New city, New place, New start.

Kyrie Black had seen all she needed to see in this house. It was perfect and the rent was pretty damn good too, very fair for the neighbourhood. A nice amount of space and it would give her somewhere close to her workplace; a local vetinary surgery while she pursued her want to become a vet. She didn't have much to her name, having just moved out all fresh and excited to finally go at life. It wasn't glamorous but then Kyrie wasn't a very glamorous girl overall. The little shared space was great, she had her own room and she would have company if she wanted it. She was a social creature, but not everyone was as social as she was and people liked their own company so she figured it would take some feeling out.

[+blue "This place is incredible."] She found it hard to believe anyone lived here alone, especially a young man but she wasn't here to question it. Dark hair mixed with light eyes and a friendly disposition were her most redeeming features intertwined  with a charming smile. Her eyes regarded the man before her, he looked a little off but she figured he probably just wanted a new roommate and some extra income. He seemed friendly enough.

[+blue "Is this the contract?"] She asked as she glanced to the pieces of professional looking paper and pen on the nearby coffee table. She wasn't about to snooze on an offer like this, never in a million years would she find somewhere this perfect again, not for this price. It ws a beautiful home, stunning and very well kept. It looked recently restored too which was a good sign and she presumed this guy had inherited it, given he looked young, too young to be a homeowner but hey he probably had some old aunt he had been the favourite nephew of.

[+blue "I'll sign, I have the deposit, in cash too!"] She said to him, rummaging through her scuffed bag for her purse. She really needed to get shopping and buy herself some new bits and pieces but times were hard. Her parents lived across the country, they helped her out when she was desperate but she did her best not to ask them, she wanted to be independent.
[+blue "Okay so-"] She said as she went and signed her name on the piece of paper and gave him a brilliant smile. She set down some notes beside the contract, enough to cover the deposit.
[+blue "Look, let me get us some food in or some beers if you prefer, my stuff's all in the car I can move in right now if you don't mind giving a girl a hand?"] She asked him, hopefully.

This was perfect, completely perfect. She worked Monday to Friday, she could come home to a proper home, sort of. It wasn't hers but it was the closest she would get for a good few years, at least. It wasn't like she had a lot, a suitcase of clothes and some bits and bobs in the trunk of her car. Her dark hair was tied up in a ponytail and a few strands had escaped the elastics clutches. If he helped her out then she would get them some decent takeout and maybe get to know him a bit, she'd read his advertisement in the local paper and thankfully it hadn't been snapped up before now. 

[i I’m finally free.]

Rykier bit his finger hard enough to draw a bit of blood and pressed it to the parchment in front of him eagerly. His bright fangs peeked through his sadistic smile as he released his finger and pushed the parchment over to his king, the one and only Lucipher.
[#006600 “I’ll find a soul, bring you the body, and get the fuck out of this place, finally. No offense, but I’m getting exceptionally tired of slaughtering gluttony’s because they can’t stop themselves from feasting on the new arrivals.” ]
Lucipher rolled up the parchment carefully and tucked it into his sleeve for safe keeping. His face was emotionless as he waved his hand causing the door to open behind them.
“[#ff0000 I’ll see you back next year, no?”]
Rykier rolled his eyes, knowing he wouldn’t return. He deserved this. He was tired of working as a slave while others got to live the life that was stolen from him. Envy consumed every aspect of his being, every single day.
[#006600 “I’ll find you a prettier replacement, don’t you worry.”]

[i What a stupid girl.]

Rykier stared at the young woman, dumbstruck by what she had done. His heart felt like it would burst straight through his chest from excitement. The naïve woman didn’t even bother to read the fine print, detailing the contents of the actual agreement. He never remembered human’s being so dumb, though it had been quite a while since he had been back. He took the signed contract and slid it into the drawer, patting it like his kin.
[#006600 “Brilliant. You might start to feel some pain in the morning. A few beers may take the edge off, but they could also make the situation a thousand times worse.”] He flashed her a fangless smile, knowing her panic had yet to set in.
[#006600 “Losing half your soul can be a bit of a nightmare. Compare it to [i half-dying].” ]

He didn’t remember dying, just the moments before. It was in the same house as he was in now, ironically. The beautiful 1920’s two story house was built by his grandfather and had finally been returned to him, after years of skepticism leading to abandonment. The past no longer mattered, nothing mattered but getting this girl to hell. Rykier clapped his boney hands together, walking over to her car. He had a feeling that it wouldn’t take a year to fulfill his end of the deal anymore. He had found the perfect target and it was almost too easy to swallow. Lucipher would be pleased to have such an innocent face in the pits of his kingdom.

Kyrie looked to the man before her, his shock of white hair and steel eyes. She watched him fold away the parchment and tuck it into a drawer. Pain? Kyrie quirked an eyebrow at him. What exactly was he talking about? Her face was a wondrous map of confusion and perplexment. This guy was insane, or maybe he was judt on some pretty tough drugs. She knew this place aas too good to be true, now she was roommates with a total head case.
[+blue "Sorry?"] She said, being as polite as possible. She probably shouldn't have flashed the cash too quickly because it would be awkward backing out now.

He was talking about dying, half dying actually but she didn't quite understand what he meant. Half her soul? Well, that was impossible. No one could take half a soul and what would be the use fir stealing half a soul from someone. She wasn't even sure why she was questioning it, it couldn't happen. This was reality. She opened her mouth to speak but then there was this horrible pain shoot through her as she made to stand and she gripped the coffee table for balance. She put it down to pulling a muscle, except it didn't stop.

[+blue "I'd like to go now."] She managed to breathe out, she had never experienced pain like it. It tore through her like a hot knife being pressed to her chest and she couldn't stand any longer as she slumped into the chair. Had he done something? Kyrie was trying to breathe through it all, desperately clutching to each breath she took. She didn't feel well, she felt she might vomit but instead she found she couldn't move. This guy was a psycho, had he stabbed her or something while she wasn't looking, maybe drugged her? No, she would have noticed. So what was this?

[+blue "S-Sorry, I've come over a little sick."] She stammered as she tried to find her phone, to call an ambulance, anything but the minute she tried to sit up, she felt like Hell. This was terrible, she didn't know what to do and she was starting to panic, her heart hammering in her chest wildly like a caged bird. The panic was flaring horrifically and causing the sharp pains to become worse, she felt like an idiot stuck in a perfect house with a spooky guy and now she felt like she might pass out.

And then something strange happened.

It stopped.

The pain left as soon as it came on and she was left feeling utterly drained and sore, stiff almost as though she had tun a marathon and she blearily stared at him. Something wasn't right, something was telling her to get out of dodge right then and there while she still could but her body didn't want to cooperate at all. Kyrie felt like she could sleep for a week, everything felt heavy and she narrowed her eyes at Rykier.

[+blue "What did you do?"] She asked through loose lips, her tongue feeling thick as she came to terms with everything going on right then, whatever had gone on.

Rykier walked gracefully down the driveway, breathing in the fresh air. He had forgotten how wonderful life smelled. Decades of being imprisoned to a sadistic king was beyond him now, and he could finally enjoy his reward. He pulled out a couple of large bags from the trunk and managed to balance a lamp in between his arm and chest as he made his way back up to the house.
He had arrived just in time for the show as his victim was beginning to feel the effects of her poor decision making. Her chest pains should be the worst of it as the magic feasted away at her soul. He grinned like a child as he watched her stumble over in agony unable to understand the consequences. This was only the beginning of the [i fun] for her.
[#336600 “You will be fine. This feeling is only temporary. Just try to [i not] focus on the hypothetical knives penetrating your chest.”]

As she got worse, Rykier felt himself feeling light-headed. He stumbled over his feet a little and dropped the items he was carrying in a slight daze. The haze only lasted moments but it shook him as he regained his focus on Kyrie. His balance was slightly off so he leaned on the wall across from her, waiting for her to finish panicking. No one could help her now, especially not the police. Who would ever believe her? Humans were too fortunate to be unaware of the dangers that lurked around them, naïve to everything that seemed too far-fetched to comprehend. A young girl telling the authorities that her landlord had stolen her soul would likely lead to a long stay at a mental institution.

Rykier folded his arms, still leaning against the wall for comfort. His tenant was finally coming back to terms with reality, and he hoped that she was too weak to leave.
[#336600 “I didn’t do anything to you, dear. You signed a contract stating that I now have ownership of half your soul.”]
He blinked a few times hoping she wasn’t too air headed to comprehend the situation.
[#336600 “It clearly stated in fine print, “]

[center [i By signing this contract I agree to submit ownership of half my soul while living among mundanes…]]
[#336600 “Do you want me to let you see the contact again so you can actually look over the whole thing this time? Though it won’t matter because the deed is done.”]
He smirked at her, eager to tell her everything.

Everything was swimming, she felt drained of all energy as she stared at the white haired man before her. Her face was as pale as his hair and she wasn't sure she could even stand up. She felt like she needed to leave this place, like she had to get as far away from Rykier as possible. She tried to sit up, managing only barely. He was insane, she hadn't sold half her soul and why did he want half her soul anyway? Wouldn't a full soul make more sense? Kyrie gave up trying to stand after the dizziness set in and she just lay on the couch.
[+blue "This is a nightmare, that's all."] She murmured, it had to be. It was a bad dream brought in by something she ate and she let her eyes drift close. It wasn't sleep, more like unconsciousness.

[i The sound of tearing and ripping permeated her senses. It was hot, everything was hot and she couldn't escape it. It was dark, she was lost. The dream fizzed in and out, like static on a television. There were voices but she couldn't pinpoint them, everhtime she tried to follow them, it was like they changed where they were. Then she saw him in this Hell scape, a flash of white hair, striking eyes and a smile that could charm a snake.]

Kyrie sat bolt upright, gasping for air. She looked wildly around. She didn't know how she knew it, she just did and she struggled to her feet, swayong in place slightly. She braced on the wall, glaring at Rykier. There was a horrible feeling of dread in her chest and she felt empty, like she had lost something she couldn't replace. Her bright eyes locked with his.
[+blue "You're the Devil."] She said, voice a little small and hoarse given the roller coaster she had been on that day. She had sold her soul to the Devil, of course it was crazy and she didn't want to believe it right then but the strange dream, Rykier acting the way he had and the strange attack she had suffered... Kyrie wasn't the superstitious type, but she did believe something was going on.

She had signed her soul away to the Devil, the question was, what did he want with her half soul? She was unremarkable for the most part, she wasn't some big religious person or exactly pure. She'd had boyfriends and she'd drank alcohol and sure every now and then she'd smoked some weed. Maybe she was just dumb enough to do it. Kyrie was in no fit state to go anywhere, not to mention she looked a mess and she blamed this Devil before her, entirely.
[+blue "What do you want?"] She asked him, slowly and deliberately because she didn't have a lot of energy to really fight right then. If he was going to kill her then it would be an easy win for him right then and there.

[h3 [#990000 The Devil.] ]The assumption made sense because she was a dumb mundane that had no idea about the vast universe around her. He smiled; eyes fixated on her as she withered around in pain like a worm.
[#006600 “The Devil? Oh no, I’m far from the King himself.”
]Rykier scratched his chin, thinking about how to break the news of her untimely situation.
[#006600 “I’m a demon, technically half-demon now that I’ve taken a piece of your humanity.” ]He chuckled, finding himself amusing despite the chilling conversation at hand.
[#006600 “And I needed a willing soul to trade places with me. The entire thing Is quite simple really. You go to hell and take my place as a servant, and I stay here and take your place as an absent-minded free-spirited human. The only downside of this is that you will have to come with me to find an open gate back to hell. You see, not just anyone can walk into the kingdom of death. You must be invited or find a passage. I’m not entirely sure how long this will take or the [i things] that we will encounter along the way, but I have already sent in your death certificate prior, so you can forget about ever returning to work or your social life.” ]

The entire plan was bullet-proof as far as he was concerned. He still had most of his abilities and although he would now have to protect the now half-dead Kyrie from [i Kriptons], he knew the journey would be easily accomplished in just a few weeks’ time.
[#006600 “You are technically half-dead as of now, and you should feel quite lucky that you have a demon like me to protect you along the way. I’m a first officer of [i ‘Envy’], promoted by the King himself. I know you don’t know much about the politics of hell but that is an honorable position, I’ll have you know. Maybe you will get lucky and manage to grab something decent during your eternal stay. Just make sure that you avoid ‘[i Gluttony’] at all costs.” ]

Rykier decided to stop himself from going any further and give her time to process the reality. His intentions weren’t to frighten her, only to communicate the truth. He felt that if he tricked her into signing something then he at least owed her the decency of some sort of kindness.
[#006600 “How about those beers? I haven’t had one in almost one hundred years.”]
He wondered over to the kitchen and pulled out two, handing her one. As he took a sip, the taste lit up his taste buds and sent a sense of euphoria into his bloodstream. The sensation was delightful, and he couldn’t wait to get his hands on a Coca-Cola.

