TITLE    : Demonic Submission Ch. 24
STORYID  : demonic-submission-ch-24
SUMMARY  : She meets a mortal, and Tristan watches on jealously.
AUTHOR   : TheLastChaosLord@lit
DATE     : 2013-07-19
CATEGORY : non-human-stories
FLAGS    : h
TAGS     : |demon|wizard|incubus|redhead|


<i>Hello all.



Here is the next chapter of Demonic Submission. 



No erotica in this one, but quite a bit of plot progression. Largely deals with fallout from the Clash and Celestine meeting another marked servant. 



Like to thank WanderingMindgames for her help with this and for all the support she's given me. 



As always, open to ideas and suggestions.



I hope you all enjoy.</i>



~~~~



The bitter taste of day old coffee filled Blake's mouth as he walked through the investigations wing. The urge to spit the foul liquid out of his mouth struck him, but the need for focus and false energy was more pressing than his objecting taste buds. Glancing around, Blake saw the investigation wing as it often was, a small lake of desks and computers where investigators and detectives worked to catch some of the worst humanity had to offer. A part of Blake wished he was part of this group again... to be surrounded by other human beings and being able to talk about his work freely, without the worry of saying too much or the looks he got from his coworkers... To not have to ignore the hushed whispers about him and the other 'spooks'... Yes, he did work with the Nephilim, but their ways were strange at times. Even now Hera waited back in his office with the Rookie, still on guard duty. He enjoyed their company most of the time, but there were times that the Nephilim just reminded him of how imperfect he and the rest of humanity were. 



Blake washed such thoughts away with another swig of coffee and continued on to the back offices where his station was, along with the other SIT offices were. All told there were six of them, each split up into pairs of two. Frankly to call them a team was a bit of a stretch. It was more accurate to say they were supposed to be cells of a larger body, working together for a common goal, though doing so independently. Less chance of cross corruption that way if something did go wrong... It had happened before after all, before the new protocols were put into effect, and Blake had heard the horror stories about SIT groups in other cities ending up with their insides painting walls or being turned into unwilling slaves to demons. Hell, he had lived through enough close shaves and dead friends to know the need for such separation...



Again he washed away the unwelcome thoughts with another shot of coffee. He wasn't even to his desk yet and his cup was nearly half empty already. He stared into the half empty cup and pondered going back for more, pausing for a moment as he mulled it over. 



"Damn this static!" Blake heard from one of the nearby desks. Instincts and experience clicked before he could stop them and a bad feeling began to crawl up his senses. He stood, glaring into his half empty cup of coffee, knowing that he shouldn't butt it. The other investigators wouldn't welcome him, hell they would resent him for sticking his nose in. Just like he used to when he used to be one of them, and an SIT member snatched a case away. Soon the coffee in his cup stilled and he saw his reflection in its surface... Before he knew it he was sighing at himself, turning towards the voice and heading towards its source. 



Carlson was a good detective; Blake knew that the moment Carlson showed up decades ago, when Blake was just heading into the SIT. The job hadn't worn the young man down like it did some guys, but it didn't leave him unscarred either. But in Blake's eyes, that just made him better at his job. As he approached Carlson's desk, a young woman Blake didn't know was looking at the monitor Carlson was poring over. They were both trying to make out something but the stranger noticed Blake's approach and stood upright, and took off, not wanting to have to talk to Blake. As she darted away Blake gave her a withering glare, which only seemed to speed up her pace. 



With his companion gone, Carlson turned to see what scared her away, only to find Blake standing a few feet back and looking past him to the image playing on Carlson's monitor. Blake couldn't blame Carlson when the younger investigator noticed what Blake was looking at and instantly minimized the video to keep it from Blake's gaze. "What can I do for you Detective Blake?" Carlson asked calmly, his voice polite if not slightly distant. Blake had to hand it to Carlson, he didn't scare and he was a good enough man not to instantly be resentful of Blake just by being there. Not something Blake could say about others that were around, who were glaring at him from the corners of their eyes. 



"I overheard you just now." Blake said nodding to Carlson's screen. "Having some problems with static in a video I take it?" Blake asked, trying to be courteous to Carlson. It was hard though, his gruff voice wasn't exactly gentle on the ears. 



"Yea... something like that." Carlson replied simply. "I'm looking into a disappearance. The missing woman is in the video, and has a confrontation with another woman, but it's weird... There seems to be some sort of problem with the video, as static keeps moving around in the image." Carlson explained. "It won't be admissible in any court if I can't clean it up, not that I have any real evidence anyway." 



Blake nodded. "Mind if I take a look? I'm pretty good with this sort of thing."



Carlson pondered for a moment before speaking up again. "Is this an order?" Blake knew the question was coming. He had hoped it wouldn't be but he knew it was. Technically, even though they had to same rank, the SIT were given special privileges and authorization, which was something that didn't win them any admiration or respect. 



"No." He responded simply. "Only trying to help. I've... I've got enough on my plate to deal with Carlson, I'm not here to steal a case or anything like that." Blake continued calmly, not pushing. 



Carlson sighed and ran a hand through his hair, before shrugging and popping open the window again for Blake to watch the video from the beginning. As soon as it began, Blake recognized that the video was from a mall security camera. It wasn't the best video in the world but it wasn't ass terrible either. Good enough to run ID's off of anyway. "Who am I watching?" Blake asked as the video continued. 



"Helena Variess." Carlson replied, pointing an attractive woman out who was walking down the hall of the Mall. "In a few moments she's going to have a confrontation with a red-head and it looks like it gets quite heated... Whatever the red-head says, it shakes Ms. Variess up pretty badly." Blake watched what Carlson describe begin to unfold, and Blake saw the Red-head enter on screen. Blake cocked his head, slightly surprised at how attractive she was, but after a moment he saw something that made him grumble unhappily. Along side the Red-head was a patch of static that seemed to move along with her and made it hard to make out the Red-heads features. It was obvious that someone else was standing beneath the static beside the Red-head. Further, to Blake's eyes at least, there might have been a third person present, closer to the one completely obscured by the static and blurring, but it was difficult to tell. "And now you see where my problem lies..." Carlson said, slightly frustrated. 



"Yea." Blake responded coolly. "Hell of a glitch, how it seems to be moving around like that huh?" Blake asked as he watched the argument break out between the Red-head and Ms. Variess. 



"No shit. I don't know... maybe somebody got to the digital video files and fucked them up somehow. But I've had the techs look at it and they couldn't find any evidence of that. There doesn't seem to be anything particularly wrong with the data either, this is just how the camera recorded it." Carlson explained. "Maybe some sort of jamming device?" 



Blake looked to Carlson and gave him a grim smile. "This ain't science fiction Carlson. Nothing like that really exists far as I know." Blake finished before looking back to the screen. "Did anyone overhear what the two of them were talking about?" Blake asked.



"Not that we've been able to find." Carlson explained. "Apparently the Red-head kept it quiet, and quick enough that mall security never bothered going after her. I did some checking, and it looks like she and two others spent several hours shopping at the mall three days ago. They came in on foot, and left the same way. Strange thing is, every video that shows these people has this same blur thing going on. Maybe science fiction is becoming science fact huh?" Carlson asked, joking slightly. 



"I doubt that." Blake said slowly, trying to make out every detail that he could while he had the chance. It didn't take long for the Red-head to break off and head into a nearby shop, though she was separate from the static long enough to pull an ID from. "Did she and the two she was with buy anything?" Blake asked, a sense of urgency slipping into his voice. 



"Yea. And from what I can tell, they did a lot of shopping over the course of their visit to the mall. All told about seven hundred dollars worth, all in cash."



"Shit." Blake swore. If they had used plastic, Carlson could track it down... "Any ID on the Red-head?" Blake asked. 



"No. Far as I can tell, she isn't in the system, at least not looking like that. Hell, I don't even know if she's responsible or not. This might be totally unrelated. The parking garage cameras show Ms. Variess driving out just as the mall is closing down for the night. She did some more shopping and banking after this confrontation and then heads out so who knows..." Carlson admitted glumly. 



Blake nodded once and then shrugged. "Listen, could you send me a few of these videos? I know a few old tricks that might be useful in cleaning them up. Beyond that I won't get involved, alright?" Blake asked, lying like a pro. 



Carlson looked to the paused blurry image and eventually nodded. "Yea... sure. I'm not getting anywhere with this so why the hell not? It's all yours. They should be at your desk before you are." 



Blake nodded. "Good. I'll try and squeeze it in between my jobs." And with that Blake took off, sucking back another swig of coffee, so focused now that he didn't even register the taste...



~~~~



"Well this is a surprise..." Laura said unhappily as she watched the video Carlson had sent Blake. She looked to Blake who was leaning back and letting her watch it all. "This interference, is it what I think it is?" She asked, sharply focused. 



"Yep," Blake responded coolly "demonic distortion. It is similar to what some other supernaturals have going for them. To be frank, it's been fucking with human tech ever since the first cameras were created. Honestly compared to the old days, this isn't that bad... You should have seen some of the old Polaroid pictures after they were first taken. Came out blurry like that, but in a few minuets the chemicals in the pictures would begin to cook off... It literally burned the pictures slowly, leaving scorched holes where the demon in question would have been and ruining the rest of the picture. At least with the new stuff we still can see the Red-head." Blake explained as he began to think on how to track her down. 



Hera frowned at the video and shook her head. "It still boggles the mind that demons and the like somehow have a defense like this. Almost like it was built into them when they first came to this world at the beginning." Hera had been with them for a while now, keeping the vigil over the two detectives as they worked. They had been going over the remains from the loft for three days now, trying to figure out if the demon who lived in the loft had survived or not. So far everything pointed at the notion that they had survived.



"Yea it is strange, but it is a trait that you share with them." Blake said as he began to go through computer files, looking for the missing person's cases. 



"I'm sorry, pardon?" Hera asked, her voice sharper than intended. Apparently she didn't like being compared to demons. 



Blake grumbled in annoyance. Instead of answering he pulled out his cell and snapped a picture of Hera. Before she could object he held up his hand for her to wait as he pulled up the picture he had just taken and offered it to her without a word. Hera took the phone and looked at the picture. She could tell that it was her in the picture, but as she watched the image of her inside the picture began to blur and white out... "Don't take it the wrong way Hera." Blake piped up. "It just seems to be something many supernatural species share, Nephilim included. I don't know why, but you have to admit it is handy. Keeps the truth from getting out after all." Blake explained absentmindedly. 



"It also keeps us from getting a clean ID." Laura replied. "I'll start checking the criminal databases." She said turning to her own computer. 



"Damn it Rookie, did you just ignore what I said earlier? Carlson already looked those over. He isn't a kid like you so don't go second guessing his work." Blake almost shot at Laura, much to her annoyance. 



"So what, we just let this go?" She asked trying to keep a level head, even though she thought it was possible that Carlson missed something.



"Of course not." Blake responded bluntly. "We start looking through the missing person reports for this woman." He said pointing to the Red-head.



"Why would we do that?" Laura asked glancing at the Red-head. "Do you think she got kidnapped after this Helena woman?" 



"No. She probably was taken first." Blake responded as he began to set up the parameters of his search. 



"And you believe that because..." Laura pressed waiting for an explanation. 



Blake grumbled again and looked to Laura. "Demons don't go shopping with their servants like this. The demon that is with her, it's a guard. Meant to keep an eye on her and keep her from trying to run away while whatever master they serve is busy. At least that is my guess." 



Laura began to understand. "That... that makes some sense... especially if the mortal here isn't terribly happy about her circumstances. Even if she is marked, if she were to run away it could take a while to track her down, not something the head demon is probably willing to waste his or her time with." Laura stood and pulled Blake's chair away from the computer before pulling her own up.



"What the hell are you doing?" Blake snapped. 



"Setting up the search for our red-headed friend. You suck when it comes to the database. If I left it to you we'd be here for days trying to figure out who she is." Laura explained with perfect ease. Blake was about to snap out at her, but Hera's chuckling distracted him. By the time he focused on Laura again she was speeding through the layers of the police databases, looking for the information they needed at a speed that far outpaced him.



