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Demonizing an Angel *(Silvana | Areawin)

That first initial push drove the girl beneath him absolutely wild. Her nails raked at Keiran's flesh, pulling at him, driving him deeper. It was a bliss that she wasn't sure she could ever tire of. Yet it wasn't long before her own ecstasy became too much to hold back. Keiran's name soaring from her lips. Peaking with the incubus.

Her pleasure was cut short by absolute exhaustion, eyelids drooping. Turning and laying onto Keiran's chest. She couldn't be sure how much he had taken from her since she'd been tired before, but now there was no other option than to rest. Her body humming in response to the beautiful abuse that had been unleashed on her.

The clock indicated that it'd been just under an hour since they'd started, and it was the last thing she saw before falling into a deep slumber. Her hand twitching once as it lay against his chest, warm beneath the blanket. Satisfied, comfortable. She'd have to nurture herself slowly to come back to full health.
 
A sense of satisfaction hummed through Keiran as he laid back, a his breath still heightened a bit, Silennia's power coursing through his veins, his skin, even his bones... everything, for that matter. Dark hues having lightened once more to their usual gold as they closed lazily, his arm wrapped around Silennia as she laid against his chest. His fingers playing through her hair as he relaxed.

Feeling more complete than he ever had, a small part of him in wonder at the woman who laid with him in the bed. How did he of all demons become so fortunate to be able to bed this beautiful creature? This hell spawn who had caught him unaware, drawing him to her in a way that was similar to how he could draw women to himself.

Mentally scolding himself for allowing himself to get so carried away from her, able to sense Silennia's exhaustion, yet, glad that he hadn't gone too far. Intent on pampering her and nursing her back into full health as soon as he could. For now, however, the pair drifted off to sleep, coiled in each other's arms as the snow continued falling down to blanket the earth outside.

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How irresponsible, to allow himself to give in to her like this. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Adriel looked down on the woman that had joined him tonight, the succubus coiled in the sheets with a content smile on her face, long raven black hair spreading everywhere in elegant waves that were too perfect to be natural, yet they were. Pale white skin practically glowing in the low light shed by a small alarm clock that had been provided with the hotel room, the digital red numbers indicating it was well past midnight.

A delicate hand reaching out when he'd shifted to get up, "Don't leave." She caught hold of his wrist, as if sensing his thoughts, pulling him back down to her, "Please..." Leaning up towards him, the sheet falling back from her, completely naked beneath as she pressed against him, kissing at his neck, "We're still pretending." She teased, her back arching against his arm as it wrapped around her waist, "You're so greedy." He responded, feeling how she drained his energy with much enthusiasm. With any other normal lover, Adriel was sure that by now, they'd be completely drained- or dead.

Vermina's arms coiling around his neck as her kisses left his neck and met his lips, laughing softly, "You say I'm greedy, yet you're not really complaining, now are you?" Adriel unable to help himself as a smirk crawled across his lips, abruptly dumping her backwards against the mattress as he leaned down, "No, no I'm not." He mused, biting down hard on her shoulder without warning, drawing a moan from her as her body twitched beneath him, her legs wrapping around him, "Adriel~!"

Despite their past, and their hate for one another for things that neither of them could control, one fact was certainly clear as they closed the night out with yet another tumble beneath the sheets.

They were a good match in bed.
 
Blankets of snow, piled high, covered everything in sight. The central heating was having a rough time keeping up with the freezing weather, until suddenly it shut off completely. The hum of electricity no longer existing as the power went out, no doubt throughout the entire city. It happened often when the snow piled too high, pulling down power lines or overwhelming heating units, causing them to flip breakers. The weight of it snapped tree tops, causing them to tumble down onto homes. But none of that could be heard from their little nest.

Silennia pulled the blanket more closely around her as the air grew colder, but she didn't wake. Too exhausted. Keiran's warmth was enough for now, and a she sighed in content. The white cold outside muffled all sound, not that there was much of it to begin with - the snow too thick for regular vehicles to get through. Soon enough, there would be snow plows, shoving as much of it aside as they could so that normal life could resume as best it could in such weather. For now, wind battered against the buildings, causing ice to build on every surface.

The lovers sleeping as night became morning, the sun just barely showing through the iced-over windows. Weather unchanged, though the heat finally kicked back on. A soothing hum in the chaotic silence that had taken over the small apartment.

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Damien's own home had been affected by the power outage, but since the Valkyrie was staying with him, he turned on the backup generators for the place. Hunger was gnawing at him, making it more difficult for his body to regulate its heat. His long fingers tapped against the glass in his hand, sitting in the dark on a thickly padded chair in his livingroom.

With Silennia mostly unable to work for the time being, he could no longer take his fill upon the girls within his club. It had crossed his mind more than once to feed on Silennia herself, with her fiery temper - but knew it would just end badly for him if he ever gave into the urge. More forces at work within the girl's life than he realized. The snow prevented him from leaving, and the previous days had been so busy that he hadn't realized how hungry he was until it was finally calm.

The only thing near him being the Valkyrie. She would certainly satisfy any need, given her emotional state-- fingernails digging into the glass, piercing it until it shattered within his hand. He scoffed, disgusted.
 
As the night carried on, Keiran hardly stirred, wrapped around Silennia, their limbs entwined as they held one another as closely as they possible could, the growing chill in the air just barely noticeable, not even seeming to notice the power outage. A sense of peace settled in his bones as he let the darkness of sleep wrap itself around him.

This was all he ever wanted. All he needed. Being beside Silennia made him feel more complete than he ever had- and not just in sating his hunger- no, it was more than that. Much more. Something that he couldn't find himself understanding despite having claimed aloud that he loved her. Such a simple word, one that before had meant nothing to him. A simple lie he breathed into girl's ears late in the night- but this... Well, to put it simply, that word had never meant more to him than it did now at this moment.

The first light of morning not even being enough to pull him out of his blissful sleep.

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After the incubus had departed, the twins had carried Mina deeper into the woods, taking shelter inside what was apparently a long-abandoned house- a place where the two had been lingering for quite some time, not having adapted well to the constant stir of modern life, Kerosha too aggressive at times to mask what he was, and Aeirulos simply not being enough to keep his brother in check. So they had chose to seclude themselves, making themselves known only to the occasional passerby- usually other demons or odd creatures that wandered the earth.

Aeirulos took great pleasure in meeting other creatures for the gain of knowledge, while Kerosha's interests could be a bit... perverse at times. The pair of them having served under Vermina back in the dark ages- and like most demons who came in contact with the demoness, she'd left her mark deep in their flesh- one that had affected Kerosha more greatly- leading to a life-long fondness for such creatures.

Making him especially fond of Mina.

Which... who couldn't adore Mina? She even had snares in Aeirulos, his affections branching from more than just a physical touch. She'd cared for them, saved them from Vermina's grasps. They owed her, and so, this small token of providing her with what she needed to live was as close as they could get to repaying her.

It was only thanks to this fiery hell spawn that they could even refer to themselves as 'free' demons. They had no master, no one to answer to, and it was the way they wished to keep it. Sold into servitude among the demon hierarchy and separated when they were just children, shortly after the death of their birth mother who had been killed by their own sire. A cruel and disgusting demon who cared nothing for his heirs. It wasn't until after they'd killed several masters than they'd come to be reunited under Vermina's thumb, who, ultimately gave them the vengeance they had wanted and craved. Their father's head on a pike. Pleasing, despite Vermina's crude methods.

Eventually, however... Mina had come to steal them away from Vermina for her own. Not that they minded.

The pair of them sharing the succubus among the two of them, taking turns 'feeding' her as they paced her, knowing full well how dangerous she could be when pushed to this point of hunger. By morning, all three of them coiled together on the bed, old and worn as it was. A fire blazing in the dust ridden fireplace, Kerosha's skin hot to the touch while Aeirulos was cool.

Crimson hues flickering open slowly as morning light spilled through the very top of the window, ice caked against the outside, so much so that what light spilled into the room was muddied. Mina sitting up slowly, disoriented and confused, not complaining when a arm caught her around the waist, pulling her back down, sculpted lips meeting hers in a way that she couldn't help but smile, returning the kiss, "Aeirulos..." she purred softly, realizing who she was with, warm hands sliding up her sides from behind, the touch alone being so gentle with her that she could almost feel the adoration radiating off him- Kerosha.

"My pretty serpents~" she breathed, arching her head back a little, leaning against Kerosha's chest as he came to sit up, Aeirulos facing her, nipping at her until she shook her head, laughing, "Aa, aa, aa." Pressing her finger against his lips, Crimson meeting those washed out pinkish-red hues of the albino, "I wouldn't want to get bit too hard and end up poisoned, after all." She mused, quite mindful of those pointed fangs- though small, she knew that in a second they could spring forth, sinking into her flesh. A tingling sensation running through her skin with such a thought, pushing it away as she shifted, coiling her arms around the both of them, drawing them in close, kissing her twins upon their cheeks, one at a time.

"Thank you," she mused, "For sharing your life with me."

