Dante woke up to the shrill jingle of the phone. He opened his eyes, pushing himself up. He glanced to the tiny slither of bed … and found it empty, and the loop that had once held Selena's slender wrist across his pillow.
"Shit!" He swore savagely, diving off the bed, grasping Rebellion and Ebony and Ivory and dashing out Devil May Cry without bothering to answer the call. It could wait. Selene must have somehow managed to wriggle free of the rope wifthout waking him.
"Next time … I'm sedating her and chaining her." He hissed as he walked.
He stalked out into the city. He looked everywhere … and still no sign of her. Stupid girl! There were demons after her. She might have been a good shot … but she was no match for the hordes of strong demons that would come after her.
He stalked through the park … and stopped. His mood seemed to shrivel away. He could hear something in the distance … soft and melodic. It was … singing. Strange … there weren't any concerts on. There was nobody else in the park. So it couldn't have been a public performance.
He followed the singing … as he neared … he heard it better. It was the most gorgeous song he had ever heard … and as he rounded a corner near a viewpoint to the city … he saw Selene perched on the stone railings of the view point.
The song that managed to calm even his fury … it was coming from her. The light the glimmered through a sudden break in the clouds lit her up as though she were on stage. Dante was not one for music. Unless it was rock and roll. But … there was something to her.
He walked to her as if his feet were weighted, making slow pandering paces. When she saw him … she stopped and gasped, her hand flying to her chest.
Making use of the moment, he bolted forwards and grabbed her arm.
"You!" He hissed.
"Dante!" She pulled away from him.
"I told you to stay." He said.
"And I told you that I don't need your protection." She snapped.
The atmosphere of the surreal, dream like song had shattered.
"Look, if I have to throw you over my shoulders and drag you … I will."
"If you continue to treat me with such disregard you won't get paid." Selene made an expression as if she had won a battle.
"There's nothing in the job description that says I can't. In fact it simply states to protect and guard you … and I consider this protection, from yourself." He grinned as he watched her face fall.
"Please … just let me go … this is for your own good!" Selene pulled but he would not budge.
"Look, you've obviously got a bug up your ass about something." Dante said. "And I don't want to hear another word about it-"
Dante stopped as something was suddenly rammed through his gut from behind. Selene squealed as she saw the curved end of a sheer poke through his stomach. She saw that edging closer were a group of four Scythes, laughing maliciously, including one that had snuck up while Dante was distracted.
"Dante!" She screamed.
Dante looked down at the weapon lodged in his gut, running up the length of it to the smoky hand holding it. He jerked his body, wrenching the sheer free from its grasp. With it still stuck in him, he walked up to the mob.
"This was my favourite shirt you know …" He said, drawing Ebony and Ivory. "I hope one of you will foot the bill."
Instead of responding, the Scythes swooped down. He shot at them. One of them swung a sheer at him. He curled out of the way, leapt onto the Scythe and kicked down hard sending it slamming into the ground. As it landed, he shot his weapons into its head. The Scythe exploded. That left two armed, one unarmed. He shot the unarmed one, which vanished. He then turned his attention to the remaining two. They charged for him. He shot the first one in the head, keeping aim as he rolled to the ground dodging a death blow form the other. When at last the Scythe exploded and one was remaining … her fired a shot at it's sheer. It spun through the air, landing inches from Selene.
With a grin, he holstered Ebony and Ivory. Slowly, he reached behind and pulled out the embedded shears. Meanwhile the Scythe wasted no time in charging for him. Just as it got within range, the lodged sheer pulled free, he swung it up … and hit it home into the encroaching Scythe's head. It exploded … and then all the sheers vanished as well.
He turned to Selene.
"You see what could have happened to you?" He said.
Selene shook her head, pointing pathetically to his wound. "No … I …"
She paused as a droplet landed on her head. Her brows furrowed in confusion. There had been clouds before but they hadn't been rain clouds and had been blowing over. She looked up. Billowing black clouds were tolling overhead unnaturally fast, sparks of lighening jumping across it.
"Well … it seems that these guys want an encore." Dante looked at her. "We'd better not disappoint."
Moments later there was a deep base roar … moments before a large slither of lightening pounded into the ground. Dante grabbed Selene, diving into the air as sparks skittered across the grass where they had once stood. As they landed the sparks dissipated … and vanished, and they touched down safely.
"Looks like … a greater demon has been attracted here." Dante said, releasing her. "I told you there were worse things than what you've been experiencing."
As if on cue … from the ground burst a huge creature that resembled a large wolf. It's fur poked up and bristled … statically charged. It's teeth were jumping sparks, and eyes glared with near blinding light. It had four tails poking out from behind it.
It roared and thunder rolled across the dark storm clouds above.
"I am Raijin … demon of thunder …" It snarled. "Hand over the girl and I will spare you."
Dante whistled. "Wow … what a grand entrance. It's going to be hard … but I'm afraid it's a no. This one is with me."
Raijin roared angrily. "Do you honestly think the likes of you can defeat me? I AM THE THUNDER AND LIGHTENING AND I WILL DISSINTEGRATE YOU!"
It barked and a bolt of thunder flew at Dante. He drew Rebellion and sliced at the lightening … dispersing it.
Raijin pawed at the ground like a raging bull, and then charged. Dante whirled out of the way, swinging his sword. Raijin swiped a huge paw at him. Dante barely dodged his attacks. Raijin was fast. He leapt out of the way of a bolt that was launched his way. As he landed, Raijin was quick on the mark. He struck Dante hard with his tail, and sent him flying, his body buzzing with electric charge.
