Shadowess

"You just spawned another being into existence from your own body. You need to recover." Amelia told him firmly but gently. She still didn't understand how such a thing had even happened nor could she barely comprehend the amount of power Charles would have needed to pull it off on his own like that. But she simply didn't have time to ask or go looking for answers right now. She turned to Nate and Tom as they both appeared. "We've certainly been kept busy." She sighed in response to Nate's comment. "What's going on with you two?" "I'm hoping you can tell us," Tom replied, earning him a raised brow from Amelia. He went on; "A spirit punched me. Not great but something I can handle... except I almost blacked out right after. The feeling that came over me... it was weird. Like... a mixture of pure instinct and rage. I could feel myself starting to lose control. Like..." he hesitated, knowing how it was going to sound but he continued. "Like a dark part of me wanted to take control. I felt like I wanted to rip the soul to shreds until there was nothing left and nothing could possibly stand in my way. It was hard to resist it. The last time I felt like that I-... it was when some angels tried to drag me to ADIUE... I blacked out and when I came to they were... they were..." Tom had trailed off, still traumatised by the memory of it. He paused for a moment to regather himself before asking; "Do you know why that might happen? I mean, I'm guessing it's a Devil thing, right? Your blood is the only reason I can walk around in the sunlight, after all." As Tom had been talking, Amelia's features had been growing paler and paler. Everything Tom had described had sounded intimately familiar. She looked from Tom to Nate with a serious expression. "I don't suppose you'd be able to get one of those training crystals that new Angels wear when they learn to control their new powers? Tom is going to need one... Tom, you might want to sit down. I'll explain everything." --- Stevie looked up at Carter and nodded before sitting back and trying to watch the movie again. He glanced down at the hot chocolate for a second then leant forward to pick it up. He took a sip and savoured the warm feeling it gave him as he sat back, finally relaxed. Despite the cold sweat that was beginning to break out across his forehead. Sebastian smiled warmly at Carter, feeling that they'd finally had some form of win today. He looked worriedly at the beads of sweat on the boy's head. He listened carefully for his heartbeat. His heart rate had increased a little but he wasn't in any danger. He would be fine. They just needed to make sure he stayed relaxed and hydrated. --- "I-" Azrael was taken aback at how observational Raven seemed to be. He stammered, wondering how to answer without going over Death's head. "I'm afraid it wouldn't be my place to tell you," he said honestly. "But when we return home, you and Death will need to have an important conversation regarding your future as his son. That is all I would be able to say for now. I hope you understand." To be on the safe side, Azrael raised his telepathic guard. No minds could penetrate his thoughts without his consent. --- Smiling to himself, John nodded thankfully to Adam. He looked around awkwardly. "Shall we pay for these clothes and head to the Wiccan market, then?" he asked.

"You know, you really shouldn't shout and scream like that. It's not very ladylike." Amelia teased with a smirk before turning her attention back to Charles. She knelt down and ran her hand through his hair lovingly. "I'm sorry that I doubted you..." she whispered before teleporting them both home. Despite their size differences she managed to lift him into their bed where she made sure he'd be comfortable while he recovered. It was at that moment that she heard Tom's voice calling to her. "Really? It's one thing after another..." she groaned. "Tom, my telepathy is shit so I hope you or Nate hear this. Whatever it is, you'll need to come to us. I'm a little busy." --- "I'd want him to know..." Stevie nodded. He assumed he would never see nor hear from Raven again but he felt a need to somehow make him aware of how sorry he was. --- Bob smiled, comforted. Azrael smiled too but his was a little strained. He'd just realised that Raven is still completely alive. Both himself and Death had told Lilly that they couldn't risk living beings being in his kingdom for too long. If Raven wants to remain in Death's kingdom, he would have to lose his life. He wondered if Death had realised this yet or not. He also worried about how they could possibly broach this subject with Raven without frightening him. No matter what though, this was ultimately Death's call and it would be out of line for Azrael to bring this up in his absence. --- "You will always be a gift to me," John said then his eyes widened and he blushed deeply. "That was out loud, wasn't it?" he cleared his throat awkwardly. "Um, I mean that outfit also suits you. Gives you an edgy 'bad boy' look. Some people love that."

Amelia glared up at the spoilt creature as she scolded her for not obeying her order. Seeing Charles's nod, she smirked and kept her eyes on Sarah. As the hand came down, Amelia caught her wrist and twisted it. Not enough to break it, but enough that it'd hurt. "No, we are the royalty here and you have some manners of your own to learn!" she growled while aiming to throw her into the cell that Charles had just come from. If successful, she would slam the door behind her. --- Stevie sniffled and sat up a bit while staring at his hands. He now understood every story he'd heard when it referred to a guilt-ridden killer seeing blood on their hands. He thought about his flute. How charming and convincing the voice inside it had been. "The voice I heard was the bad man you turned into a tree?" he asked, and although it sounded absolutely insane it also made sense. "He kept talking to me. Almost all the time. Telling me that he was the only one I could ever trust. That everyone else would kill me as soon as they had the chance. He'd tell me things I always wanted to hear... that I could be strong and powerful. That my parents didn't love me but he did. That he'd always be there to listen and encourage me. Then he'd tell me to do bad things... to kill my enemies. To make them suffer for hurting me. That one day soon, I'd be so strong that I could make him into a person like me and we would get our revenge together. I just had to keep playing the flute..." he trailed off and shivered. "He was trying to manipulate you into bringing him back but the flute is gone now," Sebastian said. "He can't come back and you're safe." "I did awful things..." "Stevie, it may be bad but what's done is done and we can't take it back. But we can try to help you move on and become a better person. That lady who brought you here, Amelia, her whole thing is helping people to redeem themselves." Stevie looked up at him and recalled Amelia talking to them. "She said she was a Devil." "She is... but you can't believe everything you see in the movies." Sebastian smiled at him warmly. "Even Charles is nice. I know he scared you earlier and I'm sorry he did that. I promise he isn't usually so angry. But normally he helps Amelia to help people." At the mention of Charles Stevie had tensed again and looked on the brink of tears once more. But he listened to Sebastian and nodded. "What about Raven?" He asked. "Who?" "There was another boy with me... He took me in when my flute snapped and taught me some magic." Stevie looked down with a guilty expression. "He was taken away by Death but he was nice to me and I-... I threw it back in his face... I wish I could tell him that I'm sorry. That I didn't mean it... I was just scared of being hurt and alone again." --- "So, I guess I'm gonna be alone for a while now..." Bob commented as he stared out across the sea. Now that all of his friends were dead, he felt more alone than he'd ever felt. Azrael frowned at him. He recalled Bob having suicidal thoughts when it had only been Lilly who had died. But now he was completely alone he worried for his mental health. "Stay strong, Bob. Your friends have moved to the afterlife but that doesn't mean you'll never see them again." --- "Hmm..." John smirked as he looked around the racks. He quickly picked out a tight fitting black leather jacket and a pale grey v-neck shirt. "I think these with those tight jeans you had on earlier would look good." he said as he showed them to Adam.

