Shadowess

"That sounds perfect." Amelia smiled after chuckling at Charles's comment. "Maybe a picnic at the park where we can eat together and take the children on the swings or something? We could invite Kite, Cindy and their twins too. I know Sara wanted more parents to turn to. And we kinda owe Elliot and Vincent so maybe they could come too." She continued eagerly, getting a little carried away herself but excited by the idea of all the different families coming together for a day out with the kids. --- Kris glanced at Ortiz. Partially worried and partially annoyed. "And if someone had broken in and he's calling for help?" he suggested. He knew this place was difficult to find and had enough runes in place to keep it safe but he could never be too careful. Particularly with how many enemies he'd made over the years. Unafraid, he marched into the Bunks to see what was going on. --- "Does everyone think I'm some kind of slut?" Henderson blurted out in frustration. "I knew everyone would give me a hard time for Dick escaping the first time while I was on duty, but the way they're all looking at me whenever Dick flirts with me. I haven't even done anything with him! But everyone's looking at me like I have! Is that what they think happened when he escaped?! That he seduced me into letting him go!? Well, he didn't! I was knocked out! When I came to I was alone and unarmed with someone who'd killed a cop earlier that day. I was fucking terrified!" he shook and held his head in his hands, trying to steady his breathing. --- "God?" Lilly tilted her head slightly. Having come from a world with no afterlife, she wasn't familiar with the concept. "Well, if it makes any difference, I like you as a father. I guess I don't have much of a childhood left myself..." she said while gesturing to herself. Knowing full well she was almost physically mature enough to be considered an adult. While mentally, she had been forced to grow up quickly to survive. "But, that being said, I'm happy that I get to spend what's left of it as your daughter." She glanced down at herself. At the dust and dirt stuck to her clothes. "I should also head to my room to get washed." she chuckled. --- Damien waved a hand dismissively. "Ah, that'll be fine. He'll understand when I explain that I tweaked it to be purely for our safety and doesn't really put our souls at risk." He took one last look at himself in the mirror to make sure he was presentable and he took a deep breath. "Alright, I better get going. I'll be back tomorrow." he then gave Samson a cheeky grin. "Don't go getting into any trouble without me." he gave him a wink and then headed out. On the road home, he decided to take his time and walk. Part of him felt guilty that he'd be lying to James, but he knew it was necessary if he wanted to have this private way to let off steam. Plus he couldn't risk an angelic bracelet being slapped onto his wrist again. By far, that was his biggest fear. But he pushed down that fear in favour of confidence. He wasn't going to get caught. After all, this wouldn't be the first time he'd kept information close to his chest. It's just Tuzo's assassination all over again and Amelia never found out about that, right? No, of course not. Damien had nothing to worry about. His mind was a fortress and when it came to keeping secrets, he had once been a master. This would be easy.

"That could literally be anything." Amelia chuckled. "Kid gyms. Theme parks. Kid-themed restaurants..." she shrugged. "We'd have to wait to take him to some of those places. At least until he can walk and get confident on his feet." --- "Good." Kris chuckled. "I don't need weaklings in my ranks. Now c'mon, let's get back. I got some planning to do." He vanished. --- "I just-... I just-..." He breathed, trying to answer Yami as he continued to march towards the main doors. He kept going until he was in the parking lot by the precinct and could sit on the low wall on the other side. He didn't move for a little while as he tried to catch his breath. His anxiety was getting the better of him. --- "You didn't?" Lilly asked curiously. She'd never thought to ask what Death's childhood had been like, or his parents. But now that he'd mentioned it, it had sparked her curiosity. --- With Samson cupping his chin, Damien's cheeks flushed pink and his eyes fell to his lips momentarily. "Something tells me the only thing he's going to be smelling on me for a while is, well, you." Damien chuckled as he reluctantly got to his feet. "But maybe I will borrow some of your cologne, just to be safe." He walked back into Samson's bathroom and came back out a second later, smelling a bit more like Samson. He hadn't even left yet and the smell was already driving him wild with desire. "Alright. So, just to get our stories straight in case he comes around asking. I came over, we went over the contracts. You signed. We had some drinks to celebrate then one thing led to another and I lost track of time. Sound good?"

