Sympathy for the Devil

Chapter ten

Hank's red Mercedes skated past the wild brush and withered grape vines of a Tuscany style vineyard. The vineyard sat lazily unused in the moonlight, shifting the once pristine lime stones of the old manner into cracked smoker's teeth. Despite all appearances, powerful magic rested in the vineyard grounds. It was the kind of magic that was used by the old gods before the earth was tamed by the Slayer.

Soon the little Mercedes stopped outside of a pair of large stained glass doors that led to the formally grand manor of the vineyard. Hank stepped out of the car, relishing in the taste of magic that hung in the polluted air. He had sent his human assistants ahead to make the building useable for the Council of Demonic and Supernatural Affairs (CDSA). The Organization was a sort of U.N for the Supernatural worlds. Only, instead of countries it was run by six powerful families made up of Elves, Mystics, Skin Changers, Vampires, Banshees, and Gargoyles. The families only came together on matters that affected the natural order of reality. Tonight they needed to come to an agreement on the matter regarding the Slayer's life. Given the gravity of the CDSA's proceedings, Wolfram and Hart had chosen to get involved by sending Hank Summers to mediate.

Much to his dismay, that met he was the one who had to host the proceedings. Never knowing which family was at the other's throat, he handpicked a location that still followed the hospitality laws of the old Gods. Those stated that any creature that dined underneath the sanctuary's roof may not come to any harm as long as it remained on the grounds. This had led Hank to the vineyard outside of Sunnydale. Before the vineyard had fallen into disrepair, it had been a sanctuary of sorts.

Hank Summers had setup a makeshift conference room in one of the larger wine cellars. One by one, the members of the CDSA filed into it and sat at a table made of stone, except for one, a Gargoyle called Samuel Mulls. One of the members of the CDSA, Lore, a blue-skinned hermaphrodite that led the banshees, demanded for the CDSA to wait for Mull's arrival. When no one else agreed with him, Hank started the meeting by giving each member a bit of bread and a sip of wine to activate the sanctuary's magic.

Hank started the debate, "We have come here today to discuss the ending of an era. After this last Slayer dies, no more will rise to challenge us. So the question is simple - do we want to speed up the process of her death?" The years of practiced indifference made every word that fell from his lips sound cold. It was as if the subject of his daughter's possible death was as meaningless as what movie to watch or which tie he should wear to work.

Lore was the first to slam his point home. His voice was a metallic kind of garble that bounced off the cellar walls, "Why does there even need to be a debate! Right now the Slayer is weak and it would take little energy to rid ourselves of this enemy. My only question to my brave friends of the Council is why has this not happened yet?" Cheering Lore on were a short but muscular skin changer and a vampire that looked like he would be more at home on Wall Street than at a graveyard.

On the other side of the argument was Ella Snow, a slender Elf with pointed ear's and eye's that were like tar pits. Everything about her could be drawn from a fairytale. Often times Hank couldn't help but imagine her as Snow White's evil step mother before she turned into an ugly hag. Just like the evil step mother Ella was an enchantress able to sway hearts and minds of men with a whispered word or soft caress of her milky white hands. The soft melody of her voice danced on ears of the CDSA drawing every eye on her. Ella addressed the CDSA, like a queen would speak to her court, "Lore is a relic of the past. His whole race is creatures of war and destruction, with no real power in this new world. Why should we listen to him? Killing the Slayer would throw our world out of whack and will destroy everything. Right now we can live in riches on the back of mankind. Why should we ruin this for ourselves? If anything, we should help the Slayer for a price."

One cheer came from a Mystic but other than that the room fell quiet. This isn't good, Hank internally winced while his mask of absolute disinterest stayed locked on his face. Unwilling to let the subject drop the Mystic spoke up, "My dear lady Ella is right. To truly destroy the world and bring back the old ways it must be done in stages. Killing the Slayer is too drastic for this point in time. A drastic shift in the balance like that will only serve to for nature violently try to right its self. However if we currupt the Slayer the balance can be tilted to our side and slowly we can bring back the Old ones."

"In my day humans like you would be belly up on the table while the Lords of the CDSA carved into you. Lore's scoffed, "Ask for Lady Ella she should not even be here. You're a step below half-breads and have no place in this world."

Ella spoke over him, "You and me having this conversation would be funny if you weren't so pathetic. Just look at you sitting there worshiping the old ways of blood and carnage expecting some gods that either have abandon your kind or never existed in the first place to come put me and anyone else with a spec of human in them in our place. All while your kinsman live off of rats underground unable to come to the surface all because humans walk the earth. The only reason you have a spot at this table is because someone way back when spilled enough blood to get you here. Don't talk like your opinions matter because they don't. Now go back to your whole and let your kind die out like your gods."

Lore hop from his spot slamming his fist into the table nearly cracking it in his furry. "Be greatful for my devotion to the old ways Elf it is the only thing keeping you alive."

