TITLE    : Demonic Submission Ch. 34
STORYID  : demonic-submission-ch-34
SUMMARY  : Celestine meets Ella, and reacts badly. 
AUTHOR   : TheLastChaosLord@lit
DATE     : 2013-11-27
CATEGORY : non-erotic-stories
FLAGS    : h
TAGS     : |demon|violence|red head|incubus|


<em>Hello again all.</em>



<em>Here is the latest chapter from my Demonic Submission Series, and I hope everyone enjoys it.</em>



<em>As I'm sure some people of noticed, my most recent works have been a little less grammatically refined then some of my previous work. This is because WanderingMindGames, my normal editor and beta reader is on a bit of a break, and when she gets back she'll return as my editor.</em>



<em>Now, onto this story. This chapter is essentially the meeting between Celestine and Ella, and the violent fallout that comes from it. Suffice it to say, Someone doesn't like the idea that Ella bears a mark, or that Markus went to go get Ella without Celestine ever being told.</em>



<em>Following that, Tristan explains to Celestine that her reactions are perfectly normal, even though she isn't really willing to accept why she lose it.</em>



<em>As ever, thank you for all the positive comments on previous chapters, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter! As always I'm open to comments and constructive criticism.</em>



~~~~~



Celestine stepped out of her bathroom and glanced to Rena as she towelled her hair, only to find the small demoness still soundly asleep in her bed. Despite having just finished cleaning up from her last tussle in the sheets with Rena, seeing her friend laying helpless and naked in her own bed sent a slight shudder through Celestine. Rena was perfectly adorable laying there, half curled up and dozing. It would be easy to take advantage of the situation, but Celestine thought better of it. As much fun as it would be to have another romp, she figured she had been in bed most of the day already, and evening was beginning to fall. So instead, she simply pulled up the covers and tucked Rena in, who's resulting smile tugged on Celestine's heartstrings.



Without even meaning to, Celestine began to ponder her relationship with Rena as she began to look through her closet. It wasn't that she loved Rena as a romantic partner or anything, but Rena's vulnerability was a feature that made her yearn to touch and hold her. To kiss and tease Rena, and to hear her voice moan and whimper as Celestine commanded her.



Celestine shook her head quickly and forcefully took hold of such thoughts, fully aware that if she just let them run rampant she wouldn't be able to stop herself from hopping back into bed with Rena... Instead she focused on her unique relationship with Rena. She couldn't call the small demoness her girlfriend or anything like that, as she was quiet certain that while Rena might have been devoted to her, and Celestine to her, Rena wasn't in love with her like a romantic partner. It would be better to say that Rena was, as ever, a friend with plenty of benefits. Though their most recent encounter brought out something in Celestine she didn't know was there: A clearly dominant streak that seemed to contradict the side of her that liked having control stripped away from her. Strange, and something that didn't worry her as much as it might have once. She wasn't an abusive dominant, nor did was she one that had any interest in physically torturing her partner with pain. Not that she could really hurt Rena, even if she wanted to.



Celestine shook her head again and pushed it all aside and tried to decide on something to wear. As she looked over the various ensembles, Celestine couldn't help but smile and grin as she pondered how each would make Tristan respond. Most of them were form fitting pieces that enticed and excited those who looked upon them. But with Tristan, their effect only seemed to be amplified, and she enjoyed every moment of it.



But as she pondered, she realized that there was an issue when it came to Markus living here... Almost all of her clothes were pretty showy, and she was hoping to remain at least somewhat modest around him. Realizing that, she tried to find something simpler that might not surprise him so badly. Yet even as she thought about it and looked for other clothes, she kept finding herself gravitating to the clothes that she actually wanted to wear. Clothes she knew highlighted her attractive body and looked beautiful on her. "Do I really need to hide myself behind plain clothes?" She asked herself, not really sure of how Markus would feel if he saw her in such things. She knew how Tristan would respond of course, and that brought another slightly mischievous smile to her lips, but she focused on Markus for now, hoping not to ruin his impression of her.



Yet the more she thought about it, the more she found herself realizing that if Markus probably didn't care overly much about what she wore. Nothing in here made her look like an utter tramp, even though more than a few of them bordered on risqué. It wasn't like these were 'barely there' clothes, and all of them were perfectly acceptable to wear outside and the like, even if they might draw the gaze of the easily impressed or those with a lustful streak. The only one that was perhaps too much was dress she wore to court, which while it still covered more than some bathing suits, it wasn't much more. Not that she would wear that just around Tristan's home...



Celestine quickly made up her mind and picked matching pants and top and slipped them on with ease. They were black and were almost completely skin tight and each had patterns cut out of the fabric. The pants had four oval openings cut down the front of each leg from the waist of the paints down to just above the knee, each opening was held together with golden clasps holding the pattern's shape. The top was a shoulder less piece, with sharp patterns cut from the sides that curled around her body and towards her stomach, while more of a similar pattern was cut over the cleft of her breasts, showing an alluring amount of cleavage but not so much to be slutty.



Once she had it on, Celestine couldn't help but blush slightly as she looked in the mirror. When John had her try this on back at his boutique, she had told herself she'd die if she wore the matching set in public, even though they were hardly the most revealing clothes he had her wear, but now she couldn't help but revel in it as she looked at herself in the mirror. She knew it would make Tristan pine for her, though she was still hesitant to show it off to Markus. Honestly, it held a lot of similarities to clubbing clothes that she had seen during her nights out before, though this was obviously of higher quality and craftsmanship. It felt like it had almost been made specifically for her, and it fit so well that it looked like someone had poured it onto her.



Pushing aside her hesitation, Celestine decided she had dallied enough. Even if Markus wasn't the sort to find such clothes attractive or even acceptable, she did like them, and she wasn't going to stop wearing the things she liked for his sake. Celestine liked Markus, and respected his abilities, but she wasn't going to let his perceptions of her, whatever they may be, run her life.



Celestine glanced back to Rena just as she was at her door, and found her mind eased by the site of her still sleeping soundly before she took off.



~~~~



"Oh for fuck sakes..." Ivy groaned as she looked at the two dead bodies lying in the room in front of her, sprawled over the less than perfectly clean bed... "What did I tell you two?!" Ivy snapped at the Hanlina sisters, who were currently half hidden behind the door. They were twins, and they often went by Han and Lina, but honestly Ivy couldn't keep the two of them sorted out so she rarely called them by their names.



"You told us that there was to be," one of them began, before the other picked up and finished the sentence, "no more coke in the bordello." They replied quietly.



"So what is that?" Ivy snapped angrily as she pointed at the dead prostitute, her stomach and nose covered in white powder. "And that?" She pointed at the dead man's moustache, dusted heavily with more of the white powder. The twins looked to each other, clearly hoping their opposite would answer for them, but neither seemed to muster up the courage. "It's coke." Ivy explained lowly, clearly pissed off. "No wonder you two never made any real money before I came along! You're customers and prostitutes keep dying on you!"



One of the twins spoke up shakily, clearly afraid of the more powerful demoness. "We told the girls no more coke, and the new batch that Lord Durial sent us have been good, but some of the older girls are having trouble kicking the habit." The other also added something of her own. "Some of our customers like snorting it off the girl's bodies... It's been a staple around here for a while. Inevitably the customer wants the girl to do it too, and being as obedient as they are, they can't help but listen to the customer."



Ivy grit her teeth before holding out her hand towards the one who just finished and motioned for her to come closer. Of course, the younger demoness quailed at first, but Ivy's annoyed glare demanded she approach. A moment later the sharp snap of Ivy's hand across her cheek was quickly followed by the sounds of Ivy striking her over and over. After about a minuet of it, Ivy stood up and straightened herself out, ignoring the curled up form of her subordinate lying in front of her, face puffy from the beating she just received. "You," Ivy began, looking to the other twin, "who are the girls supposed to be loyal to, us and Lord Durial, or the customers?"



"L-Lord Durial?" She replied afraid, her voice shuddering lightly.



"Correct." Ivy spat. "It's good to know at least one of you isn't completely stupid." Ivy sneered before looking back at the bodies. "Get these cleaned up and disposed of." Ivy ordered as she turned away and began to head towards the door, only to pause as the two demonic twins began to work. "What are you supposed to do first though?" Ivy asked bluntly.



The twins looked to each other again before the uninjured one replied. "Take all the money in his pockets?" She guessed more then answered.