With another grumble Blake moved aside and began looking for clues of a connection between Ms. Variess and the Red-head. If what he feared was the case, he suspected that Carlson would never find Ms. Variess...



~~~~



Celestine stood near Tristan as felt the vibration of the drums in her chest. They were on the second lowest level of the facilities, even below the bazaar she had been in earlier. The chamber was almost as large as the main arena, where the Clash had taken place, and it was full of demons and mortals, though the majority of the mortals were on the lower level tiers of the chamber while demons stayed higher up. As she watched the teeming throng of mortals below, she felt her head begin to bob to the music that was rapidly growing louder that seemed to play from all around them. It wasn't utterly unlike club music, but it also had its own tone to it as well, one that Celestine found herself inclined to enjoy.



It had been hours since the end of the Clash, and she had long since changed into less formal clothes, as had almost everyone else. Claude had explained that this was sort of the last event of the Court, where demons and mortals could simply mingle and enjoy themselves and the food and drink provided by the Sovereign. With the Clash and Trials done, most demons were more relaxed and easy going by this point, and were thus more inclined to enjoy the festivities. Tristan's Clash hadn't been the only one of course; there were three others after his. All of which ended in the death of some noble or usurper. While still impressive, none of them had lived up to the power that Odeon and Tristan had thrown at each other. Further, Vestiem didn't interfere with the other three duels like he did with Tristan's. Still, she was glad it was behind them. The ritualistic combats were not something that sat well with Celestine, even though it was only demons that were dying. 



At the moment, Tristan was mingling with various demons, some of which Celestine recognized from earlier when he was taking oaths, though others she hadn't seen before. Apparently Tristan's victory had earned him some who wished to align themselves with him. Despite that Celestine was enjoying herself well enough, though part of her just wanted to dance. Rena was already in the thick of it amongst other demons that seemed to be enjoying the music. It was strange seeing such creatures dancing to the strange and intriguing beats, but at the same time it was somehow reassuring... It sort of showed that demons and humans might not have been as vastly different as she once thought, at least in some ways. 



She had to suppress a giggle as she saw the various types of demons fall into clichés she thought only humans could manage... Many wrath demons brooded and postured at one another, almost like they were spoiling for a fight. The phrase 'come at me bro' came to mind when Celestine looked at them, as they glared at each other from their corners. She looked to demons of envy, hugging the walls and dark places, looking out to those who danced and frolicked, wishing they had the skills and appearances of others... Clearly the wall flowers of the party, unwilling to risk what respect they had on the chance of making fools of themselves. Demons of pride, stood out in their social circles as self titled kings and queens of the party, their self importance drawing others to follow them. Occasionally two personalities would collide and they would snipe and jab at each other with sharp words like drama queens and harpies, calling up decade or century old faux pas that their opponents had committed and using it as ammunition. Gluttony demons sat near where the food and drinks were being served, scarfing down anything they could get their hands around and drinking absurd amounts... Not utterly unlike frat boys Celestine saw back in college, who were utterly possessed with seeing how much they could drink in their silly contests that seemed so important to them. Greed demons reminded her of the rich kids back at collage parties or at clubs. They flaunted their wealth in glittering finery and looked down on anyone who didn't meet to their impossible levels of richness, all the while measuring themselves against one another, trying to determine who was the wealthiest of them all or trying to buy the loyalty of others. In stark contrast were the 'stoners' of the party... The sloth demons, who despite probably not being high, acted much in the same way, they were utterly lethargic and unmotivated to move beyond the spots they have chosen as they chuckled at jokes that only they understood. Finally, she saw those dedicated to lust, grinding against one another in barely acceptable ways, wearing so little as to almost be naked, as they dared and enticed. She could see more than a few of them had already skulked off and were rutting in the dark places of the great chamber, uncaring about who saw them, and even going so far as to put on a show in some instances...



The beat changed and Celestine found herself almost swaying to it, part of her desperate to dance. It had been a long time since she enjoyed dancing at a club, and while she knew this wasn't the same, it was probably the closest she would get in a good long while. She glanced to Tristan and those around her, wondering if she would seem odd if she just began to move with the rhythm. However before she got far, Claude approached, his shining scales reflecting the changing lights in the club like chamber. "You look to be enjoying yourself Celestine." He commented idly as Tristan continued to talk with others. 

<hr pg="2" />"I'm surprised to find that I am. I figured this whole court would be dark and gloomy and full of violence... I didn't expect something like this." Celestine explained. "It reminds me of the clubs I used to go to with friends, to dance or just hang out. I like the music especially. I didn't think demons would enjoy this sort of stuff... I was expecting some sort of stuffy gothic music." 



"Some demons do enjoy the more gothic music, and I'm sure you'll hear alternate forms such as metal and rock, but by and large demons tend to enjoy most types of music. Have you ever heard the phrase 'Music is the devil's tool'?" Claude asked curiously. 



"Yea I have. Are you about to tell me that music was created by demons? Cause if so I call 'Bullshit'." Celestine said, smiling lightly. 



"Oh my no. Music is almost certainly a creation of humanity, however demons have come to enjoy it more and more over the ages. I won't deny that we try and influence it, but then we try to influence everything so that isn't a surprise. However more than a few demons use music in their activates. Like all humanities creations, we try and twist it to our advantage. Take for example when Lord Durial first met you. It was in a club with music not utterly unlike this. Music helps mortals feel certain emotions, and demons will happily use their creation against them in order to make mortals feel what the demon wants them to feel. It doesn't always work, but it doesn't hurt either." 



Celestine listened, even as she couldn't help but let her body move slightly with the beat. "Okay... But how is that important?" Celestine asked curious of why Claude brought it up. 



Claude smiled wide and chuckled. "Because Celestine, despite what some fools might think, it works just the same way on demons as it does on mortals. All the music you'll hear tonight is lively and upbeat for a reason. It is to keep demons happy and make them enjoy themselves. By doing so, they'll be more thankful for the Sovereign's court and for the chance to meet with each other. In essence, the whole purpose of the court, and especially this gathering, is to encourage relations between demons. Which is much easier to do when they are not angry or sullen, hence the music." Claude explained easily. "You can tell it is working because demons are mingling and talking to each other, which is hardly the norm. Instead of conniving and planning on killing each other which is far more common. It won't last of course. Demons always eventually revert to their natural impulses, but for a short time it allows for new alliances to be formed and for the great game to continue." Claude explained apparently proud of how their society worked. 



"Then I'd have to say it's working on me as well." Celestine admitted. "Frankly, a part of me wants to simply go out there and dance and enjoy the music. With the other mortals of course, I doubt that the demons would want me amongst them." Celestine added with a slight smile to her features. 



Claude nodded. "They probably wouldn't appreciate your presence overly much, no. But in the same breath you would be free to mingle amongst the other mortals. I don't see why you can't now."



"Tristan wants me to stay close." Celestine explained calmly. Part of her resented being controlled like this, but given her nearly dying earlier; she wasn't surprised with Tristan's decision. Then again, him wanting her close made her feel needed and wanted; something she was coming to enjoy more and more. However as she looked over to Tristan she noticed something peculiar. As Tristan was finishing with a small group of demons he began to move on, only to find another demon step forwards and begin to introduce himself. 



For whatever reason, Celestine found herself along side Tristan, drawn there by some instinct as the new demon began to introduce himself, after a nod from Tristan showing he would allow it. "Lord Durial, I am Arzal, and I am a Sarcarthan demon. I was hoping I might have a moment of your time." 



Celestine frowned as she looked the demon over. Not glaring at him but something about him seemed off to her. She could tell he was a demon of pride, and that he was by no means a weakling, but... he didn't seem to have an innate aggressive power about him, something that set him aside from other demons. His skin looked like smooth marble, and while he was largely humanoid, there were distinct differences. The chief amongst them was that this creature had a third eye in its forehead, twice as large as his more natural eyes. Its iris also seemed to be in constant flux between red, orange and green, making it difficult to focus on. Its fingers were long and thin and meant for delicate work from what Celestine could see. He wasn't overly muscled either, and even at a glance did not appear to be physically strong. He bore no hair on his dome like skull either, though he seemed to have a short beard of constantly moving tendrils... "I think I can spare a moment Arzal, especially for one of the few scholars of our kind." Tristan replied, a note of curiosity in his voice.



Celestine glanced to Claude, who leaned down and whispered to her. "Arzal claims to be a Sarcarthan, which is a type of pride demon. Sarcarthan demons tend to pride themselves on the knowledge they have amassed. They are seen by our kind to be scholars and the like, as well as occasionally potent wielders of strange powers and magic." Claude explained simply.



Arzal bowed slightly to Tristan, as he stepped even closer to speak. However as he did so, Celestine noticed a mortal behind Arzal, and by the glowing sigil she saw upon him, She immediately knew that the mortal bore Arzal's Mark... Beyond that though, Celestine could sense something about him. It wasn't like the Nephilim however, and she was certain he was mortal. But some sort of blue haze seemed to be there too, just beneath the surface, only noticeable to her when she focused on the feeling she got from him. <i>("Tristan... Arzal's mortal is abnormal somehow.") </i>She notified him, watching him carefully. 



Despite her apprehension, she realized the man was actually fairly handsome. He had inch long dirty blond hair and looked quiet fit, though not overly muscled by any means. He had an intense focus to him, and seemed to be observing everything around him for the smallest detail. Celestine surprised herself when she realized she was becoming more interested in the mortal than Arzal, and had almost forgotten the demon entirely. The man had a clean shaven face and the bearing of an intelligent individual. Celestine watched as he seemed to look to each thing just long enough to commit it to memory before moving on, as if he wasn't impressed or shocked by anything he saw here. 



That is until his gaze fell on her. She held the eye-contact for a long moment, unwilling to break it as she watched him looking at her. After a moment she saw curiosity began to shine in his dark blue eyes, as if she were the first thing he saw that brooked further assessment. She smiled slightly to herself as she found his gaze drawn to her figure for a moment. She was pleased to see he wasn't one to stare as his eyes came back up to meet hers. As he continued to look to her, she saw that whatever he noticed about her impressed him, and pressed him on into greater curiosity. Celestine wondered what his assessment of her was, and was pleased to find him break into a pleasant smile when their eyes met once again, curiosity and controlled interest written on his features. 



Celestine vaguely overheard Tristan and Arzal speaking. Apparently Arzal was impressed with the Clash, and had decided that after seeing Tristan's performance, he had no need to be patient and wait until the next court to offer his services to a Demon Lord. "I hope I can be of assistance to you Lord Durial. I have a great fount of knowledge to offer that covers a wide range of subjects, including commerce, the demonic arts, and politics: both mortal and demonic, to name just a few of the subjects I have mastery over. I know I am not a creature of lust, but then I've seen that unlike many nobles, you seek outside spheres of power to join you at your side. Something, I might mention is something many of the greatest demons in our history have done." Arzal was polite and courteous in his complements, making Tristan smile lightly at his words. Still, Celestine's words had made him put some focus on the mortal that seemed to accompany Arzal... After a few moments he frowned and realized what it was...



"Arzal," Tristan began slowly "you have... you have a Runesmith for a servant..." Tristan said, looking directly at the mortal. Celestine overheard Tristan's words and felt his surprise. She looked to Tristan before looking back to the mortal, who had apparently been surprised by Tristan's revelation as well. "Now how pray tell did you get someone like him to come under your service?" Tristan asked observing the mortal for a long moment, as if trying to assess him. 



Arzal smiled at Tristan's words. "My Lord, you have a keen eye. Indeed, Markus is a Runesmith. I happened upon him about several years ago while I traveled through Europe, assessing Demonic Lords and determining if any suited my demanding standards and that I would be willing to serve." Arzal explained. 



Tristan chuckled. "How did you pry him from his tutors? Runesmiths are notoriously stubborn and intensely secretive when it comes to their unique style of magic. Usually they would have killed him rather than risk someone outside their order learning their secrets..." Tristan inquired, grinning slightly. Celestine meanwhile was looking at Markus, a name she found curiously intriguing. Again she felt a gentle attraction towards him, even though she hardly knew anything about him. She reined it in of course, and focused on what the demons were talking about, waiting for something to sour her perception of this man, as often was the case about people that were in the demonic world.



Arzal looked to Markus and nodded, apparently allowing him to explain. Markus stepped forwards without hesitation and bowed lightly to Tristan. Celestine noticed instantly that the bow was one of protocol rather than respect or fear. Further, it was a very shallow bow, hardly more than an incline of his head... A part of her wondered if he was a fool for that, for not showing someone as powerful as Tristan was a measure of respect. Then again... Markus reminded her of herself in that... She faked any respect she had for demons, and even that was only to keep herself alive and to keep up the ruse for Tristan's sake. And to earn the third mark of course... When he stood upright again Markus spoke easily, and with a casualness that was not common when one spoke with a demon...



"Arzal did not pry my from my tutors, I was cast out by them. Apparently my ideas and methods were too radical for them. I took the basics that they tried to begin me with and showed them methods that far exceeded such paltry runes and bindings. My new methods far outstripped the things they were willing to show me, and while quite different, were still stable. However instead of praising my innovation, they told me my ways were wrong and unproven. They thought I needed a few years of experience before allowing me to learn anything beyond the basic knowledge which I had taught myself and that they had shown me. They said I needed restraint in my practice, and that restraint would only come with time. So I left them behind. I hardly think I should have to wait the decades they would demand in order to grow in my art. I will not let myself become old and feeble before being allowed to learn more. So instead I began to study on my own and left the old men behind. It was when I was sorting through old libraries and the like that I met Arzal, and he made me an offer. He would teach me what he knew about demonic magic and glyphs, and in return, I would serve him in his own pursuits. I accepted his offer and have been with him since then." Markus explained easily. 



"You are awfully candid about your past." Tristan said slightly amused. "Perhaps your 'old men' had a point? I mean think about it, you've gone and sold yourself to a demon after all." 



Celestine was surprised to see Markus frown, more annoyed that he was being jabbed at than by the jab itself. After a slight sigh he shrugged and responded. "Strange to hear a demon questioning decisions that only end up favoring said demon. The only point I could see my tutors make was that they were afraid of growth and advancement, and that they preferred their stagnant stance on the world. Other groups are always growing and evolving, where ours only seemed to go backwards. If progress means I have to sell my services to a demon, then so be it." Markus said confidently, unwilling to accept that he had made the wrong decision or back down from Tristan. 



"I see. Though I wonder how high the price will end up being ... Or if it will even be worth it. After all, can you even define how much you've learned since you've beholden yourself to Arzal? You hardly reek of power after all, but you say you've been with him for years..." Celestine could tell Tristan was toying with Markus, trying to goad him into revealing more than he should. 



