|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 10:58 pm
He had no idea what was going on, he could only feel what was happening... feel himself pried from the arms that he was earlier trying so desperately to be freed from. He felt the pressure on his throat, causing a vague choking sensation. But then his feet no longer touched the ground, and only for a few moments did his body fly through the air, and the somewhat pleasurable feeling of floating quickly dissolved into that of pain. He outright screamed as his body smashed through the glass doors, shards of glass lacerating the skin on his arms and back, but more dangerously leaving a wound on the back of his skull. His awareness was keen still, the pain acute and sharp, but then his head smashed against the floor, and his world went back.
Soah's body lay crumpled on the patio, a little pool of blood forming underneath his head, staining his golden curls red.
It wasn't what Merihem had expected - he had thought Astaroth was solely focused on the fight with Lucifuge. His dark eyes widened with surprise as Astaroth came between him and Soah, and he didn't have time to react before he felt a foot planted firmly against his chest, and a moment later he was kicked back away from his summoner, crashing in against Lucifuge's hands, wheezing a little from the loss of his breath. Naturally the first words out of his mouth were vehement, hateful curses, and he didn't need to be told once to go after Soah.
He steadied himself, and glancing briefly to Lucifuge, he hurried passed Astaroth, walking through the broken glass doors and onto the patio, kneeling down to observe the unconscious. "s**t, ******** hell Astaroth!" He growled softly underneath his throat, fingers reaching behind Soah's head to feel out the wound, and it made him grimace. Whatever had possessed the prince to attack Soah, with full intentions of killing him? Well, despite not giving a finishing blow, the damage was severe, and he was already gathering Soah into his arm, cradling the bleeding boy against his chest.
"He's hurt, bad. He needs help, and now. Neil, too."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:14 pm
The Prince would have laughed were she still in her bloody state of mind, but that had receeded, returning Astaroth to herself. Watching the two demons fret like mother hens...it was pathetic. "Your concern is appreciated," she replied to Lucifuge, looking down at the crumpled form of Neil, bemused by his crawling struggle to get to Soah, ignoring the horrible and wordless cries spilling from the man's bloody lips. "But wholey unnecessary. If you want to keep to the agreement, you merely need to leave me to my business. Any who interfere with me deserve death. That is how it has always been. If these two are so important, do a better job of having them protected, as barging into the home of a Prince and bad mouthing her as any foul human would do is bound to get them killed next time. Prime Minister."
Astaroth basked in her victory. As far as she was concerned, she was still standing, and that was saying something. Not only that, but her reasoning was sound. She was a demon, and no human was going to make her react differently. "I would hurt my human. I would never kill him. Has being with the humans made you so sensitive, Prime Minister, that you think I would kill a contracted?" Her voice was deep, dark and sweet, chiding. As far as she was concerned, the other had gone soft in the head. She did not want to be tied to any human for eternity. Only fools would wish that upon themselves - apparently it was something Lucifuge was good at. The Prince had never openly attacked a contracted before...but she couldn't remember what started it. It was no longer important.
She did not care to answer Merihem. The demoness had given him a warning, and he had not heeded it; the punishment was just, regardless of any plans. Astaroth would not be walked on, not by a Lesser, not for ownership of Hell itself. Neil was her human, and as such, she could do as she saw fit. But kill him? Never. Not until the contract was sated would she consider such an idea.
Neil wanted to die. He was drowning in misery and grief, using one hand to claw across the floor, crying hoarsely for his lover, the sounds becoming more strained and urgent when there was no response. What had happened?! Legion had swore he could protect Soah, but this...! His cries were strong despite his failing body, fingers reaching for the form he can just make out at the edge of his vision. His angel...
Astaroth lifted her head, looking towards the door. "The humans take care of themselves. They are on the way." She could hear the wail of the ambulance no doubt called by the dark-haired man from before. Yes, they were useful sometimes, weren't they?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 5:48 am
"I don't have that option," gritted out Lucifuge between his teeth. "The mistress commands. I obey." With the boy taken care of, his swiped at his own wounds; they closed up much better than Soah's injuries had, since his arts worked better on demons than humans. Unfortunately he couldn't save the clothes he was wearing- too much blood. "Next time you want to provoke a Sin, give us forewarning so I don't get interrupted."
He shook his head, disgusted as he rose and surveyed the area. "I cannot heal human bone without direct contact," he snapped. "Make sure they check the boy, Incubus." As for Astaroth, he stared at her. "New amendment," he said. "No lasting damage to any of the Sins. Bruises, fine. Temporary things, broken bones, fine. Nothing with any chance of a lasting effect." Of course, if Astaroth decided to speak to the Queen Mother, the whole agreement and plan might fall through- though Legion would find a way, regardless. "Remember for yourself that Legion is outside the hierarchy."
Since his cell phone had been broken, the call he responded to was in his head. "I am not to be seen here. If either of them dies or becomes useless to the mistress..." He narrowed his eyes. "We'll meet, and not on fair grounds."
(It astounded him that he felt this had been a fair fight. Certainly it was unprofitable, but less than fair.)
