Chapter one
A large rumble rolled across the valley and the sky lit up like the Fourth of July in most of the movies she had watched recently. Damn. I'm going to be drenched by the time I reach the fortress. She had spent the past 14 months listening to the voices and the story that was unfolding with them. The voices spoke of demons, immortals, angels and all around bad men. Albeit deliciously gorgeous muscle bound cursed men. As she had listened to the voices and watched the tactical memories of all the places they had been she zoned in on the name of one in particular that was curiously missing from all the visions. Torin. She had listened to the humans called hunters and realized that these immortal warriors had been cursed with Demon High Lords. She spent a month researching these high lords and realized that they were the worst of worst, evil incarnate. But when she visited each building where a battle between the lords and hunters occur it was the hunters that wanted death. In her research she had found out that these lords had escaped from hell and for a time where contained in a special box made from the bones of a goddess. The box was guarded by a female warrior but she had been slain and the demons released upon the world. She had come to find out the names of most of these lords she was tracking and the names of the demons that possessed them. They were Violence, Death, Pain, Doubt, Wrath, Lies, Secrets, Defeat, Disaster, Misery and of course Disease the ever missing lord.
As the rain started to fall she saw the fortress come into view. Oh goody, I'll be perfectly soaked! They shouldn't be able to resist a wet, 'wounded', meek-looking female. Especially one with a tight ass, a set of double Ds and sad puppy dog eyes. They won't know what hit them. As she took a few more steps she realized that the forest had cameras everywhere. Good thing I don't show up on most advanced technology and by the looks of these I can say that someone is into some expensive play things. She took a few more steps and felt something hard sink into the ground below her foot and instantly all the nearby cameras were trained in her direction. My my they are paranoid, hidden sensors in the ground as well. What's next, nets on a pulley system? I best double time it up to the fortress so I can ensure that I get inside the door.
She ran at inhuman speeds and stopped just outside the front entrance and decided to pretend to be injured. As she positioned herself on the ground and held tightly to her ankle she started yelling for help. After a few moments she heard a female voice alerting others that someone was calling from the front entrance. The door swung open and she was staring up at a pair of piercing blue eyes. "And since when do my play things get delivered in the middle of the night, soaking wet and slightly damaged?" He said.
Play things? "Please help me? I was separated from my group, we've been backpacking across Europe and I stopped to rest but they left me behind. I'm lost and I think I twisted my ankle." She replied.
"I have a feeling I'm going to regret this but let me help you inside anyway. By the way, the name's William but don't go falling in love with me, I'm already taken. Who might I ask are you?" William asked.
"My name is Hela." She said.
"Well Hela, let's get you inside and dried off. Lucien, tell Torin to turn off the alarm. It's just a wounded hiker." William said as he walked inside the fortress.
Thank all that is supernatural! I knew I was right for coming to their fortress. He is here. Fantastic.
"So your name is Hela is it? How do we know you are telling the truth?" The dark man practically screamed at her.
"Because it is my name. Why would I tell you a false name? I was hiking and got lost, I twisted my ankle and now I just want to call my friends and let them know that I'm safe." Hela said using her best fake injured voice.
"Sabin, calm yourself." A scarred man said.
Ah, so that means that he is Doubt and has probably been trying to pry inside my mind for the past few minutes. Well let's see if I can find out who the rest of them are.
"May I ask what your name is? I know that he is William and you just called him Sabin. By the way that is a very strong name, it reminds me of a sword or saber." Hela said.
"Of course how rude of us. My name is Lucien, this is Anya my fiancée. Over there are Cameo, Gideon, Reyes, Maddox and Amun." Lucien replied.
Fantastic. Death, Misery (I think I might call upon my brother for her), Lies, Pain, Violence and Secrets.
"Lucien, something is not right about her. He has been screaming for the past few minutes and has gotten nowhere." Sabin said in a half whisper, half growl.
"She bears no marks, she can't be bait." Lucien whispered in response.
"If I might be so bold, Death. Search my body for the infinity mark if you wish but I am not part of their army, nor am I in league with them to bring about your demise." Hela replied.
"What did you just call him?" Anya said.
"I called him Death, does your mate not house the High Demon Lord Death? He can flash and his mismatched eyes see into heaven and hell. His butterfly tattoo like the rest of them is where the demon entered his body is it not?" Hela said.
"Who are you? How did you get here and how do you know these things?" Maddox growled.
"Whoa there calm down Violence give me a moment to absorb the room and I'll give you plenty of answers in return for one request of my own." Hela replied.
"You will answer all our questions and we will give you nothing in return. You will be lucky to survive this night." Sabin shouted.
"I beg to differ with you Doubt, now like I said give me a moment to absorb the room. Draw your weapons if you must but you can't harm me." Hela said as she rose to walk around the room lightly touching objects as she moved.
