[M] Infernal Bond (Kiall & Etoile) IC

[Etoile Mizu]

The room in the basement of the warehouse was dark. No more sounds remained other than that of a dripping noise. Just half an hour before the place had been filled with hooded figures but now all that was left was a girl in the middle of a pentagram shaped ritual area. She lay motionless in the center, eyes open with fear, blood dripping from various parts of her body that had been whipped in order for her to become part demon.

The girl was just an ordinary girl, of course her life had always never been normal thanks to her family origins and what not. She had been somewhat of a rebel, but her father had never appreciated that much and started to beat her horribly. It was almost as if it had been tonight except her father had been finished with her. The experiment of a life time gone horribly wrong as on lookers started to burn. Everyone else had fled.

Alice Blackmore lay there. Lost in some sort of oblivion. Endless pain ripping through the hellish tattoos on her side that they had branded to her. She had other tattoos that she had gotten on her own but that of which she had just been giving was still glowing red with tiny embers. She couldn't move even when she did wake up from her trance.

She just lay there half naked on the floor unsure, afraid, crying in pain. Would anyone come back for her? Most likely not, they assumed she was demon food since everything hadn't gone as planned, but knowing her father, he wouldn't care if she died, she hadn't meant anything to him anyway.

Alice managed to sit up though it hurt horribly and she winced trying to do so. "He....llo?" She managed to say, her voice was weak from the screaming she had been doing before the accident. "An...anyone... there?" She asked almost in a whisper as tears were starting to flood more rapidly down her face.

[Kiall]

He thrashed confused, where was he? How had he gotten here? “What trickery is this!?” he snarled through elongated fangs. He sniffed the air, it smelled wonderful here! This certainly wasn’t the bog of wrath; could it be the mortal world? The thought was a perplexing one and he scratched his scaly head between his horns in dismay. He heard someone call and something compelled him to follow the voice. Following the voice he found a half naked girl covered in gashes and bleeding, she stared in horror as she saw him, as well she should! He thought wickedly, but he saw something on the girl’s side that made him give a sharp intake in surprise. Rushing towards her his sharp claws gripped her and turned her over revealing the tattoo, ignoring her cries of pain he stared at the still glowing symbols. Could it be? The letters of hell! How had the most forbidden of transcriptions become available in the mortal world? He read the words and understood, so they had hoped to bind him had they? That explained why he was here atleast, however they had mis wrote the last symbol instead of binding his body into her soul instead they now shared their souls both still within their own bodies but now tied to each other.

To think his fate was now tied to some mortal girl’s was…galling, He looked at her wounds, they would need to be taken care of he thought as he released her. “Calm yourself,” he hissed, sighing he altered his appearance his horns shrinking and brown hair sprouting from his head, his eyes were no longer glowing slits but a deep coal black, a suit formed around him, something he once saw from glimpsing the mortal world once, he now looked fully human though he imagined it was probably still off. “You will tell me what happened here,” he said his voice still harsh but no longer guttural, “But first I must bind your wounds, I need water and sage,” he explained scooping her body up and cradling her.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice didn't know how to react as the demon stood before her hurting her as it looked at her and then suddenly changed. She couldn't bring herself to say anything at all. He picked her up and cradled her and she just nodded as he asked what had happened. She would tell him later, but she was in no condition to do that now, even a demon would know that. She somewhat clung to him weakly, shivering rather horribly. She was covered in her own blood she noted that you couldn't even really tell how pale she was unless you looked at her face. As he carried her, she had no idea where they were going but she just started to fall asleep slightly her breathing growing rather shallow. Alice's grip loosened on him also, she was fading fairly quickly.

[Kiall]

His knees buckled as he felt her fading, he was no healer, what was he supposed to do with her? He knew of only one thing that could help her…. Peering into her mind he was able to picture what her house looked like, closing his eyes he spoke one of the letters of hell, in a flash they were in her house with nothing but the smell of brimstone to mark their passage. He carefully placed the girl on the floor and headed towards what he assumed was the kitchen. He took a bowl and filled it with water and searching the cupboards found a bottle of dried sage and dumped it into the water. Turning his hands back to their elongated shape he cut his arm and saw several droplets of his blood fall into the mix, instantly the mix began to bubble and stank and became a brownish thick goop.

Turning his hands back to their original shape he took the bowl, and cupped the girls head and forced the mixture down her throat. She coughed and spluttered as the last of it went down, he sighed in relief as her wounds began to knit and close leaving only a soft mark in their passing. He was already feeling better now that she was no longer in danger, he had heard legends that sage mixed with demon blood could be a powerful panacea but had never thought he would have to test it. Feeling impatient for answers he began tapping her cheek, “Wake up lazy mortal! You have much to answer for!” he snarled.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice wasn't really awake at all as he healed her, she had been unconscious after all. She woke though, the pain was still there but when she woke up she looked at the demon in human form that stood before her. Her wounds were all gone she noted as well as she scooted away. She didn't know what to say at all,"who...who are you?" She asked weakly looking at him directly in the eyes. She knew he wouldn't be intimidated though, he was a demon after all. "We need to get out of here. I have another house, I can answer your stupid questions there. It's not safe here though." She said standing weakly on her own.

"Thanks by the way." She said quietly as she headed towards the door. She just assumed that he would follow her so she kept walking towards the outskirts of the city. She needed to get to her own apartment rather than her father's house before she answered anything. It was to obvious at her father's place if he thought she lived. He would come looking for her, she knew that much.