"Tell me about it." Amelia sighed while relaxing in her seat. "I know we're basically the bosses of Hell but it'd be nice to have one quiet day where we don't have to put out fires. Maybe we could do something like the human families do? Like take Oliver to the park or something when he wakes up?" --- Kris grinned knowingly. "Ortiz, you're my right-hand man. You've been at my side since I started up our little gang. You don't need to feel threatened by a kid, man." He glanced around them quickly to make sure they weren't being watched or followed by either their rivals or the police. "Besides, what harm does it do to make the kids believe they can look up to me, huh? I put a roof over their heads, give them food and clothes. It's only natural they want to make me proud by working hard. The last thing I need is any kind of in-fighting. Understood? We get enough heat from cops and leeches." --- [Henderson might be a bit 'hard to get' for a while xD ] Henderson watched the whole interaction between Dick and Will with a confused expression. He wasn't sure how to react, particularly at Will's promise that he'd be able to visit Dick in prison. His face had already started to turn red from this. Is that what everyone in this precinct thought of him? That he'd already dropped his morals and loyalty to be with a cop killer?! Then, as if to rub it in, Dick had taken his shirt off to work out in front of him. He was hot under the collar alright, but he hadn't yet decided on how he felt about Dick. Overwhelmed, humiliated and confused he left without a word to try to get some air. --- "Yes, sire," Azrael said with a barely concealed amused smirk before he vanished to Heaven to speak to Raguel. Happy for their little family, Lilly smiled at Death and Raven as they hugged. "Raven, we should probably go back to our rooms and get ourselves cleaned up before Azrael comes back," she suggested. --- "I'm not-... that's not what I-..." Damien flustered for a second then looked away from Samson for a second to regather himself. "You're right. I had fun. That's the problem..." he turned his head to look at Samson again. "Before I met you I worked hard to rebuild a relationship with my family. To become someone they respect. I still have a ways to go too." he sighed. "But in that warehouse... and here, in your bed... I felt like myself. I want that again but I don't want it to cost me everything." He turned his body to face Samson a bit more. "They can't find out about it. Ever. But I can be myself with you. And if we kill, it has to be people who deserve it like those assholes who betrayed me in that warehouse. No mercy."

"Charles! You're looking better." Amelia smiled as she looked at him. She sat in the kitchen with him and rubbed her forehead tiredly. "What a day... but everything seems to be easing up now. Hopefully, it stays calm long enough for us both to get a decent rest." --- "Better to know our options, just in case. We gotta be prepared to fight dirty if needed." Kris commented. He then raised an eyebrow at Ortiz and chuckled. "Why? Not getting jealous of the newest addition, are you?" --- When Dick moved closer to him, Henderson hesitated to move. He stared at him for a moment. His gaze, his words and the feel of his body heat were intoxicating. For a moment he almost forgot himself and where they were. But then he heard movement of some other officers entering the room to go about their jobs and he jumped a little while stepping back quickly. He looked at Dick with a torn expression then nodded to the cell while clearing his throat awkwardly. "Step inside, please. I'll come and get you when we're ready to head out." --- Lilly smiled widely then looked at Raven to see if he was happy to know they were working on getting him in touch with his boyfriend. She was equally excited when told they were going to be trained to become Reapers. "You're assigning us a teacher? I won't let you down, father. Will we still have time for you to show me how to use my powers?" --- "Agreed." Damien chuckled as he glanced at Samson. Content with the outfit he'd chosen, he stepped back into the bathroom for a moment to get dressed. A few minutes later, he stepped out fully clothed and stood in front of the mirror again to make sure the suit looked straight. "I'll get this back to you in my next visit... speaking of which, we should probably work out some kind of routine for our agreement," he said as he turned to face Samson. He walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. "My blood will only last a day or two in your system. You probably have enough to last one more day so I can come back tomorrow, if you'd like?" he hesitated and then added. "Before I go, We... also need to talk about what happened... at the warehouse."