This was a dream, no, a nightmare. She chewed her lip and stared at him through tired eyes. What he said didn't make sense, it was utter foolishness and he was insane to believe what he was saying. He was just some weird emo kid, he'd probably slipped something in a drink or something and she squinted at him. First officer of Envy, sure, right. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and watched him. He seemed completely fine with this, as if she hadn't almost collapsed in his home a moment ago. This was stupid, she should leave but she didn't have anymore money. Okay, so the emo kid was a bit weird, she could live with that? He was probably a little weird, that was all. He wasn't actually a demon. That would be ridiculous and stupid to even consider. He was just some confused little goth guy.

[+blue "Sure, you're a demon. Okay, first officer."] She remarked and gave a mocking salute. She watched him get a beer and she gladly accepted one, taking a few swallowed to try and stop the shaking of her hands. This was madness, she couldn't explain the pain earlier, the feeling of utter horrific pain that had ripped through her but she figured this was all a parlour trick, some sick joke. She sighed out and leaned back on the couch.
[+blue "So why me? Also, I don't want to go to Hell, thank you very much!"] She said, holding back a laugh. Kyrie wasn't a Saint, not by any means but she certainly didn't think she was warrant going to Hell. That seemed a little extreme by her. She had gambled a couple of times, drank, smoked the odd joint and definitely had sex before marriage. Kyrie figured she had committed some sins but nothing that warranted a horrible, fiery death.

Kyrie chuckled a little at the thought. Then again, she supposed it didn't matter. They just died in the end right? She hummed a little to herself as she took another drink of the beer in her hands. It was giving her a slight buzz at least, she wasn't much of a drinker to be fair and there was very little to her to stave off the alcohol.

[+blue "Besides, aren't demons supposed to be scary? You don't seem scary."] She remarked, lightly as she gazed at him. He was a bit spooky to look at but not terribly horrific. Actually he was kind of attractive in a strange way, taking aside the 'I'm a spooky demon guy, I own your soul' and everything.

Rykier was taken aback slightly by her chuckle. In his eyes the situation was a completely serious matter, one that shouldn’t be taken lightly by any means. Yet, the poor human girl in front of him was finding humor in her ignorance to the situation. It was baffling to think that his entire life was nothing more than a joke to someone that didn’t understand anything beyond what they could directly see. Fighting the urge to let anger sway his state of mind, he tucked a loose bit of hair behind his ear and took a seat on the couch beside her, beer in hand.
[#336600 “Demons are only scary because you think that you’ve never seen one, no?”]
He brought the beer up to his lips and downed a little before turning his attention back to her.
[#336600 “Every insecurity, everything you hate about yourself, every little thing you ache to change day in and day out…that is your true face. One that is only revealed once you fulfill your purpose as a slave…demon, whichever you prefer.” ]

He found that out on his first day in [i hell.]. Rykier remembered realizing his own twisted self and how it impacted how he wanted his second chance to be. The horror he felt when he saw his own manifestations become a reality, one that he couldn’t hide from. He quickly brushed away the memory not wanting to cloud himself with emotions during such a serious discussion.
[#336600 “I don’t appear to look like a stereotypically rendered demon because I’ve been granted a cloak of immunity until I can get you down to your new home. I’m quite sure you wouldn’t have signed a contract with someone that had horns protruding from their skull, would you?” ]

He wasn’t sure that words would convince her anymore. She seemed uninterested and absent minded regarding him. Though, he couldn’t blame her entirely. She needed to see what he was talking about with her own eyes and then she wouldn’t have a choice but to start taking him seriously. Sometimes [i seeing] really was believing. Rykier set his beer on the table in front of them and stuck out his hand palm side up.
[#336600 “As an officer I was given special teleportation abilities. It proved useful as I had to move along the different floors and keep order among the never-ending chaos.”] He gave her a smile, flashing off his pearly whites.
[#336600 “Grab my hand if you don’t believe me.”]

Kyrie stared at him. Yeah, he was totally bonkers. This was some Alice in Wonderland style stuff and Kyrie qas a good person, she was always compassionate and nice. She tried to be a good person, friendly and honest. She sighed out softly and shook her head. So he looked like a human because he had powers and surely if he wanted half a soul he could have just gone and murdered someone, or charmed someone. That's what he had done though, he had preyed on her want for a room and place to stay and charmed her and now she apparently had half a soul. She narrowed her eyes at him when he offered his hand, so that he could apparently show her. What did she have to lose? She drained the beer and sized Rykier up, judging whether this was a trap or not but she figured he would be fine.

Kyrie reached out and took his hand, her grip tightened when there was a strange pulling sensation and her breath hitched in her chest. She squeezed her eyes closed and when she opened them, it was the strangest thing. There was a room, it was busy and everyone was wearing masks and dressed in dark and wonderful clothing. Kyrie looked around, they could see her and she could hear the music and hear their whispers and laughter. She looked down and realised she was dressed in beautiful, light clothing, a dress far too pretty for her and something she definitely didn't own. Her hair was loose and there was jewellery braided in. She looked entirely different and her eyes searched the area. This was disturbing, it felt like it was supposed to be nice but there was something underlying in the background, a haunting almost.

Kyrie shifted slightly and watched the scene before her, scared to move. She shifted through the crowds, trying not to bump into anyone. There were hisses and sneers thrown her way and she didn't feel safe but she also felt like they wouldn't touch her, for some reason. Kyrie ducked and made her way to the middle, people shuffling and making way. They didn't seem human, they looked human but there was something off about them and they seemed almost distorted. Kyrie tried to swallow back her fear, it was like waiting for a predator to pounce and she felt like it might happen at any moment.

Then she saw him, for some reason she felt she might know him. He wasn't dressed in quite dark colours like the others, he was dressed flamboyantly and the mask in place covered his face but she knew that shock of white hair. She reached up and found a thin silver lace mask was over her eyes, though she could see perfectly well and she tilted her head.
[+blue "What is this place?"] She asked him, approaching and people didn't seem to crowd around much here, they kept their distance and she could feel them watching. She wasn't sure if they were watching her or Rykier right then and it didn't matter.

His breathing slowed as he envisioned the place and slowly opened his eyes. A renaissance style ballroom complete with chandeliers was before him. The walls were aligned with decadent tapestries and the floors were marbled of the finest quality. Nobles from the underground crowded the area, dressed in tailored suits and custom gowns. He himself, was dressed in a dark purple suit and a tight-fitted jacket. A lavish mask covered half his face, making it easy for him to blend in with the crowd. The place was familiar to him, a spot that nestled tightly in-between life and death. A place he was often allowed to visit after long days of excessive policing.

Rykier bit his lip and looked around the room eagerly. He could smell her, but he couldn’t quite spot her amongst the crowd. As he began to stroll along, he grabbed a glass of wine from one of the waiters and downed it quickly. He was beginning to think alcohol would become one of his new guilty pleasures. Amongst the noise he spotted her, adorned in expensive garments. She cleaned up marvelously, captivating the awakened animal within him. He knew that she would believe him now, some things just couldn’t be explained. As his eyes locked with hers, he swiftly made his way to the center and approached her eagerly.
[#009933 “May I have this dance, Milady?” ]
The words flowed from his tongue like butter as he grabbed her hand and pulled her body tightly against his. It wasn’t so much a question as it was a duty.

The feeling of warmth soared through his body as he rested his hand on her back and the other on her waist. He was used to touching colder women, ones that weren’t immediately fascinated by his alluring demeanor. Breathing out slowly he began to sway, pulling her along to the tune of the music. He couldn’t help but watch her, feeling lost for a moment, as she took in the situation.
[#009933 “Welcome to Palyon 28. An all-exclusive place for people just like [i us.]”]
She was one of them now. There would be no more questioning and laughing at his words, only curiosity.

Rykier could feel the stares around them as a newcomer was recognized. No one dared to approach though they watched just the same. Part of him wanted to introduce her but that would mean sharing his desert. He was far tired of sleeping with woman who were predictable in their lust. He wanted something new, something pure, something innocent.

This wasn't real, it couldn't be. She stared at Rykier when he asked for a dance, eyeing his hand. Better him than the unknown around her and she took his hand. Paylon. She didn't know if it had meaning and she narrowed her eyes. She wasn't like them, she wasn't like Rykier but she had no reason to disbelieve him now. She stood in a blue gown, something she would never have owned, she could never have afforded and gazed down at herself. They had been in his lounge, hadn't they? And why did he seem so alluring, so forbidden? It must have been a trick of the mind, a charm of some sort because Kyrie stared at the man before her, the demon who had stolen half her soul. She let herself relax into the dance with him, hands clasping his, an arm snaked around his neck. This wasn't real, so what did the consequences matter? She looked him over, he wasn't real.

Her fingers brushed the back of his hand gently with her fingertips, as if trying to judge if he was a dream. She leaned back and ignored the others around them, her hand leaving his to reach up and touch his cheek, what was visible beneath the mask. She traced his jaw, fingers perilously close to his lips. He wasn't vanishing, he wasn't turning to dust beneath her fingers and she stared at him for a while. Her fingers slipped beneath the mask, gently lifting it off to catch those red eyes. She felt she might get lost for a moment in those crimson depths and she leaned forwards,
[+blue "You're not real."] She whispered softly, he couldn't be and she planned on testing it there and then.

Kyrie didn't hesitate, despite the nerves churning in her stomach because she was not the leader in these types of situations. She was all too good at submitting so taking the lead was off putting for her. She leaned in further and let her lips connect with his. At first, it was a test to see how real they were, they were soft and warm. Before Kyrie could stop herself, the kiss became something more passionate and driven than she could ever have hoped for as both her hands came to rest on Rykier's face. It was easy to tell she wasn't as experienced as other women and that she was nervous but Rykier was solid, he wasn't some ghost or drunken illusion.

Her gentle touch ignited his bones like fire. He wanted to devour her, every single inch. By the way she was looking at him, he wanted to hoist her up and lead her away to a much quieter place. A place where he wouldn’t use any words to show her just how delicious she appeared before him. Rykier inhaled her scent, letting his nose tickle her collarbone teasingly. She was driving him insane, and he was loving every moment of it. Nothing else mattered but the moment they were sharing in the crowded ballroom.

He moved his hand along her back, cupping her closer to him as if he had imprinted. She belonged to him now, every piece of her. As he gazed into her deep-set eyes, he felt the warm touch of her lips, and immediately reacted with passion. He embraced her, taking the lead in a delicate manor as he tasted her lipstick. She tasted sweet like molasses, and he wanted more. He felt himself losing control as his touch became more aggressive in nature. His free hand snaked up her neck and pulled the string that attached the mask to her face letting it fall to the ground next to them. Everyone needed to see his prize. They all needed to be envious and wish they were fortunate enough to have a victim.

The kiss lasted minutes, but to him it seemed like hours. He lost track of time as he entangled himself with the human girl. Unable to hold back his building aggression, he removed her hands from his face and clasped them hard. Within the blink of an eye, they were back at their shared house, as if everything had been nothing more than a strange dream. But it wasn’t a dream. Rykier pushed her onto his bed and crawled over on top of her, breathing heavily. They were back in their normal casual wear, which was easier for him. Less buttons and ribbons to pull free.

His judgement was clouded by the intense feeling of having his way with her.
[#006600 “Don’t even try to resist. I need this.” ]
He whispered the words into her ear quietly and began kissing along her neck. His hands moved around her body friskily feeling every inch of her warm skin. His fingers clasped her T-shirt yanking it upwards and he lost himself. His mind was too clouded with the sensation of pure [i desire.]

Every inch of her screamed danger, told her to run away in the opposite direction and not look back but she felt tied to him. Had he really taken half her soul? Was that why this felt so real? Rykier seemed to vy for her attention, like a lion showing off his kill to the rest of the savanna and Kyrie willingly obliged because why would she resist? He pulled her close and grew more feverish in his actions and before Kyrie could come to her senses, they were back in the house, the lavish outfits gone and replaced with her usual apparel. Part of her already missed the dress but she didn't have time to complain. She was placed on a bed and Rykier was over her.