Kerosha flushing abruptly at her words, those cheeks flooding with color as he exclaimed aloud, "Anything for you." Aeirulos following up, "It's the least we owe you." Their eyes bright as they spoke, "Our favorite-" their words sounding in perfect unison, only serving to embarrass the two further, Kerosha turning his head away, those cheeks still flushed. Their words making Mina squeal out in delight, "You two haven't changed a bit~ Stop stroking my ego like this~!" Ah, how long had it been since she'd last seen these two? Well over a century?

"How did I end up here?" Her question was spoke off-handedly, not really to anyone in specific, so the pair chirped out a single name, "Keiran."

Always, with that uncanny sync the two shared. A unison that only made Mina laugh, shaking her head slightly as finally, she pulled free of them, rising to her feet as she glanced around at their meager surroundings, "No bath?" Nearly startled when the twins both jumped, "I can fetch you water!" Kerosha's voice left him in excitement, "There's a old wash tub in one of the back rooms- still in good shape! I can heat your water and every-" Before he could finish his excited chatter, Mina spun around towards him, rising on her tip toes as she came to face him, pecking a kiss on his lips as she cut him short, "I would appreciate that, Kerosha. Thank you~"

She could certainly get used to this sort of attention. Not even worried about what Keiran could be up to with such a magnificent distraction such as these two. Aeirulos coming to her side as Kerosha dashed off, slipping out the door with several buckets gripped in his hands. The pale twin laughing a little at the sight, "Just like in the past, almost~" He mused, stealing a kiss from Mina from behind, leaning down as their lips met, breaking the kiss short as he too headed for the door, "I'll go assist him."

Inevitably leaving Mina alone to herself. The wood door shutting behind the albino as he departed. Prompting her to glance out the window, the view blurred by ice, but it seemed as if snowfall had ceased- for now. The remaining clouds and chill indicating that more snow would come soon. The cold causing goose bumps to rise on her bare flesh, almost as if it radiated off the glass. Turning away as she approached the open fire flickering in the fireplace, smiling softly as she knelt down, reaching her hands into it, the heat not bothering her in the slightest. This was, after all, one of Kerosha's flames, and like the demon himself, the flames molded to her hands, dancing as if they enjoyed her attention, bathing her skin in flame without burning her, making her laugh a little before she withdrew, waiting patiently for her serpents to return.
 
It was several hours before Silennia finally began stirring. Her body still hummed with satisfaction, yet her muscles ached as she slowly bent them outwards, stretching. Dull blue revealing itself as eyelids parted. Her skin a dusty color instead of its usual alabaster cream. Obvious signs that she still needed to rest and recover from the previous night. Potentially, she had a long and weary road ahead of her.

The room was dimly lit - sun shining just barely through the frost-covered glass, illuminating their surroundings in a surreal glow. Silennia could almost feel the cold emanating from that side of the room, but the central air proved true and blew warmth over the bed where they both lay. All sound from outside was muffled; the occasional sound of a horn drifted through the walls, but not much else was heard aside from the warm air blowing and the sound of the incubus breathing next to her in his slumber.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been staring at Keiran, but she only realized it because of how warm his skin felt against her fingertips when she went to brush a bit of silver hair from his face as he slept. This man had caused so many things... she wasn't sure if the majority of them were good or bad at this point. Part of her wondered if she really cared what the answer was.

So handsome. Every part of him chiseled and delicately formed. Vermina must truly be proud to have such a child. Even sleeping, the incubus looked as if he belonged in The Vatican, standing among the other masterpieces. Silennia smiled, thinking for an instant that it were almost as if Vermina herself had conjured up a spell and brought forth her son from those very sculptures.

Here he was, beautiful and real. And he was hers. The thought was so aggressive that it caught Silennia off guard for just a moment, and she moved so that she could better see him while still laying on her side, slightly propped up with the side of her head against the palm of her hand. She would slay angels if it meant her keeping those dangerous kisses; throw challenges unto gods so that she could feel his skin against hers. What, she wondered, made him so goddamn special to her? What had he done that no other man had managed to do?

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The valkyrie didn't sleep much as the night went on. Even with the generator providing heat, she still felt freezing. Such temperatures were unheard of in her home, and she wasn't sure how long she'd have to remain her before returning to it. All she knew was that she was still being punished - it had been eons, yet she was still scorned. It was becoming more difficult to manage with each degree that the weather dropped.

After trying to rest, she called it quits, and left her private enclosure within Damien's home... feeling something within the walls there. Negative, dark, and hungry. The closer she came to the livingroom, the stronger the feeling became, until it felt as if her stomach were floating into her throat.

The room was dark - the light completely subdued by thick curtains over the windows. Though Damien's presence was bold and unforgivably obvious. The biting scent of brandy tugged at the woman's haze, drifting slowly closer to the demon within the room, facing away from her. Damien still gripping the main piece of the glass he'd unintentionally shattered against his hand.

When Leghadema reached the demon, she took another step forward and leaned so that she could see her face - freezing where she stood. Her blood turned to ice, seeing nothing but two red eyes with black in the center. The rest of him was completely clouded in shadows that seemed to reach out and lick at her, drawing terror from the woman's very soul. White flashed as the demon smiled, and he reached out his hand. "Come join me, pet. Let me take all of those feelings away."
 
Silvered lashes parted slowly, amber hues nearly golden with their intensity. A sly, lazy smile crossing his lips, still not moving, completely at ease. His body and mind both satisfied in a rare moment. Admiring his lover with pure contentment, as if savoring the after effects of a victory. This creature who he had pursued with such intensity from the moment he first laid eyes upon her, admiring him in very much the same way that he admired her.

The sweetest conquest he could imagine.

"Good morning..." A simple greeting, stretching slowly as he spoke, his chest still bare, displaying healthy luminous skin. Rolling over onto his side as he propped himself up in a similar fashion to her, looking her over as he sighed. He'd taken quite a bit out of her, it seemed, and without another word, he'd sat up completely, "You need breakfast." He announced, not even asking Silennia if she wanted to eat or not.

"I will nurse you back to health!" A joking remark he tossed towards her as he paused for just a moment to pull on a pair of boxers before walking out the bedroom, still shirtless. Not wasting a moment as he set the coffee maker up to make a pot of coffee before turnign towards the refridgerator. Cracking open the door as he began digging through the fridge, emergining a minute or two later with arms full of various ingrediants- eggs, cheese, butter, etc.- everything he needed to make a full course morning meal.

Yawning a bit as he turned, searching aimlessly for a moment before he located the pots and pans- pulling a skillet out from one of the cabinets. Keiran reaching over to cut the stove on, hovering his hand over the pan for a moment before the touch of heat against his skin satisfied him.

Before long, the smell of food and coffee flooding the apartment.

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With the first light of morning, Adriel had risen and departed. Vermina not surprised at his absense as violet hues opened. The city still silent as she peered out the window. The sky beginning to brighten, yet darkness still hugged the earth in a somber blanket. A new dawn, a new day. The succubus shaking her head slightly as she turned away from the view, the red glow from the alarm clock indicating the time as she ignored it, gazing at the bed where just a few hours earlier, she'd been intertwined with the fallen angel.

Again, that old stab of hate piercing her. How she resented him. How dare he leave so suddenly without a word? Hundreds of years, and still the angel had yet to change even in the slightest.

"Where have you gone this time, Adriel?"She mused, walking towards the door as shadows crept up her legs, first forming a set of heels as she still walked, before crawling further up to cover her naked form- adorning it in a long black dress, trimmed in gold, quickly accompanied by a more modern-styled padded black jacket that matched. Raven black hair mystically floating behind her as it braided itself, neatly tucking itself into a intricate bun at the back of Vermina's head, a single slender black chopstick accessory forming as a last touch to hold it into place. All formed from nothing more than Vermina's raw energy. A art she'd perfected over the years. The remnants of those shadows flickering about her before they faded into little poofs of smoke, vanishing from sight all together as she slipped out the door.

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Without a word, Adriel walked the street, enjoying to quiet that had settled over the city. The hum of electricity not even present in many of the housing locations, the occasional generator rattling through the silence. After a early shower, he'd taken the opportunity to slip away from the succubus before she could grow too used to his company. His boots crunching through the snow as he dwelt deep in thought. Not even realizing where he had strayed until he looked up. Ah- wasn't this the building where Damien resided?

Not only Damien, but Leghadema was staying here as well, wasn't she? Crimson hues drifting over the building as curiosity began to nip at him. Using the remaining darkness to shroud him as he slipped around to the side. 'Elevators' and stairs- and security, after all, were practically useless to him. Without a single mis-step, he ascended over the gate with barely any effort.

The lack of people around outside the building being a good thing on this occasion as he went from window to window, letting his whims guide him as he sought out the Valkyrie's presence, coming to a halt at one window in particular. Curtains blocking the view, but as he leaned in, voices were evident. Listening in for a moment, drawing back abruptly in surprise-

Now this was certainly a turn of events- here he had been, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Valkyrie- maybe even chat, and instead... He had suddenly become aware of Damien's true nature.

