Lucky Dip. That was the name of the gun, and the incubus knew Nero doesn't know how to use it, and probably will never try to use it. Dante, however, might have more game to try it out. That was what the incubus was counting on; the older hunter's love for new toys.
It was a dangerous bet, but it was all he had up his sleeve. It's already done; he'd freed Nero, and will soon have to face the wrath of Vergil. No going back now.
What made it worse was that Nero was walking around with The Fever pumping in his system.
He remembered the effects of the Fever, the stages of it. He also remembered the deal with Virgil, and Virgil's plan.
"Do you know the last sacrifice needed in order to open Purgatory, Incubus?" Vergil had asked him.
"You have to kill a virgin, correct?" He had guessed.
"No, not kill them. Deflower them. To break the lock, you have to break innocence," Virgil corrected.
The Incubus grinned mischievously.
"Now that sounds a bit more my speed. So, do you want me to seduce some poor, sweet, random dama to come down to this delightful little place and give herself to you? Or do you have…" The Incubus cleared his throat, "…any special requests?"
Vergil allowed a brief flash of a smirk to dance at the corner of his lip, before saying, "I don't go for humans if I can help it, incubus, and certainly not a human woman unless if I'm in dire need of release."
"Oh," He said, nodding, "So, you want someone in particular?"
"There's a boy in Fortuna. He's a half blood, a strong one at that. And he's a virgin."
The incubus grinned up at Vergil, "I think I might know that one. Nero isn't it? He helped your hermano defeat that old religious dude."
"How does this work, Incubus?" Vergil cut him off.
The Spanish demon tsked, "I'll give him something called The Fever. It works by it's name sake, basically starting off as heat. Then becomes urges, tugs at the mind to guide the victim to the predator. The Victim will slowly grow more lustful as the days tick by. Once in the predators territory however, the Fever grows stronger as the hours tick. Unavoidably, the victim ends up in the predators grasp, submissive, and completely aching for a fuck."
Vergil's face was blank, but there was a glimpse of a twisted smile at the corner of his lip.
The incubus pretended to linger on a thought, "Now that I think about it, maybe just because he's a half-blood doesn't make him your choice. I'm guessing this rabbit hole goes a bit deeper than your letting on, no?"
Vergil gave nothing away in his expression, and merely stated, "He's worthy. Get him."
The incubus raised his hands, "Alright, get the portal up and running, and we'll see how hard I can make this puppy fall."
Nero was in a room full of shelves that went up to the roof. On the shelves were lies among piles of rags. They were multicoloured rags that looked so worn that they might've been soaking in a well for the past decade, and of any recently been wrung out. Under neath each pile, Nero could see the glimmer of metal.
A pile of the stained rags sat in the middle of the room. Probably fell down or something. Nero felt inclined to stay a few steps back, and he was smart to. The shadows of the room suddenly moved; crawling along the floor like a sea of cockroaches towards the rags. They filled them up like a hot air balloon, bloating them. The rags inflated until a familiar abomination stood wobbling before Nero.
"Well aren't I glad to see you here," He monotoned.
The rags on the shelves began to inflated as well, lifting up and pulling all sorts of weapons with them; scythes, knives, saws - until they formed the very brand of demons Nero had grown accustomed to; Scarecrows. Hundreds of them in the one room, their twisted giggles echoed off the walls.
Nero gripped Red Queens handle, "I had no idea the circus was in town."
He revved her up and flames licked along the pristine blade, ready to cleave through these clowns.
The Scarecrows came at him with surprising agility, despite their obvious struggle with balance. Like I said, he'd grown accustomed to their kind, and was now too strong for them to be considered a legitimate obstacle. He dealt with them quickly, slicing straight through them as if Red Queen was slicing air. Twirling and dodging effortlessly like an elaborate, deadly dancer.
When the last Scarecrow exploded into black dust, and he had quickly snatched up the orbs that fell from it's carcass, he sprinted off, determined not to waste anymore time.
After many twists and turns Nero arrived at his destination. Nero looked down the hallway he felt he was suppose to go, and saw a door with barred windows at the end. If that wasn't the door to the cells then he didn't know what was.
Looking around, Nero was relieved to see the hall perfectly unguarded and without any surprise traps.
He strode down the hallway happy not to have to face any last minute troubles.
Vergil found himself hurrying to Nero's room when he was getting close.
The virgin trapped, Dante trapped, the Incubus tranquil, It was all coming together too easily, and he knew - hejust knew - that easy comes with a price; failure.