Unfortunately for Markus, Tristan seemed to be successful. Markus scowled before pulling the long narrow bundle from his back, quickly unwrapping it to present it's contents to Tristan. Immediately Claude moved closer to his lord as well, ready to put himself between Tristan and Markus if the need presented itself. Markus glanced up to Claude and almost scoffed at him before looking to Tristan. "Allow me to present proof of my advancement... Arzal was planning on presenting this to you anyway as a bargaining chip so I don't think he'll mind if I skip right to it." Celestine glanced to Arzal and found him smiling pleasantly, as if he foresaw this all playing out exactly as he had anticipated.



Celestine looked down to find Markus offering a sword of some sort to Tristan. It was double edged and the blade was at least two and a half feet long, with a fuller running down most of its length. The cross-guard was curved slightly towards the tip of the blade but not overly wide. The pommel looked to be a three fingered claw that grasped some sort of red stone that was only roughly spherical, as if it was intentionally left unrefined and unpolished... It took Celestine a moment, but as she looked on, she saw that inside the fuller of the blade, strange shapes and runes were carved into the surface of the weapon. At first they seemed like simple engravings, but she slowly felt something about them pulling her gaze. There was some sort of power to these engravings, and Celestine could feel them waiting to be awoken... 



Markus looked to Tristan, confidence written on his features. "These are only the first layer of runes I plan on inscribing into the weapon. They will ensure the weapon keeps its edge, and will allow for arcane or demonic power to be stored within the weapon. That power will then fuel the more potent runes I have in mind for the next set of inscriptions. Further, the existing runes will ensure the weapons durability and resilience even when faced by other runic or supernatural weapons." Markus explained, though to Celestine it didn't really make all that much sense. However she did notice something about the inscriptions themselves... They were sharp, and in some instances, almost jagged in shape. But they were so perfectly carved that it couldn't have been because of a sloppy hand. They reminded her of something, and it took her a moment to recall it.



"These runes have demonic influence." Tristan confirmed Celestine's thoughts as he looked the blade over. "Normally you Runesmiths are so clean and precise... instead you seem to have melded the two styles together." Tristan commented simply, though Celestine could sense he was actually somewhat impressed. Apparently it wasn't something easily done. "But won't that make it somewhat... unstable?" Tristan asked to Markus, his voice still not betraying much in the way emotions. 



Markus chuckled, as if such a concern did not worry him. "Again you surprise me. You almost sounded like the old fools that were once my tutors." Celestine stared wide eyed at Markus, along with everyone who didn't seem to believe their own ears. Even Arzal seemed stunned, as if his plan had suddenly been derailed... Markus glanced around and smiled before looking back to Tristan. "Forgive me if I insulted you, for it was not my intention. I only meant that you do not understand, just as they did not understand. Though I am sure you are more willing to listen to and accept my proven theory, unlike those unmoving stumps. Or am I mistaken?" Markus asked easily, as if not threatened at all by the creatures that surrounded him, any of which were perfectly capable of tearing him apart. 



Tristan however seemed amused by Markus's brashness. "No you are not mistaken. Then again I suspect you are rarely mistaken. As for the theory, I'll pass on explanation of it. If you claim that these enchantments are stable, then I will trust your word on it." Tristan smiled easily and Celestine realized that Markus was trying to maneuver Tristan to his own desires. And Tristan had just walked right into it. But then Celestine doubted that Tristan had missed Markus's ploy. 



Markus nodded simply before responding. "Are you sure I can't interest you on how the runes work?" Celestine could hear the confidence in Markus's voice. "I could keep it simple in order to keep it from becoming overly confusing." 



Celestine almost gaped at Markus's boldness and again everyone but Tristan seemed stunned by his words. Claude was the first to react though. "I think that is quite enough you arrogant little spell weaver." Claude's voice was controlled, but Celestine could hear the threat under it. "I can smell the aroma of your arrogance... Normally I would savor such pride, but from you it only reeks of foolishness. You would dare look down on my Lord?" Claude was almost bristling at this point, and Markus focused firmly on him. To Celestine's senses, she could sense power gathering around both of them... though Markus's might was wholly different than anything she had experienced before. It had... a somehow human touch to it... 



However before Claude could lash out, Tristan spoke up, stilling the large pride demon. "Be at ease Claude, his words do not offend me. If anything I find them somewhat refreshing. I can only think of one mortal who's ever talked to me like that before..." Celestine' felt Tristan's gaze fall on her and for a moment their eyes met. Celestine felt the small surge of his desire for her through the demonic mark, and she had to break eye contact before she began to blush. She quickly forced down the feelings his emotions stirred in her as Tristan focused on Markus again. "To repeat myself, I do not need you to explain the theory of it Markus. If I need such theory, I'll have a <i>servant </i>know it for me." Tristan explained calmly, smiling lightly as he accented Markus's place in Tristan's society. 



Celestine saw Markus suddenly realize the snub that had been directed to him and saw the controlled anger that ran across his features for a moment before he forced it back down again. However before Markus could respond Tristan reached out and took the blade from him, holding it by the grip and examining it more closely. "I'm curious to see how much it can take at the moment... You have runes to process and contain the power that goes through the weapon, but no where for it to flow to... shall we find out how much it can take?" Tristan asked, looking to Markus. "If you think it's ready for testing that is..." Tristan proposed, smiling lightly as he played Markus's game against him.

<hr pg="3" />Celestine found herself cursing Tristan for his apparent need to try and put Markus in his place. Sure... Markus was proud of his work, but that didn't mean Tristan had to slap him down for it... Still, she frowned as Markus didn't seem willing to back down either. "Yes... I think that would be an adequate test..." Markus answered slowly.



Tristan smiled and began to pour his power into the weapon. Instantly the runes began to glow a dark bloody red. Tristan held up the weapon and looked upon it. Yet Celestine could sense him beginning to gather more power, as he readied to dump it into the weapon. Markus seemed to sense it as well and stepped forwards, as if about to warn Tristan not to push it so hard so fast. But he never got the chance as Tristan beat him to it. He pushed his power into the sword and Celestine saw its edges begin to glow the same color as the runes, which almost seemed to be burning from the raw demonic power being poured into them. 



Tristan smiled at the blade, as if greatly impressed before turning to Markus. "Do you think it could take any more than this?" Tristan asked curiously, though Celestine could already feel him pulling more power together, ready to press the weapon to its limits. She glanced to Markus and found him fighting with his pride... he didn't want to back down, but he didn't want to risk the destruction of his work.



Celestine was pleased when she saw that reason won out, and Markus spoke up. "I wouldn't advise that Durial, without additional runes geared towards offence, there is no where for the power to go, and the weapon could fail... It's like over charging a battery. You go from power storage device to a bomb..." Markus advised, trying to keep his voice calm. 



Tristan looked to Markus and cocked his head. "I've forgiven you for referring to me casually so far... I think I'll stop tolerating that... Use my proper title." Tristan demanded with simple ease, the blade in his hands still burning hot. Celestine could feel Tristan was ready to pour more into the weapon. Enough power that she was almost certain it would result in the sword blowing apart explosively... She knew what Tristan was doing... The weapon was important to Markus, and Tristan was forcing him to submit, or see the weapon destroyed. 



For a short moment Markus looked to the blade, as if weighing if it could handle any more... but after a moment he shook his head and spoke, voice strained but clear. "Lord Durial... If you press any more into the weapon it will come apart... Please do not destroy my work..." Markus didn't beg, but his voice carried none of the bravado it had before. 



Celestine could feel Tristan's satisfied amusement through the demonic mark and part of her cursed him for his arrogance. Then again, another part of her saw that Markus had called this on himself... Tristan however seemed to have enough of playing with Markus, and Celestine felt the power he was pressing into the blade wane and eventually gutter out... It took a few moments more, but eventually the weapon's glow faded and it returned to normal. Tristan handed the blade to Arzal and spoke to the pride demon. "We'll meet in a day or two at my estates. Give Claude your contact information and he'll arrange it." Tristan turned away as Markus looked over his weapon, trying to determine if any permanent damage had been done. Celestine began to move to follow Tristan, though she kept looking back to Markus, some measure of concern in her. However Tristan stopped and looked back. "Make sure to bring him as well." Tristan nodded towards Markus. "I'm sure he'll prove useful." 



Arzal nodded and with that Tristan turned away from the new demon and his servant, and instead directed his attention to Celestine. "I overheard you telling Claude that you wished to go dance. Is that correct?" 



Celestine, a bit surprised by his sudden question, nodded slowly. "Yea, I mentioned something like that. Why?" 



"I think I would like to see it." Tristan said without hesitation. "If you wish to go down to the level where the mortals are enjoying themselves, feel free. I'll watch from up here." 



"Wait." Celestine said, trying to slow this down a bit. "I thought you wanted me nearby to keep me safe..." She was confused, but the music was tugging at her to just go and not ask so many questions. 



"I did. But with how things have been going, I doubt anyone will try anything at this point. Odeon served his purpose so it should keep anyone who might harass you at bay for a few days at least. Plus, I really want to see you dance." Tristan said as he leaned in and whispered to her. "I didn't get a chance when we first met. Not really. You were distraught and didn't feel up to it, but now I find myself wanting to see you move to the music... In fact I can hardly wait for it..." Tristan elaborated, a low want ringing in his words that made Celestine's heart skip once or twice. 



Celestine nodded lightly and took a step back, putting some distance between them before speaking up again. "Uh...well... Fuck it. Just make sure no one tries to eat me, please and thank you." Celestine finished her voice clearly full of anticipation to get out there. She didn't show it, but part of her was almost more excited to know that he would be drooling over her as she danced... She decided she would put on a show for him; just to make him ache a little bit more for her...



As she turned away though she realized what she was planning and mentally slapped herself for it. It was one thing to plan to entice him in order to earn the third mark, but she had just made plans for the sole purpose of pleasing him and trying to draw him to her... After being with him essentially non-stop for the last several days, Celestine realized she needed to get away from him desperately, even if only for a little while. If things continued on the way they were, she would lose herself to him before earning the mark...



It was then that she noticed Markus again... Even now he was still looking over the weapon he had crafted making sure it was not damaged. Though after a moment more Arzal shooed him away and moved off, the sword still in the demon's hands, leaving Markus to glare after him. Again, Celestine had to admit that Markus cut an imposing picture. He was strong willed, and clearly still frustrated over having been made to bow to anyone... A trait that she admitted was somewhat alluring to her. 



She stepped closer and he turned to her as he noticed her approach. Immediately she saw the same intrigued curiosity in his eyes that she saw when they first saw each other, but a moment later he forced it down, trying to be distant and cautious. Before he could speak though, Celestine introduced herself. "I'm Celestine." She began as she offered him a hand. "These are kind of shitty circumstances, but it's nice to meet you." Her voice was kind, though she had to speak up to be heard over the music. 



Markus looked to her hand for a moment, as if assessing if this was a trap. She even saw him glance to Tristan for a moment before looking back to her. She saw he was fighting with himself... She suspected that a part of him thought to stay away from her, but curiosity eventually won out, and he took her hand in his. Before she knew it though he leaned over and gently kissed the top of her hand, making her blush some. "Markus," he introduced himself, "though you know that already." 



Quickly collecting herself, Celestine continued. "Yea, but it's still nice of you to introduce yourself." Celestine glanced down to the dance floor, the music again making her sway lightly to it. "So listen," she began looking back to him, "I'm heading down there to dance some... I'd like some company if you're interested." Celestine said with a pleasant smile. "And given the curious looks you were giving me a moment ago, I'd say that you might be interested. Or am I wrong?" She asked, her voice slightly playful as slipping a little closer to him. 



Celestine surprised herself... Not so long ago she would have been caught dead before asking a handsome man to go dance with her, even if he wasn't virtually a complete stranger. It was a byproduct of being around Tristan she supposed, though not a wholly bad one. Despite her act, she was still nervous as hell, and honestly expected him to say no, even though she knew she was attractive. More surprising was how spontaneously she asked him... She just saw him and asked before even thinking about it, yet she wasn't as worried as she might have once been about it.



Markus blinked once or twice as if surprised by her question. Eventually though he smiled slightly apologetically. "I... I appreciate the offer, but I'm sure I'd be a terrible dancer and I wouldn't really want to get in your way. Don't get me wrong, I'm tempted... more than a little tempted, but I really shouldn't." Markus responded hesitantly. She could see he wanted to, but apprehension was holding him back. 



"Oh please." Celestine began, smiling wider, finding that she could make this strong confident man suddenly become so indecisive and unsure. Frankly, she found it endearing and more than a little cute. "It isn't like you have to be a genius to figure it out dancing or anything. Though from the sounds of it, you sort of are a genius, so I suppose you might have an advantage. And calling it 'dancing' is embellishing it anyway. Really it's just moving to the beat and enjoying yourself." Celestine took his hand and tugged gently. "It is better than just standing around and being frustrated, isn't it?" She asked pulling again. 



In a moment more Markus broke down and let out a pleased sigh. "Fine, fine! But don't say I didn't warn you. The calamity that is about to take place cannot be placed upon my head." He began to follow her as she laughed at his words, quickly enticing him to start laughing as well. Celestine began to lead them towards the lower level, but as she did she felt something through the Demonic Mark, and glanced back to Tristan.



He had heard the two of them laughing, and she saw a moment of confusion on his features, before he turned away again. Almost instantly after she felt him closing himself off from her through the mark, but before the link was closed, she felt something that seemed utterly foreign coming from Tristan... She wasn't sure what it was really, as she had never felt it from him before. Worse still, was the fact that she only felt it for the barest of moments before he cut himself off from her. 



She glanced to Claude, whom seemed to be equally confused... He didn't seem to know what to make of the strange emotion at first either. However after a moment Claude looked to her, and she saw him frowning lightly before some understanding showed on his demonic features. A heartbeat later Claude turned away from her, refocusing on whomever they were speaking with. 



A gentle tug on her hand brought Celestine's attention back to Markus. "Is something wrong?" He asked, with honest, and touching, concern. 



"Hum? Oh... no. It's nothing. Let's go." She said smiling to him again, a sort of excited happiness washing over her as she guessed at what it was that Tristan felt for at least a moment. It was an effort not to simply break out and start running to the dance area, wanting to revel in the feeling his emotions sparked. She was fairly sure she understood what it was that Tristan felt now, and despite knowing that she shouldn't feel good about it, she did. She wrapped herself tight in the knowledge she had, basking in it. 



He was utterly unprepared for this... The idea that Celestine would find another man attractive enough to give her attentions too had apparently never dawned on Tristan... She felt that he wanted her more than ever now, even desperately so. Because there might have been a threat to his possessing her now... Celestine was almost certain she saw the emotion for what it was... jealousy...



