BlackRosesTTWMFOSPart10

The demon king sat on his throne glaring down at the child before him, who struggled fruitlessly in the grip of two of his mightiest warriors.

He didn't look at all that impressive to the massive hellspawn but according to Deathwalker, his friend and second in command for the last several millenniums, the boy had been "quite the little warrior"

Yes, Walker had phrased it exactly that way, his lip curling up into a much too cheerful smile as he delivered the serious news of the Dark One's arrival. Mish-shy hadn't realized where this bizarre amusement had come from until he'd actually laid eyes on the boy.

Oh, he had expected a youth, someone not quite a man but this, no this he hadn't expected. He had owned pleasure slaves less attractive than this one, and many of them had even been more masculine in appearance for that matter.

He wasn't quite sure. Sitting here looking down at this angry little creature it was near impossible to believe he'd almost defeated a demon hoard on their home turf.

Damian Leviathan, former prince of Leviathan House, had been caught in Mish-shy's private rooms with his human Oracle, Lily. The girl hadn't really been giving him any trouble.

She had even mentioned it in passing a few days earlier, saying dismissively that she knew he wouldn't get far. Not that the imprudent woman would have been all that vocal if she'd have known he'd carry her off to Timbuktu.

She'd made it quite clear on several occasions that "he" was the one she waited for, not the "big ugly demon who currently kept her in silks!"

His certain fondness for indiscreet women was probably the only reason her blood hadn't been splattered all over the walls of his private rooms long ago. Well, that and the fact she was way more valuable to him alive than she was as some stain on the wall---and way more attractive as well.

Walker had mentioned that Lily had watched the battle unmoved by anything that happened. Seemingly uncaring of the injuries Damian had inflicted or that had been inflicted upon him.

The prince had severely wounded at least four of Mish-shy's warriors and killed one other, and all this slip of a human girl had done was to stand there and watch, moving outa the way a couple of times when bodies had flown in her direction.

Mish-shy had to admit those weren't bad numbers for a child god in his first real battle scenario. But in the end he'd been overwhelmed by sheer numbers, beaten to near unconsciousness and then bound in the true fashion of thieves everywhere and dragged before Mish-shy for judgment as was only proper under normal situations.

Lily had accompanied them to the throne room then almost immediately begged her leave of the whole situation, which he'd granted graciously. Not that the woman deserved such treatment. After all she had left mumbling something about "Him not being ready yet" and giving Mish-shy a rather aggravated look, like this little fact had been his fault personally.

It musta took a lot out of the human-blooded woman to watch others beaten bloody? Maybe that's why "Resting" was necessary or maybe she realized he wasn't as of yet capable of being her chosen savior and this realization had disgusted her.

She was indeed a hard one to understand. Not that he cared to understand a woman; he had better things to do with his time.

And that meant dealing with Damian at the moment. The law of the land allowed the demon king to take whatever vengeance he saw fit for this failed attempt at thieving something from him.

That would be his excuse at least, the reason he needed to teach this young one how to survive the next few millenniums until his godhood kicked in fully.

He would have liked to say vengeance and law be damned, right along with good intentions! But this was the first task in this earthborn life that actually meant something to him. It was the chance to score real immortality; the kind a demon could sink his teeth into goddamnit!

He'd be a legend in the pages of darkness, remembered for all time for his part in the appointment of a new universal order and who could ask for more than that?

He pulled himself back from his wonderings to look at the boy. It seemed there was very little need for the heavy restraint; the future killer of worlds was nothing more than a baby, perhaps seventeen and as weak as any mortal could be despite his immortality.

The boy just wasn't impressive in the least, no one was gonna run screaming from the sight of him AND demon legions sure as hell wouldn't follow him while he was wearing a face like that, at least not without a damn good reason.

Now, if Mish-shy been measuring him up as a sexual plaything (in which case the Demon would have paid a very handsome sum to own the arrogant little fuck) then the word 'impressive' could have been applied.

The kid was a dark beauty, with eyes like ebony fire and skin as rich and creamy as the finest ivory from the north! His small frame was as supple and taut as the most sought after slaves.

