Black Roses: Into The Aybss

The quick sudden move that De delivered with the palm of his hand brought with it the echo of power far greater than the young vampire should have possessed. With astonishing efficiency he had sent Mish-shy sailing across the room like he owned no more weight than a feather

The demon stared up from his uncharacteristic place on the floor only to see ebony eyes brimming with metallic darkness staring back down at him. They were eyes so rich and thick with promise that the demon had to bite back the taste of unholy delight that filled his mouth at the sight.

His objective, finally revealed, stood before him in full battle rage. Glaring at him with eyes as dark and shimmering as portals into hell's abyss had been all those millenniums ago. These eyes promised him suffering, torment and a long overdue death, wordlessly whispering their pledge to him from behind the long silken lashes of a mere boy.

"How dare you touch him!" The little god didn't clarify precisely whom he'd meant and Mish-shy didn't think to ask him right away. He was too enthralled by the sight before him, by the words that lashed him with the force of whip strikes. The voice, not quite vampirc anymore was cutting into his soul and damned if he'd truly remembered pain until that very moment.

It was a long forgotten agony in a world where he'd become numb to pain or feeling of any kind. This was almost an awakening, but somehow lacked the final thrust that would allow the old demon to cross the divide from nightmare to living once again. But god, despite its imperfection it was still glorious. A kind of sneak peek at what was to come if he were successful in his endeavors.

"Make no mistakes, demon. You touch him again and I'll rip the heart from your chest and cast you into humanity's pot, see how fond you are of living as one of them for a few thousand years." Ah, a real threat! No death or promises of pain, just an unholy knowledge of what a demon like Mish-shy would despise the most.

"Well, I see you're awake, at least." Mish-shy's words were only half amused as he rose from the ground, a testament itself to how shaken the demon was despite the fact he showed no outward sign of being ruffled in the least. He began to dust himself off, eyes skating first to the dark child in front of him and then to the human who was standing slightly behind him, an expression of sheer amazement as well as smug satisfaction on his face. The satisfaction probably coming from seeing Mish-shy knocked on his ass, the demon figured somewhat humorously.

"He's too easily frightened, then. I meant him no real harm." Mish-shy surprised himself with his own pleasantness. He also kept his thoughts to himself on another matter. Perhaps Damian was speaking of Daniel, but why hadn't he emerged sooner if that was his only concern? No, he'd burst out in force only when Mish-shy had his hands on Rhion.

Mish-shy gradually smiled, the corner of his mouth twisting up into a knowing smirk. He waved his hand in the air in an explanatory fashion "Demons pass judgment, that's what we were meant to do in the absence of gods."

"You mock me, demon?" De started toward him and for a split second Mish-shy was actually tempted to take a step back from the five foot ten inch boy who was approximately one fourth his size, it was just as absurd as it was practical.

"Utterly." Mish-shy's had a sneaking suspicion that the Dark child had been referring to both Rhion and Daniel. Again he refrained from any remark, but inside he was absolutely delighted. This was going to be damn interesting, at the very least. Mish-shy didn't mind that new elements had entered the game. One of the things that demons loathed most was boredom, and truly there was nothing boring here. A rich and glowing tapestry was being woven, composed of threads both dark as night and as bright as sun sneaking through black leaves. He wanted to chuckle at the beauty of it, so much more complex than what the gods actually had planned. Damn fools, what a surprise they would be having.

The huge demon king bowed ironically towards the both of them. "Rude of me, to disturb your rest; you must forgive an old demon with too much curiosity and time on his hands! Actually I merely came to invite you both to breakfast; Shyle demons tend to sit down together, discuss business and pleasure while we eat. Our food is good, and it might even be entertaining for you both."

"Your manner of issuing invitation to a meal seems to border on intrusive to me," Rhion remarked in a tone so dry it smoked. The dark-haired boy said nothing, was still watching Mish-shy with eyes of ebony poison. The demon wondered if he even realized the defensive posture he'd taken in front of his larger companion, more wolf defending a cub than lion protecting his pride.