Amelia ran over to Charles and knelt beside him. "Are you ok?" she said then stared at the woman curiously "A lot of people are sprouting new beings lately..." she mumbled then replied to the woman in an annoyed tone "Get your own damn tea." Then looking to Charles "Can I lock her up?" --- "It's not ok! I killed my parents! I killed my bullies!" He continued to cry. "There's something wrong with me! I'm a murderer! I heard a voice from a flute and did what it told me! I might be schizo!... And my veins hurt so much!" he cradled his head in his hands as he rocked back and forth. Sebastian recalled how desperate he'd seemed when he'd asked him for his venom and wondered how long he'd been out of his supply for. He had hidden the flask away now and knew the boy was going to be in for a very uncomfortable time for a while. But there was at least one positive thing to take away from what Stevie had said. Whatever hold the flute had had over him was gone. It likely happened when Charles destroyed the flute completely. Stevie now seemed to realise that hearing voices from an object wasn't normal and that he needed help. "Stevie," Sebastian said while leaning forward and clasping his hands together. "What happened was bad, yes, but you know it now. It's going to feel bad for a while but this is a good thing, I promise. We can help you. We want to help you. And I don't believe that what happened was completely your fault... You see, that flute came from a tree that... well it's a long story but let's just say it had some very evil energy trapped inside it." --- Leandra giggled with him and cuddled into his side as she turned her body slightly to look out at the horizon. "My Life, my muse, my love," she said dreamily. "Whatever new adventures we have, I want it to be by your side, always." "Lilly may be a little older than you but she hasn't practised or honed her powers like you have. She came from a world that would have persecuted her if she showed the slightest signs of magic. She spent most of her life on the run and burying her abilities within herself." Azrael told him. "She may find it easier to bond with you as a sibling if you share your knowledge with her." --- John's mind immediately went to the day they'd made love in his apartment to the sound of Cry Little Sister. "Yes..." he said lustfully. He was tempted to push him into the dressing room to take him right there. But they came here for a reason, and also he was sure the store clerks would call the authorities on them immediately. He had to tear his eyes away again but he smirked. "We should save that outfit for later."

Amelia looked at the lock, tempted. She bit her lip and weighed her options. She knew, deep down, that logically she should get her father for advice. That she shouldn't take the risk in case whatever was causing him to act strangely took over. But she wanted to trust him and she convinced herself that Charles was strong enough to do what he said. After all, she'd witnessed him do a few things before that she had previously thought to be impossible. She looked back at him with a serious expression. "I'll let you out. But the second you start acting weird again I'm throwing you back in... even if it'll hurt me to do that to you." she moved to unlock the cell. --- Stevie didn't move when Carter wrapped his arm around him. He tensed but continued to watch the movie as he gradually relaxed again. After a while, he burst into tears again, even though the movie was at a humorous point. Sebastian looked over at them, unsure of what to do. Then Stevie finally spoke. "I'm sorry! I did a bad thing!" --- "La Tramoggia was a body hopper. Stealing lives to add to her own. I don't want that to be me anymore..." Leandra said thoughtfully. "I want to start again. A new life in the afterlife! New adventures and excitements!" she beamed, excitedly. She then smirked playfully. "After all, just because I'm dead does not mean I cannot be 'full of life'." she winked. "Give her a chance," Azrael told him gently. "Yeah, Lilly's a great friend! She used to love playing hide the bones with me!" Bob said with a gleefully reminiscent look. "See, it's this game she made up. Like hide and seek but it was half of my bones. She never thought I could find them but you should've seen the look on her face when caught up with her several days later in a whole different country to prove her wrong! Oh wait, I have a face now! I can show you how she looked! It was like-!" he pulled a very accurate representation of the frustration and annoyance Lilly used to have when she'd failed yet again to lose Bob on the road. "He used to be an animated skeleton that was bound to her..." Azrael quickly explained to Raven while trying to hide his amusement at Bob's story. --- Kat smiled and nestled down a bit in his seat while tilting his head back slightly. Before long he'd started to doze lightly. --- John stared speechlessly for a moment as he admired the new look. "You look great!" he said. "You look like you could charm anyone you wanted!"

Amelia hugged herself as she watched him and tears clung to her eyes. She wondered how awful it must feel for him to know she'd thought of him in that way. She placed herself in his shoes and couldn't stand the idea of him thinking such things about her. But after what she'd seen she needed to be careful. She needed to be sure. With tears dripping down her cheeks she walked over to the bars and gently placed her hands on his. "I know... I know you wouldn't. That's why it scared me that you're not acting yourself." she told him but she was still hesitant to let him out yet. "Charles, I love you. I'm not going to let whatever this is take you from me. Let me go and get David. We can search the library for answers then come back to you when we know a cure." --- Stevie didn't answer but after a moment he gave a small nod. Letting Carter take him to the couch and pick a movie. He was tense in his seat. Struggling to relax as his eyes darted around the room every so often in case Charles came back. He'd already scoped out all of the exits in case he needed to make a quick getaway. This is unfortunately a common trait for people who were used to living in violent homes. Sebastian came back into the room with the blanket. He approached Stevie slowly and held the blanket up for him to see that it was all he was holding. "Did you want me to put this on you or would you prefer if I passed it to you?" he asked him while keeping a small distance between them to help the boy feel a little more comfortable in their presence. Stevie thought for a moment as he looked up at him then reached out a hand to take it. With a kind smile, Sebastian slowly passed it to him. He then left the room to bring in Stevie's hot chocolate which he placed onto the coffee table across from him. "Help yourself to it if you want it but you don't have to," he told him before moving to sit in the armchair. Stevie looked from Carter to Sebastian then stared at the hot chocolate as he thought about all the ways these two men could have hurt him by now. But they hadn't. Tears were falling slowly from his eyes and he wiped them away while sitting back and wrapping the blanket around himself. He still didn't trust them yet but he was beginning to feel more at ease. --- When he kissed her and she heard the waves crashing behind them she couldn't help but be reminded of cheesy romance movies. She smiled as she kissed him back. Savouring the feel of his lips against hers. When they finally stopped to breath, her cheeks had flushed pink and she grinned at him. "Leandra... My real name. It's Leandra." she told him quietly. Azrael had been filling Bob in on what had been happening with Lilly when Raven joined them. He looked at the boy and smiled warmly. "Every mortal I've ever met always imagines Death to be this cold, emotionless being with a fascination for hourglasses..." he said with a small chuckle. "But he is a wise, just and benevolent ruler. He cares greatly for his people and for the souls that need guidance to their afterlives. Your past deeds matter little if you have the capacity for goodness in your soul. I have no doubt that is what he saw in you. You have the potential to do great things, you just need the right guidance." "And a sister." Bob said with a huge grin. "You came from a portal too, right?" Azrael faltered then smiled awkwardly at Raven. "I'm not sure if Death has informed you about Lilly yet." --- Grinning at Sawyer, he shook his head. "I barely got any sleep in that warehouse. I can catch up while we're in the air. Then I'll be awake enough to see our new home." 'Our new home'... it sounded strange to Kat to hear that out loud. All of this still felt surreal to him. --- John's eyes wandered back to him. "I look forward to it." he smirked. He then pointed over to the changing rooms. "Maybe you should try those on before we buy them?"