"What do you want to know?" She asked quietly as she walked. She really had no idea if he was behind her or not, honestly she didn't care. She knew that she was bonded to the thing though.

[Kiall]

He stared at the human city in amazement the lights the colors were unlike anything in hell, he breathed deep enjoying the myriad of smells that hit him it was nothing like the pervading stench of the bog. He came back to himself when he heard her question, “I want to know why my language is grafted upon your skin!” he barked, “I want to know why I, a creature tasked with tormenting the damned now find myself in the mortal world!” he said grabbing her shoulder and spinning her around to face him, stopping her progress “I am not a pet to be led around!” he said his hands elongating into claws, “give me answers now, whelp! Or I will rip the flesh from your bones! Bond or no bond!” he threatened giving her a wicked grin full of sharp teeth.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice glared at him. She was rather terrified but she managed to pull herself away without hurting herself. She dragged him into her apartment that was nearby. The place wasn't ideal but it was suitable. It was dark inside though, the walls and floors shades of gray. It looked like the gloomiest house ever. She rubbed her shoulders gently and sat down on the couch with her legs crossed and looked down at the table.

She sighed softly,"Well, First off, my father was a priest that followed the ways of dark magic and what not." She looked up at him,"He wasn't pleased with me because I didn't appreciate his beliefs and customs, so he beat me rather horribly often, leaving me for dead. Finally though he decided that I should just become a demon if I was not going to believe him and do his will." She sighed softly once again and scratched at the tattoo she had on the back of her neck. "Well obviously that was what he was trying to do when you found me, he failed and some of the people watching the ritual started on fire, causing the rest of them to flee."

"I don't know what went wrong though, they probably screwed up the characters or something. I knew he would either screw up or kill me though. So anyway, he summoned you and now we're bonded." She said quietly. He wondered if he even cared about what her name was since she hadn't said it.

[Kiall]

He banged his fist against the table loudly curdling with rage, “A single angle was off on a single line! That is how close we were! One sliver of an inch to the left, and my infernal soul would have been obliterated, and you would have experienced an agony that would make whatever pathetic torments your father gave seem like a gentle loving caress!”

He was furious though not with her, this whole situation was incomprehensible and there was nothing he could do about it, he stood up and began pacing, “That language is ancient!” he said moving towards her chair and locking eyes with her, “it existed in the swirling darkness before there was even a hell! There are not enough souls in this world for any demon to give them up, to find them grafted on a mere mortals skin is…unfathomable!” He headed towards the kitchen opening up the various drawers, before placing his hand on a box full of dried flakes. He smiled wickedly daring her to say something as he raided her kitchen, “you should keep the markings covered, the words grafted are very potent, the odd glance from a weak willed mortal would drive them insane,” He said putting his hand in the box and pulling out a fistful of flakes and raisins, he placed them in his mouth and chewed, his eyes lit up, “This is very good,” he said admiringly, “what is it?”

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice sighed as he went around the room just banging on her things,"Could you please not tear the place apart? It would make our location a little obvious, and don't worry about it. The markings are on my side and not very obvious unless I was wearing only underwear, which you or anyone else for that matter will never see." Watching him she followed him into the kitchen sitting up against the counter on the floor.

She laughed a little as he seemed to be fascinated with the things in her kitchen. "That, is cereal." She said softly,"Do you like it?" She asked smiling a little at his discovery. He would take some time getting used to the mortal world but he would get there eventually unless he was allowed to go back because he let her die or killed her himself, the second option more likely.

[Kiall]

He laughed a sound foreign to him and sounded more like a strangled wheeze, “We do not hunger in hell, there is nothing good to eat anyways, it is an interesting experience this…eating,” he said with a smile, “this world is full of wonderful sights and tastes, and smells! Oh you do not know how good you have it with the smells! Five hundred years I have smelled nothing but the filth water of disgusting stinking bog!” he said putting it down before opening the fridge, he found a carton full of some orange substance and began to drink it down.

“Also” he said placing the carton down, “do not be concerned over any nudity around me, I am a creature of wrath not lust your figure holds no appeal to me,” he said matter of factly brushing her concern off with a wave, “besides I have seen a million naked human bodies, you think they let you wear clothes in hell?” he said with a chuckle. “You have a name yes? The sinners in the bog loved to tell me their names, when we would let them speak,” he scratched his head, “I do not know the proper way to say it but I would have your name, if we are to be stuck together like this.”

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice was just looking down at the floor as he spoke and started to drink her orange juice, she didn't care, she would have to go shopping eventually and he could pick out some things that he wanted if he liked. She had been somewhat zoned out since he had saved her from death. She just felt... strange. Maybe it was just the bond or something though. She smiled a little as she listened to him. "Well, I'm afraid unless you drag me to hell I won't understand what you went through or the things you've seen." She whispered quietly as she stared at the floor.

She smiled softly. She still wasn't going to walk around completely naked. It just wasn't something she ever did, she might go around without pants but that was just for sleep time. Other than that though, it was strictly jeans and tee shirts with her. "The proper way to ask someone for there name is simply to say What's your name." She said looking up at him. "You don't have one do you... Maybe I'll have to pick one out for you though, it will be fun." She said with a smirk. "Anyway, would you like my full name or just the shortened version that you can call me, which is Alice."