Kyrie couldn't speak, she couldn't object and she didn't want to. She felt her body shiver. Who the Hell was this guy? Never before had Kyrie been claimed in such a way, it wasn't romantic or loving, it was a claiming of a possession, a fierce action that proclaimed 'mine'. She wasn't sure how long it went on for, she lost track of all time and finally, she was exhausted and Kyrie had very little trouble in making sure Rykier was satisfied as well. Her breathing was ragged, a confused yet satisfied look on her face. Maybe he wasn't human, she'd been with men before and none of them were like that.

Her gaze was swimming slightly as she gazed at the ceiling. She had to live with this guy, wasn't that going to be awkward now? She couldn't quite move yet either and she gathered the blankets over her body, her heart pounding in her chest, hard and fast. Kyrie glanced to Rykier trying to gauge his reaction as best she could amidst the haze and she slowly propped herself up.
[+blue "I-"] Did he even know her name? She couldn't remember and she gazed at him for a moment. What was she supposed to say? How did you follow that up?
[+blue "I should uh, set up my room."] She mumbled quietly and fought the lead on her eyelids. She could just sleep and deal with it all tomorrow, then again Rykier hardly seemed the caring guy to share his bed for sleeping.

His mind was racing but the overwhelming sensation of sleep overpowered the thoughts. He was so satisfied, yet so exhausted. All his other sexual encounters with women never made him feel so worn out, so out of breath, so drained of everything. Was this due to his new mundane body…or his latest female companion? His eyes gazed at her as she got up, slowly closing as she turned away from him hastily. She was probably feeling embarrassed, shameful, possibly even shy. Part of him wanted to reach out, yet his body refused. It was time to rest, explanations could surely wait.

[center …]

Rykier awoke naked in an empty room that he barely recognized. It was strange for him to wake up at all considering he hadn’t slept in almost ninety years. His eyes adjusted slowly, and he rolled over the edge, hoisting himself to his feet.
[#800000 “Pants…. Pants….” ]he mumbled, looking down at his exposed areas. Walking around naked wouldn’t normally bother him at all though after the night he had…he wondered how uncomfortable his new roommate would be with it. He still needed to be on her good side and gain her trust in order to get her to cooperate and complete the deal. Luckily, she would absolutely believe him now, she didn’t have much of a choice unless she wanted to continue her senseless delusion. Hopefully his fourth comings hadn’t caused her to think of him as something more than what it was and get attached. It would only prove to be bothersome for them both.

Looking around he spotted a pair of black jeans sticking out from the sheets and put them on quickly. Satisfied, he opened the door and entered the hallway, making his way to the living room. Kyrie wasn’t there and he figured she was probably the type to sleep the day away. Young people had become so lazy compared to the time when he was alive. He took a seat on the couch and propped his legs up on the stool unsure of how to spend the day. They could set out, yet he needed to have more information first. Needed a clue as to where to start. He couldn’t just drag her around and expect her to be compliant. She was a dunce, but not a mindless robot.

Kyrie spent most of the evening setting up her room, however she was rather spritely and there was a spring in her step. It had been a while since she had been laid and she certainly wasn't complaining at Rykier's skills. She eventually slumped in the bed and tried to sleep. Her sleep was plagued with nightmares of hellish fires and glittering masquerades but there was one constant, Rykier was always there. Most of the time it was like he judt watched, his red eyes sharp and glaring, waiting for a moment to pounce.

Kyrie awoke with a start and ran a hand down her face, groggily trying to come to terms with where she was. Oh yeah, it had been a fever dream right? No. She was in his house. Oh boy, this could be awkward. She got up, located the shower and pulled on some clothes, heading out. She was confronted with the image of Rykier immediately and cleared her throat,
[+blue "Ah, good morning."] She said. He owned half her soul, what exactly did that make him? Her keeper? She wanted it back and she figured she could just ask him nicely.

[+blue "So, uh... I was thinking, you don't actually need half my soul right? I could just get it back?"] She asked him, hopefully as she meandered around the kitchen. There wasn't really much in and she figured she could eat out for breakfast or order something. She wasnt working this week and she figured why not? She was just moved in, she'd just slept with an incredible guy albeit he was a total nut job. She had earned the ability to eat out at least and she figured pancakes was a good idea and she eyed Rykier over, was it awkward to invite him for breakfast?

[+blue "I was going to head out... get some breakfast, do you want to come? I've got the car..."] She offered. She wasn't sure if he even ate food, maybe he just drank blood- no that was vampires. Kyrie shrugged as she pulled on her jacket and found her keys. She was trying to keep this as normal as possible, like this guy hasn't torn apart half her soul and stolen it for who knew what. He'd give it back if she was nice, maybe and then they could just go about their days and he could do whatever it was demons did in this realm. Possess people and stuff? She ought to buy a crucifix just to be safe, maybe some holy water. Was that how it worked? Kyrie found her keys and eyed Rykier before heading out and getting in the car, taking in a deep breath.

Rykier was left with a blank stare as she was in and out like a light. She didn’t even give him time to respond to her request, almost making it seem like she didn’t [i actually] want him to come and join her for breakfast. He had taken her to such a fancy spot and serenaded her so, and this was how she pronounced her thanks? By asking him if she could have her soul back? The thought was preposterous and Rykier let his laugh out as he made his way down to her car. First, she wouldn’t believe a word he uttered and now she was pleading to reverse her silly action’s.

He eyed the vehicle cautiously before approaching the driver’s side door and pulling it open. The thought of driving was senseless to him since he could teleport wherever he wanted. In the coming months he would surrender his powers in exchange for a human life so he thought that he might as well make use of them. They certainly had their advantages, but they weren’t worth what he lost so long ago. Nothing would ever replace the most meaningful thing in the world, [I life itself]. Without giving Kyrie a second to question his actions, he grabbed her wrist hastily and took control of the situation.

They appeared at the entrance of a ‘Pancake House’ with dressings along the windows reading, ‘World’s Best pancakes.’ The building was old and tacky, yet somehow welcoming and charming. He wasn’t quite sure where he was going with that maneuver, but this spot seemed to do the trick. She wanted breakfast; Nothing seemed better than pancakes.
[#006600 “Well, this seems like a fine place to discuss the signed contract, yes?”]
Rykier let his hand drop from her wrist and made his way inside through the double doors urging her to follow.

The waitress motioned them to a booth in the corner of the building and left them with a couple menu’s promising to be back in a few moments. Rykier wasn’t interested in looking it over. He only wanted a big stack of warm buttermilk pancakes oozing in blueberry syrup. His mouth was already salivating at the thought.
[#006600 “So, you want your soul back, huh?”]
Rykier looked her over, his cocky attitude radiating. He was in control for she hadn’t the slightest clue as to what she was in for.
[#006600 “I thought we went over this. It’s mine.”]

Kyrie actually hoped Rykier wouldn't come with her but he did and he snatched her wrist before she could protest. She furrowed her brow as they warped to a cute little place. It didn't look altogether that great but it seemed nice  enough. She eyed Rykier over and was hopeful that meant his little contract thing would be a silly mistake and they could both just go about their day. She eyed the menu over and cooked her head slightly. It looked pretty good and she opted for some pancakes with strawberries and syrup. It seemed like a good idea and she glanced over to him, confused.

[+blue "But you don't need it."] She remarked. He certainly looked alive at the very least, he didn't look like he was missing anything and he hadn't when she signed that dumb contract. She needed her soul, where would she go when she was dead? She wasn't even sure if people with half a soul went anywhere. Maybe she would end up in Hell after all and that hardly felt that was fair on her. She eyed the menu and glanced over at Rykier. What exactly did he want her for? And if he was using half her soul would she ever get it returned to her?

The waitress came back with a bright smile and asked about their orders. Kyrie placed her order, something simple and sweet along with a coffee, a latte to be exact and she smiled to her as she took Rykier's order and then scuttled off to do her job. Kyrie sat in the quiet for a while, bewildered by everything that had gone on. This man had stolen her soul and then bedded her. It was too intense for her to really make sense of and she watched him for a moment before the latte appeared in front of her. The waitress eyed Rykier over and Kyrie raised an eyebrow with a soft laugh. Well, his attraction was evidently catching and she took a sip of the latte.

[+blue "Isn't there a loophole I can use?"] She asked him, [+blue "Surely you'd want someone else?"] She remarked. Kyrie was unremarkable, she wasn't the smartest person around and she really wasn't all that brawny either. Her eyes were sharp as she tried to think of some sort of out, anything that might just get her out of this. It wasn't likely he was going to tell her though, not if he had what he wanted. She groaned a little and dragged her hand down her face. This was a damn mess.

Rykier let out a little sigh and took a sip of the water the waitress had brought him. She wouldn’t stop, it didn’t matter how many times he had been over it. Some insane idea existed in her complicated little brain that this was reversible or worse, a joke. He let his fingers rest on the rim of the glass as he watched his sulking companion anxiously move about. She was becoming tiresome, maybe his approach needed to change.
[#ff00ff “All souls are equal; a pedophile has the exact same soul as you.”]

It didn’t matter what soul he claimed as his, if it was easily obtainable. Kyrie was the perfect match because not only was she easily obtainable, but she was also cute and innocent. The amount of fun the King would have corrupting her would be a greater gift than life itself. His lips curled into a smile as he thought of the praise he would be given for his efforts.
[#ff00ff “So no, your soul will do just fine. Besides, you signed the contract. I can’t just give you back your soul. I don’t have power’s that are capable of such a thing.”]

He was cut off by the waitress as she pranced happily around the table and set down two large plates of breakfast. His mouth watered and he dug in hastily. The warm buttery pancakes oozed a feeling of satisfaction as he finished swallowing a couple bites. This was everything he imagined it would be, and better. Maybe this would be his new career, a pancake maker.
[#ff00ff “Have you ever thought about the fact that you might actually enjoy it? Being a demon isn’t so bad…besides the smell.”]
He inhaled a few more bites before clearing his throat with some more water.
[#ff00ff “You get unique abilities, a job, a place to live, and you can’t get pregnant.” ]

It was the worst place in existence, but he couldn’t tell her that. It would only cause her to fight him more on it. Every single agonizing day that he had been there was a literal nightmare he couldn’t escape. Part of him felt bad he would be subjecting her to it but the selfish attitude that geared his way of thinking thought otherwise.

Kyrie watched Rykier carefully, as though was waiting for him to pounce. She eyed the food when it was brought out and was unsure how she felt about being informed her soul was no different than anyone else's, she always figured that souls had worth but perhaps not. Rykier certainly seemed to think they were all equal and she took a few forkfuls of food and chewed thoughtfully. He was keeping her soul, apparently there was nothing she could do about it and she sighed out. She took a drink and tried to mull over what he was saying and she narrowed her eyes when she mentioned she couldn't get pregnant. Well, that was something.

[+blue "No kids. Right."] She said to him, flatly. Kyrie had always wanted to be a homemaker, meet a guy, get married and have kids, like every other woman around it seemed. She sighed out and leaned back. Being a Demon didn't seem like any amount of fun and given Rykier was up here and not strolling around 'down there', she guessed he was trying to be nice or he was leaving out some details. Better not to press for the gory details or the negatives right then because she likely wouldn't cope with them very well.

[+blue "Why do you need another soul?"] She still wasn't understanding entirely and whilst he had been rather flashy with his powers so far, she supposed it wasn't all that. He had torn her soul in half and Kyrie figured that was rather rude quite honestly but then, what could she actually do about it? She sighed out and ran a hand through her hair. She was still alive, at least she seemed to be. There wasn't much of a noticeable difference in herself for being 'half demon' and she hummed a little to herself as she tried to recall if anything felt different but for now she felt fine. Things would likely get messy at some point.

[+blue "You could have taken someone else's... Maybe a bad person, you know? This is all a little strange."] A little strange was an understatement by anyone's standards but it wasn't like she could change it and she was simply complaining for the sake of complaining right that second. Kyrie felt like she could use a few more hours of sleep quite frankly but sleeping away the days wouldn't change anything either and she figured they ought to try and get on like normal.