~~~~



Tristan turned away as his mind worked to fight the swirling emotions that thundered against what he just saw. He took a slow breath and let it out again, forcing himself to be in control once more before looking back to the demons he was already addressing. As he spoke with them, almost by reflex, his mind kept going back to seeing Celestine take Markus's hand in hers, smiling and laughing with him. Tristan had overheard Celestine asking the Runesmith to dance, and it didn't help that she seemed to see his apprehensiveness endearing for whatever reason. 



He never foresaw this as a possibility. Hell, Celestine usually kept her distance from others so there was no reason to see this coming. Part of him raged at what he saw, though he wasn't entirely sure why... He was a creature of lust, and he could sense it simmering between the two of them, so why should he be unhappy? Celestine was finally acting on her own desires, instead of keeping them bottled up and locked away. But the fact of the matter was that he was indeed upset by seeing them together like that. Was this jealousy? Perhaps, but that didn't sound like him. 



The question of if he was even capable of being jealous in this circumstance came to mind as he was saying goodbye to those he was speaking with. He most definitely was feeling something, but it was not something he was accustomed to. Celestine was mortal, and while he desired her, and to see her revel in her own lust and desire, Tristan knew he didn't love her. As far as he was concerned, that simply wasn't possible, at least not as she was now. So what was it then?



Tristan turned to Claude about to speak, when he saw his butler's concern displayed on his features. Well... Displayed was actually a poor choice of words... Claude's emotions were usually deeply veiled, and now was no exception. However after the decades they had worked together, Tristan could see through such veils. "You are concerned about something Claude." Tristan said with no question in his voice. They were alone for the moment, near a railing that overlooked the lower stages. Tristan spied Celestine moving through the crowd and felt his shoulders tense when he saw Markus was still with her, hand in hand. Tristan thought he also noticed a glance from Celestine towards him, which she quickly redirected as she realized that she was still being watched. 



It took a long moment for Claude to reply, but eventually he responded. <i>("It is not often that you cut your emotions off from me My Lord.") </i>Claude said easily. <i>("It is rarer still that I feel an emotion like that pass from you.") </i>Claude wasn't angry per say. It was more accurate to say that he sounded disheartened. 



<i>("Yet it is not the first time I've cut myself off from the Mark, to you and Rena both. Though I admit, that in my haste to cut myself off from Celestine, I likely cut everyone off. I hope you were not too startled by my actions.") </i>Tristan explained with a slight smile to his features as he teased Claude lightly. 



However his teasing didn't seem to assuage Claude's concerns. <i>("Forgive me my Lord, but it is unlike you to be so rushed. I'm guessing it is because of how she made you feel just now. That in itself surprises me... I did not think you overly capable of jealousy.") </i>



Tristan's gaze turned colder as he looked to his friend. <i>("... That, sounded more than a little like an accusation Claude.")



("Again, forgive me, but that is not what it was. Instead think of it as a simple observation. Just as it is an observation when I say I do not believe it suits you.") </i>Claude's thoughts were stiff and formal. 



<i>("Oh I am perfectly aware of that fact Claude. Believe me, I don't intent to allow this event to become a commonplace one.") </i>Tristan assured, trying to make Claude relax a little. 



<i>("Whether you intend it or not, I have concerns about if you can prevent it. She is having an even greater effect on you than you know My Lord. What is worse, other demons are beginning to notice. Lady Navira chief amongst them! She wouldn't have done anything if you had treated Celestine like any other mortal servant, instead now she will inevitably demand a favor or recompense for saving Celestine, even though she is just a mortal.") </i>Claude was almost fuming, and Tristan could hear his frustrations through the mark. 



<i>("I am aware Claude.") </i>Tristan responded after a long moment, with a tone that startled Claude into looking towards his master. <i>("But that doesn't change things. I won't be rid of Celestine, as I know you'll want to suggest.") 



("Then be rid of the male mortal.") </i>Claude responded firmly. <i>("Yes, he is useful as a Runesmith, but you don't need his weapons or trinkets. You have more then enough power without anything he can give you.")



("Alas I can't Claude. I won't deny, seeing Celestine with him stirs something in me. Something that could, very easily, be jealousy. But I am not a demon of envy, so my control over such things is less than perfect. However if I simply kill him now, I think it would be worse than if I allowed him to stay.") </i>Tristan responded, though his thoughts were not as sure as Claude was used to.



<i>("Why?") </i>Claude demanded. <i>("Why can we simply not wipe him from the face of the earth? Celestine does not even have to know about it. Or we could simply prevent them from ever meeting again if killing him would be too much. So why?") </i>Claude asked, thoroughly sure that he could get away with it, without Celestine ever being the wiser. 



<i>("Because the seeds are sown now.") </i>Tristan replied with a little frustration. <i>("If we simply remove him now, Celestine will always wonder what could have come from it... She'll always wonder if she could have turned to him instead of me. That doubt would ruin my plans... It would ruin her. I can't allow it, so I will bear with this burden instead, and let this play itself out. Hopefully, she'll realize she doesn't actually want him. At least not beyond physical needs.") </i>Tristan finished coolly.



<i>("And what if, instead she finds him more palatable? What if human love blossoms in her heart, leaving no room in her soul for you to take hold?") </i>Claude asked slowly, trying to be respectful, but a part of him doubted. He didn't doubt his lord, but instead he doubted Celestine. She was mortal, and mortals erred often. 



Tristan didn't reply for a long moment... Instead he watched Celestine as she pulled Markus out into a less densely packed spot and began to show him how to dance to the music. Even as she danced with him, Tristan couldn't take his eyes off her, and how she moved. 'Devastatingly alluring' only began to scratch the surface of how he would describe her. Markus was stunned and almost gaped at her as she swayed and dipped to the music, her hips moving temptingly as her hands ran up her neck and through her copper tresses, only to come down again and slide over her alluring curves. She was even so bold as to brush up against him and smile to him invitingly, trying to coax him into dancing as well. He eventually conceded, much to the disappointment of the other mortals around her, all wishing to have their own opportunity instead of him. Without even meaning to, Celestine played them wonderfully, only occasionally glancing to the crowd, and bestowing them with a slightly embarrassed but excited smile, that could probably tempt even the most pious. 



She moved along side Markus and eventually leaned back against his chest swaying slightly as the music paused long enough to change over. Markus looked horribly clumsy next to her, yet it was apparent that he was enjoying himself in her company. Yet as she leaned, Tristan saw Celestine turn her head towards himself, and saw a coy grin grow on her features as their eyes met. Tristan shuddered lightly at that, his desire threatening to overwhelm him as he saw how she enjoyed the attention she was receiving... Not just by Markus, or even those around her. No, those, Tristan guessed, were secondary, when compared to the fact that she knew Tristan was watching her. Tristan found himself capable of looking only upon her, as everything else nearly fell away into the background... And she was reveling in it. 

<hr pg="4" />"My Lord?" Claude asked aloud, as the seconds ticked past, Claude began to wonder if his master had become lost in thought. 