[Kiall]

He waved away her question, “Alice is fine in truth I was merely getting tired of calling you mortal,” he said chuckling, “and you are correct, I have no name, only fallen angels and high ranking demons have names, but…if you must call me something, call me Argenti, twas the name of a sinner I knew of, I also liked the way it rolled of the tongue.” He said before looking the dark haired girl over, “Something is wrong with you, you forget I can feel things just as you can, I have not said anything before because I’m still learning what feeling ‘normal’ feels like for you,” He closed his hand around her chin and twisted her head inspecting her. He closed his eyes thinking, “Ah I know what it is,” releasing his hold, “it’s the letters, it takes an iron will to look at them with no ill effects, having them grafted on your skin would intensify the experience, fortunately for you I know how to help.” He said holding up an index finger that grew into a sharp claw, he licked the tip with his tongue causing the nail to glow red hot.

With one swift movement of his other hand he lifted up her shirt exposing her belly, “do not move and try not to breath too hard,” he said mentally going over the mark he needed to place “do not worry, this fire will not hurt,” he said before he scratched his nail across her skin etching a symbol around her navel, her flesh sizzled and the markings blackening instantly though there was no pain. Satisfied he withdrew his sharpened finger and released her shirt, “That mark will make it so that I feel the mental barrage instead of you, as a demon my mind can withstand it better,” he said with a smile taking a drink of orange juice, “any other ill feelings should be merely fatigue, I suggest you rest.”

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice squirmed a little to herself as she watched him and the claw glowed with heat. She didn't' have time to react though as he lifted her shirt and what not. She was surprised he hadn't mentioned the scars from her beatings but it didn't matter to her anymore. "So wait. You took my feelings away?" She asked quietly,"Or... do you just feel what I feel now?" She asked quietly,"Because if you took my feelings away... that's just not cool." She muttered standing up and lifting her shirt up slightly to look at the mark. She sighed softly and looked at him as she put her shirt back down and crossed her arms. "Alright, Argenti."

"We're going to have to go do some things since you're going to be around here now, first off, we'll need to get you some clothes, Though the suit is nice you can't look all fancy most of the time, people get suspicious. Also, we can go pick out some food and what not for you so you don't eat all of mine." She muttered.

[Kiall]

Argenti laughed amused at her incomprehension, “no I did not take your feelings, though I do feel physically what you feel, though that has more to do with the bond than what I did,” he said pointing to her navel, “the letters of hell are not like other letters, they are alive and hostile they can corrupt the mind and burn away the soul simply by existing, the ones on your skin were causing a slow erosion of your thoughts, I merely modified the bond so instead of attacking you they attack me,” he explained tapping his head, “my brain is naturally resistant to the letters, so it will not affect me as badly as it would you,” he chuckled, “and it is cute that you think you can order me around, as I said I am not your pet,” he said reproachfully though with little anger in his voice, “Go sleep I know you’re tired, I can feel it.”

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice just looked at him with a frown. She didn't want to go to sleep, she was scared to actually. She assumed that either Argenti was going to kill him or something else would. She never slept well, never had been able to since her mother was killed. She sighed softly though and got up not wanting to get smacked or something like that and trudged upstairs with a grim expression. She stripped down slightly into short shorts and a tank top and crawled into her bed. She just laid there for awhile not being able to sleep. She wondered constantly though what was going to happen to her now. Her father would come looking for her, she knew it and he wouldn't care if she was dead or alive. She finally fell asleep but wasn't doing so very well.

[Kiall]

He sighed, and ate more of the cereal, enjoying the sensation of eating. His mind was still racing from all that happened, what was he going to do? He could not go back without releasing the bond, though he doubt anyone would miss him he was but a pawn in a much greater game. The alphabet though…it was going to create complications, infernal creatures would be attracted to it like moths to a flame, and how long before all this infernal activity gets the attention of the beings on high?

Even if they did not slay him on the spot they would never believe he was not involved. He yawned feeling tired, his days were felt feeding on rage, not doing so left him feeling strangely empty it was…wrong. He decided to check on the mortal Alice, he found her bedroom and watched her sleep, she started to shift in her sleep her dreams troubled. Not fully understanding why he began stroking her head until she calmed down. Why was he doing this? He felt no particular affection for this girl…did he? He shook his head his thoughts confusing and sat down propped against the wall facing her and the bed, eventually he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice had calmed down and her nightmares disappeared as Argenti touched her. She still slept though, she really had been tired. She was always tired. Hours later she woke up. Sitting up in the bed she looked over at Argenti and smiled a little. He looked rather peaceful for once. Crawling out of bed Alice stretched a little and went to take a shower and clean herself up. Strangely enough she couldn't stop thinking about Argenti, her nightmares had suddenly just went away? How was that even possible. She sighed thinking about it and hummed to herself in the shower eventually coming out and getting dressed. She wasn't sure if Argenti was awake or not after all.

[Kiall]

Argenti awoke and stretched, “Morning Alice,” he said chuckling, a morning he had never thought he would experience one of those or sleeping for that matter; “you don’t sleep very well do you? Or do all humans toss and turn as you do?” he didn’t know why he asked, didn’t really know why he cared really. “I thought about it, and getting food and clothing as you said would be…an acceptable way to spend the day, I find myself at a loss on how to fix our predicament and I might as well make the most of it,” he was curious to see the rest of the mortal world as well, this curiosity worried him though.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice smiled a little as he said good morning to her, maybe things wouldn't be so bad with him around after all. Soon enough though her smile disappeared and became a grim look. "I don't sleep well, never have been able to." She muttered. She sighed softly to herself, it was barely audible. "Anyway, We can leave whenever you would like to in that case I suppose." She said with a faked smile as she walked out of the room to make sure she was ready to go shopping. She didn't want to go around talking about the things she had been through throughout her life, and she was definitely not going to talk about them with some thing she had just met that so happened to be bonded to her.