Rykier shoved the last bite of pancakes into his mouth and swallowed, wanting more. He could not get over how delicious they tasted.
[#ff3399 “It’s not really that [i strange] if you think about it. I didn’t care who showed up to sign the contract, I just needed someone. It’s not like I looked you up on the internet and stalked you for days.” ]
His eyes shifted out the window as he patted his mouth clean with a napkin. The person who would walk up to his house was left to fate. He was nothing more than a middleman collecting a prize for a prize.
[#ff3399 “I need a soul, in this case [i your] soul, to become human again. I haven’t always been mysterious and demonic. I used to be a normal, selfish kid who had everything he could have ever wanted.” ]
He cleared his throat not wanting to get into too much detail about his past life. It had been almost one hundred years since the incident, and he still couldn’t bring himself to discuss it openly. It was one of those things he had shoved aside for so long that bringing it up would only cause further lasting damage.
[#ff3399 “With that being said, I wish to be mortal again. The only way that this can be accomplished is with another soul. You know the whole ‘equivalent exchange’ speak.”]

The waitress returned and set the check down before moving on to attend to the next table. The place was growing busy as the lunch rush poured in and as much as Rykier wanted seconds, he figured they should go. He didn’t yet know his companion or what kind of personality she had. He feared she was the rambunctious type and prayed for compliant one. He reached into his wallet and left some bills on the table, more than enough to cover the ticket and watched as Kyrie scooped more food in her mouth lackadaisically.
[#ff3399 “I’m sorry, hopefully you can work it out with Satan when you get there. Sometimes he shows compassion, just look at what opportunity he gave me.”]

Kyrie watched Rykier with some amount of curiosity and fascination, he was a strange being. He looked fairly human, save for the obvious traits and she huffed slightly, casting a doubtful look when he mentioned Satan being forgiving and compassionate. Never make a deal with the Devil, so the saying went and she huffed out in exasperation. Satan had likely given Rykier a second chance for a reason that benefited him, she wasn't religious by any means, she never really had been either. She finished her breakfast and watched Rykier pay, something she hadn't expected. She figured he wouldn't have human money, then again if he had the house and stuff maybe old Lucifer had set him up.

Kyrie raised an eyebrow,
[+blue "I would much rather not meet Satan. There's gotta be some kind of loophole to all this and I'll find it."] She didn't want to go to hell when she died and frankly, she didn't deserve it. She had been stupid to sign that contract without reading it too. Every contract had a loophole and she intended to find the one in this particular bind. She was no lawyer and she doubted any lawyer would take it seriously. Rykier had her exactly where he wanted her and she looked him over again, she was in trouble and it didn't seem like this guy was the caring sort either.

Kyrie ran a hand through her hair, trying to think about what she was going to do. She didn't know how to broach this subject with him and he was hardly the helpful sort.
[+blue "I should've gone to church more."] She muttered as she got up, dusting herself off and fixing her hair before heading back outside and trying to clear her head. What use was it being a good person when this was going to happen? She should have made worse choices in life and lived a little and maybe she wouldn't feel so out of place. She didn't know what she was supposed to do, how was she supposed to go to work like everything was normal?
[+blue "What's in it for Satan, then? Sending you back up here and giving you a second chance and half a soul, there's got to be something in it for him, right?"] She commented over her shoulder to Rykier when he joined her outside in the sun.

Rykier swore out loud as his eyes adjusted to the bright sun. Blinking a few times, he gazed out at the country road and made his way out to Kyrie, trying not to break a laugh. Her whole, [i ‘Should have went to church more’] comment was all too familiar with him. When some of the souls would come in for the first time, they would scream out various religions hoping for salvation. They would plead with Satan about scripture and sin, but it was nothing but mindless fiction they had wasted their lives preaching. How anyone could dedicate everything to a made-up entity was crazy to him.

[#ff00ff “There are only three places you could go when you die. You can rest in the seven layers of hell, join the children in the clouds, or float somewhere in-between. If you happen to see a floater…run.” ]
Rykier tucked his bony hands into his pant pockets and swayed on his feet a little bit, enjoying the breeze on his face. He watched Kyrie closely, wondering why she couldn’t just accept her downfall. The more they discussed it the more he began to feel a sense of guilt. He was stealing her life just like his had been taken from him. Would he just accept everything a strange man was telling him if he was in her position? He knew he wouldn’t. But he would also [i read] the fine print.
[#ff00ff “Floaters are souls that are stuck in some cases and rogue in others. No one really understand how souls don’t get sorted appropriately but when this does happen-they are a danger to the living. They appear as everyone else, and you would never know the difference unless you caught a gaze into their eyes. It’s nothing but a black pool of despair...the saddest thing I’ve ever personally witnessed. Though, don’t get close or too friendly, they will eat you.”]

He swallowed hard and kept his hands away from hers, wanting to stay in the spot for a while. It would take days to explain the intricate process of life and death and all she needed to know was how to stay alive until they reached their destination.
[#ff00ff “Satan just wants a replacement. I am valuable to him. You may not think you are anything special in your current situation, but I am willing to believe you have a much greater purpose than you know.” ]

So, everyone just went to Hell or purgatory? That wasn't what she had imagined and she sighed out a little. At least the kids went somewhere somewhere nice. She tilted her head as he spoke about the floaters, caught in some sad, despairing world. She didn't want that and she certainly didn't want eaten by any of them. Don't get too close, right. As if she would know how to tell and wouldn't get eaten immediately anyway. She started to walk along the street, content quite honestly to just wander for a while and not have to do anything except mull on her current situation. She paused at his last words.
[+blue "Is that your way of saying I'm something special, huh?"] She mumbled to him, thoughtfully and half joking. She didn't want to meet Satan, she didn't want to go to Hell either but that seemed inevitable.

[+blue "Well, seeing as I've given you half my soul- Or rather, you've taken it, what happened to you?"] She asked. He seemed to be aware if modern delicacies and such. He didn't seem like some lost spirit from the medieval times. She realised he must have died pretty young. Maybe in the wars or something and he likely hadn't looked like this his living life. Maybe if she went to Hell and looked like a demon she could get some nifty white hair and red eyes.

[+blue "I mean when you were alive, you must have died... right?"] She elaborated her question. It felt surreal to be speaking to this man about his death whilst he was in front of her very eyes. Her gaze shifted a little to the area around them. He could go anywhere, he had proven that with his tricks and such and she sighed out. This was all so confusing and she had so many questions. Did death hurt or was it painless and easily forgotten about once it was over and if everyone did really go to Hell, was it as terrible as religions wrote about, all brimstone and fire and eternal torturing? Kyrie wasn't sure she could put up with that, she wasn't great with pain and suffering and she really didn't want to be flayed or burned or something.

Did Rykier have a resting place, a grave somewhere for where his human body was? She couldn't really believe it, maybe it would seem more real if she saw his name etched into a tombstone but that might be a bit much for him to handle. Visiting your own grave probably wasn't the best idea out there.

The question caught him off guard, but he knew it was bound to come. They wouldn’t be in this situation if he hadn’t died. He scratched his head for a second and pondered about the details. He didn’t want the focus to be on him, just the journey but he couldn’t help but pet her curiosity a little. [i He would want to know If the roles were flipped.]
[#ff0066 “I was actually burned alive, pretty gruesome memory. Perhaps we can talk about it more over pancakes another time?” ]
His death was not important compared to the mission at hand. She needed to focus on accepting her fate.
[#ff0066 “Right now, I need you to pack a bag of clothes and possessions.” ]
It was time to go; he could taste his freedom. Rykier didn’t want the guilt of the situation to sway his stance on everything. The more he talked to her, the harder it was.
[i Life wasn’t fair.]

The phrase resonated with him like no other and here he was-no better than the person who murdered him. He kept his head straight and kept walking mindlessly without a direction, just simply walking. The wind had a cooling chill that matched the heat like a marriage, and he decided that he missed the feeling all too much. Everything that people took for granted was magical, new, and intriguing to him. He wanted to experience everything as a full human, half wasn’t enough.

His lip curled as he caught a scent of something foul coming up from behind them. He knew what it was but didn’t know how they had been found so easily. Did they both reek of death that much?
[#ff0066 “Remember the lesson on floater’s I just gave you?”]
Rykier took a fighting stance in front of Kyrie and crossed his arms over his chest pridefully. This was his soul, his prize, and he wasn’t about to let a floater eat it. This was the kind of dope he would have to babysit in hell and keep away from the other floors. What a drag it was that he would have to encounter one now.

The floater stood seven feet tall (fuck meters) with eyes like an ‘etch n sketch’. It was as if someone took a pen and scribbled out a replacement. He had no hair, and his skin had a grey hue. His smile was open wide and cut so it couldn’t shut. Rykier watched as its tongue danced out of its mouth and winced as the stench hit his nose.
[#ff0066 “Well, you hungry or something big guy? Unfortunately for you, she’s mine.”]
The floater didn’t speak. Instead, it let out a vicious roar that almost threw him from his feet. His hands fumbled for Kyrie as he kept her close and directly behind him.
[#ff0066 “Meet your first floater, Kyrie,”]

Kyrie watched Rykier and she wanted to apologise for even asking, burning to death was not a pleasant way to go so she had heard and she sighed out softly. She had read somewhere it was the worse way to go and she didn't wish it upon anyone. He must have been young and had so many question but she didn't want to pry at his death, it seemed oddly personal and he didn't seem altogether comfortable asking questions about it either. She figured they would head home soon, maybe she could just continue on working and everything would be normal.

[+blue "Pack my things?"] She murmured. She had just gotten done unpacking everything and she raised an eyebrow. What exactly were they worrying about now? She watched as everything changed in the blink of an eye and Rykier suddenly became this protective sort, pushing her behind him and she peeked around to see what he was staring down like a hound. She recoiled almost immediately. A floater, those were bad. She had retained enough information to know that much, these weren't nice and by all accounts they could be in big trouble.

His? Like a possession? She scowled but now was hardly the time to pick a fight with him about it as the creature roared and almost took her off her feet as she clutched at Rykier's arms, almost retching at the smell that came with the action and she grimaced a little. It was vile.
[+blue "What exactly is the plan?"] She asked him as they started to run, he hardly seemed the man with the plan and she had expected a little... more? She was struggling to keep up with lanky strides and she almost fell. Her heart was racing in her chest as they ran and she didn't know what she had expected from him. She was a human, still. She wasn't sure she had any sort of demonic powers and she couldn't exactly put up a fight either, she wasn't a fighter, after all. She just wanted a quiet bloody life and now all of this had happened! She blamed Rykier entirely, even if she felt guilty about it and felt like maybe she should have read the contract first and foremost. Yeah, that would have been a better idea.

The floater hissed and lunged again causing Rykier to abandon faith in Kyrie. She might have been a tough cookie, but she was no match for an angry soul eater. They consisted of nothing but the instinct to ‘eat’. It would stop at nothing to devour what was left of her, and he was not about to let that happen. Without another thought, he hoisted Kyrie in the air and slung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She felt like a feather as he took off into a sprint.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t do anything without his weapons, which were stored back at the house. The floater was hungry and the added disadvantage of having to protect someone while fighting proved to be too much with only his hands. Being able to teleport was the only way out and within a second, they were back in the living room. He gently flipped her over off his back and onto the couch, almost as if she was a rag doll.
[#cc00cc “So, that was fun?”] He laughed quietly to himself amused by his dark humour. Maybe she would start to trust him a little or at least accept the fact that she is no longer safe alone among the living. The pill didn’t seem easy to swallow but she needed to shove it down, nonetheless.

[#cc00cc “Anyway, the floaters know there’s a half dead soul running around and more will be here if we don’t get a move on. I thought we would have more time to work out a plan but…afraid not.”] He folded his arms and looked down at her on the couch, unable to read her expression. She was radiating fear and anxiety, but the confusion masked upon her face made him feel like they were back to square one.
[#cc00cc “You don’t feel funny yet by the way? Jesus, you’re half dead, woman!” ]

It was pointless to discuss the details, they just needed to go so he could show her. So far, she hadn’t screamed or fainted so the prospects of her doing well in her new home were looking up. Grown men had screamed like children in the presence of a floater; but he was pleasantly surprised that she hadn’t. He turned on his heel and made a dash for the stairs eager to get his things together.

Kyrie was swept off of her feet, quite literally as they ran and she frowned and tried to start some sort of protest but it was starkly evident that he wasn't listening as they made their way home. She might have screamed or shouted, if she hadn't been in so much shock and trying to save face and appear brave but her heart was hammering in her chest. She clambered down from Rykier and stared at him. Okay, this was real then. She would have woken up by now in a cold sweat if this was some sort of nightmare. She was very much awake and this was very much her reality. She gazed at him with soft eyes, an ongoing storm lurking behind the depths.

[+blue "I don't... That thing..."] Rykier was already leaving to pack and Kyrie wasn't even sure what she was supposed to pack. Were they disappearing from civilisation or were they going to just... Wander off into the sunset and hope these things would just stop chasing them?