"Very good." Ivy replied dryly, finding their idiocy astounding. How the two of them were ever successful was beyond her. She shook her head and took her leave, pondering how she should make sure the other human dumpsters didn't degrade themselves any further with more coke. It had been a major problem when she first got here, and the fact that it wasn't sorted out already was pissing her off. She understood that the Hanlina sisters specialized in chemical addictions and the physical pleasures that could be obtained by such means, but this was a whore house and despite what some might think, the a hooker strung out on drugs does not make money.



~~~~~



Kefan watched the exchange between that snobby bitch Ivy and the Hanlina through a small crack in the wall from the room just next door to where the three of them bickered. Kefan had been coming to the Hanlina's sister's establishment for years, and had been one of their preferred demonic customers for much of that time, despite the fact that Kefan was an independent.



Simply put, Kefan wasn't loyal to any lord or noble. In fact, he wasn't loyal to anyone but himself, and that's the way he liked it. He didn't have to answer to any of the more powerful demons out there, and given that he was just a lesser envy demon with a splash of lust thrown in, there were a <em>lot</em> of more powerful demons out there.



Still, he had survived well enough on his own, and even made a few allies who were willing to look the other way whenever he was skulking about. Or at least that was the case, until that cunt Ivy showed up. The Hanlina sisters hadn't warned him that she was coming to take over their prostitution ring, thanks to the all-mighty Lord Durial. As such, he had walked in completely unaware and ran right into Ivy, and Ivy wasn't so willing to look the other way...



Normally independents were hated by higher status demons, because of the drain on their own resources that the independents often brought with them, as well as the attention that their activities brought, as they didn't have the means of disposing of their victims like many of the non-independent demons did. She had nearly killed him right there, but had settled on humiliating him instead. Ivy had nearly killed him right there for Durial, but instead she settled on humiliating him instead. She had made him grovel for his life, and kiss her feet, only for her to kick him horribly and make him kiss the ground she walked on instead.



The floor of a seedy whore house that was rarely cleaned...



She had spared him of course, but demanded that he pay three times the normal going rate if he wanted to get his rocks off, when normally he didn't have to pay at all. Usually Kefan got the twins info on who was selling what drugs cheaply, which they in turn used to sell their customers during their trysts. But now that Ivy was here, the twins didn't raise a hand to help him, too afraid of Ivy to do anything, and clearly hoping that he wouldn't mention his past association with them or their brothel.



But Kefan knew Ivy wasn't all that powerful physically, even if she outclassed any of the three of them. Instead it was her status that kept her safe, and her direct connection to Durial. If any of them raised a hand against her, Durial would simply wipe them all away. Not that that knowledge lessened his anger at all. This was why he had found the hooker that most resembled Ivy, and was currently trying to choke her with his cock. Yet even as he tried to force her to gag on him, he continued to watch the twins as they picked themselves up.



"We need to get rid of her..." One of them said quietly, her face already healing as she began to rifle through the man's pockets. Strangely, her tone had changed completely, going from stupid and fumbling, to cold and methodical.



"That much is obvious." The second twin replied, her voice change mirroring her sibling's. "She's too damn bossy and..."



"loves putting down humans too much." The other picked up with ease. "Our bottom line is doing better yes, but we can't feed as often any more."



"No, no we can't. Not without those seeking pleasure in substance abuse." The second concluded. "But... Lord Durial sent her... we can't just get rid of her."



"Not directly... But..." The first paused, glancing towards the crack that Kefan was watching them through.



"Yes... that might work." The second responded, glancing strait at Kefan through the crack in the wall.



Kefan snapped up to his feet and away from the hole, knocking the hooker he was face fucking onto her ass as she began to have a coughing fit. How the hell did the two of them know about the spy hole? Kefan had always made sure to keep it hidden. He darted towards the door and pulled it open only to find one of the twins there, waiting for him, a relaxed smile upon her lips and a dark plan shining in her eyes. Not wanting any part of anything that would draw dangerous attention to him, Kefan turned and bolted towards the window, planning on taking the fire escape. Yet when he slid the tinted panel open, he found the second twin standing there patiently.



Staggering back, Kefan quickly found himself in the embrace of one of the sisters, holding him from behind and rubbing her chest against his back. "Oh, now Kefan, no need to run away..." She cooed into his ear.



"Indeed..." the twin replied as she stepped into the bedroom and pressed herself up against his chest, slowly grinding herself against the slightly shorter demon. "We just want to talk..."



"We have nothing to talk about!" Kefan replied sharply, squirming in their grasp. Already he could feel the two of them trying to use their powers on him and make him more pliable to their desires. "I won't do anything to draw attention to me!" he barked weakly, even as he felt his erection grinding against one of them...



"Oh you don't have to worry about that Kefan." The one behind him whispered before nipping at his ear. "Lord Durial will never know you helped us, and neither will Ivy." The other sister continued.



A part of Kefan knew better than to trust them, but try as he might, with so much succulent flesh pressed against him, he couldn't help but be distracted. "n-no... I shouldn't... I mean... No! I... I!"



"Shhhh..." The one in front of him hushed, before she pressed her lips against his, and slipped her agile tongue into his mouth. Yet even as she explored his mouth with her sweet tasting tongue, her twin continued. "We just want you to go to the police, and tell them about this place..." That piqued Kefan's interest, though it confused him. If the pigs came here, they would probably shut it down... yet even as the twin kissing him broke away, he never got a chance to speak, as her sister forced Kefan to turn to her, as she continued where her sibling left off.



"Tell them about Ivy and how she's the one who runs this place... They won't catch her, but they will shut this place down because of it, and then she'll be made to look a fool." One of them said... by this point Kefan was so engrossed by the tongue twisting kisses and their powers that he couldn't say 'no' anymore, and so he weakly nodded after the one kissing him pulled away.



"Good." They said in unison, before one fell to her knees and took up the prostitute's job and began to suck Kefan's cock, while the other returned to kissing him, and at the same time slipping a hand down to his bottom, where she began to work a finger up his ass, trying to stimulate his prostrate...



It didn't take long for Kefan to be completely lost to lust and excess, as the saliva of each of the sisters began to do its work... Both of them had the ability to generate a potent and highly addictive stimulant, which made every touch and suck feel better than should have been possible. It was no surprise when Kefan began to cum harder then he ever had before, and though he didn't recognize it, it was also no surprise when Han and Lina began to drink his soul out from his mouth and cock...



They didn't take much of course... Just enough to enslave him to their wills, and to ensure that he wouldn't have the presence of mind to think better of their proposition when he was out of their clutches... Still, it was enough to level Kefan for a while, and even though the twins withdrew from his weakened body, they basked in his addled lust, and drank it in ecstatically, even as they kissed each other and shared his cum back and forth between them. They would keep Kefan to themselves for a couple days, reinforcing their dominance over him until there was no risk of him betraying them on their mission to be rid of Ivy.



~~~~



Celestine approached Markus's room, hoping to find him there rather than down in the dungeons working away on Tristan's sword. She didn't like it down there, but she supposed she'd have to get used to it if he was to work down there. Not that she knew exactly where he worked either, having had to go deal with Lavanna before she got to see it. However, as she walked down the hall, Celestine began to hear the sounds of another woman's voice coming from inside Markus's room.



"... it... it isn't working Markus." The unfamiliar woman began, her voice sounding light and reluctantly aroused. "Please... just stop touching it... Please stop... <em>unn!</em>"



Celestine frowned and simply opened the door, both worried that a succubus had tried to get her claws in Markus, and slightly annoyed by what she was hearing from inside his room. Yet as she entered she saw a slight woman sitting at the small table in Markus's room as he sat opposite of her, trying to manipulate a glove she wore... Yet Celestine could recognize the aroused blush that covered the woman's features as Markus continued to manipulate the glove. "Do... I even want to know what's going on here?" Celestine asked, more confused now than anything else.

<hr pg="2" />Markus whipped around and got to his feet, apparently too fast for his injuries and instantly gasped in pain and began to fall. The woman tried to get up to reach him in time, but compared to Celestine, she was clumsy and a little uncoordinated. Not that it mattered, as Celestine was able to reach Markus and helped support him before he fell over. "Well..." She began dryly. "That was brilliant... and not conspicuous at all."



Markus looked to her blushing some as he managed to support himself without her help. "Thanks for catching me... But no, we weren't doing anything stra-... uhhh..." Markus's words came to a grinding halt as he did a double take of Celestine and her current attire. His stunned and clearly impressed look made Celestine smile instantly as she turned her body slightly to give him a better view as he seemed to drink in her appearance. Yet he seemed to catch himself before he started staring overly much and looked very directly at her face. Obviously, he was trying to keep himself from looking anywhere else for fear of being unable to stop staring. "Wh-where was I?" He asked absently, trying to ignore the red-haired bombshell in front of him.



Celestine for her part couldn't help but bask in the attention, or more specifically, his attempts to pay no attention to her appearance. His reaction wasn't what she had feared, but instead had been everything she had hoped for. Celestine cocked her head lightly, showing off the curve of her neck as she met his gaze casually, placing her hands near her hips just over the bare flesh shown by her pants. "You were just introducing me to your friend." Celestine offered, fully aware of the fact that she was making it hard for him to focus on anything at all and spent every moment loving it.



Markus blinked and glanced back to Ella, and seemed to realize she was standing almost agape at Celestine. "Right! Ella, this is Celestine. Celestine, Ella." Markus began, moving aside and encouraging Ella to stand. Yet as Ella stood, she looked to Markus, clearly shocked over something...



Celestine offered her hand, but as Ella stood there confused and unsure, Celestine frowned. "Is there something wrong Ella?"



Her words seemed to snap her out of it and Ella shook her head. "Oh, no! Nothing wrong... It's just... you weren't exactly what I was expecting..." She weakly offered her gloved hand to Celestine, but only a moment after their hands connected, Celestine saw a new wave of reluctant pleasure strike Ella before she quickly snapped back her hand and almost hid behind Markus. "I'm sorry!" she almost squeaked out, clearly confused with herself.



Celestine meanwhile only blinked once or twice before looking to her hand, wondering if she had done something. After affirming she hadn't done anything odd, she looked to Markus. "Uhm... What just happened?" She asked, attempting to keep her voice relaxed and friendly as best she could manage in this awkward situation. "Did I do something wrong?"



Markus looked to Ella and sighed lightly. "No. It's not you... Durial... well Durial marked her. Specifically he marked her first two fingers on her right hand... Now, every time she does anything with it, the sensitive flesh fires off and she can't help but feel pleasure..." Markus was apologetic in tone, clearly aimed at Ella as he seemed to regret what happened. Still, he eventually continued. "I thought a glove might help lessen the sensation, but it doesn't seem to be working." Markus finished before turning to look at Celestine again, only to be surprised by what he saw.



Celestine was almost glaring at Ella's hand, like it was somehow wrong or that it's presence offended her somehow. He could see she was confused by what she had just heard... confused and angry, even though she kept a lid on it. "Show me please." She said with a forced calm, Even as Ella seemed to retreat further behind Markus, apparently reading her restrained hostility as well.



"Let's just give her a minuet okay? Getting it on her kind of mucked her up. She'll be okay after a breather." Markus tried to reason.



Celestine's frown only seemed to deepen at his words. "Seriously? It would be better to just tear it off like a band-aid." She responded before reaching out and almost snatching Ella's arm and pulling her closer to her. Markus reached out to try and do something, but seeing Celestine act like this stunned him into inaction and he had no idea how to deal with this. Even as he watched her hook her fingers into the wrist of the glove from two sides and simply tear the garment open and off Ella. "There, done." She replied frankly before looking at the swirling chaotic marks on Ella's skin.