Amelia looked at Charles, feeling guilty for locking him up. But she shook her head a little at him. "Charles, he's been abused. He needs help, not more violence! You terrified him... and you frightened me." She bit her lip and looked away from him for a moment. She didn't want to throw him into a cell. She didn't want to think, even for a moment, that he could be a danger. In fact, she'd love nothing more than to open that cell, run into his arms and have him reassure her that everything would be ok. But when she'd watched him throw that boy against the wall like a rag doll... she couldn't help but imagine Oliver in Stevie's place and it had sparked a deep fear in her. --- Stevie continued to sob, though he had quietened down quite a bit. His whole body shook violently. Expecting to be hit at any moment. He jumped and stiffened when he felt Carter's hand on his head. Though he didn't speak or move, he heard what Carter said and stared off across the room as he thought about it. Sebastian hesitated to move as he didn't want to startle Stevie while he was in this state. He carefully crept over to the flask and picked it up. Undoing the top, he didn't even need to bring the neck of the bottle to his nose to be able to smell the venom. He quickly fastened it back up and gave Carter a frown now that their suspicions had been confirmed. The poor boy was hooked on it and although it would be necessary, making him go cold turkey wasn't going to be pleasant. He slipped the flask into his back jeans pocket to try to keep it out of Stevie's sight. "I'll get him a blanket... and a new hot chocolate." he whispered to Carter "What you're doing seems to be working. He's calming down," he added as he quietly crept past them, knowing Carter could also hear the boy's heart rate slowing down to a calmer level. --- "I didn't know about you." La Tramoggia replied. "I didn't even really know about Death... not until my third- or was it fourth?- body jump. All I knew was that I wasn't ready to give up on life yet." she blushed when he kissed her hand and referred to her as his love. She moved to stand closer to him and playfully ran her fingers up the middle of his chest like she had back in Death's castle. "My muse... I believe we were interrupted before," she said with a coy smile. --- "I've had worse." Kat chuckled. "If I am honest, I will probably just fall asleep until we get there." --- "Hmm..." John looked around. "A couple of options. Some dark, tight-fit jeans or black trousers?" he looked back at Adam and blushed as he imagined him in such an outfit. He quickly cleared his throat and tore his eyes away. He wanted them to complete what they'd come back to Earth to do. There was always time for fun later. "Did you see anything else you like?" he asked, trying to keep on the topic of clothes.

"No, dad, don't!" Stevie cried out and flinched at Charles's movements. His flask had clattered on the floor. Amelia had seen enough. She ran over and snatched Stevie from his grip before throwing him into Carter's arms. Then she grabbed Charles and teleported to Hell's Cells where she threw him into one and slammed the door shut behind him. There she stood, staring at him in shock. Both at how he'd acted and by what she'd done as well. But she took a step back from the door and continued to look at him questioningly. She'd noticed he'd been acting a bit more ruthless, particularly with Ash but at the time she'd assumed it was to make sure Ash wouldn't dare try anything funny. Admittedly she had even kind of liked the way he'd displayed dominance. But there was no excusing how he'd reacted to a traumatised mortal boy having a breakdown. Something was wrong. "What's happening to you?" she whispered, shaking her head a little. Meanwhile, back at Carter's, Stevie was sobbing uncontrollably in his arms. Now too frightened to run or fight back as he was mentally reliving his trauma. Sebastian hadn't moved from the doorway and watched the boy with saddened eyes before lifting them to look at Carter as if to ask him 'what the fuck just happened?!' --- "It would seem I was wrong about a lot of things." La Tramoggia admitted after a moment of quiet contemplation. "I did everything and anything I could to avoid dying. I just could not get enough of life. The thrills. The adventures. Watching the world change with such wonders!" she smiled a little. "I didn't know that I could still do all of that if I had just let my life end naturally... I always thought that it all would just... end." she looked at Life and placed a hand on his. "I'm glad it didn't." --- "I've flown before," Kat said as they took their seats. "Only on short flights but I'm fine with it." he looked over at Sawyer. "What about you? Not going to be sick, are you?" he smirked. --- "I think it would suit you." John smiled. "Perhaps not something to wear when flirting with women but a few men might find it appealing. But then again, you never know. Attraction is a funny thing." he pulled a white silk button up shirt from one of the racks. "Would you like something like this? I imagine you'd look very nice with the first few buttons undone in a casual way."

"He's just a child, Charles!" Amelia snapped at him. Shocked that he was being cold. "What's gotten into you?" While she was busy scolding Charles, Stevie managed to finally break loose from her grip and made a run for the door. Sebastian ran faster than Stevie's eyes could track, blocking his exit. Stevie ground to a halt and stumbled back with wide eyes as he stared at Sebastian. "Wait... are you a vampire?" he asked. Surprised by the question, Sebastian answered; "Yes, but you don't need to be afraid. I won't hurt you-" "Give me some of your venom!" "What?!" Stevie whipped out his hipflask which was now empty. "I need it! Please!" "C-Carter?" Sebastian called, unsure of what to do and staring at the boy with wide eyes. --- La Tramoggia looked away from him. "I didn't really do anything," she said with red cheeks. "He would have every right to destroy me..." She didn't understand Death's mercy either. She had stolen more life than she was entitled to then placed a curse on Death's lover in order to avoid the consequences. She fully believed that Death hated her and had only tolerated her to keep Azrael from harm. But now that the curse was broken, she wasn't sure whether Death would keep to his word or take his revenge. --- "No!" Kat reached out and touched Sawyer's arm then retracted it quickly. He wasn't used to open signs of affection. "You didn't ruin it, you saved it. Think about it. If you hadn't been sent on your mission then I would have died along with my clan when that quake happened. I only survived and got out because you were there..." he looked at the airport. "We should go in and find our gate." --- Happily, John took Adam's arm and teleported them both of them into the heart of a shopping district in France. Not too far from where they needed to go to find Adam's next wife. "Ah, why not? Let's have some fun with it!" John beamed as he gestured for Adam to lead the way.

Seeing the flute burn was the last straw for Stevie. He began screaming with a mixture of horror and grief. She thrashed in the chair, throwing his fists at Amelia's arms to try and get her to release her grip as he sobbed uncontrollably. "Not that I don't agree with getting rid of that wood, but perhaps burning the object he'd been cherishing like a friend in front of him wasn't the best idea?" Sebastian sighed while looking over at Charles. --- La Tramoggia leant against the railing and looked up at Life with a smile. "Are you feeling better, my muse?" --- "I..." Kat hesitated then blushed and laughed nervously. "I'm glad that you did. I thought you might hate me after what I put you through." --- "Then we'll hit some stores first and get you a wardrobe that's more you." John grinned. He took a wallet out of his jeans and handed it to Adam. "While you were um, busy, I took advantage of the riots on Earth. Don't worry, I took precautions by hiding my face and deleting any CCTV footage. I managed to empty a few safes and opened up a bank account to deposit the money. I also took those items from different stores. No point in worrying about theft if we're making a new Eden to be our home. Besides, it's not like the humans will really miss it and aruably, we'll need it more."

Stevie panicked and tried to kick and slap Carter away while Amelia held him in place. When he saw Carter step back with his flute, he stopped and practically held his breath. "G-give him back!" he said, clearly frightened and on the verge of tears. "Charles..." Amelia looked at him seriously before looking back at the flute. "Stevie, where did you get that flute?" "I-I made him." "Where did you get the wood?" Stevie was quiet for a moment but Amelia pressed. "Where did you get the wood, Stevie?" "A dead tree in the park." Amelia sighed in frustration and looked at Charles again. "Donnie... He's gone and we still can't bloody escape him!" --- Bob wandered over, seeing Life looking a little green. "Hey uh.. I found these below deck. I think those guys that-... I think they were taking them. Maybe they'll help?" He said as he passed a bottle of pills known for helping with seasickness to Life. "It's the least I can do after you helped us all." he looked around uncertainly. Azrael was the only one here that he recognised so he walked over to him to ask how Lilly was. He had already come to the conclusion that she had been the one to send them to help him. --- Damien vomited again. "Thank you..." he groaned and glanced at the water but the sight of it made him want to throw up again. After he'd vomited his body weight in liquids into the toilet, he drank the water and eventually wandered drunkenly to his bed where he quickly slipped into a deep sleep. --- Kat was taken aback by the kiss and he stiffened a little but didn't pull away. He stared at Sawyer as the kiss ended while he tried to make sense of his emotions. The driver opening the door and handing them the things they would need to begin their new lives had interrupted this process and he climbed out of the car while in a bit of a stupor. He watched the vehicle drive away and looked over at Sawyer. For a moment, he still looked to be in shock. Then he cracked a smile as his cheeks reddened. "You're full of surprises Red-... I mean, Jake." --- "My thoughts exactly," John smirked. "Cable? like a rope?" Eve looked even more confused. Daisy chuckled and looked at Adam. "It's ok. I'll try to explain everything." "You may want to get dressed if you want to woo a witch." John nodded to Adam's robes.