Kyrie moved towards her room and eyed a newly empty bag, starting to stuff in her things. Some clothes, some bottled water... What was she supposed to take exactly? Her phone and keys went along with her things and she sighed out quietly. The duffle bag had a cute pattern of flowers on it, something that seemed a little too bright given everything going on right then but she didn't want to change it up.
[+blue "I'm not sure if I packed the right stuff."] There were some notes shoved into the bag too, tucked at the bottom for safekeeping. It wasn't a lot and she figured Rykier was the demon creature, he would have money right? She had given him most of her cash since yesterday for the deposit and rent. This was insane.

[+blue "Sorry- Where are we going?"] The adrenaline was starting to wear off and the shock was beginning to lay claim to her slowly. It was terrifying, like something pulled directly from a horror film and yanked into reality. This wasn't right, she wanted to run. She wanted to hide and she wanted to turn back the clock so she never signed that stupid contract. She should have walked away and she watched him for a moment. What was stopping her right then? She could walk away, take her chances and maybe hope he would find some other poor unsuspecting idiot to take a soul from and he would give hers back.

Yeah, right.

Rykier fumbled over a stack of books and cursed to himself as he made his way to the desk in the corner of his room. It was a similar desk to the one he owned before the fire except it wasn’t made by his father. Nothing in the room was the same as before, only a replica. He wondered if Satan had tried to make it look similar as a welcoming present. He had been promised that his things would be transported from hell, but would they really be in the same spot that he would have chosen?

He pulled open the bottom drawer and gasped, grabbing a belt of weapons from the bottom. Poison tipped daggers, vials of unknown liquid, knives, and other miscellaneous items. He strapped it around himself and pulled his jacket over for disguise. Anything mundane he needed, could easily be bought along the way. He had plenty of money for disposal, and after university, money was going to be endless for him. Everything he ever wanted to do was finally becoming a reality, he could taste it.

He turned around after hearing Kyrie and slammed the drawer shut.
[#ff00ff “Just anything you can carry and want with you in hell.” ]
Satan would provide her with the essentials, he knew that much. Not many things from the living world would prove use to her anyway. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a tiny plastic gun and tossed it to her.
[#ff00ff “Aim and point this when you’re in danger and I can’t help you. A special net will release and create a shield around you.”]
He wasn’t sure how dangerous it would be but more than likely they would meet an enemy at every corner that wanted to take his prize.

Part of him still felt slightly guilty for everything but the idea that she might enjoy hell was also a possibility. She was a pretty woman, one that would be praised for her looks and used beyond comprehension.
[#ff00ff “We’re going to hell, clearly. Don’t tell me you haven’t been listening again?” ]
His patience with the girl was thin but he couldn’t show it. Rykier let out a yawn and walked past Kyrie out of the room, motioning her to follow. He had everything he needed to leave, and the sooner they did, the better.

To Hell, they were going to Hell. Right, that was completely normal. She stared at Rykier for a few moments, utterly bewildered as she looked to the plastic gun he had handed her. Why did she need that? Wasn't ol' Lucifer good friends with Rykier, he surely didn't want any harm coming to his soul donator? She just nodded numbly.
[+blue "Hey could we-"] Wait a moment. Evidently not as he brushed out of the room and she figured he was more accustomed to this lifestyle than she was and she was so confused, and absolutely terrified.

Kyrie sucked in a breath and fixed her bag before following Rykier,
[+blue "Sorry- I'm sorry, this is all really new to me, I'm a little slow."] She murmured. She figured it must have been frustrating for him, he knew everything there was to know about this entire situation but she was so lost, so confused and surely he could appreciate she was completely frightened stiff of the situation at hand. Her pale eyes followed Rykier for a moment as she just focused on keeping up with him and not falling behind. The last thing she wanted to do was piss him off right then and frustrate him.

[+blue "Rykier."] She said and tugged his arm to try and gain his attention, couldn't he see how afraid she was? She just wanted to have a normal life, be a vet and look after animals and take care of those around her. She was far too innocent for all of this.
[+blue "I don't think I want to go to Hell."] It sounded so small, so tiny and the fear in her voice caught in her throat.

She wanted to apologise and she knew there was no getting around it right then, she had to go. She had dropped herself in this mess and the only way she would figure it out was with Rykier and he knew what he was doing more than she did. She had to trust him, despite only knowing him for a scant few days. In those days, she had given him half of her soul, slept with him and escaped a monstrosity. At least they had-had pancakes this morning, that was nice. She swallowed slightly and just gave him an apologetic glance before figuring that maybe next time they made plans, she could be in charge of them and it would be relaxing.

He could feel a tug at his heartstrings as she spoke. Her voice was so soft, so innocent, so pure. He wasn’t quite sure how to not feel a tinge of guilt by the way she looked at him. She didn’t know any of this. She had no idea about a world of death such as the one he was forcing her into. The harsh reality of what he was doing was hitting him, and they hadn’t even left the house. Could he really go through with this? He gritted his teeth and tried to swallow away the nagging feeling.

Rykier turned around to face her and tried to ease his expression. Maybe in a different world perhaps they would have been friends, or lovers. Unfortunately, they met at the wrong place and at the wrong time.
[#ff00ff “Let’s not call it hell. Will that help?” ]He cocked his head trying to think of something better ‘on the fly’.
[#ff00ff “How about…Super Awesome Fun Land?”]
He knew it was stupid before he said it but hopefully, she would crack a smile from it. Her mood was beginning to weigh on his conscious and he needed to do something for her.
[#ff00ff “I know this is a lot to take in for anyone. I don’t expect you to understand everything all at once. I know I can come off a bit…alpha…so just bring me back to earth sometimes, yeah?” ]

He sighed heavily and tried to keep a warm smile planted on his lying face. He wasn’t talking to a twelve-year-old girl, it was a woman. A beautiful simple woman who probably felt like she had been murdered the day before. Rykier reached his hands around and clasped them together making a noise. [i No more guilty thoughts, Rykier…] They didn’t have time for a pity party as much as he wanted to have one for her.
[#ff00ff “Everything you have is great, and anything you need will be provided, alright?” ]
He gave her one last look of reassurance and unlinked his hands, giving one to her. He had an idea that they would visit a ‘priest’ and try to peel some information away that way about the entrance. It wasn’t the best idea considering he was still half a demon and the likelihood of him burning upon entry was high. Yet, it was the only one he had. Satan didn’t give him a detailed map of everything. It was worse than searching for a needle in a haystack.

Kyrie wasn't sure why he was being so nice to her bow. She just nodded though, maybe calling it something different would really help her in this. She stared at him for a while, it was the best idea for overcoming this situation and she had to agree. He needed pulled back to Earth. Obviously he had been a big deal in Hell, he must have been for Satan to trust him and she just nodded again. She felt like she was coming unhinged by all of this, like she was going insane and getting wrapped up in her own thoughts. She was terrified and confused and miserable.
[+blue "Right- Yeah, thanks."] She said, everything she needed would be provided, he said and she sighed out. It was probably too much to ask for her soul if everything was going to be provided.

[+blue "Will it hurt?"] She asked and looked to his outstretched hand. She figured it was better not to know and she reached out and took his hand, holding it tightly as there was a pulling sensation again and she squeezed her eyes shut. She felt like she was floating but being pulled along at the same time and it was sickening. She opened her eyes when they stopped to see a greying building. This was Hell? It wasn't fire and brimstone and screaming though, it was nothing like how people said. It looked almost boring and dull. She tilted her head and looked to Rykier once she had her bearings. She stuck close to him, trying to mask her trembling.

[+blue "Are we going to see him?"]  She asked, meaning of course, Satan himself. She figured he wasn't going to be some red skinned, horned beast. She watched Rykier for a moment and was still clutching his hand tightly. She swallowed her fears and knew that she couldn't appear scared and small here but she  older help it. She was vulnerable and scared and she didn't know how to act or how to speak.
[+blue "Please don't leave me."] She said quietly to him, a silent plea for him to not abandon her in this place, just in case. She hadn't forgotten the Floater from earlier, it was burned onto her memory.

This place was so odd. It was almost pretty, in a sense. It was quiet and sure  it felt warm but it judt looked like an abandoned street right then. Maybe this was a facade, Rykier might have brought her somewhere nicer looking so she wasn't horrified at first glance. Wishful thinking, she supposed and she could see things out of the corner of her eyes.

Demons drew closer  whispering to one another and eyeing the girl with a hunger in their eyes and Kyrie drew closer to Rykier. She didn't want these demons to get their claws into her and she watched them as they kept their distance but watched on with a starving stare.

It was hard for him to grasp just how naïve she really was to his world. He knew she was but hearing her ask ‘If this is hell?’ took the cake. Was she not listening at all or just so shocked that comprehension wasn’t coming as immediate as he needed? If he knew how to get to hell he wouldn’t have even bothered to go back home and collect things. Rykier sighed out to himself and looked up at the greying building ignoring the eyes focused on his prey. They were no threat to them once they entered the building.

[#ff00ff “No silly, this is a church.” ]
He stepped up on the concrete steps, with Kyrie close behind and held his breath as he grasped the golden handle and walked in. It was a strange feeling but since he was technically half a human, he wasn’t smoking. He gave his hands a rough look over and checked his clothing for irregularities before taking a stroll down the middle aisle of the auditorium. Even when he was a little boy, he hated churches. It was full of desperate people who blindly followed crooks. The only thing that set this particular church apart, is that it had deals with the devil himself.

[#996633 “Ah, Rykier! I had a hunch you were coming.” ]
An elder man dressed in a red robe walked out from a door on the side holding a mug with a picture of ‘Elmo’ from Sesame Street on it. He flashed them a toothless smile and outstretched his arms, excited for the company.
[#996633 “And who is this pretty little thing?” ]
Rykier ushered Kyrie behind him, protectively. He didn’t sense danger, but he also didn’t want anyone poking around at his prize. They could make their own deals If they wanted one.

[#ff00ff “How have you been Alekar? Haven’t seen you in what? Thirty-five years or so?”]
[#996633 “I imagine it’s been that long, my friend.”]
[#ff00ff “This is Kyrie, she is actually why I am here.”]
He swallowed loudly and took a few steps forward wanting to crush the gap.
[#ff00ff “I need to know if you have any maps.”]
[#996633 “Let’s say I do have some maps. What would be in it for me, my boy”]
Alekar crossed his arms and looked over Rykier’s shoulder at Kyrie curiously.

[#ff00ff “What do you want? The girl isn’t for sale.”]
[#996633 “A few years ago, a floater got in. I don’t know how it happened, but they stole a very important book from me. If you can get me my book back, I will give you access to my maps.” ]
The deal seemed simple enough except for the fact that the floater could be anywhere. The likelihood that it had remained in the area was slim. Rykier pondered to himself for a moment before extending his hand out.
[#ff00ff “Deal. But I need details. I need every single piece of information you have on this floater in order for me to get your book.” ]

Alekar grabbed Rykier’s hand and shook it firmly, sealing the deal.
[#996633 “They are in the area actually, not too far from here. I have a tracking mechanism on my book, and it pinpoints their exact location.” ]
He dropped his hand and fumbled in his pockets before pulling out a note with some coordinates on it.
[#996633 “I’ll be seeing you soon then.” ]
He gave a wink to Kyrie and handed the note to Rykier.

Kyrie felt remarkably stupid actually, a church. A demon, walking into a church. She didn't quite understand and she sighed out. He seemed unaffected and Kyrie stuck close to him, eyeing the man in the robe who came out. She watched them converse and took a step behind Rykier, warily. She didn't feel safe and she watched the two. How dangerous could a church be? Then again, this didn't seem like a holy place and she raised an eyebrow and kept quiet, judt offering up an awkward smile to the man when he handed over coordinates. Rykier wasnt serious, they weren't going after that thing, surely? She felt a little itchy in the church but it wasn't uncomfortable, it was just a little bothersome and she eyed Rykier over.
[+blue "Are we going after it?"] She asked quietly once they were out of earshot.

That was a stupid question, of course they were going after it. She sighed out a little and eyed the street over. She wasn't sure what to do or how they were going to do this. She didn't have the experience Rykier did. He could have just left her at home, she would have locked the doors and everything. She followed him to the coordinates and did what she was told, keeping wary. Then the smell hit her, that familiar smell and she recoiled slightly. The Floater was close and she coughed slightly to try and clear the smell.