Realization sinking in of what he was witnessing, and in a moment, mere curiosity gave way to silent rage. Gritting his teeth as abruptly, he busted into the room, not seeming phased by the shattered glass that announced his entrance- having come straight through the window without allowing another second to pass by, not explaining himself in the least. There was no need to. He simply wouldn't allow this. Couldn't. The mere thought of anything soiling that creature with the pure white wings sent him over the edge, and before he could even really stop and consider his next actions, he was already yanking Leghadema back away from Damien, the valkyrie seeming to be frozen in terror like a deer in the headlights. Blood red crimson wings flaring out as he pushed her behind him, hiding her from Damien's view as Adriel abruptly came at the demon. Crimson hues smoldering as he stared Damien down like he was nothing more than a cockroach who'd suddenly revealed himself.

A cockroach who Adriel would stomp out, if needed.

"You're treading on fragile ground, demon." His voice low, escaping those lips in a snarl as he abruptly sent a pulse of energy into the air, enough to forcibly knock Damien back, but not enough to actually harm him. A non-verbal warning. Adriel wouldn't hesitate to crush the demon, and he made that perfectly clear- from his tone, his posture, even the way he glowered at Damien, turning as he took hold of Leghadema's arm, keeping an eye on the demon the entire time as he began pushing her towards the exit. He didn't anticipate the demon to attack- after all, Damien was clearly a spineless coward... but, he had been wrong before. It never hurt to be cautious.

Damien, after all, had every right to attack. Adriel had blatantly barged into the demon's home and more or less had snatched the meal right off his table. A thought that almost made Adriel start laughing, all the while daring Damien to take action with that gaze that danced. A open challenge.
 
"You need breakfast." Silennia smiled at the words, and chuckled quietly at his remark afterward. Her eyes followed the man as he rose from the bed and placed on an article of clothing, causing her to pout out her lip just slightly, though he couldn't see it since he was leaving the room.

She sat up fully, dangling her feet off the edge of the bed with the blanket pulled around her shoulders. As she stood, however, the room started to spin, and she fell right back onto the bed with a dazed look. As soon as she was down again, she could see properly, but squinted to better see her surroundings. Everything was as it should, though it felt as if she were floating a bit - bobbing in waves that weren't there. Once more she stood, slowly, but the swaying started again.

Silennia placed the heel of her hand to her head and sat down, finally just curling up into the pillows while halfway sitting up. The smell of coffee was enticing, but it was clear she wasn't leaving the bed - not for now, at least. Perhaps food would do her a bit of good, though she certainly didn't feel hungry. Some of the smells coming from the kitchen making her queasy, if anything, but she was sure it was the pounding that had entered her head upon trying to stand a second time.

Rest. After the incubus had taken so much from her, giving her so little time to recover from their struggles in the Hell-plane, it rest was something she needed more of. Her eyes opened and closed lazily, pulling the comforter up to her throat as she listened to the metallic clanks of pots and pans, sizzling from various things heating up, and a few cupboards closing. All sounds of home - something she'd never had much of, once her adoptive mother had died.

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Leghadema's eyes were blank. Dimming to a grey as she reached out her hand, lips slightly parted, finally touching the Demon. He'd stood, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close before gently moving a strand of hair away from the valkyrie's face. Hunger was so prominent in his eyes that he hardly realized what he was doing. The need to eat was the only thing he was capable of feeling. And this woman was so close, in front of him, going through so much. Her lips parted further, and an odd, smoky substance began drifting from her mouth. Damien's own lips parted, welcoming the smoke.

It was never this difficult for him to feed. She was still slightly aware of what was happening, because of what she was, but Leghadema was so weakened that she couldn't fight it. Not understanding what the demon was doing - what he wanted from her. Where a steady stream of the substance normally left Damien's prey, only bits of it at a time came from the Valkyrie. His grip tightened on her, pulling her head back as if it would help his quest further. His mouth opening grotesquely now, jaw lowering almost a solid foot as his chin jutted out. Desperate--

A crash sounded from on the other side of the room, causing Damien to snarl and draw away from the valkyrie. She stood there, seemingly of her own volition, while her eyes remained that odd grey hue. Still under his spell, but also... she didn't care to move. Her head turned slowly toward where Adriel had entered, no expression on her face. Blank. Desolate.

Damien didn't retaliate at those glorious red wings, but he didn't advance either. Merely standing his ground with a look of rage. Another snarl ripped from him, suddenly being pushed into a wall a good ten feet away from where he'd been standing due to the force Adriel had put out. Once again not advancing.

Until the angel grabbed Leghadema, who was still mold-able. Clarity coming through just enough to know that the angel could take advantage of the Valkyrie in the state that she was in. He couldn't allow that. Hunger had gotten the best of him, but he still understood how precious she was. How easy to flip to the other side of the coin when desperation came through...

"You may take her from me here, but you can not keep her." The words were snarled, coming to stand just a few feet away from the angel. Leghadema stood, blank, where Adriel had pushed her. Not walking any further or turning around. Her posture was relaxed, and lack of expression on her face still remained.

Damien didn't speak further. He didn't want to encourage the angel. It could take several days for Leghadema to come back to her full self, and that was only because she'd put up so much struggle against the demon. It also helped that she was considered an immortal; powerful among her kind - though recent events certainly had dragged her down a bit.
 
After a while, Keiran returned, carefully balancing a tray he'd mannaged to find, having placed food on a plate neatly in even portions, almost looking like something that had come out of a food magazine, the utensils set in their proper places, and a mug of coffee setting beside it on the tray with the sugar bowl and creamer so that Silennia could fix it the way she wanted.

Sitting down gently on the edge of the bed, "Silennia." He hated to wake her again, but, food was important too for regaining energy. She hadn't eaten much the night before, and considering how long she'd wandered in Abigor's realm, he doubted she'd eaten properly since before she'd been taken. Had his consciousness been more aware, he'd probably feel bad for every time he'd forgotten her need for food prior to this... but that was more along the lines of wishful thinking. He was a demon, after all. Such thoughtfulness and regret belonging to more... sincere creatures.

This was the closest he could get to making up for that. At least, trying to.

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While Leghadema didn't respond much, it didn't seem to bother Adriel much, the fallen angel keeping her just behind him as he still faced Damien, those wings fluttering just slightly, shaking various shards of glass from those glorious feathers. Demons were always so... distasteful. Cowardly, selfish... prideful. Countless traits and varieties, yet all of them were unpleasant in one way or another. The seeds of the fallen. To think that such creatures would be the product of their lineage... well, it was almost sickening.

His jaw tightening a little when Damien snarled back, yet despite that dangerous rage that seethed beneath his surface, Adriel laughed aloud, amused at the demon's words, "Keep her?" He questioned, glancing to the lovely creature behind him for a breif moment, "What a interesting concept." He mused, those crimson hues sliding back towards Damien, "After a display like that, you have no right to be concerned about her, demon." Tilting his head to the side a little, turning slightly as his arm came around Leghadema's shoulders, drawing her closely against his side, those wings folding around her gently, "You wound me." He remarked, almost jokingly, "Unlike you, my nature is more than just malicious. Not to mention... the poor thing is freezing, you hardly suit her needs, so," pausing a brief moment, a foreign phrase from a dead language slipped out his mouth, Potes meos suaviari clunes." Without another glance towards Damien, he guided her towards the door, "Besides,"

Stopping in the doorway, he chuckled, "If I wanted to keep her, what would you even do to prevent me? Pathetic. Don't make threats you can't back up, Damien. You should know better." Another burst of energy struck Damien, causing the wall behind him to crack slightly against the force, this time, several shards of glass being hurled through the air, stabbing in the wall just a short distance from Damien's flesh. Their positions too close and intentional to be accidental, each shard embedded carefully a exact inch from skin. As if Adriel was simply displaying just how dangerous he could be with hardly any effort.

He'd walked this earth for too long to let a lowlife demon talk to him in such a way. That was a right that Damien didn't have. He'd tolerate it from a Angel... even a Valkyrie. On a bad day, he might even listen to such talk from a fellow fallen.... but a demon?

The thought made his skin crawl, his lip curling back from his teeth, "Next time you make assumptions, I'll rip your tongue out, spurcifer."

Vanishing through the door with the Valkyrie with no further words spoken. Demons and Angels were always so quick to judge him. Wary of him. Afraid of him, always expecting the worse from the infamous red angel. Adriel's wings folding out of sight one set at a time, nearly out of the apartment when a wicked grin danced across Adriel's lips. A gift. Yes, it would be rude to not properly express his intentions. Crimson hues coming to rest on a particularly expensive piece of fine furniture, a couch. Made of real leather, and accompanied by a matching chair. Such scum didn't deserve such fine things... So why should Damien enjoy these luxuries?

Biting down hard on his own thumb, blood beaded on the top of Adriel's skin. Sending it hurling through the air with a flick of his wrist as he slipped out the door without a word. The couch erupting into flames that sprung forth from the splattered drop against the surface.

By time he reached the outside, evading the security with uncanny skill, a siren could already be heard in the distance, the crimson haired man vanishing all together with a ruffle of feathers. Carrying the Valkyrie with him.

Where would he take her? He couldn't return to the hotel where he'd lingered the night before... Mixing Vermina up in this was far from favorable. Flying soon wouldn't be a option as the sun continued to slowly rise. The light would give him away with as vivid as his wings were against the pale grey and white. He flew as far as the dull morning would let him, landing when being sighted became too much of a risk. Stiffening a bit when a familiar voice sounded in irritation behind him, despite his desire to avoid it's owner, "Really, Adriel? What do you think you're doing now?"