"If that happens," Tristan began with a surprising calm about him, "I'll kill them both."



~~~~



"Found her." Laura's voice sounded, excitement tinting her tone as she turned to Blake. Blake turned away from his monitor and moved up behind Laura looking over her shoulder at the file she pulled up on the screen. "Celestine Carrigan. Reported missing by her coworkers before Ms. Variess was reported missing a day or so later." Laura continued to read as Blake looked at the image of the woman the responding officers had scrounged up. Even at a glance Blake had no doubt that this was the same woman in the mall security footage. "Huh." Laura drew Blake's attention, "Look at this. She wasn't reported missing until almost a week after she stopped coming to work. Apparently it was only reported because of company policy and someone in their HR department noticed her absences. Helena Variess apparently had no intention at all of reporting this if she didn't have to." 



"Well, Ms. Variess must just be a peach." Blake said dryly. "Gone for almost a week with no word or anything and she doesn't even report it? No wonder Celestine was pissed at her when they met at the mall; it sounds like Variess was a shitty boss and an even worse human being." Blake said dryly. 



"Let's not forget that she's probably a victim in all of this." Hera's voice piped in from further back in the office. "This Helena woman was probably abducted because of Celestine's actions. A terrible boss or not, no one deserves to be left in the less than tender mercies of demons." 



Blake grunted and shrugged. "That is a philosophical argument best never debated. Regardless, this Celestine woman is, as Hera pointed out, in all likelihood responsible in some way for the disappearance of Ms. Variess. Rookie, we're going to look into known associates: friends, family, whatever. We'll find out if anyone else near her has gone and disappeared on us. Or, if we are supremely lucky, we'll find a record of her contacting someone." Blake picked up his jacket and was about to head for the door, but found Hera standing in it, blocking his path. Laura looked past Blake and saw the determined look on Hera's face.



"I know this is your primary duty Blake, to investigate supernatural occurrence and protect the general populace from any demonic or supernatural attack." Hera's voice was firm, and unyielding. "And that duty is vitally important. However, that all pales in comparison to the threat the creation of a Dark Ascendant poses. If we do not act on this Helena Variess case, it is likely that she will die if she isn't already dead. In fact it is likely that others will die as well due to the actions of the demons responsible. However, if the Fell Born succeeds in its objectives, thousands could die in a matter of hours... We can't just ignore that." 



Blake cocked his head slowly at Hera and frowned as he held her gaze for a long moment. At first Laura was certain that Hera wasn't going to back down, but she noticed the smallest of flinches in the corner of her eye... A moment later, Hera slid one of her feet back less than a few inches... They were hardly anything in any normal circumstance, but for a Nephilim to give any ground at all...



Laura nearly jumped out of her skin when Blake spoke, voice grating like gravel. "We've hit a wall and you know it. Far as we can figure the demon in the room survived the explosion, but beyond that, we have no idea who the soul burned creature was, or who lived in the loft. We checked the records and it turned up to be a fake owner. She always paid in cash, and left no real trail. No one really got a great look at her either so we have essentially nothing to go on. So unless you can pull a rabbit out of your ass who happens to have a lead, I'm going to go and try and find this Helena woman, or at the very least, find out where the demons who are responsible, and proceed to butcher them." 



Hera blinked at the grating factuality of Blake's words, and after a moment stepped out of the way. "Come on Rookie" Blake called back to Laura as he stepped past Hera and into the hall. Laura dutifully followed and smiled a bit of an apology to Hera before passing her as well. Yet as she rounded the corner she nearly bumped into Blake, who seemed to be heading back to the office. He stopped around the corner and looked to Hera. "You coming?" he demanded.



Hera was surprised by his question, or that he even wanted her with them, but after a moment she nodded and followed along. After a moments thought, she couldn't help but be amused. Blake was gruff, but despite harsh words, he knew who his allies and friends were, and he wasn't the sort to leave anyone behind or burn his bridges. He might singe them on occasion, but he made sure they were still standing strong when he was done.



~~~~



"Master!" Rena's voice drew Tristan's attention and he saw Rena bounding up towards him and Claude. "Master! Something is wrong!" Rena finished as she came skidding to a stop in front of Tristan and Claude. 



Tristan looked about Rena, and saw no one was chasing her. A moment later he glanced about and saw that more than a few demons were looking at them curiously. Looking back to Rena he smiled gently and spoke through the mark. <i>("Easy Rena... Remember where we are. Speak through the mark, to avoid eavesdropping.") </i>Tristan was patient with her, even though part of him wanted nothing more than to watch Celestine.



"Huh? Oh shit! Sorry!" Rena said aloud before continuing through the mark. <i>("It's Celestine!") </i>



Tristan frowned and looked towards Celestine calmly, only to see her dancing away with Markus, in no real danger. <i>("Yes... what about her?") </i>He asked simply.



<i>("She's... She's!... She's dancing with that human!") </i>Rena announced more than a little flustered. 



<i>("I have eyes Rena...I can see them. She's almost hypnotic to watch, isn't she?") </i>Tristan asked slightly enthralled from his perch. 



Rena looked to follow his gaze and after a few moments the worry began to drain from her features as she ogled Celestine. But she quickly snapped out of it and turned back to Tristan. <i>("But! He's... he's dancing with her! Who is he anyway?! How can he dare to think he's good enough for her!?") </i>Rena continued to observe, and bristled as she saw Markus pull Celestine aside. He began talking with her as they took a break and got a drink together. <i>("I'll kill him!") </i>Rena announced, her thoughts swimming in rage as rational thought began to slip away. <i>("I won't let him take her away from you Master! From us!!") </i>Rena was about to leap from the edge of the upper tier that they were on, fully intent on landing on Markus and killing him.



<i>("Hold Rena.") </i>Tristan ordered firmly, and in an instant Rena stopped and was looking back to him, even as her anger swirled inside. <i>("That is Markus... A servant to a demon who is looking to swear loyalty to me. He's useful for now, so leave him be.") </i>Tristan's thoughts were measured and tightly held in check.



Rena looked to Tristan wide eyed and confused, clearly not understanding her orders at all. "...But..." Was all she could manage aloud, and Tristan couldn't help but sigh as she looked at him, eyes almost begging for him to make sense of the chaos. 



<i>("Hush Rena.") </i>Tristan said soothingly to her. <i>("It is okay. Celestine invited him to dance with her... She's... interested in him. There is nothing wrong with that.") 



("Yes there is!") </i>She snapped back desperately <i>("She is meant for you! Not some stupid human!") 



("Perhaps. But don't forget that Celestine is human as well. What is most important to me is that she's allowing herself to feel her desires, and is acting on them instead of bottling them all away. She's being spontaneous instead of having to plan everything out to the finest detail. Despite the fact that I would enjoy it if it were I who were dancing with her instead of him, I do consider this progress.") </i>Tristan explained, though Rena could hear he liked hearing his own words about as much as she did.



Rena tried to think of reasons why this was happening, and as her mind spun she found herself looking back at Celestine, having fun and laughing with Markus... As she watched, Rena's anger surged up again and her hands clenched as she held onto the railing, crushing the metal tubing that was meant to keep individuals from falling over, even though the fall probably wouldn't kill a demon. Tristan watched as her claws rendered the metal into ribbons and torn bits... Eventually Rena spoke up again. <i>("What if... What if this is all a ruse... What if she wants you to chase her and claim her?") 



("It very well could be.") </i>Tristan responded without hesitation. <i>("In fact I most definitely hope it is. But regardless if it is or not, I'm not going to go running after her. If I do, and we are wrong about the ruse, it could only result in pushing her farther away... Not something I can allow.") </i>Tristan finished as he watched the two mortals speaking to one another, though unable to hear them over all the music and distance between them. 



<i>("But... You are still going to pursue her right? You're not going to just forget about her right?") </i>Rena asked, her thoughts hesitant... Tristan supposed she was afraid that he may have grown bored with Celestine, which would leave Celestine out of any future Rena might have hoped for. 