Stevie stiffened at the question. His eyes darted around the room wildly as he refused to look at Carter and was trying to think of a way to throw them off finding the flute. "N-no." he lied and was terrible at it. The two halves of the flute were in his jacket pocket. "I told you he died. I buried him." --- Bob walked onto the deck and took a deep breath of the sea air. Relieved that he'd been found and saved. La Tramoggia wasn't far behind and she had started to walk towards Life with a smile when Azrael stepped in front of her with his arms folded. "Curse," he said bluntly. "Remove it. Now." "Aww but don't you like us being bonded? We can share each other's pains... among other sensations," she said while her eyes glided over to Life again. "You made a deal," Azrael growled and La Tramoggia sighed while throwing up her arms dramatically. "You and your Death are two peas in a dull pod! Can I not kid with you? Ay!" She complained then lifted her finger to quiet Azrael as he looked like he'd been about to argue. "Fine! Fine! I will remove the curse. Give me your hands." Azrael looked at her skeptically for a moment and she rolled her eyes. "Well, do you want it removed or not?!" "Just don't try any more of your tricks." Azrael gave her his hands. "And risk more ire of our King? Relax, carino, I might be full of tricks but I keep my word when it is given." She chanted again and a few moments later then stopped before letting go of his hands. Azrael stared at her for a moment. "Did it work? I feel no different." "Let's find out!" La Tramoggia chirped then took a pin out of her pocket. She snatched up Azrael's hand again and pricked his palm. "Ah!" Azrael shook his hand and then glared at her. Meanwhile, La Tramoggia was smiling at him cheekily while holding up her own hand which was unblemished. "There, you see. You can trust me!" she grinned before turning and walking towards Life. "...Sometimes!" she then added playfully. --- No sooner had the toilet seat been lifted did a jet of vomit stream from Damien into the bowl. Coughing and spitting into the toilet, Damien groaned. "Water... please..." --- Kat turned his head to look at Sawyer's hand. At first, he was as stone-faced as ever. But when he lifted his eyes to his, his expression softened. "How?" he asked him quietly. For the first time since they met, Kat seemed vulnerable and uncertain. --- Daisy blushed as Adam walked in and greeted them. Eve looked at him in confusion, having never left Hell. "TV?" "I was thinking along the same lines..." John commented as he walked into the kitchen holding a box of various appliances that he'd brought from Earth. Unfortunately, none of them would work in Hell yet. John had had to prepare the coffee that Adam was helping himself to over a campfire in the garden. "Unfortunately Hell hasn't had the same technological advances that Earth has. Though I suppose that was intentional during the war to make life here for souls and Angels as unbearable as possible. I do have some ideas though..." he set the box on one of the counters. "Adam, what if your next wife was a Trickster? A novice would be ideal as they would only need enough skill to use their powers to make electronic devices work here." That and if they made sure the Trickster wasn't too skilled then there was little chance of them trying to take over the little kingdom that they're trying to build. "I believe there is a small Wiccan coven in the north of France. We could visit one of their little shops and see if it leads us anywhere?"

"You wouldn't understand. No one understands..." Stevie growled as he averted his gaze from Carter's. "Maybe don't speak in riddles and we might understand a bit more?" Amelia commented. "Not helpful," Sebastian told her when he walked back into the room. He knelt by the boy and offered him the hot chocolate. "Here. You're not in any trouble. We just want to help you." he told him. Stevie looked at the mug with suspicion, expecting it to be poisoned then scoffed at Sebastian's words. "I don't believe you. You're going to trick me and take me to Hell!" "We already had the opportunity to do that but didn't." Amelia pointed out. "Why do you think they'd take you to Hell?" "He told me they would!" "Who?" "My flute..." Stevie's eyes watered. "I didn't do anything wrong!" he cried. "Hey, it's ok-" "They kept yelling at me! and pushing me! and hurting me! But then he told me how I could break free and I did." He sobbed and then glared. "I warned them. I told them to stop but they wouldn't listen and now they're dead!" he growled. "We were going to get rid of all the bad people! Make them hurt themselves so they would know how it feels! I wanted to protect my friends but then they turned on me too and broke my flute and now he's dead! He was right! I shouldn't have trusted them! I can't trust anyone!" Sebastian was taken aback by what sounded like insane ramblings and he looked between Amelia, Charles and Carter worriedly. --- "These people already have homes that they were stolen from. We just need to return them to them." Azrael answered. He nodded towards a set of stairs that led downward. "You and Raven take the lower decks. La Tramoggia and I will take care of things up here." "Oh, but I want to go with my muse!" La Tramoggia complained. "I want to keep you where I can see you!" Azrael fired back with a glare. He then looked at Life. "Once we've taken command of the ship and freed the prisoners we can turn this vessel around and head back to shore." --- Damien smiled at James. At least one of them had a good night. He patted his shoulder encouragingly. "Way to go, buddy! It sounds like you two are getting off to a great start!" With his hand still on James's shoulder he then teleported both of them into his apartment. Between the blood loss, venom and alcohol, the jump had been a bit much. Damien fell to his knees as the room felt like it was spinning rapidly. "Oh god... I don't feel good..." he huffed, barely containing the rising bile. --- Kat strained a smile at Sawyer's joke then stared out of the window with a vacant expression. "This doesn't feel real..." he sighed. "I can't believe I turned my back on everything I knew... I can't believe my whole clan are dead... What kind of a future is there for me?... I'm struggling to see one." --- Daisy's hair was a little messy and she'd wrapped a bed robe around herself as she looked around her new home. She quickly found her way into the kitchen where Eve was sitting at the island counter, drinking a cup of water. Pausing in the doorway, she hesitated to enter. Eve looked up from having been lost in her thoughts and she smiled. "You must be the newest wife." she greeted her. "Newest?... Are you Eve?" Daisy's eyes widened and she suddenly felt sick from guilt. "Oh-! Oh no! I'm so sorry-" "What for?" Eve blinked. "Adam has my blessing. After all, we're working towards a great purpose together. He did tell you, didn't he?" "Yes... but, wife? We didn't-" "Sweetie, when we were created marriage wasn't really invented yet. There are no vows needed. It's a simple case of he chose you, you agreed and now you're married." Eve shrugged. She then smirked and pointed lazily at Daisy's hair. "Quite energetic, isn't he?" Daisy laughed shyly and tried to fix it. "My legs feel like jelly..." she admitted. "He does that." Eve nodded and chuckled. "Congratulations on the wedding... and the little one." "Oh, I don't know yet. It's only been one day, that's too early-" "No, it's a certainty." Eve corrected her. "Think about it. The first human created. How fertile do you think he'd need to be?" Daisy's cheeks turned pink and she realised what this could mean. "Oh!" she looked down at herself and pressed a hand against her stomach before laughing joyfully. "So quickly!" "Mhmm... I expect he'll be looking for his third wife before long." Eve brought her cup to her lips and then paused as Daisy's face turned pale. "Now, now. We'll have no jealousy. You don't think he could recreate Eden with just you, do you?" "I guess not..." Daisy moved to sit at the island counter with her as she came to terms with this new truth as well as her new future. "I'm going to be a mother!" she then chirped excitedly and smiled at Eve. "And you will not be alone. Us girls will need to work together to raise these children." Eve told her in a warm tone.

