TITLE    : Demonic Submission Ch. 25
STORYID  : demonic-submission-ch-25
SUMMARY  : She asks why, and confronts her former employer.
AUTHOR   : TheLastChaosLord@lit
DATE     : 2013-07-26
CATEGORY : non-human-stories
FLAGS    : h
TAGS     : |demon|incubus|red head|fighting|cute|


"I want <i>her </i>Durial." Navira's playful voice played at Tristan's senses. It was once a voice that Tristan would have happily heard every moment of every day. Now... at this particular moment at least, it was like a knife slowly twisting in his back.



"You save her only to steal her from me? Forget it. I'd rather she have died than let you keep her." He responded, keeping his voice relaxed and calm, even though he felt like reaching over and throttling Navira. 



Navira pouted lightly and shook her head. "I don't mean forever Durial. Just a month or so..." Tristan saw her glancing towards the path that came to the upper tiers from below and then back to him. It took him a moment, but he realized Celestine was off to that side, and keeping largely out of sight. Against anyone else, this would have been smart, but Tristan knew that Navira would have had some lackey to keep an eye on Celestine. "I even promise I'd give her back in once piece." Navira giggled a moment later before sighing lightly. "Well... I guess I shouldn't say that. Her body will be in on piece anyway." 



"And her mind will be in thousands of little bits?" Tristan asked, his voice showing some annoyance. "Thanks, but no. I'm not going to lend you my toys Navira, especially if you're going to give them back broken. Maybe you should try a different negation strategy next time you ask. One that doesn't involve being utterly open about how you're going to ruin my servants perhaps." 



"Oh you wound me my dear Durial." Navira expressed, as she put on a good show of being hurt by his words. "I wouldn't shatter her mind like that!" A slow smile crept up on her features. "Only two or three shards, I promise." She intoned lowly as she slipped closer to him. "Four at the most."



"Two or two thousand, it doesn't make a difference. Navira." Tristan announced coolly. "The answer is still no."



Navira frowned lightly, frustrated by his unwillingness to play along with her game. "What is wrong with you Durial? Not so long ago we would barter back and forth like I have been trying to for hours at a time. We would have fun one upping each other and describing how we would mangle and main those poor souls, all the while declare how we would make them scream for more... This... This is almost boring in comparison... Where are you? Where is the demon I respect and long to feel buried deep inside me again?" Navira asked, her voice almost angry by the end. Tristan saw Navira glance at Celestine again, and a shimmer of hateful curiosity shone in Navira's eyes for a moment.



"Oh, I'm right here Navira." Tristan responded simply, successfully drawing her attention back to him. "I'm just not willing to let you fleece me is all." 



"Are you saying you won't honor the debt you owe me?" Navira almost accused. "All over some sad little Mortal?" Navira took another step forwards, and every demon within a hundred feet felt power beginning to gather within her. 



"I'd be happy to honor that debt, if you would ask for something reasonable. Until then, I don't really see the point in continuing this conversation." Tristan said beginning to turn away from her. 



"<i>Reasonable</i>? She is a mortal! An intriguing one perhaps, but little more. I could be asking for the temporary services of Claudius or Renara, but I'm being considerate and just asking for the mortal!" Navira's voice had lost its playfulness and was becoming aggressive. "I would even give her back after a short time, but you won't even risk letting her go! So who is being unreasonable here?"



Tristan shook his head and looked back to her, smiling lightly. "You underestimate her worth Navira. You were there when the Sovereign himself announced her value, so excuse me if I don't think it would appropriate to hand her over to you. Besides, could you honestly say that if in your possession, even for say, half a month, that you wouldn't inevitably try and twist her to fill some delight of yours? Perhaps a new doll?" Tristan asked, a slight smile on his features. 



"And are you doing any less?" Navira asked sharply. "Are you not trying to force her to change into what you want her to be? Is that not what <i>all </i>demons do to mortals?" She asked, fuming lightly. "Besides, if she is worth so much, then surely the reward for keeping such a prize safe is worth more than you seem to be willing to offer." 



Tristan shrugged. "Of course I'm changing her. It is, as you said, what our kind do after all. But what I want and what you would want are likely different, and I don't have the patience to undo what you could manage over that length of time. As for your reward? Frankly speaking, it was hardly any effort at all on your part. Rewards are given in regards to efforts given and sacrifices made. One does not guard a hoard of gold, expecting to be given the gold afterwards." Tristan explained, as if he was beginning to bore of this discussion. 



"I lost my own property because of your actions Durial. My two servants both were lost because of you." Navira pointed out, trying to lay more blame on Tristan in her arguments. 



"You would compare two dolls against a priceless gem? Please Navira, now you're grasping at straws and it doesn't become you. You hardly even acknowledged their existence anymore anyway. They were just minor amusements compared to your Nephilim. You could have saved them, but they simply weren't worth the effort. Plus, you chose to kill the second one. Even if they were a pair you made that choice, not me. Further, you still have their souls. It's not like you've lost them completely. Frankly, I would have been amazed if you even kept them with you by next court anyway." Tristan announced, trying to poke holes in her argument. Despite himself, a part of him was beginning to enjoy this, this debate between the two of them and how it affected Navira. 



"Enough!" Navira demanded. "You keep making excuses against everything I would demand! So tell me Durial, if none of my requests are appropriate, then what pray tell is?! Or have you suddenly become a creature of greed, unwilling to part with anything, no matter the debt owed?" 



"It is not up to the one who owes the debt to suggest appropriate recompense Navira, so don't demand that I start making offerings when you cannot think of anything appropriate." Tristan said smiling to her, enjoying the sight of her growing angrier at his every word. When done he turned away from her completely then, and began to casually walk towards Celestine. 



"<i>Durial!</i>" Navira howled, her voice going shrill and full of anger. Even as it echoed around them Navira's power blossomed, a bloody silver haze growing around her. "<i>I won't let you deny me like this! Even as a Demonic Lord you cannot deny me!</i>" 



Tristan shrugged away her words and spoke loud enough for her to hear. "And you do not have the power to force me to bend to your will, so I suppose we are at a stalemate then aren't we?" 



Navira shrieked and her surprisingly powerful wings beat once as she hurled herself at Tristan. Rena and Claude were stupefied, unsure how it spiraled out of control like this, and were to slow to get in Navira's way. Not that they would survive long even if they did. Celestine watched in confused awe, seeing and feeling how Navira's power seemed to so capable of matching Tristan's. 



Tristan was fast enough to turn to face her, but not much more as Navira collided with him and send him skidding on his back for almost twenty feet, leaving cracks all along the path from the force of the impact. As soon as they had stopped, Navira reached out and gasped Tristan's wrists before pinning them down with enough force to send out a spider web of cracks through the rock around where she held them down. "<i>You won't fool me Durial!</i>" She hissed. "<i>The fight with Odeon took more out of you than you're showing. So much so that I have the advantage!</i>" 



Tristan grunted once as he glanced to her hands, still pinning down his arms, before he looked up to her with a slight, yet still utterly confident smile. "Oh of that there is no doubt." He said with a smooth easiness that confused everyone, including Navira. "But I suspect that, even as angry as you are now, you would not allow our factions to go to war over something as small as this." 



"It would hardly be a war if I kill you now." Navira said lowly, a sharpness still hanging onto her voice. "Cut off the head of the snake and all that..."



"True." Tristan admitted. "But then I doubt you're willing to rob yourself of me just yet." He said, still smiling up at her, as if nothing in the world was wrong and that his life wasn't in the balance. 



Navira's threatening frown eased up some, to a slightly annoyed look. Eventually she huffed out, and shook her head. "No... I suppose you are right about that. But I can't just let this go Durial... That would go even beyond the limits of our... 'relationship'. ... Let me have her for two weeks... I won't even break her. I'll have some fun with her, but nothing more." 



"I haven't even had her for two weeks Navira." Tristan replied, almost a bit apologetically. "So I'll have to decline that offer." 



"Then what Durial!?" Navira's voice rose to match her frustrations. "What will you allow?!" Those watching closely could see Navira's grip tightening, her claws threatening to rip into Durial's flesh. 



"Three days." He replied soothingly. "I'll lend her to you for three days... But only after I have some more time with her... I have time sensitive plans in the works for her." Tristan said without hesitation. 



"Not enough." Navira snapped out. "Not <i>nearly </i>enough!" 



Tristan chuckled lowly at her anger and spoke. "Oh I'm quite aware it isn't. But then I thought you would just assume the bonus I'm offering on top of that. Especially how having you on top of me again is bringing back all sorts of memories. And inciting me to think of ways to make new memorable moments..." Navira felt him shift under her some and raise his hips, only to feel an intense warmth press in between her legs, blocked only by a few layers of their clothing. She glanced down quickly and let out a sound that was some sort of mix between a whimper and a gasp.



"T-That isn't fair Durial." Navira announce as her focus was divided between talking with him, and looking down at his erect cock, tenting his robes and pressing against her tiny wrap. Yet despite her words, she began to grind her hips against him, purring at the sensation of it. She was pleased to hear a low rumble come from him as well. "We... We couldn't. We'd end up destroying each other. You said as much yourself."



"I think we could handle it for a few hours at least. Maybe a whole night if we keep a hold of ourselves." Tristan tempted. "I offer a good hard fucking as part of my thanks for your valorous actions in regards to keeping my servant free from harm... We could settle our debt on the last night Celestine is meant to stay with you. Hell... She'll probably even want to watch." Tristan raised his head up some and whispered into Navira's ear. "She really loves to watch..." 



Navira smiled as she spoke. "Oh really? What a naughty girl..." Navira looked up to Celestine, a hungry look to her eyes. "I'd think I'd enjoy it if she did watch... though maybe I'd like it even more if she participated..." Navira speculated, grinding her hips against him even harder. Tristan could feel a wetness beginning to seep through his robes, likely already soaked through Navira's small wrap.



Celestine watched them as they ground against each other, almost right in front of her. A part of her hated watching this, watching them together like this, wrapped around one another, where the only thing stopping them from fucking was a few thin layers of cloth. Despite herself, jealousy gnawed at her, and it needed to be constantly forced down to prevent it from overcoming her. Yet at the same time a part of her simmered, hoping it would go further than this... Part of her wanted to see Tristan take Navira and drill into her relentlessly... Part of her was becoming increasingly aroused, even as she dreaded being handed over to Navira for any length of time at all... 



Celestine shook her head, forcing such thoughts out and refocusing on the fact that she was about to be bartered... If she cried out that she wouldn't allow it, that she wouldn't accept their decision for her, she was certain she would be dead in moments... She wondered how bad Navira could really be. She didn't seem utterly different from Tristan, perhaps a fair bit colder and less caring about the lives of her servants, but maybe Celestine could manage that... Glancing back, Celestine met Navira's silver eyes, and found her arousing just to look at, her eyes holding promises of pleasure filled nights and days of decadence. Yet as alluring as Navira was, Celestine knew that she didn't want to sleep with her... The trait that some women seemed to possess was missing from Navira, and could not stir any desire from Celestine other than secretly wanting to see Tristan take her, even as jealousy gnawed at her.



"That will be for her to choose... "Tristan announced, much to Celestine's sudden relief. His words brought Navira's attention back to him as well, as she cocked her head curiously. "It wouldn't mean as much if she was forced into it, now would it?" Tristan asked playfully "Though I suspect you'll have plenty of time to tempt her while she is in your care..." Tristan finished, a light shudder going through him as the dampness from Navira began to leak over his erect cock.



Navira leaned in, and to his surprise, did not kiss Tristan. Instead she came close and whispered to him, her voice controlled, though just barely. "You are playing a very dangerous game Durial... Treating her so well... it is almost like you coddle her. I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks so..." When Navira came up again Tristan was going to argue her point, but she never gave him the chance. Instead she forced her lips against his, and within a moment all notions of arguing with Navira disappeared as Tristan almost desperately returned the kiss she offered him.



Celestine tried to remain level headed about the disturbingly intimate contact between the two of them. This wasn't what she expected... She expected raunchy fucking with no real intimacy behind it, just the primal expression of physical lust. But that wasn't what that kiss was... Even from where she sat, she could see the almost loving desire Navira had for Tristan, and despite what she wanted to see, Celestine suspected those feelings were not all one way...