The first thing that began to unsettle him was the sight of the door wide open. The second was when he entered the room and did a full turn, he saw the room empty of life.
"Damn it!'" He roared. He smashed his fist into the demonic stone wall, the strength of the impact formed a small web of cracks. Rigidly, but swiftly, he left the room in a blur of cold blue.
Nero tried the key he was given on the door, and let out a breath of relief when the door opened. He bolted inside, closing the door behind him, and looked around.
Nero's smirk disappeared when he noticed that all the cells were empty; no sign of Dante. One cell had chains in it; thick black chain, the cuffs stained with fresh blood. Nero's heart felt as if it had stopped, His Fever bearing down on his chest like a hot iron prod. His ears popped, and he started to get a serious headache.
He was worried out of his mind.
Then something red fell from the ceiling with a crash, landing a meter in front of Nero. Of cause, it was Dante. The older man stood and dusted off his coat. He still hadn't looked up, but when he did his face lit up with an unreadable emotion. Immediately, despite the jump scare, Nero relaxed.
"Dante," He sighed. he was embarrassed afterwards when he realised how…passionately, he said the name. He cleared his throat and smirked, "You always knew how to make an entrance."
"Kid!" Dante said, taking a step towards him as if he were going to hug him, but seemed to decide against it and just said, "what brings you here?"
"I'm here to bail you out."
"Really? Well that's a switch."
They both stood there for a moment, smiling at each other. Dante had the strange urge to tackle Nero with a bear hug - as if he had been reunited with a long lost puppy or something - but he held it back as to avoid any awkwardness.
Nero scratched the side of his nose when he realised he was acting a little disturbing, just standing there staring at Dante like that. He blames his Fever for making him drift off easily.
"How did you get out of your cell?"
Dante pointed to the ceiling and Nero saw there was a hole inside Dante's cage as well. That's what Dante was doing in the ceiling, he had literally just got out.
"What about the chains?" Nero persisted.
Dante discreetly gripped his left wrist, and Nero noticed for the first time that it was at a weird angle. He snapped it into place and flexed his fingers.
Nero shook his head as he pieced it all together; Dante had dislocated his wrists to slip out of the cuffs then broke a tunnel in the ceiling in order to escape.
"You are one crazy guy," Nero told him in disbelief.
"We're the same, kid, don't ever forget that," Dante added with a wicked smirk.
Just then, Dante heard sounds coming from the other side of the door. A gurgling snarl, echoed by many, many others.
"Time to go," He told Nero in a low voice.
He remembered that sound from when he was out in the fields, mowing through demon's to reach the Tower. They weren't very friendly critters, lets leave it at that, and hope Dante can get out before they can get in.
"Where to?" Nero looked around the room for a second exit.
Dante monkeyed his way up to the hole in the roof, using the bars on his cell door as leverage.
"Up here!" He called down before disappearing inside the ceiling.
"Oh great, from mice in a maze, to rats in the ceiling," Despite Nero's complaining, he followed anyway.
Inside the ceiling was dark and made Nero feel extremely claustrophobic. But Dante soon fixed that as he punched a hole above them and slinked up through it and into another room. Nero was close behind him as the sounds of the Prison door slamming open resonated underneath them, followed by a choked growl that spoke of the demon's frustration.
Dante saw a demonic lead statue and quickly knocked it over to cover the hole in the floor. It may not stop the demon's but it might slow them down.
"Hey Kid," Dante said, "You got any weapons? I might've misplaced mine."
"How about I give you Yamato for the time being," He said.
"You won't have it." Dante told him.
"What?"
Dante took a deep breath in before trying to explain the situation. Nero took the news reasonably well.
"You've got to be kidding me: Virgil? And this guy is your twin brother? You're telling me he locked you in there, manipulated an Incubus, took Yamato, and is now after my ass?"
"That pretty much sums it up," Dante acknowledged, "Although he didn't take it, it's more accurate to say Yamato disappeared from your Devil Bringer and became his possession the moment you came through the Gate."
Nero swore under his breath and began to pace the room.
What else? He didn't have any other weapons beside's Red Queen and Blue Rose…besides…
After a moment of hesitation Nero pulled the gun that the Incubus gave him out. 'Lucky Dip', it said in fancy cursive on the grip.
"I've got this," Nero said.
Dante eyed the weird dial-gun, "Great, that'll do."
Nero held it out of reach when Dante went to grab it, "But I don't think it's trust worthy."
Dante smirked, "I'll be the judge of that, now c'mon, give it."