And the defiance behind those azure tinged eyes was enough to set an old demon's blood on fire with lust---oh sure he was a hell of a catch, all right! Damn near flawless in fact, if his eyes hadn't been tinged so heavily with bitterness.

To judge this one on the level of a warrior and a young god? Why, he was nothing more than a declawed kitten in a den of hungry dogs.

At least he was a brave kitten, his eyes were fixed on Mish-shy's face, glowering up at him as though Mish-shy of all people had some kind of nerve to be holding him prisoner like this.

And speaking of brave---what the hell was this loud person the supposed Dark One had brought with him? He looked to be a somewhat older boy, perhaps in his early twenties; Mish-shy could scent his immortality, but he had been changed late enough in the game to have gained some manhood and muscle, though his face was still boyishly handsome. He was tightly held by four grim demons and didn't seem inclined to try and struggle free, which proved good sense. But the fact that he couldn't refrain from baiting his companion despite that said the opposite.

"Who asked you to come along, anyway?" Beautiful, brave and completely brainless it seemed! Sniping at the one friend he had in this world and foolishly not even realizing it. He was too much like so many other arrogant young gods the demon had known. "I told you this was gonna be dangerous, goddamnit!"

Mish-shy shook his head warningly at the infuriated blond's captors, to indicate they shouldn't tear him limb from limb just yet. In fact should just let the two speak unopposed; it might turn out interesting.

"Why? Cause it bothers YOU! Oh fuck off! I got more important things to worry about than your hurt feelings at the moment."

Mish-shy almost laughed, but that would have been very undemonly of him, now wouldn't it? So he focused, hardened his face and waited till the urge passed.

"Oh yeah, that's it, blame it on me! You were the one who suddenly found MORALITY! In the middle of a kidnapping attempt! Doesn't say much for your intelligence, Rhion!"

Mish-shy tapped his chin thoughtfully as he watched them squabble, and tried to remember any mention of a golden, contemptuous young man in the prophecies. Of course not all was revealed, only hints and broad suggestions. Otherwise the fucking things would be instruction books not prophecies. Too damn bad!

Death Walker threw a cool, inscrutable glance at his king, following his thoughts flawlessly. Under his breath, he quoted softly. "He will appear to you armed with a golden blade---"

Mish-shy stared, and with an effort kept from laughing out loud. Ah, Walker! What would I do without you, old friend? A golden blade indeed, and a sharp one!

"YOU NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT KIDNAPPING ANYBODY!" screamed the gorgeous blond, actually trying to take a step forward in spite of his huge bodyguards.

"---that only he can wield," the tall demon Deathwalker finished in the driest of tones. He wore the totally expressionless face that meant he was beyond amused verging on hysterical.

Well, Mish-shy had to admit that he was certainly going to enjoy this newest game, so why shouldn't Walker? The Shyle were just the demons to teach this boy about the true nature of Darkness.

And maybe between them they'd try and tame the golden lion a bit as well. The blond might be unexpected, but reluctant or not he was a damn accomplice after all!

Of course there were gonna be perks, he had absolutely no problem with taking advantage of the assignment he'd been given and on top of that he was a Shyle demon---they were hardly creatures that tossed out favors to wayward little gods like Crimsonfang without there being at least a small price to pay.

Mish-shy rose to stand in front of his black marble throne. "You're quite some piece of work aren't you, little god man?" The Demon King kept his words icy, only allowing a small hint of something more dangerous to flow forth for the godling and his companion to hear, it silenced them both and Damian became unusually still. "You have the gall to trespass on my lands, try and steal what's mine? Who do you think you are?"

The boy turned, stared silently up at him, nearly unmoving in his sudden calm. Mish-shy met the castoff prince's gaze with cold indifference. He was the king of the Shyle and there was nothing intimidating about this boy who stood before him.

At least that's what he told himself as he watched darkness spill across the azure blue of his eyes bringing with it a whisper of something more powerful.

As a reward for the young one's nerve, his demon brethren tightened their grip, twisting Damian's shoulder further back allowing his shirt to slip off exposing a stretch of bare unmarred flesh.

It did add a fair amount of attractiveness not to mention discomfort to the bantam prince's already uncomfortable position but damned if the stubborn brat would let it show.

