. Sebastian felt a little uneasy, but considering this wasn't a normal situation, he wasn't exactly sure of how else to feel. Mon gingerly approached Salvo's door and knocked on it lightly before clearing his throat. "Uh, boss? That Carter guy and his buddies are outside. Says he wants to speak to ya. That it's real important..." --- (Because the CIA is involved, feel free to have X or another agent there.) David nodded with a smile. "Good lad." he praised him before turning back to Harpe. "Alright, we're in. Do you have any more information about this energy ball?" "Unfortunately no. We're still trying to figure it out." Harpe answered and David frowned thoughtfully. "I see...we'll teleport there. Just think of-" "I know how it works Mr. Demon. Come and teleport us there already. We've already wasted a lot of time." "Very well." David turned to look at Hades and rolled his eyes with a smirk at Harpe's attitude. He then walked over to Harpe and placed a hand on his arm. He waited until Hades did the same before teleporting them to the area. As soon as they arrived they'd feel the intense electrified energy in the air around them. In the distance was a flat, wide, yellow mass of pure energy. Occasionally jolts of electricity burst from it with loud cracks and struck the buildings nearby. Debris and glass littered the ground around it from the holes the electric bolts caused in the surrounding buildings. Even from this distance, the low rumbling hum that it emitted was almost deafening. David's eyes widened at the sight. It was far bigger than he was expecting. He'd seen portals before. Lucifer had made one or two in front of him in the past. They had been man-sized, neat, and silent. But this? It was huge, crude...almost clumsy. As if whoever was creating it from the other side wasn't the least bit experienced in making them or holding them open. Still, such a feat was difficult enough. Lucifer had been the only being David had ever met who could successfully conjure one. So when he'd heard of the portal, he'd half expected him to be making a come back after all this time... but no. This was someone else. Someone who had no clue what they were doing but were trying their best. Even if it was large and destructive, to be able to create one this big and apparently hold it up for an entire day is an incredible thing. He watched it in awe, barely flinching as it snapped & cracked and another jolt tore through a brick wall. One of the scientists nearby watching the monitors shouted to them. "We're picking up new readings! Looks like life signs! It's trying to come through!" --- Hannes moaned at Jean's touch while taking off his clothes. He quickly tore his own clothes off then caught Jean in his arms. He stumbled over to the nearest wall and pinned Jean against it, his hands on his thighs while he slipped his tongue into his mouth. (Private Time) --- Malone waited until Travis came out of the bedroom. He looked over and felt his cheeks grow warmer. "Wow...you uh...they suit you." Malone stammered and grinned at him. "They really do. You look great in silk." He jumped a little and crossed one leg over the other hurriedly, pulling one of the cushions onto his lap while clearing his throat awkwardly. "Uh-" he chuckled nervously. "Are they comfortable?" --- Alex turned the TV off then put the remote down and sighed before turning to face Gary. "Of course I want you to be safe," he said, looking into Gary's eyes. "But I also want you to be happy and your job...I could tell that it meant a lot to you...So, if you do decide to join the British fire department or police department...just promise me you'll be careful, ok?" he took Gary's hands in his. "I can't stand the thought of losing you...when I thought I'd lost you before I found out you were alive..." he shook his head tearfully. "I couldn't breathe..." --- Rickster pulled up outside Carter's house and looked in its direction nervously. He was shaking a little. He knew Neva would be terrified of him. He also dreaded to think what Vincent or Elliot would do if they saw him approach their home. His breath caught in his throat for a moment and he looked at Ricky in the passenger seat with a little panic in his eyes. "This was a bad idea!" he said while reaching for the key in the ignition, intending on driving away again. Denix Vames - September 2, 2021 Salvo sighed before saying, "Give me a minute." He threw his clothes back on. Doing his best to make them look as neat as possible. He wiped his eyes. Hoping to hide away the sadness within them. He stepped out. "Alright. I'm ready." --- X appeared. "So, I guess it's up to us again huh?" Hades cut his own wrist with a nail. Allowing his weapon to appear. He held it tightly. "I guess so." --- Travis sat on the floor. He hugged his knees. Wishing he could be comfortable with himself. He shrugged and frowned. --- Gary squeezed his hands. "I promise that I will." He kissed him deeply. --- Ricky snatched the key out of the ignition. "It's now or never. You can't keep hiding this from her forever. Besides, you've changed. And I know it's going to be hard to get them to understand that but I'll help you." He held his hand. Looking into his eyes. "We'll do this together. Ok?" shadowess - September 2, 2021 Mon nodded at Salvo and headed outside with him. On their way out, Mon glanced at Salvo and couldn't help but notice his eyes were a little redder. "You ok, Boss?" he asked him quietly as they walked. --- "We seem to make quite the team." David chuckled. "Something's coming fast!" the scientist yelled. The soldiers in the surrounding area readied their weapons, all aiming for the portal. David stood firm, his arms by his sides. A human skeleton burst through the portal and clattered across the ground. David's eyes widened. Perhaps the portal wasn't stable enough to support life between worlds? Whoever had tried to cross plains into their world must've been desperate. Which begs the question, what were they running from? No sooner had this thought cross his mind than another figure fell through. This time, completely intact. It was a slender woman, looking to be in her late teens. She wore black, industrial clothing and hand waist-length, lavender-colored hair. They watched as the woman fell to the ground and gasped for air, crawling hurriedly across the ground while turning to look back at the portal. She was holding her side and David could see the blood covering her hand from here. "She's injured!" he gasped and ran forward to help her. "Get back! The portal is still volatile!" the scientist warned. David made it about halfway to the woman when he ground to a halt at the sight of a wraith-like creature stepping out from the portal. The thing was almost naked, apart from an old, moth-eaten shroud. Its skin was black and shriveled, clinging to its skeletal figure. Its lips curled back over its sharp, rotting teeth. It opened its mouth to let out a high-pitched cry while pointing a boney finger at the girl who panted and continued backing away from it desperately. "What the hell is that?!" David gasped. --- Malone frowned and got up from the couch, keeping the pillow held to his waist as he moved over to sit next to him. "Hey, look at me," he said softly, cupping his chin gently to look into his eyes. "You're the most beautiful person I've ever met." --- Alex kissed him back and became passionate in his kisses, wrapping his arm around his waist. He rested his head against Gary's and basked in his warmth for a moment. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he whispered. "I want us to grow old and crazy together." he chuckled. --- Rickster looked at Ricky in annoyance when he snatched the keys then stared at him as he spoke. He sighed and leaned against the wheel, resting his head on the top of it and closing his eyes for a moment. "Shhhhit..." he whispered to himself. "Fuck...No, you're right...of course, your right...fuck..." he took a few deep breaths to try to calm himself. He could feel his heart beating quickly due to his rising anxiety. During all this, he didn't let go of Ricky's hand. Instead, he squeezed it a little, finding comfort in Ricky's presence. He nodded and lifted his head from the wheel to look back at Ricky. "Ok. Ok, I'm ready," he said nervously and kissed him briefly before letting his hand go and stepping out of the car. He simply stood by the car for a moment, staring at the house apprehensively before swallowing hard and walking slowly towards the door. Denix Vames - September 2, 2021 Salvo hesitantly nodded. "I'm fine. Just keep walking." --- Hades ran over to the woman. He pulled her up by her arm and threw her at X who caught her. He raised his sword. "Stand back!" He swung. Aiming to slice its head off. --- Travis held a small smile. He kissed him. --- "Then why don't you help me find something else? Some other job that I can do? Maybe there's a skill out there that I didn't know I had. I don't want you to worry Alex. You wouldn't be holding me back if I didn't go back to being a firefighter." ,said Gary. --- Once at the door, Ricky knocked. Vincent opened it. He glared. "What do you want?" "Rickster needs to tell Neva something. Please it's important. He's changed. I promise you he has." "Yeah right! Like I would ever listen to you two!" He swung the door. Intended for it to close but Ricky stuck his shoe in. "Please! Let him tell her the truth!" Elliot was holding Neva when he heard the noise. He still had his hospital wristband with him but was wearing regular clothes. "What's going on?" shadowess - September 2, 2021 Mon frowned and turned back to face forward as they walked. "Yessir," he replied quietly. It wouldn't take them much longer to get outside. There, Mon stood close by to watch Salvo and the others carefully, ready to act if Salvo or Bern were in any danger. --- "Hades!" David called out as he saw him run past him. The woman groaned then cried out, gripping her side as she was thrown to X. She then fell limp, losing consciousness from both the pain and the blood loss. The wraith growled, reaching both its arms out at Hades. Its fingernails were long and sharp. Though there were no eyes in its sockets, it seemed to look in his direction as though it could still see him. It moved back in time to avoid complete decapitation but its throat was torn wide open by the sword. Yet, no blood spilled from this creature. Instead, thousands of small black beetles poured out from the gaping wound, along with a rancid smell that even made the scientists retch from the distance they stood. David ran forward and placed himself between Hades and the creature, which quickly turned its attention to him and let out another ear-piercing screech. Grimacing, David punched the wraith in the face, causing its head to snap back, dangling from the last shreds of skin on its neck. "How is this thing still standing?!" David yelled in frustration. Just as he did, the creature lashed out and swiped at him with surprising accuracy for something that didn't have any eyes and had its head dangling on its back. One of its nails tore through the arm of his suit and scratched his skin. He winced and looked at the portal momentarily before kicking the wraith in the chest, knocking it back through the portal. A second later, the portal gave one last loud crack before snapping shut and sending a shockwave out that would knock both Hades and David off their feet. --- Malone kissed Travis back slowly and sweetly. Recapturing his lips with his own while caressing his cheek. He stopped and took a moment to look into his eyes, running his fingers through his hair and admiring him without a word. Letting his eyes do the talking as he gazed at him lovingly before kissing him slowly again. --- Alex thought for a moment, hesitant to agree. He still felt like he'd be responsible if Gary ended up doing something he hated. He tried a small smile and nodded. "As long as it's what you want. I just don't want you to hate whatever job you ended up doing...but if you want to try something different then I guess we could search for some jobs online?" --- Rickster glared back at Vincent. He couldn't help it. After so many years of being aggressive, it was a reflexive reaction. He saw Vincent try to close the door then heard Elliot's voice and began to grow desperate to say his peace before he missed his chance. "Please, I need to tell her!" he tried. As soon as Neva heard his voice and realized who was at the door, she became pale, began to shake, and started crying hysterically. The temperature of the entire house dipped, so it was like they were standing in an oversized refrigerator. "Daddy, don't let him in! Don't let him take me!!" she wailed, terrified and clinging to Elliot for dear life. Rickster heard her and his heart sank. He felt an awful, painful churning in the pit of his stomach. He'd done this to her. He'd scared her so badly that she was petrified of him. He didn't deserve to be her father...He struggled to breathe for a moment as tears welled up in his eyes and he took a step back from the door. "I'm sorry..." he shook his head a little then turned and ran down the street as fast as his legs could carry him. Denix Vames - September 2, 2021 Salvo bit his lip. "What do you want?" "You know why we're here. Please Salvo. There's nothing to be ashamed of." ,said Carter. "I don't know what to think of any of this. This is all still new to me. I don't feel right." Carter turned to Sebastian. Hoping he could say something better than he could. --- X disappeared. Bringing the woman to the medical room where the professionals there began helping her. --- Hades's eyes widened. Surprised by the power that pushing him back. He rolled over a bunch of times. His sword had broken into pieces. He soon hit a boulder then collapsed. Black blood leaked from his head as he fell unconscious. --- Travis smiled. He slipped his tongue into his mouth. Kissing him passionately. --- "That's the thing Alex. I don't know what my other skills are. Have you ever seen me do something else that could qualify as a skill?" ,asked Gary. --- Elliot held on tight. "Don't worry. No one's going to take you away." Ricky ran after him. "Rickster! Stop!" Vincent appeared in front of Rickster. He seemed less angry. "Why don't you come in and explain everything? Please." shadowess - September 3, 2021 Sebastian looked back at Carter and sighed before nodding and giving him a small smile as if to say 'I've got this.' He slowly got out of the car and walked around to face Salvo. Mon tensed, unsure of what Sebastian was up to and his hand nervously twitched towards his gun. Sebastian didn't notice. His eyes fixed on Salvo. "I think I understand." he began in a gentle tone. "I've been around since the late 1800s...back then...the kind of love I feel for Carter was...well...frowned upon. Right from the start, I knew what I was into but I spent my entire human life denying it to myself. Desperate to 'fit in' or 'be normal', I went out of my way to date a few girls...Just for the sake of appearance. Even though I was just a street rat, I still had to be wary of my reputation. The streets were a hard enough place to live without adding hate crimes to the list..." he paused, remembering his struggle to simply survive back then. "Then I was locked away by an evil organization who turned me into a vampire and experimented on me for hundreds of years...by the time I was rescued, the world had changed so much. It wasn't perfect but it's a hell of a lot more tolerant now than it's ever been...Then I met Carter and well...everything just sort of...fell into place. Sure, it was...frightening...and daunting at first...Before we actually admitted our love to each other, I had to change my entire way of thinking...but the more time I spent with Carter, the more comfortable I became with myself. Then, I realized that there was no reason for me to worry about who I love anymore. It doesn't matter what other people think. All that matters is how I feel and what makes me happy. I love Carter. I will always love Carter. And anyone who has a problem with it can kiss my undead ass for all I care!" Sebastian grinned. It was clear by this point that despite his polite manner and the way that he held himself, some of Carter's mannerisms had rubbed off on him over time. --- The doctors and nurses in the room immediately began working on the woman. They lay her on the bed and one of the nurses pressed an oxygen mask to her face while the others worked on stitching her wounds and stabilizing her. During this, she groaned and her eyes flickered open. For a moment, she looked around with a confused expression then gasped and tried to get up hurriedly. One of the doctors placed a hand on her shoulder. Gently but firmly pressing her down to stop her moving. "It's alright, miss. You're safe now. We're all friends here and we just want to help you." she told the woman calmly, hoping that this woman spoke the same language. Thankfully, it seemed she did. "Where am I? Who are you people? Where's the Pestilence Wraith?... Where's Bob?" She asked hurriedly, looking between them all. Her last question referring to the skeleton that had fallen through the portal before her. --- David had been knocked back and also ended up rolling for a bit before coming to a stop. The soldiers and scientists surrounding them had taken cover. Some of them had also been blown off their feet. Shakily, David got onto his hands and knees. "Well, that was quite an adventure...I wonder who that woman is..." he chuckled as he sat up to look around. "Eh, Hades?....Hades? Hades!" David shot to his feet and ran over to him, lifting him into his arms. He looked at his wounds then quickly pressed his hand onto the one on his head to try and stop the bleeding. "MEDIC!" he yelled, projecting his voice across the distance to the soldiers. "I NEED A MEDIC! HE'S HURT!" As the soldiers regathered themselves, a couple of medics starting running towards them with a stretcher. Along with them, some scientists ran towards the skeleton that had fallen through the portal first, wanting to bag up the bones to run tests on them. David thought fast. He had no idea and no way of knowing just how much damage was done when he hit his head. He needed someone who could try to heal Hades quickly. "Patience! Patience, I need you!" he called out. But she didn't appear. "Patience! Hades is hurt! Please come! Patience-..." David paused and a look of dread crossed his face. He couldn't sense her anymore and she wasn't answering him. She was missing. Shaking, he tried to refocus on Hades. "Nate? Gabriel? Anyone? Please, I need help!" --- Malone moaned a little, softly. He kissed him back just as passionately but didn't try to push things any further. Ultimately letting Travis lead the situation so that he was comfortable. If they just kissed for a while, he'd be happy. If Travis wanted to go further then Malone would also be happy. He let go of the pillow and moved his hands to cup his cheeks as they kissed. Gently caressing them with his thumbs. --- (Kinda stuck on this one lol Might need a little help if Alex isn't guessing right) Alex thought for a minute. He had to think pretty hard, trying to remember seeing Gary do anything other than run off to put out a fire only to wind up in hospital. "You're pretty good at looking out for people," he said thoughtfully. "And don't you guys have to do basic medical training as part of your job? Maybe you could put that to use and go into medicine? Apply to be an intern or something?" --- When Vincent appeared in front of him, Rickster ground to a halt with an alarmed expression. When he heard the invitation to explain things, he once again found his breath catching...or was he just out of breath from running? Either way, he stood there for a moment, panting and staring at Vincent as Ricky would catch up to them. His lip quivered. His eyes were tearful as he could barely bring himself to maintain eye contact with Vincent. Nodding, he turned around and began walking back towards the house quietly and slowly. Trying to think of how he was going to explain things to them and how he could ever convince Neva to forgive him. He trembled so much that he hid his hands in his pockets in an attempt to conceal just how frightened he was. Back at the house, there was little that Elliot could do or say to get Neva to calm down and the moment Rickster would step through the door, her crying would grow louder as she hid her face in Elliot's chest.

