PIZZA DELIVERY!

Love at First Slice!

A heart made of fragile glass,

A heart made of a broken past,

And if everyone hates and him and fears him the most,

Even the ones to whom he is close,

How can he find a love that will last?

- Demon Falls in Love, by C. L. Moss

Absolutely enraged, fists clenched and heart racing, Christine slammed the classroom door behind her and stomped out. She was completely furious! Violently shoving the buttons on her cell phone Christine frowned and pushed it up against her ear.

"Hello?"

"Madison!" The girl sighed letting go of a little frustration.

The girl on the other end of the line recognized the voice and gasped happily. "Hey, girlie! You okay?"

Brushing a hand through her hair Christine tried to calm herself. "I really need to talk to you. Can we meet for lunch?"

"Of course, I'll be right there. Meet me at that pizza place by your house." Christine nodded and thanked her friend, before shutting the phone and glaring over her shoulder. With thundering footsteps the angry woman stormed out of the building and into the afternoon light.

0-0-0

"Hey, what's been going on? You're really red in the face…"

"Yeah…"

Sitting in the back corner of their favorite pizza place, young Christine Moss sat with her close friend Madison Miller; both were college students at different universities in the city, one studying clothing design, and the other literature.

"Damn it, it's my fucking professor." Christine sighed, wiping sweat off her brow.

"What? What'd he do? He didn't touch you, did he?" Madison gawked, color rising in her cheeks. Christine spared a small laugh.

"No – he didn't touch me." Relieved, Madison sat back in her chair.

"Well, then why were you so mad, and so urgent?"

Letting her head hang, Christine closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. "He was being an ass again. He's been an ass ever since I told him his darling Sarah Temple cheated on her written essay. Named me in class, used my paper as an example of 'what not to do', I told him to take his essays and shove them up his ass. Then I stormed out."

Groaning Christine let her head sink to the table. "I don't think I can stomach college any more."

Surprised Madison gasped and grasped her friend's shoulders. "No way! Don't throw away your future because of that jerk!"

"So I'll throw away my dignity and sanity instead?" Moaning, Christine leaned back away from Madison's hands. "I don't even know what I want to do any more."

Frustrated, Madison crossed her arms and tried another approach. "Come on, you've wanted to write stories forever. And you know a college degree won't help you get to writing, but it will help you get a job."

"I just want to write. I hate work." Sighing Christine turned away from her friend, standing to fill her empty drink with soda. Determined Madison stomped after her.

"Hey, you call me here don't walk away!" Madison, though a good bit shorter than her tall friend, took firm hold of her wrist and forced her to turn around. "You're a lazy ass, that's why you want to quit! You just won't finish anything!"

Rolling her eyes, Christine sighed and nodded. "So I never finish anything. What's it worth anyway? Jeez, it's not like college has done anything for me…" Madison huffed and crossed her arms.

"Superiority complex, that's what you have." She frowned. "You think you're writing is better than that professor's."

Almost as if that conclusion should've been obvious, Christine turned to her surprised. "Of course! He's an ass who's never thought any deeper than his silly teenage love stories."

"Says the girl who keeps a bunch of romance novels in her cabinet." Madison quirked an eyebrow. The rage Christine had had faded and a blush covered her cheeks.

"Hey – those – that was research."

"Uh – huh."

Now flustered and unsure, the taller girl huffed and stomped over to the soda machine, shoved her cup under the dispenser and pushed the drink button. She didn't hear the door open over the sound of her own thoughts, being very deep in musing. Madison saw the door open and gaped at the man who walked in. Utterly surprised and shamelessly staring at him with a girly smile, she pulled on her friend's sleeve.

"Christine, oh Christine!" She pulled harder, turning the girl. Her hand slipped and tipped her soda over, spilling it all over her sleeve. Gawking Christine hurried to clean it.

"Dang it, what was that for!" She cried, brushing her arms off with napkins.

"You're the one who's a klutz, now stop it, and look!" She hissed, forcing her friend to turn her head towards the cash register.

As soon as she rested her eyes on the man at the cash register she understood why her friend had wanted her to look so badly. Whatever napkins she'd been holding in her hand, she let go of.

"All right, I want two with everything on it, got it?"

A tall, rugged man was leaning against the counter, waiting for his order. Silver hair glistened in the light over his beautiful pale skin, his rippled muscles hidden beneath black leather. He was dangerous, and twice as much for how good he looked. Christine could hardly take her eyes off him, and Madison giggled at the sight of him. Quietly, nervously, Christine side stepped until she was out of his sight and in the hallway leading to the bathroom.