Vermina stood there, arms crossed. Wobbling slightly on heels in a way that caused Adriel to bust out laughing, "Vermina, don't be ignorant. You can't wear heels in the snow." The demon scowled at him, eyeing Leghadema with disdain, "Don't change the subject. What's wrong with her?" Vermina leaned in, waving her hand in front of the Valkyrie's face, "What did you DO? These creatures aren't any fun if they're broken." Taking a step forwards, she nearly fell backwards, her heel sinking deep into the snow like a knife, against prompting Adriel to stifle a laugh, moving towards the nearest inn he could find. All the while Vermina stubbornly tripping through the snow in her heels, badgering Adriel with question after question until he'd actually secured a room and entered.

It wasn't nothing special, rather cheap in quality, but unlike Damien's chilled apartment, this hotel was in a part of the city that retained it's power still. The room cozy and warm, only now uncertainty settling in as he stopped guiding the Valkyrie. That hollow expression on her face never once changing.

Over the years, he'd met many demons of many varieties... but this was something that he'd never quite come across before. The ability to feed off of emotion... It would almost be fascinating... if Vermina wasn't standing there fussing at him, at least, "Why are you even dragging this brain-dead thing around with you?" Violet hues bright with jealousy, the demon pacing from side to side at the edge of the room, ice melting off of her shoes slowly, Adriel finally answering her, "Because I wanted to... well, protect her." He answered promptly, not surprised at how Vermina glared at him, "Protect her? Adriel, that's the most idiotic thing I've heard you say in over a century. You don't protect. You kill, abuse, use, and corrupt. Look at her. She probably hates you."

"Perhaps, but right now, she can't feel anything, not even hate."

Those words seemed to sink reality in a bit for Vermina, the unusually chatty succubus falling silent as she seemed to darken with wicked thoughts. Adriel could almost see the maliciousness rising in her as she processed that comment, "So, right now, we could do anything we wanted to her?" Any remaining humor that had still lingered in the air vanished in a instant, Adriel turning on Vermina abruptly, "YOU are leaving. Now." Grabbing her by the arm roughly, he dragged her towards the door, "Get out, or I will THROW you out."
 
Silennia opened her eyes slowly at Keiran's voice. She hadn't even realized that she'd fallen back asleep, feeling comfortable and warm against the pillows. A sleepy smile curved her lips, and she reached out and stretched before sitting up fully, looking at the tray that was now in her lap. Five-star quality assortment and placement. "You never told me you were a professional," she chuckled. Graciously taking the coffee and drinking it as-is, downing half of it before putting it down and picking up a piece of toast.

"Thank you, Keiran." Her voice was soft, an adoring tone to it. Blue-grey eyes watching the incubus' face. There was a tugging in her chest that drifted to the rest of her limbs, finding it hard to chew the piece of toast she'd bitten off into her mouth. It tasted dull and lifeless - even the salt in the butter smeared on it was nonexistent. Playing it off to being tired, she set down the toast and slowly began eating the rest. The life wasn't returning to her skin as it normally would, but in this circumstance it may take a little while to do so.

She had always hated being stuck inside, but right now it was a lovely thought. Her gaze shifted toward the covered window, looking at the light playing onto the floor, peeking from the curtains there. Bright and white, mimicking the purity outside. "I've always loved winter," she murmured. Her eyes didn't leave the bit of light, pondering if she should get up to open the curtain. "The city is swallowed in something it can't control. Taking itself back to how it should be... all noise dulled, all filth covered." She was mumbling, barely audible.

"The whiteness of it, the noise it makes when a pile of it falls - it's always been so comforting to me." A flash of white swan wings fluttered into her vision, a memory passed, and she let it stay there before she saw the room once more. A small smile playing on her lips as she sleepily leaned back into the pillows again, keeping herself propped up onto them. Her eyes drifted to Keiran once again. "Where is home for you?" There was nearly a sad note to her voice. She supposed it was at the mansion where he'd brought her - where he'd taken her last shred of purity. The man had been all over, it seemed, with Mina, and she wasn't sure he quite felt home when there with his mother. An honest question, brought out by the almost intoxicated feeling she had in her haze.

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There was nothing Damien could do, and soon Adriel left with the valkyrie. A sinking feeling burrowed into the pit of his gut, knowing he'd royally fucked up. His black eyes watched as his couch burned, but with a wave of his hand he extinguished it. A mere second later, however, it went back up into flames. A familiar presence behind him.

Every hair on the demon's body stood on end, feeling absolute terror for the first time in hundreds of years. As his head turned, Abigor came into his vision. The hell prince was at his full height, shrouded in shadows. Massive black wings slowly spread from his back. Red eyes with a pit of black shined from his head, and as his mouth opened, Damien glimpsed fang-like teeth.

Abigor took a step forward, and as Damien put his arm up to shield himself, he went flying back into the burning couch. Clawed hands were suddenly around the demon's throat, digging in until blood began dripping down his arms. The prince lifted his arm well above him, holding Damien up as the demon struggled, clawing at wrists. "How DARE you touch her?"

The voice didn't seem to come from the prince, in particular, but it radiated throughout every molecule in the apartment. "You are FILTH." He threw Damien, smashing him into a marble counter top hard enough to destroy it. The pieces crumbled onto the demon, who was attempting to crawl from under the debris. "You don't know how utter insignificant you are," Abigor spat. The shadows around him were expanding, engulfing the entire room. Washing out every bit of light. "You are nothing. You're so pathetic that you must prey on the pure, and you couldn't even manage that much. A fallen creature was able to swat you like a fly. Should I kill you?"[/i] Hands were around Damien's throat once more, cutting new holes into the flesh. He was bleeding out rather profusely, unable to do any damage to the hell prince in such a state. Not that he dared, to begin with.

"I don't suppose I will," Abigor hissed. He threw Damien once more, obliterating a wall as the demon flew through it and into a bedroom. Shadows were weaving through his skin, slicing him open in ways that didn't seem possible. "If you so much as look at her, you will burn in ways you never thought were possible."

Abigor turned, and as he was about to exit, Damien's voice gargled through the blood in his throat. "Why do you care? You tricked her." He spat blood. "You used her. A prince falling in love with a valkyrie, and you can't even admit it to yourself. Yet you still treat her as if she were trash."

The prince's head turned just slightly toward the demon, but he didn't say anything. His presence vanished from the premises. Shouting was heard outside the apartment, and only then did Damien realize smoke was billowing throughout the place. Everything was on fire or smoldering. There were men at the door, trying to bust it down. Succeeding. Looking for life.

Damien used the last bit of his strength to vanish from the condo completely, arriving in the office of his club still sputtering and bloody. His body collapsed onto the floor there, passing out instantly.
 
Those eyes seemed to glow with life- amber hues having brightened to a pure gold that shimmered almost in the dim light. Silvered hair a glistening white, olive toned skin deep in hue as if sun-kissed. A picture of health. Silennia's very life coursing through his body, his veins. Deep inside of him, that energy hummed, and as she stirred, he had to bite back on the desire to sweep in on her all over again. She was addictive to him, and he simply smiled in response as she accepted the meal he'd so carefully prepared for her.

"I've... had many years to figure out the 'art' of human cuisine." He remarked, following Silennia's gaze that had drifted towards the faint light that drifted through the window curtains, rising to his feet as if sensing her desires, gently tugging at the curtains as he opened them to allow light to come through, a pale whiteness greeting him through frosted glass, a chill radiating from outside. Yet, it was a beautiful sight outside. The city covered in unfamiliar white, as if to hide away all filth- even if just for a monent.

Gazing towards the world outside as Silennia's almost delirious words reached him, a small burst of laughter escaping the incubus, "Home?" He questioned the word, rolling it over his tongue, as if testing it to see how the word felt spoken aloud, "Home is... well," He glanced back towards Silennia, grinning towards her before glancing once more out the window, "Home is wherever I lay my head, I suppose." He mused, turning towards her as once more he crossed the room, coming to crawl into the bed with her, propping himself up against a pillow, ever gazing at that surreal beauty that wrapped itself around Silennia like a blanket.

Home... it was here. In this moment. With her.

There was no other way to describe it, and so, he only smiled towards her coyly, taking delight in the habit of admiring her, not sharing those unspoken words with her. Silennia could speculate on his words however she liked. The incubus had no intention of ever leaving Silennia's side. Never again. For the first time in Keiran's life, he felt complete in a way that hundreds of years of wandering the earth could never fulfill.

Lazily streatching out, he let those golden hues slide shut, content to just rest there beside her, "Don't fall asleep with breakfast in your lap~" A teasing tone, "Just eat what you want, and I'll clean up the rest."

Resisting the urge to brush the meal aside and wrap himself around her. Simply basking in her presense.

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"You dare order me to get out?!" Vermina snarled abruptly, snatching her arm free from Adriel's grasp, but his grip held true, their gazes locking onto one another, the tension between them suddenly unbearable, the demon digging her heels stubbornly into the rug at the door- to no avail as Adriel dragged her out the door into the outside hallway, the pair breaking apart as they glared at one another.