Amelia watched the little family leave and smiled to herself. She had a good feeling that they'd be alright. Holding Oliver to her in one arm, she wandered around the house to grab a pen and paper. Then she wrote a note for Vincent and Elliot to let them know they'd picked the kids up so that they wouldn't panic when they woke up. In her note, she also thanked them for their help and to call her if they needed anything. She folded the note against the table then stood and carefully slipped it into Elliot's hand before teleporting home. She carefully placed Oliver into his crib and then walked into the bedroom to check on Charles as well as update him on what had happened. --- "Good girl." Kris grinned then turned to Ortiz as they started walking away. He spoke quietly so that only his right-hand man would hear him. "Dig up what you can on her. I want every advantage we can get if shit hits the fan. Find out if she's close to any of her patrons so that we can use them as leverage if she starts acting out." --- Henderson paused and looked at Dick in frustration. "You said you wanted to help us! I told you we'd have to do this properly. By the book. I get that you're scared but you need to trust me on this. If we can bust these guys then there's bound to be a trial. If you agree to testify, we can grant you immunity and you can start over. But you need to stop with the bullshit and start listening!" He flustered and looked away from Dick for a moment. "You made me look like an ass back there. I spoke up for you. I stuck my neck out and got them to listen to you but you-... you made me look like an idiot for trusting you." --- "I realise this news is a shock. We had to be careful about our relationship in case our enemies tried to use it against us. But we've decided that hiding is not worth the heartache. We wanted you two to be the first to know." Azrael explained then rose a brow at Lilly's unsurprised expression. "You knew, didn't you?" "I didn't but I had a hunch. You two only ever seemed happy when you were close to each other. And you spend a lot of time working together." Lilly shrugged and smiled. "Ah..." Azreal blushed as he looked at Death. "Aren't you an observant one, Lillian..." "I'm happy for you two." Lilly chuckled. --- "Oh? So, you can shapeshift and hypnotise people? Damn, when were you going to tell me you were so talented?" Damien joked as he took a suit out of the wardrobe to get a better look at it. "I heard the Anne Rice vampires were more accurate..." he commented while holding the suit against him and looking in the full-length mirror.

"That's because you're her family." Amelia smiled while whispering softly so as not to wake the others. She looked at her own child with loving eyes. "Becoming a parent isn't easy. But it's worth it. Just to see the way they look up to you with unconditional love and trust." she bent down to carefully pry Oliver from Elliot's arms. Lifting him into her own, she cradled him to her chest. She'd missed him while she'd been busy and wanted nothing more than to take him home now. She looked back up at the pair with their child. "So, what do you think Ash? Ready to become her daddy?" --- Kris walked over to them. There wasn't much to see now but he was sure Ortiz had made their warning clear. He smiled and shook his head at Blaire. "Au contraire, dear sweet Blaire." he almost sang in a mock rhyme. "Your patrons use your establishment as a safe place to gather night after night. Those vampires respect you, even though you're human because you provide them with shelter and easy food. If there is anyone in this town they'll listen to, it's you." he booped her nose with his finger. "Now, I can be a reasonable guy. I can look the other way when a vampire's snack turns out to be mutually beneficial. But I can't ignore vampires wandering into my turf and trying to devour my young Tricksters. So, just make sure you tell your vampires to stay in their lane. Or your patrons might find themselves sipping on wolf venom-tainted blood one night. Understood?" Although his tone seemed friendly, his stare was hard. Combined with the threat he just gave, he came off as dangerous. Menacing. --- Henderson was almost knocked off his feet when Dick was shoved into him. He gripped his arm to keep him from running off and frowned, feeling like this was some kind of punishment to him too. He ignored Dick's comments. Too annoyed at him to talk to him. "Yes, sir," he said to Will in a serious tone then waited to see which other officers would be joining them on this mission. --- Azreal couldn't stop smiling as he followed Death into the archives. He turned to the Reapers who had been watching the teens. "Leave us," he told them politely and while he waited for them to give the little group some privacy, he looked around the archive with an impressed expression. Lilly watched the Reapers leave and was even more curious about this news now than she had been a moment ago. "Father? Has something happened?" --- Damien shrugged as he opened a wardrobe to look at the clothes. "I'm used to wearing suits. Lucifer used to say there was no better garment to command respect..." he trailed off. Why had he said that? He had become so comfortable around Samson that this tidbit of information slipped out so naturally. He faltered for a second and glanced back at him. "Lucifer trained me when I became a Devil," he explained briefly then went back to looking through the wardrobe. While picking out an outfit, he glanced at the book in his hands. "What're you reading?"