"Good evening." The Prime Minister melded back into the shadows just as vehicles stopped in the street.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:31 am
He watched Lucifuge depart with a blank stare, and with an irritated noise resounding in the back of his throat, he glanced down to the boy, double-checking to see if there was any other damage that needed to be repaired. He swore that if Astaroth hade the boy any less appealing than Merihem had found him to begin with... He shook his head, lips curled in a grimace as he sifted his fingers through the boy's blonde hair, more disgusted by touching Soah than by the blood that coated his fingers. For sure the boy would be unsteady and whoozy when he woke up, but Merihem suspected that that would be all, except maybe for a fractured limb or bruised bone.
His dark eyes flickered down to Neil's crawling body, and he felt the disgust rise like bile in his throat. He didn't much want anything to do with Neil, but the man was annoying him with his cries and general patheticness. He would much rather not try to tick Astaroth off any further, but he just couldn't take such an annoying noise. "Shut up, stop it, your snivelling and whining. Your boy is fine, far better off than you are. Stop it!"
The only reason he was sticking around was to get the boy carted off with Neil when the ambulance came. He felt uncomfortable in Astaroth's territory, and he would much rather be out of it sooner than later, but Lucifuge wanted Merihem to get the boy checked over, and so he was going to do just that without any further complaints. Astaroth would just have to deal, or pretend that Merihem wasn't even there. The Incubus leaned back against the wall, cradling Soah's limp body against his chest, the burden not phsyically heavy, but it annoyed him to no end. But, he wasn't about to set the boy down on one of the surviving furniture, not when Astaroth had came so close to killing him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:55 am
No response for Lucifuge. Astaroth was in a savory high, not unlike the afterglow of sex, and to listen to his prattling and carrying on like a child was putting a stain on her pleasure. His threats were empty to her, as she knew well enough (and was disappointed in Lucifuge for not knowing better) that she would not kill Neil. Soah was a different story. He could still be replaced. The bloodlust had abated, and she had more use for the teen alive than not. Her assistant had spared the boy's life.
"Incubus," she finally addressed Merihem, turning her sated eyes onto him. "Put the boy down and come here. They do not need to see us. He," she indicated Neil, "will take care of the rest." Astaroth shifted, perhaps coming a little more hazy to Merihem's eyes, but still visible. Her hand was extended to him, peaceful and unthreatening. She felt much better, but still...the lines between Hell and the human world had to be weak, to admit her assistant to her without being bid...
It was something to consider later. Right now, she had to look out for the demon in her domain. He had crossed in without her invitation, but now that humans were involved, it was her duty to make sure they both got out unscathed.
Neil, in all his pain, could not hate Merihem. He wanted to, sorely, to spit at the Incubus and curse him back to the nine hells. He hated to see Soah in the demon's arms, hated that he himself could do nothing to spare the teen what Astaroth had done...and it had to be her, with all the curses being slung around like bullets. His cries had silenced into pained whimpers, not because of Merihem's insistance but because he knew the demon was right; Lucifuge...Legion...they had mentioned Soah. He had no idea what it meant, but he knew the boy was okay.
The man struggled onto his stomach, making his breathing further labored before pushing his arms onto the floor and heaving himself up in a half push-up position. Blood dribbled out of his mouth at a steady pace, his vision spotting and reeling, his body protesting to move. "'ere," he croaked out in something that was less than a voice and more like a sound. His grey and blood red eyes rolled up to the male demon, repeating, "'ere. Put...'im...'ere."
His face was unnaturally pale, the palor often associated with death. The man's chest rose and fell lopsidedly as though part of his ribs had collapsed, straining with breathing that was strangled and wet. Neil was not well, adrenaline the only thing keeping him from passing out cold; he had to take care of Soah and their demons now. If he could get the teen near by, at least when the paramedics came, he could offer a story that would be plausible. Saying that demons tore apart his house in a fight would likely end him in a looney bin.
Voices sounded outside. "Come," Astaroth intoned, a demand. The Incubus was not clothed enough to pass as human, and she was not above removing any human that might lay eyes on either of them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:12 pm
He seemed to sense that the danger was now passed, and he could see in Astaroth's eyes the truth that she would do nothing to harm the boy if he released him. Merihem moved to set the boy down in a chair, but Neil's voice came whining into his ears, and he glanced sourly at the man. "Idiot, lie still." He couldn't comprehend why Neil was putting himself through such suffering, but then again, he didn't really care. Deciding that the best way to make the human shut up was to give him what he wanted, Merihem walked across the room to where Neil nearly laid upon the floor.
He knelt down onto the floor, Soah cradled carefully in his arms, and holding the back of Soah's neck in his hand, he lowered the boy onto the floor next to Neil. Nothing looked particularly wrong with the boy, though his face was pale, the color drained out of his face from general blood loss. But he was resting almost peacefully, blissfully unaware of what had happened since he had been knocked unconscious. Merihem was careful not to jog a limb or otherwise unsettle the human boy as he laid him on the floor. For a moment he simply observed Soah as the boy laid on his back, and then his eyes could no longer take the sight of such weakness.