"I've eaten gods a hundred times more powerful than you for breakfast, child," the demon observed with pride, allowing the tiniest bit of amusement to escape in his words. "I still find it hard to believe that you were as foolish as this, trying to steal from ME and yet here you stand defiant and beautiful before me. A prize among prizes, shall you kneel for me? Or is your pride so great that it won't allow you to bow down before me to save yourself a little pain?"

"Why don't you just shut up!?!?" the Prince snapped out harshly even as he tried to free himself to no avail. It looked more like he was trying to slug the young lion than actually attempting escape. "Stop acting like you know me so fucking well! You don't know shit!"

"Oh excuse me, almighty one. My mistake! I'm sure you'll be salaaming any second to save your royal ass! Like that better?"

"Hey, can I have that one?" Icewind's heavy voice boomed into the conversation and quite frankly it surprised Mish-shy he'd managed to hold his tongue for this long, The frost-haired demon was the biggest of the troop, savage and crazy with a love of taunting captives. He was not quick-witted, but he was cunning in all ways of causing fear and intimidating others. "He's just an add-on human, no loss at all really. But kinda cute. Good for an hour or two at least."

The mentioned human tossed back shaggy bangs from eyes nearly the same color as his hair, an arresting shade of bronzed honey-gold. Mish-shy would bet those eyes could shimmer like the sun in the heat of passion, but now they were as cool as a miser's coins. "If a loud bastard like you would last two minutes, I'd be surprised," he said with a charming smile that didn't reach those eyes. "Big mouth equals small attributes, in my experience."

Every demon in the place stared at the suicidal human after this calm speech, none more amazed than Icewind. To Mish-shy's relief, instead of flying into a rage and attempting to damage the human---which the demon king would have been forced to prevent---Icewind suddenly grinned like a finger-painted shark.

"Maybe not just an add-on. This one has teeth. Even better, human; we'll see who's blood gets drawn in a joust between us. I really want him, Mish-shy!" He sounded like a little boy demanding candy, for all his deep nasty voice and impressive presence. When the human presumed to tilt his head and study him as if he were an interesting species of bug, Icewind actually laughed out loud, delighted. Some charm this human had!

"No, my brother." Mish-shy's amused voice accompanied the slight pat on the shoulder he gave his massive demon brother. "Bigger plans, remember?" The demon king couldn't help smiling at the sudden shift in De's expression as he noted the blond lion's position out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh yeah---bigger plans, I forgot," Icewind growled in a disgusted manner. "'Bigger plans' always screw up the nice simple pleasures like killing and fucking. Glad I'm not a king, I'd be pissed off all the time."

The prince had clamped his mouth shut during Mish-shy's little talk with Icewind but he continued to wiggle stubbornly inside the powerful demon's grip while making vicious looking faces at all of them like the true child that he was.

His struggles only lasted as long as they did because of the fact he was being held immobile and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. Kinda like what the fly does when it's caught in the spider's web.

The boy was seething and trying hard to hold it in. Of course it really didn't matter how hard he tried. He was like an open book to a demon that could read minds as easily as some read words.

All Mish-shy was looking for was a reaction, and anger was as good a one as any--- definitely something the blond lion at his side seemed to have mastered, since Rhion would only allow annoyance to spill forth toward his companion. The demons, he reacted to with utter coolness. At least it proved the boy was still alive beneath the canvas of hatred and bitterness he wore like a holy shroud around his soul.

The demon king smiled like a true predator as he came forward; reaching out with one of his powerful hands he allowed his claws to gradually extend within the boy's range of vision before making his move.

He didn't miss the slight flinch as his hand came tenderly in contact with the boy's head, cupping it gently in much the same fashion a lover might. He also hadn't missed the way he dropped his face just a fraction. Peering up at Mish-shy from a slightly more submissive position.

He caressed the length of the boy's hair curiously listening to the sound of his heart rate increasing steadily. He was afraid, but too well trained to show it outwardly.

"See, who owns you now? Not so brave anymore, are you bitch!" Icewind sneered; now that he was going, it would be difficult to shut him up. Ouch! Mish-shy thought, almost charmed by his friend's sadistic attitude. Icewind was a true joy to have around some days. "He's no demon, but more impressive than you'd think from the size of him. And he feels nice," Icewind commented quite crudely as he cupped De's member and balls perhaps a little too harshly.