But the moment she saw it clearly, Celestine began to wish she hadn't. Even before the glove came off, Celestine had seen the aura of Tristan's mark on Ella's fingers, though it was only thanks to Markus pointing it out that she noticed it at all. Still, now that she knew it was there, she could clearly sense Tristan's power in it and could see it was an intricate and detailed mark, even more so then the ones she bore. For some reason knowing that pissed her off, knowing that there was someone else here that Tristan had marked, and that it was another woman no less...



Celestine mentally slapped herself hard as she stamped down her irrational emotions, cursing them for existing at all. A moment later she took a deep slow breath and relaxed some, realizing that up until this point, she had been acting badly, even if she had been trying to be friendly. "I see. And given that it was Tris-...er, Durial that did this to you, I'm guessing that every time you touch something or something touches it, you feel a sudden surge of physical pleasure... right?" Celestine asked, trying to keep her voice soft.



Ella didn't reply immediately, as if she was immensely intimidated by Celestine. Even as Celestine asked her question, she saw that Ella would only glance at her, and then look away again, even more flustered and confused. Markus saw it as well and did his best to speak up for her. "That seems to be the long and short of it yes. Durial did this claiming that it was an incentive of some sort for her to enjoy her job... but if she's like this, every time she turns a page or opens a book she'll feel it."



Celestine looked to Markus, a gnawing sense of annoyance clawing at the back of her mind. She ignored it for now and instead looked back to Ella, whom she found looking away from her again. "I see. How did you get here Ella? Did Tristan send someone to go pick you up after he had Arzal killed?" She asked frankly.



Ella's lower lip quivered at the mention of Arzal being murdered and Markus immediately stepped in again so Ella wouldn't have to speak up. "I went to go get her. Durial sent me to collect her and bring her back so that he could mark her."



Celestine looked to him sharply. "He what?!" She asked astonished. "So, not only did he ignore our agreement and send you out without putting the order through me, you brought her back, fully aware she was going to be marked by him!?" Celestine almost shot at Markus.



He held up his hands defensively. "Hold on, you didn't give me a chance to finish! I did it to save Ella's life. With Arzal dead, the power keeping the passage of time from making her age was fading. If it had faded completely, the weight of ages would have all came at once and killed Ella. I didn't want that to happen so I used the only option I had available to me to save her."



Celestine frowned deeply before glancing to Ella again, only to find her darting behind Markus, again, as if she were trying to hide from Celestine. "... Well when you actually tell me what happened, I suppose it makes some sense, even though I don't see how someone could age fifty years all at once... Regardless, this should have gone through me first." Celestine replied, as she kept her voice from all the frustration she felt. Ella's hiding was beginning to fray her nerves...



Ella was, at least to Celestine's eyes, a mousy woman who, if she let herself be seen, might have been at least a somewhat attractive woman. Though it was hard to tell when her clothes seemed to cover her up so completely. Still, a part of her couldn't help but look for what Tristan saw in her, to mark her in such an obvious manner.



"I don't disagree." Markus replied. "I don't like taking orders from that prick. Though you spending any more time than is necessary with him also pisses me off too, so there isn't a lot I can do to win here." Markus vented frankly.



Celestine nodded and looked to Ella again, hoping to get her to talk again. "Well... I'm glad you're okay at least. Arzal mentioned you but I had no idea that his death would put you at such a risk."



Ella nodded lightly, while still looking more at the ground than at Celestine. "I'm... I'm okay I think... I just have to be careful with my hand." Ella replied hesitantly.



Celestine couldn't help but be confused by her actions though. When she tried to move into Ella's field of view, Ella only seemed to blush a bit more and look away again. "... Is there a reason you won't look at me?" Celestine asked, trying very hard not to let her voice become sharp.



Ella seemed confused as to what to do, and Markus eventually spoke up again, trying to coax her into saying something. "It's okay Ella... this is Celestine, the one I told you a little about. She's my friend and we can trust her."



Ella glanced quickly at Celestine before looking back to Markus and whispering into his ear. Celestine watched as Markus's face went from calmly listening to suddenly very confused. "Scantal-... Wait what?!" Markus burst out before glancing at Celestine and then quickly back at Ella. "Look, I know it's a lot of things have changed since you were out in the world, but it isn't really a big of a deal. It's normal these days."



"What isn't a big deal?" Celestine asked coolly.



Markus turned to her, "Look, Ella's just a little shell shocked is all. She hasn't been in the outside world in de-" He would have kept talking, but Celestine snapped out at him, cutting him off.



"I wasn't asking you Markus. Ella... what is the issue?" Celestine demanded. Ella moved to whisper to Markus again but Celestine didn't let her. "Hey! I'm right here! Talk to me! I'm the one who asked you a question!" Celestine accented as she pointed at herself.



Ella hesitated but then looked to Celestine directly, eyes suddenly becoming firm even if she was still slightly hesitant. "It's because you don't seem entirely like Markus described you."



Markus made to say something but Celestine held out a warning hand to him, keeping him quiet. "And how exactly did he describe me?" Celestine asked, keeping her ire contained for now.



"As a decent, and kind woman! A woman who knew proper decorum and wasn't like the witless fools who just gave into their desires like other servants... He said that you were a strong and virtuous woman." Ella replied firmly.



"Okay..." Celestine began, clearly confused. "And have I done something to convince you otherwise?"



Ella looked to Celestine, clearly confused by her question. "L... Look at how you are dressed... Surely you can see it? Or has Durial corrupted you so much already that you've become blind to such things?" She looked to Markus, eyes worried. "I think it's worse than you suspected Markus. If we don't do something quickly to help her we'll be too late." Ella theorized, clearly worried for Celestine.



Who, at first, could do little more than stand there and blink, completely stunned at what Ella was saying. She looked to Markus who stood there, almost equally as stunned. She saw him trying to form words, but nothing seemed to be good enough to diffuse the situation. Unfortunately, Celestine seemed to find her wits more quickly. "There is nothing wrong with what I'm wearing!" She replied firmly. "Just because it shows some skin doesn't make me indecent." Celestine finished coldly.



Ella shook her head lightly at Celestine's words, and looked to her with what Celestine immediately recognized as pity. "See Markus? More proof that she doesn't und-"



But Celestine had had enough. "Stop using him as a shield!" Celestine snapped, literally making Ella flinch and making Markus go still again. "I'm right here! You don't need him to talk for you, or for him to convince me of what you think! You have a voice, so use it and talk to me!"



Markus stepped forwards, trying to ease the situation. "Ladies, please, let's not let this get out of ha-"



"Are you <em>seriously</em> going to defend her?" Celestine asked astonished and infuriated. "She's talking to you about me like I'm not even fucking here Markus! Hell, she'll barely even look at me!" Celestine turned to Ella. "Look, I'm sorry if my style and clothes don't match your vision of what an upstanding woman might be, but I'm free to wear whatever I like, and I like this!"



Ella sputtered and shook her head quickly. "But don't you see that it isn't decent?! How could Markus possibly walk down a street or in a park with you wearing something like that?!" Ella asked, clearly aghast. "Everyone who saw the two of you would think he's some sort of deviant playboy paying you to expose yourself!" Ella replied adamantly.



Celestine stood there stunned once again before looking to Markus. "You... you don't actually feel like that do you?" She asked, trying to keep her voice level but largely failing. Her voice reflected that Ella's words had hurt her, and Markus's attempt to remain neutral in their argument had only added salt to the shallow wound.



Markus looked to her though, not even sparing a moment to look at Ella's imploring eyes, and after a half moment he shook his head. "No, I don't think that at all. I know what you're wearing isn't exactly what most would call normal clothes, but it's not like you're letting your breasts hang out or that you're wearing your pants so low your ass is on display. I mean you like them, and... well honestly..." Markus blushed lightly. "You look really good in them too so who the hell am I to complain?" Celestine was about to look to Ella and grant her a victorious smile as she felt elated at Markus's response. If nothing else that should have shut Ella up for now.



But it seems it wasn't enough. "<em>Markus</em>!" Ella gasped at him. "How... how could you be okay with being seen with some <em>harlot?!</em>"



Markus began to frown, fully intent on telling Ella that she was going too far, but the sound of Celestine slapping Ella quickly followed by the sound of Ella crashing onto his bed, which was at least a full four feet away, cut him off. Yet despite hearing Ella gasp in pain and whimper in fear, Markus found himself unable to move, shocked into stupid inaction once again as Celestine stepped forwards and loomed over Ella, glaring at her with cold unforgiving rage. If nothing else, Ella had underestimated Celestine's patience and tolerance Ella quickly scurried away as best she could and curled up in one corners of the bed, hand at her mouth as blood leaked out between her fingers from split lips.



"I think I get it now." Celestine's voice sounded, frigid as a winter wind. "It isn't that you don't approve of me... It's that you wish you were the woman he is interested in." Celestine explained simply. Yet her calm voice only seemed to make Ella's fear grow into abject terror.



"N-No! I'm not like that! I don't covet men like that!" Ella tried to explain through broken lips. "I loved Master Arzal!"



The cruel smile that crossed Celestine's lips seemed to make Ella freeze though. "You may have loved him as a master sure... but I'm guessing the moment you saw Markus you started lusting after him..." Celestine suggested with dark amusement. "You knew Arzal would never care for you or satisfy your physical needs, so I'm guessing you began hoping that Markus would. But your prim and proper upbringing made you a docile little lamb that would never take the initiative and approach a man yourself." Celestine almost spat the words 'prim' and 'proper', finding them distasteful as she made her accusations. "And even longing for another man other then your dead lord probably makes you think of yourself as unclean or some nonsense like that..."