[Kiall]

Argenti stretched some more and followed Alice, he had noticed her change in attitude and it had baffled him but in the end he decided he didn’t care enough to investigate, whatever pathetic issues the mortal thought she had it was beneath his concern, really all that matter was that she was alive everything else was so much useless information. He growled by the dark lord did he want to kill something right now, “we are going to a grocery store right? I’ve been wanting to try something known as…ground meat,” he said with a wicked smile

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice sighed softly,"Yeah, we can get you your meat." She said quietly as she grabbed her purse and turned towards him. "You ready to go?" She asked quietly looking at him, she still looked rather bitter, at least her eyes looked like she was in a fairly cold mood. She walked out to the car without him not really caring. He could follow her, she wasn't going to make sure he knew where everything was like he was a little puppy. He had to figure out things on his own.

[Kiall]

He slammed the car door shut and glared at her, her mood was rubbing off on him though he was too angry to realize it. “This was your idea mortal! You didn’t want me to eat you out of house and home remember?” he laughed mockingly, “you should be grateful I haven’t decided dying was worth the enjoyment I’d get from watching you suffer!’ he leaned in close and showed his nails which had sharpened into claws, “Or that I don’t cut off your limbs, technically I only need you alive to survive!” he said giving her a smile that showed many sharpened teeth, before sitting back in his seat his nails and teeth returning to normal, “Drive mortal, I grow impatient.”
_____________

His dark thoughts lifted when he saw all the different things in the store. So much selection, he wondered how he was going to taste it all! Gluttony had not been a sin he had been inclined to understand nor appreciate but he was definitely starting to see the allure, as he wandered through the aisles.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice sighed as they reached the store. She didn't know why the sudden gloom had just come over her, but she didn't want it to seem obvious. She wondered if Argenti was just going to snap at her all the time, if he was, it was almost like having her father around. She just followed him around the aisles occasionally grabbing things that she herself could use for meals, if she actually ate. She managed to smile a little so she wouldn't seem totally out of it. She wondered if he could feel how hurt she was emotionally, about as fragile as glass and terribly broken. But if he did he wasn't making it obvious. After all, he didn't give a damn about her. He just wanted her alive. Whether she was happy or not didn't matter.

[Kiall]

He walked briskly out the store satisfied with their various finds. It had been a unique experience the only damper being his ball and chain of a mortal, oh yes he knew how he felt, and as much as he tried to ignore it or convince himself it didn’t bother him his mind constantly returned to the subject. A part of him hated her for making him feel this way, another part hated himself for not knowing how to remedy the situation. For the second time today he wished he had something to kill! He paused when he heard something drifting through the air, something he had never heard before. Entranced he followed it heading across the street he saw a man with a guitar, he was playing a song. Argenti stared in rapture as the music something he had never heard filled him, he felt lighter somehow more whole, the sound coming from the guitar made him feel connected to…something, he could barely comprehend it, as tears genuine tears glistened in his eyes as he smiled.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice looked at Argenti with a confused glance as he stopped and sat there staring at the man with the guitar. "Hey? Everything okay?" She asked quietly. Was he crying? What the hell was this? Alice was a little shocked, she had no idea that he could display an emotion other than anger after all. He was quite the joker, more like threatening joker though, not actually funny. She smiled a little and just shut up. She didn't want to ruin things for anyone. Her mood had seemed to lighten just a little though. "Do you like the sounds?" She asked quietly. "It's called music."

[Kiall]

He looked at Alice, an idea forming in his head. In one swift movement he pulled her into a hug, “I’m sorry I threatened you,” he whispered, “They were empty threats, bluffs I would never hurt you,” I don’t think I could anymore not even if we weren’t bonded he thought. He pulled her away as the music died down, he composed himself drying his tears and trying to place back his old walls of hate. “I know what it is,” he said his voice no longer soft and kind as it had been before but still not its usual harsh bark, “Music is forbidden in hell, I have never heard it before, it is…strange,” he said struggling to find the right words for it, “it felt like being whole for the first time,” yes that was as good an explanation as he was going to give. He placed a hand on her shoulder, “Can we go home now Alice? I feel…ill” it was true, his stomach had made a sudden lurch and he felt it gurgle, he thought it might vomit something he had never done even in the stinking bog.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice was a little shocked as he suddenly pulled her close to him. She listened to him and could only nod and slightly hugged him back,"I know you wouldn't hurt me." She whispered before he pulled her back away and started to talk about music. She nodded a little weakly as he said he felt ill though and gently took his hand leading him back to the car and driving him home. Once they were back there she carried the groceries and things back inside and started to put them away. She wondered if she would ever see that soft side of him again... it was... likeable. It made her actually want to hug him and feel safe... It was weird to her.

[Kiall]

Argenti had rushed into the bathroom as soon as they entered the apartment, he closed the door and leaned over the toilet. He opened his mouth and felt hot red liquid spew from his mouth, he had time to groan once before another bout hit him. When he recovered he looked down at the mess and saw smoke coming up from the bowl and heard a hiss as what he had thrown up began eating away at the porcelain, panicking he flushed the toilet hoping that would do away with it. Groaning he leaned against the sink and dropped his human disguise. What he saw made him gasp in horror.