[+blue "Ugh, that smell."] She whispered and the thing came lumbering out of a decaying building. It snarled and Kyrie looked to Rykier,
[+blue "Tell me you have a plan."] She commented to Rykier and the thing was quickly advancing. Kyrie wasn't good at much and she thought for a whole, looking around and spotting a jagged piece of metal, scooping it up and drawing in a breath. Demons, floaters... Apparently she was in high demand and she could use it to her advantage. 
[+blue "Please have a plan."] She said to Rykier before digging the metal into her palm and hot blood came dripping out and onto the ground. Kyrie balled her hand into a fist and dropped the piece of metal as the Floater made a bee-line straight for her. Kyrie hadn't thought that far ahead and she bolted, she was limber enough to get up onto some garbage cans and she didn't look behind her.
[+blue "Anytime now, Rykier."] She called.

The Floater had caught up, grabbing her and bowling her over onto the hard ground. Kyrie was breathing hard, she couldn't shake the smell and she was doing her best not to wretch. It was awful and she stared at the creature, her voice caught in her throat and she immediately regretted everything. Long claws were digging into her skin, they hadn't pierced yet but it wouldn't be long and she squeezed her eyes shut, she didn't want to do this. She wanted to be helping the animals at work, her life flashing in front of her face. The night she and Rykier had spent together, the masquerade, the times she had pulled all nighters with pizza just to get through being on call.
[+blue "Please."] She just wanted it to be quick.

Rykier kept a fairly fast stride as he eagerly followed the coordinates. This was his first ample opportunity to get some information, and he needed it as soon as possible to ease his growing anxiety about the situation. It wasn’t like he couldn’t handle whatever was in his way. His nose curled as a pungent scent grazed over them and he winced knowing they were in the right spot. All floaters emanated a putrid stench of death, and it was nauseating, worse than the inner-city sewer systems.
[#ff00ff “Kyrie, don’t move. I got this.” ]

He didn’t want her getting involved or hurt since she was no match. She had told him herself that she was scared shitless practically about the whole thing. Before he could do anything, Kyrie was in motion. She obviously had some sort of hearing condition, or she just enjoyed making him sweat. Either way, he didn’t have a plan to fix either of her actions.
[#ff00ff “God dammit I said don’t move!” ]

Rykier let out a yawn and pulled out a tiny blade from his pocket. He clutched it tightly in his fist and instantly appeared behind the floater. It was as if time no longer existed as he moved, flashing in and out like a light. His years in the forsaken kingdom hardened him and he gained immense knowledge about the weapons and their exact uses when pertaining to a specific entity. Before giving it a second thought, he jammed the blade into the side of the floater and pulled it out furiously. Black smoke began to funnel out and the floater dropped Kyrie and began to shake.

It howled out and jerked its body trying to figure out what had happened. Rykier flashed forward again, standing over Kyrie but careful not to step on her. He could sense the fear in her as she lay helplessly in a haze of life and death.
[#ff00ff “If you want to live, I need a book you stole from a friend of mine.” ]
His voice was stern as he grabbed its thick rubbery skin and pressed the blade to it, ready to strike if necessary.
The floater shrieked, still pouring black smoke from its backside that began to thicken the area in a fog.
[#993333 “I….my pocket…”]

Rykier didn’t think it would be that easy, but maybe the poison he had dipped the blade in was working. The floater began to coil, gasping to catch its breath. Without wanting to waste a minute he kept his eyes focused and began to rummage around in the creatures’ pockets. Feeling a hard substance, he grasped it tightly and pulled it out.
[#ff00ff “Well, thank you. I know I said I wouldn’t kill you if you gave me what I wanted but…You also tried to eat my own personal human, and I can’t really forgive you for that.”]
He gave the floater a smile and jammed the blade into its chest, giving it a sharp twist before yanking it out.

The screams echoed throughout the area and the floater fell to the ground, smoking like a fire.
[#993333 “Don’t trust…..everything....you...see...don't...trus..”]
[#ff00ff “What?” ]
Rykier bent down to the ground, frankly curious about the nonsense it was spewing.
[#993333 “Alekar.” ]
As soon as the words left its mouth, it was gone. It was as if he never existed, banned from anything but [i nothing.] The words didn’t have time to process within him because he needed to get to Kyrie.

[#ff00ff “Kyrie!”]
Panic began to mix with his adrenaline as he turned his attention to her, still clutching the book. He didn’t know how badly the floater had gotten her, but he could smell blood. And if he could smell it, others surely could too.

Kyrie figured it had been a stupid idea, frankly she just wanted to feel helpful and not stupid and useless beside Rykier in all of this. She watched from where she was on the ground, pushing herself to sit up, her heart hammering in her chest like a drum. She stared as Rykier appeared over in a flash, like it was some sort of shift in reality and she squinted. She didn't even seem to realise her shoulder where the Floater's claws had dug in were seeping blood. Rykier was ruthless, completely ruthless as he took the Floater's existence with a knife through the chest. It spoke a warning and Kyrie was just glad it was gone.

[+blue "Sorry."] She managed, [+blue "Wanted to help."] She muttered as she finally moved and bit back a cry of pain at her shoulder. She inspected it and sighed out, yeah, it had been a stupid idea. They weren't deep particular, or large but it was sore. The shirt she was wearing was ruined, shame, she liked that shirt too.
[+blue "I won't do it again, just- Save the lecture."] She mumbled as she tried to stand up, cradling her shoulder and she figured she could inspect the damage when they were home, or somewhere safe. She didn't even know if there was somewhere safe anymore. Where would they go? She sucked in a breath and eyed the book.

The Floater said Alekar. She eyed the book and looked to Rykier, he had been incredibly brave and wonderful during the fight, she hadn't expected to see him like that. He looked like a pretty boy but during the fight he had been tough, he had been ruthless and Kyrie was ashamed for thinking he had been rather attractive in it all. It wasn't as though she was about to act on it, not in the given situation. They had to give the book back to the corrupt Priest and she found her footing, she didn't imagine it was dangerous with blood seeping from the shallow wounds on her shoulder. This was awful, like something plucked straight from a film or book.

[+blue "He said Alekar, why'd he do that? Corrupt priest, doesn't seem very trustworthy for anyone."] She said to him, then again surely Rykier wasn't stupid enough to think that trusting the priest that had betrayed his own God was a good idea but then again, no man was that attractive, tough and smart. He had to be lacking in one department.

He couldn’t remember being as stupid when he was a human. Though the years have changed, and things were increasingly different. Rykier let out a sigh and grabbed her towards him in order to inspect the cut. It was a relief that it wasn’t too deep, but it would still take a few days’ time to heal up completely. If the floater really wanted to kill her, he would have. He felt almost like it was holding back for something, possibly the last words spoken. But why would he want to help them?
[#ff0066 “I won’t lecture you, I’m just glad you’re alright. I think you realize the mistakes you made already.” ]
He gave her a nod and a lighthearted smile. Part of him wanted to pick her up and nurse her back to health and the other part wanted to rejoice in the kill and get the coveted maps. She really was pretty, sweet, an =d just damned by the entire situation as a whole.

He took the book from her and brought himself to his feet. His fingers peeled it open curiously and he began to flip through the old pages. It was encrypted with some sort of code, and he couldn’t make out anything by the pictures sadly enough. It just looked like some complicated useless rambling.
[#ff0066 “Well the priest is tied to Satan…and I trust Satan. I don’t think we should stray from the mission because some floater told us he’s bad.”]
A small laugh erupted from his throat as he helped Kyrie to her feet being mindful of her injured shoulder.
[#ff0066 “Technically, I’m a bad guy.” ]

He wasn’t anything good at least. Even if he wanted to do good and make things right, he couldn’t. He made a deal and disrupted someone else’s life at the cost of a fresh anew. It was selfish, and he deserved the small nagging at his heart for it. Part of him felt like Kyrie was only pretending to see him as something like a protector and not as a monster. If he was in her shoes, he would loathe her. Try to kill her in her sleep, even.

Rykier sighed out loudly and tucked the book into his deep pockets. Honestly, he didn’t know the first thing about Alekar’s intentions but if he didn’t trust him, what other plan did they have? It didn’t exist.
[#ff0066 “Let’s go back. Please…stay behind me…please.” ]

Something inside told him she wouldn’t listen.

Kyrie was grateful that she didn't get a lecture from him. She had avoided that much and she just gave himna nod as he helped her up and she handed over the book. She couldn't make heads nor tails from it  but figured Rykier knew what he was doing. She grumbled slightly and plucked at her shirt, the blood was making it stuck to her skin and it was going to hurt getting it off later. That was a problem for the future and she sighed softly,
[+blue "Okay, twisted priest it is."] She grumbled slightly. She figured this wasn't going to end well, then again they were fighting literal dead spirits and demons. Rykier was right. He qas the bad guy. That was a sobering thought and Kyrie figured a demon couldn't be the hero, or the good guy.

Kyrie ambled back, Rykier sounded desperate about her keeping behind him and she just nodded. She couldn't take another beating either right then, she had to play it safe and she didn't want to go to Hell because she got stubborn and brave.
[+blue "You're the boss."] She remarked as she followed him and glanced over the church as they entered and the priest from earlier gave them a warm smile and practically leered at the book Rykier was holding.
[b "Oh, I knew you were the one for the job! Oh, now look at you, poor dear."] He turned to Kyrie and eyed her shoulder.

[b "Perhaps you want to stay the night, or at least let me get you  oth a room at rhe nearest hotel so that little darling can recover."] Alkemar said and Kyrie stayed behind Rykier, wary of the situation. Then again they needed his help and that was why they had bothered with the tattered old book full of secret messages in the first place. She didn't like this, everything seemed off and it was probably because she was half dead technically and in a church which was probably not good for her given the situation. She wasn't sure about his offer but somewhere to recover and lay down.
[+blue "I can get us a place... I think."] Kyrie said in a small voice.

Rykier swallowed hard as they entered and put his hand over his pocket where the book was. His fingers grasped it tightly and he pulled it out ready to make a deal.
[#ff0066 “No need for that. We can take care of our own stay.” ]
He gave a reassuring glance to Kyrie and looked back up at Alekar, keeping a small distance. Something was off in the air, but he couldn’t pinpoint what it was.
[b “Let’s do that tomorrow! Why not celebrate the victory and rest Rykier? It’s been so terribly long and your girlfriend over there looks dreadful.” ]
Alekar kept his gaze on Kyrie, fascinated and curious about her.

Rykier shook his head adamant on getting the maps and leaving. The last place he wanted to hang around was in a church. He was the boss, Kyrie said it herself.
[#ff0066 “If you’re no longer interested in your book we can leave. I’m sure you don’t have the only maps in existence.” ]
His patience was wearing thin, and he didn’t have time to play these run around games with the priest.
[b “Now Now Rykier, don’t go jumping to conclusions. I am only thinking of your girlfriend. She looks a bit beat up; don’t you care about her well-being at all?” ]
[#ff0066 “Alright, were leaving.”]
[b “Rykier. Give me the book.”]

Rykier paused for a moment, debating on the outlet he should take. His hand gripped the book tightly and he moved in front of Kyrie. They could get out of there and find a place to sleep and rest. They just needed the damn deal to go through.
[#ff0066 “Maps, my friend.”]
Alekar stuck his hand in his crimson robe and pulled out a tight stack of papers. They were bound together with a bit of twine. He held them out for Rykier and Rykier tossed him the book in the exchange.

[b “Now before you go, I must tell you one tiny detail I may have missed before.” ]
Alekar smiled evilly at the two and clutched his book tightly.
[b “The maps you are searching for were also stolen from me. Those are just random invoices from the government in order to avoid the pesky taxes.”]
He gave them a wink and disappeared into dust.

Kyrie watched the exchange and she shrank back a little. This guy was playing a game and she didn't like where this was going. She didn't want to stay anywhere near this guy but she did want rest and a little time to clean up. She must have looked horrific and she wanted to offer uo some sort of argument but Rykier had it covered as he received the maps. Kyrie breathed out in relief but then it all shifted. Alkemar turned to dust and left Rykier holding some invoices. She couldn't believe it, all of that for nothing, all of that exhaustion and the injury for nothing. She looked to Rykier,
[+blue "I guess that wasn't supposed to happen."] Kyrie said flatly and ran a hand through her hair. Well, that was a problem, a bit of a spanner in the works and she rifled around for her phone in her bag.