Ella couldn't help but look at Markus, eyes desperate to try and convince him that Celestine was wrong, but the confused look etched upon his features told her it was already far too late... It was then that Ella began to break down and look away before shaking her head sharply, trying to deny it. "She's wrong! I'm not like that! I don't do that! I'm not like the other girls! I didn't gossip about the boys, and I never touched myself! I'm good! I'm PURE!" Ella almost screamed, desperate to convince herself as much as anyone else. "I was happy for Markus when he told me about the young woman he had met... I was happy that he had found someone in this world that could accept who he was and what he was trying to do! I was happy that he found someone that could make <em>him</em> happy!"



Celestine's ire began to wane and fizzle out as she heard Ella's words. She began to realize that she may have gone too far. But just as she was about to try and make some measure of amends, Ella looked up to Celestine, eyes full of hate. "But now I see the truth! You're just like so many of the foolish girls that got swept up in all that disgusting debauchery so many years ago!" Ella shot out, referring to the sexual revolution back in the sixties. "Now I see that Markus was wrong about you! You lied to him and fooled him! You are not virtuous, or kind or even strong! You're just a tart and he deserves better then a jezebel like you!" Ella spat venomously.



Celestine's cold cruelty erupted into fiery rage as she began to step forward and raised her hand again, fully intent on hitting Ella hard enough to make her head bounce off the wall or put her through it. Yet Celestine suddenly felt strong arms around her, trying to hold her back. "Celestine stop!" Markus's voice filled her ears. "For the love of god stop!" He yelled as Celestine began to struggle, trying to get free.



"Let me go Markus." Celestine demanded bluntly as she looked back to him, eyes sharp like flint. "Let me go Now!" She repeated as she began to try and earnestly to rip her way out of his grip. But, even with his semi-depleted runes Markus was still strong enough to hold her back.



"No! Celestine, you're going to really hurt her if I let you go-<em>UHHGK!"</em> Markus began before his breath was forced out of his lungs by stabbing pain in his ribs. Celestine had reached back with her free arm and began digging her fingers into his battered side, where she knew ribs had been cracked and bruised from his fight with Rena. Even with his ability to accelerate his healing, it was clear that Celestine knew it was still a highly sensitive and painful area for him. The pain was enough for his grip to loosen, and before he knew it, Celestine had pried herself free of his grip and shoved him to the ground with a threatening glance.



She only looked to him for a moment, and in that moment, Markus saw the anger and rage shining in her eyes. Yet as the moment passed, Celestine turned back to Ella and one of her hands snapped out to snatch Ella up by the collar of her sweater jacket and hauled her closer, as Celestine pulled back her free hand to lash out with. Celestine looked at Ella's terrified features and realized that she wanted this. That she wanted to cave in this insecure fossil's face with all her might. She hated how Ella had tried to convince Markus that there was something wrong with her. That this complete stranger somehow thought she had the right to judge her, based only on what she wore! But most of all she hated how Ella implied that she needed Markus to save her. That she needed a man to protect her and shield her from all the worlds' evils. Celestine had asked for his help, but that hardly meant that she wanted him to be some shining hero to come riding in and save her from the monster. She didn't need that, and she sure as hell didn't need to be looked down at by some fool who hadn't been part of the world in more than half a century.

<hr pg="3" />She had vaguely heard Markus trying to yell out her name as she savoured this moment and the feelings that ran through her as her gaze locked with Ella's. There wasn't anymore judgement or accusations in her eyes any more; instead they were full of fear and desperation. Her fearful gaze sent a shiver of excitement through Celestine, as she could almost feel the power that Ella's fear gave her... Ella would do anything right now to placate her, and Celestine knew it. She would grovel at her feet or humiliate herself if Celestine but asked. But her rage would not be made to wait, and she did not revel in the power Ella's fear gave her for overly long, and soon she was ready to finish this as she pulled her fist back to smash Ella's face in.



Yet Markus roaring out her name from the ground drew her attention away from the prey shivering in her murderous grip. "<em>Shut up</em>!" Celestine snapped at him, as she ripped her gaze away from her victim to look at Markus. "Not another word Markus! Not one more!" She almost hissed at him. Yet when she saw him, he seemed to accept her order, and instead simply pointed at something past her. Rage told her to ignore his directions, but Celestine was not a being of simple rage, and before she even thought otherwise, her head turned to what he was pointing at, only to find herself confused by what she saw in the mirror, hanging on Markus's wall...



She saw an attractive but ferocious looking woman, one hand held high and ready to strike down at the helpless whelp that was held in its opposite hand... She saw abject anger and searing hate in the bestial woman, but worse, she saw cruel joy written across her features... She saw that the woman loved the fear that her victim radiated, and that she hesitated only so that she could savour that dark power for a few moments more. Celestine saw the victim, tears streaming down her face even as her broken lips leaked blood that stained her captors' hand, as the helpless woman feebly tried to pull away from the brute that held her, pawing helplessly at her captors arm.



A moment more and sound began to come back to Celestine's ears, where before they seemed to be filled with a sharp buzzing overlaid with the rapid beating of what she guessed was her own heart. Her hear that had been thundering in her ears, overwhelming the sound of mewling and pleading that came from the victim she saw... A buzzing that had been overwhelming the apologies that streamed from her mouth and the confused and fearful babbling that came with it...



Celestine saw and heard it all, and after a moment or two she found that the sight in front of her only confused her... All the anger seemed to fade, despite it's insistence to lash out, and soon, Celestine saw the vicious woman's own features seem to soften into confusion. Slowly Celestine turned back to look at Ella, who had noticed that the one threatening to kill her had lowered the hand aimed at striking her. Celestine couldn't help but look at Ella and ask herself how this mousy woman had managed to get under her skin... Or why her opinion's seemed to matter so much to her.



As she looked Ella over, she saw the faint glow from the demonic mark etched upon Ella's fingers as they feebly held her arm. Just seeing it made unwelcome emotions threaten to rekindle her anger, but Celestine pushed them down numbly, as she tried to come to terms with what she had been doing and why she had really been doing it. Yes, Celestine hated hearing what Ella had to say... but she knew that her perspective wasn't abnormal for a woman during the dawn of the sixties... Even how Ella's want to defer to Markus was not out of place from the time Ella had been stolen away from.



Hell, even the idea that other women, who dressed more openly like Celestine had, were the enemy was not out of place for Ella, who had probably been taught how to be a good wife by her mother, who had probably been taught the same thing by her mother... And just like them, Ella had been taught by the propaganda of the time, and that propaganda told them that women who dressed openly and provocatively, that the ones who spoke out and acted as they saw fit, were only out to steal husbands away from loyal wives, or corrupt young sons... That they were immoral and evil...



But a part of Celestine didn't honestly care about how Ella's upbringing might have forced her into such a viewpoint... She didn't care that Ella was out of her own time and had been unceremoniously dropped into this new age. All it cared about was that Ella had lashed out at her, and that she wanted to strike back so hard Ella would never even contemplate speaking to her like that again.



Again, Celestine looked at the mark imprinted upon Ella's hand, and an angry surge of jealousy tried to rise up once again only to be pushed done once more. Despite not wanting to accept it, Celestine knew that mark was one of the reasons she was so angry with Ella... She had to admit to herself that she didn't like the idea of Tristan branding other mortal with his mark, let alone another woman, because it had, up to this point, made her feel unique. It made her feel like she was special to him...



Celestine finally let go of Ella's collar and watched as the small woman scurried away from her and curled up in a corner of the bed, so terrified as to not understand there were better places for her to hide. But Celestine didn't care anymore, and only slowly stepped back until she was leaning against the far wall, where she eventually slid down and sat, trying to come to terms with what she was just about to do. As she analyzed it, she was vaguely aware that Markus was seeing to Ella, helping her clean up and see to the minor injury that Celestine inflicted upon her.



It wasn't that Celestine was sorry that she had hit Ella... As far as she was concerned Ella needed a wake up call, and unfortunately, the blow had been that call. What really concerned her was the fact that Celestine wanted to keep hitting her, that she wanted Ella to acknowledge her wrong and beg Celestine for forgiveness; to forgive her for ever looking down on Celestine. Who Celestine knew was, at least in this circumstance, her better.



Celestine knew that wanting that was wrong, but what was concerning her was that she didn't feel wrong for wanting it like she knew she should have. If anything she was afraid of what she wanted, because she knew she once would have felt bad about desiring something like that. Actually, if she were being honest with herself, she would have never even wanted that in the first place...



Maybe part of it was Ella's attitude and how she acted, but honestly, Celestine couldn't shake the feeling that she wanted to put herself above Ella in retaliation for Ella receiving Tristan's mark. Even now, when she could explain her feelings and knew how crazy they sounded, Celestine still couldn't shake them... She still wanted to crush Ella under her boot, to prove to the mousy woman, and perhaps even to herself, that she was above Ella in some hierarchy that only she could see... "Well, that's kind of fucked up." Celestine muttered to herself absently.



"What is?" Markus asked as she knelt down in front of her.



Celestine looked up at him and sighed lightly. "The way my brain works apparently." She replied lowly. "Everything I just did... I think I did it because a part of me doesn't like the idea of another mortal bearing his mark. Or at least the idea that they are living under the same roof as him like I do." Celestine admitted frankly. "Like I said, kind of fucked up." Celestine looked to Ella as she sat huddled in a corner of Markus's bed, a cold rag still pressed to her lip. "Damn it all Markus..." Celestine began again. "I was going to beat her senseless... maybe even kill her. What's worse, even now I know it was wrong, but the part of me that should feel sorry... it doesn't seem to be working."



Markus cocked his head lightly at her and she could feel his gaze settled onto her for a long while, as if looking for something. Eventually he spoke up again, his voice calm but honest. "I think what you just said is pretty scary Celestine."



"It's actually terrifying, at least for me." Celestine replied.



"Which, I think, is a good thing." Markus countered, making Celestine look at him like he was crazy. "Hear me out... The fact that you know what you did was wrong, even if you don't feel the emotions, is actually very good. It means you're still capable of reasonable moral thought. The part about you wanting to be the only marked servant, I can't say I understand, but I do know it's not your fault Celestine. It's his. Durial has been screwing around with your head ever since he found you, it isn't unreasonable to think that, despite your best efforts, he's beginning to get to you. But you are not alone. I'll help you however I can." Markus assured.



