BlackRosesPart11

De pulled his mind back as soon as the beast allowed him to do so, cringing as the world seemed to spin outa control and then straight down some drain he envisioned being in the center of the floor cause that's sure where everything seemed to be headed from his current perspective.

He heard Rhion's voice, distant and inaudible as his weakness betrayed him for all eyes to see. He sagged heavily inside the arms that held him, his eyes rolling back in his head as the dizziness pulled him under. For a few moments he actually thought he might pass out. Especially when the nausea rose threateningly up from the pit of his stomach and his breath seemed to halt in his chest for longer than normal.

When the world jumped back into focus De realized disgustedly that the big-ass painted up freak of a demon was still feeling him up, only it seemed his hand had made its way to the inside of his thighs now and was pushing his legs apart almost experimentally.

"De, you answer me, goddammit!" That was Rhion yelling at him, annoyed as usual, of course but he sounded weird ---like he might be worried or something? Nah, he must have been mistaken. "De, damn you, answer me!"

"WHAT!" he snapped more than a little annoyed at having demands made upon him at such a hideous time. "I'm a little busy here in case you haven't noticed. And I think I'm gonna throw up." He wasn't sure why he'd added that part on the end. It seemed peculiarly natural to share such information with Rhion. He supposed he shouldn't have, revealing any weakness at all in front of an enemy was a vital flaw in any battle tactic. But it was the truth and he'd meant it literally. Unfortunately the demon with the roaming hands had taken it as an insult and squeezed the inside of his thigh hard enough to burst an artery.

He couldn't keep back a small gasp, and the sound seemed to drive Rhion mildly crazy, "You fucks, leave him alone! What the hell games are you playing at? It was all my idea; I'm the one you should be punishing, you brainless demons! I dragged him into it! Look at him; you think he thought up a plan to steal from demons? He's just a stupid kid who didn't know any better; you might as well let him go!!"

De was so insulted, and yet so confused, by this outright lie---the first he could remember hearing from Rhion---that he couldn't have made a sound even if he hadn't been gasping to recover from the blond demon's careless brutality.

The head fiend smiled broadly at Rhion as if intolerably pleased by his comments even while not buying them in the least. Then he looked down at the blond demon's hand, which had released its agonizing grip and was now moving back so he could grope De's ass unencumbered and damn if this bastard demon King didn't laugh outright then.

"Sick fucks!" De's half whispered words had probably revealed far more than he had intended them to. His disgust and hatred had risen to the surface and made itself known. He couldn't help it, both these perverts were getting off on this, the proof of it was pushing against his stomach like an iron rod, and damned if this bastard Mish-shy wasn't hung like a horse!

The demon moved back a little, De presumed this was only to make room for his friend's groping hands. Then to his mortification instead of just standing there and watching like he had before he leaned down, bringing his mouth so close to De's that he could almost taste the fiery concoction he'd been drinking earlier. It wasn't unpleasant, reminded De of cinnamon and cloves, in fact. Not a bad scent ordinarily but in this case it was strangely pungent and that didn't help De's nausea one bit.

De shivered involuntarily as he felt the demon's hands begin to explore, where his blond headed freak of a friend's had just left off.

Something about this particular demon bothered him on a subconscious level, it wasn't so much his strength or the power he wielded; it was the fact that his Darkness was familiar. De recognized it, not so much like his own---more akin to someone who'd been capable of truly hurting him in his childhood. It was something he was capable of tolerating but even he couldn't help dreading the experience.

"Shut up and just do it! It's not like it hasn't been done to me before." And for a change what he spoke was the absolute truth. He didn't bother to embellish anything, try and use it to his advantage. Nor did he volunteer more information than he'd already given. He was tired of jumping through hoops for these hellspawn, it was as simple as that.

De glanced over at Rhion and found that several hefty looking demon warriors were holding him firmly in place. One of them had a huge hand clasped over Rhion's mouth--which explained his silence during the last part of the groping--and his struggles really didn't seem to be getting him anywhere. That was hardly surprising! Rhion was neither small nor weak, but these Shyle demons dwarfed him. It was obvious he wasn't going to be providing any help in the near future. Not that De'd figured on getting any, he still wasn't sure exactly where he and the other boy stood at this point and now he might never know---

Why was Rhion fighting so hard, anyway? He wasn't the one getting groped, they'd just been holding him rather loosely until he started pitching a fit. And why had he told that amazing story? Maybe he didn't realize it was impossible to lie to demons? He'd admitted he didn't know much about them.

De had done something stupid by dragging Rhion into this hornet's nest and why!?!? What 'good' reason did he truly have? Maybe it was just about saving his own ass? When his father finally caught up with him, there would be hell to pay that he was sure of. And he'd be lucky if it ended with his merciful execution.

Lee wasn't exactly the kind of man you disappointed and then lived to tell about it. Well, sometimes you lived, but the result wasn't exactly desirable. De had seen those who'd failed Lee and lived---he preferred death to becoming one of those pitiful heaps of flesh whose only concern were their master's needs. Being one of his sons wouldn't have made him an exception; in fact it worsened the blow to Lee's pride in a sense.

He'd tried to do that, had looked his death in the eye and left this life like a god should have. He'd never once let them twist his mind to the point where he'd asked forgiveness---he was going to hell, thank you very much, could they please just get on with it. No? Fine, he'd known far worse pain at the hands of his own father---if they felt they must continue so be it!

