Dante awoke to a huge commotion coming from outside of his shop and sighed, gritting his teeth. He was always in a shitty mood when he was awakened before he had gotten enough rest to be of any use. He tisked and grabbed Rebellion, stepping outside of the shop to see Hiro sprawled out against the outside wall, rubbing his face with his hand. His eyebrow shot up at the sight of his friend being bested so easily. His eyes drifted over to a strange man, the icy blue orbs sizing him up. He looked normal enough, except for the centipede tail jutting from his lower back. "Hey, hey, hey. I don't know who you are, but get the hell away from my shop," Dante sneered. "Don't ya know people are tryin' to sleep, shithead?" He sighed, stepping in front of Hiro and getting ready. He knew that the man was a demon, but his aura was past that of even a Phantom. Dante smirked, expecting a good confrontation. " Say, you wouldn't happen to know who this Diabolus guy is and where I could find him, would ya? Seems he's causin' us a lot of trouble these days. Goes under the letter Sigma. Know anythin'?"
Hiro's arm suddenly grabbed Dante's leg. Hiro looked up at Dante, his eyes ablaze. "Don't even think about it!" he said in a semi-snarl. He got and dusted himself off. He looked at the demon, his look almost sadistic. H e tried to draw his sword, but to no avail. The demon tried the same tactic of beating the shit out of him, but came straight down with a powerful kick. Hiro disappeared for a second and reappeared behind the demon. Hiro then stopped. The demon stopped too, his face contorted into an expression of pain. The tail ripped clean off, and blood spurted continuously from the gaping hole. The demon howled in pain and writhed, its limbs twitching.
Dante sighed, relaxing as he watched Hiro destroy the demon. "You know he knew a shitload of stuff, right? T hat was smart..." He shook his head, going back inside and waving Hiro off. "I'll see you in the morning. I'm going to sleep." He flopped back down in his seat at his desk, propping his boots up on it and leaning back. Sleep soon took him again, a nightmare gripping his mind.
The demon world was experiencing an unusual spell of light as two brothers battled amidst the debris in an unknown stretch. Water poured over the ground the two battled on, bitter twins bent on different ends. Both looked at the other with anger, weapons unsheathed and ready to rend each other to pieces. One stood, bare-chested underneath a red leather trench coat, with snow white hair, a giant sword held in his hands. His ice blue eyes surveyed his twin, with the same white hair, only slicked back in a blue trench coat and undercoat. He held a katana in his gloved hands, rushing towards Dante. In crossing, Dante, slashed his twin through his middle, a spray of blood issuing forth from the wound. One word escaped Virgil's lips and echoed three times in Dante's ears. "Dante..."
The next morning, Dante awoke again, looking around the shop. The last day had seemed like a blur to him. Everything had happened so fast that it all seemed to become one event in his clouded mind. He shook it off, sighing and getting up from his desk. He looked at the couch, seeing that the strange girl was still there. He nodded, leaving the shop to go to a bar for some wake-up time before going to the strange mansion Enzo had pointed him to.
He left through the large double doors, the wood creaking as he did so. From the look of things outside, he supposed it was pretty early. This was perfect though, seeing as he hated it when a bar got too crowded. The roughnecks usually gave him shit about the way he looked. They also gave him a hard time about the guitar case he wore on his back, never having seen him with a guitar themselves. He smirked and walked on, nearing the Bull's Eye Bar.
He stepped through the doors, the barkeeper looking at him with a somewhat confused expression. "You're here early, Dante? Did ya not sleep too well last night?"
Dante waved him off. "Not exactly. Just woke up a bit early and decided to go ahead and wake up and go to work on an assignment." He closed his ice-blue eyes for a moment, as if thinking. He opened them again. "Strawberry sundae. I can pay my debt today."
The bartender nodded, smiling slightly. "That's some good news, Dante. Coming right up."
Hiro entered the Bull's Eye Bar. He stepped inside slowly, his boots pounding over the hardwood floor. He saw Dante sitting there and sat next to him. He waved the bartender over. "I'll have the Ortega Special and a ham and cheese omelette."
"Coming right up, sir," the bartender said. He first handed Dante his sundae, and then went in the back of the bar to fire up the grill.