She tried to keep herself from feeling jealous and spiteful towards Navira... But it didn't take long for that to all fall apart on her. She wanted to lash out at Navira, even though she knew that was suicidal... For all the power that the second mark gave her, she knew she was no match for likely any demon, let alone Navira. So Celestine did the only thing she could do... She looked away from the kiss between the two of them, and tried to ignore the fact that Tristan wrapped his wings around the both of them, hugging Navira closer to him as the seconds ticked by and they still didn't separate from one another...



The low rumble from Tristan grew louder as Navira finally began to pull away. However as she did, it was apparent she was biting at his lower lip. When, Navira finally did let go, a small trickle of blood seeped down Tristan's jaw and she giggled happily. "Don't make me wait too long Durial... Plans or not, I'm an impatient creature..." She leaned back down and lapped at his blood before rising to her feet and left Tristan on the ground where he lay as she walked away. As Navira casually walked past Celestine, she glanced towards the mortal and spoke, her voice low. "I can't wait for us to get a chance to play..." Celestine glanced to Navira but the Demonic Duchess was already past her, and was leaving the chamber all together. In a moment or two, the demons loyal to her began to leave as well, following their mistress. 



When Celestine looked back to Tristan, she saw he was already up on his feet, dusting himself off as he began to walk. He looked perfectly calm, and his lip was already healing, and his erection was drooping. He didn't hesitate to approach where she had stumbled and fallen since Navira had pounced on him. Within a moment he stood over her, his perfect calm having returned. "Celestine... Are you alright?" he asked, offering her a hand to help her up.



"I'm... I'm fine." She managed as she got to her feet on her own, unwilling to take his hand at the moment. However despite her words she knew she didn't feel fine. She knew it was wrong to feel jealous of Navira... Especially given how she had just finished reasoning that Tristan wouldn't mind if she spent time with Markus. Despite herself, and despite knowing she shouldn't, the words began to jump from her mouth before she could stop them. "So... I'm being loaned to Navira for a time? Sounds like have a lot to look forward to." Her voice was dry and perhaps a tad frosty, but Tristan took it in stride and without any visible sign that she had annoyed him. That in itself only seemed to make it worse though... It didn't help that he still closed himself off from her through the Mark. She had become accustomed to knowing what he was feeling... She realized she had even begun to start relying on it, both to help read him, and for support. Having someone always there was comforting...



"Yes." He said simply. "We'll talk more about it on the way back home." Tristan turned back to Claude. "Everything has already been seen to?" 



Claude bowed without hesitation and replied with perfect ease. "Yes my Lord, everything is prepared for our departure."



"Good... I think we've stayed long enough." And with that, Tristan turned and began to leave, heading, Celestine assumed, towards where their vehicle would be waiting for them.