His eyes which had once been bright yellow lamps were now a dull sickly yellow, his fangs which had been so long it had forced his jaw open had shrunk he could actually close his lips, his horns had shortened somewhat and seemed less sharp, even his skin was less rough feeling less like shark skin and more like the smooth scales of a serpent. What was happening to him? Was this from being in the mortal world? Or did it have something to do with that damnable bond!? Angrily he punched the glass causing it to crack and leaving a fist sized dent, he took a deep breath getting his anger under control and put his disguised back on. Heading out of the bathroom and into the living area he slumped into the couch. Rubbing his temples he wondered at what was becoming of him.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice sighed softly as she was just putting the groceries and humming softly to herself, her voice had always been pretty, her singing voice at least but she rarely sang unless she was bored or alone. She sighed softly as she finished cooking. She looked out into the main room at Argenti and couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. "Um... Do you want anything?" She asked quietly as she walked into the room quietly. She was behind him though, possibly 9 feet away from the couch. She really wanted to go hug him and what not because of his sudden change earlier, but she had a feeling he would snap at her. She just stood there in awkward silence waiting for what he was going to do.

[Kiall]

“I want to go home,” he said his voice a soft whine, as he continued to rub his temples. “I don’t want to experience anymore new things! I…I don’t want to feel lost anymore!” Hell below he sounded pathetic. He sat up and looked at Alice an expression of sorrow on his face, “In hell I was strong, I was powerful! Here I don’t feel strong… I feel weak…empty and alone.” He dropped his disguise and regarded her with his yellow eyes, “ I hate this world… I hate not having my own brethren around,” he placed his clawed hands on his head and emitted a weird gurgle from his throat which was in fact a sob, “I want this bond gone, I don’t want to feel your pain and sorrow anymore..” he said desperately trying to fight off the tears again and failing, “and I don’t want to feel guilty for not being able to help you!” he cried out at last

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice listened to him with a frown on her face. She didn't get scared though as he dropped his human form. She slowly walked towards him. "I...I'm so sorry." She whispered,"I don't want you to have to feel my pain... but... No one has ever even tried to help me..." She sighed softly ,"But I guess... you could kill me if you wanted,I have nothing much to live for anyway." She whispered. I already told you that my father beat me, no part of my skin left untouched by a flame, knife, or a whip." She said quietly,"My face is the only thing that is clean of scars." She said quietly,"You saw some of them for yourself and even got rid of some new ones when you found me." She said weakly. "But I really don't know how you could help me... I just want to be happy for once in my life, not afraid of things coming after me..."

[Kiall]

He stared hard at her, his slitted pupils flicked around her. Slowly and deliberately he placed one clawed hand on her shoulder and pulled her into a hug. “You fear because you are weak mo…Alice” he said softly his disguising reappearing, “you’re weakness stems from the fact that you don’t understand that Authority must be obeyed…or it must be overthrown. I fear this world because this world is making me realize how weak I am.” He pulled back and smiled, “I shall stay…and see what I will become in this world, my fear will not rule me…and perhaps I can show you what it means to be strong.”

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice hugged him back crying weakly. He understood her because of the bond and she almost hated it, she didn't want anyone to have to feel how weak she was. She was already tiny in size but for someone to see her weak side just killed her inside. She trembled as well as she cried. She couldn't seem to stop as she stood there as he pulled back. She looked down rubbing her eyes with a sleeve. "Thanks, for staying." She whispered. She really didn't know what else to say.

[Kiall]

Argenti smiled and rubbed her arm. “you may not say so later, stories of your kind and mine are not happy ones,” he whispered. He stared and realized something, she was quite pretty, why was he noticing this now though? The human form had never appealed to him, yet he couldn’t deny the attraction, it made him uneasy feeling like this though a part of him was enjoying it. He placed a hand on her cheek and brushed away a strand of her hair, then he did something that truly surprised him, he leaned down and kissed her.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice was rather confused as to everything that was going on, she was about to say something to him, but before she knew it he had lean down and kissed her. She kissed him back though, common reaction since she didn't know what to do else wise. It somewhat felt weird though, he was a demon, yet she felt so attracted to him rather than repulsed. When he pulled away she blushed deeply and looked down. She had enjoyed the kiss of course, but it had been her first and she really didn't know what to say or do.

[Kiall]

He stepped back suddenly embarrassed, “I don’t know where that came from,” he said rubbing the back of his head. “I am a creature of wrath why should your form appeal to me?” he said more to himself than to her as he tried to look at anything other than the blushing girl in front of him. He paused when he caught a caustic and familiar scent. A low rumble began in his throat, “I sense unseen eyes upon us,” he said as he glared around the room. He heard a loud rumble and a creature with the head of a bull and the body of a large man charged through the wall and grabbed him, swinging him hard against the wall, “mortalem te infirma mundi,” the minotaur said looking down at him with glowing red eyes. “quod velles, ego nec relinquere infernalis.”

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice didn't know what to say either until the demon showed up. She couldn't do anything but stand there for a moment and shake. She eventually got a hold of herself and ran upstairs. She wanted to badly to scream but she had no idea what the thing was saying, but she knew it wanted to kill her. That was all she needed to know. She quickly latched herself in the bathroom trying to get her mind off the thing downstairs. She was still trembling horribly, her eyes wide with extreme and pure terror.

[Kiall]

Argenti smiled dropping his disguise and clutched the minotaur’s hand, “Ut vos es res taurum imparem daemon”* He said his hand began to glow and ripped the bull creature’s hand off. It’s bull head screamed in pain and rage and clutched at its bleeding stump, “Veni non solum ubi homuncionem impetum?”* he said before bursting into a deep and guttural laugh as his knees buckled from blood loss.