Mish-shy shrugged humorously, enjoying Rhion's snotty attitude but deciding not to begin an argument however pleasant he might find it. For one thing, De looked close to running out of patience. "Well, I'll leave it up to you; just follow the main corridor south and listen for lots of laughing and arguing!"

He'd managed to back towards the door as if he was politely facing them to continue conversation, rather than to keep a wary eye on the little godling's temper. Now framed in the doorway he chuckled, added a parting shot. "It would do neither of you harm, to learn more about people you try to steal from! Maybe next time you'll even succeed, if you study hard!"

The dark prince glared murderously at him, watched every move he made until he was completely outa sight. He waited barely a split second before turning on Rhion. "The bastard kills me and you decide he deserves a good grope for it!"

"Well it sure as hell looked like it to me!" De was shaking hard with his anger, his eyes hardening from liquid onyx into cold dark steel. "I come back here and find you hanging on him like some tavern whore AND still I chose to help you!"

"And I thank you kindly, for that help." Rhion's words came out a little milder than De had expected, perhaps only because Damian's nose had suddenly started to drip blood and the older boy had a disgusting habit of letting little things like that get in the way of a good fight.

"Thanked me!" De spat the words back like they'd been an insult. "Do you even have a clue how fucked up it is to suck face with a demon---Ya damn fool human, you coulda got yourself killed from one of his love bites!"

"Suck face? You think that was MY idea, anymore than what you went through out there was yours? I was trying to kick his ass, and the bastard thought it was sexy for some reason!! Go figure---it's not MY fault!" De dropped his hand away from his face and stared at his companion in frustration.

His next words were laced with anger and irritation as thick as tar. "What the hell have you been doing for the last nineteen years or so---didn't they teach you anything useful at all growing up! Fight and Fuck; it's Demon foreplay, Rhion! Gawddd you need to wise up!"

"So what the hell do I do to be discouraging then, talk nicely and bend the hell over?" Rhion nearly yelled in frustration. "Demons are as fucked up as you! How was I supposed to know all this dammit! YOU wise up, you're the one who brought us into this mess!"

"I didn't expect tea and cookies! I wasn't expecting you to be killed in my arms either---and you'd still be lying out there if I hadn't patched you up. I'm just along to pick up the pieces and I know it. But your pieces definitely need picking, goddammit it, so don't try to make me feel useless!"

"You're infuriating! Picking up the pieces---I managed quite well for seventeen years without YOU, Rhion Carlonday---You're the one with pieces that need picking up, pawing a demon, biting his leg---You NEVER bite a demon, DAMNIT! And just what the hell were you and Daniel doing in that bed, anyway?"

"You what?" The question was low, dark, and utterly threatening, or at least would have been if the blood hadn't been pouring outa De's nose like somebody switched the faucet on. "You don't FUCK Daniel---Nobody FUCKS Daniel!" The emphasis on the word fuck made it quite clear that De was more than a tiny bit insulted.

He took a step forward, wrapped his fist in Rhion's shirt and for all the world looked as if he were gonna lay him out flat when his knees suddenly folded and he ended up in kinda a disheveled heap in the other boy's arms.

For a brief moment the disgusted, angry growl was the only thing that came from De as the other boy scooped him up in a neat little package and started toward the bed with him. But slowly the sound faded away, leveling out with De's breath as he gathered his voice to speak. "Nobody fucks Daniel, if you hurt him---"

"Well, made love I should have said, not that you understand the difference---hurt him? Damn you for thinking it!" Rhion sounded agitated now; if his arms hadn't been full of De he might have been waving them for emphasis. "Dammit, De---he appeared and he was scared! I was just trying to comfort him---you never exactly warned me about Daniel, now did you? He needed taking care of, and---well---he liked it! I didn't hurt him, curse you! It wasn't like that!" Rhion was flustered and trying to find the words to explain the situation to an obviously naive De. "You can ask him if I did anything he disliked if you're so concerned! Um, you CAN ask him, right? You two talk? Dammit, how do you expect me to respond when you don't let me know these things?"