Maybe he'd really come here to try and gain hold on the power they'd always claimed he'd own, or maybe it was just to spite those bastards who'd dismissed him after years of torture and ridicule---Yup, that was it. He'd hoped to punish them, liked he'd punished the White Council fools who'd failed to send him to his death like they'd promised. After so many years he'd longed for what they'd offered him on that day, and all they'd done was provide him a path straight to his destiny and for that they had to pay!

Before, the only person De had to look after was himself and that which lay within him--- only he could have been hurt by whatever decisions were made---yet now there was Rhion? Strange, confusing Rhion who had come to him in his darkest hour, put up with all that he was and yet still remained by his side.

De allowed his eyes to skate over Rhion's body; he was pulled extraordinarily taut as he struggled uselessly, showing off his exquisite well-defined frame. If it had been another time and place De might have found the image erotic but here in this time it only worried him; tough, capable Rhion was just as much a boy among these demon perverts as De himself was.

If looks could have killed that would have been one dead demon. He made a furious remark that was smothered in the huge hand covering the lower part of his face.

"Release the godling. And give the young lion his tongue back; his remarks are fresh and most amusing." The Demon's voice was edged with evil amusement as he stared right back at Rhion unwaveringly. "I think we shall see how much bite this pup of yours actually has, see if he's worth my time."

Rhion made a soft growling noise as his mouth was released; the grip had not been gentle. There were finger marks on his jaw that would turn into bruises later. He coughed slightly, spitting a little blood as he cleared his throat. But he never stopped glaring.

De for his part in all this was roughly felt up by the blond demon one last time and his throat nipped almost playfully, then surprisingly the extra sets of hands fall away from him, leaving his arms tingling from the sudden flow of blood to his extremities.

He couldn't help but strain against the ropes his wrists were still bound with. Finding no escape he allowed himself to be gathered into the Demon's arms, his body tense despite his best efforts to relax. "I am Mish-shy. It's a name you might want to familiarize

yourself with, in case you wanta beg for mercy later." De hadn't missed the fact that the demon king was looking Rhion right in the eye even as he spoke these words to him.

"I won't beg you for anything." De pointed out matter-of-factly, this was no time to be smug but he sure as hell wouldn't lie. He was guilty enough of other things these days.

In its own way it kinda pissed the Dark One off, he was the one being groped here, and the bastard didn't even have the good manners to look at him when he was speaking.

"I sincerely hope not." The smile directed at Rhion could only be called bizarrely charming and the eyes that met De's were almost friendly as he pressed his body suggestively against into his. Strange all this civility when the bastard was planning to rape him and had made no secret of it!

"Why don't you leave the kid alone." Rhion's voice croaked. The demon had apparently been gripping his throat as well as cupping his mouth with one hand, to make sure he couldn't get a word out. "If you want someone with a little bite, I'm a much better match than this scrawny creature you're pawing." He coughed again after this speech.

Mish-shy's sudden burst of laughter grabbed De's full attention. "Not right now, my young lion, but I'll keep your offer in mind---for a future date. Right now you don't sound like you have much bite at all, anyway."

De didn't have a chance to respond. If he had he'd have screamed "The fuck you will" but the mouth that closed on his was brutal and uncompromising cutting off any chance he had to set the bastard straight. Rhion was his---well basically, and like hell he'd be laying a finger on him in THAT WAY!

There wasn't anything remotely charming about the teeth that ripped into his bottom lip. He caught the pained whimper that threatened before it had a chance to escape his throat, immediately shifting his focus from the pain to the feel of blood running down his chin.

Yet no matter how much he thought on other things it was still difficult to ignore the mouth devouring his so totally, or the powerful tongue that rammed past abused lips and reveled in the fact that blood now flowed.

The Dark One felt himself lifted off the ground, and he knew he was close to panicking as his feet dangled beneath him. Somehow, being gathered up like this made him feel more like a child than anything ever had. Maybe it was the fact that this guy was easily five times his size or maybe it was the fact that this really was going to happen with all eyes looking on and he couldn't do a damned thing to stop it.

And of course there was also the fact that Rhion was watching. In fact he was yelling again, but De couldn't make out the words at all this time.

It sucked! But it wasn't like he had a choice. He was outmatched and outsized, he knew he couldn't win in a straight out fight. So it came down to choosing whether to surrender and hope for limited damage or go at it like a true warrior (if he could even call himself that after killing women and children) or get the shit kicked outa him and still end up being raped on the cold stone floor.

He had to consider the fact that cooperation was the smartest move here, it wasn't like he hadn't known demon lovers. But if he chose to fight, out of pride and stupidity, what would Rhion think?

The other boy certainly hadn't seemed to like him much, yet he'd offered himself up in De's place. Why the hell had he done something like that? He was soft, clean through that much was obvious. De could suffer this kind of humiliation. He'd done it before and survived. No way in hell he's have let Rhion submit to such an act.

Maybe it was about getting his own form of revenge, saving him from Mish-shy so he could the one to deal it out later, that had to be it, right? What else could it be, because no one, especially not someone like Rhion could care about a beast like him---No one, unless he was insane! And Rhion seemed the opposite, level-headed and practical in fact---so why had he even come with De when he'd said out loud he thought it a stupid idea? Why was he even wondering about Rhion's motives, come to think, when the present situation was so fucked up?