"Morning," Hiro said in a friendly tone. "The chick you had in the shop last night, a little someone?" Hiro asked in a playful tone.
Waking slowly, a lazy yawn escaped Shirin as she began to stir. Her limbs stretched out; her claws retracting slightly as her fingers curled. Groggily, her sky blue eyes opened before she shook herself like any canine. After the morning's wake up routine, the demon leaned back into the sofa. A hand scratched the back of her ear as he thought. Silently, Shiran mused over the memories that had presented themselves in his slumber. The spare pants, and shirt had fit her rather loosely since it belonged to the mysterous man. She tugged at the collar of the shirt, the one he had lend her, and took a glance to make sure that her 'brassiere' hadn't been damaged during the little encounter. Luckily, it was only bloodstained, so that was some good news. The problem was that her only clothing had been obliterated. As a demonic, spiritually male being; this was not good news, and the fact he rarely was in control of the host's body caused some difficulties. An ominous feeling stirred in his belly; it was what many called 'woman's intuition' -what a pain in the ass that was. The wolf-demon was still getting used to it, and this single time chose to ignore it.
A determined growl sounded outside of the door to the shop, and the wood seemed to explode into splinters as the door flew off of its hinges and smashed against the opposite wall. Blinded with fury, the demon's hand went for the neck of the closest demonic aura, which just happened to be Shiran. "Ye shalt payeth for thine sins, bastard of the wolves!" The dog demon growled with his thick British accent, and it would seem he was a rather ancient being to be talking in such a manner. His fangs glistened as he barked at the unsuspecting victim.
With his momentary and unwavering hate, he pinned Shirin against the wall. In her already furry humanoid appearance, she resembled a mythical werewolf, but the fact that she was a dog with more of a domesticated look of a doberman, contradicted this assumption of identity. Bryce's lips were pulled back in a snarl as his grasp tightened.
I've learned my lesson; note to self, never ignore that troublesome feeling, she thought as her hands went to her neck in a futile attempt to escape. Her cobalt eyes glanced down at her twin katanas, but they were too far away to reach. With no memory of his past life, the demon didn't understand what this crazed maniac was talking about. And it seemed to him that he was stuck in time. "What the hell are you talking about?!" Shirin yelled at him, vainly hoping for someone to rescue her from this rather uncomfortable situation. Her slender body squirmed to see if that would loosen his grip on her, but it was of no use. However, he was pain tolerant, but just because he couldn't feel the pain didn't mean he didn't fear for his life. The vampire's influence over the host's body had lessened since it was the demon who was in control, so Shiran wasn't sure if she was still immortal, and wasn't willing to see if it was so or not. Breathing was becoming more difficult as the damned attacker's hand clenched around her neck. Even with her energy levels all the way back to par; without any weapons and caught off guard, she was as good as any human: dead.
Dante's eyes shot to the side, looking out of the corner of them in the direction of his shop. He stood up, grumbling about not having his morning treat. "I'll be back, Hiro. Stay here and keep the bartender company. Maybe you could tell him some of your riveting tales." With that, he turned and ran back to the shop, seeing the door kicked in. He stepped through, taking Rebellion out of its case and looking at the doglike being that had the girl pinned to the wall. He smirked. "That hardly seems nice. Come now, let her down and I'll give you a doggy treat."
The demon seemed strong enough, but he wasn't as strong as he could have been. This would be a good wake-up fight. He looked at the girl with a satisfied smirk. "Perhaps you need me more than you think, eh?" With that, he launched at the doglike creature, ready to shred it.
"Jeez, demons first thing in the morning," Hiro grumbled under his breath. He looked at a plate with a delicious looking omelette on it, and an orangish yellow juice next to it in a tall glass. Hiro took a bite, tasting that the eggs were so well done, they were light and fluffy, just the way he liked 'em.
"So, how do you know Dante? Surely thee must be an interesting tale behind that?" the Bartender asked in a friendly tone.