Madison had yet to notice, but when she went to hold her friend's wrist she grasped air. Glancing around, she frowned and hurried after her shy friend.

"Christy, what are you doing?" Gawking at her friend Madison flicked her hand back over towards the man. "Hello, hottie at twelve o'clock!"

"Actually that's nine o'clock for me…" Christine commented. Madison rolled her eyes. With a sigh Christine shook her head and backed away. "Come on, you don't think I'd have a chance, do you?"

Stomping up towards her friend Madison took firm hold of her friend's ear, dragging her towards the bathroom. Shocked Christine fought back, but for such a small girl Madison was very strong.

Throwing her through the doorway, Madison slammed the door shut, took hold of Christine's shoulders, and made her look at the mirror by the bathroom sinks.

Christine was almost 5'8", 133 pounds, and though tall, very thin. Her pale skin was dotted with freckles on her face, and scars on her elbows, knees, and lower legs from her adventurous childhood. Dark hair framed her hazel eyes, down to her shoulders and unkempt. She was not unattractive, though perhaps not as much an eyeful as her buxom, blonde friend.

"Tell me, what's there not to like?" Madison prodded, putting a hand on her hip.

"It's not that…" Christine sighed and brushed hair out of her face. "Like you said, I never finish anything. No matter how much I like someone… I'm not driven to go out of my way to get them. It's just a fleeting dream, really. Besides, that guy was a total stranger."

Placing a hand under her chin Madison thought on the subject hard. Then, light seemed to flood her eyes and she snapped her fingers. "That's it! It's brilliant!"

Surprised, Christine looked up. "What?"

"I know how to get your drive back! Get your writing better! How to make you really want to live again! How to get you off your ass!" Madison cheered heartily.

"Yes, yes, I get it, now what is it?" Unsure of what Madison was thinking, the brunette was sure she wasn't going to like it.

Proudly sauntering over to her friend, Madison placed her hands on Christine's shoulders, and looked deep into her eyes.

"You – need a boyfriend."

Storming from the bathroom, Christine frowned deeply and hurried away. "Christy! Come on! Listen to me!" At this comment from Madison Christine spun around to respond, but was unable to. Before she could, she felt her back hit something behind her, and she stumbled, falling towards the floor.

"Whoa – Ah!"

Just before she fell to the floor, two strong arms grasped her waist. Shocked by the sudden warmth around her, Christine felt her cheeks flush, quickly glancing over her shoulder to her savior. Madison was beaming.

"Hey, you okay, babe?" The silver haired man helped Christine to her feet, giving her a warm suggestive smile.

Shocked and wide eyed, Christine backed away as a reflex, trying to gain control over again. "Y – Yes. I'm fine." Backing towards her friend, Christine hung her head, hiding behind her hair.

Madison elbowed her from behind. Almost as if she knew what the other girl was thinking, Christine straightened up and spoke again. "Uh – T – Thank you." She mumbled, not looking him in the eye.

The man smirked a little, a twinkle in his eye. "Welcome, babe." As he walked by, the man let his hand pass through Christine's hair, ruffling it a little, before he moved on and walked into the bathroom behind them.

For a moment, the two girls stared in shock. Flustered and surprised, Christine slowly raised her hands to adjust her hair. Giggling madly Madison jumped for joy.

"Oh, Christy, this is fate!"

"His hand probably had germs. Probably really gross… or something…"

"Oh, come on!"

Madison quickly dragged her back into the other room and sat her down. "This is great!" The girl giggled and leaned close to her friend. "Now, listen really closely, I've got a great plan."

"Oh joy." Still fixing her hair, Christine obliged and leaned towards her friend.

Madison glanced around, before whispering to Christine. "This place has a job opening – for pizza delivery."

Christine stared dumbly. "You're kidding me."

"Oh, come on, just listen!" Madison leapt up, grabbed Christine's arm and pulled her up towards the wanted poster. "Look, it's really good pay."

Christine rolled her eyes. "It's a pizza joint."

Ignoring the brunette, Madison pulled her up to the counter, where a young man stood. "Tell her what you told me." She insisted, finally letting go of Christine's shoulder.

The man was a little flustered, but he spoke. "We have a job for a delivery person, and it really does pay well. Almost 4000$ a month."

Eyes wide, Christine gawked at the man. "4000 a month? Bull!"

"There's a reason." Madison whispered, giggling. She motioned for the man to continue.