Denix Vames - August 31, 2021 "How about both of us? We could bring you Galiel. It wouldn't be a problem." ,said Carter. "Really? Thanks guys. I appreciate it." --- Hades glared at Harpe. He clenched his fists. "I don't like this, David. Anytime we ran into a suit, they always tried to kill us. So far, X is the only good guy in a suit besides the Salvo gang. And yes, I read that part from your mind." --- Elimar kissed her forehead. "Would you like to go home and rest?" Jean followed him. He moaned at the kisses on his neck. Kissing him passionately sometimes while allowing Hannes to touch him. --- Travis blushed. He wrote, 'Do I look good in silk?' --- Gary sighed. "Maybe you're right." He sat next to him. His head lowered. "Being a firefighter was my whole life. I'm not saying that I want to go back. I'll stay out of it to keep you at ease but....what can I really do these days? I don't have any skills but saving people." shadowess - August 31, 2021 Sebastian smiled. "Sounds good to me." he kissed Carter's cheek then moved over to Galiel to help him to his feet. "Alright, let's go talk to him." He would then help Galiel to the car, buckling him up before sitting in the front with Carter. --- "I understand your concern but let's not rush to judgment. By all means, don't let your guard down either, but in our line of work, we'll often run into people that appear shadier than they really are. It's best to keep an open mind. Assume he's friendly until proven otherwise." David said calmly. He turned to look at Hades then smiled. "Follow my lead," he said in a reassuring tone before turning back to face Harpe and walking over in a confident yet unintimidating way. As he walked within earshot, he spoke to Harpe in a pleasant tone. "Hello there, may I help you?" he then came to a stop at a somewhat safe distance from him and stood with his arms seemingly relaxed by his sides. Although he gave the impression that he was calm and laid back, he was in fact fully alert and prepared to act at the first sign of trouble. "I should hope so," Harpe said in a raspy voice that had been worn down by years of smoking a couple of packs of cigarettes per day for years. The lines on his face and in his hands, much more visible now that they were standing closer, were a sign that he was close to the age of retirement. Harpe took out a badge to show them that he was an agent with the CIA as well. "Been hearing a lot about a Demon negotiator named David. That you?" "It is," David answered simply. "You work with X?" "Different department but yeah, I've seen him around now and then. We don't got a lot of time, so I'll get right to it. We got a situation on the outskirts of town towards the north. A ball of energy appeared there a few hours ago and the readings are off the charts. It was getting bigger so we evacuated the area to be safe. Told the civilians there was a major gas leak. Then the ball changed shape. Our scientists now seem to think that it's more like a portal and that something or someone is trying to come through. We have soldiers surrounding it right now, ready to take them out if they're dangerous. But in case they can be talked to, we need someone on the scene who could talk to them and who can handle themselves if it came down to it. You in?" David's eyes widened a little. "Well, this is new." he glanced at Hades. "I guess we have a little uh...what is it you kids call it? sci-fi?" he chuckled. "I suppose we have a little 'sci-fi' adventure waiting for us before we get started on your training. What do you say? Want to come along and see what this mystery portal is?" --- Blushing at his kiss, Racheal nodded. Hannes kissed Jean deeply as he drunkenly guided him back to their home. He opened up the door and stumbled in with him while chuckling happily. He closed the door behind them and began unbuttoning Jean's shirt while still kissing him. "Oh, I could eat you up meine geliebte!" he breathed between kisses. --- Malone smirked and blushed as well. "I'll bet you would," he answered then kissed his cheek. "I'll go get them for you." he got up and headed into his bedroom which was just as immaculate as the rest of the apartment. He left the door open so that Travis could follow him if he wanted. He dug through some drawers then pulled out some very comfortable-looking black silken pajamas. He'd then turn to Travis and handed them to him. "I uh...I'll give you some privacy so you can get changed," he said with a comforting smile then left the room to wait in the living room. --- Alex frowned and thought for a moment. "What about the police force?" he suggested with a shrug. "It's sort of similar with the whole saving lives thing and from what I can tell, there isn't some kind of weird rivalry between the police and fire department here in England...Nothing like back at home." Denix Vames - August 31, 2021 Carter started the drive to Salvo's place. He parked his car on the side of the road. Bern and Mon were standing outside. Looking through a book on options for their wedding to have. Mainly about the theme of it. Bern looked up from the book. "Hey! Could you let Salvo know that we want to talk to him? It's really important." ,said Carter. Bern nodded. He turned to Mon. "Go knock on his door." Knowing that he was in his bedroom. "I'll keep our guests entertained." --- Hades walked over. He hesitated before nodding. "Sure. This sounds too important to pass up anyway." --- Elimar held her hand. Escorting her back home. Jean moaned. "Oh Hannes. Your touch is so moving." He slipped a hand under his pants. Rubbing there as he continued kissing him. He allowed himself to be disrobed. His clothes spread out on the floor as the mess it became. He wrapped his arms around him. Hopping up so that he could wrap his legs on him too. Allowing Hannes to take charge. --- Travis accepted the clothes. He nodded. Not a moment later, he came out of the bedroom. Fully dressed in the pajamas. He looked down as his cheeks were red. He nervously rubbed his arm. Shy about being dressed in something like this. He stood in front of Malone. Waiting for his comments. --- Gary's eyes widened. "What? Are you sure? Didn't you say you wanted me to stay safe?"

Denix Vames - August 27, 2021 (sounds cool. but you'd have to help me out if you're going to include historical facts and stuff. I'd be asking you lots of questions if you dont mind) "Sure thing." Carter lifted him off the ground. Carrying Salvo to the couch where he sat him up. He lightly slapped his cheek. "Hey. Wake up." Salvo groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. "Hmm?" He sighed with a smirk as he looked at him. "I'm gonna guess you won." Carter smiled. "You weren't too bad yourself." "Heh! Thanks." Galiel clapped his hands as he sat next to him. "Yay! I get to be your nurse! Sebastian said so." Salvo blushed deeply red. He avoided eye contact with him. "Oh? Is that so?" He looked at Sebastian as if to say why me? He awkwardly cleared his throat. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to get help from a-" "Merman!" "....A Merman? Ok. Name's Salvo by the way." "Galiel. And you're cute." Carter stepped away to give them some space. He turned to Sebastian. "Why don't we go in the kitchen? I can fix myself up there." --- Blaire smiled. "Thanks." There would be no doorbell. Instead, there was gothic punk music blasting from the speakers as the band was playing. It would be Storm as the singer and guitar player, Rain for bass, and Dorian for drums. Hades was laying back on a bean bag. Drinking some beer with his naked self covered in a blanket. The building they were in was an abandoned storage unit. --- Elimar smiled. "Thank you." He nervously rubbed his arm. "Actually, I was wondering if we could talk in private?" Jean would laugh at his tickles. At some point, he let Hannes catch him. Letting him wrap his arms around him as he kissed him slowly. Lost in that kiss, he slipped his tongue into his mouth. Passionately kissing him. --- Travis smiled before kissing him. Shadowess - August 27, 2021 (That's fine. I'll probably make some threads in the group to cover history and lore. That being said, I'll probably be pulling most of the historical facts from Google lol But I'm going to wait until I have better internet before I even start putting that group together lol Oh, and also, during my downtime, I had an idea about how Amelia can wind up going into labour, how Donnie can be defeated/forced into hiding and how Bryce can earn his redemption.) Sebastian helped Galiel to sit next to Salvo, then smirked the exchange, as well as the look Salvo, had given him. "Galiel's a bit of a flirt but he is a good guy. He looked out for us in Thailand. He'll take good care of you, I'm sure." he said reassuringly with a nod before following Carter into the kitchen. He took out a blood pack from the fridge and handed it to Carter. "Is there anything I can do?" he asked, looking over his injuries. --- Finding himself standing outside a storage unit and hearing the music blaring within, David assumed he was in the right place and that the music he was hearing was the band that Storm had mentioned. He stepped up to the metal door and knocked on it quite hard before opening it and stepping in. His eyes widened at the sight of Hades being covered in just a blanket and he quickly averted his gaze to Storm and his band. He waited until the music stopped, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck as he did. "Pardon the intrusion, I did knock..." he said quickly, once the music ceased playing. His eyes darted between Hades and Storm quickly. "I was hoping to have a word with the two of you..." --- Racheal blinked and looked at Elimar curiously before nodding. "Of course..." she looked around briefly at all the people in the room. "Maybe it's quieter in the corridors?" she suggested and got to her feet. She would then walk with him to the corridors and look around to make sure they were alone before looking back at him. "Is everything ok?" she asked him. Oblivious to the heinous plotting that was taking place between Janik and Tristan, Hannes became lost in the moment with Jean. He kissed him passionately before lifting him into his arms and spinning around with him very briefly, laughing as he did. He stopped and held him close, resting his head against his. "I hope this feeling never ends!" he grinned, still a little out of breath from the chase. "Come, let's drink and dance some more! Then we'll go back to our room when we're tired." he suggested, taking Jean's hand. "and then I shall make us even more tired!" he winked and chuckled. --- Malone gently kissed Travis back then kissed the top of his head before resting his against it. After what had just happened, he didn't want to make Travis feel pressured in any way so decided to just relax with him. He took another sip of his beer and continued to watch the TV while gently caressing Travis's arm with his thumb, beginning to feel tired again. Denix Vames - August 27, 2021 (awesome. cant wait to see everything unfold with those characters) Galiel was patting Salvo's bruising and cuts with a wet towel. Dabbing gently. Salvo flinched but kept himself still. Biting his lip as he could feel the hydrogen peroxide on his skin. There were bandages on his left arm and some on his right cheek. "So, you do this often?" ,asked Salvo. "No, you're first my customer." He smiled. "Can I uh....Can I be your first and only?" "Sure. I wouldn't mind." Galiel leaned in. Looking into his eyes. He caressed his cheek. "How's your wounds?" "I think I'll live." Salvo placed a hand on his leg. He soon found himself kissing him. Carter smirked. "How about checking to see if I'm ok? I might need a nurse myself. A Nurse Walker?" He drank up some of the blood. --- Once the band stopped playing, they looked at him. Hades quickly hid his face. "Uh take five guys." ,said Storm who hopped off the stage. He walked out with David. Hades followed behind, after getting dressed. He crossed his arms. Glaring. "Are you here to ruin my life?" --- "Of course. Everything's fine. I just wanted to...." Elimar sighed as he looked at the floor. "I know this might be too soon to say but I wanted to let you know that I....I really enjoy being with you. And I was wondering if you liked me too? In a romantic sense?" "Yes Hannes! Yes! I never want this day to end!" Jean, inside the castle, drank some sips of blood before dancing with Hannes. Keeping himself and slow dancing the night away. --- Travis set his drink on the table. He wrote, 'Sleep in bed?' shadowess - August 28, 2021 Sebastian grinned, blushing. "Oh, I don't know..." he said coyly with a smirk. He then stepped close to Carter and ran his fingers carefully over his bare chest. "I can take care of you but you'll have to let me know how my bedside manner is." he winked. He could already see Carter's cuts and bruises beginning to heal themselves, so he wasn't worried. Right now, seeing Carter shirtless and having just won a fight, Sebastian found himself wanting him all to himself for a little while. --- David gave Hades an annoyed look but sighed, trying to keep himself calm and knowing this was an awkward situation. "I just worry," he said simply, his features softening. "Look, I'm not going to try to control your life. You have every right to see anyone you choose. But don't forget, you have responsibilities now...and you also have friends and family that care about you. So, take my advice and ditch the attitude. You don't need to 'be cool' to command respect." He then looked at Storm and gave him a hard look. "I will show you the same respect. However, if you hurt Hades... if you break his heart, there isn't an Angel or Devil alive that would save you from me. I cherish him as if he were my own son, so if you know what's good for you, you will treat him with love and respect. Do you understand?" --- Racheal listened to Elimar and found herself blushing deeply. She hesitated, looking around them momentarily as she thought about what he'd said. She thought about her time with Niko and how he'd treated her. She had to remind herself that that hadn't been love. That how Elimar had been towards her was far more loving than Niko had ever been. She needed to move on, she told herself. She deserved to have a real, loving relationship, just like everyone else. Thinking over the time she'd spent with Elimar, although it had been short, she had to admit that there had been moments where she would have happily allowed things to escalate between them. They just never had much of a chance before. There had always been something that interrupted them. Looking back at Elimar, she smiled and nodded. "I like you," she said softly, then hugged herself. "You've been kind to me. You've always shown me respect and haven't tried to force me into anything..." she hesitated then reached out and gently held his hand. "I really like you and I want to know what it's like...to really be loved." Hannes was having the time of his life with Jean. Drinking and dancing with him. At some point, Janik walked over to them with a bottle of blood. "Congratulations!" he announced as he handed them the bottle. "To the happy couple!" "Thank you, Janik." Hannes nodded and took the bottle. Janik strained a smile and nodded before walking away. As he walked away, he glanced at Tristan and they locked eyes for a moment before Janik left the room. Hannes chuckled drunkenly and leaned in to whisper to Jean. "He's taking this better than I thought he would! He tried to get me to fall in love with him for fifty years! Guess he finally realized it just wasn't meant to be." he shrugged. "I'm sure he'll find someone who'll love him. I found you." he winked and kissed Jean's cheek. --- Malone read the note then looked at Travis. "Uh, sure. If it makes you more comfortable, I have some pajamas that you can borrow if you want. They're pretty comfy." Denix Vames - August 28, 2021 Carter touched his hands. "Oh I like it rough." He kissed him before guiding him out of the kitchen. Intending on sleeping with him in a bedroom. He stopped when he saw Salvo and Galiel were kissing. Salvo and Galiel broke apart from each other. Salvo blushed as he rubbed his own neck. He grabbed his shirt and coat. "I uh....I've got to go." He ran out of the house. "Wait!" But despite what Carter said, he kept walking to his car. Galiel sadly watched that car drove off. He frowned. "He's ashamed of me." "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to barge in." --- Hades frowned as he looked away. Storm rubbed his chin in thought. "Hmm. I think I get it now." "Get what?" "Hades, why don't you go with him? He said you had a new job to learn, right?" He placed a hand on his shoulder. Hades faced him. "But what about you and the band?" "There's plenty of time for you to come back to us. I know that. Besides, your dad is a freaking demon. That's so fucking metal. Your mind should be blown away or whatever. You know sometimes I have responsibilities of my own. Like taking care of the band." Storm turned to the building. "So, do what's best for yourself and I'll do what's best for myself. We'll still be able to hang out whenever." Hades smiled. "Thanks babe." Storm smiled. "No problem." They hugged and kissed. Storm waved at David. "You're gonna be a VIP for our concerts from now on. Just don't tell anyone or else our fans will get jealous." He went back into the storage room. Hades sighed. "....Sorry dad. I just....I miss those days when nobody knew who I was, ya know? Like I could do whatever I want and not give a shit. Now, there's this Donnie guy who wants to kill us. And I'm so fucking scared." He squeezed his own arms as he held back tears. --- Elimar kissed her hand. A few tears left him. "We can take things slow." Jean giggled. "I'm sure he'll found someone." He kissed him. He was quickly feeling tipsy from the venom blood. He brushed a hand over his chest. "Let's go to our house. Please Hannes? I want you to devour me." --- Travis wrote, 'Got anything in black?' Denix Vames - August 28, 2021 Carter touched his hands. "Oh I like it rough." He kissed him before guiding him out of the kitchen. Intending on sleeping with him in a bedroom. He stopped when he saw Salvo and Galiel were kissing. Salvo and Galiel broke apart from each other. Salvo blushed as he rubbed his own neck. He grabbed his shirt and coat. "I uh....I've got to go." He ran out of the house. "Wait!" But despite what Carter said, he kept walking to his car. Galiel sadly watched that car drove off. He frowned. "He's ashamed of me." "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to barge in." --- Hades frowned as he looked away. Storm rubbed his chin in thought. "Hmm. I think I get it now." "Get what?" "Hades, why don't you go with him? He said you had a new job to learn, right?" He placed a hand on his shoulder. Hades faced him. "But what about you and the band?" "There's plenty of time for you to come back to us. I know that. Besides, your dad is a freaking demon. That's so fucking metal. Your mind should be blown away or whatever. You know sometimes I have responsibilities of my own. Like taking care of the band." Storm turned to the building. "So, do what's best for yourself and I'll do what's best for myself. We'll still be able to hang out whenever." Hades smiled. "Thanks babe." Storm smiled. "No problem." They hugged and kissed. Storm waved at David. "You're gonna be a VIP for our concerts from now on. Just don't tell anyone or else our fans will get jealous." He went back into the storage room. Hades sighed. "....Sorry dad. I just....I miss those days when nobody knew who I was, ya know? Like I could do whatever I want and not give a shit. Now, there's this Donnie guy who wants to kill us. And I'm so fucking scared." He squeezed his own arms as he held back tears. --- Elimar kissed her hand. A few tears left him. "We can take things slow." Jean giggled. "I'm sure he'll found someone." He kissed him. He was quickly feeling tipsy from the venom blood. He brushed a hand over his chest. "Let's go to our house. Please Hannes? I want you to devour me." --- Travis wrote, 'Got anything in black?' --- Gary had recently cut his hair so that it was short. He was looking through the papers and smoking a cigarette outside. Then he found a possible job for himself. He took a deep breath before putting the cigarette. Stepping inside, he saw Alex sitting there with the TV on. He walked over. "Ok. Hear me out. I found an ad for a job and I know it's going to sound weird. But I promise nothing bad will happen." He bit his lip. "I....I think I'm going to try working as a dancer. You know? Like those sexy dancer guys?" He frowned. Worried that Alex wouldn't like the idea. "What do you think?" Denix Vames - August 28, 2021 (sorry for the repeat. i quickly stopped the page from sending so i could add something. didnt know it would do that) shadowess - August 30, 2021 Sebastian had chuckled as Carter started to guide him out of the kitchen but his joy was soon cut short when Salvo left in a hurry and Galiel became upset. His heart sank for him when he stated that Salvo was ashamed of him. "He's got nothing to be ashamed of!" Sebastian gasped. He turned to Carter. "Maybe one of us should talk to him?" --- David listened to Storm and was surprised by how quickly he accepted the situation and convinced Hades to listen. He nodded to him in thanks then smirked when he told him he'd be a VIP. "Don't worry, I'm very good at keeping secrets." he chuckled. When he was gone, he listened to Hades and watched him carefully with a softened expression. "I know what you mean...what I wouldn't give to be an oblivious human again...but at the same time, I also prefer knowing what I know now. The world is constantly changing. It will always be full of dangers and challenges...but what counts is how we approach each challenge. Do we panic? Lose our cool and wish that things could be the way they once were? Or do we keep our cool, adapt, analyze and strategize our way around them? These are the kinds of things that I want to teach you, Hades. But for now..." David sighed and glanced around tiredly at the figure of a man in a suit who had just appeared at the end of the street. "We see what this gentleman wants..." Agent Harpe was smoking a cigarette by the street lamp. The light illuminated his short, ashen hair. Steel-blue eyes watched the two patiently as he waited for them to approach him. He wore a long, black coat over a black suit. He tapped his watch, signaling to them that time was of the essence. --- Racheal smiled. "I'd like that," she said softly then lifted a hand to wipe away his tears with her thumb. Hannes was also beginning to get quite drunk. He had already been feeling the effects of the venom before Janik had given them the bottle, so hadn't noticed that the blood they'd been drinking from the bottle had been laced with considerably more venom than any other drink they'd had. His cheeks were red and he grinned widely. He wrapped an arm around Jean's waist and kissed his neck in a very passionate way. "Yes, Meine geliebte! I want you all to myself now!" he whispered to him drunkenly. He then began stumbling out of the hall with Jean, chuckling as they went. --- Malone grinned bashfully, his cheeks turning a little red. "Uh...yeah. They're silk ones. Would that be ok?" he asked. --- Alex looked up from the TV and listened to Gary. He blinked at the suggestion and hesitated to answer. "Really?" he couldn't help but ask. "What about the creeps that'd gawk at you?" he shook his head. "I don't know...I don't want you to end up in danger from some pervert who won't take 'no' for an answer...and I don't want you to feel degraded or anything like that." he said worriedly. Inside, the thought of Gary flaunting himself for strangers actually made him quite angry, but he didn't show it. He tried to stay calm and simply let Gary know that he was mostly just worried for his safety.