"You can't make me leave, Adriel." Vermina snapped out, violet hues flaring dangerously, the lights flickering in the building, "I'll tear this building to the ground just to spite you." She hissed, the fallen before her sneering in return, "We've been through this time, and time again, Vermina. I tire of our games. You can't- no, won't kill me, and I can't seem to kill you no matter how many times I've tried and would love to wipe your pathetic existence from this world. For once, can you NOT be a thorn in my side?" Motioning down the hall, as if to wave Vermina off, the gesture clearly offending her as she abruptly slapped him, Long black nails cutting into his cheek and leaving several scratches across Adriel's chiseled features, blood beading at the surface, causing her to abruptly gasp out as the tips of her nails abruptly burst into flames where Adriel's blood was present.

In a single moment, Vermina was lifted several feet off the ground, her back slammed against the wall with Adriel's hand tight on her throat, a gurgling sound escaping the succubus as the sound of her windpipe being crushed against the force reached Adriel's ears.

Letting her go as he turned away, not at all surprise when he felt a sharp stab right into his spine from behind, causing him to buckle abruptly at the intensity of such pain, Vermina's tail embedded deep into his back, unable to speak still, but the hatred burning in her gaze was evident, slicing Adriel's back open in a instant as she turned away, heels clicking down the hallway, tail switching from side to side, vanishing without a trace. Actions speaking louder than words. Leaving Adriel still doubled over in the hallway, his jaw tight. Vermina had been aiming for his wings, perhaps, but either way, she'd succeeded in hurting him effectively. At least, physically. Slowly making his way back into the room, the flesh attempting to knit itself back together, but blood was pooling from the open would. What a mess. If he could smash her windpipe again, Adriel would do it in a instant.... but, at least this way, the demon was satisfied for the moment. One less problem, if anything.

Glancing towards where he'd left the Valkyrie, wincing, "The things I put myself through..." He muttered, opening the bathroom door as he cut the light on, glancing at Vermina's damage, part of Adriel's backbone exposed as the flesh hung open, blood rapidly pooling out, "Damn you, Vermina...." He hissed under his breath, grabbing several towels in a effort to prevent more blood from dripping onto the floor. Grateful that his blood only ignited when he desired it. Otherwise, with this amount, he would have to find another hotel.

It hurt, but it would heal quickly. Just as Vermina's throat would. A endless cycle between the two.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Black hues rested on the city below, the girl smirking softly as she admired the view. How many winters how had she enjoyed of this quality? Many, yet the view never ceased to please her. If she could encase the entire world in a eternal winter, she would be happy to do so. Shiori striking a match as she lit a cigar, taking a long, slow drag, savoring the smoke as she craned her head back, eyes closed. The chill in the air not phasing her in the least as she exhaled slowly. Why was she still here, anyways? It was a thought that had been nagging at her, bitter jealousy eating at her. Surely, Keiran was nestled somewhere with his new pet, and surely, Mina was plotting how many ways she was going to roast Shiori alive... In all logical sense, the demon should have fled town as soon as her attack on the succubus failed... yet, here she still was. Perched dangerously on the side of a building, admiring the snow crystals that spread out before her. The air hardly moving in the unsettling silence.

How peaceful, it was.

Taking another slow drag on the cigar, Shiori never saw the next events coming as a faint flutter sounded behind her. Turning her head as black hues widened, a figure having landed just behind her, large wings spreading out, sending flakes of snow swirling through the air, kissing Shiori's cheeks as they fluttered past her. Taking in the sight of angel white fading into grey, black feathers spreading at the tips of those glorious wings that abruptly wrapped around her, the cigar falling out of her mouth as she cried out, being lifted up into the air, dangling off the edge of the building, "W- Who the fuck are you?!"

Not the most brilliant choice of words at such a moment, but it wasn't as if Shiori had much longer to say anything at all. Black hues locking onto black, one hand gripping the front of Shiori's shirt, her hands gripping desperately to her unknown assailant's wrist. Below her, quite possibly a good twenty foot drop. "You don't need to know who I am." A simple response, those wings fanning out, coal black eyes skimming over her as if sizing Shiori up like a insect, as if pondering if he should drop her or not. Throwing her back onto the roof as she rolled through snow, desperately trying to scramble back to her feet as the creature advanced on her, long raven black hair gracefully falling down his back, streaks of silver occasionally shimmering through, and as he came down about her, Shiori realized what he was.

A fallen, but... something was different about this one. This one... his taint was lifting, it seemed. It was beyond confusing and it left her staring up at him in slight terror as he smiled kindly to her, "Don't worry, I won't kill the girl..." He remarked, leaning down, "But... it's time you released this poor girl's soul. You've had her for far long enough." Without warning, his hand grabbed hold of Shiori's face, the demon thrashing against him, "NO! Stop-!" but it was useless, a bright light emitting from his hold on her, and a single scream escaping her before abruptly, she fell limp as a black smoke poured from her mouth, fading into the air. Her motionless host being pulled into the stranger's arms as he gently caressed her.

Ah, not the true source of the demon, it seemed...
But... still, this was surely a better fate.

Gazing down at the girl, Deitriel smiled softly, smoothing raven strands back from the girl's face, whispering in a low voice, "Karmilla... that's your true name, is it not?" At his gentle voice, the girl stirred, almond shaped eyes fluttering open slowly before she gasped abruptly, sitting up wide eyed, "Father-" Her words stopped short, meeting the stranger's gaze, and without warning, she suddenly burst into tears, "It's... it's too late, isn't it? I failed- I killed them all because of.... because of my stupidity!" Tormented words spilling from her, her accent foreign- Shiori's presense.... eliminated, it seemed. Back to the mirror, surely.

"Shiori, she-"

"Shhhhhh. Speak not her name, child." Pressing his finger gently against trembling lips, those wings encasing around the girl gently in a comforting guesture, "Lest the demon reappear. She's not yet destroyed, but... I will change that soon. Let's get you out of this cold, shall we?" Without another word, he lifted the human off her feet, cutting through the air without a sound.

If he could cleanse himself, even with just one good deed at a time... it was all worth it to him. Those dappled wings folding down behind him as he touched down, wearing a long tattered trench coat that whipped behind him as a chilly breeze greeted him. Well aware of the bewildered human shivering and weeping in his arms, her reality having ended at the moment before possession. How demons sickened him. He hated them, despised how they preyed on innocent humans, corrupting them... for what? To damn them for all eternity? Was it not enough to already be damned yourself?

The amount of demon activity was unreal. High powered demons. Each and every one of them he could sense, their energy hot and hostile, nearly sickening to the fallen angel as he found shelter from the cold, setting the girl down and motioning for her to remain quiet as he handled everything for her sake. She would need time to adjust, time to get used to this world... This girl's soul, after all.... had been in the grips of a demon for well over a century.

Deitriel had made many efforts to track her down over the years.... the demon always on the move, hard to pin point without her sensing him. Slipping through mirrors and disappearing entirely.... Shiori was a tricky one, yet... A triumphant smile touched his lips, he had finally caught her off guard.

How many years had passed? Karmilla stood there, shivering. Eyeing everything apprehensively, staring at the lights in wonder. Light without fire? How curious. Looking to the stranger who motioned for her to follow him. He wasn't a demon, but... there was something else about him. The trace of demonic blood in her body making her more sensitive to the aura's of living creatures around her. Something that she had one used to track demons with. Foolishly so. No matter how she looked back on it, she had been nothing but a foolish human girl who had thought a drop of demonic blood in her body would be to her advantage- not her undoing. Hanging her head low in shame almost as she followed the creature. She... strangely trusted him. His aura was dark, yet warm and comforting at the same time, like... like a angel, almost.

"What are you?"

Her voice was soft, eyes reddened from tears, but she made a effort to learn about this man who had helped her, quickening her pace to catch up, "What's your name?" Another question when he failed to answer her.

"You may call me Deitriel." A simple response, opening the door for her as they entered into a rather homely apartment room. Yet, to Karmilla it was fascinating, her eyes filled with wonder as she wiped tears from her eyes, poking a switch curiously and jumping when a light came on, "Deitriel..." She muttered, testing the name on her lips, before she abruptly realized, "You're one of the fallen, are you not?"

"Ah... educated in the occult, I see." A sad smile touched the angel's lips, those dark hues observing her curiously, "So the rumors were true about what happened to your people. Meddling in demon affairs is not the best choice of extracurricular activities for humans, even with demonic traces in your blood." He mused, shaking his head slowly, "Not to mention, keeping possessed mirrors around. I don't even know where to begin on scolding your entire culture." Karmilla bit her lip, her brow furrowing, "How about don't disrespect them? You're angel-like, but you're tainted. Speak for yourself." She snapped, defensive as he chuckled, "Fair enough, little one."
 
Keiran wasn't the only one feeling that insatiable urge; the deep gnawing just under the belly. Every time her gaze fully locked onto the god-like creature next to her - glowing with life, her own life - that ache tugged a little harder. She understand, too, that she was too weak. Hardly able to finish a quarter of what was on her tray. She'd eaten so little in the past weeks that after just a few bites, she felt unbearably full. Any more and she might be sick.