Hiro finished a bite of eggs, placing his fork down and taking a drink. "It was very interesting, actually. Dante was hired to kill a man named Antioch, who tried to become a great demon. Dante barged in, trying to finish the job quick, but Antioch wasn't in the room. He was just leaving in a helicopter. Dante and I fought on the helicopter pad." Hiro paused to remember the specifics. "It was pouring rain that night. Dante shot at me several times with his pistols, but they didn't work. I deflected them with my sword and advanced on him. Our swords clashed for well over an hour, and eventually we were too tired to fight. I learned why he was trying to kill my boss, and I agreed to help him. I snuck Dante in the building, and he killed him. We then did several jobs together, and grew to be pretty good friends." Hiro finished off his breakfast, and took the last bit of his drink. "Ah, thank you." Hiro handed the bartender the money. "This will cover mine and Dante's meal. Good day to you." Hiro left the bar walked towards Dante and his friend's plight.
"Ye mangy half-breed, stayeth out," the creature had managed to bark between his gritted canines. Bryce swiped at the intruder who dared to interrupt the quarrel between demons.
"You're Pryce, aren't you?"Shirin had been able to ask with the little air she was receiving. Her lungs were on fire. She could easily ignore the man's smart ass comment.
Bryce reconsidered his options and decided it would be best to run with the wolf rather than stay and fend off the intruder while getting information out of the demon. " Bryce," he growled into what he believed to be Fang's ears. "Thou shalt cometh with me, or perhaps thou would prefer to be torn limb from limb?" His grasp left her throat, and allowed her form to fall down to the ground in a limp state. It was a rhetorical question with a rather blunt threat. He took her in his arms with strength, of course, so the being couldn't escape him before running off with her. "I bid thee farewell, mutt." With his experience from the many centuries he had lived, he knew it was best not to understimate the enemy or to go easy on his only lead. The idea was to rough her up enough to get something of value, but to keep her alive in case she was to be needed. The thought had hit him that she wasn't the one he had been searching for, merely one of the clan. Just as long as he got his revenge, all was well. The hunter had lunged at him, and he so easily averted him to run past him, and through the door. His burly legs took him rather far, and he hadn't stopped until reaching the forest with the woman protesting, but he ignored that much. With the run, his temper had simmered down as intent had set in.
Shirin's hands went for her raw neck. The damn demon didn't have to be so rough with her. He appeared to be a girl; wasn't it in the code of honor not to hurt women?! Yes, the male demon was more than willing to take advantage of his newest form if it meant he could live for another day. "I don't see what you want with me! Are you even listening?!" Shirin had been mouthing off at him the entire time before this Bryce let her go. Well, his attitude began to surface the moment that the dog demon picked her up, and ran off with her. "What the hell do you want?" She hmphed slightly due to the frustration. This doberman didn't have to give her the silent treatment! He was becoming rather unpatient with this whole bloody thing that has been thrown out of proportion.
Dante cursed under his breath as he got up to see the girl gone and the beast bounding away. He sighed. "Guess you're not getting a treat." He took off at a rather impressive speed, chasing after the dog demon and the wolf. He caught up rather quickly, the demon blood in him being of the purest quality. It enhanced his speed to that surpassing a full demon. He smirked. "Bad puppy. Guess it's time to train you." With that, he lunged forward, punching the dog in the snout, sending him back a small distance. He stopped as the dog did, catching the girl as she fell from his arms. He looked at her. "You should choose your company better, babe. This one isn't even worth your time."
He turned to face the demon again, ready for it this time. The sucker punch had caught him off guard last time, but wouldn't do so again. With Rebellion held ready, Dante smirked at the demon as he wiped away a small trickle of blood from his chin. "Okay, puppy. Let's play."
Dante looked as the gigantic canine lunged at him. He dodged easily, but his easiness of mind only lasted for a few seconds as he looked to where the girl was now sprawled out, motionless and silent. Her neck had been snapped as a direct result of his actions. His anger welling up inside of him, Rebellion found its way into his hands and then found itself thrust through the shoulder of the devil. Dante's eyes blazed and he twisted the blade with a sickening squelching sound as blood poured from the wound. He gritted his teeth as he yanked the blade free, sending it spinning and cleanly lopping off the demon's head. Blood dusted the ground like a dark crimson carpet and slowly enveloped the body it had once inhabited. He looked sadly to the girl, knowing he could do nothing for her. He slowly wiped Rebellion's blade clean and put it back in the guitar case as he slowly trudged to the corpse of the girl. He picked her up and proceeded to a place only he knew of to bury her.
Copyright 2008 Kevin Sims