Amelia watched Ash carefully as he spoke. "It sounds like you've gone through a lot today," she commented. "You should be proud, you know. It takes courage to be honest about how you feel and open to change." She looked between the two and offered them each a hand to take. "Let's go see your daughter." --- "You have a son?" Shezmu blinked at Xenos in confusion. Wondering how such a thing could be possible. It occurred to him that his son might be adopted. Contemplating Xenos's problem for a moment, Shezmu relaxed in his seat with his arms folded. "That is not an easy question to answer. We are dominant by nature. Born to rule. In my time, we were the highest authority on Earth. I have to admit, coming back to the world as it is now... I am at a bit of a loss myself. I used to rule part of this castle with four other Blood Gods. But now? No more than a guest." he sighed. "If I could offer you some advice? Find a role in this world that provides you with a position of power and spend your energy commanding your forces to defend your home and your family. As long as you don't allow yourself to become pent up, you shouldn't have a problem. Oh, and don't forget to 'hunt'. Properly. One way we can keep our appetites in check is to feed on our natural pray... Angels, Demons and Devils. You needn't destroy them in the process. I have found that forming a bargain with a variety and taking a small amount from each per night is enough to placate 'the beast' within." --- Kris was quiet for a moment as he continued to stare at the boy. Then he turned and his heavy boots could be heard walking away from the bunk towards the door. The door opened but the boot steps had stopped. "Goodnight Blake," Kris said before leaving the room, closing the door behind him. Once he was out of the room he smiled to himself before heading out to catch up with Ortiz. He wanted to know how his message was going down. --- For a moment, Henderson had been proud of Dick for letting Will handcuff him and seemingly taking responsibility for his actions. His pride was short-lived when the cuffs fell off and the hitman had unsuccessfully tried to make a break for freedom. Bitterly, Henderson shook his head at him a little and crossed his arms. He looked at Will. "Sir, I'd like to put my name in for this mission," he said. "I wana help take these guys off the streets." --- Back in the archive room, by now the only things covered with dust and grime were Lilly and Raven. They had cleaned everything else so thoroughly that the surfaces practically gleamed. "I think I've learned my lesson..." Lilly huffed as she wiped some sweat from her forehead. "I never want to see a feather duster or a washcloth again..." --- Hot water struck Damien's face as he stood in Samson's shower. He closed his eyes and let it flow over him as his mind raced. Looking down he watched the blood that had been caked onto his skin as it washed off and swirled around the drain. This was his moment alone. Where he could be with his thoughts and try to figure out what had happened Recalling the day's events, he couldn't help but feel torn. His mind flashed with memories of the men they'd murdered just a few hours ago. What was he feeling here? Guilt? Pride? Satisfaction? Sick to his stomach? All of it was the answer. All of it, all at once and it was overwhelming. Lifting his hands, he held his right wrist as he stared at it. Remembering the angelic bracelet that had been slapped there before. His punishment for losing control of his temper. For abusing his powers. His hands started to tremble at the thought that he could be rendered powerless again if the others ever found out about what he'd done. If they did, would they ever take it off this time? Or find a way to make it permanent? The thought terrified him. More frightening to him than that was the thought of how his loved ones would react. David, Alex, River, Parker, James... They'd be so disappointed. They thought he was getting better. That he had wanted to be better. But he did, didn't he? Yes. Damien knew he wanted to be a better man. To be better for them. But... He bit his lip. Images of the bloodshed again. Of Samson cutting through those men. Then lying on his bed. There was that excitement again. Back in that warehouse, Samson had been right when he'd said he'd enjoyed it. He wanted it again. To feel that rush. And Samson... God! Samson... It wasn't love. Damien was well aware of that. But there was something there. An attraction. A strong one. Infatuation? Definitely. The man himself was like a drug that Damien would give anything to have another hit of. He wanted so badly to kill with him again. To feel his fangs in his throat again. His hands... Shaking his head, Damien turned to let the water hit his back instead. It was dangerous. He should end it here. Never see Samson again. Damien bit his lip again. He knew this line of thinking was the rational thing to do. That he should follow through with it. But he knew he wasn't going to. He couldn't bring himself to. The truth was, while he'd been standing in the stream of hot water he'd had an idea that he simply couldn't resist. Against all his better instincts, this was going to be the start of his double life. A family man on the road to recovery at home. And in secret, he would come to Samson to let off steam and live a life of excitement. When he'd finished washing himself, Damien stepped out and wrapped a towel around his waist. Steam rose from his toned muscles as he made his way back into the bedroom to borrow some clothes from Samson.