Denix Vames - August 7, 2021 Leo sighed. He rubbed his temples. "Am I ever going to retire?" He smiled at her. "Thanks for the info. I'll talk to David about this. He might know more. We practically know him as the guy that knows everything." He disappeared. --- Carter sniffed the cologne. He grabbed a knife from a drawer and zoomed over there. He pulled Sebastian back. "Get away from him!" He swung the door open. Salvo's guard was about to reach for his gun. Salvo raised his hands. "Whoa! Whoa! Everybody calm down! I just came here to talk. I wanted to let you know that I'm not going to try and take over your business. David Sedley talked to me. He said he knew you guys. Am I right?" Carter hesitated before lowering the knife. "Yeah. Come in." He took a step back. Letting them walk inside. He placed the knife on the coffee table before heading upstairs to get a shirt for himself. Salvo blushed when he saw Galiel who waved and smiled at him. He quickly looked at the floor. "So um how's the place? If there's still any damages from what my guys did, I can pay for it." --- Storm raised a brow at Hades who blushed and looked away. He smiled a little at David's eyes. "That look is so dark. I like it. Maybe you're not so bad after all." He placed his legs on the table. "I'm in a band. We're called The Undead Maggots. We play punk rock." --- X moaned at her kisses and the way she touched him. Right here and now, for the first time in a long time, he had found love again. (private time) --- "Well um...." Elimar thought for a moment. "Maybe you can teach me about the modern world? We could talk about it." Jean looked at his surroundings as he walked with Hannes. "Wow! It looks beautiful! I would love to come here every night and watch the stars." --- Travis immediately pulled when he felt his hands on his bare chest. Taking the shirt with him and covering up with it. He opened his mouth to tell him that it wasn't his fault but stopped himself. Knowing that he couldn't. He covered his face with the shirt. Sobbing against it. Angry with himself for making a loving moment awkward. He was self conscious about his body. Shadowess - August 7, 2021 "Oh...ok..." Atma muttered when Leo vanished. She sighed and looked around, spotting Viktor peering around the corner. "That's rude, you know." "...Is there anything that I can help with?" Viktor asked, his cheeks turning red. "Not that I can think of...I'm guessing you're moving in, too?" Viktor nodded and Atma walked passed him, heading towards the stairs. "C'mon then. Let's pick out one of the empty rooms for you..." she sighed, motioning for him to follow her. "I'll give you a little tour while we're at it." --- Sebastian looked at Salvo awkwardly. His heart was still racing a bit from Carter yanking him back into the house and seeing the bodyguard reach for his gun. "Uh, well...we haven't managed to get around to fixing it yet." he replied, looking around at all the holes. "We just got back from Thailand... We haven't even had chance to unpack yet... also, I don't know if David mentioned it but...you kinda almost killed his great grandson when your men shot up the house." --- He'd made Hades uncomfortable and felt a little bad for that but David couldn't give him an inch with this or he'd give him the same attitude at every opportunity. David was making it abundantly clear that he was more than capable of standing his ground and wasn't the kind of parent who would relent to his every whim. He maintained his stony expression but couldn't help the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk for a fraction of a second at Storm's comment about his stare. "Well I should hope not, given that my job is to handle some of the worst souls in Hell." he replied. When Storm said he was in a band, David couldn't help his amused smirk spreading across his face. "I see." he said simply. "I'm David, by the way." He then looked back at Hades. "I was just popping in to see if you were ready to begin your training, but I can see that you're busy right now. Make the most of the time you've got here. When your training starts, it will be long and difficult." --- "I'd love to." Racheal smiled. She moved over to one of the cushioned benches to sit down, not yet used to the heels that Larissa had made her wear, her feet beginning to ache. "What do you want to know?" she asked him, wondering where to even start. Hearing Jean's voice, Tristan looked around and hid himself within the shadows from the trees and statues nearby. He watched Jean and Hannes silently and all at once, he realised how he could make his desires a reality. He glanced back at the hole in the hedges then looked at Jean again. 'I'm far better for you than he could ever be!' he thought to himself. 'You'll see. I'll whisk you away, have you and then once you see how good I can be to you, you'll fall in love with me!' he glanced around warily, it was too dangerous to grab him like this. He could be seen and with trained Warriors in the castle, he wouldn't get far...not to mention Hannes being a Guard... No, he couldn't act without thinking. He needed to be careful. If he was just patient and waited until the night was almost up...until Jean and Hannes were too drunk to realise what was happening...he could grab Jean from their room and make a break for the hole in the hedge. He would have to be running constantly to get to his home before the sun rose but once he was there he'd have the whole day to do what he wanted to Jean without the vampires here able to give chase...and without Jean being able to flee. For now though, he would watch. And he would wait. "You can!" Hannes grinned. "We used to keep the gardens closed because the hunters would target vampires who went out. Some would cut through the hedges to try to gain access to the castle. But our Warriors are always on guard and would stop them before they could reach the doors. This made being a gardener for the castle particularly challenging...it was no wonder that most of them chose to train with Warriors before they'd even step foot outside. Now...now we don't need to fear the hunters. With the German authorities on our side and the information from Racheal, we needn't fear the things that should bring us joy." --- Malone watched Travis with a frown and immediately felt guilty for making him uncomfortable. He turned to him and gently placed his hands on his arms. "Hey, it's alright. I'm sorry, I new this was too fast... We don't have to do anything that you don't want to do, ok? I'm sorry if I made you feel pressured." he bit his lip and glanced around. "How about we just take things slow? One thing at a time, you know? Go on a few dates and get to know each other a bit more first. What do you think?" Denix Vames - August 7, 2021 "Oh uh sorry about that. Where is his great grandson? I'd like to apologize to him." ,said Salvo. Carter came back downstairs wearing a dark blue buttoned shirt. "Busy at the moment with his boyfriend. But I'm sure he'll be good enough to come down when he wakes up." "I see. Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm Salvo Vassano. The Don." Salvo shook hands with him. "Private Detective Travis Carter. You said you could fix up the holes?" "Yes. I can hire a couple of guys to make the place look like it was untouched. Free of charge." "What's the catch?" "No catch. David suggested I partnered with you guys to benefit my family and your agency." "Really? He said that?" "Pretty much. So, how about it? You in?" Carter gave him a glare. "First, I want a fight. Hand to hand. Just so you don't get away with what you did earlier." "Deal. Where do you want to do this?" "Backyard. Now." Salvo took his coat off. He glanced at his guard. "Wait in the car for me. Under no circumstances are you to come back here." The guard nodded before leaving the house. Salvo followed Carter to the backyard where they took off their own shirts. Keeping their pants on. Galiel turned himself around. "I want to watch them fight!" --- "Training? For what?" ,said Storm. "Just being a bookkeeper. That's all." He frowned. "That's kind of boring." --- "What is considered fashionable these days? How are clothes like?" ,said Elimar. "Oh Hannes. Could we ever have a picnic here? I think that would be romantic." ,said Jean. He noticed some roses. Caught by their beauty, he ran over to them. He took a sniff at the flowers. "They smell so sweet." --- Travis put his shirt on. He wrote, 'Don't blame yourself. I just don't like my body. And yes, I wouldn't mind taking things slow.' shadowess - August 7, 2021 Sebastian became uncomfortable when Carter said he wanted to fight Salvo. As they were headed towards the door, he quickly placed a hand on Carter's shoulder and whispered into his ear. "Don't forget, you're not human like he is. You'll need to be careful with your strength." he warned him. He then sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to stop this fight from happening. Sebastian walked over to Galiel and helped him to his feet, walking him to the garden where he set him down on the bench. He glanced momentarily at the spot they'd buried Amelia so long ago. There was new grass there. It wasn't as long as the rest of the grass around it yet but it wouldn't be long before it would be completely hidden. He sat next to Galiel and watched, feeling tense. --- David rose an eyebrow. His smirk slipped. Why was Hades trying so hard to disrespect him? Did he not want to be his apprentice? "Just a book keeper? We'll see how boring it is when you're going through the torture resistance part of your training." he turned and walked away from them, a little pissed off and needing to calm down a bit. His job was nothing to be ashamed of, so why was Hades trying so hard to put him down for it? He walked over to the bar and leant against it with a sigh. "Don't suppose you have any tea?" he joked, giving Blaire a forced smile. "How did you do it, Blaire? I could barely handle it when my daughter went through her teens..." --- "Oh, well...it really depends on your personal tastes. Most people tend to go with something simple, like blue jeans and a shirt. Some people like darker clothes and some people even like the kinds of clothes we're wearing now..." she thought for a moment and smiled. "With that new laptop, I could show you! I'd have to get it set up and everything first but when we're home I could show you a few different styles on it." "We could have a picnic every night if you really wanted." Hannes chuckled. He watched him smelling the flowers with a small smile. Finding him utterly adorable. "Not as sweet as you, meine Geliebte." --- Malone read the note then looked at him. "Travis...you're beautiful to me!" he said. "And I mean that. We'll take things slow, then" he nodded. "Why don't we watch some more TV? I think I have a couple of beers in the fridge. We could have a drink, watch something and just try to relax. We don't have to do anything more than that, ok?" Denix Vames - August 7, 2021 Carter and Salvo both stood in front of each other. Carter was the first one to swing. Salvo dodged and punched him in the stomach. Carter elbowed his back then kneed his face. Salvo stumbled back before high kicking the side of his head. Making him bleed there. Carter headbutted him. Blood dripped from Salvo's nose. Salvo threw himself on him. Tackling him to the ground where he began punching him. Carter kicked him in the balls. Getting a groan from Salvo who covered his crotch and slowly crawled away. He got to his feet as Carter took a swing. Punching a tooth out along with some blood. Salvo collapsed. "Don't worry. I didn't use that much of my strength. I made sure the fight was fair." Galiel clapped. "That was amazing! But I think Salvo wins at being most handsomest." --- "C'mon Hades. Let's go see the band." Hades and Storm left the club. Going on a motorcycle which Storm drove away with. "Sorry but I can give you some water." ,said Blaire. She poured some in a glass and placed it there. She shrugged. "I never had any problems. Me and him treated each other like best friends. I think that rockstar of his is just getting the better of him. Either it'll be a short relationship or his new boyfriend will start acting more mature." --- "I would love to see. Maybe there are clothes out there that I can wear? I've always worn old fashionable ones but never modern." ,said Elimar. Jean blushed. He picked out a rose and placed it into Hannes's hair. "There. Now, you smell sweet too." He wrapped his arms around his shoulders. "But you've always smelled good either way." --- Travis shyly looked away when he heard him say beautiful but nodded at the idea of watching TV and having beer. Shadowess - August 9, 2021 Sebastian watched anxiously, flinching every time Salvo landed a hit on Carter. As soon as the fight was over, he sprang to his feet and ran over to Carter. He had no doubt that he would win, considering he had already been a force to be reckoned with before he'd turned, but Sebastian still worried for his safety. He took his own shirt off and crumpled it up, pressing it against Carter's head where he was bleeding. "Are you alright?" he asked him quietly. Privately. --- David smiled at the glass of water and nodded to Blaire. "Thank you." he then frowned at her words and glanced towards the door where Hades and Storm had left. He hated the idea of this new guy changing Hades for the worse or potentially breaking his heart. He bit his lip. "I can't ask him not to see him...any time I told my daughter to not do something, she'd go out of her way to do it...it's part of the reason she ended up the way she did...But I don't want to see him get hurt. What do you think, Blaire? Should I talk to him about this new partner of his?" --- Trying to picture Elimar in anything but the style he was wearing was difficult and Racheal couldn't help blushing a little as she tried to imagine him in jeans only to end up thinking of him shirtless. "We could do some shopping when we visit the city? You could try on some new clothes in the shops and see if there's anything you're comfortable in." she suggested. Hannes blushed as well and grinned at Jean, placing his hands on his hips. He pressed his head against his, keeping his lips close to Jean's while gazing into his eyes. "If I could snatch a star from the sky and give it to you like a jewel, I would. But it's beauty would still not compare to yours, my beloved one." he half-whispered to him in a loving tone. --- Malone nodded too then offered him a smile, cupping his chin to look into his eyes. "You really are and I wouldn't say that if I didn't mean it. Make yourself comfortable and put on anything that you want to watch. I'll bring the beers." he said before letting him go and heading into the kitchen. He took two beers out of the fridge and walked back into the living room, passing one to Travis then sitting next to him. Denix Vames - August 9, 2021 Carter smiled. "Yeah, I'll be fine." He pointed at Salvo who was passed out on the ground. "But I think he needs some help." Galiel raised his hand. "I'll help!" --- "I think you should talk to both of them. Let the new guy realize that he can't control everything but neither can you. There's no need to be a balance." ,said Blaire. --- "That would be fun. I'd like to try on some new clothes." ,said Elimar. "Oh Hannes." Jean kissed him slowly before poking his nose. "Tag! You're it!" He ran off but not too fast. Wanting this to be a fun chase. --- Travis nodded. He switched to a cooking channel. He opened the bottle of beer before drinking some. Leaning closed against Malone as he continued drinking sometimes while watching the show. Denix Vames - August 22, 2021 (fyi the profile pic i just put up is gonna be Ben basically letting his hair grow out cause of the stress of the situation. just a little inspiration. also i was thinking of giving him and Jessica relationship problems since ive never really seen much of arguments between the two. just letting you know this for when you have the time to reply) shadowess - August 22, 2021 (Cool, thanks for the heads up I'm hoping to get back to rp-ing from Tuesday. It depends on how good the temporary internet we'll have will be. We don't get hooked up properly until the 31st, so in the meantime, our internet provider has given us a little portable hub to set up once we've moved in. Been having a few ideas during my downtime too. Can't wait to come back and write again xD ) Denix Vames - August 22, 2021 (thats alright. good to hear progress. can't wait to hear from you back again. you're very creative ) shadowess - August 27, 2021 (Thank you Also, I think I know what kind of setting to make the rp group that I was considering making a while ago. Why not use the German Vampire Castle from this rp? Though, I was thinking that the plot would be set a few hundred years before the events of our rp.) Sebastian grimaced at Salvo then chuckled at Galiel's eagerness. "You can barely walk!" He reminded him, playfully. "Carter, maybe you could bring him in and put him on the couch while I help Galiel inside?" he suggested then smiled at Galiel. "I'll sit you next to him, ok? You can make sure he's ok and comfortable." --- David nodded in agreeance. "You're right...Alright, I'll see if I can talk to them. Thank you, Blaire." he smiled at her and stood from the barstool. He took out his wallet and passed a few hundred-dollar bills to her. "A little something to help the vampires of our group afford more blood upfront if they need it. Oh, and my great-granddaughter has recently become a Blood God. So, she might become a regular as well. Take care." he said before turning and walking away. After two or three steps, he vanished. David then appeared a short distance from wherever Hades had gone. If they were in a building, he'd walk up to the door and ring the bell, not wanting to just pop in unannounced. --- "I'll bet you'd look good in almost anything!" Racheal giggled then blushed, realizing how she must've sounded. "uh, did you want to dance some more?" she asked. "Ah! Cheeky!" Hannes laughed in amusement and surprise before giving chase, being careful to keep Jean within his sights in this maze of a garden. He kept trying to catch up to Jean and tickled his sides whenever he managed to get close enough. "I will catch you, Meine geliebte!" he called to him, playfully. Tristan watched Jean keenly, like a predator stalking its prey. Much like a predator, he had a hungry look about him as his eyes followed his movements from the shadows. He was tempted, very tempted, to grab Jean as he rounded one of the corners and drag him away but he knew that would be foolish. Not only would it frighten Jean, but it would also cause a commotion and he didn't want to draw attention to himself. Just as he was thinking this, he jumped, startled by Janik who spoke next to him. Apparently, he'd been stood there for a minute or two without Tristan realizing. "Hard to believe, isn't it?" he'd asked. "That we have turned vampires in the castle for the first time in hundreds of years or that Hannes is actually in a relationship?" Tristan asked dryly. Janik chuckled. "Either, I suppose..." A thought occurred to Tristan. This was yet another perfect opportunity to use his knowledge of this castle to his advantage. "And what about you?" he asked, causing Janik to raise a brow at him. "What about me?" "You're one of the vampires who tried so hard to win his heart. Don't tell me you don't feel at least a little jealous? Especially after all you did to become a Castle Guard." "What would you know of what I did?" Janik turned to face him, staring at him with a cold expression. "I know you had the Guard, whose place you took, murdered," Tristan answered cooly, still watching Jean from their distance. "I know that you begged Natali to help you rig the castle votes so you'd win the election for the position. Even going as far as to bed her...Janik, your own sister!" Tristan cringed and shook his head. "To think we were once lovers...and all of this for what? So you could get closer to Hannes in the hopes that he would fall for you if he spent enough time around you..." Janik's face had turned red as he glared hard at Tristan who still wasn't looking at him. "Y-you! How?!" "But then tragedy struck when the Steinheil's killed Hannes's brother and he left the castle seeking revenge...only to find love in the big, wide world..." Tristan tutted. Now he turned to look at Janik. "Why do you think I left the castle? Who do you think Natali hired to murder the old Guard? Who do you think she hired to rig the votes? and who do you think she hired to get rid of the product of your disgusting affair? She needed me to keep quiet so she threatened me. Either I leave the castle, or she'd have me tied up in the field to wait for the sun! But things have changed and now...now, maybe we can put our past behind us and work together? More directly this time." Janik was quiet for a moment as he let all of this information sink in, then he sighed and gave him a curious look. "What are you planning?" "Something that might benefit us both. You want Jean out of the picture? Suits me fine, because I want Jean to myself. I just need you to cover me while I slip him out of the castle...come, we shouldn't talk here any longer. Let's find somewhere more private to put together a plan." Janik nodded quietly then followed Tristan back into the castle. --- Malone wrapped an arm around Travis and rubbed his arm with his hand in a slow and comforting way while occasionally taking a sip on his own beer. "This chef sure does swear a lot!" he chuckled, finding the blond-haired chef on the TV amusing.