"Why else? It's kill or be killed," he answered sourly. "Get your fucking hands off me!" he then snapped at Amelia. "I think we might need a swear jar for this one," Amelia smirked and kept a firm grip on his shoulders. "He told me about you," Stevie growled up at her. "Devil whore!" Amelia glared and had to resist the urge to snap his shoulder bones like twigs. "Who? Who's 'he'?" "My only true friend... but he's dead." Stevie turned and huffed. He'd been referring to his flute. --- "Oh, young one. There's nothing more thrilling than flirting mid-battle! You will understand when you grow more." she laughed before rapidly moving her hands from her sides into an X over her chest. As she did, the necks of the three soldiers that had run down a set of steps towards them snapped simultaneously. She winked at Life then gasped and gripped her upper arm as a stray bullet grazed it. Azreal gripped his arm as well and could feel the blood soaking into his black robe. "Stop playing around!" he shouted at her irritably. "Where are the prisoners located?" "Lower deck. Some at the back end of the boat in cells disguised as shipping containers too." La Tramoggia called back. She aimed a hand at a soldier trying to rush her and closed her fist, crushing his brain and causing blood to pour from every orifice in his head. --- Damien glanced back at Samson's house. He had every intention of coming back when he'd recovered enough of his strength to be able to fight back if needed. He had an idea of a proposition that could benefit them both. For now, he turned his attention ahead of them as they walked away. He was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "No, you were right." he sighed and looked up at the stars. He took a breath of the fresh air, trying to sober up a bit. "In my desire to have just one fucking night of carefree fun, I put us both in danger. I was reckless. I'm sorry." he looked sideways at James. "Thank you for pulling him off me... I didn't know his true intentions..." he looked ahead of them and was quiet again for a few minutes. "How did your date go by the way?" --- "Jake?" Kat said but with his accent, it sounded more like 'Jack'. He sighed and looked at the paperwork again. "I guess I can't complain. It was either this or..." he trailed off, imagining the horrors ADIEU might've inflicted on them. "When do we leave?" he asked the agent.

"We have to try," Amelia said sadly as she looked at Carter. Stevie stirred and Amelia looked at him suddenly. She looked around the room quickly before placing him in the armchair. She then walked behind the chair and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Wha-? Raven?" Stevie groaned and squinted his eyes open. Upon seeing strangers he jumped and tried to dart out of the chair but Amelia held him firmly in place. "It's ok, we just want to talk," Amelia said gently. "Fuck off!" He growled and aimed his hand at Carter... but nothing happened. He looked confused and jutted his hand out again. Still nothing. He then looked at the new bracelet around his wrist and tried to take it off but it wouldn't budge. "What the-? What is this? What did you do to me?!" "Oh, we're going to have our hands full..." Sebastian commented. "I'll pop the kettle on..." he walked into the kitchen to make the boy a hot chocolate. --- La Tramoggia also flexed her abilities, though she was more doing it to show off for Life than anything. She chanted and strutted down the deck while moving her hands in intricate patterns around her. As she did the soldiers ahead of her struggled to control their own limbs, turning their weapons on themselves before opening fire. She didn't survive centuries on jumping bodies alone. Azreal summoned his scythe and muttered a few prayers under his breath as he cut down soldier after soldier. One by one, bodies dropped and their souls stood in terrified awe, wondering what fate awaited them now that their lives had ended. --- Damien stood woozily in the doorway as he watched the vampire get back to his feet. As soon as he saw those red eyes he realised what he'd done. He looked warily at James. In normal circumstances his venom would kill a vampire like Samson but not with Devil blood in his veins. As long as Damien's blood was still in his system, this vampire was immune to both werewolf venom and sunlight. That's not even mentioning the increase in strength and speed that he'd given him. Even his powers were now his, including teleporting, even if it was only temporary. As drunk as he was, Damien knew he'd taken enough for it to last at least a couple of days. It wouldn't take Samson long to figure it out either and until then he needed to get himself and James away from him. At least Samson's current belief that James could kill him gave them enough of an advantage to put distance between them and Damien really didn't want James to be put in danger just because he'd needed a fix of venom. "James," he called over. "Let's just go. Now." --- Kat was confused for a number of reasons. He hadn't expected Sawyer to be sent with him to live their new lives but once Sawyer had explained it, it made sense to him. The other thing that confused him was that the UK had given them a home in Germany. He was certain that Germany was within the European Union, not the United Kingdom. Upon further inspection of the documents, however, he spotted a couple of banking numbers that made it all make sense. Of course, the property's deed had been paid for through several accounts in different countries. It made tracking the real buyer a lot harder for hackers. He smiled. "You people are smarter than my bosses told me," he said, impressed. He looked at Sawyer and nodded. "With the two of us looking out for each other, we should be safe." he looked back at the documents and frowned a little. "My new name is Chan?" he cocked an eyebrow at the agent.

"Where's the fun in that?" Amelia joked as she stood awkwardly in front of them with this unconscious boy in her arms. "Who's the kid?" Sebastian asked curiously. "Stevie... at least that's what his friend called him. He's... he needs help. A lot of help. I thought one or both of you might have more luck talking sense into him than me or Charles have had. Charles has just gone to get some angelic restraints. This kid is crazy wicked powerful." --- "Of course, your highness!" The Hopper bowed to him deeply. Happy that her bargain had been agreed to. The compliment was a bonus. She stood tall and turned to face Azrael, Life and Raven. "Well boys, let's break some runes and curses!" Azrael took their hands and teleported them all to the vacant room. "Show me this Bob. Have any of you seen his face?" The Hopper asked. Azrael projected an image of Bob's face into her mind. Immediately, La Tramoggia paced the room and focussed. She began to chant in an ancient tongue and her eyes turned milky white. The spell would allow her to use the runes as 'eyes' to see Bob's current location. "I see him. It's a padded cell," she told them quickly. "But...The cell is moving," she added curiously then she gasped. "It is some kind of cargo ship. Bob is not the only prisoner. Armed soldiers are patrolling the deck and other levels." she opened her eyes and looked at the men seriously. "I can tap into the runes to grant us a brief window to teleport there. Be prepared for fighting. They outnumber us but they seem human." She looked at Azrael. "I must break my curse on you first," she said as she lifted her hand. Azrael caught her wrist and smirked at her. "So you can strand us there? No, break the curse AFTER we escape. If this curse links us like you say then if I die, you die. Maybe that'll motivate you enough to not just save your own skin when things get hairy!" La Tramoggia bristled and yanked her hand away in annoyance but didn't argue. He was smarter than she anticipated. "Take my hands, all of you. Show no mercy for these men will give you none in turn!" she held her hands out for them and began chanting again frantically. --- "You're getting good at that." Malone praised him in a soft voice before kissing his cheek. --- Damien hadn't been aware that he'd been projecting anything to James after he'd told him to let himself into his flat. As soon as Samson's fangs sank into his throat, he'd gasped sharply. Then he felt the venom working in his system, washing away the pain of his cravings and filling him with pure ecstasy. His eyes had rolled back and he'd tilted his head back to make Samson's feeding more comfortable. He couldn't help little moans escaping him and he lifted a hand to run it through his hair. "Oh, fuck! That feels amazing! Don't stop!" he breathed drunkenly. Then the pleasure stopped abruptly. He groaned in protest and became aware of the tenderness in his neck. He then dove to his feet when he opened his eyes to see James strangling Samson. "Stop!" he gasped but heard the snap and knew he was too late to stop him. The broken neck wouldn't kill Samson. Especially with Damien's blood now in his system. But Damien wasn't thinking straight and was still very much drunk. Even more so now with the combination of bloodless and venom in his system than he had been before. He looked guiltily at James as he was scolded. "I was fine! I wanted this!" he yelled back, frustrated. Then stopped as he realised what he'd just told him. "I wanted it... I wanted his venom... I wanted him." he burst into tears. "I liked it," he admitted shamefully. "I'm going home..." he stumbled towards the door, barely able to keep his balance. --- Kat hesitantly sat down and stared at the recording device for a moment. He took a moment to gather himself. Defecting wasn't an easy thing to come to terms with but now it was a matter of doing what was right. Nervously, he opened his mouth and began telling the agents everything that he knew. About his clan. The men he'd worked with that ADIUE had gunned down ruthlessly to cover their tracks after the quake. That he had no idea where the new ADIUE was based but that they were making deals with other countries for protection. Getting involved with politics. Gaining the support and funding of high-ranking leaders. That they were not as absent from the US as they might have previously assumed. There were agents, assassins and gangs working in secret with black markets to kidnap and smuggle supernatural beings overseas. When he finished, he sat in silence as he stared at the table, coming to terms with what his clan would have once considered a massive betrayal.