If he gave in, let Mish-shy take him he'd look weak! Gods be damned! He'd look so fucking weak and pathetic! That was the thing that bothered him most; he didn't want Rhion to see him as some fragile thing that Mish-shy had used and tossed away like some piece of trash he had no use for.

They'd always told him that this was the only thing he'd ever be good enough for. So many voices and so many of the same opinions, he hated to admit it, but their loathing words had cut him deeply. Someone had told him once that to be called "beautiful" was not an insult, but that person hadn't understood what it meant among vampires. What fate it might mean for the bearer of such beauty. No, it was a word that had never been used in a good way, It was always said with loathing and covered in hatred so thick you could have choked on it.

He'd shielded himself from the brunt of the ridicule with a shield of cold indifference. But that had all been a lie. He'd felt every slice of their words, every turn of their tongue with the force of newly laid open wound.

He'd been weak then, had let them hurt him when he should have felt nothing. He wasn't a blasted kid anymore damnit! He was a warrior and a man! And that's all Rhion needed to know about him---friend or betrayer that's all he wanted him or anyone else to see when they looked at him.

'I am not some pathetic weakling child begging for crumbs and I will not be seen as such!' His head really was fucked up! But what did it really matter now? He was an outcast with no place in this world, no people he could name as his own. This thought brought his eyes back to Rhion again, and for the briefest instant he could almost imagine what it felt like to have a place.

De felt himself sat gently down on the alter in front of Mish-shy's throne. He trained a blank gaze on the large demon as he pulled back and drew his blade, ominously laying it against De's upturned face. Then, almost gently he began pressing it into the soft tissue just below De's left eye. Satisfied when blood welled up, he pulled the blade away. It was all De could do to pretend it hadn't hurt.

For a moment there he'd been concerned about his eye, was the demon planning on cutting into it for some twisted reason? Then it had dawned on that this was ritualistic, so he had remained still and allowed it.

Mish-shy smiled almost charmingly and announced "Tears of blood, a claim." It was an explanation that the demonic bastard was laying claim to something he'd won in battle--- to De.

De felt the anger mount inside him despite his best efforts to hold it down. There was nothing he could do. Even as Mish-shy used the blood-tinged blade to cut away his shirt, and slide his large fingers over his bared flesh he realized he was indeed helpless. Any attempt to stop this could only result in causing himself useless pain.

"You have no scars? Have you always healed so flawlessly?" Mish-shy smiled as if remembering he shouldn't expect an answer and proceeded to wrap one large paw around De's waist and used the one still gripping his blade to pick up De's tiny wrist.

It was almost frightening how easily his larger hand consumed both blade hilt and De's wrist effortlessly as the demon studied the small white scars that were the only proof of the Dark One's crucifixion. "Interesting," was all he said before allowing his blade wielding hand to slip up onto De's shoulder and then to his exposed throat.

Instinctually De had turned his face away from the blade giving Mish-shy the opportunity to caress his neck and cheek with something oddly akin to affection. De was sure his face had twisted up into a mask of disgust but he remained still waiting for just the right moment to make his move.

A few seconds later De's disgust changed to utter revulsion when the Demon dropped his hands to his chest and began pinching his nipples with far too much enthusiasm.

"Not exactly a responsive little thing, is he?" That was straw that broke the camel's back. He refused to be on display for even a minute longer, fuck the consequences. He raised his foot; used the side of the altar as leverage to lift himself up on to its surface.

His hands were still bound so he used the only weapon he had at his disposal, his foot, to deliver what should have been a skull shattering blow.

It hadn't had quite the effect he intended, instead of rendering the demon unconscious or even taking him off guard it simply amused him, the bastard actually laughed richly before snagging his foot and bringing him crashing down onto the surface of the altar.

The impact of solid stone was less than desirable and the pain shooting up De's back was almost enough to persuade him to play along.

If it hadn't been for Rhion and that cheeky blond headed freak of a demon he might have, not that either of their opinions should have mattered in the least but for some reason they did. He'd deal with the foolishness of that fact later.

Those words had fueled De's fire more than anything and he managed to land one more kick before being snagged by the hair and jerked forward, the demon king was actually laughing at him in sheer delight, now. "Got some spirit after all I see! About damned time you put up a fight, godling."

De didn't even see the blow coming that knocked him from the altar sending him crashing into the stone throne behind him so hard that he felt one of his shoulder bones snap in the impact. He couldn't help making some kind of sound, low and clipped as it was it still shamed him horribly.

For a second he couldn't move, probably a pinched nerve from the impact. He winched outwardly as he tried to sit up, managing little more than to place his back against the stone steps and wrench himself into a rather awkward sprawl before Mish-shy moved around the altar with the grace of a large cat, eyeing De intensely as he approached.

It occurred to De through the haze of pain that it should have been impossible for someone of this demon's size to appear so damned graceful but he did and unlike others of his kind De had known this demon was near handsome---Okay he was handsome. In that rough battle worthy kind of way.

He'd heard the expression "A real man's man!" once and strangely, even with all its dirty innuendo it still reminded De of Mish-shy at the moment.

His hair was that deep dark brown that bordered deceptively on black and it was streaked with wisps of ebony and a rich multi colored burgundy that seemed to melt in beautifully with the rest of his gemstone colored locks.