Celestine followed without a word, a part of her hoping that he had some reasonable explanation of what he was planning when he agreed to allow Navira have her, even if only for a few days... That same part didn't want to be loaned out to anyone... it believed that she belonged with Tristan. It was because of that belief that she couldn't allow herself to be swayed. She knew it was likely that Tristan was just using her as a bargaining chip at this point. He owed Navira a debt, and he was using her to pay it off. The fact that the time was bargained down had little to do with what Celestine might have wanted or not, and likely more to do with her value... 



~~~~



As they drove, Celestine sat, trying to wait out the awkward silence. Tristan and the others had turned back into their human forms and changed into their more regular attire. Tristan sat in the back seat along side her, quiet in contemplation as he looked at nothing in particular. Claude drove, as always, and like always, he seemed to show no real emotion at all. While he seemed utterly calm, Celestine suspected that he was keeping something in and hiding it away until it settled itself. Rena was perhaps the only one in the cab who was open about her emotions. Something had made her clearly frustrated and Celestine suspected it had something to do with herself, given the bothered glances Rena kept sending back to Celestine...



The silence was heavy and Celestine couldn't stand it for ever. She drew in a breath to speak, but Tristan was a half second ahead of her. "When we get back home, I'd suggest going to sleep soon. It is late, and I plan on starting fairly early in the morning." 



Celestine frowned lightly. "Start what?" she asked, curiosity beginning to push the other concerns out of her mind, happy to just be talking.



Tristan looked at her with a slight grin, and it immediately sent a pleasant shudder down her spine. Before she could pull back his hand reached out and cupped her chin lightly, as he often had before and gently coaxed her to lean towards him as he came slightly closer to her. A part of her resented his guiding touch, but that part was surprisingly small compared to past occasions, and Celestine easily shoved it aside. She could feel him beginning to open up with the demonic mark again as well, something she was happy to have back. She could feel a slowly growing simmer of desire from him, though she could also tell he was keeping everything else tightly controlled.

<hr pg="2" />"I have set aside some time to spend with you for just the 'two of us'. We've been so busy with the court and everything we've hardly had a moment to spend together. Well... other than the time we spent in your room after the first night of court that is." Tristan added as his smile grew slightly. Celestine couldn't help but blush at his words, as memories of him literally fucking the fear out of her came back unbidden. 



"I... I told you... I didn't want that." Celestine managed to get out, though her voice betrayed the vivid memories, her voice sounding almost light and husky. 



"Strange..." He replied slowly... cocking his head and leaning in a bit more. "While we were enjoying ourselves, you held on to me as hard as you could, demanding that I never let you go... Or am I recalling it incorrectly? No, I think my memories are accurate... I distinctly recall your nails digging into my back..."



Celestine's blush grew, and she began to pull away, but Tristan held her in place, even though no additional pressure was applied. "I... I was out of sorts...I didn't know what I was saying." Was all Celestine could argue. 



Tristan sighed pleasantly as the separation between them became scant inches. "Strange... it sounded exactly like you knew what you were saying. And you didn't object overly much when I responded..." 



Celestine frowned, confused slightly by his words. This close she could detect his alluring scent, and her mind began to become fog at his aroma as she felt her cunny begin to moisten. "W-...What do you mean?" She tried to pull away a second time, but again, he held her with his feather light touch.



"Oh... have you forgotten already my lovely Celestine?" he asked, almost sounding hurt. "I told you over and over again... Are you sure you have forgotten?" He was closer now... his lips almost brushing hers, threatening to take her despite anything she may or may not want. 



Celestine shuddered once as she tried to make the words form on her lips, but the tickling sensation of his breath against her lips made it hard... Eventually though she managed to speak. "I r-remember." She said shakily. "You said... said that I was yours... that you'd never let me go..." Celestine couldn't drag her gaze away from him, as she almost lost himself in his golden eyes. 



However just as Tristan was about to respond, Celestine managed to cut him off, though only with a supreme level of effort. "So you can imagine why I'm so confused..." Celestine managed with an increasingly level voice. Tristan frowned, as if surprised by her words, only to be befuddled even further, when Celestine finally managed to pull away from his light grip upon her chin, putting some distance between them again as she tried to catch her breath. It didn't take her long and she continued. "Confused about why you are apparently willing to 'loan' me to Navira..." 



Tristan took a slow deep breath before leaning back into his seat. She could tell her words had impact, though he wasn't angry with her per se. If anything he seemed slightly frustrated, as if Celestine didn't understand something he considered to be important. She gave him a moment to try and put it to words but not long. "Well?" she asked coolly. "Do you have an answer or not? I'm not just going to let this slide Tristan... I stayed quiet during the Court to protect your image, and to keep myself from becoming demon chow. I get that Navira saved me, and that means you owe some sort of debt to her, but does that really mean I have to be 'lent' to her? I mean I am grateful to her, but isn't there something else you could offer her? I'm sorry but it feels like you're whoring me out here..." Celestine was trying to keep calm and keep the accusations from her voice. Thankfully she was mostly successful, but frustration was creeping in. 



Yet despite her attempts at being polite and calm, she could see and feel Tristan becoming more frustrated through the Demonic Mark. Worse, was the fact that he was beginning to close it off again, cutting her off from him. She thought about asking him to leave it open, but thought better of it a moment later, not wanting to seem like she depended on it. 



Eventually he sighed and spoke simply. "Claude... I'm sure you understand the situation... explain for me please..." Tristan turned away and looked out into the darkness outside, surprising Celestine more than a little. It was rare he delegated to Claude when he could have explained it himself to her... Worse was that it sounded like he was invested in not telling her himself... like if he started explaining, he wouldn't be able to stop again... Celestine frowned and looked forwards towards the back of Claude's head, feeling snubbed by Tristan for how he seemed to be treating this situation. 



"I do my Lord, and I'm honored to be of any assistance." Claude began with perfect politeness. However when his voice was directed to Celestine, she noticed a he was perhaps less pleased to be speaking to her. "Forgive me for saying this Celestine, but the one who is being 'whored out' as you inelegantly put it, is not you... Lord Durial is putting himself on the line in an attempt to reduce the time you have to spend with Navira." 



Celestine cocked her head. "I'm sorry but pardon? I'm the one who has to spend several days in her likely less than tender care. I suspect, given how she looks at me, she'll have a grand time playing with me. And by 'playing' I mean violating me... You saw some of the demons she kept with her... If she throws me to one of those I'd either be fucked to death or riddled with piercings and studs by the end." Celestine said, her voice taking on a tenor of concern. "And he gets to fuck her at the end of it? Frankly, by the looks of things, he would have been doing that anyway." Celestine did her best to keep the edge of jealousy out of her voice, though she wasn't entirely sure she was successful. She looked to Tristan and somehow felt she had just missed his gaze... Almost as if he had looked away at the last moment. 



"Those are possibilities, I won't deny that." Claude said frankly. "But it is unlikely. Navira said she would not damage you overly, either mentally or physically. If she did, it would be tantamount to taking more than what was owed her. Besides, even if she did see to such things, if you didn't die from the experience, the chances are you would make a complete recovery. Your Demonic Marks would see to it." Claude assured. 



"Physically yes, but what about mentally? You heard her just as well as I did... the concept of giving me back without a broken mind is difficult for her even to conceive of." Celestine almost shot back, becoming increasingly frustrated that she wasn't having this conversation with Tristan. 



"Frankly, I think you are underestimating your resolve Celestine." Claude said bluntly. "You resisted my Lord for some time, and still do in some aspects. Further, the demonic marks will help protect you from some of her powers and keep her from influencing you overly much. Further still, it is apparent that you don't actually find Navira sexually attractive. Is that not correct?" Claude asked, again with merciless bluntness. 



"Wha- what does that have to do with anything?" Celestine asked confused. 



"It has to do with how vulnerable you might be to her powers. One does not lust after something they do not find attractive or appealing. Hence, there is less to work with for a demon of lust like Navira. Therefore her powers will be less effective against someone who doesn't pine for her. That ineffectiveness may be enough to protect you from her for the three days." Claude explained apparently perfectly confident in his reasoning.



"That <i>may </i>be enough to protect me? Come on Claude, even you must think that is fairly weak ground to stand on. And besides, it doesn't change the fact that I'm being used as a bargaining chip to pay off a debt." Celestine pointed out, going back to the root of the issue.



"And so what if you are?" Claude asked, his bluntness turning to annoyance. "You have an honest chance at least Celestine. An honest chance that you won't be adversely affected and walk out of there alive. For all you know, Navira may even begin to treat you as Lord Durial does. You seem to have that effect on demons after all." He scoffed lightly, before going into a turn. 



"That's right... All I have is a chance. All Tristan has to do is fuck her and then walk out the door. I'm taking all the risk here!" Celestine accented strongly, fear tinting her voice now. She didn't want to go and be in Navira's care... She recalled how Navira casually did away with Diana and Troy. How their deaths only meant something because she was able to collect their souls... nothing more. Worse... and this Celestine hardly was willing to accept herself, she wanted to believe Tristan's words about never letting her go. It was foolish of her... she knew that. Hell, it was downright stupid. He had told her never to trust him, or any demon. And yet she was clinging desperately onto his words, hoping that they were true... stupid and weak...



"What happens if she does manage to break me?" Celestine asked. "What happens if she changes me... turns me into... into some fucked up doll like Troy and Diana were?" Celestine looked to Tristan, who seemed to be considering her words. "Would you even want me back?" She asked, her voice little more than a whisper. Instantly she hated herself for even putting the question into words, and quickly looked away, hoping he missed them and hating the emotions that forced such question to keep boiling up inside her.



Claude however didn't seem to have an answer for her, and the cab filled with silence again. 



Yet it seemed short lived, as Rena's voice spoke up. She was clearly forcing herself to keep calm, but her words were honest, and strong. "She won't be able to Celestine. You're strong enough to last for three days... More than strong enough... We all know that." 



Celestine smiled to her friend, trying to find words that wouldn't insult her, but still show her apprehension. "Maybe I am Rena... But... But what if I'm not? I don't want to be broken..." her voice went quiet as Celestine tried to think of a way out. "And what will happen if I <i>am </i>shattered? Will I be caste away? Tossed aside like trash? Like just another... mortal?" Again she found her gaze drawn to Tristan, who seemed unmoved by her words.



"No." Rena responded. "You wouldn't be thrown away... Master doesn't throw away those who are broken... I mean... come on. Who would know that better than me right?" Rena asked a slight smile on her features. Celestine looked to her friend again and realized that Rena might have had a point..."I couldn't even speak when he first took me in... I was nothing more than a rabid animal, beaten and broken so badly by Barathax that even knowledge that every demon should have from birth was knocked out of my head... I didn't even understand what demons were back then, or the difference between us and humans... But Master took me in none the less... He took all my broken pieces and put me together. Maybe I'm not the same as I was before Barathax ruined me... But I'm still happy with whom I became..." 



Celestine listened to Rena's words and was surprised to hear the sound of what could only be love behind them. Despite her fears and misgivings, Rena's words surprisingly put Celestine to ease... "Okay... I-... Thank you Rena. I don't know why... but I think I needed to hear that." Celestine explained, giving Rena a slight smile as she pulled herself together, focusing on the questions she had control over. 



Celestine saw Tristan reach forwards and gently pet Rena's hair for a moment from the back seat, a slight smile on his features. "When did you become such a grand advocate humm?" Tristan asked softly, while Rena almost purred at the attention. 



"Alright... so we've established I can probably last three days in Navira's hands... the question still remains as to why I have to at all... You said it yourself Tristan... you don't guard a hoard of gold expecting to be allowed to take it afterwards, or even borrow it in this case." Celestine pointed out.



Claude answered though. "Actually amongst our people, it isn't terribly uncommon. Favors are done in the hopes of being able to borrow certain skills or abilities from other demons... Not every demon has access to powers that any other demon might have, so occasionally cooperation is required. This is true for favored servants as well. Her initial request of one month of service from you was not that far off the norm Celestine. I think My Lord was trying to accent your greater than normal value with his metaphor, rather than saying Navira shouldn't be allowed any access at all." Claude explained, his voice holding its simple politeness again.



Celestine frowned. "So... she went down to three days just for a good lay from Tristan?" She looked to him and smiled almost mockingly. "You are good, but really?" she asked jokingly. 



"This is hardly a laughing matter Celestine." Claude responded. "First off, as far as I am aware, my Lord is actually that good. But then I suspect you would know better than I." Celestine blushed lightly at Claude's remarks but before she could respond, he continued. "But that isn't the only reason... My Lord is putting his life on the line for your sake. An action he is quite aware that I've advised against." 



"Wait..." Celestine began slightly floored. "I don't get it. How is he putting his life on the line?" 



"Navira is a paragon of lust... There are reasons she is a Demonic Lord just like Lord Durial..." Claude responded coolly. "There is no doubt in my mind that it will end up being a very enjoyable experience for both parties, but there are dangers to such a coupling as well... In my service to Lord Durial, I can recall several occasions where he and Navira have coupled before and it nearly killed one of them, or in once instance, it nearly killed them both." Claude's voice was calm but slightly distant. He apparently didn't like the idea of Tristan screwing with Navira at all, let alone to pay off a debt he probably thought was Celestine's responsibility.



Celestine looked at Tristan flatly. "Seriously... you two nearly fucked each other to death? I'm sorry but I'm having trouble taking that statement seriously..." 



"Then you are forgetting some of the fundamentals of what demons are." Claude chided lightly. "Remember we are a self destructive and cannibalistic species... We feed on emotions and impulses tied to our spheres of power. The raw emotions and feelings empowers and nourishes us. A wrath demon will feed from the anger between two mortals who might be arguing, or even fighting. That same wrath demon will instinctively influence those mortals to become even angrier, as the stronger the emotion, the more nourishment they can derive from it." Claude elaborated. 



"However, demons can feed off the emotions of other demons just as easily as mortals. The danger of this however, is that a demons emotions tend to be more potent than those of a mortals. Our morals and way of life don't try and tie down our responses, unlike those in most human cultures. As such, demons' emotions tend to run away with them if they do not keep themselves in check. So, as an example, let us say our wrath demon is faced with another of his kind. For whatever reason, both demons become angry, which is a common occurrence with wrath demons. Their mutual anger is instinctively fed upon by each demon. Usually it will end there, as even Wrath demons understand that if they let their wrath get the better of them, it could lead to their deaths. As I'm sure you've learned before, demons must be masters of their spheres of power, not mastered by them. However, let's say, in order to continue the example, they choose to take it one step further. Perhaps they are actually fighting, and are using their opponent's emotions to fuel their own powers. The reason of why is unimportant, the fact that it is happening is enough for our example." Claude proposed. 



"Okay. So these two wrath demons are squared off against each other and are enjoying the power that their opponent's emotions provide." Celestine recapped quickly, apparently not missing a beat.



Claude nodded quickly, pleased that she was keeping up. "Simply, yes. Now, because they are fighting, they won't restrain themselves or keep themselves from influencing one another. After all, the angrier they become, the more fuel is available for their powers and they are able to use said powers more often in their attempts to best or kill one another. However, at the same time, they must be careful not to lose themselves to their emotions. As I said before, demons must be masters of their emotions, not mastered by them."



"As you are aware, a mortal is more susceptible to a demon's powers when they are afflicted with the emotions associated with our spheres of power. Specifically, demons try and make mortals lose themselves to their emotions and throw any semblance of control or moderation out the window. Only then is a soul completely ripe for consuming. However, demons are actually quite similar. If a demon loses themselves to an emotion related to a sphere of power, they become susceptible to that sphere of power, even if it happens to be their own sphere." Claude paused to see if Celestine could draw any of her own conclusions, a tingle of hopeful pride beginning to spark in him.



Celestine thought quickly and after a moment blinked as if a bit surprised by her own conclusions. "So... you are suggesting that if two wrath demons are fighting each other, the first to lose himself to his wrathful emotions is going to become susceptible to the powers of the demon that keeps himself under control and therefore the one who loses control is also more likely to lose the conflict?" Celestine inquired, leaning forwards in her seat.



"Quite correct Celestine." Claude said proudly, greatly pleased that she came to that conclusion. "Battles between demons are often conflicts of emotion as much as conflicts of physical strength and physical weapons. This is especially true when the demons in question share spheres of power. Usually by the time a demon has realized that it has lost control of its emotions, it is too late, and their soul is already being consumed." 



Celestine responded quickly however. "What if, following our example, one of the wrath demons doesn't allow himself to become angry when they start fighting? What if he keeps a careful rein on his emotions? Wouldn't that starve the other demon out, even as his anger feeds the one who keeps calm?" Her questions were quick and rapid, as if she were trying to keep a head of his explanations. A ring of pride was in her voice as she seemed to understand without issue.



Claude replied, voice actually sounding surprisingly happy and pleased with how quickly she was learning. It was hard not to pat himself on the back over how skilled a tutor he was. "Very impressive Celestine. I'm proud to call myself-" 



"Pull over Claude. Now." Tristan ordered bluntly, cutting his butler off mid-sentence. Everyone sat for a moment, slightly surprised by the sudden order, but Claude didn't hesitate to follow the command given to him, even if he was confused by it. It only took a moment to get to the shoulder of the highway they were on. "Claude, come with me. Rena, please answer any of Celestine's questions in regards to this topic starting off with her last question please." With that Tristan got out of the car and began walking towards the dark woods. Claude, still confused, got out and followed his Lord without question.



Celestine watched them go along with Rena, both of them sitting there slightly confused... "What was that about?" Celestine asked slightly confused, having no idea at all. Tristan still kept her cut off from him in regards to the demonic mark, so she couldn't even use that to get even a basic idea of what he was feeling...

<hr pg="3" />"I have no idea..." Rena admitted. However after a moment she simply shrugged. "Eh. I'm sure it's fine." She looked back to Celestine and smiled lightly. "So, to answer your question: yes, it is very possible for a wrath demon to starve out another wrath demon and earn victory that way. It is actually quite effective, because frustration usually sets in for the one who doesn't stay calm, which usually leads to losing it even faster." 



"Hum... so, it stands to reason, using wrath demons as an example, that when demons of the same sphere are fighting against one another, the one who keeps their emotions the calmest will win." Celestine reasoned. 



"Not always. That is definitely the safest way to win battles between demons of the same sphere, but it has it's weaknesses as well. One such weakness is a sudden burst of the sphere in question. We are, by our very natures, inclined to feel the emotion's of our spheres, so it's hard to resist their pull when we are suddenly battered with a huge burst of that emotion. When our wills break under such a sudden burst, it's hard to get a hold of ourselves again. Wrath and gluttony demons are particularly bad for this. Wrath is dangerous because when you realize you've screwed up, you get frustrated, which quickly becomes anger which quickly blows up in your face and before you know it, you stop thinking rationally, and quickly start making mistakes and screwing up. Which usually means you can kiss your ass goodbye, cause you're about to die." Rena chuckled a bit before continuing. "Gluttony is bad for it too, because their whole sphere is about consuming more and more. They want to feel hunger, because if they do, they'll consume more and more of the radiant emotions from their opponent, and because of what they are, they love to consume. For a Gluttony demon deny himself from feeling hunger is in essence denying who they basically are, so it is difficult to keep such things in check." Rena explained easily, a slight smile on her features as she enjoyed sharing her knowledge. It wasn't often she got to do so after all. 



"But what about when demons of different spheres fight? Based off what I've heard so far, it would have to be similar somehow." Celestine suggested. 



"It is. When demons of different spheres enter combat, they have to try and manipulate their opponent into loosing themselves to the sphere that they have power in, all the while trying to resist the pull their opponent will place on them towards their own sphere. If... that makes sense anyway." Rena said smiling lightly; clearly unsure of her words made as much sense aloud as they did in her head. 



"I think it does. But... well I didn't see any of what you are describing during the Clash with Tristan and Odeon... do spheres come into play that often during conflicts between demons that don't share the same sphere?" Celestine asked, a little confused. 



"They do, but usually in the form of big bursts like I described earlier. Trying to influence something that isn't there to grow stronger is difficult. That's why when a demon attempts to overwhelm his or her opponent with her own sphere, it can be a very all or nothing thing affair. Especially when they are relatively close in power to one another. During the Clash, Master overwhelmed Odeon with lust and desire by letting his own emotions suddenly explode out, which overwhelmed Odeon and forced him to feel lust and desire. By feeling such things, Odeon wasn't able to keep his defense up, and that gave Master time to execute his curse on him. A curse, which from what I understand, forced Odeon to re-experience every pleasurable sensation and memory he had ever experienced over his whole life, all at once. The curse then ignites those sensations into something that mimics the effects of flames on flesh, without actually being normal fire. After all, if it were normal fire, it would be useless on most demons. I guess you could call it balefire or hellfire or something." Rena finished, wondering if Celestine was still with her, given the odd look she was giving Rena. 



"So... Odeon had enough pleasurable or lustful memories in his life in order to go up like he did? That seems strange, considering I don't think he was a creature of lust at all..." Celestine reasoned. 



Rena shrugged. "We all feel pleasure occasionally in our lives. But even if Odeon didn't have that much, once the flames start, Master just needs to keep pouring lust and desire into the curse, like gasoline on an open fire. It doesn't matter if it's Odeon's or not. I suspect he can use his own power to fuel the flames once it starts." Rena explained. "Or at least that is how I understand it anyway."



"Tristan had to pour his lust and desires into the curse? Given that Odeon went up like a fucking matchstick, he must have pumped a lot of his stored power into it." Celestine commented.



"Maybe. Or maybe he was just reminded about his desires right before that, and used such emotions to fuel his powers." Rena suggested with a coy smile.



Celestine frowned, confused where she was going with this. "What do you mean?" 



"Well..." Rena began, smiling wider. "You had just nearly been turned into a bloody pancake. The threat of losing you probably reminded him of how much he desires you." Rena teased lightly. 



Celestine sputtered a bit but shook it off, pushing the subject away from her. "So in essence, from everything you and Claude have told me, emotions are almost a sort of weapon for demons, beyond what they come naturally equipped with." Celestine surmised. "Weapons that can fuel all sorts of strange powers and magic." 



"More or less. But beyond that it is also our greatest defense." Celestine looked to Rena as if suddenly confused, wondering how an emotion can be a defense. "Think of it this way: If you feel a certain emotion tied to your opponent's sphere, you are more susceptible to those powers. However, if you lose yourself something else, say an emotion from your own sphere, a sphere your opponent has no influence over, it will keep you from losing yourself to your attackers sphere of power." Rena finished.



"So... for Odeon that sphere was Envy, right? I suppose that makes sense... If he kept himself from feeling lust, Tristan's powers wouldn't be as effective, if they had any effect at all." Celestine reasoned.



"Exactly. That's why Master didn't use much in the way of his spells or magic beyond increasing his strength or healing himself until he was able to use the curse. There would have been no point in wasting that power against someone so heavily defended. That said, no defense is perfect, all our kind's spheres of power can be linked to another somehow, and that create openings for a smart demon to exploit. Say for example, lust and envy. The envious creature could want a woman to long after him, instead of the man she might actually be infatuated with. A lust demon could take advantage of that envy, and use his or her lust to turn envy into lust, and thereby make it easy for the lust demon to take advantage of the situation. It isn't easy, but if a demon can pull it off, they can essentially tear down their opponent's defenses." 



"So it would stand to reason, the more spheres of power you have..." Celestine began.



"The more powerful a demon becomes, because they have more tools to use." Rena finished for her. 



Celestine leaned back into her seat, pondering everything she had just heard... Until she realized something. "Wait... How does this explain that Tristan is putting himself in danger for my sake?"