Ass Alice trembled in the bathroom something began to slink it’s way out of the toilet. It looked very much like a hippo, if a hippo was scabby and covered in pus and other filth. It’s mouth was unnaturally large compared to its body and its gut wobbled as it grew bigger as it slunk its way out of the toilet behind the girl. Alice turned and screamed as it grabbed her in one stinking hand and shoved her into her mouth, holding her struggling form he gulped down the girl, it belched wetly and crashed through the door running on all fours as it barreled down the stairs through the living room.

Argenti was shocked as he saw the putrid thing barrel past him crashing through the wall and jumping down into the street. Shit! A gluttony demon, that would mean he had eaten her. Well she wasn’t dead or in pain he would feel it then, whoever summoned it must have hollowed out its stomach, making it the perfect vessel for the girl. Hell’s inferno it was fast! He thought as he jumped through the hole in the wall and raced after the disgusting thing.



*We made you bull thing you are no match for a demon

*I didn't come alone, where's your charge little man?

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice could only scream as the thing grabbed her and she continued to scream as she ended up in the things hallowed stomach. She wanted Argenti now. She closed her eyes crying. She felt disgusting and sickly. Soon enough she was laying down, somewhat surprised that she was able to do so and tried not to think about it. Eventually she felt like she was burning and screamed more. She didn't know what was happening but she didn't want to look and see why it was that. She realized it was her side that had started to hurt again, it was burning.

[Kiall]

Argenti rushed after the thing though he was losing ground fast. He hissed as pain flared up on his side, damnation! Apparently the bond needed them to stay close together the growing distance was killing them. Apparently the cultist didn’t know they were a match set now… He needed to go faster, he spotted something that might help him a motorcycle had been parked on the side of the street. He took a deep breath and ran his glowing hands over it, as he did so the bike shifted and changed the metal blackened and spikes jutted from it, flames began pouring out of the wheel and the front protruded a roaring dragons head.

Climbing on top he sped through the streets leaving a trail of fire behind him as the bike made an unnatural scream. He was going faster than any normal bike and soon he was trailing just behind the lumbering demon. Argenti leapt onto the creatures filthy back grabbed it’s head in his hand, “frigore pectus Cocyti, conglacior!”* he cried as a chill went down his hand and entered the creature, it’s skin turned a deep blue before blackening, it belched frost and collapsed sliding across the ground before coming to a stop. Breathing hard he used his claws and slit open the creatures belly and changed back into his disguised form before pulling out a slightly slimy Alice from the creatures partially frozen belly. He smiled reassuringly as he pulled her the rest of the way out, “I’m here now, you’re safe” he reassured hugging her.



*by the cold heart of cocytus, freeze!"

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice had just sat in the things belly as she felt herself fading as the pain burned her side. Soon enough though things seemed to freeze up. By the time Argenti held her in her arms she was just shivering and felt disgusting. "I need to take a shower... now." She muttered snuggling up close to him weakly. She was glad that he had come to save her, the pain in her side died down luckily and she just closed her eyes clinging to him. "Thanks... for coming after me." she whispered.

[Kiall]

He closed his eyes and held her tight, glad that she was safe. Argenti chuckled at her shower remark, “you don’t smell too bad, don’t worry,” he whispered, of course she didn’t to him, he was used to smells much worse than the insides of a Gluttony Demon. He heard her thank him which gave him pause, had he done it just because of the bond? Or was it from some sort of affection towards the girl? He wasn’t sure everything went too fast. He gave her once last squeeze and began to stand up, “We should not tarry here,” he said. Their apartment was no longer secure they’d have to keep moving, “We’ll go back to your apartment, so you can gather your things, but then we need to think about leaving and staying on the move…can you stand?” he asked kneeling down and offering her his hand.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice sighed softly as she took his hand and managed to stand up,"Yeah, I think I'll manage to walk." She muttered quietly. She started back towards her apartment, the place was trashed,"Well I'm sure my non existent landlord would have had a cow if she saw this place." She said laughing slightly before running up stairs and grabbed what she needed and then came back down. She had grabbed a backpack pretty much and shoved it full of clothes and makeup.

"Okay so what now?" She asked quietly. She still wanted to take a shower, she felt disgusting and she hated that feeling of feeling unclean.

[Kiall]

Argenti thought hard, “Well first we should find a…hotel? I know you are tired and wish to rest, we should be safe staying there.” He said putting a hand on her shoulder, “then in the morning we have two options…we can try to confront the cultists in their home, or we can go towards the ocean and see if my understanding of demon lore can help us,” He said leading them to her car. He offered her the passenger seat while he took the driver seat. “Rest I believe I can drive this thing, I will wake you when I find a suitable resting spot,” he said as he turned the ignition and drove off.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice smiled a little,"A hotel would be fine, and the demon lore thing sounds interesting." she said quietly,"I don't think we're ready for a straight on attack quite yet." She said quietly as he led her to the car. She bent over resting her head on the window so she was leaning slightly. "If you crash my car you owe me a new one." She muttered as he started to drive, she was a little unsure of his driving techniques but oh well, she wasn't going to complain she guessed. After all, they were being followed and she didn't know what to think of anything anymore.

[Kiall]

Argenti drove carefully aware of his inexperience using the great metal beasts. He thought about what he had planned, it was only an idea he wasn’t sure if it would work, it wasn’t like he had tried it before but…they were out of options, he had no way to contact hell, he knew the cultists must have deceived the demons somehow if they knew what they were truly up to…they would not stand for it. He looked through the window and noticed what he supposed was a hotel… it had the word ‘Inn’ in it. He faced the dozing Alice and lightly shook her shoulder, “We’re here.”