Denix Vames - August 5, 2021 "Tell you what? That outfit is yours and I'll help buy some new clothes after you settle in to your new home. Deal?" ,said Leo. --- Carter hopped out of the car. Galiel carefully got out with the help of Sebastian. Carter opened the door for them. "Make yourself at home. I'll make you a cup of coffee to keep you warm." --- Bern gently ran his hand through his hair but made sure not to mess it up. "We can start planning the wedding as soon as possible." Salvo smirked. "Have you met me? Have you seen what I've done to people?" He looked at the crystal with a frown. "I'm already a lost cause." --- X continued to kiss her as they began to lay on the grass. --- Jean's eyes filled with tears as he covered his mouth. He nodded quickly. "Yes! Yes I'll marry you!" --- "I know buddy. I know." Ricky helped him to the bed where he put him on his side. He gently rubbed his arm. "Just take it easy on the bottle next time ok? You can't fight someone if you're drunk." --- Travis clutched the back of his shirt. He pressed his forehead against his before kissing him. (so I was thinking then that David would want to see how Hades's is doing and then he sees him hanging out with Storm. then I'll give him Storm's personality through their meeting ) shadowess - August 5, 2021 Viktor beamed. Happy with this arrangement. "Deal! Thanks, Leo!" --- Sebastian helped Galiel into the living room where he eased him down onto the couch. "You just make yourself comfortable. I'll go and fetch some clothes for you to wear while Carter makes that coffee. Are you hungry? We could get you something to eat, too." --- "Oh, Bern! This is wonderful! W-we could have an outdoor wedding! A flower arch! We gotta pick best men! bridesmaids!" Mon said excitedly, somewhat oblivious to David and Salvo's conversation. David shook his head a little and lay a hand on Salvo's shoulder. "The fact that you're even considering changing your ways tells me otherwise. I believe you have the potential to do good. You just need to believe in yourself and put in the effort, that's all." --- Tia let X ease her down until they were both laying on the grass. She become lost in his kisses, letting her hands wander over his arms and chest to feel his muscles. --- Hannes grinned and stood up, carefully placing the ring on Jean's finger before hugging him tightly and kissing him passionately to the applause and cheers of the vampires watching. Once that was done, the vampires left Jean and Hannes to their intimate moment as they focussed their attention now on Racheal whose face turned a little red out of nerves from being watched. Sven approached her and Elimar with a kind smile. "It's alright, all anyone here wants is for you to be happy today." he said to her and she nodded with a small smile before walking over to her pile. Just like Jean had, she opened her gifts which were, of course, a mixture of clothes, furniture, jewellery and make up. Bianka had carved a sculpture of a baby elephant for Racheal. She also received some modern gadgets, such as a laptop and a new phone. When finished, she looked around the hall with tears in her eyes and addressed the vampires watching. "I spent my whole life convinced that vampires were monsters." she began. "Brainwashed into believing they were dangerous and evil." she shook her head. "But since I became one...since arriving in this castle...I learned just how wrong my family have been! In this short space of time, you've all managed to make me feel welcomed, wanted, safe..." she looked at Elimar. "...Loved." she looked around the room again. She was shaking and tears rolled down her cheeks but she stood firm and spoke with purpose. "I am sorry. I am so sorry for everything the Steinheils put you through! You've taken me in as one of your own and to show you all just how grateful I am to you, I am going to make you a promise here and now. I will not let you down!" Janik scoffed quietly and leant towards Natali a little to whisper to her, his tone full of scepticism; "Let's see how long that lasts." "Once a Steinheil, always a Steinheil." Natali whispered back, regarding Racheal with distaste. Sven turned his head to glare at the pair who caught his eye and quickly looked back at Racheal as if they hadn't said anything. "I'll work hard to earn my place here." Racheal continued, oblivious to Janik and Natali's whispers. "Starting with your defences. I know how my family operates. How they hunt. I want to keep you and your families safe. So, I will share this information in the hopes that it will help if they ever try to attack you again. Thank you all again." The vampires applauded her speech. --- Rickster nodded, his eyes already starting to roll as soon as his head touched the pillow. "Mkay..." he mumbled. "I'll-...I'll kick his...ass....turn 'im into a (hic) fuckin' pin cushhhion...I'll...I'll..." he began to snore. --- Malone's heart fluttered and he kissed Travis back softly. He recaptured his lips again and again, moving his hand up to caress his cheek as he did. (Sounds good ) Denix Vames - August 5, 2021 "No problem." Leo took his hand and teleported them to the mansion. --- "Thank you. I'd love to try some of your food." ,said Galiel. Carter went into the kitchen to start the coffee pot. --- "We should discuss this more at the smoke room. C'mon. You can tell me what you have in mind and I'll tell you my vision of the wedding." ,said Bern. They left the office. Salvo looked at the crystal. He started shaking as he cried again. He pulled the necklace off. Slamming the crystal on the desk. He grabbed the lamp nearby and smashed the crystal into pieces with the end of it. A purple light bloomed before disappearing. He caught his breath. "Now no one can use it!" --- X moved his hands to her waist. Kissing her passionately. --- "Oh um....Rachael? I have something for you." ,said Elimar who raised a bag to her. "It's my gift to you. I hope you like it." He blushed. Jean clutched Hannes's arm. "Maybe after the party we could...." He whispered into his ear, "Make love?" --- Ricky frowned at the sight of him. "I wish I wasn't useless. I probably could have helped you. I'm sorry." He quietly left the room and went to a different bedroom where he cried himself to sleep. --- Travis found himself going back on the couch. Laying there with Malone on top of him. Passionately kissing him as he ran a hand through his hair. Shadowess - August 5, 2021 As soon as they arrived, Viktor looked around in awe of how big this mansion was. His parents had been fairly rich but it had been nothing compared to this! "Woah! Your house us huge!" he gasped. "Oh, hello." Atma greeted them when she heard Viktor. She looked at Leo. "You'll be pleased to know that all the cleaning in this place has been taken care of. Thought I might as well put myself to use if I'm to live here. I've folded your laundry and put it on the kitchen table for you, when you're ready. If you're sticking around for the night, I plan on making dinner at around seven." She then looked at Viktor. "I'm Atma Tuo Vitae. Pleasure meeting you." "Viktor Steinheil." He nodded at her. "That's quite an accent." "German..." Viktor's cheeks turned a little red. "Ah, yep. I hear it now." Atma chuckled. Then she turned back to Leo, looking a little more concerned. "Something has happened...I don't suppose I could have a quick word with you?" --- "No problem. Back in a moment." he said before running up the stairs. He heard some noise coming from the spare bedroom and shook his head a little. "Didn't miss that..." he muttered as he headed into the master bedroom and picked out some clothes for Galiel to wear. He then headed back downstairs and placed them onto the couch next to him. "There you go. Now then, let's fix you up something to eat." he smiled as he headed into the kitchen. He kissed Carter's cheek on his way past and opened up the fridge. "Looks like we'll have to restock the fridge soon...for both normal food and blood." he commented as he looked at the few things left in there. "What do you think we should cook?" --- David's eyes widened at Salvo's actions but he said nothing, nor did he intervene. Taking that crystal out of the picture was for the best, as far as David was concerned. No good could come from a trinket like that. When Salvo caught his breath, David nodded. "You did the right thing." he assured him. He then checked his watch. "I need to attend to other matters, but if you need me then you only need to call out my name. I would recommend you pay Carter's a visit to let him know that he no longer has to worry about you trying to take over his business. If anything, I'm sure he'll be happy to have more allies when it comes to protecting others. Particularly allies as strong and influential as yourself." he smiled at Salvo, letting him know that the business he currently has going here could still be used. It just needed a slight change in direction. --- Tia moaned a little and slipped her tongue into his mouth. Her hands moved under his shirt, getting a better feel of his muscles. --- Racheal blinked at Elimar and took the bag slowly. "You've already given me so much..." she gasped then looked at the bag, carefully lifting the box from it and setting the bag down to one side. She looked it over, taking in the detail carved into the wood before opening the box up. Her eyes lit up as a sweet little tune began to play and she looked at Elimar tearfully, smiling. "It's beautiful, Elimar! Thank you!" She carefully placed the box down with the other gifts and hurried over to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and hugging him tightly. Tristan had been focussing his hearing on Jean and Hannes. So, when he heard Jean's suggestion, he gulped down the rest of his drink and marched out into the gardens to calm down. Hannes blushed, grinned and kissed his cheek. "I would love to." he purred into his ear. "I wonder how long we can keep it going for?" he chuckled. "All day, I hope." he nibbled his earlobe a bit then pulled away, grinning. "Let's have a few more drinks and enjoy the party first." he winked. --- Malone was lost in the moment. Before he knew it, he was laying on top of Travis and kissing him deeply. Slipping his tongue into his mouth and moaning a little at the feel of his hand moving through his hair. He felt up Travis's chest a bit then stopped to look at him a little breathlessly. "This isn't too fast, is it?" he asked him, hesitant. "I can wait if you want to." Denix Vames - August 5, 2021 "Oh. You really didn't have to do that but thank you." ,said Leo. He nodded at Viktor. "Make yourself at home. I'll be back in a second." He followed Atma. "What is it?" --- "Thanks. These look interesting." ,said Galiel as he began to slowly put them on. Getting to know the clothes better. It was a white shirt and jeans. Carter smiled at the kiss. He shrugged. "I'm not sure. Bacon and eggs? Something basic but still delicious." --- Salvo nodded. "I'll get right on that." He had his driver take him there along with someone else sitting next to him as his guard. They got to the office. With his guard, Salvo walked over to the door and knocked. --- Hades was at the vampire club. Having talked to his mom, he met a new customer named Storm who knew about the existence of supernatural creatures. He was instantly into him and the two began talking at a corner of the club. Hades rolled his eyes when he saw David. "Hey David. I'm fine. I told my mom everything." "Who's this?" ,said Storm. "He's like a Demon who turns bad souls into good souls." Storm was wearing a grey shirt, black leather jacket, and black jeans, He had a cross ear piercing. His hair held a gothic punk style to it. "That's lame." "I know, right?" Hades put himself closer to him. Letting Storm wrap an arm around him. "So, what do you want?" Hades seemed to have been easily influenced by the charm of the new man he met. --- X took the upper part of his clothing off. He caressed her leg as he moaned into the kisses. He moved his lips to her neck but was gentle. --- Elimar blushed at her sudden hug. He returned the gesture with a smile. "You're welcome." Jean jumped excitedly. "Can I please go see the garden? I want to look at all the flowers!" --- Travis smiled before sitting up. He sat on his lap and rubbed himself against him as he kissed him again. Shadowess - August 6, 2021 Viktor looked between them for a moment then nodded at Leo and started looking around the mansion. While he was checking out the living room, he listened in on their conversation. Sensing that whatever had happened might be cause for alarm. Atma led Leo into the dining room where she assumed they wouldn't be overheard then proceeded to tell Leo everything that she knew. "The information I got was very limited. Rickster was very drunk and barely making sense..." she started. "But from what I can tell, anyone associated with him might be in danger. He appeared with a Demon a few hours ago. Some blonde called Desi who claimed to be an incubus. They were both already fairly drunk when they arrived and continued drinking for a bit before Desi went back to Hell. Then Rickster started freaking out about some other Demon called Donnie. Apparently this Donnie is far worse than Rickster had been when he was at his worst...I wouldn't know...just repeating what he said." she shrugged. "Apparently, and I'm just assuming here because he didn't say specifically who, he and Desi managed to stop Donnie from doing something bad...but Donnie escaped and swore revenge on them and anyone associated with them." She glanced towards the ceiling. "Ricky took him upstairs to try and calm him down. He was trying to act tough but...he was obviously pretty shaken." --- "Good idea." Sebastian smiled as he took out the eggs and bacon, setting them on the side. He moved over to the cabinet and took out the frying pan. It was then that they heard the knock on the door. "I'll get it." Sebastian said, setting the pan to one side and moving through the living room. He glanced at Galiel to make sure he was covered. "Looks like you've got the hang of it." he said as he headed towards the door. He opened the door a little and peaked out at Salvo through the gap. He looked between Salvo and the guard hesitantly for a moment. Having been locked up in ADIEU all the way through the mafia era, Sebastian had no idea what the mafia was supposed to look or sound like. So, to him, they just looked like a couple of well dressed men. "Hello." he smiled, obliviously. "How can we help?" it was only after asking this question that the familiar smell of cologne hit his nose and he froze, straining to keep his smile up as he waited tensely for them to answer. --- David vanished from the mansion but didn't go to the club immediately. Instead, he stood around outside for a minute and sighed heavily before taking out his phone. It was only fair that he contact his daughter to update her on everything that had happened with Donnie and to let Charles know that Amelia wouldn't be safe from him just yet, so he shouldn't let her out of his sight. Once that was done, he then teleported to the club. Arriving near the bar, David and smiled with a nod towards Blaire. He then walked over to Hades when he saw him sitting with someone he hadn't met yet. Before he could open his mouth to speak, Hades took him by surprise by giving him attitude. David was taken aback and was mildly reminded of a time when Sara had gone through her teens. He never got to deal with this with Amelia...she'd been taken out of Hell before puberty could hit her. She'd wound up running away from Atma then lived with an Angel that had assumed she was just a homeless kid and pitied her. While David had been a little relieved to have skipped her teenage mood swings, he'd also been saddened by the fact that he hadn't seen her grow into the woman that she is now. But that was all in the past. Now he had to deal with Hades and his apparent lingering teen rebelliousness. He folded his arms and smirked at Hades. "Lame, huh? Funny, you didn't seem to think so when you wanted to become my apprentice." he then turned his attention to Storm. "And what exactly do you do for a living?" he questioned, his eyes burning into his intensely. David was well known now for being patient and kind...but he could be very stern and intimidating when he needed to be. After all, he had been a soldier twice. Once as a human in World War Two and again as a Demon in Lucifer's army. So, when he wanted to, he could easily turn on his fierce stare. --- Tilting her head back a little, Tia let out shaky breaths as X kissed her neck and she felt his hand on her leg. She quickly unbuttoned her own shirt and opened it up. She then lifted her hips a little to rub them against his while kissing his neck and shoulder. --- Bianka looked at Elimar and Racheal happily. She gave Elimar an encouraging grin and a thumbs up with both hands before Larissa came along to drag her off to the gardens as well. Racheal let Elimar go and smiled at him. "We've been doing things that I wanted to do all night. Is there anything that you wanted to do?" she asked, wondering if there was a specific way that Elimar preferred to enjoy parties. "Of course!" Hannes grinned and offered Jean his arm before walking with him towards the gardens. Tristan was closer to the back of the gardens. He'd come across a man-sized hole in the hedges that lead out to the woods and was examining it curiously. Either this was an old hole from a previous attack by the Steinheils that hadn't managed to grow back yet, or it was a new one and there was an uninvited guest at the party...difficult to tell. He couldn't smell anything out of the ordinary. Certainly no hint of Steinheil blood, apart from the one in the hall anyway... 'Hmm...maybe a hole like this would come in handy?' he thought to himself. 'Like a secret short cut...in and out of the castle...' --- Malone tilted his head back and moaned at how Travis moved on him. He kissed him back, slipping his tongue into his mouth again and gripping his hips. He took hold of Travis's shirt and pulled it off him before kissing him again and letting his hands wander across his chest, sides and hips.