~~~~



Claude followed Tristan dutifully as they went deeper into the surrounding brush. It wasn't until they were almost a hundred meters in did Tristan stop and lean against a tree, looking to Claude with slight unease. Claude waited patiently for whatever his lord had to say, not willing to assume anything. He was fairly certain he hadn't overstepped himself in any of his explanations, so he had no real idea what was going on. All the more with his Lord keeping the Demonic Mark closed, robbing Claude of the ability to sense his Lord's emotions.



Durial looked as if he were ready to speak once or twice, only to stop as he rethought his words, but eventually he just shrugged and came out with it. "Are you alright Claude?" 



"My Lord?" was all Claude could manage. "I feel perfectly fine." He answered, slightly uneasy by the odd question.



"Are you sure?" Durial pressed, his voice more serious than normal. 



"Yes my Lord, I assure you I feel fine. Have I done something to make you think otherwise?" Claude asked, stepping forwards. He didn't like this... he didn't like his master having to worry over him. It was unnatural for Durial, and it dented Claude's pride to boot. 



"Yes, you have actually." Durial replied frankly. "When you began explaining things to Celestine about how our spheres played against each other, you were cold and distant with her. You were frustrated with her and the actions I've taken in regards to her. In true demonic fashion, you aimed those frustrations at her, as you see the fault lying with her. That is perfectly normal and before you think it, I'm not angered or upset by it at all. What does concern me however, is the fact that as soon as you started going into depth about the spheres and how demons fight, your pride began to slip from you." Tristan explained frankly. 



Claude frowned at the suggestion that he was loosing his grip on his pride. "I... I do not mean to contradict you my Lord, but when? I'm in full control of my faculties... Then and now..." 



"Really? Then what happened to your frustration from earlier?" Durial asked without hesitation. 



Claude cocked his head as he tried to recall it... Upon thinking about it again, the simmering annoyance had seemed to fade at some point when he was talking to Celestine. "Perhaps... Perhaps I simply calmed down?" Claude suggested, still unsure of Durial's suggestions. 



"It's one thing to calm down. But it is another entirely to go from being angry with Celestine to being intensely proud of her in nearly the same moment Claude." Durial responded. "What's worse, it seems you didn't even realize that you began to press your influence on her..." 



"What?!" Claude asked shocked. "I didn't! I would never intentionally press my powers against your servant my Lord! Never! I wouldn't dare!" Claude announced, stepping forwards again, suddenly dreading that he had had thrown oaths of loyalty and service out the window.



"I know you wouldn't do it intentionally Claude. I suspect that you did it instinctually and that you didn't realize what you were doing. From what I can tell, you seemed to sense a glimmer of pride in her as she realized she was keeping up with your examples and reasoning. As such, you instinctually worked to make that pride greater. You are a pride demon Claude; you yourself said demons instinctually press their powers to make the emotions they feed on grow." Tristan explained, trying to remain calm.



"But I have a firm grasp on my emotions and my powers my Lord. I always have." Claude responded, his voice seeming less firm. He tried to think if he had done as Durial suggested, and more and more he found he didn't have a definitive answer. 



"I don't doubt that Claude. I frankly don't think this is your fault in the slightest. Instead I suspect that Celestine's influence on us is beginning to grow... She seems to be amplifying the urge to follow through with our baser desires and wants, including making others more aligned with our tastes. Demons may start instinctively begin to try and press their influence on her and try and bend her emotions. Thankfully, her natural resistance and the demonic mark itself seem to be protecting her to some degree." Durial assured. "But the question remains if you feel fine. When I last used my powers on her, I ended up gorging myself on souls... do you feel anything? Are you experiencing any hunger or thirst?" Durial asked, apparently concerned for Claude.



"No my Lord, nothing like that... Perhaps, you were affected because you intentionally pressed your powers upon her, going far enough to overcome any defenses she has. I was likely unaffected because I did not press my power enough to actually affect her." Claude suggested with curiosity lining his voice.



"That is possible." Tristan agreed. "So unless demons actively try and overcome her defenses we shouldn't have to worry about anyone beginning to suspect her true nature." 



Claude nodded but seemed to ponder the effect Celestine had on him. He enjoyed teaching her, even though he knew that she was dangerous in her own way. He still wasn't sure if what Durial had told him was in fact true, but even if it wasn't, it meant that Celestine had calmed his annoyance without even trying to. That in itself was concerning. To call it 'disarming' was an understatement at this point... "My Lord, what can we do about this? If I can be effected than it is likely that almost anyone can be." Claude pointed out. 



"What can we do? Heh... nothing. Nothing that wouldn't result in killing her, which I'm still not willing to do. We'll have to try and keep an eye on each other when we spend any time with her at all. Hopefully we'll be able to spot any odd actions taken by each other." Tristan said calmly as he pushed off his tree and began to head back to the car. 



"This still does not qualify as 'too dangerous' my lord?" Claude asked, simply curious rather than demanding.



"No. Not even close." Tristan replied firmly.



"I see." Claude replied, his internal calm returning. He would simply have to rein himself in more carefully around her. Keeping his distance simply didn't work, so he would have to find some other method of protecting himself. He knew he could manage it though, he wasn't about to allow himself to be bested by a mortal, especially when she didn't even intent to have any effect on him at all. Still, while they were in private, Claude figured he should bring up other business. "About Miss Variess, I'm told she is becoming cognizant once again. She lost two days, suppressed them apparently, but she can talk and has the majority of her memories available."



Tristan nodded simply. "Good. The question of how Celestine's powers effect mortals may become an issue soon, especially if her power is growing. From what Celestine told us, her former manager was actually quite pleasant to her at the beginning of her employment. But it quickly turned sour... I need to know if it was something Celestine actually did, or what to be sure of anything." 



"My Lord, it is very possible that Celestine simply did something to earn the ire of her employer. Filed a report improperly, expressed an opinion that differed from Miss Variess, any number of things." Claude said simply.



"Humans are usually not so demanding Claude, unless Helena was just a total bitch. But then she would have been caustic right from the beginning. But apparently it took a while for her to change." Tristan replied calmly.



"Indeed. We will have to question her to be sure." Claude answered. However this brought up a curious question. "What about when she is in Lady Navira's care?" Claude asked, clearly concerned. "If Celestine causes one of her mortal servants to go mad, or worse, If Lady Navira uses her power on Celestine, she could be effected by Celestine's own power entirely by accident. If that happens, Celestine nature may become revealed."