Amelia sighed. "I hope so too..." she looked down at Stevie's sleeping featured and wondered how they'd ever talk sense into such an angry and paranoid child. She teleported to Carter and Sebastian, wherever they were at the moment. Feeling that they might be the best men for this particular job. --- Lilly had looked back at Raven awkwardly but she was too worried about Bob to be bothered by his staring. She looked up at Life when he spoke about protecting her and her friends. The anger she had felt towards him earlier evaporated with a new, curious emotion. Is this what it felt like to have family support? "Runes?" La Tramoggia tilted her head slightly. "Ah-! King Death?" she addressed him hurriedly before the others could leave. Then she paused before awkwardly curtseying. "Runes are a Tricksters practice. Perhaps we can strike a bargain?" she suggested and gestured to Azrael who glared back at her. "I will help to find this Bob, neutralise these runes and remove my curse from your- ah... trusted advisor. In return, you swear not to destroy me for my crimes of stealing more lives for myself. It is a good deal, no?" --- Malone settled on the couch and smiled as Travis switched the TV to sitcoms. He pet Pickes who had jumped up from all the movement and lay down on his lap instead. "This is better. You know, I feel so lucky to have you two in my life." Malone sighed contentedly. "Things could have turned out so much worse for me... what happened today reminded me of that. I'll never take this life for granted." --- May watched James walk away, slightly disappointed but then she figured he mustn't be familiar with typical romantic stories, especially considering the things he'd told her earlier. She smiled to herself as she walked into her apartment. Regardless of how it ended, it had still been a good date. --- When Samson had helped Damien to the couch, he relaxed there for a moment. The fresh air had made him feel a little more drunk than he'd felt before leaving the club and he mused on how odd that logic is while he watched Samson closing the blinds. He then heard James in his head and sighed, not wanting to be disturbed while he was experimenting. 'Hey man, Hope your date is going good. I figured I'd have some fun of my own tonight. There's a spare key under the mat. Let yourself in and don't wait up.' he thought to him quickly as he watched Samson approaching him. He was nervous but he grinned in spite of it. Excited to try something new. The next thing he knew, he was on the floor with Samson on top of him. For a dizzying moment, he wasn't sure what had happened and stared up at Samson in confusion. Then his eyes landed on his fangs. Logically, he knew he was in danger. That if this vampire didn't know he was a Devil he would find out soon and letting him drink his blood would risk him growing too weak to fight him off as the vampire took his strength for his own. But Damien wasn't thinking logically. His cravings for venom had peaked to an agonising level at the mere sight of those fangs and he froze. Unable to speak or move as he waited for the inevitable relief. --- Kat looked around wildly. Although aware of the supernatural, he still wasn't used to the teleporting aspect. He watched Sawyer as he was being dragged away and gave him a calm smile. "Red Fox, I'll be fine," he told him. He had no idea if that was true but he didn't want Sawyer to worry about him. "I'll see you soon, my friend." he then turned to look at the agents in the room with a serious expression. "My name is Katsura of the Yakuza. I wish to defect and seek the protection of your country. I will tell you everything that I know in return."

Amelia quickly caught Stevie before he could hit the floor. "That's a good idea. He might be human but I think one of those bracelets might help." she lifted him into her arms and looked at Charles. "Maybe you could request one from Heaven while I take him to our friends in New York. I'm sure they'll be able to help us talk reason into him." --- "Well, not you personally. The portal did. My daughter Hades was transformed into a Hell Hound. Do you think you could change her back?" David asked Raven. La Tramoggia strode into the hall with the Reaper not far behind. At first, she looked a little tired from the tour but when she saw Life back to his old self, she soon perked up. "My muse!" she called over and hurried over to him excitedly. Lilly and Azrael reappeared back in the hall. Both of them looked troubled. Quickly, Azrael walked over to Death and whispered to him that the place Bob had been staying in had been broken into. They'd been unable to track where Bob had gone and Azrael hadn't been able to teleport to him either, which could only mean certain runes were being used to conceal his location. Lilly looked at Raven with mild confusion. Recognising him as the boy from the portal but the last time they saw each other was when she'd lost control of her powers and Death had cut her in half. --- Malone wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tightly. He pulled away to smile at him before kissing him and holding on for a moment. He then pressed his lips lovingly to Travis's forehead as well. "Let's watch some TV?" he asked, wanting to relax and take his mind off things. He also signed the words with his hands, having been doing so to practice communicating with Travis while he struggled to speak. --- "Thank you," May said softly, smiling up at him. It wasn't long before they reached her apartment. She let him walk her inside and all the way to her door before stopping to look at him. "Um, this is me..." she said, nodding to the door. "I enjoyed our coffee together. I'll let you know when my next day off is. Maybe we can do something for the day?" she suggested. She was half tempted to invite him in but knew it was far too soon for that. Instead, she looked at him expectantly. --- "Is this a Rolls-Royce?!" Damien slurred, impressed by the man's style. He got in and admired the detailing and how smooth the ride felt as they began to drive. He was vaguely aware that he was taking a large risk and should be being more careful. But his drunkenness combined with his ego made him confident that he could handle any situation, especially now that he had his powers back. He relaxed in the seat as it gradually warmed up and lulled his head to one side to look at Samson. He was excited about what was happening but also nervous. This was new to him and he didn't want to disappoint this man by having no clue about what he was doing. "I've never um... I've gone out with girls before but you're my first..." he told him and bit his lip while admiring him. "You're beautiful though." --- "I am as much to blame," Kat said with a sigh as he continued to look around them. He glanced over at the streets and the closed shops on the waterfront. One of which was an electronics store. "I have an idea. Watch my back," he said before darting off towards the store. He knew that if those agents were still around, they would hear the commotion he was about to make but it may be their best chance to leave the country in one piece. He picked up a nearby trash can and threw it into the window of the electronics store, setting the alarms off. Moving quickly, he dove inside and grabbed an old cheap phone with a sim card. He then ran out and ran towards Sawyer before taking off with him further down the docks, away from the source of the noise, being careful to stay hidden among the various little sheds along the way. While they ran he passed the phone and sim to Sawyer. "Call your people. Get them to pick us up before those bastards catch up to us!"