And the way he kept a few neat braids along the side might make one think he actually cared about his looks but De suspected they were simply meant to keep his hair out of his face in battle or when raping some castoff little prince who'd tried to steal from him.

His hair alone would have made him stand out but his roguishly handsome features sealed the deal. A strong jaw line and high cheekbones predominated his face, giving him a very masculine cast that most vampires lacked entirely. Even Lee could have been called slightly feminine next to Mish-shy.

And of course the fact the demon was well over seven feet tall and had a build just slightly smaller than that of his blond headed buddy who was most probably the largest person De had ever seen in his lifetime lent some additional value to Mish-shy's masculinity. But the demon king wasn't entirely like his friend, No, in fact he was almost elegant in build where his friend was more like the Neanderthal's they put forth in storybooks

"Turn my hands loose! Let me defend myself you bastard! I'll give you a fight to remember," De promised this as his demon possessor hauled him roughly to his feet.

"Arrogant fool! Instead of submitting, taking a few harmless touches you'd rather I beat you into submission---interesting how your mind works, godling" With that said he pitched De across the room purposely in the direction of Rhion's feet.

De was suddenly reminded how much floors like these hurt! Lee had been about this brutal on a few occasions, when De had failed to live up to his godly requirements.

And it was exasperatingly obvious that Mish-shy was as strong as any god Damian had known, including his father. The force of the impact with the stone floor alone could have killed him. As if his body needed to prove this theory De felt the blood well up into his throat and begin to fill his mouth as the internal damage made itself known.

He knew there was blood trickling outa the corner of his mouth as he looked up at Rhion from the floor. He knew his eyesight was fucked up, because it almost looked like the older boy was crying now as he struggled. And of course that was impossible. Or maybe the ones holding him were nearly ripping his arms out?

De coughed despite his best efforts not to and tasted the warm slightly bitter blood that flowed from his mouth in a steady stream for the first time. It was tainted blood that spoke of serious injury to his insides. He was dying a false death even now but he was too foolish to give up the fight. He supposed that's why he hadn't met his death years ago, because he was a blasted fool who hung on despite the wishes of the world around him.

"De." The word was spoken with an eerie calmness, perhaps only meant to remind De he was there and draw his eyes to Rhion's for some obscure reason. De obliged, focused on Rhion who was kinda towering over him, looking down at him despite his living restraint.

He'd stopped fighting back for the moment, was focused intently on De as if the Dark One was the only thing alive in the room. "I'm sorry. Sorry I'm so worthless to you, and you fighting so hard---"

For a fleeting instant he thought he saw pride within those golden depths but all too fast it had vanished leaving De unsure if he had actually seen it. Perhaps it had just been his imagination---delusional thinking from a dying man!

Rhion's lips moved again, but whatever he said was too soft to catch, borne away in the immediate laughter of one of the demons who held him. And then Mish-shy was there, demanding his attention like only a truly sadistic creature could do. He was standing over top of him like the angel of death or at the very least its earthly equivalent. "You're not nearly as strong as I imagined. When Lily told me you were coming I prepared for battle but this, this is too easy."

"Really?" De allowed his head to loll against the floor in his exhaustion. He just needed a minute to gather his fading strength and perhaps his composure if he were strong enough. "You knew I was coming? Unfair advantage don't you think?" His voice sounded tired even to him. "Like these bound wrists?" The demon laughed at him, again taking pleasure in his vulnerability. "Perhaps you're too afraid of me to cut these ties?" This challenge was met with a cool calculating smile from the Earthly king of demons.

"That's right, YOU'RE not the coward here." Rhion's words were obviously directed at De, yet his eyes were fixed solidly on Mish-shy promising death among other things. It had occurred to the Dark One for a brief moment to snap at his bronze haired companion, tell him to shut up before he drew more attention to himself but suddenly he was being hauled roughly to his feet, the bindings slashed so fast that he barely had the opportunity to tense as the knife descended on the rope.

"Happy now, young lion?" The tease in his voice was unmistakable. "I shall let your lover defend himself for all the good it'll do him."

"Against these odds? He has no hope of defeating you, this doesn't make you brave, demon." Rhion's words were cold, held no emotion that De could detect; he was only stating facts. Strange; after all the shouting and emotion, how when speaking directly to Mish-shy Rhion seemed to freeze. Lock into an icy control beneath the surface of which was something even De realized was dangerous.

De fought back the small wisp of his own pride, realizing how stupid it was. Why didn't Rhion shut up! He'd be "remembered" as a damn fool of a human who back-talked demons just before they crushed him for it!

But Mish-shy didn't seem offended. In fact, he paused to reply as if they were old friends. "This isn't really about bravery, it's about supremacy, young lion. I think you are clever enough to understand the difference." Both he and Rhion seemingly ignoring De for the moment.

De was pissed, wasted no time in mounting an offensive; already realizing it was a losing battle, he simply tried to inflict as much damage as was possible before he got taken down. He wanted to hurt the bastard bad, but had to be satisfied with binging a minute amount of blood.

Rhion was providing the Demon with a fair amount of chit-chat, distracting the creature somewhat. De figured without the distraction he wouldn't have lasted nearly as long in this man's arena.

Mish-shy's skill was unbelievable, and De proved to be little match for the demon who could throw punches as though he were made out of pure stone. Taunts had flowed freely all the while, the arrogant demon king had actually given him recovery time on more than a couple of occasions wanting to drag out the punishment for as long as possible.