He walked with her up to their new room and opened the door inspecting it carefully, he didn’t think they’re would be a trap. It took time to summon demons and even longer for those demons to track a moving target, but they couldn’t afford to not be careful neither of them could. “I know your issues with privacies…” he began, “but I must insist I be in the bathroom with you while you bathe, there are demons that can move without a sound and slip through the tiniest of cracks, I will simply sit down on the toilet, you won’t even know I’m there don’t worry.”

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice walked in behind him and yawned,"Whatever, I don't really care as long as you don't look at me." She said quietly, then I'm going to bed, I've had a long day if you haven't noticed." She muttered as she threw her bag down on the bed and slipped her shoes off before she walked into the bathroom and pulled the curtain around the bathtub so he wouldn't see her and she stripped in there. Her new clothes laying on the floor by the door.

"When I ask for it hand me a towel." She muttered quietly before she slipped the water on. She really was tired though she noted.

[Kiall]

Argenti yawned as he sat on the toilet, as Alice began to shower. He was also tired, curse this mortal form! He thought bitterly, though it was necessary to stay inconspicuous, besides…she was always a bit frightened when he was in his true form, and he strangely enough found himself caring about her opinion of him. But this was one of a long line of alarming new development, another was his burgeoning fascination with the fact she was naked behind that flimsy curtain…but why would that interest him? He had seen hundreds of nude bodies from both genders, they were all the same, hair here, skin there, very boring…but still. “Are you alright?” he called outnodding as he heard her confirmation. He sighed, he still had so few answers to so many questions, he paused as the water stopped and handed her the towel through the curtain

[you’re going to do the cult scene after we go to sleep right?]

[Etoile Mizu]

((Yup, that's what I was thinking, should they be nearby or just be arguing over things and then he sends Alice the message to meet them where ever))

Alice had just showered in silence. She was weak she knew that much. She took the towel and wrapped it around herself after she had turned the water off, she hadn't answered his question though because she was still fairly tired to do so. She sighed softly,"Can you hand me another towel to put on the floor in here and then hand me my clothes?" She asked quietly. She didn't plan on changing into clothes in front of him at any time even if he claimed he wasn't attracted to her. But... he had kissed her which made things a little more different.

[Kiall]

[i'm thinking far away, like at wherever they want to take her, somewhere in maine maybe? up to you!]

Argenti obliged handing her another towel and picking up her clothes for when she needed them, he stifled his assurance that there wasn’t any need to be modest, he wasn’t quite sure it was true anymore after all. A thought occurred to them they hadn’t talked about the kiss they shared, he remembered the moment with fondness but wondered what it meant for them, was it love? Was he even capable of it? Aagh! Nothing was simple anymore! She called out and he handed her the clothes, she pulled back the curtain and he helped her out of the tub. He hugged her pulling her in close as he fought to find the right words, “I’m glad your safe,” he whispered settling on that before opening the bathroom door.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice was a little confused as he helped her out and then just pulled her close. She was wearing a short sleeve loose black tee shirt and some shorts... "Um. Okay?" She said quietly before pulling away with a soft smile. She was tired,"So... um we going to bed now?" She asked quietly,"Or are you going to stay awake and keep guard?" She asked quietly. She wasn't sure of his exact intentions or his plans, he would most likely share though if she continued to ask. She sighed a little and walked out to the bed and sat down up against the wall with a small yawn. Her dark hair around her.

[Kiall]

Argenti shrugged, embarrassed but not willing to admit it, “won’t do us any good to both be tired,” he said heading towards the single bed, “Besides anything that happens will wake me long before it wakes you,” he explained laying down over the covers and she would lay under. “Rest,” he encouraged, “I know you’re tired I can feel it remember?”

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice nodded a little and crawled under the covers. She sighed a little as she turned onto her side facing him. "So... you're going to stick around for awhile right?" She asked quietly,"But would you if you weren't bonded to me? Or am I just... a burden." She asked quietly. She wasn't really sure how he felt about it... or anything for that matter. She felt kind of out of the loop. She wasn't really feeling anything from him, but then again, she could read people, and demons apparently fairly well. She knew he was tired... she could tell by the way he was acting... "Um. Well goodnight." She said quietly turning away from him onto her stomach and closed her eyes.

[Kiall]

He hadn’t said anything when she had asked him just stared back expressionlessly. He didn’t know what to say, it was true the bond compelled him to protect her, but he did not consider her a burden and would have said so if she had not turned away. He wanted to tell her…something, he didn’t know what, he barely understood what was going on with himself, and it was even worse that he didn’t know how she felt about him, did she…like him? His former self would’ve balked at his concern, she was a mortal what did it matter what her opinion of him was? but the thing was it did matter to him. He turned his head to face her as he heard the change in breathing to mark she was asleep. Slowly gingerly he placed a hand on her cheek, and though he did not say it he mouthed the words he wanted to tell her, before turning away and falling asleep himself

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice was indeed asleep as Argenti had a hand on her cheek. Her mind wasn't really at peace though. She started to shake for awhile. Something... something was happening her dreams.

The head priest hissed,"What do you mean the gluttony demon never returned?!" He asked with a sickened glace towards the lower priest. "Why? What stopped it from bringing her here?! I know what we did wrong, we can fix this if we just kill her and send her to hell!" He announced to the group. "I'll tell her to come to Maine in a dream." He said quietly after a moment of muttering from the crowd,"We are sending that brat to hell." He said annoyed,"Or binding a demon inside of her making her a slave for us!" The crowd seemed to cheer as he brought up the suggestion.