However despite her worry, Tristan couldn't help but laugh at that. Claude and Rena both looked at his sudden outburst, and after a few moments it finally died down and Tristan was able to turn to Rena and give her a slightly lewd smile. "You're worried that am I going to leave her alone to swoon over that mortal? Hell no. She's <i><b>mine </b></i>Rena. I told her exactly that not so long ago. I told her that I would <i><b>never </b></i>let her go. And I meant it. I won't ever let that woman be free of me, so long as she lives. No... I'll let her explore her feelings in regards to this new mortal, but I suspect I'm too deeply ingrained into her heart by this point... Besides, if I may be an arrogant bastard for a moment, I doubt he'd be able to satisfy her like I can..." Tristan said still smiling wildly...



~~~~



Celestine couldn't help but laugh as Markus danced awkwardly. At first he might have thought she was mocking him, but after a moment or two more, it was apparent she was trying to laugh with him versus at him. Worse, was the fact that her laughter seemed to be infectious, and before Markus knew it, he was laughing along side her whenever he would stumble or jig when he should have jagged. More than a few times they bumped into one another, and on the most resent occurrence, Celestine felt the need to speak up.



"So, Markus, I am having a hard time understanding something, maybe you could put your big brain to work and help me figure it out?" She inquired, grinning lightly as they helped each other stay up. 



"Well, I can't promise anything." Markus responded, his hand gently resting just above the small of her back. "But I will try. What seems to be your quandary?" He asked as they righted themselves once again. 



"To be honest, I'm curious about how despite having ample room, every time you stumble, you always fall towards me?" Celestine teased, inciting another chuckle from Markus. 



"Well maybe there's a relation between me falling towards you, and me falling <i>for </i>you. What do you think?" Markus asked as he smiled to her, only realizing what he was saying a moment later. Celestine looked to him surprised by his forwardness and Markus immediately felt like he had went too far. "Shit! I'm... I'm sorry." He apologized as he backed off. "I didn't mean to be so forward. I'm not trying to fall on you I swear, I was just playing on the words and-" Markus's quick voice was quieted when Celestine reached up and put a finger to his lips, silencing him. 



"It's... It's okay Markus. That was corny, but kind of clever in its own way." Celestine responded with a pleasant smile. 



"Heavy on the corny." Markus admitted. "Look, I really am sorry. I didn't intend to put you on the spot like that and... well sorry. I'm not exactly great at this sort of thing. Usually I'll have my foot so far down my throat that I'll just stammer and ramble. I mean I just start talking and it only makes me more and more nervous. And before I know it, I can't stop. Sort of like I am doing right now..." he realized as he sighed out his frustrations. He looked back up to Celestine and found her smiling, as if she couldn't keep in her secret happiness. 



At his confused look she smiled wider. "Sorry! It's just... well I'm not good at this stuff either. In fact this is only the second time I've just kinda 'clicked' with a guy. It isn't something I'm accustomed too, or even really know how to deal with." Celestine glanced about and then looked back to Markus. "Do you want take a break? I could use a drink before we keep going." 



Markus nodded and took her hand without any hesitation at all, leading her through the crowd towards one of the booths that were serving drinks. Celestine was surprised that she didn't pull away from him, instead she felt almost relieved to have her hand in his. The line was, thankfully, short and they did not have to wait long before they got their drinks and were able to find a spot off to the side to catch their breath. Markus took a sip of his cool drink before looking over to see Celestine pressing her frosty glass against her brow. It painted a picture Markus had trouble tearing his eyes away from, and found quickly enough that he didn't want to look away. However as she took the glass away and took a drink, he found her movements hadn't ruined the picture...



It wasn't long before Celestine noticed Markus's curious gaze, which seemed to both admire her, and seemed to be looking for more about her at the same time. Despite herself, she found herself smiling under his unique look and spoke up. "What is it?" 



"I just... No... never mind. It's nothing." Markus tried to brush it away casually, but Celestine seemed disinclined to let it go.



"Oh come on, you can't give me a look like that and just expect me to forget it afterwards. What is it? I know you want to ask me something." Celestine said cocking her head gently to him.



"Well... It's just... you're not like many of the other mortal servants I've met before. I don't know, you just seem less... Less amazed and enthralled by all this." He said waving to everything around him. "I haven't found someone else like that before now. Usually they seem to be half wits and morons, all willing and happy to bow their heads and kiss their master's feet. You don't strike me as someone like that." 



Celestine listened to his words before thinking on them for a moment. "I suppose you are right... I mean don't get me wrong, everything here is impressive, and a little frightening, but I don't feel overwhelmed by it. The only thing I've found overwhelming so far has been the Sovereign..." Celestine shuddered slightly before forcing it down, hoping Markus hadn't seen her moment of fearful recollection. 



However despite that, she saw concern cross his features. "I didn't see it happen. I wasn't even underground yet when you apparently met him. I... I can't imagine what that is like... As a Runesmith, I know that demons are frightening and often times overwhelming, but that did little to prepare me for when I saw him for the first time at the Clash. Even with that shroud up, he's terrifying... And you saw him without it... or so I understand." Markus was trying to be supportive, Celestine could see that. But at the same time his curiosity pressed him to learn more. 



"I did yes... Terrible doesn't even begin to describe it. It was like some heavy weight had settled in my chest and wrapped around my heart, slowly squeezing tighter and tighter... Somehow I kept it together until that evening, but I don't know how long I would have managed without help." Celestine explained, admitting to him and herself that she wouldn't have been okay on her own. 



However her words seemed to confuse him. "Who helped you? I didn't think there would be a single soul down here who would be willing to help anyone freely, least of all a mortal."



Celestine looked to him and frowned slightly at his response. She was about to tell him that he was wrong, and that Tristan had helped her immensely, but she paused, realizing herself that he had indeed helped her... Yes, he took advantage of her, but the pleasure he gave her helped shake loose the terror that coiled around her. Even now she could recall the blissful feeling of him penetrating her deeply... But more than that she recalled his words and the memories brought a smile to her lips and a slight blush to her cheeks. Despite knowing she shouldn't, a very large part of her believed his words... Before she realized it, she was glancing up to him, standing above with Claude and Rena... He was watching over her, and she realized then she felt very safe, under his watchful gaze. 



Markus followed her gaze and saw Lord Durial, and found himself snorting. "I'm surprised he helped you. Every demon I've ever met is a self-entitled little shit that deserves nothing more than to be banished or locked away to be used as a power source." Markus's suddenly cold and almost venomous voice snapped Celestine out of her pleasant memories. 



"I-... I don't know why he helped me." Celestine announced, though she knew part of it was because Tristan wanted her to stay by his side. The other part of her wondered if it was just him taking advantage of an opportunity... That he saw a chance to enjoy the pleasures her body could provide and that he took it...



"I don't know either. Probably because he wants to use you or something." Markus frowned, as if that upset him more than a little. He looked to her and she saw his features soften. "Has he..." He couldn't seem to find the resolve to finish his question.



Celestine suddenly felt like she was on the spot and glanced away from Markus. "Well... yes. I've never really given my consent though. The first time he even forced me to sleep with him by using his powers on me." Celestine answered, a part of her suddenly fearing that would make Markus disgusted with her. 



"That fucking bastard!" Markus hissed angrily, his fists clenching at his sides. "I'd kill him if I could..." Markus said lowly. "All I need is a good opportunity... But...I can't. Not yet." Markus said apologetically to Celestine. 



Little did he know that his words seemed to strike an anxious cord with Celestine. The thought of Markus killing Tristan suddenly filled her with a sense of dread. She shook it off before long though and spoke up, her voice hesitant and cautious, loud enough only loud enough for him to hear her. "What...what would you say if I told you I had a plan to end him?" 



Markus looked to her perplexed, but after a long moment, he smiled grimly and nodded. "I'd ask you what I could do to help..." he paused though, before he eventually continued. "And I'd ask what your timetable is... I need time still... Time to learn what I can from Arzal. I'm close now... very close to unlocking everything he might know. After that, I won't need him any more." 



Celestine frowned in confusion at that. "Wait... you said earlier that he's teaching you about runes and I'm guessing that has something to do with magic. Won't that take a really long time?" 



"No. Not for me anyway. Arzal isn't teaching me, not in the traditional sense anyway. He'll drop something in my lap that will help me develop new runes, but it's me who creates them and derives them from the snippets of information he gives me about demonic glyphs and sigils which have a power all their own. I'm the one who puts that together with more standard Runic magics to create something unique and new. To be frank, he's learning more from me than I am from him. Once I've gotten everything I need from him, I'll be able to imprison him inside specialized runes, and then I'll be able to destroy him at my leisure before he can spread my discoveries around." Markus explained lowly, a glimmer of anticipation in his voice. "I never sold myself to them Celestine... I've always had a plan for breaking free of them." 

<hr pg="5" />Celestine listened and was amazed at Markus's apparent level of preparation... He was certain that he was fooling Arzal into giving him what he needed, before he simply did away with the one who would call himself Markus's master... Frankly speaking, it was more than she had ever come up with. All she had was the hope that she would earn the third mark, and then turn its powers against Tristan. However that came with the real risk that she would be corrupted first... or eaten. 



"I don't know how long my plan will take." Celestine admitted. "But I'm fairly certain you have plenty of time yet, so don't rush anything. My plan... well... it's fairly simple in comparison to yours and sort of foolish now that I have something to compare against... I'm hoping to earn the third mark... and then turn it against Tri-... er... Durial." Celestine explained.



Markus's eyes went wide at her words and he glanced around once before looking back to her. "Foolish... maybe. But given that you don't have any other weapons to use... I can see how you came to that conclusion. I've heard the stories about those who bear the third mark and how the connection can almost be fatal for a demon. Something about how the particular human emotions like pity are like poison to them. Still, it's dangerous. I've heard the mortal is just as heavily influenced by the demon as the demon is by the mortal. In a way, it's a race to see who gets swallowed up by the other..." Markus explained, though Celestine was painfully aware of the process. 



"I know. I've been trying to earn his trust and 'favor' over the last number of days. Almost everything I do when I'm around him is measured for that purpose. I won't lie and say he hasn't affected me at all, but some parts of it are positive changes I think, and the rest I... The rest I can keep under control." Celestine assured him, glancing up to meet his gaze. A part of her wondered if Markus was part of a ploy Tristan had concocted... She honestly wouldn't put it past him. But even if Markus wasn't, she wondered if he looked down on her for doing what she felt she had to.



But Markus's gaze held no judgment, and instead seemed to be very understanding. "It is okay Celestine. I know what a lust demon like him might demand of you, and frankly I think it is very noble of you to try and take him down the way you are." He smiled to her gently and Celestine felt a wave of nervousness flutter in her stomach before he continued. "I want to ask though... Demonic marks are not something most demons give out freely, and from what I can tell, you have two of them already. Do you mind if I ask how you earned them?" 



Celestine cocked her head as she thought of how to answer that. Despite herself, she found herself glancing up to Tristan, still watching them from his post. Or rather he was watching her... Eventually she responded to Markus, slowly looking to him. "The first mark was... well I accepted it as a means of protecting myself from other demons. At the time I was on the wrong side of a sloth demon that seemed inclined to carry a grudge. Then again... I kind of deserved it." Celestine chuckled as she ran her hand through her hair. "I was freaking out because I had thought that Durial had used his powers to invade my dreams. He was there, but as it turned out it was Rena who was responsible for what happened in the dreams, not him. Regardless, I blew up and that ended up pissing off the sloth demon. Eventually Rena killed the sloth demon to protect me, but she wouldn't always be there, so when Tristan offered the first mark, I accepted it in order to protect myself." Celestine was happy to see that Markus still didn't seem to be judging her, and if anything seemed to agree with her decision. She was happy to leave it at that too, but his curiosity didn't let him leave it alone.



"What about the second mark? Generally that is only given to favored servants." Markus pressed. 



"Well... I am one of his favored servants, not that I had a lot of choice in the matter, or have that much competition." Celestine sighed and looked to Markus, weighing if she should explain or not. Eventually she realized that he had been completely open with her already, it would be a betrayal if she denied him now. "I... I had to make a decision that I'm not overly proud of. Tristan captured my closest friend... We knew each other ever since the first year of high school and after getting over some initial troubles, we became very close. However it seems... well it seems that over time she became envious of me and began manipulating me to her ends. Long story short, she was more of an enemy than a friend, and tried to throw me under the bus to earn Durial's favor. It backfired on her though, and Durial was going to kill her for it. I begged for her life, despite her treachery. It was the right thing to do, or so I thought at the time. The price for her life was for me to accept the Second Demonic Mark, so it was less earned and more given. However that still left her in a sort of limbo, and I ended up having to make another choice... I could have her released back into the human world, where she would inevitably do more harm to everyone around her, or she could suffer for her actions, and become an incubator for Hell Spawn." Celestine said, surprised by her own lack of empathy towards her decision. Strange... when it was happening it seemed to be such a hard decision, but now it seemed like an easy and obvious choice... "If I had seen her released, I knew she would only seek out another demon to try and earn favor... Cameron was always looking for a shortcut to get the things she wanted, and was willing to hurt anyone she needed to in order to see that she got what she wanted." Celestine explained. 



Markus listened carefully, and when she paused he frowned, not entirely sure what to make of it. Eventually he spoke up though, voice firm and calm. "I still have some contacts on the outside... I'll try and get them to find her and keep her from hurting anyone else." Markus assured, having assumed Celestine's choice. 



She looked at him, surprised that he had come to that conclusion. A moment later she couldn't help but giggle and then smile to him happily. At his confused look she managed to speak. "Thank you... Thank you for thinking I'm a better person than I really am... You won't need to do that Markus. Cameron is locked underground, and is likely either giving birth right now, or being impregnated by Hell Spawn." Celestine was again surprised by her own candor when it came to this subject. For the life of her, she couldn't drum up the horror she had felt when she had first made the choice and watched Nefas modify Cameron....



She could see Markus was trying not to be judgmental, but he was largely failing. Celestine again smiled, though this time slightly apologetically. "It is okay if you want to hate me Markus... Most people would after all. But I couldn't let her go. I had no hope of getting someone to help me like you do and I know she would have sacrificed any number of people to get what she wanted. She would have manipulated them, abused them, and ultimately try to sacrifice them to monsters to get what she wanted... I know because that is what she tried to do to me." 



Markus nodded slowly, trying to come to terms with her words, and Celestine was surprised to see that he somehow managed it. Eventually he spoke though. "Are you sure you'll be able to handle earning the Third Mark? He's already put you through so much, what will it take to get the Third Mark?" Markus asked, honest concern in his voice as he gently took her hand. 



A few moments passed before she eventually responded, her hand softly squeezing his in response. "I honestly don't know. I know I'm slipping... slowly, bit by bit, I am. Over and over I've looked back at the things I've chosen to do in order to get the weapon I need, and over and over I'm surprised by how quickly everything is going. How Durial seems to make every choice an easy one, or one where I can't choose an alternative. Maybe I will break down before I get my chance... But I have to try something, or I know I'll eventually buckle completely." She looked up to his eyes and Markus almost flinched at the almost sad determination written there. Somehow he saw that she didn't think she'd survive the attempt on Durial's life, even if she got her shot at him.



"No... I will accelerate my plans and learn as much as I can as quickly as I can. I might tip off Arzal but he isn't a real threat, I could handle him now if I were really forced to, though he doesn't know that. Instead of you trying to earn the third mark it-... It will be safer if I simply try and take Durial out myself when I'm ready. Runesmiths and other Arcanists have taken down powerful demons before, I'm sure I can do it too. I <i>can </i>kill him!" Though to her ears, he sounded like he was convincing himself more than her. 



"<i>No</i>!" She ripped her hand out of his before her hand snapped forwards, gripping his forearm tightly. She didn't even hear him gasp in pain at her powerful grip, as something pressed at her from inside... Telling her that his plan was the wrong choice; that she couldn't let him try and take Tristan's life. "You can't kill him! I won't <i>let </i>you!" Celestine was almost hissing at him before she snapped out it of and started to relax her grip. She saw his confusion and pain and quickly pulled herself together. "No..." she said more softly. "He's a Demonic Lord, Markus... he's perfectly capable of turning you into a gibbering sex crazed nut-job before you could even begin your attack on him. Just being near him is enough for his influence to affect anyone... It would be safer if you didn't act. At least... At least not until I'm ready... Maybe I can maneuver him to lower his guard, but I doubt it. For now, simply focus on what you need to do in order to save yourself." Celestine implored him, her hand still holding his arm tightly. 



"O-...Okay. But if you need help, please come to me. Hopefully in a day or two we'll get a chance to talk again. By the sounds of it, that's when Arzal will be meeting with Durial, and it sounds like I'm being brought along." Markus explained, his control over his voice coming back to him. 



"I look forward to it." Celestine responded honestly. "But... But for now I think I should get back. It sounds like this party is winding down, and I'm sure Durial will be getting impatient by this point." 



Markus nodded and smiled to her. However as she hesitated, she noticed that he seemed to be thinking something over, and before she knew it he slid his arm around her lower back and gently pulled her closer to him. Instinctively her hands went to his chest, as if to push him away, but she found she didn't want to. Markus leaned in and spoke softly, a few inches from her features. "I'm... I'm sorry if this is too forward but... I've wanted to do this since I laid eyes on you, and every word we've traded has made me want to act on that desire even more..." He began to close the last few inches as he brought his features towards hers. 



It was then that Celestine realized that he was going to kiss her... Her rational mind snapped forwards and before she realized it, she had a finger pressed against his lips, holding him back gently. "I'm... I am flattered Markus. I really am." She said apologetically as he looked upon her. "And believe me; I do want to let you kiss me... but I try to save those sorts of things for the second date at the very least..." 



Markus pulled back a bit and nodded. "I'm sorry. I'm being an overaggressive ass aren't I? It's just... part of me is worried this will be the only chance I'll ever get. But that doesn't matter. It was wrong of me, no matter the circumstance." He began to pull away, but as he did, something made her gently catch the hem of his jacket and hold him in place.



<i>'What am I doing? I should just let him go... we hardly know each other!' </i>Celestine asked herself in her head, trying to weigh her morals against her desires. 



<i>Oh please, like that is going to stop us at this point. We want to kiss him, so just do it. </i>



Celestine was startled by her inner voice, its smooth seductive tone whispering in her ear. Despite herself, Celestine glanced up to Markus, suddenly fearful that he might somehow hear her inner voice, just as Vestiem had been able to. However as he looked at her curiously, she realized he couldn't. <i>'But we just met!' </i>she replied to herself, uncertainty creeping into her features. 



<i>So what? He's handsome, and he clearly wants you, and we want him... </i>



Celestine felt the feather touch of her other side along her jaw, as if trying to make her raise her lips to meet Markus's. <i>'But what about Tristan?! He's watching right now!'



And so what if he is? He's not stopping us... Markus is a big boy and he can take care of himself. He knows the risks and he is still trying. He's willing to accept us, despite what you perceive as faults. Heroic, isn't it? </i>She teased, and Celestine could almost feel her inner voice pressing up against her back, gently pushing Celestine towards Markus before her inner voice spoke once again. <i>But most importantly... we want this. I wouldn't be saying anything if we didn't...</i>



Markus began to pull away again but Celestine held onto him tighter. "W-wait." She said, not totally sure of herself. He paused and looked to her as she began to blush. Now that she had told him to stop, she found it almost impossible to keep going...



"Celestine?" Markus asked, unsure what he should be doing. She had told him no, but her actions suggested otherwise. 



She looked up to him and smiled apologetically, before simply leaning forwards and pressing her lips against his. At first both were unsure that what they were doing was right, but after a moment the pleasure of the contact wiped all such feelings aside and Celestine and Markus kissed each other firmly, Markus pulling her bodily against him, the swell of her breasts compressing against his chest. 



Celestine didn't know how long they kissed for, but as she readied to break away from him, she cracked her eyes open, and saw Tristan. She only spied him from the corner of her eye, and he was still up on the upper tier, but he was still watching her. Despite the distance between them and despite the cool calm he portrayed, Celestine felt like she saw it there, written on his features: A spark of jealousy that he had to keep down. She could see that he wanted to be the one with his arms around her, with his lips claiming hers. 



It didn't matter though, and Celestine quickly turned her attention back to Markus, before breaking off the kiss. For a long moment both of them simply looked at each other, unsure of what to say. Celestine could see Markus was lightly flushed, though she was surprised when she didn't feel any color in her cheeks. Regardless, Markus spoke up, his voice sounded pleased. "I'm glad I got to be an exception to the rule." His light grin proved that much. 



"I have to admit, that I'm happy that I allowed an exception to the rule..." Celestine smiled to him and for a long moment both of them hesitate in letting the other go. Eventually though, Celestine pulled away and chuckled lightly. "You know... I don't think I've ever hit it off with anyone like this. I wish I could stay, but I really should be going. I'll hopefully see you in a few days Markus." He nodded to her, but before he could say more, Celestine began to head back towards Tristan. 



Again she glanced up to Tristan, and found him still watching her. It was then that some foreign emotion began to creep up on her. Despite herself, she began to walk differently, her hips swaying just a touch more, her pose slightly more defined as to accent her womanly features... She realized she was instinctually showing off a little bit... to Tristan. She knew she shouldn't, but despite that she couldn't help herself. She liked feeling this... this sense that she had done something wonderfully wicked, and that it had made Tristan want her all the more...



However, as she walked, she couldn't help but begin to analyze her feelings. "Wait..." She began to pause, as if trying to think of what she had done and why... She looked back to see if she could still spy Markus, but he was already lost in the throng of mortals. Instinctively she looked towards Tristan, some part of her hoping that she hadn't upset him overly much. But she was disappointed when she couldn't find him. He had abandoned his vigil over her... A ripple of concern began to spread out in her. Had she gone too far? Was he angry with her? If she had misjudged what he would and wouldn't tolerate, she may have put herself and Markus in very real danger...



"Wait..." She repeated as she tried to think, her mind sluggish as she tried to understand. "Gone too far doing what? I... I kissed Markus because I like him... Not to entice Tristan." She assured herself, though she wasn't convincing herself. 



...



Celestine waited for her inner voice to respond, but she seemed to have gone quiet. It was strange though, because Celestine could still feel the presence of her inner voice, hanging over her. Celestine looked again for Tristan, and when she didn't find him, she began to walk again, trying to sort things out. 'I know you're there. Answer me.' She thought to herself, trying to coax her other side into speaking. 



<i>Humm? </i>Was all Celestine got in response. 



"What... is this? Why do I suddenly feel... I don't even know what this feeling is! What is going on?" Celestine asked, voice no more than a whisper as to avoid seeming like a lunatic to the people she passed. 



<i>Oh, that. It's no surprise you don't understand... That is the feeling of knowing we've made a man yearn for us. Exhilarating isn't it? </i>Her inner voice asked, its spectral hands hugging Celestine lightly as it drifted along behind her. 



"This... this isn't the same. I've felt that before, this is different somehow." Celestine asserted, unwilling to accept the explanation offered so far. 



<i>That is because it is different. In previous cases it was always just between us and Tristan. Now we've brought in another man to the mix. You saw how Tristan looked at us when we were with Markus... You saw how he hungered for us, how he desperately wanted us. It's just a shame he didn't act...it would have been wonderful to see him hurl Markus away and sweep us away, stealing us all for himself, no matter what Markus wanted. Or what we wanted for that matter... </i>Her inner voice let out a pleasant sigh and Celestine couldn't help but shudder at the imagery that assaulted her senses. Before she knew it, her breath hiked up and her cheeks began to flush lightly. Celestine was about to object but her inner voice cut her off... <i>Don't even bother denying it. We would love it and you know it. </i>



"Shut up!" Celestine demanded, suddenly embarrassed. "You make it sound like I'm using Markus!" Celestine accused. 



...



The silent response stopped Celestine dead in her tracks, causing another mortal to bump into her who glared angrily at Celestine before going around, though Celestine seemed completely oblivious. After a few moments Celestine managed to collect herself enough to get out of the path she was on and stand off to the side. "You're... you're wrong." Was all she could manage.



<i>Am I? I don't recall saying that you were or weren't using him... </i>Celestine noticed a subtle shift in her inner voice's tone... She wasn't as playful as she was before... Now she was being careful with her words... <i>All I said was that we would love it if Tristan went all cave man on us and simply stole us away from any other suitor that might be pursuing us. Anything beyond that is just you jumping to conclusions.</i>

<hr pg="6" />"You're lying!" Celestine snapped, loud enough to earn her a few glances. She turned away and continued, acid in her voice. "Like always, you are trying to manipulate me, and lead me astray." Celestine accused again. 



Celestine got the feeling that her other side was almost shrugging at her. <i>Maybe I am lying... Or maybe you're just seeing something that isn't there. But let me pose this to you, if you can't find it in yourself to trust me. Are you using Markus? If the answer is no, then what does it matter what I say? You know the answer, and as you've noticed before, you're the dominant side in this relationship...I can't force you to do anything, even if I wanted to. </i>Celestine felt her spectral counter part squeeze her a little tighter, before Celestine felt her invisible partner nuzzle against her cheek, as if trying to show her subservience. 



The sense of ease had returned to her other side's tone, and Celestine pondered her words. However Celestine was quite aware that her other side wasn't as weak as she was trying to convey. Indeed, her other side had strength enough to hold Celestine against her will, for a short time at the very least. Eventually Celestine responded, her own voice calm and relaxed again. "I'm not using Markus. Never mind that I'm not that sort of woman, but I like him for being him. Not because I could potentially use him against Tristan. He's kind, intelligent, and he doesn't judge me badly. Most importantly, he's not pushy... If I had told him not to kiss me and left it at that, he wouldn't have kissed me. Plain and simple..." Celestine explained confidently. 



<i>I suppose you have your answer then don't you? </i>Celestine could almost feel the smile pressed against her cheek, and got the feeling that her other side was leaving it at that, apparently unwilling or unable to argue further. That in itself gave Celestine a small surge of confidence. It wasn't often that she won these arguments after all...



Without any further hesitation, Celestine continued up to the higher tiers to find Tristan, a light smile on her features again. Was it nice to see Tristan desire for her burn hotter than normal? Sure, but that wasn't the goal of spending time with Markus. Besides, it wasn't like she was beholden to Tristan and only him... As a creature of lust, she suspected that having several partners would be completely natural to him. Hell, she'd seen him with numerous women over the short time she'd known him.



So when Celestine rounded the corner and spotted Tristan, she felt perfectly confident in walking right up to him. That was of course until she noticed Navira standing across from him, lounging against a table playfully. It took only a moment to realize the two of them were talking, and Celestine suddenly found her feet glued to the floor... She knew she shouldn't have felt awkward, but... After what just happened with Markus, she couldn't help but think maybe it was better if she waited Navira out, especially if Tristan was upset with her for what happened with Markus...