Getting one's ass kicked was not a humbling experience contrary to popular belief, the Dark One had been infuriated by it, definitely not humbled.

He was practically seething when he heard Rhion speak almost too calmly, something about the acrylic smoothness of his voice had alerted De that something was wrong, he just couldn't put his finger on what. "Calm down, boy."

De spat out blood, allowed his gaze to travel to Rhion with all intentions of drilling the treacherous bastard with the most hellish look he could muster but the other boy was paying no attention to him, seemed to be in yet another staring match with the big demon king

"This one means something to you does he?" The demon laughed amusedly. "He's a real beauty, this I must admit but he isn't really much of a fighter."

"He's the best fighter I've ever known," Rhion snapped back, sounding almost offended. "But when a fucking mountain falls on you, kicking its ass is not so simple, even for a warrior of skill." To De's surprise the demon chuckled almost warmly at Rhion's rather bitter remark.

"This is true, I can't argue this fact, but small insignificant things should learn their place and stay safely tucked beneath their lovers."

"He's NOT my fucking LOVER and what the fuck do you mean insignificant?" Shit! De thought sharply. That hadn't sounded threatening, it had sounded down right weak! His voice giving out on him in more than one spot, his breathing too heavy and labored

Rhion thought so too; he growled out a "Shut UP, De!" just a hair too late. Oh, hell! Rhion had been trying to keep the demon talking, give him time to recover, and of course he'd fucked it up by reacting to the perceived insults.

Why the fuck was Rhion looking at him like that anyway? If he understood the expression correctly the other boy had already figured out where this was going and strangely enough looked like he might just have been at war with himself over it.

Mish-shy leaned forward, wrapped his large hand softly around the back of De's throat and pulled him upward into a soft sensual kiss that had enough warmth in it to melt the coldest of immortal hearts, on this one it had the opposite effect.

The snarl Mish-shy was granted sounded positively vicious. It would have been easy to mistake this Dark Prince for one of his own kind except for the fact their was no desire in that threatening growl as there would have been with a demon lover. No, he was utterly appalled by this thing Mish-shy was doing to him.

The gentleness seemed to rip into the boy more violently than any amount of pain and humiliation ever could have. His body went rigidly tense as he brought both hands up in an attempt to push the big demon away, his anger overlapping some panic that lay within him barely shielded by his darkness.

His struggles were insignificant to the massive demon king; even if he'd had the full strength that was available to him Mish-shy would have still been a pretty even match for the little godling.

The simple fact was there was something extremely appealing about the squirming castoff prince, a vulnerability that was sure to be destroyed if all his training went according to the big demon's plans. So he intended to taste it fully and completely while it still existed.

Damian's panic at being handled with warmth bordered on sad, even a demon understood affection and could take some pleasure in it. This one saw it as a foreign thing to be discarded like a poison laced wine glass.

Mish-shy would teach him that he could feel, something that might be one of the most difficult lessons imaginable for one so frightened of emotion.

With a rueful smile the Demon lapped almost gently at the blood that flowed from Damian's bottom lip. Feeling the thrum of his heart kick up to dangerously high levels. Mish-shy reached inside the princeling's mind and steadied its beat, no sense in ending this game so soon.

When the demon turned him lose the Dark Godling allowed his head to drop back hard, uncaring of any damage that might have occurred as it impacted with the stone floor. His eyes nearly fluttered shut, false death so close that it was threatening to overtake him even now.

The blade had been drawn, the boy's clothes cut away, all this done as Mish-shy pushed inside the child god's mind again, this time ripping open pains that Damian himself couldn't bring himself to remember.

Hell was a mighty awful place, the torture he suffered there was indescribable and more intense than even the demon king could imagine. He felt himself pulling back sheltering his own soul from the agony of what this one had hidden under layers of insanity.

The resulting scream was unbelievable; it was as pure as lily water, unearthly in its crystalline quality. No effort in the world could have held it back.

Mish-shy had absently been aware of Rhion making a great deal of noise, and as much trouble as possible, during all of this. But there simply was not so much he could do against the three demons restraining him. But the faint echo of De's scream coming from the larger blond drew Mish-shy's startled gaze to Rhion, just before the boy collapsed bonelessly into Deathwalker's arms.

Perhaps he hadn't felt the full agony of it but he'd definitely got a split second taste and it was enough to strip his consciousness from him. Understandably so, if he had never dealt with such a thing before, and just the fact that he struggled briefly before dropping said a great deal about the strength of his mind and heart. In fact Mish-shy speared Deathwalker with a look, fearing the human had in truth been blasted into oblivion of either mind or body; the slight shake of the impassive Deathwalker's head reassured him, and he returned his attention to the prince.

Peeling back the memory from Damian's mind, the demon king allowed it to fade into the oblivion from which he'd brought it. The shaking prince was staring up at him now, a look that really was unreadable plastered across that angelic face.

A pain like this would have annihilated another in his state and yet this child still breathed. "You will not hide from me, do you understand?" He wanted to make his threat clear and when he got no answer he grabbed hold of the boy's forearm and jerked him forward brutally "Would you like to die in a drowning sea of that pain?" he demanded sharply.

"Then you will feel this, all of it." The slight nod was really all the prince could have physically brought himself to give. He was dying a false death even now. His body riveted with pain and now a single memory that would haunt his dreams from now until eternity.