"Liked it?" De sounded utterly mortified for a second; as if he couldn't quite equate Daniel and the word sex into the same sentence let alone putting them in action together. "No, Daniel wouldn't---" Whatever he was gonna say got lost as his eyes widened just a bit and then abruptly De snapped his mouth shut and heaved an anxious breath, the corners of his all too delicate looking mouth twisting into a deep frown.

Then with a bit of effort he shifted his position in Rhion's arms so that he was looking more at the older boy's chest than at his face. When Rhion still managed to dip his head and catch De's eyes with his own more curious ones, De scowled angrily and looked away as if it were hard for him to listen despite the fact that Rhion wasn't saying anything.

So apparently he was listening to Daniel's opinion on the matter rather than really thinking about it too deeply himself. His eyes drifted back to Rhion reluctantly and for several long seconds he just stared at the older boy in almost comical disgust, his uneasiness at the whole situation vividly apparent as the near blackness of his eyes softened into an almost midnight blue/black.

Then suddenly he rolled said eyes a bit sarcastically and twisted his mouth up into a kind of childish pout that Rhion doubted he was even aware of. "Stupid, rolling around in bed together with an enemy sleeping next door! Both of you are just plain stupid." The words were heavy and yet meaningless having not carried the weight they should have once you took into consideration the fact that De had reached upward during his mild scolding of Rhion and started to explore his neck and shoulders for wounds he'd imagined the Hellspawn mighta inflicted on his companion.

Rhion studied De, and his mulish expression softened a little. "No doubt, didn't think of that," he observed mildly, finally applying the torn end of his shirt to De's nose gently. "It was stupid; I have to agree with the expert on stupid doings, now don't I?" He smiled slightly. "But it was very comforting to both of us, and I don't regret it in the least." He seemed to be speaking to De, but also pitching his comment for someone unseen as well.

"I guess if it---comforted Daniel, then it was---alright?" For a second he looked up at Rhion, almost childlike as though he wanted some guidance on the matter then he faltered and looked away like a kid about to be scolded.

"So fools often say." This was a repeated comment, something he'd heard someone say before. He hadn't really meant it. In fact he'd only used it when the moment seemed most appropriate, like a child looking for a reason to put a newly learned profanity to use, it was just his Leviathan upbringing slipping unceremoniously to his cracked and damaged surface.

Rhion's hands were gentle, as he finished wiping the blood, accepted another of De's rather assessing touches serenely. "Call me a fool, then." he agreed calmly. "You will anyway. You look pale. I don't suppose knocking that demon on his ass was a bright thing for you to do, but I wasn't sorry to see it. He was getting entirely too friendly and I don't care if you say I asked for it. Here, you better lie down," he added, as De slumped further in his arms even with obviously more to say.

"I called you a fool and you're not even offended, you're such a strange creature, Rhion." De sounded slightly bewildered at the older boy's reactions. "Most people woulda been angry." He paused then, seemed to consider a great deal of things before he continued on. This time his tone more that of a teacher delivering a mild reprimand. "Much angrier than you were, they wouldn't have hung around long enough to patch me up." It would have been a compliment if De hadn't sounded so damned disapproving of the matter.

"I should be outraged, at you calling me a fool?" Rhion's tone was almost a wicked tease. "I ALWAYS consider the source, Damian Leviathan, when receiving an opinion from you." Except for the roguish gleam in his eyes, it might have been an insult---and was anyway but it was also nearly affectionate in tone.

De studied him again in that strange fashion that constantly seemed to meld together youth and age into some perversely chaotic blend that perhaps mere man was never meant to understand and then unexpectedly his lip twitched and he smiled, just a little despite his best efforts not to. "Gawd, what did I get us into?" Before Rhion could speak, De's eyes turned just a little bluer and took on a kind of sparkle Rhion hadn't seen before. Then as suddenly as it came the shade disappeared and De waved his hand warningly in Rhion's direction.