Nero eyed Dante's outstretched hand, the finger's twitching in a "hand it over" gesture. After a long moment of hesitation Nero gave it to Dante. Their fingers touched and a feeling shot up through Nero's arm. He could only describe it as a pulse. It went throughout his body and he gasped as his Fever flared violently in his blood. Dante was oblivious to Nero's quiet phase of discomfort.
The Older hunter immediately began to study Lucky Dip, turning it over in his hands.
The noises grew louder underneath them, before the first bash at the lead statue echoed around the bland room. Dante quickly dialled a number into the gun, Nero couldn't see what it was though.
"C'mon," He said and made his way to the door out of the room.
The lead statue wasn't going to hold, it quivered and even bounced a bit on top of the hole with every bash at it's interior. Dante held the door open for Nero, and the kid bolted past the thresh hold. He turned back to see what the other was up to only to see Dante aiming at the statue, waiting.
What is he thinking? Nero thought, he doesn't even know if he worked the gun right.
The statue gave way. Wiry arms with thick, black claws scratched along the floorboards, trying to climb up. Nero noticed that the muscles of the arms moved and writhed like worms under the grey skin.
Dante fired the gun at the hole and the room erupted in black and purple energy. When the electrical cloud faded, there hovered a sphere around the hole, and inside, was a swirling mass of blood and somehow still remaining body parts of the demons.
Nero didn't even know what the hell just happened, or what that gun just did, but whatever it was, it worked. And probably scarred him for life.
Dante eyed the gun in his hand, "Not bad. Lets go."
Dante strode down the hallway. Nero shook his head again in disbelief, then chased after him.
"Do you know where we're even going?"
"No," Dante said, dialling up another number, "But I have an idea."
"That can't be a good sign; Dante actually coming up with his own plans. So tell me, what is this plan?"
"I'll tell you it later, for now I just need you to trust me, kid," Dante told him.
Nero wanted to retort but he found he couldn't. It was strange, he felt tied down to comply with Dante, no matter what. The Fever made him feel drowsy and calm, sweltering hot but tranquil, like when he got himself trapped in the bedroom. It was the desire to give in.
Absolute submission. He couldn't help but think those very words. A tingle ran down his spine.
He sighed in frustration at his own weirdness, "Y-y-yeah okay."
Dante raised a silver eyebrow at him, surprised the kid complied so easily. He smirked despite.
However, his smirked dropped when he heard something coming from down the hall. It was the sound of grinding stone; something big.
"Move!" He told Nero.
"What?"
"Over here! Quick!" There was an indoor grotto just a few strides down the hall. Dante quickly stepped in, pulled Nero with him and slammed them both against the wall.
Before Nero could ask what the Hell Dante was doing, he saw what it was.
Apparently Nero and Dante's escape hadn't gone unnoticed, and this is the security system. Giant flaming boulders were speeding down the hallway.
Thanks to the small grotto, they were being bypassed, but they were stuck in a very tight spot together. The sound of grinding stone was painfully loud, and the boulders kept coming, one nearly right after the other.
Claws dug into Dante's shoulder. Dante cursed under his breath at the slight pain, and looked over at Nero in question. The Devil Bringer dug further into the leather of Dante's coat until it scratched skin. Nero himself, was on fire. His skin crawled and his blood rushed fervently around his body, he could almost hear it. When a jolt ran through him and to his groin, he groaned. It wasn't pleasure and want, it was pain and need.
"Dante," he gritted out.
"What's wrong?" Dante demanded trying to ply Nero's claws from his coat.
Nero began to tremble, his hold tightening. He was loosing it, he felt he was going crazy.
"Dante," Nero gasped as he pressed himself into Dante against his conscious, "punch me!"
"What?" Dante was trying his best to stay cool, but he was quickly loosing the facade, "Why?"
"Just...fucking...hit me!"
The boulders finally stopped coming.
Dante didn't know what else to do, so he brought his fist square into Nero's jaw, and the kid fell, his grip finally letting go of Dante.
On the cold stone, Nero cooled down a couple of degrees, his mind cleared, and his body calmed down. He was so relieved to be out of it, he didn't care about the ache in his jaw. Dante helped him up, despite being a little weirded out.
"What's with the BDSM all of a sudden, kid?"
Nero dusted himself down, avoiding eye contact, "It's nothing just...lets just put it behind us and keep moving."
Dante could not bring himself to put it behind him. The pure lust in Nero's voice, contradicting with his demand for Dante to knock him out was, more or less, fucking confusing.