Amelia faltered. "What do you mean she took your powers? Carol doesn't have that kind of power," she asked. She glanced back at Sara briefly then tilted her head back to give an exasperated sigh. "I'm not going to destroy you, Ash. And I can't force you to be a father, either." She lowered her head to look at him tiredly. "I don't know what happened to you and I'm sorry that I couldn't help when you clearly needed it. But taking your anger out on this kid, who has done nothing but exist, isn't right. Don't be angry with Sara or Ophelia. They're victims in this too." she hesitated then turned away from him to look at Sara. Ash may not be willing to care but she still had a duty to make sure they would be ok. "C'mon, Sara," she said softly. "Let's give him some space and go home. I'll help you set up the nursery then we'll go and get Ophelia, ok?" --- Sensing Xenos's question may be private, River nodded and stood before vanishing. When they were alone, Shezmu looked up at Xenos curiously. "What is troubling you?" --- Kris stared at Blake for a long moment. The corner of his mouth twitched briefly but his cold expression didn't change. Lost, orphaned or abandoned trickster kids were unfortunately common and it wasn't unusual for a few of them to end up on Kris's doorstep asking for shelter, training and some form of parental figure. He preferred it like this. It meant the kids were more likely to grow up to be fiercely loyal to him. "Maybe," he answered. "But you have to earn it, like every other member of my gang. Show me every day that you are worthy of my respect and you could have quite the happy life here. I might even teach you a few of my own tricks... if you work hard enough to earn it." --- Henderson followed the other officers into the meeting room and felt his cheeks grow hot when Dick made his comment about him. Then he caught the eye of a few of his colleagues who had given him a quick glare. He felt suddenly torn. He was attracted to Dick but he knew his colleagues would see it as a betrayal after what the hitman had done to one of their own. So he lowered his eyes shamefully and waited for the meeting to get started. --- "Our children!" Azrael repeated as he realised that marrying Death would make them all a family. He laughed and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Then this is merely the beginning of our happiness! Oh, my love!" he kissed him softly. "My heart is singing." he chuckled.

"Ok. No." Amelia growled as she marched over to Ash angrily. "Get off your ass! And show this woman some respect!" She shook her head. "Have you any idea what she's been through today? I don't know how it happened but I do know that the child is here now as a result whether you meant it or not. That makes you responsible! So, step up and stop being a selfish prick!" --- "No. Thank you both for answering my call." Shezmu nodded to him. River frowned. "I feel weird leaving you like this after you just found us." Shezmu smiled at him. "Go." he reassured him. "I will be fine and you are both welcome to visit me any time." --- While Blake had been getting washed up, Kris had moved into another room with a large rectangular wooden table in its centre. On it were various maps of the city, as well as the underground and sewer systems. As well as blueprints for different stores and clubs in the area. He'd been looking over these carefully when the other Trickster had walked in. Hearing him, Kris couldn't help but look at him and chuckle. "I hope he's not expecting a bedtime story." he put some of the blueprints down and walked over to the door. "Ortiz, why don't you and a couple of the guys check in on Miss Blaire over at the Vampire club and make sure those filthy leeches know not to stray onto our turf again? Set an example of what happens when Vampires cross into Trickster territory." He left the room and headed into the bunks. Named so for the rows of bunk beds on either side of the room. Right now, Blake was the only one in the room. Other young Tricksters lived and trained here as part of Kris's gang but right now they were all out running errands and wouldn't be back until the early hours of the morning. Kris opened the door and stepped in with his hands in his pockets. He said nothing as he walked further into the room. His boots sounded heavy with each step on the hard, cold concrete floor. He stopped at the foot of Blake's bunk and turned to look down at him emotionlessly. "Talk to me." --- Surprisingly there came no laughs. No jabs or jokes. The officers were as professional as they were on their guard. The hitman might be telling them the truth, but that didn't mean they'd relax around him. After all, he'd put one of their own in the hospital not that long ago. The only reaction to Dick's name was a cold silence. "Um..." Henderson mumbled, trying to break the tension. "In old comics, the detectives were sometimes called dicks. Like in the Noir ones with the weird funny way that the detectives describe things..." he trailed off, a little embarrassed and feeling like he'd just outed himself as a complete nerd. In truth, those comics were one of the reasons he became a cop. --- "Neither am I." Azrael laughed softly. His own happy tears rolled down his cheeks. "So, we'll have it in our traditional dark tones." he grinned, barely able to contain his joy as he wrapped his arms around Death. "I don't think I could ever be happier than I am in this moment!"

