Rain felt unusually warm, or maybe she was just nervous. She was lingering outside the double doors being bathed in the red glow of the neon sign above. It looked like a demonic beacon in the dark of the afternoon storm. 'Devil May Cry,' she scoffed. Devils never cry, crying requires emotions and emotions require souls. A deep inhale followed by a slow exhale and she felt as ready as she was going to. Reaching out slowly she pushed open the door. The shrill bell startled her and she almost allowed the door to slam back in her face, but managed to slip inside just before it latched closed. Shit she was jumpy.
"So you finally decided to come in?" a deep voice addressed her from the far center of the room. She let out a startled yelp. "Shit, didn't mean to scare ya," the man to which the voice belonged stood cautiously with his palms raised in front of him. She stared at him like a deer in headlights.
"H-how did you know I was out there?" the question just slipped out. The man smirked.
I wouldn't be very good at my job if I didn't know when someone was standing at my own door," his voice easily betrayed his cocky attitude.
"Right. Um, well," she straightened her back in an attempt to seem more confident, "I need to hire you for a job."
"Sorry sweetheart, I'm closed," he abruptly pointed to the door behind her.
Shit, she was supposed to say a word. What was it? If she didn't tell the devil hunter the word he wouldn't take her job. Without warning she burst into tears, she was frightened, she was tired and this was just too much.
"Hey, hey none of that!" the man looked genuinely afraid. He had rotting demon heads adorning his walls but a crying teenage girl terrified him.
"I can't remember the word," she wailed. "I didn't even write it down!"
"Ok, ok, I'll take whatever the job is just, ya know, shut up." He was pleading, maybe 10 minutes from offering her a pony if it would get her to turn off the water-works.
"Really?" she sniffed, tears still rolling but a little less frequently.
"Yeah, whatever gets you to knock that shit off," he held up his palms again, this time not in a non-threatening gesture but more in a warding off way. She nodded and wiped her nose on her sleeve. Dante grimaced, wishing he were anywhere but in his office with this leaky girl.
"It's my house," she sniffed, "these, these things have completely taken it over. I think they killed my dad." Fresh tears were welling in her eyes.
"I told you to stop that," Dante snapped, but there was no anger behind his words. All he wanted was a tear-free explanation.
"Sorry," she mumbled.
"So these things, what did they look like?" He was in full detective mode now. Pure terror sparked in her eyes.
"They were like, like 3-D shadows with claws. Their eyes glowed and they moved like something out of a living dead movie. She was visibly shaking but Dante still had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. They sounded weak.
"Do they say anything?" the weaker the demon, the lower the intelligence.
"No, they just kind of moan."
Dante couldn't keep from scoffing, she cast her wide-eyed gaze on him. He couldn't help it, for God's sake a priest could handle this!
"I think my services may be a little over-kill here, girlie."
"But you promised!" she protested immediately.
Shit.
"Yeah, I guess I did. Fuck." He ran a hand through his hair in annoyance, knowing he wouldn't go back on his word. "Alright, let's get this over with." He holstered the twins, shrugged on his coat and reached for rebellion.
"Will you really need that?" the girl asked. Dante gave her a questioning look. "It's just, you said they were so weak."
Dante's expression became suspicious.
"Never leave home without it."
She looked hesitant.
"Something you're not telling me princess?"
"My name is Anna, not princess," she began, "and I'm just frightened to go back to the house, that's all."
You could always stay here if you'd feel safer," he offered, thinking himself gracious.
"No!" she protested immediately. "I mean, I have to find my dad."
With that she brushed past him and out to her black Mercedes parked in the street. Dante followed, but he was smart enough not to let his guard down. Outside he took in the extravagance of her vehicle. She was obviously loaded.
"So how much exactly does this gig pay?" he asked casually as he got into the car. Anna started the car and took off down the street.
"3.2 million," she answered with equal nonchalance.
Had Dante been drinking anything he would have done a spit-take. As it was he did make a strangled sound of astonishment.
"Is it not enough?" she asked, concerned. "I'm willing to go up to 3.5."
"No, no," Dante was trying to regain his composure. "The first figure was enough."
"There's also a half million dollar bonus for finding my father," he eyes misted a bit, "alive."
Dante was unused to offering comfort. Still he patted her on the shoulder awkwardly for a moment in a genuine attempt. The corner of her mouth quirked up for a momentarily but the smile quickly faded. They drove for a while in an uneasy silence.
After two hours on the road Dante realized that he had no idea where they were going. He hadn't thought to ask.
'Way to stay on your toes' he thought to himself.
"Where are we going?" It was too late to turn back now but at least he could get some more information. She didn't seem very forthcoming in that department. Anna hesitated as if unsure what she could tell him.
"My father valued privacy," she answered evasively, "so the estate is a ways out of the city."
Something was up. Dante gave her his most severe look, there was something she was working very hard at keeping form him. She shrunk under his gaze and at last she relented.
"Ok, there's more to this then I've been saying."
"Oh really, I would have never guessed," Dante retorted sarcastically.