Denix Vames - August 3, 2021 Ben laid next to her. Keeping her close in his hold. "I love you too." He kissed her. "Sleep well." He closed his eyes. --- "Actually, I'm going to retire from the CIA and become an officer. But I could teach you what I was taught as an agent so that you can become Allie's new bodyguard. She's the President's daughter. And not only do you have to protect her but you have to protect the whole family. Understand?" ,said Leo. --- "Oh? What kinds of clothes?" ,asked Galiel. "Whatever you think looks nice. Pick and choose. I really don't mind." ,said Carter. --- Bern hesitantly walked over. He poured Salvo a glass of brandy. Salvo lifted his head to look at David then the necklace. He looked at David again. "Like what?" --- X became lost in her eyes before gently kissing her. --- Will moaned at the taste Parker's blood. He brought him to the floor where he rubbed himself against him. His wings sprouted. Vibrating as he began kissing down his chest while taking off his shirt. --- Jean nodded with a smile at Tristan. He accepted the drink that Hannes brought over. "To my wonderful handsome boyfriend." He clinked glasses with him before taking a sip. He immedlately leaned himself against him for support. He chuckled at the strength of the drink. Elimar blushed. "You are far too kind. I never thought I would ever meet you. I do not regret it." --- Ricky stepped into the mansion after picking up some trash with a local group. He raised a brow at the commotion. Walking over to where Atma and Rickster were. "Rickster?" He placed his hands on his arms. "Why are you drinking this much? What's wrong?" --- Travis moved about in his sleep. Almost like he was trying to run away from something or someone. He began to breath heavily. Tossing and turning before tears fell from his eyes. Then he was thrashing. Afraid of Insanity who he thought was in front of him. Attempting to hurt him or kill him. Shadowess - August 3, 2021 Viktor hesitated. He knew that it meant he'd be constantly around his sister and he wasn't sure if that was a good idea. "I don't know if my sister would want me here..." he admitted. "I'd do it but...if she doesn't want me near her then I'd rather respect that..." his cheeks turned a little red and he lowered his gaze, feeling awkward. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be difficult." --- "There are dozens of styles to choose from. Once we've got you dressed we could take you out to choose some clothes that you prefer." Sebastian offered. --- David sat back in his chair. "Like helping others. You have a unique organisation here. Why not use it for good? To help prevent others from going through what we went through. In Heaven, if you work hard enough you can earn wings and become an Angel to continue helping others. In Hell, I run a redemption programme and souls who prove they can change for the better are either granted access to Heaven or they get the option of becoming a Demon so that they can help other souls to redeem themselves too. There are a plethora of options out there for you. And all of them are far better than resorting to stealing the souls of other people. I am willing to help you." he held out his hand to him. "What do you say?" --- Tia had also been entranced by him as they stared at each other for a moment. When X leaned in, she didn't object. She relaxed in his arms and closed her eyes, savouring the feeling of his lips against hers. It had been years since she felt an intimacy like this. She never thought she'd feel this way about anyone again. When the kiss broke, she looked at him for a moment before leaning in and capturing his lips again. --- Parker tilted his head back, letting out another loud moan when he felt Will's body against his along with the vibrations from his wings. He let out shaky breaths as Will kissed his chest and he glanced at the door while biting his lips. "Maybe...maybe we..." he started, breathlessly then moaned a little before continueing. "Maybe we should...take this to...the bedroom?" he suggested, worried that Carter and Sebastian would be back soon and walk in on them in the act. --- Hannes chuckled and held Jean steady with his free arm. "Easy, meine Geliebte. You still have gifts to open yet." he grinned, hoping Jean would start opening them soon so he could give him his gift when he'd opened them all. "Neither do I." Racheal said softly. "Of all the vampires that I could've run into in that hallway...I'm glad it was you." --- "Maybe you'll have more luck. I can't get any sense out of him..." Atma said to Ricky as he walked in. Rickster looked up at Ricky and quickly stood, wrapping his arms around him to hug him tightly as he cried into his shoulder. "I won't let him get you! I won't!" he sobbed. --- Malone woke up suddenly, startled by Travis's sporadic movements. They were still on the couch and the TV was now only showing static. He looked at Travis in alarm and wrapped his arms around him to try and stop him thrashing about. "Hey, hey! It's ok! It's not real, it's just a dream! You're ok! You're safe!" he said quickly and as gently as he could. Denix Vames - August 3, 2021 Leo thought for a moment. "How about you just move into my mansion? There's enough space for you and I've got plenty of roommates there already. It wouldn't be a problem." --- "Wow! I barely got on land and already I'm getting so many things!" ,said Galiel. --- Salvo looked at his hand then his men. He nodded as he shook his hand. "Sure. But I wouldn't know where to start." Bern cleared his throat. "How about helping me and Mon with our wedding?" He held Mon's hand as he stepped forward. Salvo studied them for a minute before smiling. "That I can do." --- X parted from the kiss. He frowned. "I'm sorry. I'm not supposed to let emotions take over my work. I don't want you to get hurt because of me." --- Will and Parker appeared in a bedroom. Laying on the bed. "I've got us both covered." (private time) --- "Can I open them now? I want to see what they are." ,said Jean. Elimar caressed her cheek. Looking into her eyes. "Me too." --- "Him? Who are you talking about?" ,said Ricky. --- Travis gasped awake. He looked at Malone before sobbing against his chest. Shaking. Shadowess - August 4, 2021 (I'll reply when I get home from work today but just a heads up, I might be online less and less over the next few weeks as I'm moving house and things will be in full swing from next week. Got a lot of packing and cleaning to do & we're hoping to have everything done and move out by the last week of this month. Not sure how quickly we'll have everything set up and connected to the internet when we move so if I suddenly vanish for a few days, that's why ) Denix Vames - August 4, 2021 (thats alright. thanks for letting me know) shadowess - August 4, 2021 Viktor blinked. "You would...let me live with you?" he hesitated and thought for a moment before smiling and nodding at Leo. It wasn't complete freedom but at least he'd be able to see Bryce whenever he wanted without feeling guilty and he would also be close to Leo to be able to ask him questions whenever he felt unsure of himself. "That would be great, thank you!" --- "I imagine it's exciting after living in the ocean all your life. There's a lot to do on land so I'm sure you'll find clothes and hobbies that suit you in no time." Sebastian nodded. "And we'll be happy to help you along with that." --- Relieved, David shook Salvo's hand. He smiled at Bern and Mon as Bern announced they'd be getting married. Even Mon looked surprised and had happy tears welling up in his eyes. "Oh, Bern!" Mon exclaimed, overwhelmed with joy. "Congratulations." David nodded at them. He then get to his feet and looked between them. "I'm sure you have a lot to think about and plan. I would highly recommend that you discard of that crystal to eliminate any temptations to use it again. Don't worry. Like I say, if you end up dying and going to Hell then I will be happy to help you either ascend to Heaven to start earning your wings or earn your place among the Demons. Either way, you'd still be able to return to Earth at any time. I'd also be happy to put that Crystal in a sae place, out of reach of anyone who might abuse it's power." he then sighed. "But I won't force you. The choice is entirely yours." --- When X pulled away and explained that he wasn't supposed to let his emotions get in the way of his work, Tia frowned. She felt a little hurt that he'd gotten her hopes up like this only to shatter them but she understood why it had happened. She tried a smile and gently nudged his nose with hers again, playfully. "I'm stronger than I look." she said softly, looking into his eyes again. It wasn't wrong. All her life, she has only ever known a cage and abusive slurs from her 'masters'. She endured heartbreak when she lost Jack's father but stayed strong for his sake. Yet she still manages to look at things in a more positive and inquisitive way. "I'll be ok." --- "Of course!" Hannes beamed and led him over to his pile of gifts. A small crowd of vampires gathered, eager to see if Jean would like their gifts to him. Bianka included, whose gift was large and sat on the side of the pile. The vampires rarely left the castle, so most gifts were either handmade or donated from their own homes. They mostly included things that would help a new vampire to settle in to their new home, such as an abundance of new clothes and furniture. Most of the clothes were in a similar style to the suit that he wore, the vampires having picked out their nicest, newest and less worn outfits to give to Jean. Bianka had carved a small, decorative and detailed sculpture of a bear cub for him. Other furniture given to Jean included a vanity table with a stool, a small drinks cabinet, a little bookcase with some books to go in it and a little gothic end table. Other, smaller gifts were trinkets and jewellery such as cufflinks with diamonds, jewelled broaches and rings. Various different perfumes and colognes in old, fancy looking bottles. Very few vampires actually went out to try and buy something more modern for Jean, such as a new phone, a television, a laptop and the most recently released gaming console with a few random games that the store clerk had recommended to an otherwise clueless vampire who was simply doing their best. Hannes would watch Jean open all of these with a smile on his face, happy and proud to see how welcoming their neighbours were of him. All the while, his heart beating a little harder than normal in anticipation of giving him his own gift, which was currently in Hannes's pocket, waiting until Jean had finished opening all of his gifts. Racheal blushed and became lost in his eyes. This moment had been perfect and she felt her heart fluttering as she looked at him. A quiet, fake cough interrupted them and Racheal turned her head to see Janik waiting near the entrance to the Pavilion, looking away from them awkwardly. Apparently uncomfortable that he'd had to interrupt them in what looked like an intimate moment. "Excuse the intrusion. Jean has begun opening his gifts, so we thought you might like to open yours as well now." "Oh." Racheal blinked. She'd forgotten that the gifts even existed, having been comfortable enough to simply spend this time with Elimar. She smiled and nodded, looking back at Elimar. "I guess we could always dance again later?" she asked, blushing a little. --- Rickster cried into Ricky's shoulder for a minute or so before taking a few deep breaths to try and talk again, pulling back to look at Ricky. "D-Donnie...he's a dangerous Demon." he slurred heavily. "Worse than me when I was at my worst...We stopped him but he escaped and he said he'd get revenge on us and everyone we love!" he shivered and caressed Ricky's cheek. "I won't let him hurt you! I swear!" he said with determination then looked terrified. "Ricky, what if he goes after her??" he asked worriedly, referring to Neva. "Would he know?! But I never showed her I cared! Would he leave her be?! What if he doesn't and it would be my fault just for being her father?!" Atma had turned pale at the news. She had no idea who Rickster's apparent daughter was but she knew one thing for certain, anyone involved with Rickster was in danger from this Donnie person...including her. Just for living with him. "Should I call someone?" she suggested, worriedly. --- "Shhh, there, there." Malone hugged him and rubbed his back. "It's ok. You're safe. It wasn't real, ok? and I'm right here with you. I won't let anything happen to you." Denix Vames - August 4, 2021 "Just give me a moment." Leo disappeared then reappeared. This time he didn't hold the phone. "Pack your things first. I'll take you to the mansion." --- "Thanks guys! I'm glad that I ran into you two." ,said Galiel. "Same here. C'mon Sebastian. Let's go home before you crash because you couldn't keep your eyes off of me." ,said Carter jokingly. --- Bern kissed Mon's hands before pulling him into an embrace. Salvo frowned. He clutched the crystal. "I'm afraid of growing old. I know it sounds selfish but I still want to use it. But if you stop me, I won't try to fight back." --- X caressed her cheek. "I trust you." He kissed her slowly. --- Jean was happy with all the gifts he had received. Thanking the people around him for them. Having finished opening them, he didn't expect a present from Hannes until he would show it. "For you? At any time." Elimar guided her inside the castle. Taking her to her presents. --- "No, it's alright." ,said Ricky to her. "C'mon Rickster. Why don't we go to bed? Once your sober enough, we can come up with a plan to keep Donnie away from her. Ok?" He took him by his arm. Gently pulling him upstairs to their bedroom. --- Travis nodded. He cupped his cheeks and leaned his forehead against his. His grip became tight before he got up and wrote a quick note which read, 'I'm sorry that I'm putting all of my problems on you. You have enough stress as a cop. Maybe I should go.' Denix Vames - August 5, 2021 (I want to give Hades's a boyfriend. His name is Storm and he would be human. I was thinking of having it where Hades starts dating this guy and David has to deal with Hades's rebellious attitude. Mainly dealing with him always hanging out with Storm and breaking the law like vandalism. Just that kind of cliche because I think it would be funny and interesting to see David act like a father to him. I don't know how to introduce Storm into the story. I would be playing as him but I want your opinion on what I should write for his intro. I'll send a picture of what I picture him as) shadowess - August 5, 2021 Viktor's cheeks turned a little red and he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I er-...I don't have any 'things'...Everything here belongs to the Whitehouse...even the clothes that I'm wearing." --- "I'm working on it." Sebastian chuckled. It wouldn't be much longer before they pulled up at the office. "Alright, you can take off your seatbelt now." He said as he took his own off and climbed out of the car. He walked around and opened Galiel's door for him, ready to help him walk from the car to the office. --- Mon hugged Bern, resting his head on his shoulder as happy tears slid down his cheeks. David sighed at Salvo's explanation for not giving up his crystal. "Look, I'm not going to force you to give it up but just bear in mind that every time you use that thing, you are robbing someone else of their chance at life. It isn't fair on anyone. How about this? If you really want to use it, then only use it on someone who deserves to lose their soul. Someone who absolutely cannot change for the good and is ultimately a lost cause. Deal? If it helps, I know of a certain Angelic gadget that would help you to identify such people." The compass. --- Tia's heart lifted again and she kissed X back slowly and sweetly. She turned herself around in his arms so she could face him and wrap her arms around his shoulders while they kissed. --- The vampires around him all beamed at Jean happily as he opened his gifts and thanked them. Racheal, Elimar and Janik walked back into the hall just in time to see Hannes giving his gift to Jean. As soon as Jean was finished opening his gifts, Hannes walked over to Jean and kissed him tenderly. "And now, my gift to you, meine Geliebte..." he said before getting down on one knee and pulling out a small box. He opened it to show him a two carat princess cut diamond, set on a gold ring. "Jean, I have never felt this strongly about anyone in my life. I haven't known you for long but already, I cannot imagine my life without you. I love you with all of my heart and I would be honoured if you would be my husband." Bianka had covered her mouth with her hands, holding her breath as she waited to see what Jean's answer would be. Janik and Natali looked disinterested. Sven was grinning from ear to ear. Racheal was smiling at the couple, happy that things seemed to work out for them both and that Hannes had treated Jean far better than Niko had ever treated her. Tristan leant against the wall and took a slightly bigger sip of his drink when Hannes proposed to Jean, feeling envious of their happiness. Already his mind was racing with ideas for trying to take Jean for himself. He wanted what they had and he wanted to prove to Jean that he could be better for him than Hannes ever could be. Despite how he felt, he pretended to be happy for the couple, smiling at their moment. --- Atma nodded and looked around at the small mess that Rickster and Desi had made while drinking. She sighed and took a hair tie out of her pocket to put her hair up before getting to work on cleaning up. Rickster leant against Ricky as he took him to the bedroom, still crying while he nodded at Ricky's suggestion. "I'll- I'll kill him if he comes near you...I (hic) swear!" he growled defensively as they walked up the stairs. "H-He thinks he's some big shot Demon who can threaten us? I'll (hic) show him! I'll kick him (hic) in the nnnuts!" --- Malone read the note and his heart sank. "No! Don't think like that!" he said gently and tore up the note. "I don't mind, honestly. I'd rather be here for you than let you think you're some kind of burden, because you're not." he pulled Travis into a hug. "You stay as long as you want, ok? You don't have to be alone anymore." (lol I think that could be pretty interesting. Maybe he could've met him at the vampire club when he went to visit his mom, and the two just hit it off immediately?)