Tristan paused as he pondered that. At first he wondered if he could convince Navira not to press her powers on Celestine, and quickly realized that was likely impossible... "Huh... well... shit...." As he began to try and think up ways to get Navira not to use her powers.



~~~~



As Claude and Tristan got back in the car, Tristan immediately sensed some tension hanging between Celestine and Rena. Glancing to both of them he frowned before asking aloud. "I assume Rena was able to answer all your questions about the spheres to your satisfaction?" 



"Yes." Celestine replied flatly. "But she couldn't answer how you sleeping Navira was putting your life on the line or anything like that." 



"It sounds like there is more going on than just that..." Tristan commented as Claude started the vehicle up again. "Did you two get in an argument or something?"



"There is something wrong, but she refuses to tell me what. I'm fairly sure she's upset with me, but I can't apologize if I don't know what I did to make her angry." Celestine said more towards Rena than Tristan.



"It's nothing Master." Rena replied quickly, though Tristan could tell it was aimed at Celestine more than him. 



"I see..." he said, trying to remain neutral in their argument. "Well, I suppose I can answer the question of how I'm trying to save your life and sanity." Tristan said easily. 



"Oh?" Celestine asked amused. "Do tell, because so far everything you've done seems to contradict that statement. Abducting me and all..." Despite her words, Celestine didn't sound as annoyed with him like she once might have... Tristan had to hide his smile at the apparent progress... 



"Well... I suppose the easiest way to explain would be to reiterate the fact that Navira and I have nearly killed each other on several occasions." Tristan began as Claude pulled back onto the highway. "Once upon a time, Navira and I were much closer to one another than we are today. It was during that time that we were often at one another's sides... This was even before I came across Rena and when Navira and I were still simply Nobles, not the Demonic Lords we are today." Tristan began his story, and immediately Celestine realized she didn't like where it was going. It sounded like they were a couple at one point or another... or at least the demonic equivalent of a romantic couple. 



"Over time we both grew in power. It was almost a competition between the two of us, as we each vied for new and greater strengths in our own ways. Our methods were wildly different, but the distance between us never really grew to anything either of us noticed. Most demons would have trouble trusting someone on so equal footing, always suspecting a knife in the back. But, we were different. Or at least it was different, until the first time we slept together for the first time." Tristan explained, making Celestine frown slightly, confused by what he meant. 



"Wait... the first time you slept together nearly got one of you killed?" She asked, not completely believing him.



"Oh yes. It was a long night, full of passion and ecstatic screams and shouts... However as it pressed on, we slowly began to lose the grip we had on our own lust. As you are aware Celestine, demons feed of emotions tied to their spheres... in our case, it was lustful pleasure. We fed off one another's emotions, our excitement and fervor growing with each thrust and kiss and nip... Right up until the point we both lost ourselves to the pleasure of the moment, and let all our control slip away from us..." Tristan paused, as if the memory had given him great pleasure, but also brought a slight sadness to it as well. 



Eventually though he chuckled and shook his head. "As you are also aware, when we lose ourselves to our emotions, we stop being rational... a trait mortals and demons share though demonic emotions tend to have greater impulses tied to them. As such, instinctual impulses began to run rampant." He smiled slightly before shaking his head and looking to her directly. "Can you guess what the strongest impulse that ran through me was?" Tristan asked Celestine, almost playfully.



Frowning, Celestine silently cursed him for asking her. She didn't want to speculate on that... hell she didn't even like hearing this story, where the two of them were so close. "I don't know." She said slightly annoyed. "Maybe to perpetuate your kind? To cum inside her?" She guessed unhappily. 

<hr pg="4" />Tristan cocked his head slightly. "If Navira were telling this same story from her perspective, she would tell you that that was the instinct that dominated her mind, the desire to procreate... But it wasn't mine. Mine was to consume her soul and grow in power." Tristan admitted with a cold smile. "Instead of sealing any permanent relationship I could have had with Navira... or even letting her bear our child... My instincts told me to take advantage of her, and rip out her soul, and eat it..." He elaborated, and somehow Celestine could almost feel a touch of self loathing in his words. "And I listened to my instincts." 



Celestine couldn't believe that as she looked at him in quiet disbelief... Tristan was a demon yes, but he looked out for those he considered his friends and allies... From the sounds of it, he and Navira were about to become something akin to permanent mates, and he went and fucked it all up... 



"Obviously I didn't succeed." Tristan added. "When a demon tries to consume another demon's soul, without having already physically debilitated the second demon, it takes two things. The first of which is having the victim demon completely lost in the emotions of your sphere... The second is the time it takes to drain out their soul completely. If the feeding takes too long, the victim demon might snap out of it, and break free, and take back their soul. That amount of time is dependent on the difference in power between demons. Because Navira and I were so close to one another in terms of power, it didn't take long for her to break free, even though I nearly had her..." Tristan reminisced lightly. 



"When the two of us cooled off and realized what happened, Navira was, as would be expected, furious. I had just tried to kill her after all so she lost it on me right there. By the time I was able to withdraw, both of us had mauled the other badly. Afterwards, I felt somewhat empty without her at my side, and realized how terribly wrong my actions were. Even if I had consumed her soul, I still would have been alone, and after years of being beside her, being alone was hard to tolerate." Tristan explained simply, as he did his best to keep emotions out of his voice. 



Celestine listened, her jaw clenched hard as she tried to keep her tongue. Despite the fact that she despised Navira, Celestine couldn't help but curse Tristan for his youthful idiocy. Navira had made him happy, and yet his demonic instincts told him to try and kill her... It was at that point that Celestine began to realize exactly how self-destructive Tristan's kind was... How their almost constant struggle for more power overshadowed almost everything else in their lives. But she still had no idea why they were that way...



Yet Tristan continued his story, and Celestine, for all her desire to shut out the sound of his voice, continued to listen. She felt like she had to... like she was suddenly his confessor, even though she doubted he felt any real guilt at all. "As the years continued, I suspected that Navira had simply let whatever existed between us become a memory, given that she would not see me or even respond to any messages I might have sent her. I had tried to win her back of course, having realized my error. But despite that she would not have it. So as time past, we continued to grow in power, still somehow maintaining the equilibrium of demonic might between us. Over a decade later, I had given up on her, and was moving on. Or at least I was until I found her approaching me during court. We began talking, mostly trading jibes and innuendo, as lust demons are oft to do, but as the first and second days past, Navira finally told me that she had kept all my messages from over the years, and that she wanted to reply, but didn't know if she could trust me or not." 



Tristan leaned his head back as if he was remembering the conversation he had with Navira. "At the time, I was surprised by how her words stirred me again. I thought that I had moved on, but as soon as she presented an opportunity, I snatched at it desperately, hoping against hope that this would be real. And for a while, it honestly was. I wasn't stupid of course; I didn't drop my guard completely. But Navira coaxed me to relax and soon things returned to how they were, with us along side each other. That is of course, until we slept together again." Tristan smiled bitterly. 



"Let me guess..." Celestine said coolly. "Your instincts got in the way again?" 



"No." He replied shaking his head. "No... This time it was her... Little did I know, Navira had come to the conclusion that the only way one of us was going to take the lead in the balance of power between us, was if one of us consumed the other. She had assumed that I had come to the same conclusion years before, and that was why I had tried to kill her. It wasn't of course... I hardly even realized what I was doing the first time we slept together, even as it was happening, but it didn't matter. The notion that one of us had to be 'ahead' had gotten into her mind. In essence, Navira seduced me, bedded me, and tried to kill me. Like the first time, we lost ourselves to our passions, or at least that was what I thought. At the height of it Navira struck, and very nearly did me in. I was only just able to break free. The strange thing was, even though she had just tried to take my life, I found I couldn't resent her for it. I didn't even lash out at her when we came to our senses." Tristan smirked lightly. "Hell... I sort of admired her for it."



"It was funny, seeing her there; coiled and ready for a fight, just like the last time..." his smirk slowly faded though as he remembered the moment and that it somehow hurt him. "She was so ready... as if she had come to the conclusion that the only time we would be together was when we were at each other's throats... and she was prepared to dedicate herself to that. But I could tell that despite the fact that she made an attempt on my life, she didn't like doing it. It seemed, at least to me, like she wished she had another way. Yet I wasn't willing to fight. Instead I simply started getting dressed and prepared to leave. When I was just about to go she asked me what I was doing, asked why I wasn't going to attack her. I told her that I didn't want to attack her, and that I never had any intention of ever doing so again either, unless she forced the issue. It was strange seeing her reaction to that... She must have thought I was telling her that I had bored with her, and that she wasn't worth my notice anymore. Despite wanting to leave, despite knowing that it could have just as easily been a trap, I found myself unwilling to leave it like that." Tristan smiled coldly at his own sentimentality. 



"So I told her that I wanted her to keep getting stronger... That I would be looking forward to seeing her there, along side me, as we raced to even greater standing and status. I told her then that I would accept no one else, and she was the only one I would ever call my rival and nemesis." Tristan said with a slight smile, as if that part of the memory was pleasant at least. After a moment he finally looked back to Celestine and shrugged. "You must think me very foolish for such things." 



Celestine pondered exactly how she thought of Tristan at this point... Slowly, she found herself answering him. "Yes... and no. By the sounds of it, you two love each other very much... in your own unique ways." Celestine found herself unwilling to say more. Saying such things without spite and hate was like running her tongue along broken and jagged glass... 



"That isn't entirely correct." Tristan said softly before taking a slow deep breath. "It would be more accurate to say that I love <i>what </i>she is, but not her specifically. To me, Navira is beautiful, powerful, a literal icon of sex, and magnificently deadly and fiendish. And while I do think she knows me better than anyone else in the world, and is someone I would call one of my closest companions... I do not think that I am in love with <i>who </i>she is. I might have loved her once, as you describe, but not any more. That love died after that second meeting I think. If that makes any sense to you... I know that human love and demonic love are vastly different things after all."



Celestine considered Tristan's words for a long moment, and looked as if she were ready to respond to him only to suddenly pull back and rethink it. Tristan watched her features as they showed several emotions... Anger... amusement... relief... disbelief to name just a few. But eventually she spoke up again, keeping her voice level. "I think it does... at least sort of. The concept of a demon even being capable of love is a strange notion... one that I have trouble coming to grips with... The notion of loving someone for <i>what </i>they are instead of <i>who </i>they are is strange... but I don't think it's without precedent in human society... But that isn't important I suppose. Still, I'm curious... you said the two of you nearly killed each other three times... you've only described two instances." Celestine inquired, curiosity leaking into her voice. It was strange for her... even though she only vaguely understood the concept Tristan had explained, she felt an enormous relief, after hearing that he wasn't in love with Navira herself.



Tristan smiled to her, and while she wasn't sure, she thought it wasn't because he was remembering some pleasant memory, but because Celestine's words incited him to smile at her... Like she had pleased him somehow...



Regardless of that, he nodded. "Quite correct... It was during that third encounter that I realized that my feelings had changed for her. Oddly enough, we had approached each other during one of the subsequent courts years after the second encounter and began talking and trading jabs and jives with each other like normal. Unlike after our first near death experience, Navira and I had remained in contact, enjoying each other's company and offering vassals to entertain and entice each other, or working together to corrupt a stubborn mortal. Regardless, during this particular court, we both realized that the existing lords of Lust and pleasure had grown complacent..."



"When compared to the other Demonic Lords, they seemed weak and small. They were no one's enemy, but that was only because they were beneath the notice of most everyone else. In the same token though, they had very few allies as well. And so, as demons are oft to do, Navira and I plotted together to topple those who would call themselves our masters. Suffice it to say, it worked, Navira and I had consumed the souls of our previous masters mere days before the next court. We met to congratulate each other, as well as to take stock of one another. I won't deny that she was almost radiant in her new power... strength literally coursing through her every fiber. I must have been equally impressive to her, because before we realized it, we had excused ourselves from our followers and found ourselves in a bed together." Tristan chuckled and shrugged. "It is what we are I suppose. But unlike before, neither of us had any fell intentions or plans to do the other in... Instead, it was more of an extended congratulation to one another for a successful coup. As passions grew, and we fed off each others passions and lusts, and control began to slip from us... I remember that just before we let it go entirely, we paused, both suddenly wary of the other... but that didn't last long for some reason, and soon all restraint was tossed away, and we lost ourselves in one another."



Celestine frowned as he paused. "Hold on... how did this become dangerous if it was clear both of you had no intention of harming the other? In fact from the sounds of it, you have every intension of avoiding that." Celestine questioned, slightly confused. 



Tristan smiled and nodded. "Quite right... it should have been safe. Or so we thought. It was only after our third meeting that I realized that Navira and I could never really escape our natures... That the feelings we shared for one another were not enough to stop us from trying to consume one another. But I'm getting ahead of myself... As Navira and I coupled, I realized that she had begun to try and draw my soul from me. However, I only realized it because she had stopped very early on in the process, and seemed to be waiting for me to do something, almost like she was offering herself... A part of me longed to taste her soul once more, and before I could stop myself, I began to reciprocate the actions she had taken... In essence, we started pulling each other's souls free from our bodies. The strange thing was, neither of us consumed the other... instead, the stuff of our souls seemed to mix outside our bodies... I won't say it was euphoric... I don't even think there was pleasure in that moment when our souls began to come together. Instead I'd say the sensation made us both feel... supremely content. Like nothing else in the world really mattered, and never had actually mattered... we both knew that if we continued, we would face mutual oblivion as our bodies could not survive without our souls, but somehow that was okay, because like everything, we were doing it side by side." 



"How... how did you survive that?" Celestine asked, more confused than ever, but disheartened over hearing how the two of them had such an intimate moment, even if it nearly got them both killed. "Why would you come back from that? How could you?" 



"I'm not entirely sure..." Tristan admitted. "All I recall was that I was thinking about the difference between being content and being satisfied. I think that I came to the conclusion that dying with Navira would have been perfectly okay. But, then 'okay' was never enough for either of us... Yes, we would never be able to satisfy one another completely, our nature's stood in the way of that. But to simply settle for 'okay' was beneath us, and I found I couldn't tolerate it. So I broke away, and regained myself. However in doing so I had left Navira behind, who, despite the fact that I wasn't trying to pull her soul free of her body anymore, was quickly fading. That too, I found I couldn't tolerate, and I fought to drag her back from oblivion." Tristan finished with a strangely satisfied smile on his features. 



"You succeeded too, from the looks of it." Celestine commented. She wondered what that must have been like... to literally have your soul touch another person's. To mix and become one for a short moment... to share your most important thing with another... Despite herself, and the fact that their meetings apparently held so much danger, Celestine found herself envious of Navira and the experience. 



"Indeed I did. Navira was confused at first why I pulled us back. She had begun due to instinct rather than conscience intent, but as soon as it began, she found herself unwilling to stop. But after I explained, she realized that I was right. We had shared something magnificent when we loved one another for <i>who </i>we were instead of <i>what </i>we were. But we both realized that it had past, and that our relationship was fundamentally different from when it all began. But just because we had changed, didn't mean we had to hurl ourselves into oblivion... After all, what fun could we possibly have if we were both dead?" Tristan asked, a grin upon his lips. 



"No, I suppose being dead would get in the way of having fun..." Celestine giggled slightly before shaking her head, wondering if she could pull herself back from the brink like they had. "But I think I understand now... how you are putting your life on the line." Celestine said calmly, looking to Tristan. "Your very nature puts you in danger when you are with Navira... and it puts her in equal danger. What I don't understand is why she would agree to that? Or why you would offer it in the first place." 



Tristan chuckled lowly before leaning in and smiling to her. "Well... for one Navira is as good a lay as I am, so you can imagine the carnal delights that we will get up to when given the chance. But beyond that, and actually more importantly, I made that offer because it means that there is less danger to you. I'd rather risk my own life than jeopardize all my wonderful plans for you my dear..." Celestine couldn't help but blush at his words, as his voice was tinted with barely contained excitement and erotic promises.



"If I let Navira break you, it would rob me of so much pleasure. I can't have that, and am willing to pay almost any cost to prevent it. My nature demands that I don't allow it to happen... So much so, that I'll happily risk my life to prevent anything from getting in the way of my lust. Just as Claude is perfectly capable of risking his life for his pride, and just as Rena is perfectly capable of risking her life all for the sake of slaking her rage... I keep telling you this Celestine, and you only seem to be vaguely grasping the concept. Maybe it's because you are human, but regardless I will repeat myself once again. We are, by our very <i><b>nature</b></i>, a self destructive species. We will do almost anything to sate our desires and our thirst for sin, and are willing to pay the heavy tolls of such a life. What's more, we wouldn't want it to be any other fucking way." Tristan's smile was wide and almost madly confident. He knew he was dancing with death on the head of a pin, and it was clear he wouldn't trade that for anything... Apparently it was far too much fun...



"Very well said my Lord Durial." Claude said aloud, voice firm with pride. 



"Fuck Yea!" Rena almost shouted, her features in a vicious happy grin.



Celestine nodded to him slowly, stunned by their response. Tristan leaned back into his seat, apparently considering their conversation over in regards to Celestine's education. She turned to look out the window and saw that they were beginning to head up the drive to Tristan's home, and a part of her felt happy to be back. She mentally chided herself, reminding herself that this wasn't home... This was a den of demons, which, apparently would do anything to follow the nature of their vices... 



She couldn't help but wonder what it would be like... to live life like that. For almost every action you ever undertake to be dedicated to the pursuit of your own vices and desires... Despite knowing it would be horrifically wrong and irresponsible, Celestine couldn't help but think that it might be a very entertaining way to live one's life. It would be full of pleasure and satisfaction, even if it was potentially short lived and violent... Still, the thought of what it would be like to dedicate her whole life to the pursuit of physical pleasure lingered in her mind... The thought of perusing and being perused endlessly for physical pleasure and release made her shiver lightly, and despite herself, she couldn't imagine a life like that without Tristan in it... She envisioned herself along side him, tempting mortals and enjoying their bodies and passions before Tristan eventually consumed them at the height of their crazed lust, only for him to turn on her and take her with renewed vigor that would break most women... Again another shudder ran through her body as she tried to take a deep breath and force the thoughts out... That wasn't her... she couldn't just let loose like that and hurl all caution and thought to the wind...



<i>Oh... but if only we could...the things we would do, and the things we would have others do to us... What we would have <b>him</b> do to us...</i>



Celestine went still for a moment, surprised by her inner voice's passing comment. It did not linger for long, leaving Celestine with a seductive and luscious giggle before fading from her awareness again... Celestine found herself panting lightly, a slightly lewd smile upon her features before she quickly pushed it away again. 

