It was all so perfect, except for one thing...
The twisted smile on his face grew as the three cuffs clattered to the floor. He watched his prey begin to writhe and cry out as vines spread out over his skin, ears elongating and nails sharpening into claws, digging into hair that had grown out slightly in his change.
He had been waiting for this moment. Watching the party as they came and went, it had been hard, but he had finally found the opportune moment. When all had fallen asleep in their own rooms, he crept in without a sound, having watched his prey sleep for nights and nights. It was surprising that they hadn't picked up on his presence. The kappa and the monkey had sharp senses, and he was surprised that the monk had senses up to par with a demon's.
Well, he didn't have to worry about that anymore. Each one lay in their rooms, never to awaken again.
"You really should have left them when you had the chance."
A golden eye gleamed from under the brunette bangs. A slitted pupil stared up at him, while the other eye, his glass eye, stayed hidden in the darkness.
"I didn't like the priest, he was a bit icy for my taste." he said, lifting one hand to lick at the blood that had managed to get on his fingertips. "The monkey was a spry one, but that busted leg I gave him before decided to act up on him again." He chuckled, stepping forward to cast the pained figure below in darker shadow. "And the redhead... well, he was nothing more than a bug, waiting to be crushed underneath my heel."
He could feel the fury, smell it, practically taste it rolling off of him as the newly-transformed demon leapt to his feet and charged for him. He quickly dodged out of the way, letting him lunge forward, and then reached out and grabbed him around his arms and waist. He drew the struggling one closer, his disgusting grin growing as he could smell the other. He wished he could feel the hair brushing against his cheek as he bucked his head against him.
Immediately the other hand shot out and grabbed at his cheek. He was slightly caught off-guard, not enough to let him go, but enough to quiet him as he heard the demon in his grasp cry out and jerk away, only to reveal that he was holding onto the vine marking... the very one that crisscrossed over all over his flesh. He didn't know that could happen, but it was quite the interesting development.
"Well... I suppose you learn a little something new every day." he hummed, tugging the vine he had in his hand to the side, hearing the other cry out as his head was jerked in the same direction. "I suppose every puppet has their strings, though I didn't know yours were that literal."
He relinquished the grasp around his arms only briefly before he reached under his sleeves and pulled at the vines around his wrists, tugging them back and pulling the other down onto his knees.
"And to think, you were so confident that you had gotten rid of me for good." He leaned closer to one elongated ear and whispered, "I'm not stupid enough to leave a part of me in just one tile."
Gasping, Hakkai bolted from his sleep, green eyes wide. His dragon was almost thrown off his chest and he let out a disgruntled chirrup, clambering up onto his shoulder and giving a small nip on his ear. Taking a deep breath, he reached up and stroked the top of Hakuryu's head. "I'm sorry about that. Didn't mean to send you tumbling." he said with a small smile. The dragon gave another small chirrup and nuzzled his cheek.
"It was just another nightmare. I guess I'm still a little shaken from earlier..." he sighed and let himself sink against the headboard, propping himself up so he didn't crush the dragon on his shoulders. "I suppose I should get over it so I don't worry the others, hm?"
He didn't notice the centipede that had paused on his wall, as if listening to what he had to say, before it skittered out of the open window.