"There's something… else." She was barely speaking loud enough for en Dante's keen ears.
"Else." He repeated flatly. Dante wasn't one to shy away from a good fight, hell he often went looking for one but if he walked into a situation expecting a kitten and ended up with a cougar he could be caught off guard and even a seconds hesitation could cost him his life.
"Something strong," she was still trying to avoid his question.
"Our opinions of strong are probably different princess." Dante was sick of this game. Either she was going to tell him exactly what was going on or he was going to get mean.
"I think it's my dad!" the words burst from her mouth as if admitting it would make it true.
"What?" Dante was wary, if she was saying what he thought she was then this was a whole different situation.
"There's an enormous demon in my house sticking mainly to the ball room where my father had been painting weird symbols for years. I think it came from hell." She shuttered at the memory.
"So why would this demon be your dad?"
"He talks to me, he has the same voice I've known my whole life." Her eyes were soft. "Also the creature is wearing the same talisman my father always wore."
"You've talked to him?" Dante was beginning to grasp the situation.
"He's been keeping me at the house, I just barely escaped. He…" she stopped, gathering her nerves before continuing. "My father kept me inside that house my whole life. He said it was for my protection but that was a lie."
"Why then?" his voice was casual, not betraying the intense interest he was feeling.
"To keep me a virgin," she answered bluntly. "He was planning on sacrificing me tomorrow night."
The information was a shock. Dante had seen some fucked up shit in his lifetime, but raising your very own sacrificial virgin rated pretty high up there.
"And tomorrow night is significant because?" Now that she was finally giving answers he realized that he had a lot to ask.
"Full moon and his 66th birthday." She was thoughtful for a moment. "Do you think you'll be able to save my dad?"
"Do you really want me to?" he was incredulous. Anna chewed her lip.
"Yes," she answered quietly, "he's the only family I have.
A pang of loss stabbed Dante's heart. He knew how idiotic she sounded, but he was no different. If given the chance he would do anything to save Virgil so he had no right to judge her.
"If I can," was the most he could make himself answer. Whether or not she wanted her father alive, Dante wasn't going to go out of his way to make it happen.
"I guess that's all I can ask."
They lapsed into silence once again. The sun was setting behind the ever increasing trees. Anna abruptly pulled off into a little town and parked in front of its only motel.
"We'll stay here for the night," she said to Dante as she got out of the car.
"Oh good," Dante began as he also rose from the car seat, "I've always wanted to visit bum-fucking nowhere."
She glared at him, he replied with his most innocent look.
"Would you rather just drive through the night?" she snapped.
"Touchy, touchy," Dante tsked. He brushed past Anna and strode into the motel's tiny lobby. They got a room with two beds after an awkward moment when the owner offered them the honeymoon suite.
"Don't you think she's a little young?" Dante almost yelled at the man. Anna just blushed deep crimson.
Dante was settled down for a few solid hours sleep when Anna spoke.
"Do you think I'm pretty?"
Dante was turned facing away from her and he answered without turning.
"Sure, you're a heart-stopper." Dante had lived long enough to know that that was the only acceptable answer to this question. For the record, if a woman who wields the power of lightning asks that do not sarcastically answer 'no you look like a cow', it doesn't end well.
The far side of his bed depressed with new weight. Still Dante didn't turn, trying to ignore her presence and get some shut-eye. It wasn't until he felt a feminine hand run down his arm that he bolted upright.
"What the hell are you doing?" He was too stunned to be angry.
"Well," she began coyly, "you said you thought I was pretty, and even though I'm a virgin I bet I could still make you happy tonight." Her hands started to drift lower, her face suggestive.
Dante quickly caught her hands before they managed to venture somewhere dangerous. He held them at an arms' length wanting them as far away as possible but afraid of what might happen if he released them.
"How old are you? 12?"
"I'm 16," she retorted defensively, "and don't worry, I would never tell anyone."
"16 is still jailbait princess, you need to go back to your bed." His voice was firm, there was no way he was going to waffle on this decision.
"But it would be so much warmer here in bed with you," she gave one last desperate try. Dante scowled.
"Kid, I'm old enough to be your dad. Now get back to your bed before I decide to stick your ass in time-out."
At last she relented and rose stiffly from his bed.
"Idiot," she spat venomously, "if I weren't a virgin then my father would have no reason to sacrifice me. Do you really think I would sleep with you if I weren't desperate?"
"Ouch, that was unnecessary," Dante complained in mock hurt. "It doesn't matter either way. He's not going to get his paws on you."
"So you've already decided that he's going to die." She made the statement sadly.
"Sorry, but I'm not going out of my way to bring back a man who volunteered to be possessed in the first place. Get some sleep kid." He emphasized the word 'kid' just enough so it would stick out, further finalizing the fact that under no circumstances would she be welcome in his bed.
She sighed heavily. After a long shower she walked back into the main room to find Dante asleep. At least she thought he was asleep, he wasn't snoring or anything like that, just breathing evenly with his eyes closed. She settled into her own bed and shut off the light.