Apologies if theres any spelling/gramner errors on my last post. Posted on my new phone and it loooves to pointlessly autocorrect lol

Amelia frowned but nodded in reluctant agreement. She didn't like the idea of locking the boy up but he was dangerous. "He's just human. We should be able to teleport to him but we'll need to be careful. He might have powers but compared to us he'd be easy to hurt." --- David guffawed at the pair as they arrived and explained what had happened. On the one hand he was angry with Death for tricking him. Sure David had told him he couldn't just leave but realistically there was little he could have done to stop him. So if Death had made it known to David that he was going to leave regardless, David could have at least kept to his orders of keeping him safe by going with him. But now, Death had made certain that David had failed in his duties. On the other hand, he was relieved that the boy had seen reason and closed the portal. Perhaps now the council will back off and allow the child to settle in to his new home. "Well, I'm glad everything turned out alright in the end. We should probably let Gabriel and Life know that the danger has passed." --- Malone jumped a little at the quiet sound and looked at Travis in surprise. It always shocked him in a good way when he spoke. But right now he was trying to pull himself back together so as not to worry him. "I'm ok." He told him. "It's just been a hard day, that's all. How're you and Pickles?" --- As they walked, May hesitated then tucked her hand through his elbow to hold his arm. Her cheeks turned pink as she did. --- "Outside?" Damien called over the music, slightly confused. "But doesn't this place have rooms?" He felt his cheeks redden a little as he asked but ignored his nerves as he turned to wrap his arms around Samson's shoulders to keep dancing with him. "Or we could go to your place?" His words slurred slightly, giving away how drunk he really was. --- "Alright, fine..." Kat whispered and he slowly, silently opened the shed door. He looked around warily but couldn't see anyone. Gesturing for Sawyer to follow they jogged along the docks while looking around. Keeping an eye out for ADIEU's thugs as well as a new place for them to lay low.

Amelia nodded to Death then turned to look at Charles with a worried expression. "From one problem to another... would we have it any other way though?" she half smiled though her eyes were still full of sadness. Particularly after what Raven had told them. "What should we do? I don't think we're qualified to help him..." --- Malone walked through the door and smiled at the sleeping pair on the couch. He locked the door behind him and then went to grab a blanket which he carefully laid over them. He then walked into the bathroom to wash his face. As water dripped from his face, he gripped the sides of the sink and cried quietly. --- "That's flattering but honestly, I just need to be walked home for today." May grinned, amused but also touched by his offer. "Especially after those riots today... I'm actually glad you came by when you did. Just because the riots have stopped doesn't mean there won't still be thieves or worse lurking around." she stood and put her coat back on then picked up her handbag. "Ready when you are." --- Too drunk to distinguish between interest and malice, Damien only felt pleasant surprise that a vampire was coming onto him already. But then again, he had no idea how long he'd actually been dancing for so for all he knew this could just be the first vampire in hours. Not that it mattered to him now. He turned his head slightly to get a look at the male that had grabbed him and all he saw was dark beauty. Completely missing the threat, he continued to dance with him. With flushed cheeks, he decided to simply do what felt natural and moved along with him to the music. He turned his head to look at him again and gave him his charming grin... or at least what he thought was his charming grin. It was hard to tell when you're so drunk you can barely feel your face anymore. "I'm Damien!" he told him over the music. --- "Shh!" Kat strained to listen, worried Sawyer's voice might attract unwanted attention. When there was no sound, he relaxed a little. "We can't take the risk. For all we know this shed might be surrounded. They will have found our belongings in that warehouse. The next logical move would be to search the area... thoroughly. They've already tried this shed and given up but we can't rule out that they're not still nearby searching other buildings just because we can't hear them here." he whispered to him. "Trust me when I say, Red Fox, you don't want to take the risk with these people."

Amelia stared at the shards all over the floor and looked back at Raven. "I don't know... the way he spoke to you..." she looked back at the door that Stevie had fled through. "Charles we might need the help of some kind of psychologist for this one. That kid was very... hot and cold. He obviously cares about what he's done and the people he gets close to but then..." she recalled how quickly and jarringly his eyes had dulled when talking to her. Like a light went out and she had suddenly been talking to someone else. Someone who didn't care. "It was like he flicked a switch and turned his emotions off." she looked back at the group with sad eyes. "He must've been terribly abused to be able to do that." --- It wasn't unusual by now for Will to vanish or have some kind of aura about him so Malone didn't even bat an eye to what had happened. He simply felt relieved to have told someone he trusted about what had happened. He stepped out of the office and decided to take Will up on his offer of taking the rest of the day off. He headed home. --- May gave him a warm smile. "You're capable of being gentle," she told him confidently. "Like when you protected me from that patient... and just now when you touched my hand," she reassured him. "I feel safe around you." she blushed then lifted her cup to her lips and finished the rest of her coffee. "I should head home. I have laundry to do, research for my paper, take a shower and with any luck I'll even have time for some sleep before my next shift eight hours from now..." Meaning that after doing her chores she'll only be able to get a few hours sleep before getting up for the next shift. She rolled her eyes and chuckled. "That's the hectic life of working in medicine for you!" she tapped her nails on the table thoughtfully and bit her lip a little before asking nervously. "Would you mind walking me home?" --- He looked at Blaire in surprise then smiled with a thankful nod. Not just appreciative of the free booze but also the understanding ear. He poured himself another glass. Then another. And another. Before long the bottle was empty and he couldn't even remember walking onto the dancefloor. Finding himself dancing among a huddle of sweating, moving, pale limbs with no clue nor care as to how long he'd been there. Faces around him were a blur as he allowed himself this one night to give in to his impulses and dance for as long as he wanted. His cravings continued to gnaw at him but in the dizzying alcoholic haze, he paid it little attention. --- Kat stared down at Sawyer, unsure of how to react so just nodded at his apology. He had tensed as well because the trip had made some noise and he took a few seconds to listen for any more approaching footsteps. Silence. "I don't know..." he whispered. "Long enough to leave the area completely, I know that... We might be here a while." though he hid it well, he wasn't just nervous about the people outside hearing them. He could feel Sawyer's warm breath on his cold skin and it caused something in him to stir.