She set the tray on the small bedside table next to her and pulled the blankets up to her chin. Burying herself until the front of her body was pressed firmly to Keiran's with her head tucked against his chest. "You're my home," she murmured. Her lips pressed to his throat in a kiss. And it was the truth. The incubus had become Silennia's entire world. Her universe, her stars. Guilt dripped into her gut like a venom, making her queasy, from the way she'd attacked him. He meant so much to her, yet she couldn't even recognize him. Over and over again. Until his image bled into a monster that she could never have imagined.

As a new creature entered the city and banished the mirror demon, that queasiness within Silennia's stomach needed to expel its contents.

Now.

She leapt so quickly from the bed that her foot became tangled in the blanket, causing her to slam into the floor. She'd grabbed a solid waste basket as the bile began coming up from her throat, just barely making it into the basket in time. The girl hadn't eaten much, but every bit of it came out in a coughing fit. Wave after wave of nausea coursed over her, slamming into her like waves during a storm. Matching every beat of the creature's wings, although she didn't realize it.

There was something happening that she had absolutely no control over; something she didn't understand about her valkyrie roots. The winged creatures were unreservedly drawn to creatures that needed... saving isn't quite the right word. There were plenty of creatures that needed saving, yet few and far between were those that wanted it.

Valkyrie hold the power to cleanse. Purify. Free those who want to be freed. However, it had never been attempted on an angel. Those were so pure that it had never happened before. Fallen angels were one thing, but a fallen one, reaching, grasping for any remnants of light within their soul? Never. The proximity between Silennia and Deitriel triggered this onslaught of sickness, as the blood within her veins fought. Valkyrie surging through after less than a minute, allowing Silennia to begin collecting herself enough to speak, eyes wide. "What is that?"

--------------------------------

Even further down the way, the full blooded valkyrie stood blankly as the red angel dealt with his assault. Listening, but not actively so. Although she heard everything, nothing registered. There was no recognition in her eyes.

... Until the force that hit Silennia also reached her.

Brilliant sapphire flickered; a light with not quite enough power to fully illuminate. She blinked, rapidly, as clarity slowly claimed her. She recognized Adriel, saw that he was harmed. She felt the cold against her skin. But she couldn't quite figure out how to process what was happening to her. Not yet. It would still take a bit of time. Unable to move more than a foot or two, of her own volition, before slipping back into the haze where nothing mattered.

--------------------------------

Damien stirred as there was a clicking sound, metal against metal. Fumbling. Black eyes opening in the darkness of his office, not fully understanding what the noise was. Just that it was loud enough to wake him up. More clicking. "Damn it," a voice muttered. "Which one's the key?" Male. He recognized it. His head lifted just slightly, hearing a final click and watching as someone opened the door to the office and shut it behind themselves before flicking on the light.

Jerry, the bartender, held a blue cloth envelope with the number "2" penned onto it. His eyes were focused on the envelope, shoving the keys into his pocket and muttering something beneath his breath as he zipped the envelope closed. Cash from the bar. Jerry was on his way to put it into the safe.

The man was so preoccupied with what he was doing that he didn't even realize what happened, when a clawed hand wrapped tightly around his leg, dragging him to the floor. Damien dug his nails into bone, covering the screams of the bartender with his other hand. He had to get him terrified, in pain - anything that he could feed off of.
 
Something new had entered the city- Something powerful. Gold hues fluttering open the same moment Silennia suddenly lunged from the bed, coming beside her as he assisted her the best he could, pulling her hair back out of the way, bewildered just as she way by the new presence-

"I.... I don't know. It's.... strange." His words were mumbled, as if he didn't quite hear Silennia, shuddering violently as that presence spiked in intensity- and then, faded. Masked, but not gone. Keiran's body tense, not even realizing that he'd risen defensively, every hair on the back of his neck standing straight out- only one thing in this world was capable of making him feel like this- but... it was... wrong.Too dark to be a angel... tainted, yet.... not...? "It's not possible." Confusion riddled Keiran's face, baffled, "The fallen don't ascend again- They don't desire it- never has one desired it-" Speaking mostly to himself as those words left him. Only now did those golden hues turn to Silennia, both their gazes wide, but for different reasons, surely, "I've never felt anything like that, it doesn't make sense- For another fallen to have come here.... it just doesn't... make sense....?" He trailed off, completely at a loss to explain the presence.

"It's like the taint is.... fading? Slowly." He muttered, pacing from side to side, anxious almost. Angels were bad news. Cold, calculating. No mercy for demon-kind. Capable of sending low-tier demons hurling back into the hell plain- a process that Keiran had heard was as agonizing as much as it was demeaning. Lower ranking demons not having the privileged of crossing over without assistance- while stronger demons could more easily cross back into the mortal realm- still a pain in the ass. Either way, Keiran wanted nothing to do with it.

His own encounters with angels less than pleasant. Of course, it was rare to see a angel at all these days. Demons and fallen more commonly wandering the earth than those vigilant servants of the God that started it all. A angel sent down from heaven was dangeorus enough- Keiran couldn't even begin to imagine what a fallen who was regaining purity would be like. Another shudder escaping him at the thought. Whatever had just happened- he didn't envy whoever had just crossed paths with the newcomer.

Unaware of what was happening with Silennia, assuming her sickness was because of the recent trauma her body had been put through. The timing coincidental. A naive thought.

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Adriel stiffened, lifting his head. A small smile touching his lips- a presense that surely was sending a stir through the city among those who could sense it- but to Adriel... it was familiar, "Ahhhhh...." Lowering his head, he chuckled, "Of course he would show up here with all these demons running loose." He mused, wincing as flesh painfully re-knitted itself back together, closing crimson stained hues. That energy familiar, but since the last time they'd met, something had changed.

So Deitriel was still trying to ascend.

The realization made Adriel burst into a fit of laughter, unable to resist the urge, "Unbelievable." Taking a moment to compose himself as he glanced once more in the mirror, a faint scar visible up his back, yet even that tissue was slowly beginning to fade- the only trace remaining of Vermina's attack being the smear of blood on Adriel's skin. Washed away, easily enough... the floor and towels, on the other hand...

He sighed, irritation nipping at him.

If Deitriel was still trying to repent by ridding the world of demons- then Vermina was one that Adriel wouldn't mind seeing get zapped back into the hell plane. How long, he wondered, had it been since a angel had successfully pulled such a feat against her? While impractical, it was a delightful thought, muttering curses towards the demon as he continued to try and clean up the mess, well aware that simply burning the blood away wasn't a option. Not inside a hotel room, at least.

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Onyx hues shifted away, observing her surroundings carefully, mezmerized as she discovered the television, both curious and fascinated by the contraption, yet, all the while well aware of Deitriel's gaze upon her, both comforting... and unpleasing. His aura was mixed, confusing even to her. Traces of it reminding her of the darkness that demons carried about them like a plague, but it mixed and shifted, swirling about Deitriel in a way the reminded the girl of the way water refused to mix with oil.

It was almost as if Deitriel carried two separate energies inside of him. The light in him faint, but... it seemed as if it was growing.

"You're... unusual for a fallen." A off-handed remark, going through the kitchen as she explored, pretending to be more interested in the utensils stored away inside the simple set up, but really, she focused on Deitriel. Her role in her village- a civilization now long gone, making her more curious and fascinated about him than ever. Karmilla wanted to study him, dissect him- a thought she quickly banished, frowning a little as she allowed her gaze to shift, running over him once more. He was beautiful, high cheekbones and a perfectly straight nose, his lips full, each feature seeming as if it had been carefully chiseled from a work of art- but... in a way, he was.

He was fallen- but before that... surely, he had been a angel. A servant of God. A chilling thought that entered her thoughts as she sized him up. To think she was standing in the room with such a creature suddenly made her feel.... small, insignificant.

"What caused you to fall?" It was a blunt question, and she'd asked it before she'd even thought better of it, her hand abruptly clamping over her own mouth as she tense, seeing the creature physically wince- a painful question, it seemed, and she immediately felt embarrassed, the sorrows tugging at her heart with her loss melting in a mix of rapidly changing emotions, trying to hide them away with questions to occupy her mind.

It was unbearable to think that everyone she had ever known or loved was gone. She didn't WANT to think of it, and so, when the angel finally spoke, it caught her off guard, her hand slowly falling away from her mouth as that strangely calm voice met her ears, comforting and soft- kind.

"... it's a complicated story." Deitriel shook his head, "As it is for any fallen. Like how you don't want to speak of your sorrows, I would prefer not to speak of mine... at least, not at this moment. So, allow me to change the subject. You've been through so much." His gaze was soft, approaching the girl as he smiled to her, "Loss hurts, you can either accept it...." He trailed off, those coal black eyes turning away, "Or you can let it eat at your heart and devour you."

Silence settling in with those words.

"Is.... is that what you did? Did you let it devour you?" The human's voice was almost timid, as if she was afraid to pry too hard, and Deitriel frowned, "You're a nosy human, aren't you? I'm talking about you, not me." He muttered, shaking his head, "I've lived longer than you can even imagine. You don't pry at every stone you see and ask it's nature, so why pry at mine? We all have choices, and I made a terrible mistake, leave it at that, child."
 
Silennia stayed on the floor a little while after the sickness had faded, laying on her side. It wasn't until then that she realized the carpet in the bedroom had been changed as well. Before, it was a thin layer of what looked like fabric, so worn in some places that it showed the concrete underneath. Now it was thick, plush, a deep mahogany color that pleasantly complimented the tan walls.