Alrighty 🙂

What's the other Trickster called? lol

"I know, I know. Thank you again!" Amelia then vanished, appearing in front of Sara. "Ready to find the baby daddy?" --- "Do you think me a fool that I hadn't already considered this?" Shezmu raised an eyebrow at Xenos. "I am merely disheartened to have awoken to a world where I feel that I am no longer welcome." he sighed and lowered his gaze to the ground. "To return to a home whose people had once considered me their leader only for them to gaze at me with fear and suspicion because I dressed and spoke differently to them. Not one vampire here was alive in my era... I am a stranger now. Lost, alone and looking for a new purpose." He fell into silent brooding and for a moment, River didn't know what to say or how to react. He couldn't begin to imagine the pain that this ancient being was feeling. He looked at Xenos briefly then gingerly moved over to sit next to Shezmu on the couch. "We might not be from your time, but we're here now. So, at least you're not completely alone. There might only be a few of us now but, you know, it's a start." "Perhaps you're right," Shezmu said quietly. "And you were around when there was a lot of us, right? So, if we have any questions about our kind and stuff, we could come to you, right? You'll teach us stuff?" Shezmu's eyes lifted and he turned his head slightly to look at him. "Of course. My knowledge would be your knowledge." "Well I'd say our species isn't completely doomed yet, then." River smiled optimistically. Despite his serious and stoic nature, Shezmu found himself smiling a little in turn. --- "My name is Kris," he said simply. "Everyone else calls me The Tyrant Trickster of New York. You will call me 'Boss' or 'Sir', understood?" He looked over at the other trickster. "Take him to the bunks and set him up with a bed. I want him washed and rested before his training starts tomorrow." --- Henderson realised a little too late that the way they'd walked in had made it look like he was the hitman's hostage. He ran over as soon as Will grabbed the hitman. "Wait! Boss, he's telling the truth. Just hear him out. He wants to help us and we could take out the whole seedy organisation!" --- "I think announcing it at the ceremony would be perfect," Azrael said softly as he brushed his thumb across the back of Death's hand. "It would be romantic and all leaders of the realms would be there to witness it." He blushed as a thought occurred to him. "Would it-..." he started and then hesitated. Gathering his courage, he finished his thought. "Would it be too forward of me to suggest that, while the leaders are here to witness it, we declare our love in a- uh... matrimonial sense?" he asked then bit his lip in anticipation of Death's answer.

Omg what if Kris and Rickster are rivals from way back? 😂

"I just know she'd be safest with you both. I know I'm asking a lot..." Amelia said as she watched Vincent soothing the baby with a lullaby. "Honestly, we'll be as quick as we can and hopefully when I come back I'll be able to take little Ophelia and Oliver off your hands." she smiled at her son who was babbling happily to himself while smacking the squeaky button shapes on a toy. She longed to hold him and take him home again. But she had work to do. --- Shezmu lifted his gaze to Xenos's. "We must be careful who we turn. Choose carefully. After all, we would need to be certain that they could survive a millennia of existence. They'd need to be strong enough to protect themselves in case there is ever another genocide attempt." "I think he means more like a romantic partner, dude." River suggested. "Romance does not interest me." Shezmu waved dismissively. "Or a companion, then. Someone to keep you company." Shezmu thought for a moment and sat back in his seat with his arms folded as he crossed one leg over another. His mind briefly went to the boy he'd been training. He shook his head slightly. "I would not turn another in haste, nor out of loneliness. Like I said, such a thing needs to be done with care." --- Hearing the boy explain what he'd done caused a wicked smirk to spread across Kris's face. When the other trickster grabbed his wrist, he gave him a stern look. Even through his sunglasses, the other trickster would get the sense that Kris wanted him to back off a little. Turning his attention back to Blake, he lifted his own hands and pressed his fingertips against his. "Shhh." He hushed him gently while using his own powers to 'measure' the boy's through their fingers. "You're going to be very useful to us." he chuckled darkly as he removed his fingers and turned his back on him to walk back to his throne. "Take a look around kid. This is your home now. You work for us. You'll train up those powers and learn how to fight. You'll steal for us. You'll fight for us. Hell, you'll kill for us if we tell you to. You do good enough and we can make life really easy for you. Fuck up though and well, I'm sure that vampire out there would find another use for you." --- "Will's not guna like it but fine." Henderson sighed. "I guess you'd better come in and talk to my boss then." --- "And I am ready to follow by your side. From here until the end of time." Azrael kissed his cheek and stood from the bed, offering a hand to help Death to his feet.