Denix Vames - August 2, 2021 Ben set his luggage on the floor before sitting next to her. Wrapping an arm around her and bringing her close. He ran a hand through her hair. "It's ok. It's going to be ok. We'll make through this somehow." But even his voice sounded broken as he tried his best to hold his tears so that he could be strong for her. --- Leo's eyes widened. "I can see that." He took the phone. "Well, I'll have an agent listen through this. In the meantime, just take some deep breaths. Try to relax and imagine that you have no wings. That might help." --- Carter chuckled. "I can't wait to see what you can do." Galiel frowned. "C'mon guys. I'm right here." "Sorry about that." "I don't mind you guys showing affection. I just wish I had someone." "I'm sure you'll find the right guy pal." --- Salvo slammed his fists against the desk. He stood. "Who are you to tell me what I can or can't do?!" He aimed the gun at David. "Get the hell out before I shoot you!" "Sir! You can read our minds, right? So please tell him! Try to get him to understand who me and Mon are!" ,said Bern. Salvo raised a brow. "What the hell is he talking about?" --- X couldn't help but chuckle. He started running after her. --- "Oh I don't know. Something rough and hard?" ,said Will who unbuckled his belt. He bit hard on his neck. Nibbling softly sometimes while sometimes biting. He grazed his fangs against his skin. --- Jean chuckled. "You have to go with the flow. Let the music overtake you. I hope that makes sense." "I would gladly like to dance with you." Elimar began to slow dance with her. Waltzing to the sounds of nature. Shadowess - August 2, 2021 (Completely forgot that Rickster had gone with them to Hell when they went after Donnie xD He just sort of dropped off the radar when they teleported to the volcano bit lol) Jessica relaxed in Ben's arms and hugged him, resting her head against his chest as she cried quietly. She nodded in response but didn't say anything. It had all been too much for her and she felt overwhelmed by everything that had happened. Within the space of a day, she'd been; kidnapped; turned; had herself and her loved ones threatened by Donnie before his escape; had her darkest secret revealed by Ben's jealous ex, and now they were both in witness protection with their deaths being faked to try to protect them from Donnie, with no way of knowing how long they'd be here for. Eventually she calmed down a bit and just sat there in silence, feeling some comfort in Ben's arms. "Maybe we should try to get some sleep?" she suggested, feeling tired and wondering if Ben felt the same. Though sleeping might be difficult with so much on both of their minds, she knew they had to at least try. --- Viktor nodded, still smiling. "Thanks. I kind of like having them out but I'm still not used to having them...I keep knocking things over." he chuckled. He relaxed and focussed on his wings. He practiced getting them out and putting them away a couple of times before he was comfortable that he had the hang of it. Then he put them away one final time and looked at Leo curiously. "May I ask, how much longer do I have to be here? I promise that I won't hurt anyone and I don't think I have to worry about my family being a danger to me now that I'm...well, this... Maybe I could try to live normal or something and get a job...though, I'm not sure what kind of job I could do..." In all honesty, the main reason Viktor wanted to leave was so that he had the freedom to go out and meet Bryce whenever he wanted, without worrying that he'd get caught like some kind of rebellious teenager who was supposed to be grounded. --- Sebastian's cheeks had turned a little red when Galiel spoke up and he smiled at Carter's words. "Yeah. Honestly, the amount of our friends who've ended up together just through meeting us is unreal...it almost feels like we're more of a dating agency than a detective agency." he laughed. --- "Bern, what are ya doin'?!" Mon looked alarmed. He was frightened of how their boss would react to finding out about them. David hadn't flinched when Salvo pointed his gun at him. He merely watched him, studying him. He stood straight and didn't break eye contact. "If you were going to shoot me, you would have done already." he called his bluff. "You've had plenty of opportunities and given me more than enough warnings and yet you falter. Because you're not a bad man. Not really. You're putting on a façade to make yourself seem like someone one no one should mess with. To appear as someone who should be feared and I think I know why." he smiled. "You care. Behind all the gangster talk, the threats, and the guns...there's a man who is afraid of looking weak or vulnerable...because if he did, for so much as a second, he and his men would be in danger." David smiled knowingly. "Am I wrong?" He then glanced between Bern and Mon and sighed heavily. The next thing to explain might be a little more complicated than the brief psychological analysis he just attempted. "Your men are in a relationship with each other." he said simply. "And they want desperately for you to accept them as they are. They're frightened that you would hate them or be angry at them, simply for being in love." He lifted a finger to make a quick point before Salvo could get a word in. "Your men are still loyal to you. I can sense this. Regardless of me talking to you on their behalf, I sense they wouldn't hesitate to turn me into swiss cheese with their guns if I attempted to attack you now. You should consider this before making any irrational judgements of them. Also, as a Demon who is currently negotiating peace between Heaven and Hell, if there is one thing I can tell you with absolute certainty, it's that love is not a sin. Whether that's heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual, and so on...it doesn't matter. Love is love. That's all there is to it." He lowered his hand, keeping his arms by his sides and waiting for Salvo's reaction. Watching carefully. He already had a sort of plan to grab both Bern and Mon before teleporting out if things suddenly went further south from here. --- Tia giggled as X chased after her. She wasn't about to make catching her easy for him, though. She darted through the trees and ducked under low branches. Every so often, she'd slow down to look back so she could try to see how far he was from her. She ran as fast as she could without using her abilities until she found a small clearing. A little out of breath, she stopped by a large pile of fallen leaves to look back and see if he was still behind her. --- Parker all but melted in Will's grip, tilting his head back to gasp and moan from the thrills he gained from Will's biting. He moaned a little louder at the feeling of his fangs against his skin, shivering excitedly. He felt up Will's chest, slipping his hands under his shirt. "Oh, yes! Don't show me any mercy!" he grinned. --- "Now who's teaching who to dance?" Hannes chuckled as he tried to move his body to the beat of the music. "Maybe I'll loosen up a bit after a drink. Would you like me to get one for you?" Racheal couldn't take her eyes off of Elimar as they danced. Moving in sync with him. "You're good at this." she complimented him while blushing a little. Denix Vames - August 2, 2021 (lol maybe we should have a scene where Rickster goes back home and him and Ricky start talking? i dont know) Ben nodded. "Yeah, you're right." He brushed some of her tears away and kissed her forehead. "You can hold me for as long as you need to. I want you to know that no matter who tries to hurt you, I'll never let them have that chance. Not ever again." --- "I would have to talk to my boss about that. If he does agree to you leaving then you'll most likely be given a place somewhere in Europe so that you can freely express your identity as a hybrid." ,said Leo. He stepped away from the opened doorway. "I'll get this information straight to HQ first. Thanks again by the way." --- "Ya know I never thought of it that way but yeah when you put it like that, we kind of are. Aren't we?" ,said Carter. Galiel excitedly clapped his hands. "I can't wait to meet your single friends!" --- Salvo glared at Mon and Bern. Pointing the gun at them. "You son of a-!" Bern ran so that he would stood in front of Mon. Protecting him. Salvo turned his attention back to David. When he heard everything, he slowly lowered the gun. His expression turning from angry to sad. He dropped his gun and sat on his chair where he broke down into tears. Thinking about his late pregnant wife. Bern's eyes widened. "That's the first time I've ever seen the Don cry." --- X had been following her. When he wasn't behind her, he had appeared where she stopped. Spooking her just for a moment before wrapping his arms around her from behind. He kissed her cheek. "Got you." --- Will pinned him to the wall where he stripped him of his shirt. Kissing his chest as he put his hand under his pants. He squeezed a fistful of his hair. Passionately kissing him. --- Jean blushed as he chuckled. He nodded. "I wouldn't mind." "I've had plenty of time to practice. You, are the other hand, are a quick learner. I'm impressed." ,said Elimar. Shadowess - August 3, 2021 (lol I was thinking that too xD Also, I've been debating bringing in a character for the occasional comic relief from a book I'm writing. Not yet, but I might bring her in after the current plots.) Jessica looked at Ben as he brushed her tears away and kissed her. She smiled a little at his words and nodded. "Thank you...I love you. So much." she said tearfully before kissing him tenderly. She then lay down on the bed and waited for Ben to lay next to her so she could cuddle up to him. Once they were comfortable, she closed her eyes. She wouldn't sleep for hours but she found enough comfort in Ben's arms to at least relax a bit. --- Viktor nodded, although his smile had slipped a little. Europe? But that's so far away from Bryce... He could always teleport but would that mean he'd be running the same risk of getting into trouble with the CIA as he is now? Then what would be the point? There must be a way for him to stay in the US... "W-What if I opted to stay in the US?" he asked Leo quickly before he could leave. "I don't mind hiding what I am for a bit longer. Maybe I can keep helping you? Could I-?...Do you think that maybe, I could work for you?" he asked. "Then I could stay close by and you could teach me how to handle my powers?...Please Leo...I don't want to end up going back to Germany...After everything I had left behind...it would be too painful." --- "One thing at a time." Sebastian chuckled. "First things first, we're going to need to clothe you and build up those leg muscles to get you used to walking." --- When Salvo pointed the gun at them, Mon's eyes widened and he lifted his hands. "Boss!" he gasped then saw Bern move in front of him and Mon jumped, his heart doing backflips. "Bern, no!" he protested then paused when Salvo turned back to David and seemed to listen to him. He held his breath, his heart pounding as he watched the rest unfold. He ended up being just as shocked as Bern was when Salvo began to cry. Seeing the tears, David watched Salvo for a moment and quickly learned the reason for his sudden grief. "I understand..." David said sympathetically. He looked at Bern and Mon. "I believe your boss might be in need of a stiff drink." he said before walking over and sitting in a chair next to Salvo. "I know the pain you're feeling...I know it too well..." he began in a soft voice. "I've lost a wife...I've lost a daughter...I even lost both of my grandchildren. I have great grandchildren now but that doesn't make losing the others any less painful. I wish I could tell you that it gets easier...it doesn't. If anything, you just learn to live with the pain." He then pointed to Salvo's jewel. "But if there's one thing that I know for certain, it's that there are better ways of coping than relying on an item like that one." --- Tia gasped and squeaked when X appeared then immediately burst into a fit of giggles when he wrapped his arms around her. Her cheeks turned pink as he kissed her cheek and she turned her head to look at him while lifting her hands to gently hold his arms. "Yes, you do." she said in a soft tone with a smile, a little out of breath. She nudged his nose with hers again then looked into his eyes. --- Parker moaned loudly then gasped and shivered with a smirk as Will gripped his hair. He allowed himself to be utterly under Will's control, enjoying how rough he was being with him. He slipped his tongue into Will's mouth again and caressed his tongue with his own. He then flicked his tongue over his fangs briefly, nicking the side of his tongue just a little and adding the taste of his blood to their kiss. "Oh, fuck...I'd almost forgotten how good Devil blood tasted..." River gasped. He'd been quiet to try to give them their privacy but the taste of blood had shocked him awake again. --- "Alright, I will be back in a moment." Hannes grinned and kissed Jean's cheek before walking off to the drinks table. In the far corner of the room, Tristan was watching the way Jean danced. Admiring how he looked and finding himself wanting. If Jean were to notice him, he'd simply smile and raise his glass to him as if toasting him before taking a sip. He didn't want to make Jean uncomfortable. That would be counter productive. Immediately after taking a sip, he'd then avert his gaze to the ground as if deep in thought. Hannes returned to Jean with the drinks and handed one to him. "Here you are, meine Geliebte." He clinked his glass against Jean's. "To you, your new life, home and future." he toasted. "I have a great teacher." Racheal replied, grinning and blushing. --- Rickster had been knocked out back in Desi's home when Donnie had sent Hades flying into him, David and X. Once Jessica, Cindy and Niko had been rescued, Desi had returned home and woken him up. Desi had poured them both a strong drink and explained everything that had happened after he'd been knocked out. Once Rickster was up to date on the goings on and had had a few more drinks to help him deal with Donnie's looming threat, Desi had teleported him back to Leo's mansion. Desi stayed for one more drink and drunkenly hit on Atma who turned him down sternly before he returned to his harem in Hell. Once he was gone, Rickster poured himself another drink and waited for Ricky to return home so he could tell him what had happened. "Don't you think that's enough?" Atma asked, staring at Rickster with concern as he swayed dangerously on the kitchen stool. "DuNt YoU FffffinK vATs EnuFF?!" Rickster drunkenly mocked her. "Alright, you don't have to be a dick about it." Atma rolled her eyes. "What happened, anyway? Why are you and Desi trying so hard to drink yourselves into oblivion?" Rickster stared hard at the counter, holding his drink. "Ohhhh fuck....whatifhecomesforher???" he spoke rapidly and slurred heavily. Atma squinted at him. "...Pardon?" she asked but Rickster had started tearing up, covering his mouth as he shook a little. "N-no...she doesn't know...she (hic) might be ok..." "Who?" "He said he'd destroy those we love...he'd come after us...but I never showed her any love...maybe he won't...but what if he does?! It'd be my fault! Just because she's mine!" "Hang on..." Atma shook her head a little. "No, sorry...you've lost me. What the hell are you talking about?!" "AND RICKY!!" He burst into tears. "No! No! I can't lose him!" he groaned. "Calm down!" Atma tried, alarmed at how quickly his emotions had escalated. "What about Ricky? Rickster, what's going on??" --- (Just for exposition) Still a little drunk, Desi appeared back in his harem and looked around forlornly. He looked at all the souls as they enjoyed themselves. The bodies writhing. The moans filling the room like music. But it wasn't music to him anymore. Just noise. He looked around and found himself disgusted in what he saw. He ran his hands through his hair. He couldn't stand it. What was the point of this? All these years wasted in this room...drinking wine, fucking and watching... a king in his sordid little castle... Where had this gotten him? Who did he have, really? Non of these souls cared about him...not really. They only come here to feel safe in a place full of pain and torment. To escape the realities that they must face. To run away from their sins. Shirking their responsibility to atone for what they'd done. They only showed Desi kindness and adoration because he granted them a form of protection. No more. "Get out." Desi said angrily. Immediately, all movement came to a slow stop and the souls looked at him in confusion. As if wondering if they'd heard him correctly. "I said get out! GET OUT!!!" Desi began yelling furiously at them, storming around the harem and grabbing souls by their arms and shoving them towards the doors. "GET OUT!!! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! GET OUT!!!" he screamed, throwing pillows and bottled at them. Alarmed by what was happening, the souls began scrambling to their feet and running for the doors. A few of them had started crying as they ran, wondering what would become of them now that their access to a safe haven was denied. Once they were gone, Desi panted and stood in the middle of his now empty harem. Shards of broken glass and puddles of wine littered the floor from where he'd thrown bottles and they'd smashed. Cushions and blankets were strewn across the marble floors. The room was quieter than it had ever been. Desi flopped himself down to sit in a large pile of pillows before burying his head in his hands and sobbing.

Denix Vames - August 1, 2021 "You will both be coming with me. First, you should pack your bags." "How long will we have to stay at the whitehouse?" ,asked Ben. "As long as Donnie's around. Now please. Get your things ready." He sighed. "I never thought it would be like this." --- Kite blushed. "Sure but I'm not a great wedding planner. And I don't know what kind of proposal you expect from me." --- "Looks like it." The eel swam away as Galiel swam over to the docks so that they could speak to him. Carter lifted the vial up. "We got you this. It'll give you legs but if you get wet your tail will come back. I think it's like a back and forth thing." Galiel smiled wide. "Really?!" He hopped out of the waters. Landing on the dock. "Oh thank you! Thank you!" Carter handed him the vial. "Here. Let me get you dry." He unbuttoned and took his shirt off. Soaking up the water on Galiel's skin with his shirt. Once he seemed dry enough, he stood back. Galiel downed the vial. He dropped it as he felt the change. He cringed at the movement of his tail becoming legs until he let out a sigh of relief. --- Salvo glared. He smashed the butt of his cigar on the ash tray. He enclosed his hands. Letting his elbows rest on his desk. "Do you think I give a shit about who dies? And who the fuck are you? How the fuck do you know what era I was in when business was booming? More importantly, how the fuck did you find this place?" --- X swallowed nervously. "I like you too. Do you um....Do you want to talk in private?" --- Will shrugged. "I'm not sure. How about Europe? Maybe I could take you on a fancy vacation to France or England?" --- "Thank you. I think I'll open presents later. Right now, I want to meet everyone." Jean thought for a moment. "And maybe you could play The Cure? I love that band." Elimar shook his head. "Oh no. Nothing like that. I want her to feel like an individual." He took another sip. He nodded at him. "Very well. Have fun." His eyes were caught by Rachael's beauty. He blushed. Making his face look red. He walked over to her and bowed a bit. "You're quite a sight my dear." He took her hand. "Would you like to dance, drink some venomed blood, or open presents? Or we could just talk." Jean smiled at Tristan. "My name's Jean Poe. I'm Hannes's partner. It's nice to meet you." shadowess - August 1, 2021 Nodding at Leo, Jessica rubbed Ben's arm a bit in a comforting way before heading into the bedroom to pack a few things. She didn't say anything as she packed. She was just glad that Ben would be safe with Donnie on the loose and that no one else knew about Greg's visit. When she was done packing her things into a backpack, she slung it onto her shoulder and sighed as she looked at Ben to see if he was ready as well. --- Hearing Kite's uncertainty, Cindy giggled. "It's ok. I'm not expecting anything big, flashy or expensive! As long as it comes from your heart, comes from you, then I'll be happy." --- "So? How do you feel?" Sebastian asked, looking at Galiel curiously. He then wondered whether he'd be able to walk right away, considering he'd never used legs before. "Do you need a hand standing up?" --- Mon was a little confused by some of the things they were saying but he knew how to read the situation. So, the only thing that mattered to him was that the Don was angry with this upstart. David didn't seem at all phased by Salvo's outburst, nor did he seem nervous. He merely smiled in the same pleasant way. "Oh, I have my ways." he said ominously and for just a moment, his eyes shone red. Mon blinked and did a double take at David but by the time he looked back at him, David's eyes had gone back to normal. He looked at Bern uncertainly as if to ask if he saw the same thing. David now stepped towards the table and lay both his hands on it, leaning over it a bit as he stared hard at Salvo. "What exactly is your problem with Carter, anyway? He hasn't done anything to you. In fact, before you sent your goons to shoot up his place, he didn't even know that you existed." --- Tia bit her lip a little and glanced around the room momentarily. She wasn't anxious about leaving Jack for a little while. Not while he was with the pack, anyway. She trusted them to watch over him and protect him if she ever goes out on her own. She looked back at X and nodded, smiling at him. --- Parker pulled up outside of Carter's office. "Hmm...I guess it would be pretty cool to see where my great granddad was born and died to protect." he said thoughtfully. "Britain isn't exactly known for good weather, though." he chuckled. --- Sven nodded. "I'll let the person in charge of the music know of your preference. I hope you enjoy yourself tonight." he smiled before walking away towards the vampire at the computer in the corner. Within a few minutes, they'd found a playlist online and started playing songs from The Cure. Hannes couldn't help but beam proudly as he watched vampires greeting Jean in the traditional way as they passed. He nodded to Bianka in thanks when she greeted him as well then watched as a face he hadn't seen in years made an appearance. "Tristan! When you left the castle, we never thought we'd see you again!" he said with a smile. A little disappointed to learn that Jean was already taken by Hannes, Tristan faked a smile as he looked between them. "What can I say? I got home sick." he chuckled. "This fine gentleman is your