Stevie was taken aback when Raven stood and seemed ready to strike him. He stared at him with a mixture of shock and hurt as more tears rolled down his cheeks. In his mind, he had just poured his heart out to him only to be threatened in return. Unfortunately, this only reinforced his paranoia that everyone was against him and he was ultimately alone in the world. "The roy-?" he started then stared at Amelia and Charles as the realisation dawned on him. If the other being really was Death and they all had the power to appear out of nowhere then it wasn't much of a leap to assume these two might actually be Devils. "No..." he groaned "No... You're going to take me to Hell aren't you?" Amelia looked back at Stevie with soft eyes. "Why would you think that?" she asked gently. "Why else? Because I killed people!" Stevie wept and gripped his hair. "Do you feel bad about that?" Amelia asked and for a moment Stevie didn't answer as he continued to sob. He then looked up at her with dull eyes. "No," he answered simply hollowly. Then he unleashed the power that he had spent this time building up. This caused all the glass, pottery and ceramicware in the room to spontaniously explode. While the others were distracting by this, he made a run for the door. Not wanting to stick around so that the Devils could drag him to Hell. --- "Yeah... I'll do that..." Malone answered distractedly. "Thanks, boss," he said sincerely. Then something occurred to him and he knew he wouldn't be able to rest if he didn't at least make Will aware of it. "Boss? The Demon in the lockup... he said something about a contract. The dancer he used as a hostage seemed terrified of leaving him too. Something's not right." --- May looked from James to his cup with a small smile. "Well, you've done well so far. Not so much as a chip in the cup." she smiled a little wider at him. "Practice makes perfect. If you're not used to doing something a certain way then you just need to take it one step at a time and one day at a time. I just know that in time you'll get the hang of it." --- "Ah, no..." Damien quickly shook his head. "I was in love once and I never want to feel that kind of pain again..." he stopped, realising how much he was telling her and awkwardly cleared his throat. "I'm just not ready for anything serious. I was thinking I'd just, you know, focus on finding myself for a while." he paid her for the second drink and knocked that one back too. --- Gravel crunched and clacked outside their hiding place. Growing louder the closer they came. One set of footsteps. Then two. Three. If there were more it was hard to tell over the overlapping sounds of tiny rocks tumbling and sea waves crashing outside the little shed. Kat gulped silently. His heart pounding hard as he tried to listen through the sounds of his and Sawyer's combined breathing. His grip on the shed door was tight and grew tighter the closer those footsteps came. His eyes widened a little as the footsteps stopped right outside the shed and they could hear men muttering to each other in barely audible Japanese. Someone tried to pull the shed door and Kat held it firmly in place. They tried again and Kat maintained his grip. "Locked..." they'd hear one of them say. Then the gradual sounds of the footsteps moving away. When they were far enough that Kat could no longer hear them, he let out a relieved breath and turned his head to look at Sawyer. By now his eyes had adjusted slightly to the dark and he could just about make out his face. "That was too close..." he whispered, not wanting to risk speaking any louder in case those men were still close enough to hear.

"How?" Stevie demanded, looking between them both. "How're you going to help me? They were right! I'm good for nothing! A weirdo! I'm always going to be alone! I can't trust anyone! Not my friends, not my parents and not you!" Sobbing, he tore his hand away from Raven's. "You'll all leave me in the end! I know it! You'll hurt me, just like they did! And then I'll have to kill you too!" --- "Well, today has been pretty hard..." Malone answered as he closed the door. He then hesitated while still standing near the door. Fidgeting with his hands nervously as he hesitated to say what was on his mind. His hands were visibly shaking, showing he still hadn't fully recovered from what had happened at the club. "Boss... I shot someone today," he said finally and although he felt a little relieved to say it out loud, he was also still worried that he'd get into trouble for it. "Not fatally, the perp is in lockup now with a medic seeing to them. I shot them in the leg. I-I panicked. I thought it was going to be a normal arrest but then it turned out the perp was a Demon and he tried to take a dancer hostage, then he came at me when I reached for my radio and it happened so quickly..." he rambled a little then stopped to look at Will. "I've never shot anyone before." --- May couldn't help giggling at James's reaction to the taste of coffee and she covered her mouth shyly as she did so. Her laughter was light and bubbly. "Here." she chuckled while passing him the milk and sugar. "Try it with these..." she thought about his words and shrugged while smiling at him. "I like you. You seem like a sweet man and I'd like to get to know you more," she explained. She picked up her cup and took a long sip of it. Enjoying it's strong and bitter taste. It was just what she needed after a long shift. --- "Um..." Damien faltered, caught off guard by Blaire's blunt yet accurate assumption. He half laughed and decided to dodge her question entirely. "I'm... questioning myself. I'm not sure how to put this. All my life I thought I was one way but now I'm thinking that maybe..." he glanced around again then sighed. "That I might have more 'options' than I originally thought." He handed her the cash for his drink and then knocked it back quickly as if washing away the nerves of admitting something so personal to a woman that he barely knew. He stifled a cough from the strong beverage hitting his throat but found that even this drink didn't come close to slaking his cravings for venom. "Another one please," he said quickly before continuing on. "I mean... does that even happen? Figuring something like that out late in life?" --- Kat was silently impressed as he watched Sawyer take care of the padlock. He dove into the shed once it was opened then pulled the door closed behind them, holding it closed in case someone came along to try and pull on it. The shed was tiny, with barely enough room for them both to fit, which meant they had to stand very close to each other. Kat glanced at Sawyer's silhouette in the darkness as he felt him wrap his coat around him. "Thank you..." he whispered absently as he turned his head back to look at the door, his attention on listening out for any approaching footsteps.

Stevie glanced over at Death almost fearfully. He was familiar with stories and for the whole time he'd been here Stevie hadn't dared to say a word. But he looked back at Raven now as bitter tears rolled down his cheeks. "I thought you were different. I thought you understood me. But you're going to leave me, just like the rest of them, aren't you?" he asked quietly, though his words were heavy with anger and pain. --- Wiping the spit off his cheek with the sleeve of his jacket, Malone was far from gentle when he yanked the owner out of the car and slammed the passenger door shut with his foot. "Just piling up those charges, aren't you?" he muttered as he dragged the owner into the precinct. Once inside, he passed the owner over to another officer to take him to a cell so that he, himself could calm down. "Careful with that one. He's a Demon," he called to the officer as they walked away. He ran a hand through his hair out of stress then walked over to Will's office to knock on the door. --- May blushed deeply and didn't want to move her hand. "I- thank you," she said shyly then shook her head slightly. "You know, I have to deal with all kinds of horrible situations day in and day out. I talk to all kinds of people... but you're the first person to actually, well... see me." she bit her lip a little then looked into his eyes. "So, you don't need to give me anything because you've already given me something that's worth so much more. You make me feel like a person and not just some nurse who helped your friend." She smiled, her cheeks still pink as she glanced at her coffee and then back to James. "I think I'd like to do this again... with you. If you want? I like your company." --- Or maybe he'd always felt this way and couldn't remember burying it deep down? After all, although he personally had no problem with other people's sexual preferences, he had grown up in a time when it wasn't as socially acceptable as it is now. Blaire's greeting pulled Damien out of his thoughts and he looked at her, masking his emotions with a charming smile as usual. "Hi, what's the strongest drink you have?" he asked and pulled out his wallet. He then thought for a moment before glancing around as if making sure no one else was close enough to listen in. He'd momentarily forgotten about vampire hearing. He looked back at Blaire and his smile had slipped a bit. "Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" --- Kat led them to the back doors, just in time to hear a set of metal doors on the other side of the warehouse being kicked open and heavy boots running into the building. Hurriedly, Kate slipped out and made sure that Sawyer was close behind before quietly closing the door behind them. He hadn't had time to put his shirt back on or grab anything before they'd had to make a move, so he shivered a little in the cool wind as he quietly jogged along the docks to find somewhere for them to hide, all while looking around wildly to make sure they hadn't been spotted or followed. They came upon a shed, likely for storing boating equipment. He tried to open the door quickly but noticed a thick padlock keeping it shut. He glanced back over at the warehouse from which they had escaped and could hear the men inside shouting orders. He looked over at the streets but knew it'd be suicide to run out into the open like that. "Shit. When they figure out we're not there they'll make a sweep of these docks. We need to hide."