The vampire Cyrus spoke in a thick southern draw, that postdated his turning, "Silence, both of you. I agree with Lore that we need to destroy our enemy while she is weak. Pretty soon she will find a way to reclaim her birth right and set the balance back to normal. We have a once in a lifetime chance to fix things in our favor. Why waste it? "

Ella tried to explain, without sounding like a human sympathizer, "The balance protects us all, without it, we would be destroyed."

"What do we care of the balance? Fuck the balance! What has it ever given us? We have hidden away in holes while the Slayer hunts our kind like dogs. We are better than the humans in every way and yet we live under them. How is that right?" A skin changer called Bear, roared his disapproval.

Hank decided to weigh in to the discussion. "Please Ladies and Gentleman we all have the same desires here. We want the old ways of the world back. The Slayer has always stood in the way of that. Now this force of good is weak. We can kill her or currupt her both options will serve us well. But if we kill her and somehow nature finds away to fix the absence of Slayer than that's it. We will have to look for a new weakness in this new warrior of light. However if we keep this Slayer around slowly curropt her than she might just do the hard work of bringing about the end of days for us."

Lore narrowed his yellow eyes at the Lawyer. "So your saying the Slayer can be currupted by the darkness and she can destroy the world."

Hank smiled, "Yes anyone can be currupted, Lore. Even a child of light. You just need to know what buttons to push."

Lore snarled, "Your interest in keeping her alive has nothing to do with her relation to you?"

Hank heaved out a sigh, "If the CDSA chooses to cut out her heart and feed it too me, I'll do the cutting myself and eat it with a smile on my face. The Slayer is nothing more than a means to an end."

Lore laughed, "I don't believe you."

From nowhere, someone started to clap sardonically. Drusilla and Lylia appeared from the shadows. Lylia smirked to Hank, " "Hank how rude of you not to wait for us."

Drusilla floated around the cellar, listening to the whispering stars. "Yes, very rude, indeed." answered with a cheshire grin.

Lore whined, "I thought the mad seer was dead."

Hank Summers finally weighted in, "Ladies, please, this meeting is for CDSA members only."

Lylia smiled wide, "You're right Hank. I am deeply sorry for the interruption but you see when I was consulting Drusilla on another case she had a vision about this troubling Slayer business." Pointly she looked toward Hank, "You see Ladies and Gentleman Wilfirm and Heart want's to do what is best for the CDSA despite any personal liabilities. So in the interest of the CDSA I just had to bring Drusilla into town."

Mask's firmly in place Hank nodded, "Is that right Lylia. Well this must be a tasty bit of prophecy for you to risk your career for."

Lylia cooly replied, "Oh trust me Hank. I think you're goanna find this very enlightening ."

Ella attempts to shoe them away, "Can't we just get rid of them? I'm sure the sanctuary's magic doesn't apply to them."

The mystic nods, trying to pull the debate back to its point, "Go on my dears. Tell us of the future comings."

Lylia turns to Drusilla, "Go on; tell them what you told me."

Drusilla closed her eyes:

"Shadows dance high above

Devouring Sunshine's only light

Leaving monsters night"

Drusilla opens her eyes again shocked at the stars:

"Only night says goodbye

When fire and blood stains little Alice

Quickly power comes"

Tears fall down Drusilla's cheek, "Alice has stolen my white rabbit."

Annoyances slips into Lylia voice "No, the other thing."

Wiping away the tears Drusilla nods, "Stars whisper in my head, they tell me the Slayer will grow old but never age."

Ella sights, "I don't care what some mad woman has to say. You have the Elf's vote we will not murder the Slayer." Ella left the winery

Hank growls, "Translate her ramblings Lylia before the lords and ladies grow tire of this folly."

Lylia smiles, "It's simple really. According to Drusilla somehow the Slayer will be turned and the only thing worse than a Slayer is one batting for the other team."

Lore shouts, "This is nonsense we can kill the Slayer before it happens."

Dru shakes her head, "Silly little, man woman beast you will fail."

Cyrus yawns, "Let's put it to a vote before sun rise. All for Killing the Slayer say aye."

Remains of CDSA voted yes on the Slayers death and one by one they filed out of the Cellar until Lylia, Drusilla, and Hank were alone. In flash Hank's smooth hands were around Lylia's neck. "You aren't supposed to be here!"

Lylia gave a smirk as she croaked, "And you aren't suppose to have a daughter who's a slayer. I wonder how the senior partners are gonna feel about that?"

A dry cruel laugh echoed from cellar walls. "You do realize my daughter's identify is the worse kept secret in the underworld right? But you want to know the best kept secret?" Hank leaned in close and whispered in her hear. The warm breath smelt like rotten meat and his touch became like lava burning Lylia skin. "I am a senior partner."