"What are you doing? Stand still, stop touching everything." Anya shouted.
"Since she isn't injured maybe we should wound her to keep her still." Cameo said.
"Try if you must Misery but it won't have an effect on me. I am an anomaly among my people. Nothing has been able to harm me so far. Not even your lovely voice." Hela said as she continued to touch items and pause to stare at other things. "Now if you don't mind, I'm a bit enthralled with what I'm hearing and seeing right now. Oh my, was that necessary Promiscuity? People put cups and plates on that table. I'm going to need a drink to try and wash that vision out of my head. Gross."
"What do you mean?" Reyes asked.
"Well you seem to have the most weapons on you. Attack me."
"What?"
"You heard me, throw one at me. I'll wager a 700 year old samurai sword that it goes right through me and sinks into that leather chair behind me. If it hits me you can have the weapon if it doesn't then I keep the blade you throw at me. Deal? I know you're Pain so you have to be itching for some bloodshed. Is Danika sleeping or off reporting to Cronus about her latest painting?"
"She is right here staring at the latest person to show up in one of her paintings." Danika replied holding a canvas that was dripping black and purple paint all over the floor.
"Angel, you shouldn't be down here. We don't know if she is dangerous to us or not." Reyes pleaded.
"By the looks of this painting I think I will be calling her sister soon. Take a look." Danika replied holding up the painting showing Hela holding a samurai blade and defending Torin, Torin had a bare arm wrapped around her and resting on her collarbone.
Reyes didn't hesitate a second, he spun and threw a blade at Hela and instantly she turned to mist and blade sunk into the leather chair behind her. She reappeared and picked up the blade, smiled wickedly as she looked at it and then glanced at both Reyes and Danika. "I know I said that I'd keep the blade but I can tell that this one is very sentimental to the both of you. I'll just leave it on the table for you to grab at your leisure. Danika may I see that painting?" Hela took a hesitant step forward and all the warriors instantly jumped in front of Danika to defend her with Reyes picking her up and carrying her to the doorway.
"Alright I get that you are protective of your women. I promise that I will not harm them. I lied about what I was doing outside but I told the truth about my name and that I would give you as many answers as you need in return for one small request. I want to meet Torin, he is the reason I am here. I came upon your trail, so to speak, about 14 months ago and have been studying the hunters that are trying desperately to eliminate you. I know that they are lead by another of your kind who thinks he's an angel. Galen. Hope. You know that I can turn to mist but what you don't know is that I can hear voices just like your Ashlyn does. If I were to allow a blade to penetrate my skin no blood would seep out. The wound would heal immediately. I can also see images of past experiences by touching an object, hence why I am giving the special blade back to you Reyes, I know why you prefer it most. I am special among my people, my twin brother and I are alike. He does not hear voices but can shift into any form he has come in contact with. We are known by many names: upir, chupacabra, jiang shi, but maybe you prefer your native tongue vyrkolakas or vampire." Hela stated.
"Wait a minute, I have met many vampires in my time and none have been able to turn to mist like you can not to mention that I didn't invite you in so why are you not screaming in pain or dying." William asked.
"Your name is William, correct?" Hela asked while William nodded.
"William the beloved, you have only met turned vampires. I was born a vampire. I do not need an invitation to enter your home, nor do I rely on blood for survival. Don't get me wrong though, if I mate I will drink his blood but only if he allows me too. I can live on any form of sustenance that humans or immortals take." Hela answered.
"So it seems she doesn't want to harm me now will you please allow me to show her the painting?" Danika asked.
"You are not going anywhere near her. Lucien can hand the painting over to her." Reyes said shoving the wet canvas into Lucien's hands.
Lucien held it up in front of Hela and she let out a small gasp and stepped back a step. She was staring at the image of the man she had been hearing about for 14 months. Torin. He towered over her in the painting and was about the same height and build as the men standing in the room with her. He had dazzling green eyes and snow white blond hair that swept his shoulders. He was definitely not what she was expecting. She thought that he hid in the fortress because he was scarred or ugly not because of how gorgeous his was. But then again maybe he hid because of the demon, he houses Disease so maybe he can't physically touch anyone .
"Well what do you have to say about the painting, Hela? Why are you here? And why is my bare skin touching you in the painting?" The voice filled the room and Hela jumped at the sound of it.
An intercom system and cameras, wow they are high tech and paranoid! "Is that Torin's voice? How delicious he sounds. I might just want to take a taste without permission. I'm sure Disease won't mind." Hela said as her gray eyes suddenly turned a vibrant crystal blue.
"You may be impervious to harm but we can't let you go near Torin. You could pass along the next plague to decimate the human population." Lucien said as the warriors started to block her way towards the door that led to the stairway to the second floor.
"Ah a challenge. Bet I can sniff him out before you can get a hold of me to stop me." Hela said as she turned to mist and quickly slid into the heating vent.