doing, Hannes? I'm impressed you had it in you to turn someone!" "Ah, yes..." Hannes's cheeks turned red as he looked at Jean with a smile. "Jean captured my heart. I would do anything for him." "That's sweet." Tristan said, a little strained. "And here I was thinking you had no interest in romance!" he chuckled as he turned to Jean. "This man turned down at least half the castle's advances. Even mine. So, whatever you did to win him over, I'm impressed!" he laughed then bowed a little at the both of them. "Well, I'll leave you two to your fun tonight. I may see you around a little later, perhaps? Maybe we could chat over a drink and catch up?" "Have fun, old friend." Hannes nodded and watched as Tristan walked away. Once he was out of earshot, he sighed a little out of relief. "I wonder if he knows about Niko yet... they had been close friends when he lived in the castle...then again, non of us have heard from him in at least a decade. Not even Niko." Hannes whispered to Jean thoughtfully. He then shook his head a little and smiled at Jean. "Let's not think about that, though. What would you like to do first, my love?" Racheal watched as Elimar approached her. She couldn't help smiling at the sight of his face turning red and she felt her heart flutter when he bowed a little and took her hand. She glanced around for a moment before smiling at him again. "Maybe we could walk through the gardens? I'm eager to see what they're like." Denix Vames - August 1, 2021 Ben packed up his clothes in a luggage. He wrapped an arm around her and smiled sadly. Leo placed his hands on their shoulders. They appeared in one of the hallways of the Whitehouse. "Follow me and I'll take you to your rooms. I'll have to make it public that you are both dead so that Donnie believes that's the truth. We'll make up a story about an accident. Your car fell off a cliff when you were driving down the road. Something like that. I'm sorry but it's the only way to keep him off your tracks." Ben rubbed his eyes of the tears it had. "Do whatever you can." --- "Thanks babe." Kite kissed her. --- Galiel looked at his legs. "Feels....weird." He tried to stand up but almost fell into the waters. Carter caught him. "C'mon. We'll help you out." "Thank you." As they guided him to the car, Carter placed his shirt over his shoulders. "Just cover yourself with this for a moment. We'll get you some clothes soon." --- Bern's face went pale. He nearly fell before leaning against the wall. "Boss! What the hell-?!" "Shut up!" Salvo placed his handgun on the desk. "Whatever business decides to put their nose in any case is mine. Just to make sure they don't go snooping around my work." He smirked. "And don't think those red jewels will scare me. I've met your kind before. How do you think I got this crystal?" --- X guided her out of the facility. Taking her to the forest. "You and your pack can roam here sometimes for some outdoor activities. I let our pack do it whenever they need to." --- Will shrugged. "I don't know. Something tells me you would look good under the rain." He winked. --- "Could we dance?" ,asked Jean. "Of course." Elimar took her hand. Guiding her to the gardens. Shadowess - August 1, 2021 Jessica hugged Ben as Leo teleported them to the Whitehouse. She then held Ben's hand and walked with them as Leo showed them to their room. Hearing what Leo said and seeing Ben's tears, Jessica shed her own as she wondered how everything got so fucked up. "Do you think he'll buy it? What if he tries to look for me in Hell? That's where I'm supposed to go when I die." she told Leo, worried that a faked death wouldn't do much good against a Demon like Donnie. It was at about this time that Viktor appeared back in his own room after having snuck out again to date Bryce. He was smirking to himself and limping a little as he walked over to his bed and took the pillows out from under the covers. He then lay down and rested his head against the pillow. Relaxing after a very eventful date. He could still smell Bryce on him as he lay there and basked in their mingled scents, closing his eyes to think about their date. --- Cindy kissed Kite back with a smile. She then relaxed in his arms and let out a happy sigh. --- Sebastian opened the car door for him and waited until he was sat inside. "Here." he leaned over and helped him to put the seatbelt on. "You gotta wear that for your safety when we drive." he told him. "When we stop, you just push that red button and that unbuckles it." he then looks at Carter. "Maybe we should stop off at the office first and lend him some of our clothes? It'd be better than him having to sit naked in a car while we run into shops." --- "Yes, an interesting piece of jewellery. What exactly does it do?" David asked, staring at it for a moment. Then he smirked at Salvo. "Also, my kind? So you've met a Demon trained by Lucifer's best soldiers before? I find that hard to believe. A common Demon perhaps, but I am no common Demon." "Demon?" Mon looked between Salvo and David, his face turning a little pale. "Boss, what's going on? What's he talkin' about?" --- Tia walked with X until they were outside and she looked around at the woodlands with an expression of wonder. "I only got to see these a little bit when you saved us!" she exclaimed as she walked over to a tree and felt the trunk. "It's hard." she smiled, and leant towards it to smell it, liking the earthy scent. She then looked up at the leaves, reaching up to brush her hand against them. "That feels different." she giggled. "It feels softer." She looked back at X and ran over to him excitedly. She took his hand in hers. "I like it here! It's so pretty!" --- Parker grinned, blushing. "Alright, England it is. I just gotta go clear it with Carter first." he said as he hopped out of the car and walked towards the office, heading in. "Carter? Sebastian? You guys here?" He called as he walked through. He saw the suitcases. "Well they're back but they're not here..." --- "Of course." Hannes said and took Jean's hand. Leading him towards the centre of the room to dance with him. "I-...I am not familiar with this music. How do you dance to this?" he asked, feeling a little embarrassed. Letting Elimar lead her to the gardens, she was in awe of both the size and the sight of them. The hedges and trees were trimmed and well taken care of. There was flowers of all sorts of varieties on all sides. Further into the gardens was a circular, wooden pavilion that was raised just enough to overlook most of the gardens. Unlike the hall, outside was peaceful and quiet. Here and there were beautiful marble sculptures, as well as the odd little water fountain. She walked down the path with him, Racheal admired the radiant colours of the flowers and their lovely smells which surrounded them. She climbed the steps to the pavilion and rested her hands against the railing to look out at the garden, seeing other vampires wandering down the numerous paths who also seemed to be enjoying the peace and beauty out here. "It's so beautiful." she sighed. Denix Vames - August 2, 2021 Leo sighed. "Probably not. He may be too smart but we'll find a lookalike corpse and put your scent on her so that it kind of works. Hopefully, it will." He opened the door to their room. "You can unpack your belongings and get comfortable. If you need any food, just use the numbers that are printed on the piece of paper on the bed. One of them calls the kitchen. You can order whatever you want." Ben held out his hand. "Thanks man." Leo shook it with a strong grip. He nodded. He left the room and knocked on Viktor's door. --- (i think we can leave these two lovebirds alone) --- Galiel nodded. "Ok!" "My thoughts exactly actually." ,said Carter. He placed a hand on his knee. "So, how does that feel to see me in this car without a shirt on? Giving you any ideas?" He winked. --- "Hmph! Wouldn't you like to know?" ,said Salvo. He glared at Mon. "I said shut up! Unless you want a bullet in between your fucking eyes!" His anger had gotten the best of him as the info on the crystal would be easy to read on his mind. The purple crystal was that of Leviathan origin. However, a Demon had given it to him as a favor for when he helped it out with some business of its own. This crystal can suck any soul out of a person's body and be used to keep the wearer looking young. --- "I'm glad you do." X looked around. "I never did look at this place the same way you do. It's good to have company around." --- "Maybe we should wait for them? In the meantime...." Will wrapped his arms around his waist. He pressed himself against him. "How about we have a little fun?" He smirked. --- "Well, pretend that you're a mindless person who's walking around aimlessly. Like this." ,said Jean. He started swaying about with his arms dangling by his sides. Moving to the beat of the song. His head rolled side to side. His feet went in all directions. (that was the best way i could describe goth dancing XD) "But no sight is more beautiful than what I see right before me." ,said Elimar as he looked at her. Shadowess - August 2, 2021 Jessica was doubtful that such a plan would work but she didn't have much of a choice or any other ideas, so she simply nodded quietly. Once Leo left, Jessica dropped her backpack on the floor and sat on the bed, covering her face with her hands to cry quietly. Catching Jessica's familiar scent, Niko got to his feet and pressed his face against his bedroom wall, knowing she was only one room away. He could also smell Ben and his heart sank a little. "At least I know you're not alone..." he whispered in German. "I imagine today has been stressful enough for the both of you... I'll talk to you tomorrow...when you've rested..." he stepped away from the wall and walked back to his bed, laying down and trying again to get some sleep himself. --- Hearing the knock, Viktor sat up and looked over. He caught Leo's scent and grinned. Finally! He wondered what had taken him so long. He got to his feet and walked over to the door. He opened it and smiled at Leo, greeting him immediately. "Hey! I was wondering when you'd come back!" he took out his phone and handed it to him. "I only trust you with this...I um...I recorded a message on there. All about my family's history. I thought that maybe it could be helpful? Oh! and I grew wings! Just like you said I might but...I don't know how to get them back out..." his cheeks turned a little red with embarrassment. --- Sebastian grinned and blushed madly. "Plenty." he purred. "Let's just say, I can't wait to get you alone again." he winked. --- Mon's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to apologise but quickly shut it and shook his head instead. David's telepathy wasn't as strong as most others who had the same ability but in this moment, several things became very apparent. He picked up from Salvo what the crystal was, which was highly disturbing in itself. But then he also picked up Mon and Bern's fears of Salvo. He glanced between them all for a moment, a little taken aback by all this new information. He pointed at Salvo with an angry expression. "That crystal isn't worth the pain that it inflicts!" he warned him. "Heed my advice and discard it before it makes you into more of a monster than you are now!" he then glared at Salvo. "And I will only say this one more time. Carter's business is not yours. Back off." --- Grinning, Tia leant in and kissed X's cheek before giggling and darting off into the woods. She stopped by a tree and looked back at him playfully before running again. --- Parker bit his lip, smirking and resting his hands on Will's chest. "What did you have in mind?" he asked coyly. --- (I'm just picturing Hannes's expression to this and it's priceless xD Like he's wondering 'how the fuck did we go from waltzing elegantly to this??' rofl) Hannes watched Jean and his eyes widened a little. He looked a little confused and lost. "And this is...this is how people dance now? Out there?" he asked as he watched his movements carefully. He glanced around and saw other vampires watching him curiously before hesitantly attempting to copy him. Hannes looked back at Jean and tried to copy him as well, although his movements were a bit stiff because he was worried he'd be doing it wrong and making himself look a fool in front of Jean. "L-like this?" he asked him as he moved. Racheal turned her head to look at him and blushed, seeing him looking back at her. She smiled shyly and bit her lip a little nervously before turning to face him. "Maybe we could dance now?" she asked, looking into his eyes and stepping close to him. She placed her hands on his shoulders. There was no music out here, but she didn't care. They could dance to the natural sounds of the night. The sound of the gentle breeze through the trees surrounding them. The chirping of crickets in the woods and beat of their own hearts.

Denix Vames - July 31, 2021 Ben grabbed her arm. Pulling her away from the door. "No!" He looked at her. "Jessica, I'm friends with people who use to do god-knows-what. What you did before you got here doesn't matter to me. And I'm sure anyone who would be willing to hear your story would understand." He bit his lip. "I'm going to talk to the Chief about this. See if he can do something to stop him. To make sure none of this gets out. Just please promise me that you won't turn yourself in." He glanced off with a frown. "I can't lose you." --- "And I could teach them to mow the lawn so I don't have to do it all by myself." ,said Kite. --- "He's definitely going to be thrilled. But I wonder how he's going to clean himself if he'll end up turning back into a merman just because of water." ,said Carter. --- The two guards looked at each other before frisking David for anything. Finding no wire or a weapon, they nodded. One of them opened the door. "Bern and Mon should be at the next door. They'll take you to the Don." --- X hesitantly nodded. "Of course." Once she would feel them, she would know them as rough. "My wings aren't meant for any comfort. Just as a tool. I never treated them like a beautiful piece of the world." --- "I can put her under witness protection. As long as she stays in the whitehouse, she'll be fine. Besides, we have plenty of blood bags here. You won't ever feel like feeding off of another person ever again." ,said Leo. --- Will leaned his elbow against the door. He let out an annoyed sigh when he heard River. 'Did I forget to turn off the radio? I think it might need some new batteries.' He said this in a sarcastic manner. --- Jean finished the bag. "I can't wait to see the party and the gifts that you all have for me. Especially yours." He soon got dressed in a red Victorian suit. Elimar smiled. He took the bag. "Thank you. I appreciate this." He nodded. "I'll be at the party now. You can tell Rachael where I am." He left the room. Heading down the hall to the ballroom. Shadowess - July 31, 2021 Jessica stopped and looked back at him when he grabbed her arm and pulled her away. She listened to him and although she was uncomfortable with putting him in the middle of her problems, she sighed and nodded tearfully. "Ok...but if it looks like I'm going to be arrested then please don't intervene or do anything to get yourself into trouble." She said and lifted a hand to caress his cheek. "I love you...I don't want you to get into trouble because of me! I can't do that to you!" --- Cindy laughed. "and I'll make fresh lemonade for you all for when you're done." --- Sebastian pulled a thoughtful face for a moment. "I hadn't thought of that!" he laughed. "Well, David said it'd only happen if over 70% of his body got wet, so I guess if he was submerged up to about here?" he held a hand against his chest. "So, maybe he'll just have to wash one body part at a time." he chuckled. --- David stood still with his arms out by his sides while the men searched him. When they were done and seemed happy enough to let him in, he nodded at them. "I appreciate it." he said as he made his way inside. He looked at Bern and Mon who, apart from having flushed cheeks, didn't seem out of the ordinary at all. "You must be Bert and Mon." he greeted them. "I am David Sedley. I've come to have a chat with your Don, if that's alright?" he said in the same pleasant manner, giving none of these men any indication or reason to see him as any kind of threat. --- Tia felt the wings, the coarse skin against her soft hands. "But they are beautiful." she said, looking back at him. "Our changes are a part of who we are. I like the think the same truth is for everyone as it is for wolves. Just because something isn't smooth or soft looking, it doesn't mean that it can't be beautiful." --- Niko thought about this. Maybe that would be best? He didn't know her. He didn't know what her life was like or even what her name was but until the demon out there is stopped, maybe she would be safer here? He nodded at Leo. "Th-thank you!" he sniffled and wiped away more tears. --- "What?" Parker asked, raising an eyebrow but not taking his eyes off the road. "Pshh...smartass." River chuckled. "I got a point though, and you know it. So, relax would you? You and I both know Parker doesn't see you as 'weak'. He's just worried and he has a right to be. If roles were reversed and Parker told you he'd been caught crying, wouldn't you be worried?" --- When Jean was dressed, Hannes couldn't help wrapping his hands around his waist from behind as he looked at him through the mirror in front of them. "I hope you'll love it." he said as he kissed his cheek then his neck, slowly and softly. "Come, meine Geliebte. The night awaits." he said eagerly as he took Jean's hand and started to lead him out of their home and towards the hall. Tristan Stockhausen was already in the hall, sipping from a glass of venomed blood as he waited for the party to start. A few other vampires had started filing in as well. Tristan had been living outside of the castle for a few years and caught wind that a party to celebrate new-borns would be being held tonight. This was a big deal to the castle. Vampires were usually naturally born here so having new-born turned vampires was a rarity. Tristan could barely remember the last party that was held for such an occasion. He was pretty sure it had been at least a couple of centuries ago. So, it was no wonder that the vampires here were pulling out all the stops to make this night as memorable as possible. He saw Elimar and grinned widely. "Elimar! Long time no see!" he greeted him while scooping up a second glass from the table and offering it to him. "I hear you turned one of the new-borns. Didn't think you had it in you to even leave the castle!" he chuckled. "I just got in this evening so I've only heard the odd rumours. Tell me, what was it like? I've never tried to turn anyone before. Is it as good as they say?" Denix Vames - July 31, 2021 Ben touched her hand. "No matter what happens, I'll always protect you." --- "And we'll have cubed meat with those little toothpicks like at that wedding." ,said Kite. --- "That seems about right." Carter soon parked near the statue. A parking lot that viewed the structure. Galiel had an eel wrapped around his neck as he was close enough to the water so it could breath. He waved at them with a smile. "Looks like he's already made some friends." --- Bert nodded. "That's right. We'll take you to the Don since it seems like the other guys outside checked on you." They guided him to the Don's office which had a few shelves of old books dating back to the thirties. The Don himself was smoking a cigar as he read through some papers. He had black combed over hair and wore a dark blue suit. He seemed to be young for someone who was alive in the 1930's. That purple crystal around his neck might explain a few things about that. He lifted his head from the papers and studied David's face. "Who's this?" "Don Vassano. You have a visitor. His name is David Sedley. He would like to talk to you." ,said Bern. Salvo, the Don, took the cigar out of his mouth. Blowing smoke out. He raised a brow. "Oh? About what?" --- X looked into her eyes. "I appreciate your words. You're....beautiful." He bit his lip. "Did I already say that?" --- Leo nodded. "No problem. I'll be back." He appeared in Ben's apartment. Ben stood in front of her. "Leo?" "Jessica and Ben. I have orders to put you both under the witness protection program because of Donnie." --- Will sighed. "Nothing Parker. I just....I'm sorry if I sounded like an ass earlier. I just don't want to worry too much about me. But then again, I've worried a lot about you before. So I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't let you focus on my well being." --- Jean looked into his eyes. "I already love this very moment." When he stepped into the party, he was amazed to find so many people there. "Wow! I've never been to such an event before. This is amazing." Elimar accepted the drink. "It's good to see you, Tristan. All is well. But I never turned anyone. Niko did. He was however executed for abusing his partner. I am taking her under my wing so that she can know our ways better. How is life like for you?" He sipped. Shadowess - July 31, 2021 Jessica had opened her mouth to argue, still not happy with putting Ben in this position, when Leo appeared. Ben stood in front of her and she peered at him warily. Holding onto Ben's arm tensely until she heard the reason he was here and she relaxed. He didn't know...and he wasn't here to lock her away. She placed a gentle hand on Ben's shoulder and nodded at him. "It's ok." she said softly. "This is for the best." --- "Maybe for our own wedding, too?" Cindy smiled. "...one day?" she looked at him lovingly. --- "Is that an eel??" Sebastian gawped as they approached him. --- David followed the men into the room and looked at Salvo, studying him subtly. He noticed the crystal but didn't stare at it too much so as not to draw attention to it. Focussing more on how he conducted himself during this meeting. "About Carter's Agency, sir." he answered. "I'm going to have to ask you and your men to not give Carter's business any more grief." he said in the same pleasant tone, only now he had a certain sternness to his voice. Mon tensed at David's words. "I don't think this guy realises who he's talkin' to, boss." he said, glaring at David. "Oh, I know full well who I am talking to. Although, I'm not entirely sure how he's still alive and kicking after all this time." David smirked. "I thought I recognised you...Pretty sure I read about you in the papers back in the day...If you were still around in the 40's, you might've seen mine in the papers, too." David said confidently. Knowing his own face had turned up in the news at least once for his efforts during the second world war...and for his obituary. --- Tia blinked at X then grinned as her cheeks turned pink. Having spent her whole life not needing to worry about being shy or practicing self restraint, she wasn't the least bit fearful as she leaned towards him and gently nudged his nose with hers. All she knew