Mish-shy could see the way Damian was holding his breath to keep from voicing the sudden rush of pain he was bound to be feeling in nether regions right about then. "Smells good too. Smells like fear! You Sure your faithful servants can't get a taste, Mish-shy?"

"Go ahead and try it you twisted fuck and we'll see how long it takes me to tear off the spiny mutation you boys are forced call a dick." De's hair was suddenly snatched up and his head pulled back with enough force that the big slowwitted hellborn coulda snapped the boy's neck if he'd have mistakenly added even a fraction more force than he had.

"Are you sure this is the one you spoke of?" the huge demon asked with a kind of ponderous amusement. "He's nothing but a pretty, yapping puppy!"

"Indeed he is the one, so try not to break him, okay? He's going to be quite useful in the days to come." The last was pointed out as Mish-shy allowed his fingers to trail a heated path straight to the tender flesh of the boy's exposed cheek and drag a razor-sharp claw just over the cheek bone before allowing himself to reach down and cup the boy's face with one large paw that could have easily crushed his skull. That's how small this boy was in comparison.

"If you say so, seems like just another worthless brat to me," Icewind grunted, looking bored already. "Are you sure I can't have the blond? I mean, since this squawking squab is the important one for some reason, why not? Seems reasonable to me."

Mish-shy smiled as the child tried to jerk his face away and failed utterly in the attempt. His anger overrode his fear easily. Weakness or strength, Mish-shy wasn't sure yet.

As for "the blond" he had gone utterly still and quiet, ignoring Icewind's jibes as if the demon barely took up space in the world. It was hard even for a demon to tell where his attention was focused just by looking, but meekly downcast eyes or no, Mish-shy was certain that sharp-witted boy was turning all his ingenuity to the question of escape.

He, at least, was aware of the grave trouble they both were in! Too bad escape was impossible. Mish-shy silently left the problem of the golden lion to the more than capable Walker, and focused entirely on the small Prince.

"Have you felt much pain in your lifetime, boy?" It was an almost tender question, as if he were speaking to a very small child.

The sudden turmoil that flowed forward answered the demon's question. "No, you're no virgin to pain, are you lovely one?" The demon allowed himself a long thoughtful pause as he followed the godling's mind through a quick summary of his life. The struggle he encountered, even while only remembering the past, was so thick it verged on pure insanity.

There was so much pain, in this one tiny person, that it seemed nearly impossible he'd experienced it all in only seventeen years of life. "You were purified by pain growing up, they baptized you in the blood of those you cared for and then turned you away when the White Counsel heathens staked you to their blasted cross---it didn't stop there did it? You burned in my homelands---you've lived in hell and all for a sin you can't even remember."

The boy was shaking now, just a little and he'd begun to sweat from Mish-shy's mind probing. The sweet scent of the vampire was rising into the air around him. "Oh I know you, don't think I don't."

The demon king leaned downward, brushed his lips against De's exposed neck and lingered there for a few seconds before breathing in the godling's scent as deeply as his lungs allowed.

It was a deep spiritual penetration that this child couldn't ignore, couldn't pretend he didn't feel. He felt the young one lose his hold on the world around him, for an instant he sagged inside the grip of Icewind and Dragonwick, his eyes rolling back in his head.

His breath sounded thick and ragged---it was the sound of pain as it filled him and moved through him, it was also the sound of being overwhelmed as that pain turned into something else entirely, a strange and alien pleasure he seemed to despise even more than the fire that had filled his veins just moments ago.

Mish-shy allowed himself to take in this one's essence utterly and completely something he hadn't done in quite a long time and it was pure ecstasy to do it now.

He had knowledge now of what he was about to unleash upon this already decaying universe and it was glorious and beautiful--- to touch the mind of darkness was worth any price he'd have to pay for crossing this line, for taking this one so fully.

It had been a long time since the large demon had been able to enjoy something as fresh and alive as this one was, to be able to allow everything he was to spill into another who was able to take it and he intended to savor every instant of it. He allowed his eyes to drift closed, and his body to move up and against the godling's with pure reckless abandon.