Celestine smiled a little bit at his words, actually reassured by them. She nodded lightly and then frowned again. "I'm sorry about attacking your ribs like I did..." She cocked her head as if to think about it. "And I'm pretty sure I'm not just saying that... I honestly feel regret over hurting you like I did." Celestine explained, a little surprised by the fact that she felt regret when it came to Markus, but not for Ella.



"Another good sign Celestine." Markus replied. "And I think Ella will be fine too, so you don't need to worry about her. I know she crossed a line with you, and I think she understands that now, so it shouldn't happen again."



Celestine smiled lightly and nodded. "That's good to hear..." Even though inside she found that she couldn't give a damn if Ella was doing alright or not... Instead she began to push herself up and Markus moved up with her once she was upright. "But I should go Markus. I have to go talk with Durial about him sending you out without telling me. If we're going to follow this 'contract' of his then he will certainly follow it as well." Celestine said firmly.



Markus nodded. "Alright. It's already getting late and I'll see what I can do to get Ella set up with a room of her own once we get her patched up. I'll see you tomorrow?"



"Definitely." Celestine responded firmly before she began to head out towards the hall.



But just as she was about to leave the room, Markus spoke up again. "You never told me what happened with Lavanna. Did everything go alright?" He asked, honestly concerned for her.



Celestine hesitated for only a second before replying without even thinking. "It went more or less okay. She came, we talked, Durial eventually showed up and she told him what she knew. After that we gave her a warm send off."



Markus let out a sigh of relief. "That's good. I was worried something might have happened with her while I was away."



Celestine nodded to him, but didn't once look back to him during their latest exchange and a moment later she was out of his door and walking down the hall...



~~~~



Celestine walked almost as if in a trance. She had lied to Markus, and without even giving it a second thought as the lies passed from her lips. What's more, he bought it... Though to call it a flat out lie was perhaps wrong, she had only omitted many of the details.



Yet even as she tried to rationalize it, Celestine shook her head. "Now you're just lying to yourself." She muttered to herself. She knew she had deceived him, and over something that had actually been very important... But she didn't want him to know about her being Fell Born. She didn't know how he'd react, and frankly, didn't want to find out. Their situation was already tenuous, so it wasn't like she needed to push it further.



Each step she took brought her towards the inevitable conclusion that her lie, as deceitful as it was, was the right choice; that her lie was for both his and her best interest. But even as she came to that conclusion the question of whether Tristan justified his deceptions with similar reasoning crossed her mind. She honestly didn't put it past him, even though she was perfectly aware that his definition of 'justified' was likely vastly different from hers... Ultimately it didn't matter. Markus might find out about her unique nature one day, but not today. What was important was finding Tristan and taking the opportunity to vent all her frustrations out at him. If she had known about Ella's coming, she might have handled this all differently. But he had kept her in the dark again, despite their agreement.



~~~~



Tristan glanced up as he saw the door to his study open and found his gaze glued onto the woman who walked through it. Celestine was, as ever, beautiful, but wearing what she was made Tristan itch to simply leap over his desk and pin her on top of it before he had his way with her. Yet for all his desire, Tristan wasn't blind, and could see something was weighing on her mind as she walked in.



"You seem... distressed." Tristan offered as he stood and circled his large desk to meet her.



"You could say that." Celestine replied as she reached him, right before she lashed out and slapped him across the cheek with all her might. Almost instantly the stinging in her hand made her nearly regret it, but the satisfaction of seeing his stunned look was more then enough to make up for it. Before he could speak up she cut him off, voice going hard and cold. "When exactly did you say our agreement was only applicable when it suited you Tristan? Because I don't remember you ever adding that caveat into our little discussion."



Tristan stood there, head turned slightly by her blow, for a short moment before he began to roll his jaw to make sure everything still worked, even though he knew it would. He glanced back to her, impressed and surprised by her outburst, but he could see she was hardly in the mood to entertain any of his games at this exact second. "I suspect you are referring to Markus and that librarian?" He asked as casually as if she hadn't touched him at all.



Celestine had to fight not to hit him again. His blasé attitude was rubbing her already raw skin the wrong way. She had worked up her frustrations as she had tracked him down, fully intent on unloading on him instead of anyone else. "You know damn well that's what I mean! You said that there would be a chain of command, and that Markus would get his orders through me! Instead you just ignore that and sent him off to go fetch that woman just so you could mark her!" Celestine exclaimed, fists clenched at he sides. "I mean hell Tristan, you didn't even tell me!"



Tristan cocked his head lightly and nodded. "I think I see your point." He said matter of factually.



But it seemed she was only half listening, as she began again. "And even before that, I still have no idea where Markus's workshop is going to be! You were going to show me, but then you sent me out to see Lavan-... wait... What did you say?" She asked as her brain finally began to register his words.



Tristan gave her a slightly cocky smile before replying easily. "I said you are right, and that I was wrong." He paused to let the words sink in, an easy smile still on his face.



Celestine frowned and took a step back, suddenly very wary. "Since when do you admit to your mistakes?"



Tristan chuckled at her words but quickly replied. "My dear Celestine, I've always been able to admit my errors. They just don't happen very often, hence why you don't hear me say such things very often." Tristan explained, his voice carrying only the smallest grain of amused arrogance.



Celestine rolled her eyes. "Sure you don't... either that or your definition of making a mistake is different from any reasonable person's definition." Celestine replied bluntly. "But if you can acknowledge your error, maybe you can tell me what's going to happen now? Are you going to adhere to the terms of our agreement or should I assume it's null and void right now?"



"No, I will adhere to them. It's just that that Ella girl's life was in danger, so I felt haste was a necessity. Would you have preferred that I waited to send it through you and risk her health?" Tristan asked playfully.



Celestine looked away and frowned lightly, hesitating at his words. "... No, of course not."



Tristan noticed something that made his smile grow a shade darker, and soon he was stepping closer to her. "Well now isn't that curious. You don't sound wholly convinced of that. Have you perhaps already encountered Ella?" Tristan asked, as he began to circle around her slowly.



"I have actually. And what do you mean 'wholly convinced'? Just because I want you to follow the terms of our agreement doesn't mean I wish her any ill will or anything like that." Celestine replied firmly, slowly turning her head to keep her eyes on him as he began to circle.



"No I suspect it isn't that which would make you feel any ill will towards her." Tristan admitted. "But then perhaps there is something else that that makes you dislike her?" Tristan asked curiously.



Celestine worried at her lower lip impulsively as she mulled over his words. Somehow he had already read that she disliked Ella. Eventually she replied. "We... didn't get along. She expected me to be very different, and she didn't take reality well. She got a little short with me and I retaliated badly..." Celestine explained.



"Retaliated badly?" Tristan asked as he slipped behind her. "Now that is non specific." Tristan muttered as he reached out and took her hand into his gently as he looked her palm over, seeing traces of dried blood there. "Perhaps I'm not the only one you've struck today?"



Celestine pulled her hand out of his, and put some distance between the two of them. "I struck her once." Celestine replied quickly. "All I gave her was a split lip and the realization that she shouldn't look down at me because I don't match her idolized version of what a proper woman should be." Celestine explained defensively.



Tristan surprised her by keeping any mocking comments to himself. "I see. Though I have to say, you don't strike me as someone who lets others get under her skin very easily. She must have said some rather vicious things for you to respond the way you did. Either that or there was something else you disliked about her."



Celestine looked away from him again, disliking where this conversation was going. "Whatever. You've agreed to follow the terms of our agreement, so that's all I have to talk say to you right now." She finished before turning towards the door again.



"Very well. But if you see Ella again, please let her know that I wish to speak with her as soon as possible." Tristan replied before beginning to head back to his chair as well.



But his words stopped Celestine, and she found herself turning around. "I'll have Markus handle Ella, you don't have to worry about her or finding accommodations for her." Celestine explained.



Tristan turned to her and frowned slightly. "Oh it has nothing to do with that sort of thing. I was just hoping to get to speak with her more then I have already. Get to know her and all that." Tristan said as he sat down again, his voice carrying a slightly suggestive tone. "Besides, she's marked by me Celestine, and was never part of our agreement. I'll handle her as I see fit." Tristan added calmly.



Yet worry gnawed on Celestine as he explained. Before she knew what she was saying, Celestine spoke up. "You sure work fast don't you? What are you going to do, screw around with her mind using your abilities and then turn her against Markus? Given where you placed your Demonic Mark on her, it wouldn't surprise me." Celestine began to accuse, her anger boiling up again.



"Come now Celestine, that's reaching a bit don't you think? To assume that I'd use her against Markus goes a little far. If I were to do that, it would mean I would actually register him as a threat or even as a target of interest. Which is so preposterous it's surely laughable." Tristan reasoned with perfect ease.

<hr pg="4" />"Surely." Celestine responded dryly. "But then why did you put her mark on her hand like that? Why put it somewhere so obvious and where the hypersensitive flesh would be constantly affected? With me you put them on the small of my back and my stomach, and while I can feel them occasionally, they aren't somewhere where I'll always feel them!" Celestine exclaimed. "And if I'm not mistaken, her mark is even more sensitive than mine are." Celestine added, more reservedly.



Tristan shrugged. "I suppose it is. Though I did that more on a whim than anything else Celestine. I honestly did think she'd enjoy the sensitivity." Tristan explained candidly. "Though I don't know why its location and sensitivity is an issue for you. You won't be working with her and I don't plan on her having any influence on Markus's work beyond anything he might need from the library for research. She's far to plain for me to use for fun or anything like that. Never mind the fact that I'm certain she's a prude." Tristan added bluntly.



"It just seems like a really foolish place to put it is all..." Celestine replied, fully aware how weak her argument was.



She found him approaching her again before stopping right in front of her, meeting her eyes curiously. "Would you rather I remove it from her completely if it is such a big deal?"