Alice was just dreaming for awhile as she sat there in the dream. Something told her she needed to go to Maine... something was there but she didn't know what it was soon enough though she woke up with a jolt shivering. She hoped she didn't wake Argenti up as she sat there with her knees pulled up to her chest as she sat there trying to remember what she had felt... Maine. What was there... she had never been there herself, so why the sudden urge?

[Kiall]

Argenti dreamed as well, which was odd considering this was the first time he had done so, there was nothing concrete about it, simply flashes of color and sound and emotion, causing him to toss and turn, it eventually settled however and became calmer causing him to smile. The shift of Alice waking woke him up, “Something the matter Alice?” he asked hoarsely sitting up partially to get a better look at the darkened room.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice sighed a little as he sat up. "Just... a bad dream." She said quietly as she shivered there. It was rather freezing in the room now that she thought about it. She could feel the heat coming off of Argenti though. "I'm jealous that you're so warm..." She said quietly looking at him. She didn't want to tell him that she wasn't really okay, but... yeah. She didn't want to tell him.

[Kiall]

Argent chuckled, “comes with the territory,” he said smirking. He stood up more looking at Alice, “Are you sure everything’s alright?” he asked placing a hand on her shoulder, “I can tell something’s wrong…you don’t have to hide anything from me,” he said concerned.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice frowned a little,"Well... I can't remember things that I dreamed about... but I just feel like we have to go to a certain place." She said quietly,"Something just makes me feel like we need to go there, I don't know why though." She said quietly. That was what bothered her the most, is the fact that she didn't know why. She sighed softly,"I guess I'll just sleep for awhile longer... and maybe it won't matter in the morning." She muttered crawling back under the sheets.

[Kiall]

Argenti shrugged he honestly had no idea what she was talking about, must be a mortal thing he figured laying back down. He was fine with them taking a detour, the idea he had was dubious at best and was as likely to kill them as help them, as long as they kept moving they should be safe. Yawning he laid back down and went into a dreamless sleep.

He had awoken early and had gone down to the lobby to enjoy the continental breakfast. He found it was full of an assortment of breaded treats which they were just giving away, ha! Mortals! He’d never understand them. He had also discovered a wonderful new drink, it was a pitch black brew which was bitter to the taste and scalded his throat when he drank it, it was like tasting a bit of home and he had already had six cups of this cough feeee. Satisfied he headed back up though not before taking several muffins and a bottle of orange juice for Alice. Gingerly he opened the door, “time to wake up Alice,” he said softly, gently shaking her shoulder a bit, “We need to be moving soon, here! I brought you some breakfast,” motioning to the pile of muffins and juice

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice grumbled a little but sat up rubbing her eyes. She was a little shocked that Argenti had brought so many muffins back. "I'm up." She muttered as she took the juice and sipped on it slowly after opening it of course. "If you expect me to eat all of that though you're crazy." She said quietly pointing to the pile. She set the juice down and stood up grabbing a change of clothes and looked over at him. "Can I change alone? Or do you have to come in for safety reasons again?" She asked quietly.

She didn't understand why he left her alone in the room for breakfast if he was so worried about her being taken. But whatever. She was tired, and was going to have to tolerate it.

[Kiall]

Argenti frowned; simple gratitude would be nice he thought, “we’ll take what’s left with us, by the fallen! It was a simple kindness,” he said glaring. “We should be quite safe from any demons, the connection between heaven and earth is strongest with the rising of the sun, just as it is strongest in hell with the sinking of it, and vice versa,” he explained, “We will not need to worry about any summoning until the afternoon, which is why I want to cover some distance now,” he continued “So yes, go ahead and change I will be outside waiting,” he turned to leave, “if you get in trouble, just scream or flail around, or spurt blood or any of the other funny mortal things you do,” he said coldly before shutting the door behind him. After he the door closed he kicked the railing causing it to bend and rubbed his eyes, damnation! That hadn’t gone at all like he had hoped! What was he doing wrong? He had wanted to do something nice for her so she would like him..but that had blown back in his face, he sighed, he had finally given up the pretext that he didn’t care if she cared even though he still didn’t have a reason why. Bah! This was too much thinking in the morning, he was going back downstairs to have more cough feeee.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice sighed a little as she went to get changed, She was a little harsh to him... She thought about it as she slipped on the black tee shirts and grey skinny jeans with black boots covering her feet. She slid on a jacket and grabbed all her stuff walking down to the car and putting the things inside before wandering off to find Argenti, she assumed he would be back in the food area, which is where she found them. She walked over to him and hugged him gently. "Sorry for being so cold earlier." She whispered. "Thanks for everything." She said with a small smile before grabbing some more juice with a small smile on her face and headed back out to the car.

[Kiall]

Argenti was in the process of getting more coffee when Alice hugged him. He was both shocked and delighted at the sudden change, perhaps it was an early morning thing? He shrugged as he headed to the car smiling. “I shall drive,” he said entering the drivers seat, “you may rest until noon then we’ll switch positions, that seem fair?” he asked as Alice nodded. He began driving towards the east towards the Atlantic, he was still nervous about doing this but they had little options left and he had forgotten all about what she had mentioned last night.

[Etoile Mizu]

Alice smiled a little,"Where are we going exactly?" She asked quietly. "Maine?" She asked as she slid into the passenger seat of the car. She still had the feeling that she was supposed to go there but she didn't know where it came from at all. She didn't want to know but at the same time she did. It was confusing. She sighed a little as she stared out the window as he drove. She was just a mess of confusion at the time.