She watched Keiran pace, closing her eyes so that the movement didn't interfere with her pushing down the rest of the nausea. A fallen, he said. He was talking about Angels. The only one Silennia had the pleasure of meeting was Adriel, and that was just short of a disaster. Adriel was a fallen, but he didn't want to ascend back into heaven. This other creature did. He was clawing his way back. But why had he come here?

There had certainly been an increase in demon activity in the area, but why would that concern an angel? How was he atoning for his sins? Was he killing demons? Did angels justify the death of something sinister and terrible? Or was he merely banishing them to another realm? There were so many questions that she wanted to ask, but she knew that Keiran wouldn't have any answers. There was no way he could know. The only way for them to get answered was to ask the angel himself - or herself - and with the way she was feeling, with the creature's presence so far away, she didn't want to be any closer to him. Contemplating, as Keiran still paced the room, of leaving the city altogether. Starting somewhere new.

Silennia was sure it wouldn't put her in a very good spot. She was still adjusting to this newfound life, and being forced to work just to manage eating some noodles of all things, as she had been for so long... she knew that it wasn't possible. Not at the moment. Her body was experiencing too many changes, and each one seemed worse than the next.

"Keiran. Love." Her voice was tender, and she sat up with her back against the side of the bed. Reaching out to him with tired eyes. "Sit with me. Come here." His anxiousness was impacting her heavily, and she was finding it difficult to come out of the fog. "Perhaps Adriel can give us some insight." It only occurred to her then... Where the hell is Mina?

------------------------------------------

Damien stood carefully. Jerry lay on the floor, gray, his jaw looking unhinged. Eyes sank deep into his skull.

The demon felt disgusted with himself. Starvation, desperation... it wasn't something to play around with. Jerry had been his best bartender, serving for years now. It would be harder to dispose of the body, too, since he had loved ones that would be looking for him. A wife, two children. The wife was pregnant with their third. The bartender had come to Damien in the previous weeks, stating that he was looking for a different job so that it would suit his wife's needs more - but that he wouldn't leave until Damien had a replacement. Truth be told, Damien hadn't even began to look for one.

The demon couldn't remember the last time he'd killed someone while feeding. Usually it just took their state of mind and vanquished it. Turning them into something similar to a zombie. Most of the time they'd end up killing themselves in a freak accident. The last girl had walked in front of a bus. The one before her, drowned after walking off a dock. They had no more will to live, but they also didn't have a will not to live. They went about life without anyone instructing them or supervising them, and because of that, most of them died in terrible accidents that ultimately ended up being their fault.

Jerry, however... due to the state his body was in, Damien wasn't sure how he was going to do this. He'd have to transport the body out of state. Maybe have someone bury it in a desert. He was never very clever, in the ways of eliminating them. So long as they wouldn't be found again.
 
The demon seemed to snap out of his anxious pattern, not even seeming to realize that he'd been pacing the room. Restless. The amount of demonic activity in the city was one thing, but with others beginning to be drawn in, it made the atmosphere tense- or, perhaps it was just his imagination. Angels created a sense of distress in most demons- After all, their natures tended to clash.

Adriel alone was a notable presence here, his aura blackened to the core. The taint in the crimson angel gripping tight, until the point that to a demon, Adriel didn't even feel as if he'd ever been a angel prior to his fall. To one unfamiliar with the crimson angel, it would be easy to mistake Adriel himself for simply a high tier demon, not to mention with Vermina occasionally feeding off of the angel in question- well, Keiran was unable to distinguish which one was which at this point, in all honesty. A clear sign that in her absence, Vermina had been feeding off of Adriel yet again. It made her hard to detect if one was searching specifically for her. While Adriel wasn't the best choice to drain energy from when trying to hide, it was effective for the succubus to throw a false trail. No many were brave enough, after all, to attempt to track Adriel.

Silennia's voice once more pulling him out of his thoughts as she beckoned him. Gazing out the window with worry before walking across the room, "Sorry..." he muttered, realizing that she wasn't used to seeing him on the edge in such a way, "If anyone knows anything about this fallen, it would surely be Adriel..."

After all, Adriel was one of the original fallen, if rumors were true. He had whole-heartedly accepted his fate, and the angel reveled in mischief and devilment- unpredictable and dangerous, as all fallen were, yet Adriel was out of control. Even among the demon tier, Adriel stood outside of it. A loner that wandered the earth, meddling in demon affairs and with humans, corrupting everything he took interest in, for the most part. Whether he intended to- or not. The idea of seeking the angel out intentionally wasn't the most savory idea, but, if they were going to get any insight on this new comer, approaching the angel would be the best course of action.

At least, that's what Keiran thought, until he remembered Mina. A chill running down his spine, "Shit. He'll kill me if I show up without Mina." Surely, Adriel would be furious with him for involving Mina in retrieving Silennia. In fact, it was unusual that the angel hadn't shown himself the time they returned- even more so when Shiori attempted to kill the succubus off. Keiran as a whole had done a terrible job in keeping Mina safe. To face Adriel now without his crimson haired sibling.... well, it was unnerving.

"Quite frankly, Adriel doesn't give a shit about me without Mina in the equation- I don't even know if he would speak to me... and I left Mina with some 'friends' of hers... Her condition was too dangerous to keep her around, especially after Shiori tried to...."

He trailed off, frowning. Shiori. Remembering the mirror demon, he couldn't help but wonder where she had gone. Another demon difficult to track without firm control over her... which, Keiran realized, he'd lacked. With his attention invested in Silennia, he'd ignored the demon, become careless with her. Looking at it from a more logical point of view, Shiori was a useful tool. The perfect sort of demon to keep in service, especially for the purpose of spying and obtaining information... but, she'd turned on him.

"... after... she tried to kill Mina." He finally finished, shaking his head, "For Adriel to not arrive, though...." Keiran tilted his head a little, "Then his attention must be invested in something else for the time being." The silvernette frowning a little, "He's.... extremely protective of Mina, from what I've heard."

But what could Adriel possibly be so preoccupied with?

------------------------------------------------------------

How annoying. Cleaning the mess up to the best of his ability, Adriel admired his handi-work. Hiding such a mess wasn't... well, not as easy as making the mess. Blood was such a pain in the ass to clean up, scrubbing it out of the tile grout in the bathroom, only to stop and frown as he noticed stains trailing across the carpet. Lovely. What was the point? It wasn't as if his blood was traceable in any human records. Sure, it would most likely scare the maid half to death, but in these little seedy hotels, he was sure the local maids had seen a thing or two. Giving up on his attempts to clean the mess as he tossed the blood-soaked towels into the trash. Better blood than a body, right? It almost made him miss the dark ages, when hiding such things wasn't such a... well, such a problem. Humans were nosy, and technology was becoming quite advanced as they learned and grew as a species. He hated them.

Brushing loose hair back from his face, his shirt sliced open in the back so badly that there was really no point in continuing to wear it, pulling the last of the material off as tossing it into a separate trash bin with a irritated sigh. At times like this, having underlings was useful. Almost regretting his general lack of desire for companions... well, at least, on most occasions.

Those blood red eyes trailing towards where the Valkyrie lingered, curiosity tugging at him. Of course, she was perfectly aware, he was sure, but without emotion... what was there to care about? It was a fascinating condition, and he circled around her absently, both admiring her, and contemplating his current situation. After all, this was Silennia's birth mother. Abigor's little toy. Adriel faintly wondering just how many toes he'd stepped on when intervening with Damien's feeding. It was nearly amusing, chuckling to himself as he opened the closet, searching for anything that someone may have left behind before his arrival- nothing.

No surprise, really.

"... so, just how far gone are you, Leghadema?" His words were casual, almost playful, such seeming quite out of nature for him, but really, it was just a side of him that many didn't have the opportunity of meeting. The red angel still eyeing her curiously as she stood there, blank. Vermina's jealousy well-placed. The demon knew him too well, after all. Leghadema was quite beautiful. Adriel having thought Silennia favored her sire, but, getting a good look at the mother, he could see traits that had been passed from her as well. Approaching her for the first time since he'd first arrived, catching her by the chin as he gently tilted her head up towards him, "So vulnerable, so beautiful. You're too much, really." He remarked, leaning in a bit, as if seeing just how close he could get to her without retaliation- "So tempting." He mused, "I wonder...."

Closing that last bit of distance between the two of them as his lips brushed against hers, surprisingly careful with her as he stole a kiss, slightly tensing as if he anticipated some sort of reaction, before that kiss deepened slightly, breaking away after a moment before grinning coyly, "I'm sorry, I just had to try it." He remarked, backing away from her, almost studying her. There seemed to be consciousness in her, yet, her awareness was hard to detect.

While he spoke to her, and toyed with her, Adriel really had no idea just exactly HOW alert she was. Holding a one-sided conversation with her. It almost like a game to him, enjoying his ability to get close when before he'd been kept at a distance- by both her, and Damien's interference. Had his intentions towards her been more... corrupt, Adriel couldn't help but wonder just how far he could go with her.