Besides, Astaroth was beckoning to him, and he would not upset her by delaying further. "Don't do anything more stupid," he warned Neil as he rolled onto his heels and pushed himself up to stand. He didn't bother the pair of humans with another spare glance, instead strolling casually over to Astaroth's side. Briefly his attention was drawn to the voices outside, but he had no further interest in them, unless they were attractive and willing enough to make a suitable meal.
And... after all he went through, he thought he deserved a good and decent meal.
With his face and eyes neutral, he extended his hand, putting it dutifully in Astaroth's. He didn't fear for his safety, not when Astaroth seemed so placid, and she was right, it would be best for him not to be seen by any humans, not when his obsidian horns were on display, and his small, leathery wings. Really, he just didn't feel like bothering with any other humans right now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:59 pm
Astaroth closed her hand around Merihem's own and imparted her spell of invisibility over them both mere moments before the door broke open, admitting a medical team and the dark-haired man she had called. That mattered little to her, her eyes instead upon the Incubus. She closed the space between them, her broken wrist not allowing for much in the way of interaction, but her muscles were still functional enough for her to hook a finger around an errant lock of violet hair and smooth it back into place. Almost admiring. Almost kindly.
"You did well," she complimented in a low voice, one that human ears could not pick up on. It had been no test, no joking matter, but the demoness was somewhat surprised by Merihem's apparent attachment to his human. Of course, it must have had something to do with Lucifuge, but...perhaps the Incubus could be useful. The Prince watched Merihem for any type of reaction, lifting the hand in hers and pressing a kiss to the back of cold flesh. "I will take you from here to any place you require. Certainly you are hungry." Astaroth's eyes never left the demon at her side; she would take care of him, for now, for her own reasons.
The two demons ceased to exist once Soah was laid by the man's side, pulling himself over the teen with his elbows, blood unintentionally dripping onto the blonde's shirt. Shaky fingers traced over the delicate line of the boy's cheek and jaw, mindful not to touch anywhere else, not knowing the extent of damage that may have been done. Neil lowered his head so that his brow was just above Soah's chest, cursing any and every God in existance. How could there be a God? How could anyone let this happen to his Soah? ...how could he let this happen...? If he had the ability to, he might have cried, but he couldn't summon any pity for himself and his own weakness. Soah had suffered enough for him.
The door was suddenly broken down and Neil could only shift his eyes, not moving otherwise. The stunned silence that followed the men did nothing to reassure him of the status of his home, the sound of his friend's voice calling out his name in broken surprise not soothing him that everything would be all right. "'is name," came the terribly rattled sound again, "is Soyah Dresden."
--
Brad was ready to tear down the wall by the time the door was opened, barreling inside before the paramedics could, which was a good thing as the medical team stopped short at the wreckage of the living room. The Italian was wide-eyed and horrified, not at the status of the house but at the mess of a body on the floor, a drag mark of blood leading up to it. Not caring what any of the medical advisors would have to say, he leapt over the destroyed remains of a couch and landed by Neil, his stomach tight and sick with what he saw. The man's eyes were redder than his hair, his ears were bleeding, and blood was trickling from his mouth and nose. It was as though every hole in the younger man's body was oozing blood. "Neil?!"
"'is name...is Soyah Dresden."
He couldn't believe that was Neil's voice. What the HELL happened?! Brad swallowed, mind trying to figure out what the other was speaking over when he saw Neil's hand moving. He glanced over, and was shocked to see the teen boy beneath his friend. "Gods, what happened?" he whispered, but he realized that Neil was still talking. An address? "You goddamned fool," he murmured softly to his friend before looking over to the team that had finally come to meet up with him.
"The boy's name is Soah Dresden," he translated for the broken man, "and this is his address." He repeated the words that Neil was saying over and over again, making sure the paramedics knew all of the teen's information as per his friend's wishes. Brad gave them Neil's information as well, shaking his head when asked what happened. "I don't--"
He blinked and looked back down to Neil, who was staring at him intently. Lowering himself so he could hear the barely whispered remains of his friend's voice, he frowned, eyes dark as he nodded his head slowly. Pushing himself up to stand so the medical team could do what was needed, he repeated the story. "He's a gaffer. His kiln blew, must have caught the oven's heat since it was on." It sounded bogus to Brad, but for anyone who didn't know better, it was a sufficient lie.
"Kiln?" one of the paramedics repeated. "The force of that could have pierced his lungs with just the damage to his ribs--! Flip him over, CAREFUL, we have to check his chest!" The rest fell into place, Neil's shirt being cut off by one part of the team while the other moved Soah. Brad caught sight of his friend's sunken torso, saw a chest tube, saw them angling it towards his friend's ribs and he had to look away, not wanting to witness what he knew would follow.
"I'll go with Soah," he said out loud, knowing Neil could hear him. Moving around the splintered remains of an entertainment system and the twisted plastic of consoles, he made a mental note to have a nice long chat with Neil when his friend was better. He jogged over to the team loading Soah into the ambulance, using his knowledge of the teen and all his information to allow him into the back to travel with the blonde. He couldn't let Soah out of his sights, if not for the teen's well being, then for Neil's.
Brad sighed deeply, rubbing a hand over his face and looking out of the moving vehicle to the fading image of the house. He had a long night ahead of him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