Celestine's eyes lit up for a fraction of a second, but Tristan saw her quickly stamp out any emotions that her eyes may have reflected. Not that it mattered, he could sense that he had just described something she wanted greatly. "No... of course not. Doing so would kill her." Celestine replied frankly, her voice controlled and level.



Tristan smiled darkly and circled her once more, until she felt him gently place his hands upon her shoulders and speak up again as his strong hands began to knead the tense muscles he found there. "Alright, for the sake of morality and doing what is right, we'll say your answer is 'no', and that you would never agree to me removing the mark from Ella. We'll leave it exactly where it is so that Ella doesn't turn to dust right in front of us. Congratulations we've answered the question of whether we should remove the mark or not. But then I didn't ask you if we <em>should</em> or not... I asked you if you <em>wanted</em> it removed. So, if you would be so kind as to entertain me Celestine, please answer that question." Tristan posed lowly, his voice curious and hopeful.



Celestine shook her head. "What I want isn't important Tristan." Celestine replied, even as she couldn't help but answer the question in her head. Yet even as she tried to force the answer she came up with out of her mind, his low laughter sounded in her ear.



"Wrong, it's the most important thing." Tristan replied without hesitation, his voice carrying all the weight of someone who truly believed in what they were saying. "If you won't answer me, what incentive do I have to leave Ella be? If nothing else, removing her mark and watching her age rapidly might prove entertaining." Tristan speculated.



Celestine closed her eyes as chaos began to swirl in her mind, her emotions and rational thoughts fighting against each other. "You said-... You said you wouldn't take it away Tristan... Are you going to lie to me right after assuring me that you wouldn't?" Celestine challenged, even as she felt his hands began to work out the soreness from her shoulders with pleasurable pressure.



"You hardly sound committed to stopping me Celestine." Tristan replied easily. "But I'll keep my word if you answer my question honestly. I know what your actual answer is, even if it isn't what you want, and if you play along, I will keep my word and leave Ella be, even if the 'morally correct' answer doesn't match what you really want." Tristan repeated, even as his hands moved and worked her body, forcing her to relax against her will.



Celestine racked her mind trying to figure out a way to do what was right and answer him properly, but no magic answer came to her, and she realized she was running out of time. "I'm... I'm not going to play that game with you Tristan." She tried weakly.



"I'm sorry Celestine, but you're already playing... Any mortal that follows a moral compass of any supposed quality would have answered 'I want you to leave her be'. Instead you tell me you're not playing the game at all, which suggests you're answer is the opposite of 'leave her alone'... But why you refuse to tell me the truth is beyond me. Nothing will come of the answer. No harm will come to Ella by my hand or any of those who serve me, no matter what your answer is, so long as you do in fact answer. So why deny it?" Tristan asked slowly, his voice echoing in her ear as much as her mind, as she could not be sure if she was hearing him through the demonic mark or with her ears any more.



Yet even as she continued to hesitate, His hands slipped further down, to the small of her back, where they inevitably began to massage the large demonic mark etched into her flesh, sending shuddering waves of warm pleasure through her while working out the tension in the muscles underneath. "<em>Ahhh...</em>" Was all she could manage at first, and it was little more than a pleasured sigh that escaped her lips. A moment later her head leaned back, lightly falling onto one of his shoulders. "Honestly?" She asked, as she turned her head to meet his golden brown eyes. "A part of me does want it stripped from her... But a bigger part wants left on her so I punish her for ever having it in the first place..."



Her words confused him at first, and it showed in his eyes, but she kept him from responding with a hesitant but cruel smile. "I'd want to prove to her that her beliefs and her way of life are not only wrong, but that they have long since died out." Celestine explained, even as her own breath accelerated, dark violent excitement beginning to stir in her. "I'd rip away her clothes first, and force her to wear things that she would find shocking and disgraceful, right before I walk her down a street full of people. I'd savour her confusion and fear, as she would try and cover herself like the idiot she really is. I'd love watching her slowly realize that no one would care about how she was dressed... that a nice pair of pants and an attractive top doesn't make her a slut and that her prudish beliefs don't mean shit any more... I'd prove to her how wrong she is. Prove to her that her judgement of me was empty and hallow, and that she is nothing more than a relic of a past best abandoned and forgotten..." Celestine paused, eyes still locked his, even as she envisioned her cruelties.



"And when I was done killing her way of life, I'd kill her to." Celestine admitted, shuddering lightly as Tristan's hands continued to stroke the sensitive mark, so wholly enamoured with her words that he didn't even think of stopping. "I'd beat her until she couldn't breathe without coughing up blood... I'd hit her over and over again until the only noise she could make would be painful wet gasps of agony..." Celestine elaborated, almost with a dreamy sense of anticipation. But she paused and pulled away from Tristan, even as she wanted to feel more of the delightful shivers of pleasure run through her body.



She found herself shaking her head at her own words and desires, horrified and disgusted by them. Ella was no real threat to her, and it wasn't like the mercy killing she gave her opponent back in the pits during the Demonic Court... What she wanted was nothing more than brutal savagery that had no real goal other than to sate her own spiteful emotions. "Is that enough Tristan?" Celestine asked as she began to hug herself. Exploring these dark and heinous desires terrified Celestine. And just like when she was with Markus and Ella, what scared her most was the fact that she should have felt terrible over having such desires, but she didn't. She knew it was wrong, and that she should feel wrong for thinking such things, but she honestly just didn't. All she felt was how much she hated that Ella had Tristan's demonic mark and how much she wanted to punish her for it...



"I suppose it is." Tristan replied slowly. "Though I honestly do want to hear the rest... I know you're holding the ending back from me, likely because you think even wanting something like that is evil or something like that."



Celestine snapped around and looked to him, eyes blazing in anger. "It is evil! It's vile and despicable and horrific! How could you even begin to argue that such thoughts are anything but monstrous?" Celestine demanded sharply.



"How? Well honestly speaking, are you acting on your desires? No? Then how can a random thought be evil? You're angry, that much is obvious. And we both know that anger doesn't exactly make a sound mind or sound thoughts. So it's pretty obvious that your desire to smash her face in is just a result of your frustrations with her. I'm guessing that when you first met her, you tried to be polite and friendly, right?" Tristan asked, looking to her optimistically.



Celestine's frown lessened, and she eventually nodded, trying to keep up with his reasoning. "I did try... Though I don't know how successful I really was."



"Not your fault." Tristan replied easily. "Attempting to be kind and friendly is, in of itself, proof that you didn't want to have a confrontation. If she was to blind to not see that, and proceeded to instigate conflict anyway, then it's not your fault for responding." He finished calmly, his words sounding unsettlingly reasonable to Celestine.



"But I escalated things... For crying out loud, I was going to kill her! I was going to smash her face in and do it with a smile on my face." Celestine pointed out, trying to counter his arguments.



"But you didn't." Tristan replied right on the heels of her words. "No matter what anyone else did or said to try and convince you not to, it was still you who decided not to kill her." Tristan pointed out. "Even hitting her in the first place probably only happened because you got caught up in the heat of the moment and probably acted in retaliation when she pushed you too far. Some might say that your 'thoughts' were evil, but a lot of other people would say that what you did was nothing more than you subconsciously making sure that Ella would never attack you again. That by threatening her as you did, that by hitting her like that and even coming close to killing her, was all to make sure she never attacked you again." Tristan proposed frankly. "You weren't just warning her off for today, but for every other encounter that might happen in the future."



"Then why did I enjoy it?" Celestine asked, unsure and confused. "If it was just some instinctual response meant to protect myself from her ever again, then why did I enjoy it?"



Tristan shook his head. "Because all life, mortal, demonic, or bestial, we are all programmed to enjoy success." Tristan responded bluntly. "Look at it this way Celestine: You had Ella's life in your hands, and I'm guessing that you saw the fear in her eyes after you struck her the first time, and as a result, I'm also guessing that you enjoyed seeing that fear. That it made you feel successful and powerful, correct? Again, just like the threatening reaction response, your feeling of elation and success was completely normal, because guess what? Your gambit succeeded! You actually scared and intimidated Ella into looking at you in a different way; in a way that will likely prevent her from ever trying to hurt you again. Because that <em>is</em> what happened, something Ella did hurt you, and even though you tried to be kind and friendly, she only tried to rip that wound open further, and you reacted in order to protect yourself."



"But I wanted to murder her!" Celestine repeated. "I wanted to see her dead and gone forever! If all I wanted really was to have her leave me alone, I wouldn't have had to go such extremes." Celestine argued, even as the rational part of her began to falter against Tristan's arguments, as each word seemed to make more and more sense.



"Yes, but you didn't. And that's that important point here Celestine. A beast would have killed her. A demon, most <em>definitely</em> would have killed her. But you didn't. You chose not to slay her even though you knew that it would the possibility that she might come back again some day and try again. As far as I can tell, what you did wasn't an evil act, no matter what anyone else might say." Tristan concluded firmly, his voice sincere to Celestine's ears.



Celestine couldn't help but stand there for a long moment, looking for any sign of deceit or personal motivation in Tristan's actions and words. She still felt worried about her lack of caring when it came to having nearly killed Ella, but her concerns seemed to have waned some, as she continued to look at it from Tristan's view. "So... me reacting the way I did... isn't because I'm a monster, or even a bad person?" Celestine asked hesitantly, unsure if she could really trust him. She knew she shouldn't, but what he said made sense to her, and it lessened the gnawing concern that she should feel guilt over what had happened.



"No, it does not make you a monster. And given that I'm kind of an expert on the subject, I think I know what I'm talking about here." Tristan replied with an amused smile.



"I still almost immediately disliked her though, even before she spoke up. I took one look at her demonic mark and I immediately began to hate her for having it..." Celestine admitted, still determined to feel some measure of guilt, even if it was minor in comparison to anything else.



Tristan cocked his head. "And why is that?" He asked confused.