Raijin made a roar again and the thunder coursing Dante's body became stronger. Dante could no longer stand. He peered up at the advancing demon. If he could just get his hands to cooperate and draw one of his guns …
Raijin was above him now… jaws wide open … preparing to snap.
A bang echoed around him. Raijin was hurled backwards … the electric sparks leaving Dante's body. Another shot whizzed above his head and there came an explosion of light. Shakily Dante got to his feet in time to see Selene with The Seraphim in her hand … and the bullets that she fired from one were encased in some kind of … orb of bright white light with a halo above it.
"What the …" He looked at her weapons.
The last glowing shot that connected dissipated the charge surrounding Raijin … and he was a normal wolf standing before him. He could see now sharp glinting teeth, and large red eyes.
"Dante! You don't have much time! Strike him now!" Selene called … slowly collapsing to one knee, exhausted.
Dante didn't need to be told twice. He jumped to his feet, Rebellion in hand, and rammed the blade home. He sliced cleanly through the dazed Raijin … and in a hail of lightening bolts that collided into the demons body … Raijin vanished.
Dante threw Rebellion into the air … and it tumbled into the sheath at his back. He grinned broadly at Selene.
"There is more to you …" Selene said.
"Than there first appears." Dante finished, referring to her guns.
Selene drew The Seraphim into their holsters.
"Maybe … you should go first." Dante said.
"Me …? You were stabbed through the stomach. I think you need to explain first." Selene said, putting a hand on her hip.
"Fine. I'm half demon." Dante said. "When I said I hunt demons for a living … what I didn't say was that I have demonic blood myself. But don't worry too much about it. I defend the human world."
Selene nodded. "I see. I suppose that explains your manners and your … hygiene standards."
"I think you're forgetting something." Dante said, pointing to her gun holsters.
"Oh. The Seraphim are ancient weapons even my family aren't sure where they're from. They've been in the family since before anyone can remember. But … they can fire blessed bullets. I don't have many left … so I hope I get a thank you for saving your sorry hide."
"You want a thank you? It's your own fault for running off like that." Dante scowled. "I mean if I hadn't been here when I did … that thing would have carried you away."
"You seem to think I'm some frail maid. But I assure you … I am more than capable of taking care of myself."
Dante huffed noisily, clearly irritated. "Would you just stop with the tough girl routine? That was a higher demon. You wouldn't have dispatched that on your own, not even with those fire crackers of yours, whatever they are."
"And I suppose without my help you would have not gotten your head bitten off then …?" Selene raised a brow.
"I've survived worse." Dante said. "Now come on, lets get back before any more show up."
"Now who said I was going anywhere with you?" She caught sight of the evil glint in his eyes. "No … no, no. Don't you dare … stay away from me …."
Dante grabbed her, slung her up and carried her over his shoulders.
"Take your hands off me! I'll scream! Shout that you're a pervert!" Selene screeched.
"Go ahead. I'm sure it's nothing they haven't heard before. But I'd love to see them prise you from me when you have this much a of a pay day hanging on you." Dante said as she swung a fist at his head. It did nothing.
He grasped her hands tightly in one hand, while the other held her tightly to him as if she were a sack of flour. He carried her all the way through the city, even with the strange looks he got from the people who just stopped and watched blankly.
When they arrived back at Devil May Cry, Dante flung her unceremoniously onto the sofa. Selene thought about running … but now knowing he was half demon … she didn't think it would be easy to outrun him. She sank dejectedly into the sofa, folding her arms over her chest.
Dante chuckled. He could hardly believe that she was the same woman who had sung so sweetly in the park earlier. Her voice … it was like honey. Yet she had the temper of a viper.
The phone rang, and he answered.
"Devil May Cry …" He frowned as somebody screamed down his ear. He pulled the receiver from his ear and sighed. It was Lady who evidently was less than happy with him for not answering the phone all the hundred times she had called.
His luck, he decided, just didn't exist. He decided he should just hang up and let her cool down.
He looked to Selene, who suddenly looked very solemn.
"What's up with you?" He asked.
"I'm sorry." She said. "For a minute back there … I thought … thought I'd been responsible for your death."
Dante blinked. Had she just … apologised …? Or did he imagine it?
"I'll … I'll stay." She said.
Now… he began to doubt that he had even survived the run in with Raijin. All he needed for this to be heaven was for her to be naked, holding a strawberry sundae in one hand, and a pizza in the other. And for there to be lots of other naked women there too. As there didn't seem to be any … he surmised that he had in fact survived, and that this was all real.
There was one thing for certain. This girl … there was something about her. Even he could feel it. It was intangible … he couldn't name it or place it. No doubt the demons after her knew well enough what it was … but he didn't. He only hoped that when Lady called in a better mood … she might have some leads in her investigation.
There were two shadowed figures glancing at the charred earth where Raijin had been slain.
"I want the Seraphim child." The first voice was male, deep but smooth.
"I will make it so." The second, a woman's voice. "Raijin failed … but I will go myself to get her myself if I have to."
"See that you do." The male frowned. "We need that girl … need her blood. If we can harness her … gift … then even that wretched child of Sparda won't be able to stand in our way."
"Of course, my Lord."
"If you fail … do not bother returning to me, Mead." The man's voice was edged and serious.
"I understand, my Lord."