But, where was the fun in that? Sinful, he was, but even that was too low for him. Limitations, after all, were needed at times... and, to be blunt, Adriel enjoyed the chase. Taking advantage of someone who couldn't lash out or say no, just was... well, boring. The fight, the chase... well, that was the fun in pursuing a creature like Leghadema.

------------------------------------------------------------

A terrible choice? Was there really such thing as a choice in falling? The remark didn't add up, really. The fact that traces of his angelic nature remained proved that Deitriel wasn't entirely evil. Karmilla simply let silence fall between them, unwilling to push him any further. Perhaps later, she would try again with her questions. This oddity in a world of dark and light intriguing her. She'd dealt with many creatures growing up, hiding behind her father's pants leg as a young girl, eyeing the demons and occult creatures that occasionally wandered into their small village- with permission, of course.

Typically keeping a distance from stronger more powerful demons and focusing on the low-tier hell spawn that plagued the occasional nearby town or settlement. Not that the locals ever seemed to show any thanks- No, they merely gawked and judged. Many times during her teenage years, she'd been spat at or had children throw rocks at her- despite dealing with whatever troublesome creature had been terrorizing them.

Human nature was... deplorable. So quick to ask for help, yet always biting their tongues when it came time to give thanks. Again, her heart ached. She'd killed them all, she was sure. The last thing she could remember... was entering the shrine where Shiori's mirror had been sealed away. After that... things became hazy, and then nothing at all.

Her father had entered behind her, and his face was the last thing before all conscious thought left her... but... even a fool could figure out what happened once her body was possessed. Shiori's documented history was... disturbing, to say the least. In her original form, the demon had possessed her own physical body, passing through mirrors and causing terror in her wake- born from the despair of a aging cruel woman from the west. Demons birthed from the raw emotions of humans were rare, and usually bound to whatever object was the center of whatever obsession or discourse- though, occasionally objects completely unrelated to the actual emotion could become a source- such as a child's doll. Anything that could lend a manifested form to a demon.

Karmilla had carefully studied the subject, pouring herself through tome after tome of every documented creature that they'd come across of such a nature. Mirror demons were perhaps the most common variety among these unusual creatures, usually stealing their first form from the original host of whatever sin manifested them- while having a body of their own, the face they wore was the reflected form of the human who created them, more or less... yet, their bodies were fragile, like the mirror they were conceived from. Vanity was supposedly Shiori's birth sin, but... it was often debated that her aggression towards humans was sourced perhaps from jealousy and not vanity- not that it mattered in the end, really.

No matter how one looked at the history, it was all foolish. A deal between her, and a certain human male was struck, leaving behind a single heir before Shiori's body had been completely shattered- like glass. Her soul bound to a single mirror that had been enshrined for study- foolishly. The first child of the demon growing into a beautiful woman, so stories told, having many children who brought home husbands and wives- building a village around the place the demon had been shattered. They formed their own culture, bringing carefully selected outsiders in, and over time, those demonic traces faded, to a point where only very few select descendants showed their lineage...

Karmilla, being one of them. The last suitable heir... and the demon, for the first time in centuries, began whispering in her ears, drawing her closer... until Karmilla realized too late the reason.
Fascination pulling her to the mirror, so young and naive... how could she had been so stupid? Despite all her knowledge, all of her studies, she'd walked in and approached the mirror willingly.

"You're suddenly quiet."

Deitriel's voice pulled her from her thoughts, the angel carefully observing her and Karmilla sighed, sinking into a chair, hanging her head, "What now?" She muttered, "There's nothing left. I don't even know what the year is. My way of life is dead, my people, are dead. My family- dead." Lowering her head into her hands, "How could I have been so stupid? So foolish?" Again, those hot tears burst to the surface, biting her lip hard as she stubbornly tried to hold those emotions back, unaccustomed to such displays. Love had been discouraged from the time she was a child, letting her emotions show was frowned upon. 'Emotions lead to human weakness' her father had always said. The children of the village raised to deal with the occult- and therefore, raised differently from normal human children.

Yet, here she sat, those tears stubbornly seeping between her fingers that hid her face from sight, flinching when she felt a gentle touch pull them away, Deitriel smiling faintly, "Shhhhhh, little one." He mused gently, wiping those tears away, not surprised when the girl broke down into a sobbing fit, burying her face against his shoulder as he comforted her, not seeming to mind that she dampened his shirt with tears. His battered coat hanging near the door. Slender fingers digging into fabric as she pulled away, "I know nothing." She whispered, shaking her head, "The world has completely changed."

Words that prompted Deitriel to pull her back against his chest again, his fingers running through her hair gently in a soothing gesture, "I'll stay with you, until you're ready to live your life- as you were meant to. To start a new life, and make your own path. You were never meant for the fate that demon set for you..."

"So you say, but why me?" Her voice was ragged, her breathing heavy through her tears, "I'm not worthy of saving. None of us are-"

Deitriel pressed his finger against her lips, "Enough of that. You are all children of God in one way or another. Whether you want to admit it or not-" He trailed off, "Your demon, however.... will need to be dealt with. Properly."

"... properly...?" Karmilla lifted her head, her gaze meeting the angel's, "You mean... kill her?" The words brought a flinch to Deitriel's face, his eyes shifting away, "Kill is a harsh word." He muttered, shaking his head, "She's unnatural, even for a demon. The very nature of her manifestation is that of malice... a demon like that can't be allowed to linger.... but..." frowning a little, he looked to the girl. Her concern was strange. Why would she care what happened to the demon?

The question hanging unspoken in the air as the human shifted uncomfortable under that hard gaze, gentleness giving way to a more stern demeanor that she could feel almost piercing through her, "She's..." Her words trailed, uncertain how to answer the angel. He would never understand. Would never approve, she was sure, "It's... complicated."

"Then explain."

Deitriel's words were blunt, waiting patiently, black eyes never wavering from Karmilla who seemed to squirm away, walking across the room to gain some distance from the creature. He was... hard to read. His energy disorienting. She couldn't tell if he was kind or out to slit her throat. It was unnerving. "She's a unique demon. Vile and cruel, but her abilities could be useful-"

"You can not control a demon." Deitriel's words were sharp, cutting Karmilla off in a way that startled her, the angel having approached so suddenly that she hadn't even been aware he'd moved at all, turning on him, "In theory-"

"I've heard enough. Consorting with demons will only end in disaster, child. You should know that better than anyone. Shiori must be eliminated." His tone dismissive. Final. Deitriel making it quite clear that his mind was made up on his next goals. Karmilla scowling after him, "You don't understand-"

"There's nothing TO understand." Rounding back on her, the girl thumped into his chest, having been right on his heels, stumbling back in surprise, "You're going to stay here, until I get back. Understood?" He didn't allow her to opportunity to speak. Clearly, her head wasn't clear enough to have any valid opinions if she was going to try and defend the demon who'd slaughtered her entire clan. Just the idea of it sending Deitriel's thoughts spinning. "... Try not to do anything foolish while I'm gone." He muttered, shutting the door behind himself without another word. A strange human.

------------------------------------------------------------

Mina relaxed, her head craned back, a small smile gracing her lips, one of her legs propped up on the edge of the wash tub, steam rising off the surface of the water. Positioned before the open flames, the room quite warm and cozy at this point. Several strands of crimson hair floating in the water as she hummed softly to herself, her foot swaying to the tune slowly. The luster returned to her body, the greyish tones having faded away to milky white skin as she recovered from her weakened condition. Thick lashes brushing against her cheek as she lazily closed her eyes. Pampered, and well cared for. The twins currently absent after having provided her with everything she needed to wash up.

Hunting, most likely. Unlike her, their bodies craved physical food... and in their true forms... well, they were quite capable of easily swallowing even a full grown human whole, if they so desired. Not that their appetites were geared towards humanity- but, it was entirely possible. Most likely, the serpents hunted the local wildlife- deer, or whatever was large enough to satisfy them. After Mina's... over zealous feeding, surely hunger had set in.

Not that she minded their absense. At times, the two could be... over bearing.

Stretching lazily as she sighed, allowing her body to sink into the water, her head still resting against the side of the tub. Little things like this she missed when her life turned more.... chaotic. Crimson lashes parting slowly, gazing into the fire, enjoying the moment of peace that... well, had eluded her the last few weeks. Since Silennia had come into her brother's life.... well, Mina's thoughts had completely strayed from her original goal- a goal that had been more of a fun distraction, really. She loved the stage, the attention and adoration people poured into music- from the fame, the fortune... to the prime specimens that wandered from all corners of the earth just to hear a single voice sing- Oh, yes, it had seemed quite fun to pursue.

But...

Venturing into a unknown hell plane and fighting with other demons... Almost dying- now, that was more fun. Thrilling, even. Perhaps the most fun she'd had in well over a century. It lit the fire deep within in her heart, and within just a few weeks, Mina felt more alive than she'd felt in... well, ages. Wandering the earth and feeding off of humans grew dull and monotonous without the occasional distraction. How Keiran could stand it- night after night pursuing whatever women caught his eye in a endless cycle- always left her wondering, but... well, he'd found his own distraction, finally.

Things were changing, and Mina couldn't deny that it was certainly more... entertaining, than before.

Closing her eyes once more as she rested, simply enjoying the hot bath that she soaked in.
 
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