~~~~



Blake, Laura and Hera all shuffled into the dinner, taking their seats at their reserved table. Milana, Darass and Dominace were waiting for them and made room for them. Blake dropped down into his seat along side Milana before opening the folder he was carrying and began to spread it out for everyone to look at. Well, all save Milana anyway. 



Yet despite her blindness, Blake could feel her gaze settling upon him. He didn't act on it at first, but instead prepared to present his and the Rookie's findings to the group. But before Blake could begin, Milana spoke up. "Neither of them has slept in at least 24 hours... have they?" The question was directed to Hera, who shrugged lightly. 



"Laura got about an hour's worth as we were driving around today, but other than that, no, they haven't slept in a day or so. Though Blake has probably been awake even longer." Hera reported easily, inciting a new unhappy look from Milana. 



Blake weathered it for a long moment, everyone else staying quiet as she waited for him to crack. Blake sat, waiting for her to give up, and could almost hear the clock ticking away before his frustrations finally got the best of him. "I'm <i>fine</i>." He insisted, though that only spurred Milana on.



"No you are not. Laura is nearly ready to nod off and you are exhausted. The only thing that is keeping you going right now is coffee and some self deluded determination that staying awake for as long as possible will make you more capable of solving cases than if you were fully rested." Milana's voice was firm, though not angry. 



Blake grumbled annoyed. "In your opinion," He asserted, "which is not the compass I guide my ship by on the sea of life. I'll sleep when I'm ready to sleep. Until then, I'm just dandy. And so is the Rookie..." Blake looked to Laura and saw her beginning to nod off before giving her a light kick under the table, snapping her awake. "See? She's fine. Lets get to work." 



Milana shook her head and sighed but gave up quickly enough. Blake was wired up on caffeine and wouldn't be receptive to reason or logic. She knew why he pushed so hard of course, though not because she was a seer. She knew because this wasn't the first time it had happened and because Blake felt like he somehow had to keep up with the Nephilim, which didn't actually need to sleep as much as mortals did... 



However, even before Blake could begin his assessment of their findings, Dominace rose at the sight of a picture that was spread out from the file. He picked it up and frowned deeply before looking to Blake. "Who is this?" Dominace almost demanded, flipping the picture of the Red haired woman for Blake to see. 



Blake's already sour mood got pressed further. "Well, if you sit down and listen, I'll be able to tell you that, now won't I? Or you could keep interrupting me and jumping ahead and you'll never find out." 



Dominace bristled but sat back down again grinding his teeth slowly. "Good." Blake said slowly before he turned to the rest. "Now before we get too deep into this, I want to let everyone know that we've hit a wall in terms of the Fell Born issue. Far as we can tell the demon that lived in that loft survived the explosion, but we have no idea where they are now. Which means, unless you have additional information, we're dead in the water." Blake looked to Milana specifically but she simply shook her head slowly. "I had hoped we might make more headway, and not have to wait for another incident, but it looks like that is what it's going to take." Blake explained, much to the unrest of the Nephilim. 



"I'll contact another choir or two and see if they know of any way of tracking a Fell Born." Milana began. "There may be a way I'm simply not aware of. I don't like just waiting for this thing to strike again, because that is assuming it will strike again. It might simply become a Dark Ascendant before any other incidents occur." Milana explained. 