"Don't even go there, I wasn't asking you." His tone was oddly enough playful, in a semi-apologetic kinda way. "And there you go insulting me again, one would think it's your greatest pleasure in life. Perhaps my brother should see this side of you."

"One of these days they'll lock you up for your foolish notions, Rhion. You make no sense at all sometimes." De's words had lost their edge as he'd begun to slur his words, his body gradually slipping into unconsciousness. "But I suppose they'll find you charming and ignore the fact you're insane." After a short pause, De seemed to suddenly relax, his face smoothing out into the childish innocence that both he and Daniel seemed to share while asleep.

Then something unexpected happened, De's silky voice, slurred heavily with sleep, rang outward bringing with it his last and very private thoughts before he could totally succumb to the darkness his body so demanded of him. "Don't leave me."

The words were but a whisper and something De would have never mumbled under normal circumstances but Rhion had heard it and that's all that mattered in the flow of things. That and the fact the boy jabbered a lot in his sleep, something Rhion planned on keeping to himself.

"Leave you?" Rhion murmured; with De's fall from consciousness he was easier to lift into the waiting bed, no arguments to be deflected for one thing. "I've got too much time invested in you already, little demon, thoughtless brat. And I'm too damn stubborn to cut my losses like a sensible man and run for my life."

His words might have seemed cold, except for the tone in which they were spoken, as soothing and warm as if they were some love-dribble. That, and the care he took tucking the limp unconscious boy in comfortably beneath the covers as if truly concerned that he sleep well.

He studied De's sleeping face, and a smile touched his lips, a roguish curl of amusement that made his face seem very young and yet curiously knowing. "Thank you for the kind words, Daniel; whatever they were. I knew I could count on you to save me from his wrath, and believe me, I was feeling in serious trouble for a moment!"

He could also have said, that he was very glad Daniel existed at all, to balance the prickly creature than was Damian. But that might have been taken wrong by either of them, so he prudently left it unvoiced.

"I suppose he's out cold then?" Mish-shy's thick velvety voice, filled with casual humor drifted into the room only to come to rest directly on Rhion's shoulders. "Almost too comfortable with him, you are. Is it that you forget what he represents to this world or is it you feel yourself his equal---or perhaps even his better?" It was an honest question, perhaps a little too playful though.

Curiously he felt no more antagonism toward Mish-shy, nor fear either strangely---and probably foolishly---enough. "I'm no longer of the White Counsel, bowing to prophecy left and right with no more will than a bleating sheep!" he snapped. "I don't forget what people say he represents, I just don't give a damn. Equal? Better?" Rhion shrugged irritably. "These labels always have pissed me off, and the need everyone seems to feel to slap them on people---"

He shook his head in disgust, then his eyes drifted to the figure on the bed and his face seemed to soften. "He needs me," he said, simply. "I don't care if he admits it. It's enough that I know it in my heart."

Rhion felt a little strange, being so frank with an old demon who not so long ago had been practically nibbling on his neck. But strangely enough a kind of peace had come upon him, an acceptance of he barely knew what.

The sound of De's last whispered words, that he knew he would never hear when the boy was conscious, had changed everything. Or perhaps just confirmed what he had already committed to, but had allowed De's outward barbs to affect sometimes.

"Need you?" It was a question Mish-shy posed more to himself than to Rhion, kind of turning over the idea in his ancient brain and allowing the weight of those words to soak into him completely. "That he does, probably even more so than even you realize" It was such a sincere answer on his part that for a split second Mish-shy actually felt uncomfortable with himself. A feeling that passed through his system in the time it took his heart to beat only once, it had lasted longer than most emotions did, he supposed that was somewhat of an improvement after years of numbness. "As for bowing to Prophesy---oh they're true, every last bleeding word of them--- but as with many things written by the hand of man at the instruction of gods, there are a billion interpretations, they not bloody manuals, after all, just disjointed history that hasn't come to pass yet!" The demon was amused again, smiling broadly and making his way over to the bed at a leisurely pace.