was that she wanted to be close to X and she acted impulsively by leaning her head against his affectionately. If she'd been in her wolf form while doing this, she would have rubbed her head against his to mingle their scents. To this pack, this was a very affectionate and intimate thing to do. "I like you." she whispered before pulling back and smiling at him. --- Parker glanced at Will before looking back at the road. "It's ok. I get it." he said with a small sigh. "We both know how to handle ourselves but the world is unpredictable...it's only natural that we worry about each other..." he said thoughtfully and glanced at him again. "I'll talk to Carter about me taking time off for a vacation. Did you have any thoughts on where you wana go?" --- Sven approached Jean and Hannes with a wide smile. "Welcome Home, Jean!" he greeted him in the traditional way. "We have set up the party with you and Racheal in mind. We had some humans in the castle during the day, working hard to fit the castle with uh...I believe you call 'wi-fi'? We've set up some new musical equipment that should be able to play any music that either you or Racheal like. Failing that, one of the human technicians was kind enough to put together a list of modern music's that we could play for you. The gardens are open for exploring at your leisure. There are plenty of bottles of venomed blood on the buffet table for refreshments and that pile of gifts over there-..." he gestured to one of the piles. "Is yours. You may open them at any time. I hope you enjoy yourselves tonight." "Ah!" Tristan took a sip of his drink awkwardly. "Sorry. When I heard you had a new-born living with you, I assumed..." he cleared his throat a little. "Life out in the world is great!" he said happily. "Sure, it was a little rough at first, getting passed the Steinheil hunters and getting used to how different the city is but, mein Gott!" he grinned. "The people in the city are so welcoming to our kind, my friend! I had pretty men and women alike just offering their throats and bodies to me! The music, the clubs and activities you can get up to out there...it is out of this world!" he sighed and shrugged. "Ah, but I would be lying if I said I didn't miss the simplicity of home..." he took a sip of his drink then gave Elimar a thoughtful look. "Have you considered performing the Übertragung des Blutwächters?" he asked. The Übertragung des Blutwächters or Blood Guardian Transference in English, is the tradition within the castle where a vampire taking in a New-Born, in the event of their original maker's passing or exile, would perform the same acts that the new-born's original maker had done when turning the new-born. Drinking from the new-born almost completely then feeding them their own blood. This, of course, would do nothing to the new-born as they had already been turned by their original maker. The sole purpose for this act was to bond the new-born to their new guardian. To bring them closer together and help them to feel as though their new guardian was really their maker. It was also entirely optional. Much like the creation of new-borns, the Übertragung des Blutwächters had also not been performed in a few centuries. At that moment, Bianka walked into the hall with a smile. She hurried over to Hannes and Jean and curtsied to them. "Welcome Home, Jean!" she greeted him. Shortly after Bianka, Larissa walked into the hall as well, and right behind her was Racheal. Racheal was wearing a beautiful, dark purple Victorian dress made of crushed silk. Her hair had been washed, brushed and half pinned up. Leaving just a few strands down to frame her face. Larissa had also done her makeup for her. Giving her eyes a smokey look with a dark purple eyeshadow and winged eyeliner. Her lips were a dark shade of red. She felt a little self conscious as she stepped into the hall and looked around until she saw Elimar and she smiled at him, immediately feeling more comfortable. Hearing Bianka's greeting to Jean, Tristan looked over. Eager to see what the new-borns looked like and he found his breath catching in his throat at the sight of Jean. "Excuse me, Elimar. I must greet the New-borns properly." he said, not taking his eyes off Jean as he started to walk over to him. "Welcome Home!" he greeted him, holding out a hand for him. "Apologies, I didn't get your name. I just returned to the castle this evening." he then explained, feeling a little embarrassed. Shadowess - July 31, 2021 Racheal's dress. Attached Image

shadowess - July 30, 2021 Seeing him getting angry, Jessica trembled and fidgeted with her hands anxiously. "Y-you don't know what she was like..." she said quietly. "I had to get away. I needed a life of my own. She wasn't going to let me have that. I felt so trapped." tears rolled down her cheeks as the memory of her picking up the heavy crystal ornament flashed through her mind. "I told her I wanted to leave...told her I found out about dad and my brothers...we argued. I said some things...she said some things...nasty things...then I just-..." She looked at her hands. She could still see the blood on them from that night. "Snapped...After I-...it was like I was dreaming...I cleaned up...I hid the-...but it felt like I was watching someone else do it...I had to leave...so I came here...to the US...to find my brother..." She lowered her arms, her shoulders drooped and she hung her head, closing her eyes to cry softly. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to...I got so angry...and desperate...my ma..." --- Cindy blinked at Kite and her features softened. She wrapped her arms around him and held on to him tightly. "It's ok..." she said, though her own voice broke a little. "It's ok. I'm here." she leant her head against his and caressed both his cheeks. "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." she said tearfully and kissed him in a soft, sweet and slow way. "God, I love you Kite. I love you, so much." she whispered and kissed him again, her own tears mingling with his but she didn't care. She just wanted to hold him and love him in any way that she could. "You make me whole." --- "Yeah...I know there's a Heaven but somehow I never imagined the whole 'Heavenly light' thing to be real...I should probably get back to see how Carter and Sebastian are. They should be back by now." then a thought occurred to Parker. "Hey, I never got to ask, was there a reason you were coming over to the office earlier?" he then smirked. "Or were you just missing me?" --- Excitement filled Tom as Nate climbed onto him and he felt the vibrations from his wings pass through him. He moaned into the kiss and gripped Nate's hips, loving how he felt against him. "Oh, fuck!" he moaned loudly, tilting his head back and moving his hips to grind against his. He went back to kissing Nate deeply, caressing his tongue with his own while gripping his ass with both hands. --- They had to be quiet and quick if they didn't want to be caught. But that didn't mean they couldn't be passionate with each other. Mon pressed Bern against the wall and kissed his neck. When he heard Bern moaning, he smirked. "Shhh." he whispered into his ear before nibbling on his earlobe. "Oh, I love you." he whispered, quickly unbuckling his pants and slipping a hand down them to pleasure him. His other hand slipped under Bern's shirt, feeling his hips and chest. He then worked quickly to unbutton his shirt and began kissing down his neck, to his collarbone, to his chest. Working his way down, all while keeping his hands on his hips and toying with the hem of his pants. When he reached Bern's stomach, now on his knees, he paused briefly to listen out for any footsteps then looked up at Bern and smirked. "Happy Anniversary." --- "The Mafia is still a thing?" David said in surprise after appearing next to them and making Sebastian jump once again. "I will never get used to that..." Sebastian sighed. "Whatever happened to knocking?" "I guess your group's bad habits rubbed off on me." David shrugged with a smile. He then turned back to Carter with a more serious expression. "From what I recall, the Mafia are not to be underestimated. You're sure it's really them?" --- "You have wings?" Jack looked excited at the thought then nodded eagerly. "Yes, please!" Even Tia was watching X in curious wonder at the mention of him having wings. --- When Allie approached him and placed her hands on his shoulders, Niko cried out, recoiled and pulled away from her. Scrambling across the wall to get away. "N-no! Bitte! Stay away! I am not safe, Liebchen! I'm a monster!" he said in a panic, worried he would harm her the way he'd hurt Racheal and Jessica. His face had turned pale as he watched her warily. "P-please! I don't want to hurt anyone anymore!" he wept. "I don't deserve kindness!" he despaired and started rocking back and forth again, hugging his legs. "O-O-One...T-Two...Th-Th-Three...F-Four..." Denix Vames - July 30, 2021 Ben frowned. "I see." He bit his lip before shoving the papers against Greg. "Get out of here and don't ever come back. I never want to see your face again." "What?! But Ben-!" "Go!" Greg glared at her. "This isn't over." He left. Ben slammed the door shut and locked it. He walked over to her with a sigh before holding her close. "It's alright. I understand why you did it but let's not discuss about this anymore. I can't exactly judge you for it since I was never there." --- "The same goes for you." ,said Kite who rested his head against her chest. "I can't imagine not having you around." --- (private time) --- Bern bit his lip. Doing his best to hold back moans as he felt his touch. He looked down at him and smiled. "Happy Anniversary to you too." (private time) --- Carter put his phone away. "Well, a couple of guys did shoot at my office with Tommy Guns and almost killed Parker. Not to mention, me and Sebastian were watching two guys give each other gits in front of a building that looks way too old. So I don't know. Either it's the mafia or we all had the same dream." He had said that last statement sarcastically. --- X's wings sprouted. They were red and fleshy. "They're not pretty but they help." --- Allie frowned. "Leo....If only Leo was here." Leo appeared. "You called?" "Leo! Please talk to him. It looks like he's been through a lot." "I'll try my best." She nodded. "Thank you." The agent escorted Allie out of the room. Leo knelt by his side. "You can talk to me. Tell me what happened. Right from the beginning." Denix Vames - July 30, 2021 (forgot to respond but here it is) "Oh! Um! Well, you see..." Will awkwardly his neck as he blushed. "Lang suggested we should take a vacation after he walked in on me crying." He frowned. Shadowess - July 31, 2021 When Ben told Greg to leave, Jessica opened her eyes and looked up in surprise. She'd fully expected him to be throwing her out, not Greg. She watched him leave and continued to tremble as Ben approached her, unsure of what to expect. When he pulled her to him and held her, she cried out of relief, hugging him tightly as she wept into his chest. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry..." she sobbed then began to cry out of grief, finally able to come to terms with what she'd done and grieve for her mother's death. --- Cindy held him to her, lovingly stroking his hair. "We'll be ok." she said after a long pause. "What matters is, we're both still here. Now we just need to try to focus on our future together. The kids." She glanced around the apartment then remembered something that might help them. "I totally forgot about the savings account that I set up when I first came to Earth. I have money in there that I used to buy my old apartment. I still own it, so I could sell it and add whatever I make to my savings and we could use that to buy a house!" she said excitedly. "A big house with three bedrooms and a garden!" --- David smirked at Carter's sarcasm then thought about how they should go about this. "I suppose I could attempt a civilised discussion with the rabble." he said contemplatively. "Failing that, if things turn violent I could put the fear of Hell into them to get them to back off." he shrugged. "Alright, point me in the right direction and I'll head there now. Oh, and before I forget..." he pulled out a vial of a turquoise coloured liquid. "Your friend, Galiel, asked me to look into a potion that would allow him access to land whenever he wanted. Once he drinks this then as long as 70% of his body stays dry then his tail will shift into legs and his gills will shift to lungs. Be sure he gets it for me. I left him somewhere near the Statue of Liberty." --- Being wolves, and being used to the horrific sight of humans changing into their wolf forms every month, non of the people in the room were phased by X's wings making an appearance. If anything, they were fascinated and stopped what they were doing to look at them. "Woah!" Jack beamed and ran around the bed to get a better look at them. Tia was even leaning back a bit to get a proper look. "They're big!" Jack said excitedly. He ran back around the bed and grinned at X. "You're like a super hero!" --- Niko stopped counting to stare at Leo with uncertainty. He smelled different. It wasn't like any scent he'd ever picked up before. He wasn't a Blood God...but he smelled pretty close to it. Yet, he couldn't fathom it. Still, he felt a strange sense of trust towards this complete stranger. Licking his lips nervously, he began to tell Leo his story. From when he'd lost his brother to hunters, hunting Steinheils with Hannes to try and get revenge, the awful things he'd put Racheal through, his imprisonment when he was caught, X's punishments, his trial then finally his capture, torture and rescue in Hell. By the time he was finished, he was sobbing and covering his face. "I deserved it! I don't deserve kindness! I should have just been left there to rot!" he despaired. --- Parker's eyes widened a little and he frowned at Will, looking at him worriedly. "You were crying?" he asked, seeming more concerned by this than the vacation idea. He looked around the room, recalling what the nurse had said about them needing to be quick so that other patients could use the room. "We should head out." he said and took Will's hand. "Let's go and see Carter first. We'll talk about the vacation later, ok?" --- Hannes had gotten up a little early, excited for the ball. He'd gotten dressed in a fancy, blue Victorian suit then fetched a blood bag for Jean. He sat on the edge of the bed, setting the blood bag down on his lap before leaning over and kissing Jean's head to wake him gently. "Guten Abend, my love. It's not much, but I suppose this would be our version of 'breakfast in bed.'" he chuckled and offered Jean the bag. Meanwhile, in other parts of the castle, preparations were well underway. The large doors to the gardens had been propped open. Lights along the path, illuminated the grounds. During the day, human technicians had been hired to give the castle access to the internet so that the new-born's favourite music could be played at request. The main hall had been decorated, a long table held jugs of venomed blood and rows of crystal champagne glasses. On one side of the hall was a rather large pile of gifts for Jean. On the other side was an equally large pile for Racheal. Bianka and Larissa were eagerly waiting in their home for Racheal to arrive so they could dress her for the occasion. Shadowess - July 31, 2021 Hannes's Outfit Attached Image Denix Vames - July 31, 2021 "Shhh, it's ok. It's ok. We'll get through this. I promise." ,said Ben. He brushed a hand over the back of her head. Putting it through her hair. "How about we watch something to get our minds off of this?" --- KIte chuckled. "A garden? I can't imagine working on a garden. I'm thinking you really like flowers. But I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea. After all, the kids need somewhere to run around." --- Carter took the vial. "Good to know. We'll give this to him." After he gave him the directions and the description of the house, him and Sebastian got into the car. Driving to the statue of liberty. --- X blushed. "Really? Thank you. I never thought anyone would say that." He rubbed some tears off. "I'm sorry. This is just so overwhelming. Thank you again." --- Leo sighed. He sat next to him. "Let me tell you something." He went through his entire story about how he use to kill creatures for ADIEU, had killed criminals when he escaped, and what being in the CIA was like. "So I know how you feel. I tried to kill myself for the things that I've done but someone came into my life and told me that I was worth something. The truth is that you can make up for the terrible things that you've done. You're not a lost cause." --- Will nodded. "Sure. But I was just crying. It's not a big deal." He seemed a bit annoyed about Parker being concerned about it. Wishing he had kept that to himself so he wouldn't seem weak to him. They left the room. Heading out of the hospital. --- Jean slowly opened his eyes. He rubbed them as he yawned. Stretching his arms out. He smiled at him. "It's alright. I don't mind." He sank his fangs into the bag. Drinking up the blood. Elimar gently shook Rachael awake. "Rachael? We have to take you to Bianka's room now so you can get into your formal wear." shadowess - July 31, 2021 Jessica pulled away a little to look at Ben tearfully. "Aren't you mad at me?" she asked, still surprised by how calm he seemed to be after finding out she was a murderer. "Ben...I killed someone and Greg managed to find that article...what if he tells someone else? What if he goes to the precinct with it? What if he calls the Irish authorities?" she asked worriedly. "You'd go down with me just for knowing and doing nothing about it! Ben, I can't let that happen!" she sounded a little panicked but she knew she couldn't let Ben get into trouble for something she had done. She stepped away from him and began marching towards the door. "I need to go and turn myself in! It's the right thing to do!" --- "My thoughts exactly." Cindy chuckled. "Maybe we could buy a swing set? Or a soccer net. We'll just have to make sure we mow the lawn every now and then." she said, trying to imagine what their garden would look like while she absent mindedly ran her fingers through his hair. "I could teach them to cook when they get older..." she said dreamily. --- Sebastian sat in the passenger seat again with a small smile. "I can't wait to see the look on his face when he sees what we've got for him!" --- David watched them leave then vanished, appearing down the road from the mansion where he walked up in a casual manner. Seeing the guards out front, David nodded at them and smiled pleasantly. "Good evening gentlemen. My name is David Sedley. Might I have a word with your Don?" he held up his arms. "As you can see, I am unarmed. If it makes you comfortable, I don't mind being frisked either as I can assure you that I am completely alone and in no way 'bugged'. I'm just here for a chat." --- "I like you!" Jack said and without much warning, he jumped up onto the bed and hugged him. When his friends started calling Jack over and running around again, Jack grinned and let X go, jumping off the bed. "I'm a hero too!" he announced to his friends before running at them while flapping his arms, pretending they were wings and making 'whoosh' noises with his mouth. Within seconds, the children were taking it in turns to pretend to be X, swooping in to save one of them who pretended to be in distress while the others pretended to be 'bad guys'. Tia giggled at the children's play then looked back at X in admiration. "They look up to you." she said softly then looked at his wings again. "Can I?" she asked while lifting a hand towards them hesitantly, wanting to know what they felt like. --- Niko listened to Leo quietly. He seemed to calm down as Leo's story went on and he wiped away some of his tears. When Leo finished speaking, he thought for a long, quiet moment about what he'd said. "I suppose... there's the red haired woman... X said he'd take me to her after I got some rest. I made a vow to protect her... I just-... I am afraid..." he admitted and turned his head to look at Leo. "What if I hurt her, too? What if I fail her? That demon... who ra-... who forced me to turn her... he is still out there somewhere... she's not safe." --- "If you say so." Parker said, unconvinced. They headed out to his car where he'd drive them both to Carter's office in a tense silence. The sound of someone tapping on a microphone reverberated through Will's head for a moment, before River's fake cough could be heard. "We interrupt this programme to bring you an important message." River said in a mock 50's announcer voice. "Emotions are not a weakness and without them we become monsters. Also, someone close to you being concerned for you just shows that they love you. So, don't get mad, especially when tomorrow is never promised. Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming..." --- Hannes grinned at Jean and brushed some of his hair out of his face while he drank. "Today is your day. When you're ready and once you're dressed we'll head to the hall where your gifts await." he then winked. "We'll save my gift until last." Racheal opened her eyes and blinked at him. Then she remembered what today was and she smiled, remembering the outfit she was going to wear. "Alright." she said and sat up, stretching a little before getting to her feet. She yawned. Though she thankfully didn't have any dreams when she slept, she also didn't tend to sleep well lately. Finding herself frequently waking up then struggling to fall asleep again during the day. She'd then follow Elimar back to Bianka's room, not feeling confident enough yet to navigate these halls on her own. Once they arrived, Larissa squealed excitedly and immediately hooked her arm around Racheal's before whisking her off to the bedroom before they could even say 'Hello'. Bianka watched them with an amused smirk while shaking her head a little. "She got up three hours early because she was excited about today..." she told Elimar. "Here, while she's distracted." she then said and pulled out a small bag from behind the couch and handed it to Elimar. "It's not much. Something I carved a few years ago that's been gathering dust on a shelf. Maybe Racheal would make better use of it than I ever did? Your gift to her." she told him as she dipped her hand into the bag and pulled out a small walnut wooden box for Elimar to see. The box itself had floral markings carved all the way around it and it had been varnished to give it a shiny, polished look. "It's a jewellery box." she said in a hushed voice. "I can't open it here because she'll hear it. But I built in a little music box that plays when you open the lid." she said as she placed the box carefully back into the bag. She glanced towards the bedroom door and grinned. "They're probably going to be a little while. If you want to head to the hall, we could meet you there?"