I thought something was missing 😅

"Uh... " Amelia hesitated to answer. "Newborn-y? With a teeny tiny hint of... magic shenanigans? She's super cute though." "Trucks! Trucks! Trucks!" Neva started chanting and then ran around them excitedly with her hands up, pretending to be turning a big wheel while making truck noises. --- "LIES!" Shezmu shouted and all at once his eyes flashed red and the armoire behind him crumpled in on itself as if crushed by an invisible force. "Dude!" River had gasped and stared from the armoire to Shezmu who now seemed a little embarrassed as his eyes returned to their usual dark colour. "Apologies for my outburst." He said quietly then walked over to the couch and sat down, cradling his head in his hands. "Everyone I ever knew... gone." "But, I mean... at the risk of pissing you off. It is kinda true though." River broached carefully and when Shezmu lifted his head to glare at him he lifted his hands up. "Hey, I'm not saying all Blood Gods are evil psychopathic nutjobs but I was definitely one before I had my ass handed to me and my soul split a couple of times to handle the sheer level of crazy." "You were born of trauma." Shezmu sighed. "Your turning. It was violent, wasn't it?" River frowned as he thought back to being Parker. The night Bryce had caught him on his own. The terror from his prior kidnapping as well as witnessing Carter being shot. He nodded silently. "B-But I forgave him for it. I-It's all cool now." "Matters not. Blood Gods must be created with care. With patience, guidance and love. Creating one of our kind out of violence or cruelty runs the risk of their mental stability being broken in the process." Shezmu explained. "These things were once common knowledge among our kind. But since we have been reduced to a mere few, I fear most of that knowledge has been lost." "So, wait, if our kind were mostly 'not' crazy, bloodthirsty or take-over-the-world-sy... why did we get hunted off?" "Is it not obvious?" Shezmu smiled bitterly. "Heaven is the domain of Angels. Hell is the domain of Devils. But we Blood Gods claimed Earth as our domain. Yet Angels and Devils have warred for control of Earth before. Caught in the middle and with enough power to hold either side at bay, we became an obstacle. We were 'in the way'. The possibility of one of our kind being born mad was obviously used against us for propaganda... to make the genocide of our kind 'justified'." --- "Kids are good for all sorts," Kris answered with a shrug. "They can pickpocket. Spy on our enemies. Look out for potential 'marks'. Run errands." Kris stood and walked over to him. Stopping just a few feet in front of him. "Or they can learn magic and train to become one of the team. Hold up your hands and tell me, you ever managed to do something weird without meaning to? Ever dabbled in the arts?" --- Henderson flustered a little more. His eyes darted from the hitman's to the ground shyly as the corner of his lips twitched into a small smile, unable to help himself. He felt a little hot under the collar with the hitman so close to him. "Y-you will? You're ready to do it properly then?"

I give you... Kris!