It wasn't enough that Nero was clawing him like an irritated feline, nor that Nero's voice was spurring naughty images in Dante's head, but the thing that nagged him most was the fact that when Nero pressed into Dante, he felt something stiff jab into his thigh.
Awkward? Oh yeah.
But he wasn't complaining. Oh no.
What is there to complain about? Dante remembered Nero from the saviour incident, the zest he displayed in spades, that fire, and those fine as hell legs.
What can he say? He's drawn to sexy people that like to beat the shit out of him. However, his luck with such woman are poor, and to be honest he's curious as to what Nero would be like in bed. He's had quite a few…guesses. He's had Nero's legs wrapped around him once before, and god forbid Dante will never forget that. Imagine having those banging legs around him once more, this time without clothes getting in the way of skin contact.
Dante chuckled impishly out loud, which earned an eyebrow raise from Nero and a; "You okay there, old man?"
While Nero was determined to put all awkward, sexually tense moments behind him, Dante was eager to get them kicking up a notch. He didn't know what that moment in the grotto was about, and it shocked him the way Nero was acting, but more moments like that wouldn't be all that bad. Probably best though that they save it until a later date. Because this isn't exactly the time or the place. There's work to be done.
"What's going on here!?" Vergil roared.
The Incubus looked up from the book he was reading and pulled an innocent expression, "Problema omego?"
The tip of a holographic blade sprouted from the page he was reading. He chuckled softly and threw the book to the side, "Temper, Temper."
The summoned sword vaporised and left a slash in the hardcover. It was blatantly clear that Vergil was not in the mood to be played with, but it seemed the incubus was uncaring for his life.
"Nero escaped, freed Dante and ran off with him," Vergil gritted, glaring down at him.
The dark haired man scratched at his jaw, "did he? Huh."
Vergil towered over him, "You said you had given him the Fever and that he'd come to me. So, unless you want me to cut your brother into fine shreds, incubus, you will tell me what the hell happened."
The seducer's eye twitched. Sometimes, he almost seemed to be like Dante; cocky and smooth, but there would be flashes of something sinister in his face, and the resemblance would be ruined. At the mention of his brother, such a flash of madness came to his eye.
"I think I might've accidentally left a bit out…" He drawled.
"What bit?" Vergil spat.
"I'm an incubus, not a cupid. I don't make people fall in love, I make them fall into lust. That being said, you have to ask yourself this question; which desire is strongest?"
"What are you getting at?"
"I can make that boy hungry. I can make him damn right desperate for a good rump. But I can't make him choose, exactly, who to be with. He'll be with what his desires finally succumb to."
"But he came here," Vergil tried to make sense of this, "He came down here!"
"Because The Fever told him to. However, I don't control love, that's what I'm trying to tell you. In the end, it comes down to keeping your fingers crossed that he stays on track. He may just come to you, or he may follow his desires and succumb to someone else on the way. In this case, he's gone to your dear old hermano."
"So he's given himself to Dante," Vergil concluded bitterly.
"Yup."
"And you are useless."
"Oh, I wouldn't say that."
Vergil shook his head, in both disbelief and slight disgust.
"I gave you a simple task, Incubus: seduce the boy to come to me. That was all. And yet you somehow manage to screw it up with this nonsense. You are a weakling and a waste of time. I have no further use of you."
Vergil drew Yamato.
Just before he could do anything, the Incubus subtly grabbed ahold of Vergil's wrist. The Blue twin stopped and held his breath as the Incubus shot vibes through him to calm him down. The Incubus mentally rejoiced at being able to act quickly enough. Had he waisted a millisecond, he would've been ribbons by now.
"Hear me out, Vergil," He whispered, pouring his Seduction into his words, "Don't be so impetuous. It's not like you. You need to think this through; I am still of use to you."
After a moment of trying to control his anger so it stays out of his voice, he said, "There's no need to bring my brother into this either. Just...hear me out."
He let go and Vergil stood there frozen. Eventually his eyes grew cold and snakelike, but he slowly put his weapon away. He wasn't a moron, he knew the Incubus was indeed still useful. He just needed to be more closely monitored from now on. For instance, find a way to stop him from making physical contact.
"What'd you have in mind?"
This was a very long, very lousy chapter, in my opinion. But hey, at the moment everything is lousy to me, funerals do that to you I guess.
But hey, don't let me put you down, I hope you enjoyed that chapter!
Review, please! Because you totally didn't know you could do that!
Cheers!
Luna.