<hr pg="5" />~~~~



Celestine went into the mansion without preamble once they had come to a stop. Claude was apparently directing the unloading of their luggage so she didn't need to concern herself with that. From what she had seen, Claude would have all her belongings stored away, probably without her even noticing. Tristan and Rena followed her in, though they went their separate ways as she began to head towards her room. As she walked she thought about the past three days and everything she had experienced during them. She had learned a lot, but also had many unanswered questions. 



Not the least of which was what it meant to be 'Fell Born'. Tristan had the answers, but apparently he was withholding them for when she had satisfied all his conditions... She had no idea what those were of course, but she suspected they had something to do with sin and vice... No... Suspected was wrong. She knew they did. It was demonic nature to relate any action with those things... Despite herself, she shivered slightly, part in anticipation and part in apprehension. She chided herself for looking forward to such things, but she knew it would help earn her the Third Demonic Mark, and more than that, it would earn her information about herself. If what Vestiem said was even half true, it could explain many things about her life, and the trials and tribulations she had to endure. 



As Celestine walked the halls, she found that the majority of the demonic staff were away. Like Tristan, they had gone to the court as well, and were still probably on their way back. It didn't really concern her, but it was a surprise when she noticed a humanoid figure in one of the gallery rooms on her way to her chambers. She didn't even think about the woman she saw as she passed the open doors, until a half dozen steps past the entryway. However when she did, she stopped stiffly, not believing her eyes. 



Jogging back she looked back into the gallery and found her, sitting in one of the couches, lounging as she read a novel of some sort... She was apparently so engrossed in her book, that she didn't notice Celestine coming into the doorway, standing there staring in disbelief. It took her a while, but eventually Helena Variess looked up and made eye contact with Celestine.



For a long moment they stood there, looking at each other in disbelieving silence. Neither was apparently willing to accept that the other was actually standing there... Oddly enough, Helena spoke first. "W-...What are you doing here?" her disbelief not hiding the sneer that tainted her voice. 



Celestine didn't answer. She was still too amazed that Helena was still even alive, let along just sitting here like nothing in the world was wrong... Tristan had told her that he would handle this... But was this what he meant? Damn him... Helena was... was supposed to suffer! Not sit here like an idiot in the lion's den enjoying a book like she was on a damn vacation! 



"I asked you a question!" Helena snapped as she stood and began to walk towards Celestine. The confident manager in Helena glaring at Celestine, hoping to make her back down like she always did when they were at work. Just seeing Celestine made Helena angry, and for some reason, a part of her was afraid too. Celestine might have had something to do with her being here... Wherever here was.



Celestine however, didn't seem intimidated... She looked at Helena with a cold glare like Helena's words hadn't even been heard. "How the hell are you still even alive? Have you just been sitting here for three days?" Celestine asked, not believing what she was seeing. Her voice showing none of the respect it might have once held for Helena as her superior. If anything, it was almost like Celestine was talking down to Helena.



"How dare you talk to me like that!" Helena barked back, stepping right up close to Celestine. 



Celestine smirked coldly. "What are you going to do? Fire me again? Stop your barking Helena, no one wants to hear it." 



Helena snapped and before she realized it, Celestine was feeling the sting of Helena's hand against her cheek as the slap sounded loudly in the empty chamber. Celestine stood stunned that Helena had struck her, the last vestiges of the employee/manager relationship that Celestine still had, strained under the pressure of the blow before snapping entirly. "Shut your damn mouth you fucking slut!" Helena hissed at her. "You don't talk to me like that! I'm better than you! You understand that?! Better than y-<i>UMNFF</i>!!" 



Helena went flying back and landed half unconscious from the haymaker that Celestine gave her. Instantly Helena felt blood leaking from her broken lip as her face immediately began to swell from the vicious blow that literally hurled her several feet back. Looking up through bleary eyes, she saw Celestine stepping towards and over her... Her features angry and hateful. "I'll talk to you however I fucking please you damn corporate whore..." Celestine hissed, her voice like ice. She kneeled down and glared into Helena's eyes. "You think we didn't know? Didn't know that you fucked your way up the ladder? How many times did you fall on your back and spread your legs for the higher ups? How many times did you drop to your knees and unzip their pants for them before taking their cocks into your mouth?! What the hell gives you any right to call me a slut?!" Celestine almost snarled. 



By the time she was finished, Helena was looking up to Celestine almost terrified. The calm, almost submissive employee was gone... She had been replaced by some vicious woman who apparently had no qualms over decking her. Despite herself, and knowing it was wrong, Celestine almost reveled in the fear in Helena's eyes. She kept a tight rein on herself though, not willing to let anger get the best of her. "No answer? Fine. It doesn't matter... But you will answer my other questions." Celestine reached down and took a handful of Helena's dark brown hair and pulled Helena's head up enough to look Celestine straight in the eye. "Have you been here for three days, just sitting around like a lazy cow?"



Helena flinched at Celestine's sharp words, almost like she was being strike with every syllable. "T-Three? No... It's only been a day..." Helena weakly responded.



"A day? What were you doing for the two days before that? After we saw each other at the mall?" Celestine asked, confusion beginning to set in. 



Helena looked to Celestine with bewildered. After a moment or two Helena shook her head. "It's only been a day or so since we saw each other..." Though to Celestine's ear, Helena sounded less than completely convinced.



"No it hasn't." Celestine argued. "It's been three days since then... Where were you those other two days?!" She demanded, pulling at Helena's hair harshly to make her focus. 



Yet despite the painful tug, Helena's eyes began to glaze over, as if suddenly lost to some delusion. "No... only been one... those two days... didn't happen." She smiled weirdly as she spoke, making Celestine's ire bubble up again. 



"What the hell is wrong with you?" Celestine shook Helena some but it didn't seem to have any effect. "What happened? Did demons take you or something? What happened to those two days?" Celestine repeated, voice firmer now. 



"D-...didn't happen... can't have... happened. Demons don't exist..." Helena responded brokenly... "they... they don't... They DON'T!" she screeched out suddenly at Celestine, swiping at Celestine's face and running her nails across her cheek, drawing blood in her fevered state. 



Celestine snapped back hissing in pain, checking the wound as she touched her cheek. It wasn't much blood... it probably would stop bleeding in a moment, and heal shortly after... Still, that didn't stop her from becoming angry and lashing out at Helena. Her foot connected with Helena's side hard enough to send her former boss sliding a foot or so back from the jarring impact. Instantly Helena was coughing and hacking at the blow, having had the air driven out of her lungs. "Hate to tell you this... but they most definitely do..." Celestine almost growled at the half crazed woman. 



Looking at her, Celestine couldn't help but want to lay into Helena with all she had... This woman, who had tormented her for almost a full year, ignored her pleas for help against sexual harassment and had harassed her with constant and unending ploys to hold Celestine back in the company... "You deserved that and a hell of a lot more." Celestine announced coldly. "And I wish I was the one who could give it to you... It would only be fair for everything you've done to me." 



<i>What exactly is stopping us? </i>



Celestine froze as her other side spoke to her, almost like it was whispering in her ear. It was still the smooth seductive voice it usually was, but it had a somehow cruel tint to it... <i>'What? ... I couldn't... it would be wrong. I mean... hell, she's only here because of me.' </i>Celestine thought back. 



<i>Oh please... She's only here cause of all the shit she's put us through... we both know she deserves this and worse. We just said as much didn't we? Tristan isn't apparently going to do anything to her... so why can't we? Hell... he probably left her alive just so we could kill her ourselves.



'I'm not going to fucking kill her! I'm not a damn murderer!' </i>Celestine said back, her hands shaking lightly at the internal conflict. 



<i>Not saying you should... but that doesn't mean there is anything stopping us from roughing her up some. She did start it...slapping us and then clawing at us like that... What if she had ruined our face? I certainly don't want to live with scars down one cheek...



'That's impossible and you know it. The Marks will heal it quickly enough and there won't be any scarring.' </i>Celestine shot back. 



<i>True, but she doesn't know that... hell she doesn't even care. She hates us... Loathes us. She would stomp all over us if she could... She still would be if we were back there, in that place, surrounded by fat ugly men who leered and pinched at us. </i>



Celestine looked down at Helena, and had to fight not to snarl at her. Her other side was right, even if Celestine hated to admit it. If she were back at her job, Helena would walk all over her. Worse actually she would drag Celestine down and force her through the mud. "I hate you..." Celestine whispered out at Helena... "I hate everything about you..." She continued, voice shaking as it grew in volume. "I hate how you lied about me to the other managers... I hate how you looked down at me... I hate how you manipulated the others to treat me like garbage!" Celestine almost shouted at Helena. 



"N-no demons..." Helena stammered out, apparently unable to hear Celestine as she got back up on her knees... "Never took me... N-never were shadows in my car... d-d-don't exist..." Helena shook badly before suddenly realizing Celestine was there with a lunatic gaze. "You... You sent them!" Helena's mind suddenly seemed to put the pieces together... or partially... "The ones that don't exist... you sent them!" Helena screeched, eyes filling with madness... "Celestine! It's you! It's all your FAULT!" Helena howled. 



Celestine glared back at Helena, unimpressed at her angry words... It was then that she realized though what had happened to Helena's missing days. "You... you were tortured weren't you?" She asked, slowly cocking her head, drawing some semblance of sanity back into Helena's eyes. "You just blocked out those two days... What did they do to you? What hell did they subject you to?" Celestine asked, a sort of curiosity in her voice. 



"Never happened!" Helena snapped back. "It never happened. They don't exist! Can't exist! Never was lost in the darkness! No! Lights always on!" 



<i>Push her... </i>Celestine's other side whispered to her. <i>Make her realize that it did happen... pay her back for all the shit she put us through!</i>



"Is that what they did? Did they lock you away in the darkness?" Celestine asked, her breath quickening. "Who would have thought? The big bitchy manager is afraid of the dark! Did they claw at you from the darkness? Gnawing and nipping from everywhere before slipping away into the shadow again?" Celestine demanded to know, becoming surprised by the cruel curiosity in her own voice. A part of her railed against doing this to Helena... but the rest knew Helena deserved this... It could be worse after all. She could just kill Helena... Beat her into a bloody mess and ruin her so badly no one would ever be able to recognize her... 



<i>Oh... that would be fitting for this vain bitch... </i>Her other side sighed ecstatically, as if in great pleasure. 



Celestine couldn't reply though, as Helena seemed to curl and coil up at her words. Twitching every time she heard the word 'dark' or anything related to it. At the end of Celestine's questioning, Helena was almost vibrating in fear... before she just snapped and pounced at Celestine, hands stretched out to claw at her face. 



Celestine's foot came up and caught Helena straight in the side, sending her spiraling away. The attack came instinctively, but Celestine had managed to back enough not to shatter bones or anything like that, even though it dropped Helena like a brick. "Are you fucking done yet?" Celestine snapped out between breaths. "Are you done being so high and mighty now?" Celestine rolled Helena onto her back and knelt down on top of her, looking right in Helena's eyes. "Admit that you were wrong about everything! Admit what you did to me was wrong, and that you did it out of petty spite and arrogant pride! Tell me the truth!" Celestine demanded. 



Helena looked to her, madness clawing at her already slipping grip on sanity. She shook her head violently hissing and spitting at Celestine. She even got one hand free and clawed at Celestine again, though Celestine managed to catch the blow. "You fucking bitch..." Celestine said icily as she squeezed Helena's wrist hard enough for the bones in her forearm to begin to bend. 



<i>Go on... Do it... hit her! </i>Celestine's other side whispered. Celestine could feel her, pressed up behind her. One arm wrapped around her waist, the other dancing along her arm, trying to entice it into wrathful action. Celestine fought against the urge to just lash out though... she needed to hear Helena admit it. Needed to see Helena admit her own failings...



Helena hissed at the pain in her arm but replied, cold vengeful hate on her voice. "No! I won't! I won't do it! You're not better than me! You're NOT! You should be happy with your shitty little desk and what little praise I give you, you ungrateful bitch! Be happy that I don't stop the men at the office from ogling and salivating over you! Though why they do, I don't know you ugly red headed cretin! You think your plans will work? You think I'll just let you convince my manager to get rid of me!? I won't let you! I gave up too much for my position! I <i>am </i>better than you!" Helena ranted, thrashing violently. 



<i>Shouldn't have said that... </i>Celestine heard her inner voice sound, voice amused and excited...



Anger boiled over and Celestine pulled her fist back to bury it into Helena's skull. Rational thought didn't come into the equation, and at the moment she didn't fucking care that the blow could very well have killed her former boss. She was just sick of hearing this constant stream of bullshit from someone, who quite frankly, didn't deserve her title or position... 



<i>Or her life for that matter...</i>



Celestine threw her punch, but it seemed to stall even before it began as a strong hand caught her attack before it could get very far. Celestine hissed at being robbed of her chance to beat Helena bloody and whirled on whoever decided to steal her of her chance away from her. 



However her roar of outrage died in her throat as she found Tristan standing behind her, her wrist held by his hand. He had a slight smile upon his features, and a curious look to him. "I do hope I'm not intruding." He said lightly and calmly, looking Celestine over. "I do apologize if I am, it is just I don't think I've ever seen you angry like this before... Well, from this angle. Usually when you're like this, I'm the target, not the spectator." He continued calmly.



"Let me go!" Celestine pulled at her arm, desperate to lash out at Helena. "She deserves this! You know she does!" 



"Oh I'm certain she does. And even if she doesn't, she'll get worse than a few punches... However I have to ask, you do realize you could probably kill her after a two or three strikes... right?" Tristan asked, an amused tone to his casual voice. 



"I!... I wouldn't kill her! Just make her admit that she was wrong about me! Wrong about her self entitled superiority! Is that so wrong?" Celestine announced.



"Hardly. In fact I would normally endorse such behavior. Believe me, I would love to see you beat her face in, but I need her alive. And I can't risk you losing it on her and turning her grey matter into a bloody paste. Maybe later, after I get what I need from her... until then you'll have to be patient." Tristan explained. 



Celestine couldn't stop him from pulling her up and off Helena, who scurried away, unsure of what was going on. Eventually Tristan let her arm go and she turned to Helena again, glaring at her. However her anger seemed to sputter and die off as she looked at her former boss... The half crazed terrified look in her eyes stirred something inside Celestine that could still feel pity for those she hated... Never mind the fact that Celestine beating the bloody hell out of her was something Tristan likely wanted to see, which probably meant it was a step to far for Celestine. "Alright." Celestine agreed; her voice cool and flat again. "Sorry... I figured that... I don't know. That you kept her alive for me to deal with personally..."



Tristan glanced to Celestine, a slight curious smile on his features. "Do you want to kill her with your own hands?" 



She looked to him and his offer. After a long moment of pondering, Celestine spoke up, asking calmly. "You said before that for me making you do my dirty work, that I'd end up being punished, and that I'd owe you a favor. If I did this myself... would those things be washed away and forgotten?" Celestine asked, not really sure what to expect.



Tristan chuckled but shook his head before leaning in and whispering to her. "No. You can't get off that easily... After all, I have tomorrow set aside just for you and your punishment... I have been looking forward to it for days, and I'm not going to give it up now." 



Celestine nodded quickly, suppressing a shudder of anticipation and fear that ran through her. "Then I'll pass on killing her. I'm not a murderer." Celestine answered, putting a little distance between herself and Tristan. 



Tristan turned and headed out into the hall. "If that is how you feel, then fine. But just so you know Celestine..." Tristan glanced back over his shoulder to her. "I didn't know about her before you brought her into this world... if not for your actions, she wouldn't be here..." 



"I know that." Celestine responded quickly, beginning to follow him out of the chamber. "I didn't say I was free of guilt or responsibility." 



Tristan shook his head. "It's unfortunate that you still look at it that way. Like you are 'guilty' of something. Frankly, I'm enormously proud of you for what you've done, but I've said that before. To me, the emotion of 'guilt' over hurting an enemy is a thing that is best thrown away and forgotten. But then... I'm not human." Tristan shrugged and started walking off... disappearing from sight entirely. 



Celestine turned back to look to Helena, and saw her there, glaring at her, eyes so full of hate that it almost made Celestine sick. "Better than you." Helena hissed at Celestine. "Always been... better!" Helena continued, making Celestine's anger simmer again. "Won't outdo me... I'll show...show you your place! Bottom... beneath me... always beneath me..." Helena twitched badly and tried to shake it away. "Gave up so much to get to where I am... Won't let you steal it away..." Helena's words tapered off into mad whispering.

<hr pg="6" />Celestine stared at her, and as she did, any pity within her for Helena Variess, died out... Celestine could almost sense Helena's pride, swollen and ugly... It wasn't based on skill or achievement, only on position and the things she sold to buy it... namely her body... Frankly, as far as Celestine could see, Helena was proud of having taken a short cut... 



"I hope..." Celestine began coldly. "I hope that when the lights go out, fear claws at you, tearing down your self image and that stupid confidence in yourself... I hope that every time you close your eyes, the darkness that greets you will bite and gnaw at your wretched pride... I hope every time the darkness surrounds you, your pride turns to searing terror..." 



Helena seemed to understand Celestine's bitter words and hissed at her once again. However Celestine didn't seem phased by it... Instead, she reached for the dial that controlled the lights in the room, and slowly began to turn it down... In an instant Helena's bravado died and she began to look about to the rapidly darkening room. "No... NO! Turn it back on! Don't take away the <i>LIGHT</i>!" Helena rasped as she began to crawl towards Celestine. She shook herself once again, fighting off fear with her stubborn misplaced pride. "I'll just turn it back on when your gone!... I'll keep the dark away!" A half mad grin plastered itself on her face as she spoke, even as her eyes began to stream tears full of fear as she saw shadows forming everywhere. 



Celestine shook her head, just as the lights in the room died, leaving the only light coming from the hall from behind her. The doorway cast a corridor of light through the room, marred by Celestine's shadow, before falling upon Helena. It was still enough for Helena to keep her sanity, but the sound of cracking drywall and breaking plastic drew Helena's attention back to Celestine. She saw Celestine literally tearing the dial, its housing, and even it's electrical bits out of the wall, before tossing them aside in broken pieces. The torn wires sparked but died after a moment, leaving Helena's gaze to slowly drift towards Celestine's face, which now was focused on her once again. 



A whimper of fear came from Helena unbidden as she met Celestine's eyes... Even shadowed as she was, Helena could see Celestine's brilliantly green eyes, sharp and spiteful, and somehow... Helena felt like Celestine's words were beginning to wrap around her heart and soul, digging deep into who she was... She slowly began to crawl forwards again, but Celestine took both the double doors in hand, and began to close them, cutting into the corridor of light with each passing moment. Helena babbled incoherently and began to scramble towards the doors, but even as she tried, she knew she wouldn't reach them in time...



"I hope," Celestine's voice came again, almost as if it echoed in Helena's head, as the doors creaked towards closing, "that the darkness takes you..." The last thing Helena saw was one of Celestine's emerald eyes, angrily glaring through the crack of the two large doors, just before they closed with a heavy thud...



Celestine stood in the hall and took a nearby chair and forced it up against the door, before she flipped the door locks in place. A moment later she heard Helena slam against the heavy wood doors and began to claw at them. Celestine could hear Helena's frantic pants as she almost began to hyperventilate. More than that, Celestine could hear Helena's nails scratching against the hard wooden surface, desperately trying to break through to the light. Both of the hysterical sounds were growing more rapid with each moment as Helena realized there was no way out, and that she was surrounded with darkness... Celestine didn't linger though, and simply turned towards her own room, content with things as they were for now.



She was around the corner when Helena started screaming and wailing... Not lasting even half as long as Celestine suspected she would... 



<i>So much for her vaunted pride...</i>