Mish-shy didn't acknowledge what he'd done outwardly, yet somehow this Rhion had known, had felt some measure of it and was torn deeply by the realization. Already, Mish-shy somewhat missed the sound of Rhion's jibes and curses. He would have liked to glance at the boy as he did this, gauging his reaction, but one couldn't have everything.

The Demon king lowered himself onto Damian's slim figure effectively pinning the youth to the unforgiving stone floor. It wasn't difficult to see the amount of pain this position had put the godling in, his trembling was so thick now that it racked his body mercilessly.

Blood was slowly accumulating underneath his slender form from a cracked skull and various other injuries that the demon hadn't bothered to take note of. It didn't really matter. It was only pain he felt, nothing significant.

If he died it wouldn't matter, his sort of death couldn't take an immortal from the breathing world permanently, a few hours' tops.

It was the blood loss that had drained from him what little warmth the fledgling vampire owned and had left him in a state of shock and perhaps even the beginnings of delirium. Of course that trip back into hell probably hadn't helped either since it was a memory he'd retain, not having the luxury of casting it aside any longer.

The demon began to touch and explore the ivory and crimson masterpiece before him, being careful of wounds and cuts that might inspire too much pain to an already abused body.

With a smile the demon's mouth closed over a delicate curve of ear inspiring a whimper that could have been mistaken as easily for pain as it could have for pleasure. His tongue slipped out to tease, following the slope of his ear down to the spot just at the top of his throat where he began to nibble and chew on tender flesh.

Damian seemed caught somewhere on the knife-edge of pleasure and pain and utterly at a loss at what to do about it. He was too ashamed to allow himself to feel any true pleasure in it. His thoughts slipping chaotically back and forth between his own rage and the idea that Rhion was silently watching all this, not knowing the other boy was unconscious. Perhaps in some small part of his soul, he wondered why the other boy had fallen silent and was making no protest. Maybe he'd finally learned some sense?

The demon was using every trick in the book to arouse and it wasn't long before the child was responding despite all his tangled emotions, his member hard and throbbing against the demon's powerful thigh yet his face still reflected the revulsion and having been forced into enjoying something he felt he should have been appalled by.

So many feelings coursed through the little god as he watched Mish-shy slip out of his leather pants, embarrassment, rage, disgust and finally and most devastating lust.

For an instant the demon almost expected that the darkness would overtake him, but strangely enough he had allowed it to fade, giving into the hands that grabbed his forearms pulling him into the big demon's lap, his body rebelling, wilting slightly as the pain surged through him making this act look crueler than it really was.

Without any warning he closed his mouth over De's driving his tongue in deep inspiring a slight struggle, it was obvious the boy was giving it his all but there just wasn't much left in him to give. He smiled into the kiss pulled him closer using an arm he'd secured firmly around De's small waist and a fist full of hair.

In a last ditch effort to stop this the Dark One raked fully extended claws over Mish-shy's cheek slitting open his face effortlessly.

Perhaps he'd been expecting the big demon to become angry enough to snap his neck ending the game or perhaps it was just plain old fashion panic that had driven this act.

Either way the effect hadn't been changed, the demon laughed at him, his hand traveling down to his thigh in a securing motion as he lined their bodies up and thrust forward. He heard the pained yelp as it was clipped off, felt the blood that flowed making his way easier into this one's body and watched with some amount of dark pleasure as De's body paled even further. The boy's eyes nearly rolling back in his head before he'd gained control over his pain.

His body had nearly given out on him when his pleasure had reached its peak, the little Prince crying out in a strange mixture of pained angry pleasure that seem to defeat him totally.

Smiling sweetly at the prince the demon kissed him deeply reveling in the fact that De hadn't refused it, had in fact raised those dark eyes to his afterwards, endless questions playing in those ebony depths.

He could see the 'why' in those haunting eyes and for the first time really saw something of the soul that rested beneath the rage and hurt.

Casually the demon king rose, snatched up his pants and began pulling them on as he watched a thin line of fresh blood cascade out from underneath the ebony silk of De's hair and down across the back of his already bloody shoulder.

The demon king strolled over to his throne, grabbing up one of his leather shirts he pulled it on carelessly not even bothering to lace it up. Then he returned to stand in front of the kneeling prince and waited patiently for the boy to look up at him.

It didn't take long those dark eyes had risen ever so slowly to stare upward at him blankly, his head tilted so far back that it looked downright painful.

Without explaining Mish-shy snatched his arm up in a brutal grip yanking him harshly to his feet. It was obvious he'd have collapsed without some measure of support, nearly on the verge even with the powerful support of the Demon's large paw.

With a sideways glance at Rhion, who was dazedly returning to consciousness now, being helped to a standing position by Deathwalker----which he seemed to resent enormously----the Demon King decided on a course of action.

"Turn the lion loose." Saying the demon's words were icy would have been an immense understatement, they were down right chilling or perhaps that was just De's take on things at the moment. "Here, take the whore."

He was shoved hard, couldn't have caught himself if he'd tried but apparently there had been no need because he was suddenly in Rhion's arms. It was almost too easy to accept the support offered him.

The warmth from the other boy's clothed body rose up to greet De offering him some amount of comfort as the blood continued to drain out of his body.

For an instant Rhion looked down at him, adjusted his hold and pulled De close to his body. It might possibly have been the gentlest thing he'd done since the crucifixion, or since the touch on his face that sent De running. "Thanks a lot." was all Rhion said. Sounding more like he was hunting for words than if it was a truly spontaneous response.