"I know." Blake responded coolly. "But we don't have anything to go on, and in the meantime, we can try and help as many other people as we can."



Milana nodded. "I'll... I'll prepare the horn just in case." 



Blake was about to move onto the next matter of business when Milana's words clicked and he froze. After a moment he looked to her and realized she was serious. "Don't you think it's a bit early to be setting up the call for the Calvary? I'm sure we still have ti-"



"But we don't!" Milana cut him off, though she clearly didn't want to. "If we hesitate, even for a moment when it becomes apparent a Dark Ascendant walks this world, it could mean paying a cost of hundreds if not thousands of lives!" 



Blake stared at her for a long moment, unhappy and unwilling to accept the need for such drastic measures just yet. But he knew she was just as stubborn as he was, and arguing it would get him no where. Eventually he relented and let out a low "Alright." Laura looked confused more than anything, unsure what the big deal was... But then Blake knew she didn't know the toll for calling one of the Angels down from on high was, even with the horn. The universe was an immense place after all... a beacon was needed to bring them down. In essence, it turned whoever was calling them down into a lightning rod... 



Regardless, Blake shook it off and turned to the group. "We'll prepare for the worst, but in the meantime, we have a new case." Blake accented the point by pointing at the file in front of them. "We have a string of three missing persons, two of which seemed tied to the third in some way or another." Blake organized the documents he and Laura had gathered before beginning. "This is Helena Variess." he said pointing to one stack of papers with her picture on it. "She was last seen driving out of the Downtown Mall parking lot by a security camera three days ago. Thing is, she never made it home. Her car hasn't been found and its GPS system was turned off somewhere along the highway. From there we have no clue. Helena Variess is a manager at a Geotechnical company. Upon investigation, several rumors surfaced amongst her coworkers that she got her position less because of her merit as an employee; and more because she spent time on her back or on her knees. She was, to most people, a pretty decent boss. However it was painfully obvious that she did seem to have it out for one employee in particular. Other employees had several suggestions as to why she disliked this one individual, but the most prominent was that Ms. Variess hated her because she was simply better at her job than Variess ever was, and looked like she was on the fast track in the company, without having to resort to less than savory methods Variess had used." Blake paused and looked to the group and was pleased to see that the Nephilm were paying close attention, Darass especially. "Ms. Variess doesn't have a spouse or any children, and by and large she is estranged from the rest of her family. When questioned, her family didn't really go into it, but the separation started to form just before Ms. Variess was raised up to management, so my guess is that they found out somehow." 



Darass looked up to Blake. "It is terrible that this woman is missing, but where is the evidence that this is related to supernatural concerns." 



Blake nodded to Laura and she pulled out her tablet and set it up for the Nephilim to see. In a few moments she had the video running and after a moment more, they all understood how it was linked. The static in the video of the confrontation at the mall was proof enough that a demon was present just hours before Helena was last seen. 



"Who's the red-head she seems to be fighting with?" Darass asked, his instincts leading him in the same direction that Blake's did. 



"Celestine Carrigan." Laura spoke up, and began to pull up her file on the tablet. "She's in her early twenties and lived alone as far as we can tell. She works under Ms. Variess, and from what we can tell, is actually the employee Variess seems to have it out for. We dug through Celestine's records, and quickly found more there than there should have been. She'd been working at the company for just under a year, and had already filed numerous sexual harassment allegations against her coworkers. They were, according to company policy, sent to Variess, who seemed just to ignore them, telling her higher ups that Celestine was just unaccustomed to a real work environment. Regardless of that though, Ms. Carrigan was an exemplary worker, and had already gained the attention of the higher ups, but she was being held back by Variess, who filed numerous complaints against Celestine." Laura finished. 



"Do we believe that Ms. Carrigan here is responsible for putting a target on Ms. Variess?" Milana asked, reaching her hand out to one of the other Nephilim to share their memories of what these people looked like and of the video. 



"Possibly." Blake responded. "There is more then enough to suggest motive. The strange thing is, Celestine was reported missing a day or so before Variess was. But get this... Variess hated Celestine so much that she never reported it to the police. Instead it was someone from their HR department who noticed Celestine's absences and called it in, though only after a week or possibly more of Celestine missing work." 



The Nephilim frowned at that, unable to grasp how a person could hate another that much. Regardless Darass spoke up. "So, we are under the premise that Celestine was taken by a demon some time ago, possibly a week or more ago, and then what? That video shows her walking around with a demon, which I'm guessing it is guarding her, and there to make sure Celestine doesn't bolt." 



"It isn't just the one demon." Milana suddenly piped up. Look at the upper right hand of the screen at time index 3:53.23. It's dark so you might not see it the first time. Notice that there is more static in the shadows along the ceiling? I'm guessing those were Terrorgiest demons, at least three of them." Milana informed them. Within moments the others were looking at the screen and after a moment or two Blake sat back. He was impressed with Milana's ability to see things in other people's memories even when the original bearer never noticed them.



"I don't know if she's willing or not..." Milana continued. "But that young woman is indeed a marked servant. She bore two demonic marks at the time when this video was made." Milana frowned, as if scrutinizing something. "There is something else there... but I don't know what. If I could sense her directly I could make it out but... not like this." Milana said apologetically.



"Wait... you can tell she is marked just through the video?" Blake asked, a bit surprised. 



"Yes. Have you heard the myth that some cultures have about how taking a picture of a person with a camera will let the camera steal their soul? As it turns out, that myth is actually partially correct. Somehow the camera captures an 'image' of several aspects of the person not visible to the human eye. I can sense these 'images', and while they are not perfect, I can tell she is marked at least twice." Milana explained smiling lightly. "I can also tell there was a male human with the demon, who also bears two demonic marks of his own, though they belong to a different demon. As for the demon itself, it is a wrath demon and female too. A very rare combination... I suspect he belongs to the demon walking beside Celestine. Celestine's demonic marks suggest she belongs to a demon of lust." 



Blake blinked at Milana and kept himself from grumbling. He thought he knew her well, yet he kept finding new aspects of her he wasn't aware of before, never mind the fact that pictures captured an image of your soul, which was unsettling in of itself. "Okay... well then now we know Celestine is a servant of some demon. This actually makes our third missing person a little more understandable." Blake pulled up another set of documents and showed them Cameron O'Neil. "This is, apparently, Ms. Carrigan's best friend. She was actually reported as having disappeared before Celestine; however I suspect that Celestine was taken first. Given that she didn't show up for work a day or two before Ms. O'Neil went missing, it would give that assumption some credence." Blake explained.



"The strange thing was, that a lot of Cameron's 'friends' didn't seem to care that she went missing." Laura began. "If anything, they almost seemed relieved. It took some coaxing, but from what I can tell, a lot of them actually were not terribly attached to Cameron. Some of them even seemed to hint that Cameron manipulated the whole group of them, twisting them to her whims and wants. I couldn't confirm it, but Celestine seemed to get the worst of it too. Something about Cameron setting her up with someone Cameron knew to be gay, only for it to explode in Celestine's face later and humiliate her." Laura explained, sounding disgusted. 



Blake snorted unhappily. That bit was news to him. "Is all the world full of scum?" he grumbled as he looked over Laura's notes. 



"No." Milana said confidently. "It isn't. There are many shining examples of humanity. More than you let yourself see Thomas." Milana said with a slight smile. 



"Oh really? Name one." Blake grumped as he read notes about Cameron. Apparently she had gotten into more than a little trouble several times in the last decade. Each time it seemed as if Celestine was there to dig her out of it too.



"Thomas Blake." Milana announced without hesitation. "To name just one as you requested." Milana continued with a playful smile. "But beyond that, where does this leave us? Perhaps we can check phone records?" 



Blake was still getting over Milana's compliment so Laura answered her. "We tried that... Cameron's phone shows absolutely no activity since a day before she was reported missing. And when I say 'absolutely' none, I mean it. Her phone wasn't just off; all the records after a certain day were simply wiped out... This suggests to me that someone scrubbed them, erasing any recordings of messages she sent out or received." 



"Scrubbed them?" Darass asked. "Wouldn't that mean that someone would have to have some influence in her service provider?" 



"Yes." Blake answered. "Which suggests we are not dealing with a low ranking demon here. I don't want to get to excited here, but this could be a higher tier noble we're talking about, or a full blown Demon Lord." Blake said smiling lightly. 



"If we can knock out a Demon Lord, the power vacuum would shake up the demonic hierarchy in this region for months." Hera injected. "The ensuing conflict would probably claim the lives of dozens of demons, and weaken their hold in this region." 



"Agreed." Milana replied. "But if it is a Demonic Lord, we're going to be hard pressed to bring him or her down. The four of us will have to be at our best to put an end to the demon, and we'll have to look for a chance when he or she is alone. If they have help, chances are we won't be able to manage it on our own. If it really comes to it, we can call down one of the Angels, but I'd rather avoid that... especially in any crowded urban regions." 



"We have to find them first." Darass said, standing and looking over the information the detectives had gathered. Immediately the group began to debate methods of tracking Celestine and ways they might lure her out, the most obvious was to check the phone records of the people Cameron might have texted or contacted. The record on her side was erased, but probably not the records of anyone she talked to, especially if the text messages were still on their phones. 



However they all went quite when Dominace raised his hand calmly, as if to say something. Blake looked to him and frowned. "What? Are you in preschool or something?" 



Dominace snorted. "You told me not to interrupt." 



Blake was about to snap back but Milana's soft hand on his arm eased him enough not to blow up at Dominace. Eventually Blake looked back to Dominace and nodded. "I've seen this woman before." Dominace said simply, pointing to Celestine's picture. 



Everyone just looked at him blankly before Blake took a shallow breath and spoke. "Care to enlighten us as to where and when?" 



Blake looked to Milana. "It was during a shared experience... With my sister Elanace." 



Milana frowned and then understood. "It was during <i>that </i>evening... wasn't it?" Dominace simply nodded and continued to look to Milana. 



"If we shared that memory, you would be seeing her directly through Elanace's eyes... You said there was something about this woman you couldn't sense through the video, maybe this will be enough for you to make it out?" Dominace suggested, though his voice was low and apprehensive. 



Blake frowned, not getting a good feeling about this. "What's the catch?" He asked firmly.

<hr pg="7" />Dominace looked to Blake and frowned. "The memory includes the sensation of my sister having her wings eaten... Simply put, the memory is full of blinding agony." 



Blake blinked once and almost snarled at Dominace. "Not a fucking chance! I'm not going to put Milana through torture like that just on the chance that this might work!" 



"But we have to Thomas." Milana said calmly, drawing his confused gaze. "We have to. It is our duty for one, but more importantly, if this even has the smallest chance of saving even one life, then I'll happily suffer." Milana explained, her hand slipping into his to reassure him. "I'll live through this, so please don't worry for me." 



Blake looked at her for a long moment, his face going from confused, to angry, to determined and then back to confused for several moments. Eventually he turned away and swore before he eventually spoke. "Fine. But... but not here. And I have to be with you when this goes down." 



Milana smiled, and Thomas felt her appreciation for his words as she squeezed his hand. "I wouldn't have it any other way Thomas..."



~~~~



Half an hour later they were in the Nephilim's home, which the choir shared amongst the four of them. They were all in the living room and Milana was standing across from Dominace, one hand still slipped in Blake's hand as he waited for it to begin. Without a word Milana offered her hand to Dominace, and smiled lightly, inviting him to begin. With less hesitation than Blake liked, Dominace took her hand and for a moment, nothing seemed to be happening. 



And then Milana started screaming as she fell to her knees...



Blake fell with her and caught her in his free arm, unwilling to drop her as she writhed in agony. She grit her teeth as she tried to bear it, but she was only half successful. Tears stained her blindfold as she bucked and gasped in pain. It only lasted a few moments, no more than fifteen seconds really, but when it was done, Milana was covered in a sheen of sweat and was gasping for air...



"It's okay Milana... I've got you. I've got you." Blake said, trying to be soothing as he held her in his arms. Dominace released her hand and immediately she reached to hold onto Blake, her body still shivering. 



When she spoke, it almost sounded like she was half mad with Fear. "F-Fell B-B-Born..." 



"It's okay Milana, we'll find it. Just rest for now alright?" Blake assured, but she violently shook her head. 



"No! Celestine... She is the Fell Born!" Milana announced, still gasping for air as the pain took its time in waning...



~~~~