~~~~



Celestine got back into her room and was just getting ready to change when she heard her door simply open, promptly followed by the sound of someone entering. Celestine stretched out her senses from the walk in closet and could feel the familiar aura of wrath. "Come on in Rena." Celestine announced, even though Rena had already done so. 



When Celestine stepped out, she found Rena standing in the near middle of her room, clearly fidgeting as she seemed to be waiting for Celestine. "What brings you here Rena?" Celestine asked stepping out in her sleeping gown. "If you're here to play around in bed, I'm going to have to decline tonight. Tristan isn't going to go easy on me tomorrow, so I'm sure I'm going to need the rest..." Celestine explained, clearly becoming more apprehensive about tomorrow as it approached. 



"No, I'm not here about that." Rena answered. "I want to talk about something... well... someone really. That mortal you were dancing with... at court during the party... What was he to you?" Rena asked a little embarrassed about having to ask. 



Celestine looked to her with a slightly confused frown. "You mean Markus? Uh... well, I suppose he's kind of a friend of mine..." Celestine said, trying to avoid the topic. It suddenly made sense why Rena was so frustrated on the ride back. "He's actually a pretty nice guy... apparently he's really smart to. Something about Rune magic and stuff like that." Celestine continued, as she looked back to Rena. Unfortunately Celestine found Rena looked even less pleased as Celestine explained. "...Rena...?" Celestine asked, very aware that Rena was perfectly capable of explosive reactions. 



However Rena surprised Celestine when she stepped forwards. "Why?" She asked firmly, though she was keeping her aggression in check. 