"Oh! Um... I'm not sure. I never had those kinds of games at her age... mostly books... a lot of books..." Amelia said distractedly. "I like the trucks!" Neva cheered then looked at the game in Vincents hand. "Who's that?" she asked, pointing at Sherlock. "His glasses are broken, he's only got one!" she laughed as she immitated the image by placing her fingers in a circle around her eye. "Is he a pirate?" Oliver babbled happily as he sat in the little seat on the shopping cart. Smiling, Amelia walked over to him and kissed his forehead. She then stood straight and looked at the little family. "So guys, I know you have your hands full with Neva and Oliver... Can I be a pain? I really need someone I can trust to look after a newborn too. I'm taking her mother to Hell to try to find her father." --- "Most interesting indeed." Shezmu agreed as he looked up at the stranger who already seemed to be familiar with this castle. He wasn't from Shezmu's time so he assumed he must've been created or born sometime after he went into his slumber. He got to his feet to regard the other Blood God curiously. "I admit we had our debate over leadership when I arrived but that has since been resolved and Jean still rules this place. I have offered him my knowledge and guidance in return for my staying here," he explained. "Where the party at-?! oh..." River announced excitedly as he popped in then paused awkwardly when he saw there was only X and Shezmu. "Man, I thought more of us would show up than this... I kinda assumed it'd be some kind of family reunion type thing..." "You are a curious one..." Shezmu pointed out. "I get that a lot." River laughed in response. "I mean your soul. I see it. You're only a fraction of a whole. How is this possible?" "Wait, you 'see' my soul? How powerful are you?" "Powerful enough," Shezmu answered dismissively. Clearly not wanting to answer that question. He looked despairingly between the two men. "Are there really no more of us than this? Have we dwindled so drastically close to extinction?" --- Kris sat back in his makeshift throne of gnarled tree limbs. He had lightly tanned skin. Wore black, circular sunglasses despite the dimly lit room. Short purple dreadlocks decorated his head. A long scar was sliced across his face from his upper right cheek to the left side of his chin. He wore a long patchwork trench coat with military boots. After watching the display before him for a moment, he simply gestured for his man to release their grip on the kid. "Boy," he said. His tone was deep. Commanding. He gestured with his fingers for Blake to step forward. "Let's get a look at you." he then gestured for the boy to turn on the spot so that Kris could get a good look at what he was dealing with. "You seem healthy enough. Not got any defects that'll slow you down? Asthma? Anything like that?" --- Henderson jumped when the hitman appeared. He stared at the rose and chocolates in disbelief. "Are you serious?" he gasped. He couldn't help blushing but at the same time, he seemed flustered. "Do you realise how much hot water you put me in?!" he said in a hushed tone. For reasons he couldn't fathom himself right now, he didn't want his colleagues to hear them or know the hitman was here. "You shot cops. You killed a taxi driver outside the building, which, thanks for that! I'm not going to get the image of that man's exploded skull out of my head anytime soon! And to top that all off you dumped a load of info on my lap before just taking off, leaving me to try to explain things to my boss when he got back and saw that the one task I'd been given I'd failed spectacularly at!" The more he ranted, the redder his cheeks grew. There was an excitement in this secret meeting. Even if he was a little pissed at the mess he'd had to clean up the last time they'd met.

lol No worries.

Is Oliver still with Elliott & Vincent?

Amelia thought for a moment. "Will you be ok if I leave for a sec? I think I know a couple we can trust but I'd like to check in on them first and make sure they're in a good position to help." --- Tears welled in Azrael's eyes. He was worried that their enemies would exploit their love but at the same time, he also felt Death's pain. "My love..." he whispered, cupping his cheeks in his hands as he pressed his head against his. "Then let us break free of this cage and stand in the open together." --- Rolling his eyes at Jean's theatrics, Shezmu teleported into his own room. He sat in the middle of the room with his legs crossed and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he relaxed his shoulders and reached out with his mind. Searching from country to country for more of his kind. Sending out his greetings, reassuring them he meant no harm but that he had enough power to defend himself if necessary. He reached out with invitations to meet them and to know what has become of their kind. --- "The fuck- Who do you think you are?" The vampire complained. He debated killing them both but for the sake of what would basically be a snack, the trouble didn't seem worth it. "Fuck it! Fine! Have him!" he threw his hands up in the air. Then he had a thought and pointed to Blake while grinning in a sinister way. "These Tricksters aren't to be trusted. Take my word for it. Come and find me when you've had enough of being treated like dirt. I'll give you something those fantasia fuckers only wish they had!- Immortality!" laughing, the vampire took off, content that his parting comment might stir enough temptation in the kid to make them want to wander from the flock.

Hmm, maybe. Or if it'd be easier your Trickster could be working for another Trickster (My own). What do you think?

"There's been a few, actually..." Amelia said, puzzled as she thought back to meeting Ash, Abaddon, Adam and others. "They all seem to be coming out of the woodwork now that Lucifer is gone... and Hell's Cells collapsing didn't help much." She sat back on the couch with her arms folded as she thought for a moment. "I could take you to them one by one? See if you sense anything in their presence?" she looked at the sleepy child. "Would you want to leave her with a babysitter or bring her with you?" --- "You needn't apologise," Azrael said softly. "We're alone now. You can confide in me. I won't think little of you for it. I know you've been through so much." --- "Must you?" Shezmu complained awkwardly as he stood there. The hug made him increasingly uncomfortable. "I am not afraid." He said firmly, agitated that Jean would try to make him appear weak in any way. Or maybe he was agitated because Jean could see right through him. Hard to say with how little emotion he actually allows himself to display. "I request that you unhand me now." --- The vampire ground to a halt some distance away as he realised his dessert had just run into another supernatural being. "Hey, I saw him first! He's mine!" he called over possessively. He then smirked at the kid. "C'mon, don't make this harder for yourself. It's not all bad. Just a little pinch, that's all."

Did you just want me to play the vampire?

I like it 😁