She drew it out and withba few clicks, they were booked into a motel nearby.
[+blue "I figure home isn't safe, the motel down the road. I got us a room, I need to clean up at least."] She said to Rykier and started off. This was getting weird, she needed space to breathe as she headed off down the street towards the motel. It looked run down, not the brightest of places but it had hot water and a bed. She checked in and eyed the key in her hands, fumbling with the lock.
[+blue "Now what do we do?"] She asked Rykier and sat on the bed, pulling her shirt off, cringing as the fabric stuck in places the blood had dried.

The injuries weren't bad and she would live. They were pretty nasty to look at but the blood had stopped and she sat in her bra and jeans, eyeing over the state.
[+blue "That's not going to be pretty."] She groaned a little and got up, wetting a cloth with some warm water and started dabbing at rhe injuries. They stung the moment the water seeped in and she groaned a little. She bit down on her lip and muttered in annoyance. She should have done what he said.

He stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds before coming back to reality. He couldn’t believe he was tricked that easily. How could he have not seen that coming? Of course the task was too easy. He felt foolish as he cursed under his breath and threw the papers onto the floor. Now they had nothing. Back to square one and Kyrie had an injury. As his tantrum subsided, he nodded at Kyrie and let her do her thing for a room. At this point he just wanted to clear his head and formulate what to do next regarding a plan.

The hotel was nothing special, but he had lived in the underworld. It wasn’t like he expected anything fancy. As he entered the room, he let Kyrie do her thing and took a seat on the bed. He wanted to go over everything he knew and think hard about where another map could be. Or where the priest had gone. If he saw him again, he’d kill him. Satan would surely understand the circumstances and couldn’t fault him for it. Afterall he was betrayed.

[#ff0066 “Rest up. I don’t know where we are headed tomorrow but were going somewhere. Maybe we can lure out some floaters and peel away some information about Alekar’s whereabouts. We have to do something.” ]
He was angry, and frustrated and didn’t want Kyrie to see it. She was probably happy that they were in an enclosed area and blocked from things that could hurt her. Maybe it wasn’t the worst thing to let her breathe and relax for one night. He could at least give her that. As he looked up at her he noticed her lack of clothing and flushed a little caught off guard. He had seen her completely bare before, but it was a different state of mind. It was before he had gotten to know her vulnerable side.

[#ff0066 “You can have the bed, I would rather you sleep comfortably so you can be well for the morning.” ]
He also just wanted her to feel relaxed. She was on a journey with some strange demon and she didn’t have a choice in the matter.

Kyrie hissed out between gritted teeth as she soaked the injury. It would be fine and she looked over to Rykier as he spoke. Alekar and his whereabouts, yeah they had to find him but pulling out Floaters seemed like a terrible idea and she sighed out a little. She figured it was the best they could do and she shook her head,
[+blue "It's fine, I can sleep sitting up. I've pulled shifts at the vet before."] She said to him with a small smile as she rifled through the duffel bag she had brought. She pulled out a tye-dye shirt and pulled it on, cringing slightly as her injury tugged. She eyed Rykier for a moment, he was a demon, she doubted her cared about bare skin and they had already slept together in a rush of the moment. A mistake, probably.

Kyrie sat on the bed after taking a moment to breathe and eyed him over.
[+blue "Why did you want a second chance?"] She asked him, [+blue "I mean, at this. It's not all fun and games you know and you talk about Hell like it's home and how great friends you are with the Big Guy..."] She mumbled as she eyed the room. A television set that she doubted worked, a worn out radio and some drawers and a wardrobe, nothing fancy and Kyrie figured it didn't have to be.
[+blue "We can share, no funny business though. Besides, my shoulder is in agony."] She excused as she shifted to lay down and turned to face the wall. The bed was big enough and she was in no fit state to try anything nor did she want to, so she told herself. She shifted slightly and she really did wonder why he wanted another shot at this life thing, it was just working and wages and bills and if you were lucky you got a slither of happiness with someone who meshed perfectly. It was an existence but Kyrie always wanted to make it better. She had given to charities, helped those in need and spent her life working to make everything easier for animals.

Maybe she ought have been wilder, she might not have fallen into his trap so easily then. She pulled the blanket over herself and listened for Rykier's answer. Why had he bothered to come back, she wasn't sure it was worth it for him but maybe he had something else planned, if he did this for old Satan maybe he got a mansion and a car and a flash and lavish lifestyle.

Rykier didn’t bother to wash himself up or change his clothes before throwing his body onto the bed. After all, he did receive an open invitation to do it. He just wanted to rest up and become one with his thoughts. They had such a long way to go and no direction whatsoever. The task seemed impossible, but he was determined to complete his deal with the devil. It didn’t matter if they spent the next sixty years searching for the entrance, he would drag her along selfishly to finally have his second chance.

He moved slightly and threw the covers off his side towards her. His own body could regulate the temperature, and her’s could too. Kyrie would soon realize some mundane thing’s would be increasingly stranger to her in the coming weeks. Hopefully she will embrace the changes and ease his guilt about stealing her humanity. The feeling wouldn’t stop picking at his core. Satan never warned him about all the feelings that would flood back in, though did he know? Rykier knew the deal had been made before with other’s-but the ending was never as successful as the intended outcome.

He shifted slightly and turned his head towards Kyrie wanting to ease her curiosity until she withered off to bed. She deserved to know whatever she wanted to know. It wasn’t his place to keep thing’s from her. Though he could sprinkle a little sugar on the truth.
[#ff3399 “Doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance?” ]
He tilted his head slightly for the effect even though she wasn’t looking at him.
[#ff3399 “Hell is a great place if you know what you’re doing. If you get caught up in a lower level, you have nothing but bullshit to live with. Luckily, you will be gifted to Satan. Your life will be wondrous, and you will live forever. Isn’t that amazing? You can’t ever die?”]

He wanted the words to come out with a hinge of excitement, but it was hard to fake. Being alive every single day was agonizing. It was the same thing, day in and day out. Most people would be begging to be permanently erased. At one point, he was begging to be nonexistent until he finally was able to drag his case on long enough to be heard.
[#ff3399 “I wanted to leave because I am envious of the life, I never got to fully live. I thought it would go away over the years, but it never stopped. I would have vivid dreams of being a boy and buying a snack from a market on the street. Just dumb little memories that were engraved in my brain and never let me accept my fate.” ]

He shut his eyes and laid back on the pillow, with his arms folded over his chest.
[#ff3399 “Be good to Satan, he will make a deal for you too”]

Kyrie supposed he had a real point, immortality wasn't a small thing to shy away from. The chance to live an actual life, but then why did Rykier want his life back so much if he had been so happy down there. He did deserve a second chance, he had died young from what she could gather and given he hadn't really moved on from it, she figured it had been quick. She smiled slightly and turned over to face him when he spoke about his memories and dreams of doing such simplistic things. She wasn't keen on being a gift to Lucipher either but she supposed the choice was no longer hers and she wondered if it was what Rykier had intended from the moment he laid eyes upon her, to sell her off as a bargaining chip to someone else.

[+blue "For what it's worth, Rykier, I do think you deserve a second chance."] She murmured to him softly, offering up a kind and patient smile towards him. She wasn't sure she wanted a deal with Satan, not at the cost of another and she figured it was another situation she would need to make the best of right then. She felt too warm with the blanket on and kicked it off her after a while before curling up and although she was trying to stay awake, she couldn't. She was exhausted, the adrenaline had worn off and she had a warm body beside her and a bed. It didn't matter if it was the Ritz or a seedy motel by a highway, she was comfortable. That was the most confusing part of it all, she felt comfortable with him. They sort of shared a soul so it made sense, in a way.

Kyrie fell asleep without even trying and she opened her eyes in the morning, the sun was just rising and she squinted in the dim light, rubbing her eyes. She pushed herself to sit up. Had they slept in? She checked the time and groaned a little, she was awake now and they had work to do and she could either pout the entire time and make it difficult or she could throw herself into it and try to make it as good as she could. She tied her hair up and snuck out of the room, making her way down and towards a diner down the street. Some breakfast burritos, a couple of coffees and she figured it was better than nothing for either of them.

She ducked back into the room and set down the food, looking to Rykier,
[+blue "I got us breakfast. I hope you like it. I prefer cooking but hey, no kitchen."] She said with a small smile. She would do the best she could, she had to for both of their sakes and for all of Rykier's faults, he was also charming and had a good heart, even if it was blackened by Hell itself.

Her words were too kind. He held onto them as he drifted off to sleep. It was surprisingly easy for him to knock out and he was pleasantly surprised when he awoke to the smell of breakfast. It wasn’t pancakes, though still the thought was sweet. He gave her a rejuvenated smile and grabbed a burrito eagerly. He had seen them before but never had the chance to taste one.
[#cc00cc “Thanks, eat up and then we got to get moving.” ]
He bit into the burrito and his mouth immediately watered. It was almost as good as the pancakes he had eaten. Before he could contain himself, he shoved half of it into his mouth like a glutinous fiend. Within the minute, the entire thing was devoured. He wiped the corners of his mouth off with the collar of his shirt and waited for his comrade to ‘eat up’.

Unfortunately, he had drifted off to sleep much too quickly to gather his thoughts. They were sprawled out across his brain unsure of which direction to take. He wanted to pick at them, but the damn burrito was clouding his mind. He wanted another one, needed another one.
[#cc00cc “We can grab a couple more of these on the way out, yeah?” ]
Rykier laughed at his own glutinous behavior and licked his fingers teasingly at Kyrie.
[#cc00cc “Sorry, I’m taking a liking to human food…”]

Flushed, he turned around quickly and waited patiently as Kyrie finished. They gathered their belongings and Rykier waited as Kyrie checked them out of the room before heading down the street. He wasn’t quite sure where they were since his geography was lacking but he figured it wasn’t the most popular destination. Every building looked like it desperately needed a makeover, and the residents weren’t too far off.

Rykier scanned the area momentarily, trying to catch a scent of something. Nothing, except the scent of human filled the area. He couldn’t even catch a wiff of the floater from the night before. Annoyed, he turned around to face Kyrie, an idea sparking.
[#cc00cc “Give me your hand.” ]
She wasn’t going to like what he was about to do to her, but it was their best option. He grabbed her hand forcefully not wanting to give her the chance to back out and brought it up to his lips. He bit down hard, breaking the skin. Her scent would draw out an enemy, he was sure of that.

Kyrie picked at the burrito, she didn't quite have the same appetite as Rykier but then, she had never met anyone with an appetite like that and she watched him scoff the burrito like it was nothing.
[+blue "Wait until you try hamburgers or these cheesy bacon burgers."] She pointed out to him with a smile. It almost felt normal, like this whole conversation was just a normal couple of friends who had just skipped out for a night away and some bad food. She finished her burrito and then pulled on her sweater, she figured he knew what he was doing now. He seemed to have a plan at least and she willingly followed.

She stared at Rykier when he grabbed her hand and she tried to snatch it back but he had a good hold.
[+blue "Hey! What- OUCH!"] She cried when he bit into her palm. She cringed and tensed as he drew blood and when she had a moment, she snatched her hand back and glared at him.
[+blue "You could have asked! We could have just used a knife or something, you didn't have to bite me!"] She pointed out as she cradled her hand and figured she was complaining for no reason because the damage was done and she sighed out a little.
[+blue "That hurt, Rykier."] She frowned.

[b "Yessss, Rykier, that hurt the poor sssssoul."] Came a voice and Kyrie turned around to face the noise. There was a man, stood and watching them. She tilted her head and stepped back behind Rykier slightly. A demon, a rogue attracted to the smell of the human blood.
[b "Perhapsss, the little pretty would prefer to come with me? I would take ssssuch good care of her."] He turned his glowing red eyes to the woman and grinning a horrible, sharp toothed smile. Kyrie shook her head, she didn't want to go anywhere with this creature. His bones were almost poking through skin and although he looked like a regular man at first glance, the more she looked, the more she saw wrong.
[+blue "That's a demon."] She whispered, uglier than Rykier and Kyrie wasn't sure what she was expected to do.

[b "Ah, what a clever girl you are. Come, Rykier, hand her over... Let ssssomeone elsssse have ssssome fun."] It leered and stepped closer, flashing a terrible smile and an awful grin at the couple. It was only right that Rykier shared his pretty little thing and Kyrie clenched her fists to stem the blood from dripping out much more. Her shoulder still hurt, although she was so sure that it ought to be hurting more. A new found prowess of splitting her soul with a demon, she was mending much faster and she hadn't noticed yet. There was more to come though, this was no one off.
[+blue "Rykier."] She whispered quietly. Wherever she moved, the man's eyes stayed on her, leering at her and didn't even want to think of what it would do to her.