"That man you saw – he's Dante, the killer for hirer." Christine turned a little pale at this, but Madison hardly noticed. "He's our highest paying customer. Buys at least 10 a week, and only from here. Usually he doesn't come in like he did today – usually it's delivered."

"This is important how?" Christine wondered.

"He's why the delivery people here are paid so much!" Madison giggled. "There's only one delivery person, and they get paid a lot because –" She left the dramatic pause and let the man finish, biting her lip anticipatorily.

He gulped. "The – the last two delivery people – they died."

Christine blanched, even more pale than before. "No way." She backed away from the counter slowly.

"Killed by Dante's enemies in the crossfire of his battles. Or because they were in his part of town. All by mistake, but since Dante's so important, the company still hires one delivery person – and for that price. Take it or leave it." A woman behind them finished the story as she cleaned tables. Christine looked ready to faint.

"First you want me to go back to college, now you want me to work here? Not just at a pizza store – but as a delivery girl to hell?" She gawked, heart racing.

"This is your chance! There's no way that flirt will let a girl like you die! You can see him again, definitely!" Madison giggled.

"And why would I want to?" Frowning, trying to return her heart beat to normal, Christine shook her head and leaned against the counter.

Just as she spoke these words, the silver haired enigma, Dante, came out of the hallway. His pizzas were waiting for him at the counter; he quickly strode over and paid for his meal. Christine felt her heart racing again – for a different reason. Color rushed to her face as he sauntered by, glancing over at them.

"Be careful out there. Clumsy little thing like you might get hurt". He joked with a wink.

Realizing the man was making fun of her, Christine's cheeks turned brick red and the veins on her face pulsed. "I'm not clumsy!" She shouted impulsively, furious. Dante's laughter could be heard even as he left, hoping onto his motorcycle, and with a roar, driving off. Frustrated, Christine ran out after him, calling for him.

"Hey! I said I'm not clumsy!" She impulsively removed her shoe and tossed it after him, missing by a mile. The man disappeared into the night, his engine roaring out in the darkness.

Chest heaving, heart beating, her emotions ranging wildly, Christine stood in the dark unsure of what she was doing. Calming herself, she sighed, brushing her forehead off.

Madison walked out of the store, a smug grin on her face. She'd paid the bill, and in her arms had both her back pack and Christine's. With a smug smile, she passed the bag to her.

"That's why." She insisted, sauntering off to get her friend's shoe. Gawking as she walked off, Christine felt her heart race again. She saw the silver haired beauty in her minds eye. He was… so… so brash! So annoying! So… gorgeous… so unlike anyone she'd met or dated. This "Dante" was different."

"Dante…" She whispered. She liked the name on her tongue. It made her face flush.

Madison sighed contently, shaking her head as she retrieved her friend's shoe. "Here, silly, you want this back?" She asked aloud, but when she looked back there was no one there.

Christine rushed back into the pizza restaurant, one shoe on, one off, and slammed her hands on the counter, a very determined look on her face.

"I'll take the job!"

0-0-0

The museum was empty at this time of night, but for guards and security cameras. Those sorts of things couldn't stop him, not with his power and his abilities. Like a jaguar silently treading through the forest, he sauntered through the halls searching for his prey.

It wasn't long before he found it; the stone, hidden beneath a glass case, pulsating under the pressure of his aura. It shone a deep red, was smaller than his palm, and rested beneath a description of its creator.

Coveting it, desiring it, he felt the power course through him as he reached for it. Slowly, he reached towards it.

Suddenly, the red color flashed, and a sharp pain rushed through his hand and up his arm. Gasping he fell back, clutching the injured flesh weakly.

He got the message; he couldn't have it, not yet. In its present state, no demon could touch it. Only a human could take it from the museum… only a human.

Thoughts clicked in his mind. He'd have to find her… only she would do. It was poetic justice of an amazing scale. Slowly laughter filled the halls of the museum as his plan fell into place.

He would have the stone. The human would take it for him.

He need only wait.

HELLO THERE!

This is the authoress speaking, Sulhadahne, at your service! I've wanted to experiment with romance stories for a while and decided to use Dante for the experiment.

If you are a reader of my other stories, I have not forgotten them! I have an upcoming break and I will be writing during that time! I really hope to write another chapter of The Orphanage and my MarluxiaOC story for ORGLUV.

This chapter was just a taste, but I hope you all enjoyed it. Please come again!

About to fall asleep in her chair,

SULHADAHNE