Celestine looked away from him as she pondered how to answer him without sounding like a crazy stalker girlfriend. Unfortunately, every way she tried to word it, it only seemed to sound more insane. Without ever intending too, one of her hands slid over her navel, grazing the demonic mark stamped around her belly-button. Eventually though she just shook her head. "Forget about it, it isn't important." Celestine replied before turning and beginning to head towards the door again. "Just... make sure that if you have any orders for Markus in the future, to send them through me first, alright?"



"Yes, of course. But before you go Celestine?" Tristan called lightly, causing her to glance back at him over her shoulder. "I don't think I'll be bringing any other mortals in under my roof any time soon, let along marking any of them. And, just in case you were curious, I have no intention or desire to ever give Ella a second mark. I've found that I'd rather that right be reserved only for you." Tristan explained, his voice thoughtful and affectionate.



Celestine hid the smile that came unbidden behind her shoulder as she looked forward and away from him. It took her a moment, but soon she was sure the joyful emotions that swept over her wouldn't reflect in her voice. "I see. Thank you for letting me know." She replied, before she began to walk out.



Yet even if she didn't know it, Tristan could see the way she was moving had changed, and it made his desire for her simmer all over again. When she walked in here, she was blunt and direct, and her footsteps reflected that... But now, he could see her hips swaying provocatively and could hear and see the light pleasantness of her steps, reflecting the joy he guessed she felt right now...



~~~~



After three or four turns Celestine found she couldn't focus on walking any more and leaned against one of the walls to take a moment and revel in Tristan's words... She knew it was silly, and perhaps even a little petty, but hearing him say that, dwarfed all her guilt and concerns, making her forget them for a time as she rejoiced in his words. She was still unique to him... special. And despite knowing that Tristan was also her enemy, she delighted in that knowledge...



It took her long minuets to eventually gather herself and take off again. Tomorrow she would look into when Markus could begin working on Tristan's blade, as well as lay out guidelines for how Ella was not to be a distraction from his work. As far as she was concerned, Ella was Tristan's burden, and she wouldn't let her slow Markus down.



She needed to push Markus after all. Completing the sword in a timely manner might go a long way towards earning the third mark. Despite knowing that she should focus, Celestine's mind drifted to what the third mark would be, where Tristan would place it, and how it would feel... She sighed pleasantly as she recalled the feeling of his hands massaging her back, sending waves of pleasure out from the demonic mark... It was then that an embarrassing idea popped into her head. Perhaps she would ask that the third mark be more sensitive then the first two...



She couldn't help but smile naughtily as she pondered what that would be like... What a constant reminder of his touch would be like if that were the case...



~~~~



Tristan stood alone in his study, letting the world tick away as he looked out the windows into the grounds that surrounded his home. He watched the sun dip behind the tops of the trees in the distance, casting the world in a waning light. Each second that past, the light dimmed further, until it was finally a single ray of golden light shining through the trees. Yet soon even that waned, and Tristan couldn't help but smile as he watched it finally go out, and the world became one of darkness and shadows once again...



"I couldn't have hoped for a better result..." Tristan said to himself, his smile growing wider as he contemplated his words and actions. She was so concerned about protecting Markus, she could not see that the Arcanist wasn't his real target. Still, her explosive reaction was more than he could have ever hoped for, and it happened far sooner then he ever expected. Though the trigger of it surprised him, Tristan would have never dreamed that Celestine would feel betrayed by the concept of others for bearing his mark, especially if they lived under the same roof as the two of them.



Still, despite knowing that weakness, Tristan found that he was unwilling to break his word in that regard, even if he could manoeuvre it to his advantage. Strange, how he was so willing to deceive her when it came to some things, and yet he could not bring himself to even twist the truth in others. Indeed it was odd, feeling this sense of intense loyalty and relentless betrayal at the same time...



Yet for all it's strangeness, Tristan's smile stayed etched upon his features, even as his eyes glowed palely in the near total darkness that surrounded him...



~~~~



When Celestine got back to her chambers, she took care to come in quietly, as to try and not rouse Rena. She saw that Rena had moved some, and was even now stirring unpleasantly in her sleep, and Celestine frowned, wondering if she was having a nightmare of something like that. But even tiptoeing, it seemed that Celestine made enough noise to make Rena aware of her presence, even if she was still asleep.



A moment went by and Rena stilled as she seemed to detect Celestine's movements, and before long, Celestine found herself fighting not to giggle as she watched Rena's head turn and take two or three deep slow whiffs of the air, before smiling beautifully in her sleep, and then snuggling her head back into her pillow, her dreams turning content and peaceful once again. It seemed that even asleep, Rena could recognize Celestine's presence and scent, and seemed to be put at ease by it.



Glancing up to the clock, Celestine knew she had some time before Salana and Tamana would be here, assuming they came at all of course. But it left her with some time to kill, and as she looked about for something to do, her eyes eventually fell upon the blade that Tristan had given her back at court. Despite herself, Celestine soon found herself unable to look away from the weapon she had used to severely injure her opponent from back then, right before she used it to help kill himself... The weapon she found herself wishing she had only a few hours ago when she had a hold of Ella...

<hr pg="5" />Eventually Celestine got to her feet and picked up the weapon, and pulled it slowly from its sheath. As the metal rasped quietly, Celestine found herself admiring every inch of the weapon, despite its simple and functional form. It was a very pure and simple weapon, and it had proven itself by not only saving her life, but by taking the life of another. Even now, she thought she could still detect the faintest traces of blood wafting off it even though she had cleaned it. And that scent triggered the memories of Celestine's violent fantasy that she had kept even from Tristan.



She saw herself, holding the beaten and broken Ella, barely able to stay upright on her own as she leaned weakly against Celestine, pawing at her and mumbling for mercy. Her face was swollen and bloodied, her clothes torn and stained with gore. Yet Celestine knew she had spared Ella any fatal blows. She knew that Ella would survive if she were left well enough alone. But then the familiar rasp of metal on metal filled the air, and Celestine slipped the point of her dagger up against Ella's side, just under her left arm, pointing towards her heart.



Ella began a new wave of struggling, but it was futile of course. She tried to watch the blade in horror, but with her free hand Celestine grabbed her matted hair and dragged Ella's attention back to her eyes. She wanted to see, with no obstruction or interruption, the face of the one she hated as she began to push the blade into her flesh slowly. Celestine imagined the painful crying wail that escaped Ella's broken lips, how her panicked eyes began to stream fresh tears as the blade bit deeper and deeper.



Soon Celestine felt the sharpened edges hit bone, it's advance paused by the presence of Ella's ribs keeping the blade from driving further with no additional force. Celestine waited for hope to kindle in Ella's eyes again before she took her time twisting the blade, and pushed harder, gouging bone and tearing flesh as it continued it's unstoppable advance towards Ella's heart. The painful whimper that escaped Ella's lips was accompanied by an excited sigh escaping Celestine's mouth, as she saw Ella's hope die.



Soon Celestine felt the blade pierce Ella's lung, and almost instantly her breathing became more laboured and thick with fluid as blood filled her lungs. Ella inevitably tried to cough it out, only adding to her suffering as her coughing twisted the blade inside her. Some blood did come up of course, speckling across Celestine's cheek and jaw. Yet Celestine didn't find herself horrified by the feeling... Instead she only felt pleased.



Finally the blade found Ella's heart, and Celestine could almost feel it piercing one chamber after another as blood began to haemorrhage out of the wounded organ, filling Ella's lungs. Ella's coughing became a weak gurgling as a new wave of gore overflowed from Ella's lips, and down between their bodies, feeling warm against Celestine's flesh as it washed down the demonic mark etched onto her stomach.



It only took a few seconds more, and soon Celestine was watching the light in Ella's eyes begin to fade... Yet even as her eyes grew dark, Celestine gave one last savage twist of the weapon, hoping to make that last spark of life be stained in agony... And she got what she wanted, and the last sound Ella made was a painful blood soaked whimper, telling Celestine that she did not want to die...



Celestine blinked once and the vivid picture faded from her mind, and as she sank back into reality, she found her breathing accelerated and her palms damp as her heart thumped quickly and loudly in her chest. Almost instantly she felt appalled at what she dreamed about, glad that she hadn't told Tristan about the conclusion of her desires... Instead she put the blade back in its sheath, and back on its stand.



Shaking her head, Celestine took a step back, looking at the blade with a worried look. Yet after a moment she turned and put it out of her mind, reminding herself of what Tristan had said, that desires like that were normal. So long as she didn't act on it, she was fine.



Celestine glanced at the clock again and saw that more than a little time had passed as she recounted her fantasy. The two succubi would be here soon...



~~~~



Tamana almost jumped out of her skin when the door opened up quietly and she found Celestine looking out calmly. She had just reached up to knock, but before her hand fell the door had opened, as if Celestine had somehow knew she was there, even though neither she nor Salana had made a sound. Yet even as she opened her mouth to speak, Celestine held a finger to her lips, signalling the two of them to stay quiet. Still, Tamana gave Celestine an inquisitive look, wondering why silence was so necessary, only for Celestine to step aside and give her an open view towards her bed. The bed where Rena lay sleeping, curled up and content looking.



Tamana almost gasped in fear, and would have if Salana's hand not fallen across her mouth to silence her, neither wanting to risk awakening her, and putting her in a foul mood. Both succubi looked to Celestine who stepped out of the room and slowly closed the door behind her, doing so as silently as possible, before motioning for the two of them to follow her. Soon the three of them found themselves in the gym that Lord Durial kept, still waiting for Celestine to say something.



Once she was finished making sure they were the only ones there, Celestine turned to them both and smiled. "I'm sorry about that. I didn't want to risk waking Rena up and all."



"At least you knew she was there. When exactly did she start sleeping with you?" Salana asked quietly.



"And so peacefully?" Tamana added. "We've always heard that she sleeps like an animal, always thrashing and rolling about in her sleep."



Celestine looked to the two female demons and shook her head. "The answers to both those questions are unimportant. More importantly is the fact that neither of you saw her there at all." Celestine informed them firmly.



Salana almost huffed at her before replying. "Look, I appreciate you saving my life a few days ago, but that doesn't mean you can order us around..."