"I don't suppose his judgment is ever all that grand, considering the current state he's put himself into protecting the two of you?" Mish-shy's hand made its way to De's forehead in much the same fashion as a father checking a child for fever.

"You know him better, than I." It was a near emotionless remark. Filled only with openness and the desire to make this nameless situation work. "Besides, I need your help to insure his survival. Even if you never believed a word of prophesy, you have to realize the danger he's in, from those who do? Some will seek to place him on high, twist him into their image of darkness, while others shall seek to destroy him just for what he represents." There was a short pause as the demon studied De's sleeping face. "There have been seventy-six serious attempts on his life since his birth, fourteen of those drew blood and one delivered him into the arms of immortality, but of course you were there for that one."

Mish-shy moved his hand over De's form, and curled his fingers just a fraction before making some kind of hand sign in the air just above his chest. It only took a few seconds for a soft glow to form around his fingertips and begin to spread over his palm.

"No need to get concerned, young lion. I'm fixing not breaking, him. He should have rested long before now, his power stores are almost entirely depleted. Revenge seems to have taken its toll." He paused watching Rhion's expression as he worked. "He's functioning almost wholly as vampire, now. It seems he has several different---power sources that he depends on---unlike most of us who only have one." The demon waited patiently for the soft eerie glow to disperse itself over De's chest.

"So, he's more than just vampire---? It figures, dammit!" The handsome blond seemed a little disgusted at his own bad luck in having such a companion, and Mish-shy had to grin. This one was definitely a survivor, as prickly as the child-god in a more down-to-earth way.

"Oh yes---indeed---much more." Mish-shy examined De as they spoke finding more than even he'd bargained for. "He is unique---more than just a god or vampire---more than even the angel that hides within him." Mish-shy smiled wolfishly at Rhion, but the human didn't say anything instantly; he just studied De in silence for a time.

"Vampire I'm more or less comfortable with, but all this god and angel talk worries me!" Rhion finally remarked, with a twist of humor lurking around his expressive mouth. "So do you intend to use him?" His expression changed like lightning, turned so serious it was troublesome to the old demon. It was as if he planned to slay Mish-shy where he stood if he admitted to such a devious thing---it didn't matter to Rhion that it'd likely be his last act on this earth. All that mattered to the young lion in that moment was protecting his charge---or more accurately his pride.

"Oddly enough---" Rhion allowed his words to hang in the air for a few moments as he evaluated his thoughts on the matter. "No, I think you have a goal in mind. One that you at least believe is honorable." He paused. "That doesn't mean that I'll agree with what you do in pursuit of that goal."

Mish-shy thought about it for a few minutes, then nodded. This one was more than he'd imagined even at the height of his ponderings---this testy human was the Dark One's Blade. To be successful here he'd have to lay down his cards, share as much with the youth as he could accept and allow him to fill the role he was so obviously meant to.

Mish-shy uncurled his fingers and pulled back his hand as he stared down at De's sleeping face. "Damian has very little control of this power---It's made him its own, it's all just instinct and adrenaline. And maybe a bit of stubbornness set into action. If there had been time he'd have grown into his power over thousands of years but as it stands he's run out of time---something in this universe has stripped him of the luxury of waiting till he's ready."

A little rattled and somewhat delighted at the feeling, he went on. "And if we act then we put him on the fast track to power, which is probably exactly what our faceless foe wants, but what choice is there for you and me? We know his life is all that matters in the end---it's all that's ever mattered."

"All my children are in Damascus, taken by the immortal wars---so I have chosen this one to receive what they could not. He is the son of the only woman in this world who might have possibly mattered to me, once upon a time."