"He's never looked better," Rhion muttered. Damned if that didn't sound cold. That comment had hurt De on some level but he simply didn't have enough energy to respond to that hurt. Nor was he able to process, right then, how stunned and unlike himself Rhion seemed to be, how much weaker than usual his steadying grip actually was. He was leaning on De almost as much as he was supporting the boy.

"Would you like to have him? In actuality he's mine now but I'd be willing to share---with you." That had almost sounded flirtatious?

"Slight?" was Rhion's weakly sarcastic response and De felt himself flinch at this single harmless word. But he also frowned a little. Rhion sounded---odd. Had they maybe injured him more than De had figured? He'd been somewhat too distracted to pay attention to Rhion's troubles for awhile there----

The demon chuckled, moved forward to caress De's hair again. At almost the same instant the prince felt the blade slide into his back and straight into his heart from behind.

He couldn't help the gasp that escaped his lips, or the slight groan as the blade was pulled free. So much, he thought with a kind of amusement, for getting distracted worrying about someone else!

A thought occurred to De almost dreamily and he heard himself saying it out loud right before the darkness took him. "My angel of death for the second time eh Rhion?" His voice had been fading and weak just above a whisper in fact but he was sure the other boy had heard him because he'd felt the flinch as those words had hit home.

No doubt the damned mutated bastard of a demon noticed the flinch too. Something was causing that satisfied smirk on his face, over and above his deed. Which to Rhion's utter shame he hadn't seen coming at all.

Well, he couldn't see much of ANYTHING, not clearly. The world seemed to waver around him, billowing with tides of heat and color too intense to be pleasant. He had still been recovering from the force of whatever had brushed him, an agony of mind more than body. Barely even knew what the demon had spoken to him about, or how he'd responded. De was in his arms, though, and that was a big improvement. Once he recovered just a bit from this nausea and thick enveloping horror, he'd be fine. Fine enough to at least try to slam this bastard who was responsible for his charge feeling so limp and weak in his embrace----had it all been a bad dream, maybe?

He waited, breathlessly, to awaken. It didn't happen. Instead, the drunkenly shifting world began to steady and clear. Now, when he didn't want to accept reality at all, it returned to him in spades.

That fucker! Still grinning away, so pleased with himself. Rhion realized suddenly that though he still held Damian's limp form, his own body was tensed as if for battle. He had been within a knife's thickness of really dropping the boy, to go for the demon's throat since it was too late to take the hit.

He forced himself to slowly relax. Some warrior he was, to fall for a trick like that! And he'd forgotten to school his expression; all matter of things were likely showing on his face. Well, let them. It didn't matter now.

Chief among what was apparent, he hoped, was the boiling desire to rip this bastard apart with hot pinchers and then eat the pieces raw. He'd automatically shoved the stab of pain deep inside himself. He was used to hiding his softer emotions, it was second nature by now. Anger was harder to master for him. But he had no problem letting Mish-shy know of his fury. His pain would give the bastard just too much satisfaction, he refused to let it show.

And besides that. Although he knew some terrible things had happened while he was flailing through the poisoned spider webs of De's---memories?---he thought at least he knew one thing for sure.

A mere demon couldn't kill this boy. Not while I'm beside him, he thought irrelevantly, and with an arrogance that made him smile despite his current pain and weakness. Together we are invincible?! Now where did that come from?

"Nice move," he observed almost casually, out loud. "I should have seen it coming; you're good." His tone was as if he complimented a warrior who was perhaps a rung or two above him. One whom he had no doubt of surpassing with a bit more training. "And you've rid me of a major annoyance, without a stain to my own character. Thank you kindly."

He looked straight into the demon's eyes, not bothering to try to read the thing's expression. "You really should do something about that breath, though. It's your kisses probably killed him, not your blade."

Dammit, I didn't mean anything I said about you, to you---well, maybe a little. Alright, a lot, sometimes. Little prick! If I'd treated you kindly you'd either run away in alarm or hold it over me like a sword. Why is everything deception and trickery in this world? I grow tired of it.

The thought of kissing the other boy's slack lips came to him, and he laughed out loud at his own foolishness. If De were conscious (alive, and he was of course alive) it would not be a pleasure for him.

Rhion let his gaze trail back up to the demon's. He'd stare his death in the face, goddammit! Spit in its eye if he could. He'd probably have time, bastard was taking long enough!

"You're a brave one as well," the demon said casually almost warmly as he tucked the blade back into the fold of the shirt where it appeared to be just another ornamental decoration. "I must say you are a puzzle to me, white warrior, chasing after darkness like it's something attainable."

He gave a short burst of laughter. "And all the gods be damned if you haven't touched this dark one's soul with your own. Yes, attainable for you maybe, if you play your cards right" The demon suddenly shook his head in amusement. "I admire you for your goals, for your spirit. Haven't ever seen another quite like you---" The big demon reached out a hand and brushed De's hair from his face. "Sorry to inform you but your annoyance shall be back among the living world in a couple hours time; it was only Theal metal."

"Well that was mighty inefficient of you I'd say," Rhion remarked coolly, pushing away the wave of relief that overwhelmed him. Naturally he'd known that De wasn't truly dead. But he'd show nothing to this prick to give him a foothold!