Rykier turned around quickly to face the demon a bit bewildered that it had been attracted so easily. He didn’t even think thirty seconds had passed before the creature had come from its depths. Why hadn’t he thought of biting Kyrie earlier? That was the smartest decision he had made all day. It couldn’t have been the most comfortable feeling for her, but she could deal.
[#cc00cc “You have millions upon millions upon millions…of souls and you want mine?”]
He planted his feet a few inches apart and stood firmly next to Kyrie, willing to protect his property at whatever cost. He wasn’t frightened in the least, he was just anxious about her staying [i put.] She tended to think before doing, it was one of the many things he was noticing about her.

The demon inched closer, barely hovering from the ground and kept its glowing eyes fixated on Kyrie. He breathed in a deep breath and exhaled a foul aroma into their direction.
“[b She would be so much more comfortable with me don’t you think? Niccccce and warm in the pitssss of my stomachhh.”]
The demon hissed out and lunged at Kyrie, claws forward. Rykier reacted quickly and maneuvered his body in between to deflect the blow. He grabbed the demon by its cloak and thrusted it upward, entangling himself. The harsh movement sent him flying on his backside, hitting the pavement with a bang. He felt like he broke a rib, but the adrenaline was flowing so intensely inside of him, he didn’t care. More than likely his body would repair itself before the pain would set in. The demon rolled on top of him and popped Rykier in the face trying to knock him senseless. His intentions weren’t for Satan’s puppy, he wanted the girl.

Cursing under his breath Rykier kicked the demon off him and to the right of Kyrie, hoping she would have enough sense to move. This was child’s play as far as he was concerned; the glutinous savages in hell did much worse.
[#cc00cc “Dammit man, I don’t want to have to kill you…I just want some information.” ]
“[b The girllll smelllllllss so so sweet, so so delicioussssss”]
Rykier rolled his eyes’, knowing force was the only way to tame such an ignorant beast. The brain power was extremely low, and quite frustrating. Without giving it a chance to stand up, he instantly appeared over the beast and placed his boot on its neck. He bent his knee to apply pressure and let out a light laugh as the demon screamed. Now, he could get an answer.

[#cc00cc “So, unless you want my blade in your side, I suggest you answer a couple questions.”]
He applied more pressure and stood over him mockingly almost forgetting that his companion was watching.
[#cc00cc “Where is Alekar?” ]
The demon struggled to breathe and choked a bit as the air wouldn’t come.
[b “I don’t knowww…”]
[#cc00cc “Yes you fucking do.”]
[b “I don’t…”]
[#cc00cc “So, you’re saying you want to die like your friend last night?”]
The demon swallowed hard and let out a gasp as its body clutched to life.
[b “He fled….”]
[#cc00cc “Where?”]
“[b To an underground puuuuuuuub in St. Martinssssss.”]
Rykier let his foot off the demon’s throat slightly and watched as it swallowed air ferociously.
[#cc00cc “Do you know why?”]

It seemed strange that he would just up and leave to an entirely different continent. Though it didn’t matter, the two of them could be there in seconds.
“[b He wants to open his own portal…”]
Rykier swallowed hard and looked over at Kyrie. He hadn’t imagined or even considered that you could make your own opening. Was that why he needed the book so badly? So that he could gain his own access? But why? Why would he want to go in and out of hell? The thoughts raced through his head, and he didn’t want to waste any time. If they could get to Alekar maybe they could help him with the portal. He had betrayed them once before, but the pickings were slim as far as [i help.]

Effortlessly he flicked a tiny knife out of his pocked and stuck it in the top of the demon’s head. He gave it a good twist and watched as the thick smoke poured his existence back into the shadows. Like the other floater, he had no mercy for the beasts. Anything that came for him or Kyrie would be met with wrath.
[#cc00cc “Ever been to Europe, Kyrie?”]
He asked curiously as he pulled the blade out.

Kyrie watched Rykier spring into action, like he was born to do this and she didn't quite know what to do with herself. She was in no position to fight a demon save for getting out of the way. It was making her stomach turn how it spoke to her, how it used a snake like voice to try and entice her. Would they really eat her? Would Rykier? She shuddered at rhe thought and ducked out if the way when the fight got too close and she watched the fight. Rykier was a marvel, how he carried himself and how he moved in conflict. He was deft and light on his feet and she moved forward when the other demon started to give up information on Alekar. She didn't get too close, blood still dripping onto the snow from her closed fist and she watched Rykier finish it with a swift blow with the knife through the skull. She cringed at the sound and eyed him over. Europe?

[+blue "No- I don't think so."] She said, her eyes still on where the once living demon had been and she shivered slightly as the ground seemed to suck up the shadows and smoke. She finally tore her gaze away and looked to Rykier.
[+blue "Are you hurt?"] She asked him, he would probably recover completely but it didn't stop a twinge of worry. She was out of her depth like this and she examined her palm. It was already starting to heal and she looked to Rykier warily, he had mentioned her being stronger, not needing to sleep or eat in order to live but she hadn't expected to be so fast healing. She wondered what else would come with this lovely 'gift' he had given her.

[+blue "I suppose we're going to a bar."] She mumbled, it seemed a little strange frankly but she didn't want to question it. It all seemed so normal, normal meeting places and she hadn't expected it. She had expected seedy alleyways and backstreet dumpsters, she was rather glad it wasn't. She wrapped her arms around herself and looked slightly self conscious, giving a half efforted smile,
[+blue "You do owe me a date."] She teased slightly and shrugged, hoping to alleviate the worries and fears. He didn't owe her a date, but he had stolen her soul and she had gotten him food a couple of times and a motel room so... maybe equalling things out wasn't a terrible idea.

[+blue "You're going to do that strange teleport thing aren't you?"] Kyrie grimaced slightly and stuck her hand out, preparing for the weird rushing feeling that accompanied his teleportation skills and she didn't think she would ever get used to it. It always made her feel queasy and a little done in. She could have used more sleep, honestly or maybe something to unwind after all of this adrenaline but it was unlikely.

[#cc00cc “I do owe you a date, but perhaps that can wait until we do my cool teleport thing?” ]
He winked at her flirtatiously and grasped her hand tightly. It was warm to the touch, and he held it as they danced through the rhythm of time and space. It seemed effortless to him as he imagined a place in which he had never been. A dimly lit little dingy pub with a winding staircase in the middle. For some reason he knew the middle step was missing. As the colors warped, he felt his body collide with the soft grass. In the midst, he had let go of Kyrie’s hand and panicked momentarily.

He felt her nudge his back behind him and let out a sigh of relief as he pulled himself up to his feet. He was met with a tiny building, just like the one in his mind, sitting upon a mass amount of what looked like, unused land.
[#cc00cc “So, I want to be honest with you before we go in this place.”]
He swallowed a little bit of air and turned to face his companion. If he kept things from her, it would only damage the trust they were building. It could also possibly get her killed.
[#cc00cc “I’m not really sure if this is the best idea, so I want you to follow my lead. Alekar already fucked us once, but maybe for good reason. I have a hunch that if we can manage to trick him, we can use his portal.”]

The plan surely wasn’t set in stone. He would take whatever Kyrie said into consideration. They were on a team, and teamwork was the [i only] option. If he forced her into a situation that made her [i too] uncomfortable then she might do something stupid. Before he met her, he didn’t care. Now, the feeling of empathy was smacking him in the face and trying to figure it out and not embrace it was one of the hardest things he ever had to do.
[#cc00cc “What do you think? I can surely protect you, but I can’t tell you what’s beyond those doors…” ]

It annoyed him because he wanted to know. He could only see the interior of the building on the way. He wished he could get into the minds of the people that inhabited the places he went to on a whim. He wished he inherited much greater abilities and wasn’t limited to thing’s that would only keep him guessing.
[#cc00cc “I promise we can have a nice dinner after, maybe some more burritos?”]
He gave her a long stare and awaited her answer. Surely, she wouldn’t have too much to think on.

Kyrie stared at the place they found themselves before now. She was about to walk right in but she stopped when Rykier explained that he wasn't sure what they were walking into. It could be a trap, an ambush even and Kyrie tilted her head. She wasn't sure whether she trusted him that much to protect her but they had gotten this far and it wasn't as though she could just abandon him, he had half her soul after all. She thought for a while about it, better to be quiet and let him do the talking and she nodded to him.
[+blue "Alright, but a nice place for dinner and I get to dress up for a change."] She said and laughed a little, only half joking because this entire ordeal was simply leaving her feeling dirty and pretty gross. Who knew chasing down demons could make someone feel so filthy?

Kyrie took hold of Rykier's hand for good measure, mostly because she was afraid she might just run away if this was something horrific behind the doors. She stepped inside with Rykier and coughed a little. The air was rife with smoke, cigarette smoke but also something distinctly more herbal and it was busy. It was loud even, laughter and cursing filled the air and she looked to Rykier. It seemed like a bog standard little pub but it was warm and she eyed around to see if she could catch a glimpse of Alekar, maybe this would be a lot easier if they could catch him first, take him unawares. No such luck but the snake was probably hiding. Kyrie didn't know much about Rykier but she figured it was a bad idea to cross him and bring his vengeance down.

Kyrie stuck close to Rykier, she didn't know what was in this bar. Everyone looks sort of human, but she didn't look for long enough. There were stares on them, leers almost and Kyrie pressed closer to Rykier, practically hugging his arm. Maybe this was a bad idea after all.
[+blue "Please don't tell me owe someone money."] She whispered to him, trying to make a joke in a tense situation. She was failing miserably and she figured it was best if she just shut up and didn't bring any attention to them. She didn't know what to expect in this place and she eyed the bartender.

[b "Ah, Rykier, fancy a drink?"] He bellowed and Kyrie raised an eyebrow, apparently Rykier was well known, sort of. That was a good thing.

Rykier eyed the place as they walked in, taking in the stale scent of cigarettes. He hadn’t spent too much time in any sort of pub and preferred more of an open space type deal. The crowded places made it difficult to breathe. He held onto Kyrie tightly as they walked on, nervous about the target that had suddenly been planted on her. He could feel the stares on their backs, sticking like glue and tried to keep a straight face. They both smelled like human, both unwelcome.

He tried not to crack a smile at her joke and ushered her to take a seat next to the familiar face.
[#cc00cc “No, I’m quite alright.”]
He paused a moment and set his hand on Kyrie’s lap.
[#cc00cc “Although can I ask you a question?”]
The bartender finished cleaning out a glass and threw his rag over his shoulder effortlessly. Rykier knew him from certain celebrations in hell where his presence would be much needed. Satan seemed to favor him and in turn gave him much sought-after privileges.
“[b Yeah of course.]
[#cc00cc “Do you know where we might find, Alekar?”]
“[b I see.”]
The bartender gave Rykier a funny look and peeked around the room to make sure no one was looking. He pointed his left index finger upward and moved away, onto the next guest.

Rykier watched as he walked away and waited a few minutes before getting up. He grabbed onto Kyrie’s hand and moved to the staircase in the middle of the room. [i Of course he’s up here, idiot. You should’ve avoided that guy and moved straight here.] The thought’s buzzed in his head as he hurried up them as fast as he could. As they got to the second floor, he turned around and saw some couches with a few men sitting in them. Among them was Alekar in the middle, a cheeky smile upon his face.

[#006600 “Oh, Rykier! I’m so glad you made it! Though I expected you a bit earlier, did you get lost?”]
Rykier crossed his arms, keeping a good distance from the group. The air seemed still, and he had a funny feeling.
[#cc00cc “No, we had burritos.”]
Alekar laughed a little and ushered himself over to stand by Kyrie. He reached his bony fingers out and touched her hair, admiring the softness.
[#006600 “I’m so glad you brought your girl.”]
[#cc00cc “Can I talk to you in private?”]
Rykier grabbed onto his arm, digging his nails in. He needed to be in a more comfortable situation, one where the odds weren’t so stacked against them. He also didn’t really appreciate the touch without permission.
[#006600 “Only if the girl can stay with my friends.”]
His lips curled and he licked them flirtatiously. The priest Rykier thought he knew was [i different].
[#006600 “Don’t worry, she is safe.”]

He didn’t like the deal, but he needed to take it. If anyone even laid a finger on her he would know. He would smell the first drop of blood that left her system. Feeling confident enough he gave Kyrie a light squeeze with his hand and wrapped his arm around Alekar. He knew he would have to act if he wanted anything.
[#cc00cc “Shall we then, old friend?” ]
And they were gone, leaving Kyrie to the stranger’s.