"I'm not ordering you for my sake Salana." Celestine replied calmly. "I'm doing it for your sake. Let's say one of you accidently lets it slip what you saw. I'm guessing it would take hours for it to spread across the mansion and Rena would eventually hear it... Chances are she'd start butchering her way up the chain until she made her way to you two... What do you think would happen then, after she finds out it was you two who started a rumour, slagging her reputation by saying she sleeps like a beautiful little babe?" Celestine asked, not trying to be insulting but instead being absolutely frank.



Tamana and Salana looked to each other as the two of them began to put Celestine's comments together. Eventually Tamana replied. "We don't know what you're talking about. Rena sleeps like a monster, everyone knows that. If you try and wake her up you might lose an arm." Salana finished, clearly understanding the implications. "Besides, we've never seen her asleep before, just heard rumours." She added just in case.



"Thank you." Celestine said honestly. As much as she cared for Rena, and knew Rena had a kind playful side, Celestine also knew that her reputation was a hard earned and powerful tool that Rena had cultivated over years. She wasn't about to risk it all on a chance encounter. "And thank you for taking the time to meet me. I was hoping that the two of you could help me out in return for keeping Rena from tearing you into ribbons thanks to Saul... Nothing huge, but it needs to be done secretly. Think you can manage?" Celestine asked hopefully.



Both the succubi looked to one another and then back to Celestine before Tamana spoke up again. "Maybe you haven't heard yet, but Lord Durial has given orders that we're all supposed to keep our distance from you. Even meeting you like this could get us into a lot of shit."



"And that's why we are doing it secretly." Celestine replied, covering her surprise at Tristan's orders well enough that the two of them didn't notice. "All you need to do is carry and deliver letters for me. I've even got an idea on how to do it without the three of us ever actually meeting face to face again if you want." Celestine posed frankly.



Salana cocked her head. "Again, grateful for the whole saving our lives from the psychotic little wrath demoness, but why should we stick our necks out for you? You're mortal, and frankly we're demons. What do you possibly have to offer that will prove to be any incentive at all?"



Tamana cocked her head at Salana. "Seriously? She saved out lives, and I like being alive, so we do kind of owe her. Are you really okay with leaving a debt unfulfilled like that?"



Salana rolled her eyes. "We're demons, she's a mortal. Any debt between us doesn't mean a damn thing." She replied to her shorter companion.



"True, but if you haven't noticed, Lord Durial really likes her. If we show we're willing to help her out and maybe we'll get some sort of reward out of it?" Tamana replied.



Celestine seemed to ponder for a moment but spoke up. "You two do a bunch of small jobs around here, right?"



Both the women looked to Celestine before nodding lightly. "Yea. We handle a number of the gardens and keep the place clean and tidy, despite the amount of depravity that takes place here." Salana said with a seductive grin.



"Don't forget we help with disposal." Tamana added in begrudgingly. "What a complete shit job that is..."



Salana nodded. "No doubt, but we're not exactly on the highest rungs around here in case you've forgotten. We hung out with Saul to keep the other succubi from bothering, and to keep the pride and wrath demons from trying to rape us and shit like that."



Celestine piped in again, confused by their words but needing to get her own voice in. "Do you mind if I ask what makes 'disposal' so bad? Other than handling corpses I mean..."



Tamana shook her head. "The dead bodies aren't the issue. It's the things we use to get rid of them that are horrible. You see, the best way to get rid of a body is to physically destroy it. Thing is, bones tend to be pretty durable, and just scattering them in a field somewhere in ass-fuck nowhere isn't really an option. Humans tend to find them and start investigating and crap like that. So, we have to get rid of them another way. There are various means, such as dissolving the bodies in acid and shit like that. But that makes a hell of a mess and a terrible stink. Never mind the fact that humans start to ask questions when someone keeps buying up all the chemicals needed to dissolve bodies over and over again..." Tamana explained.



"And so," Salana picked up, "we have to find a different way. This is where the shitty part of our little adventure comes along. Have you ever heard of mobsters disposing of bodies by using pigs and stuff like that?"



Celestine's face turned to disgust. "Pigs? Where the hell is a pig farm around here?"



Salana shook her head and chuckled. "Nah. For us it's worse than pigs... Gluttony demons."



Celestine stood and let that sink in for a moment before shaking her head in utter revulsion. "Well, that's not going to help me sleep any... So these Gluttony demons eat dead people... professionally?"



Tamana nodded. "Yep, and they can consume every part of a human body, hair and teeth too. Somewhere along the line, the gluttony demons that didn't mind choking down dead human flesh, figured out that they are a valuable service... As such, Demonic nobles and the like that don't have gluttony demons on retainer, have to pay for their services."



Celestine frowned. "Alright... I suppose that makes some rather gruesome sense. But how do you pay demons? Do they care about money?"



"Sometimes. But usually they prefer favours or things like that. The problem with that is that a good number of Gluttony demons like to have entertainment with their dinners, which usually means, at least in the case of lust demons, that <em>we</em> are the entertainment, in return for their services." Salana concluded.



"It fucking blows." Tamana added. "I mean it's one thing if they just ask for a dance or some shit like that, but closing your eyes and pretending you're being fucked by a some beautiful piece of man meat only goes so far when some fat beast starts waving around his lumpy cock for you to swal-"



"For the love of god, please stop talking..." Celestine begged, cutting Tamana off as she leaned against a wall trying to keep herself from vomiting. She remembered the wide array of gluttony demons she had seen at court, and while not all of them were revolting, some of them most certainly were. After a moment she was able to compose herself again and looked to the two of them. "Why would Durial allow that? I thought he looked out for his servants?"



"I think you're missing something here mortal." Salana began. "Things like that, favours and the like? It isn't new. In fact it's a staple of our society. Every demon of each sphere of power brings things he or she can offer the other demons... Gluttony demons offer disposal services amongst other things, Wrath demons provide warriors and guards and Lust demons can offer companionship and physical pleasure." Salana explained.



"It's a system that has existed more or less forever, and I doubt very much it's going to change any time soon." Tamana added. "The issue is that sometimes gluttony demons get a little too excited, and try and take a bite out of whomever they might be humping... The same thing can happen with Wrath demons and how they might start beating their lovers when they lose themselves to their natures. They aren't supposed to, but very few Nobles and Lords care to do anything about it. And that is where Lord Durial is different, because he actually does do something about it. Demons that take favours too far with those that serve him tend to end up either dead, or wishing that they were dead." Tamana finished, smiling happily about that point at least.



Celestine nodded. "What if I can convince him to get you off disposal detail?" Celestine asked curiously. "Would that be good enough to convince you to help me out?"



Salana blinked at Celestine, surprised that she had come up with such an idea. "Well... Maybe..." She glanced to Tamana, who was almost beaming with joy at the idea of not having to touch another gluttony demon ever again. "The thing is, there are plenty of other shitty jobs around here that we could just be moved to, so it isn't that much of an incentive." Salana replied practically.



Celestine nodded lightly before making another proposition. "What if I asked for you two to be my personal handmaidens?"



Tamana's eyebrows lifted. "Wow, that was ballsy." She replied, clearly impressed.



"You honestly think we're going to agree to be your servant?!" Salana snapped out.



Celestine sighed, clearly frustrated by the two of them. "No. Not as servants, but as aids. Look, I like you two. Out of all the succubi I've met, you two have so far not looked at me like I'm a side dish or something to play cat and mouse with. Plus, you two are apparently some of the demons that come into my chambers and clean up the place when I'm not around, so it isn't like there would be much of a change in your daily lives <em>other</em> then the fact that you won't have to use your bodies to pay for Durial's excesses." Celestine explained firmly.



"Oh, by the way, thanks for tidying up whenever you go out." Tamana piped in. "Makes cleaning up your chambers fairly easy. Well... except for the sheets, you dirty girl." Tamana said with a naughty knowing grin, which made Celestine blush hard for a moment.



"Well it's better then fucking some ugly fat Gluttony demon or getting beaten by a Wrath demon, isn't it?" Celestine proposed. "Plus, if you were my aids, do you really think you'd have to do much else in terms of work? Think about it, you'd be some of the only succubi here that didn't have to do the shit work." Celestine explained, hoping to win them over. "I certainly don't plan on ever asking you to fondle someone you find unappealing."



Salana seemed a bit stunned by the prospect of not having to do any of the other chores around the mansion, but before she could even reply Tamana spoke up. "I'm in!" She announced raising her hands.



"Hey, what about me!?" Salana asked sharply.



Tamana looked to her innocently. "Well... I think Celestine wants us both, so I think she'll take you too."



"We'd be serving a human!" Salana snapped back. "How can you stomach that?"



"Because I won't have to stomach the feeling of Olkek's lumpy cock down my throat ever again if we serve her." Tamana replied easily. "Besides, I like her too, and I'm curious about the stuff she hasn't told us about yet. Come on Salana, you know you want in on this gig too." Salana glanced to Celestine, stubbornly refusing to budge at first, but when Tamana poked her in the side gently she seemed to begin giving ground. "Now you're just holding out for pride's sake." Tamana teased.



"Oh shut up!" Salana replied quickly before offering a hand to Celestine. "Fine. I accept. If you can convince Lord Durial to make us your private handmaidens, then we'll take on your cloak and dagger stuff to, so long as it isn't too crazy dangerous. I'm not going to try and slit our Lord's throat for you."



"Great, so long as you two can accept to one more caveat..." Celestine began calmly, making the two of them look to her curiously. "You must agree <em>never</em> to use your powers on me, or even around me. Understand?"



Tamana chuckled before slipping her hand into Celestine's. "No problem! Lord Durial has made it pretty clear that any demon that even tries to use their powers on you, let alone come close to you, would be flensed alive and then be tossed down to the Hell Spawn as a new Breeder."



Salana sighed and put her hand on top of Tamana and Celestine's, glancing away with a slightly sour look on her features.



"I'll take that as an acceptance." Celestine said with a slight smile. "Now... to convince Durial." She said with a mischievous smile...