"You think so do you? I suppose it would have been if my goal had actually been to kill our young prince here. No, I actually have rather grand plans for our beloved Damian that don't include death. And besides, killing such a beauty would be beyond a waste don't you think?"

"I suppose it would be, really. If you kill off all the pretty ones, soon there'd be only homely ones to fuck, Sir Demon!" He was somewhat glad, that De wasn't aware enough to hear or understand the crap he was currently spouting.

"Indeed." The demon laughed. "But like I said I have much more grand plans for this one. Although I must admit it was a pleasure having him beneath me."

"Really? Then judging by the scent that's dripping off of you in waves it's a taste you've acquired also. " Leaning in close the demon whispered with a tease. "I can smell him all over you, young lion. A member of your pride, isn't he?"

Rhion gave up, in a sense. He gave up the game of thrust and parry--- he was tired of it anyway. It was worth keeping up only as long as he'd thought it saved both their lives. And for some reason, he felt it would be the highest dishonor of his life to flatly deny he'd---what? Touched the other boy? Fucked him more like it. Meant to beat the shit out of him in exasperation the first time, and instead had taken him pretty much in the same brutal way as this bastard if with far less damage? How was he better?

The second time had been perhaps less violent, but still couldn't be confused with anything softer than animal attraction. No, he was no better than this demon if it came to that.

The strange thought hit him that, come what might, he would never deny his connection with the other boy again, maybe not even to save his life. And he hadn't really denied it this time. He'd just danced around it till he ran out of energy.

His annoyance with that knowledge made him even more reckless. "All right, so what? Do you have a point? He's warm at night? It was cold? We were both drunk? I thought he was my woman? Got a million of 'em if you care to listen."

"Brave," the demon observed with a laugh. "Few test me so openly, young lion, and live to tell about it." The big demon paused, his smile broadening. "I like you, good thing eh?"

"If you say so." Rhion said with his voice smooth and flawless in its chill. "So what do you want of me anyway? Where do I fit in these grand plans you have for him, if anywhere? Because I won't leave him until it's in death."

Rhion hid his uneasy surprise, but allowed his suspicion to show openly as he let his tone drift into total formality. "Thank you, Sir Demon. I am most pleased to hear it. I am aware that demons have a code of honor. Also, that they expect equal return for their investments. It will be interesting to know, what you expect of me in return for this privilege." Rhion's tone was smoothly respectful, beyond chilly. He felt as if his bones were made of glass and ready to shatter at the next word, but he wouldn't give an inch to this prick.

"Of course." The demon laughed openly at Rhion's innocence. "I shall ask you to break no personal codes of honor, of this you have my word."

Oh, yes? And how the hell do you know what my personal codes of honor are? I'm not even sure myself anymore. Rhion studied the large demon for a moment, allowed his gaze to fall to De's peaceful face. Shrugging indifferently, he spoke the words that would seal his fate for the next moon. "Why not? I'm already the biggest fool I know, this won't even make a dent in it." It sounded as if he were talking to himself, and maybe that was true.

He unconsciously pulled De a little closer. "I am yours, Sir Demon, for one turn of the moon, provided your promises are also kept. I remain by his side, break no personal codes of honor ----such as I have left. You have my word as well, in this case."

"It's been a damn busy day, Sir Demon." That was what he said, in a flat and neutral tone. "And since you're not going to kill us, I at least need to get some rest in other ways."

This was certainly the truth. He had never felt so utterly exhausted in his life, not even after a day of practice with that slavedriver Kef. Gods, why can't it be him here instead of me? He'd know how to handle this big, leering bastard!

"Fair enough." The demon paused, and motioned forward one of the personal attendants and two guards with a slight wave of his hand. "Give them our best guest rooms, food, new clothing and their privacy but not their freedom."

Rhion nodded to the demon king, though by now a grunt of acknowledgement was about as polite as he was capable of expressing. As the creature draped himself across the throne, Rhion used the opportunity to lift De the rest of the way into his arms. "If you need anything at all Correth here will see to it personally."

The small auburn haired attendant stepped forward from the shadows and nodded simply to make his identity known. Never once did the servant's eyes meet Rhion's, and that suited him just fine. He was not in a sociable mood at the moment.

Rhion, for his part, was worried afresh at the sudden turn of fortune. Being tossed into prison and ordered to serve the Demon King's needs or else---that he would have understood. Being hired by him, allowed to stay with Damian, given a luxury suite and room service of all things! This worried him.

In the first case, trying to escape would have been a given, the honorable thing to do. He was a damn good locksmith and thereby lockpick. Once out, give him a weapon and he wouldn't have minding dying for his freedom and Damian's.

Now that he'd given his word, they were behind bars in truth, a comfortable prison of silken steel. But what else could he have done? Maybe Mish-shy would keep his word. Maybe they could get through this in one piece.

Maybe he could throw the demon into the next country, tomorrow when the moon turned green and pigs flew! For all he'd remarked of demon's honor, if the big leering bastard thought Rhion would be letting his guard down for an instant he was seriously wrong.

He laid Damian gently on a bed in the guest room; it was a luxurious place indeed. Then he crisply instructed the attendant to bring him what ointments the place might have for healing, enough water for cleansing, and to bring the new clothing quickly as possible.

He hadn't missed the flickering, appreciative gaze the Demon had run over his body. "Swearing his blade" might just have demonic connotations he didn't care for at all.