Chapter 53
Helen knew they were getting close just by the traps they were now setting off. What she didn't know was how they knew the kids were in this direction or why it was she still couldn't see them. A part of her worried they had some insider information. Some way of knowing exactly what she knew and where she was watching them from. Almost as soon as she'd had the thought she tried to crush it. After all, all the people she knew were involved in this mission were supposed to be friends or at least associates of Nichee's. If they turned out to be traitors then it wouldn't look good for Nichee no matter how you looked at it; because either he was in on the treachery or he'd allowed himself to be duped.
As much as she hated to admit it, even to herself, she knew Nichee was far too intelligent and insightful to be duped by anyone. As much as she wanted to suppress the notion of it, she knew if his informants turned out to be traitors, then Nichee would be one too. And, as much as it would break her own heart to say it, if he did turn out to be a traitor, she wouldn't be shocked.
There had been something about the way Nichee had been behaving ever since they'd arrived down in hell. Ever since this mission was mentioned. Ever since False entered their lives. He'd been acting in a way both in and out of character for him. She didn't like it, but she knew, somewhere deep inside of her she knew, he was trying to play her for a fool. And she knew he believed she'd let him. That he believed her feelings for him would ultimately be her downfall. That she was nothing more then an easily manipulated doll.
But she wasn't. She was able to see through a lot of what he was trying to do and even if she didn't have it all figure out yet…
'You know the stench of doubt can be quite alluring to certain demons,' Nichee interrupted her train of thoughts, 'especially ones higher up the pecking order. They like the smell of it because it means, on some level at least, that they are winning.'
'Winning what exactly,' Helen tried to remain calm.
'The battle for their soul, of course. Doubt breeds evil. Sometimes quite literally.'
'Then… then it's a good job there are no demons around here,' her voice was almost completely unstable, 'you know how I feel about them. I'd kill them on sight.'
'I don't quite believe you'd know a demon if you saw one.'
'Of course I would. How would I not know I was looking at one?'
'A better question might be, how would you know if you were?'
'Well…' she hesitated.
She hadn't exactly come across any demons in the short amount of time since her mentor had been killed. But she had come across a few before then and they'd all been… She hesitated again. If she was being honest, she wouldn't have known they were demons if she hadn't been told. There was nothing about them which suggested evil ran through their veins. Or that… or anything really.
'You don't know, do you H H?'
'Well I would find out eventually and then I'd do what I had to.'
'Even if you had feelings for the demon in question?'
'Why would I have feelings towards a demon?'
'Why wouldn't you, if you got to know them not fully knowing what they were?'
'I wouldn't develop feelings for a demon.'
'Are you sure about that H H?'
'Yes…' she hesitated for a moment. 'I mean…'
That little thing which had been eating at her suddenly exploded. She knew exactly where she'd seen the mother before and why.
'That was Serenity Kaiba last night,' she found herself turning on Nichee, 'wasn't it?'
'What makes you say that?'
'Answer the question Nichee, don't give me one.'
'Yes, as it happens it was Serenity Kaiba.'
'And those kids of hers. The ones I've been trying so hard to protect, they're baby Veronsen, aren't they?'
'So what if they are, that doesn't make them evil.'
'You're right it doesn't, but they might well be in hell because their parents are.'
'Their father is a Win Part, how could that make him evil?'
'I think the history of the Hosts has proven more than once they so easily could be.'
'That doesn't mean the children aren't in danger.'
'It does if the dangers not the one I thought it was. The people coming to take them, they're not the bad guys, are they?'
'How can you say that when they hired a demon to bring them down here?'
'I'm not so sure they did anymore. I'm not so sure of anything.'
'Really H H…'
'Stop calling me that. Every time you do it makes it harder for me to think about this logically.'
'Why?'
'Because I know I'm crazy about you, but I don't believe you can be trusted anymore.'
'H H, I'm hurt.'
'No you're not,' she shook her head, 'you're a demon too, aren't you?'
'Jumping to your own conclusions now, are we?'
'Answer the question Nichee; are you a demon or not?'
'And if I am, does that mean you'll have to kill me now? Could you really bring yourself to do such a thing H H?'
'I told you to stop calling me that; you're deliberately trying to confuse me now, aren't you?'
'Of course,' he chuckled, 'I've been trying to do that since the day we met.'
'Why,' she slowly backed away from him.
'You mean other than the fact it's fun,' he laughed. 'I guess it's because I've never had the pleasure of stealing a young Balancer's heart before and I wanted to see if I could.'
'Why?'
'Again, other than the fact it's fun you mean and I enjoy notching up conquests like you?'
'Yes, other than that.'
'Because you Balancers pride yourself so much on being incorruptible, even when you're not playing things by the book, that I just had to see if it was true. And, like I said, I've never had a Balancer before. I thought it might be fun.'
'You've just been playing with me you… you… you… demon.'
'Oh H H, surely I'm more than just a demon to you.'
'How can you be, you lying…?'
Suddenly he caught hold of her, shocking her words into silence.
'I will have you H H and I think you know it.'
'No…'
'Oh yes,' a cruel smile crept across his face, 'see I always get what I want. That's why you're going to stop those good people from taking the baby Veronsen-Vii away from their parents. And why once you have, I will have you. Believe me; I will have you either way H H; because, since the day I met you, you've been mine.'