"Why what?" Celestine asked, moving to sit on her bed. 



"Why do you need to spend time with him?" Rena pressed, taking a few more steps towards the bed. 



Celestine shrugged. "I suppose I don't <i>need </i>to. But I want to. He's a human Rena... No offence, but you have to realize how important that is to me. With demons, I always have to watch my step and everything I say. Or at least I had to at court. I mean I don't have to worry about it with Tristan or you, but I need someone to lean on occasionally." Celestine tried to explain. 



"Then lean on Master." Rena suggested. "He'll listen, I know he will." Rena moved closer. "You don't need that silly human, so why even waste your time with him?" 



Celestine sighed. "You don't understand. Not that I blame you... I doubt demons can feel like this. Look... the reason I can't go to Tristan is because he's the cause of most of my problems okay? I wouldn't need a shoulder, if not for him." Besides, if I did go to him, he'd just twist it all to his advantage." Celestine said coolly.



"Well... so what if he did?" Rena asked, her voice betraying her unwillingness to accept Markus at all. "And so what if he's the source of some of your... uh... 'concerns'? If he hadn't picked you up, you'd still be in your stupid old job, under that bitch of a boss. Plus, you'd still be that bitch Cameron's whipping girl. No offence Celestine, but everything I see says you're better off with Master!" Rena said adamantly, sitting down beside Celestine as she tried to make sense of it all in her head. 



Celestine pondered her words for a moment and resisted the urge to disregard them out of hand. Eventually she replied to Rena though. "And what about my freedom? I'm a prisoner Rena! I've been forced to see and experience things that would make most people go out of their fucking minds with fear. How can you say that's what's right for me?" 



"Because you've also experienced pleasures that you would have never had if not for Master. Yes, I get it, our world is twisted and horrific compared to the human world, but you know what? It's also full of emotion and joy. We don't chain ourselves down with rules and look at our desires like they are some sort of failing." Rena began, her voice confident in what she was saying was right. "And so what about your Freedom? What would you have done with it? Keep going to work, toiling away to make ends meet under a pompous bitch who treated you like dirt. And if you weren't at work, you'd be with your so called friends, who treated you like trash when you are easily the greatest amongst them! But maybe I'm jumping ahead of myself... Maybe you had plans for something different..." Rena finished, arms crossed as she looked to Celestine expectantly. 



Celestine sat as Rena laid out what would have been a normal life to Celestine, and while a part of her craved to return to such a world, the another part couldn't help but realize how unappealing some aspects of her life actually had, now that she was looking at it from the outside through Rena's eyes. Still, that was only because Rena painted it like that... Celestine frowned. "Yes, I probably would have had to work and things like that for a while. I never denied that. But I would have eventually moved up in my company... I would have saved up enough eventually to go to the places I wanted and buy the things I wanted to buy. I would have kept looking for that special someone, find him, fall in love, and spend the rest of my life with him. It isn't fair to portray my whole life based on only two people you've met that were part of it." Celestine responded, hoping that Rena would just drop this. 



"Then tell me what you have out there that you don't have here." Rena pushed, leaning towards Celestine. 



"Well... for one I have friends other than Cameron out there..." Celestine began.



"And you have friends in here!" Rena said, holding onto the sleeve of Celestine's gown, clutching it almost desperately. "You have me... Claude counts too! Well... sort of, even though he usually has a stick up his ass..." 



Celestine smiled to Rena. "Oh Rena..." Celestine leaned forwards and gently rested her forehead against hers. "You are a good friend, even with your eccentricities, but I can't just forget about what came before... No more than you could forget Tristan or me if you were suddenly taken away." 



Rena frowned and let out a slow sigh. "I... I suppose that's true... But there are other things here..." Rena pulled back and continued. "You said that you wanted to buy the things you wanted. Look around you! You've got a closet full of clothes that you've even admitted that you wanted since you were younger. What's more, you could go and get more any time you damn well pleased! Master wouldn't mind as long as it wasn't too crazy. And you live in a mansion too! You even have people who will wait on you and serve you however you want." 



"No they won't Rena... They serve Tristan. They only do something for me to avoid the risk of upsetting Tristan. Plus, I never wanted to be waited on or even have servants... The big house? Yea I'll admit it's nice... But it's still a cage..." Celestine responded, almost apologetically. A part of her hated shooting down Rena like this, who obviously put some thought into her arguments, and clearly wanted Celestine to be happy.



Rena grit her teeth as she tried to think of a way to counter Celestine's argument. But eventually she realized that Celestine wasn't wrong, at least with how things were now. Frustration grew and before Celestine realized it Rena pounced, pushing Celestine to her back with Rena on top. She looked angry and sad all at the same time. "Then what about Master?! You said... you said you wanted to meet a man and be with him, well what if Master is that man!?" 



Celestine struggled against Rena's massive strength at first but eventually she had to give up. Instead of fighting her, Celestine looked up to Rena and shook her head. "You know as well as I do that he wants to eat my soul Rena... I can't just... I can't just resign myself to die like that!"



"But what if you didn't have to die!?" Rena demanded. 



"And live as his personal screw toy? Rena, that isn't love, it's slavery..." Celestine explained gently, clearly seeing that her words hurt Rena.



Rena was about to speak, but something stopped her quickly and she bit at her lower lip, trying to decide whether she could speak up or not. For several long moments she rolled it around back and forth in her mind, trying to decide, and becoming more and more frustrated as it went on. Eventually she buried her head into the covers beside Celestine's head and screamed into them, pouring out her anger. She let go of Celestine's arms and rolled away from her, before curling up and holding onto her head tightly as she fought desperately against some force that seemed to prevent her from speaking. 



Eventually though Rena whispered out, voice sad and hoarse. "I love him... But I know he doesn't love me. I know I'm not exactly intelligent... I was never meant to be... I'm a demon of wrath after all, and a Varatoss on top of it... But I know that much at least. And I'm not like what he talked about with Navira... I don't love <i>what </i>he is, I love <i>him</i>... But I know that love will never be reciprocated... Not really. He cares for me yes... cares for me more than any other demon under his command, even more than Claude... And I am thankful for that, even if I'll never get more than that." Rena sniffed and to Celestine's ear, it sounded like she was keeping herself from crying. "And yes, Master does use me for his pleasure... Yes, he's eaten parts of my soul... But you know what? I'm not his fucking slave! If I were, it would mean I would have never had a choice!" Rena paused again, pulling herself together. 



"Rena... I'm-" Celestine began, but Rena cut her off.



"I'm not fucking done!" She snapped sharply, silencing Celestine. "... I'm... I'm not a slave." Rena rolled over and looked to Celestine. "I'm a servant... <i>his </i>servant... I've been a slave before, when under the dominance of Barathax. Believe me Celestine, you don't have a clue what it means to be a slave. You've never tasted the sting of the whip, demanding you work harder, or the gnawing ache of starvation at the hands of an uncaring owner. Believe me, if you were a slave, you'd fucking know it. There would be no feelings towards Master Durial other than spite, hate, and most of all, fear. And I know for a fact that you feel for Master, more than you are even willing to admit to yourself." Rena finished, turning over to face Celestine, her eyes almost daring Celestine to deny her words.



Celestine met Rena's firm gaze for a moment, but before long she had to look away, unable to weather Rena's words, let alone her challenging look. Despite wanting to deny it, Rena had some stingingly accurate words... Words that worked to remind Celestine of the simple truth: that she was, despite her best efforts, developing feelings for Tristan. She couldn't feel jealous over someone she didn't care about... She wouldn't seek comfort from her terror in the arms of someone she despised... She wouldn't long to feel his gaze upon her if she didn't long for him herself. Still, she found she couldn't classify the feelings she felt... at least not at the moment. Either that or she was deluding herself... She didn't know which prospect worried her more.



"...Maybe..." Celestine finally allowed reluctantly. Even admitting the possibility felt like she was losing to him somehow... "But Rena... I'm sure as shit not his equal either." Celestine said firmly, looking to her once again. 



Celestine was surprised to see Rena smiling happily at Celestine's words, and realized that she had just made Rena's day. Before she could stop her, Rena pounced once again, hugging Celestine tightly as she snuggled up giddily. "Hey! Slow down Rena!" Celestine cried out as she tried to collect herself. "I said 'maybe', not 'yes I care for him' alright? Don't get too worked up over this just yet." 



Rena pulled up some so she could smile to Celestine again. "I'll take a 'maybe' over a deluded 'no' thank you very much." Rena giggled lightly before snuggling up to Celestine again. "As for that whole equality thing, I don't think you have to worry about that. I'm sure it will work itself out." Rena said happily. 



"Work itself out?" Celestine asked as she gently laid an arm around Rena, hugging her back lightly. "Somehow I doubt that... But we'll see I suppose." Celestine laid her head back into her pillow as she pondered over her own feelings, and what they were exactly. 



"Regardless, I'm happy to know you even think it's a possibility. This means you won't need that human man anymore, right?" Rena asked as she rested her head on Celestine's shoulder and chest. 



Celestine shook her head. "That isn't what it means Rena. Just because I'm willing to entertain the possibility that I might have some sort of crazy feelings of some sort for Tristan, doesn't mean I'm going to bend to them. Plus, I know I'm attracted to Markus, and I want to pursue that relationship further. I'm not saying we're going to be a couple or anything like that though... For now we're just getting to know each other, a courtesy Tristan never gave me before he swept me away." Celestine teased lightly. 



Rena frowned at Celestine, slightly annoyed still, though her anger wasn't directed at Celestine. "Humf... Fine. Play with your little mortal; I'm sure you'll figure out that he can't possibly satisfy you like Master can." Rena said adamantly. "Master is even being kind enough to let you figure that out on your own, even though he wants to just shove that mortal aside and keep you for himself." Rena said, lowering her head again. 



Celestine didn't respond to Rena's words, but at the same time, they stirred something in her. She had to keep herself from shivering in delight at Rena's words, as she realized that Tristan was in fact jealous of Markus, and more importantly, that he didn't want to share her with other men... A moment later though she chided herself. Even if that were the case, it shouldn't matter to her. She wasn't someone who sought to make others jealous, and she wouldn't revel in it. Or at least she shouldn't. Still, despite herself, Celestine felt pleased with how things were. She didn't think she had ever made a man jealous of another before, and it gave her a slight sense of power, not that she had any intention on acting on it. 



Regardless, Celestine spoke up. "We'll see won't we? But for now, it's time to sleep. Please let me get under the covers Rena." Celestine requested gently. Rena nodded and pulled away, allowing Celestine to move off the bed, pull back the covers and get in. However, Rena seemed to remain kneeling on Celestine's bed. Smiling lightly, Celestine spoke up again. "Do you want to stay here with me tonight?" 



"Yes. Do you mind?" Rena asked. 



"No, it's not a problem. It's a big bed so there is plenty of room." Celestine wasn't even surprised any more about how open she was to Rena sleeping with her, or the notion of screwing around with her if the urge hit her. Still, she knew she was tired, and needed rest. "But like I said before, no screwing around tonight. I need some sleep."



Rena nodded happily and slid up towards the headboard of the bed, before making Celestine giggle as she watched Rena slip her head under the covers and crawl under, instead of pulling the covers back like most people would. Celestine watched as Rena crawled under the covers, not utterly unlike a cat and watched the bulge under the blankets move about as Rena turned around and crawled up along side Celestine, her head eventually poking out from the covers as she rested it upon Celestine's shoulder and chest again, snuggling up close to her and letting out a pleased sigh.



"Uh... Rena?" Celestine began, an amused smile on her lips.



"Hum?" 



"There is plenty of bed here... you don't have to be so close." Celestine said gently. 

<hr pg="7" />"Do you mind?" Rena asked, opening up one eye to look at Celestine. "Being like this... close to you, it's more comfortable than if I were on the far side of the bed." Rena seemed to accent the point as she snuggled a little closer. 



Celestine was about to object, when she realized that it wasn't like Rena was completely wrong... Her being this close wasn't uncomfortable, and if anything, it felt nice to have someone next to her. "It's fine." Celestine allowed gently, before she lightly wrapped an arm around Rena and closed her eyes, letting sleep slowly take her as she thought about how she felt for Tristan and Markus...



~~~~