"And you tell me these things---for what reason?" And then, blurted out in a somewhat surprised tone---"YOU have children? And a woman who mattered to you?" Rhion shook his head before Mish-shy could answer. "No---strike that, rude question, even more rude delivery."

Mish-shy smiled thoughtfully then, got up and returned to the bedside. Brushed back a bit of De's hair. "Her blood makes him worth his weight in silver, if only because his existence stirs me---a little." He looked at Rhion only to gauge his reaction.

Rhion's reaction was to look exasperated. "You drop enough hints to sink a four-masted ship, without delivering a shred of real information. Either tell me all about it or shut the hell up! I think I can handle the entire story, I have a penchant for long-winded talk!"

"He'll be insufferable!" Rhion obviously struggled to master himself, pull together some threads of composure. Yet his next remark was from the heart, maybe not meant for Mish-shy's ears. "And even worse---it'll be too damn hard on him."

"His whole life has been too damn hard on him." Mish-shy observed thoughtfully. "But I think you already knew this. Besides, what would you have me do, try and coddle the boy for a millennium or two." The Demon chuckled richly at the thought. "It'd hardly work well with this particular pup. I'm like those who taught him how to snap and growl in the first place. To him I can only ever be the enemy. And even that puts him in danger."

Rhion studied the demon almost coldly. Obviously bit back several questions, remarks, even speeches perhaps. Mish-shy got the distinct impression that he'd be hearing all of them at a future date, in annoying detail. "Puts him in danger. That suggests a timeframe to me, to teach him what he needs to survive as you put it. So how long do we have exactly?"

"Until the Bloon Moon. His temper will be at its height then---he'll be able to touch darkness long enough to succeed in the claiming---if he's riled." Mish-shy couldn't help adding that last part, might as well warn this stubborn human exactly what he was getting into.

Rhion was silent for a space, obviously calculating in his head. He wasn't gonna ask Mish-shy another single thing if his life depended on it, that was obvious! The old demon fought down his amusement, and resisted an urge to polish his nails as he waited for the boy to work it out and explode.

There was no explosion, but Rhion studied him with a suddenly glittering eye. "Blood moon. You're talking less than a month. for this kind of shit?" His voice was dangerously soft. "In fact---you're talking feeding frenzy for those of vampire persuasions on top of that! I guess I won't argue that his temper could get no worse; seems it could! Goddammit! And the little fool walked right into this, thinking he was in control!" Rhion sounded absolutely disgusted with life.

"In a way, he was." Mish-Shy observed as if it were a matter of fact. "Power drew him here to this place, he knew on some level that this was where he needed to be if he were to survive. He lives by instinct, not wit." This thought amused the old demon; in fact everything amused him at the moment. He was almost too pleased with himself, with the situation for it to be considered truly healthy by demonkind. "You'll find as the years move along, that he simply knows what must be done---in battle, in politics but not always in life. I think that's where he'll need you."

That phrase seemed to halt Rhion's irritation, turn it back on itself. He thought for a moment, then nodded. "All right. I'll do whatever it takes, I suppose. I bought into this willingly, and damned if I expected an easy ride from the start. He needs me, he has me. That's no problem." He eyed Mish-shy in the same hard fashion. "And I thank you for your honesty. Understand, I'll continue to want to know everything, whether it pleases me unduly or not."

"I'm pretty sure I won't like any of it, so you might as well be forthright. Lives by instinct, not wit---that explains a hell of a lot!" He gave the unconscious boy a look composed of affection, exasperation and worry in about equal measures.

Mish-shy chuckled, partly because the response was merited and partly to distance himself from the sudden stirring in the vicinity of his heart. These two had something that made him remember what it meant to be alive. It was about more than simply feeling! Being alive was about caring.

It was a good thing to have some one to love---to be willing to bleed for them, even die for them if the occasion arose. It was what made life worth living but all that was behind him now or perhaps before him. He was headed home, back to those he'd lost in this world---back to those who stirred him the way De stirred Rhion.