Previously-
Soon he used his powers again, and slowly started to disappear. Turning over to her side, Erica's eyes cracked open just a bit. Only to see a figure in front of her. "Dad?" she moaned out. Vincent chuckled a bit as he petted her once more. "Happy Birthday, I love you Erica." he said. As she closed her eyes to go back to sleep, she unknowingly answered back. "I love you to dad." With that, Vincent was gone and Erica was asleep once more.
Erica's point of view-
Groaning, I started to open my eyes only to find my self in my bed? Slowly getting up I looked around seeing my room the way I left it. 'Okay, what the hell? I could have sworn that I left my room to get a cup before bed. And last I check I was in the kitchen enjoying my tea, how the hell did I get back in my room?' I contemplated in my head.
Soon I heard a knock on my door, "Erica, It's Charlie. Breakfast is ready down stairs in the dinning hall." I heard her through the door. "Alright, I'll be down in a few minutes." I replied. I got up, made my bed and got dressed. As I left my room, I kept wondering why I couldn't recall going back in my room.
'Ugh, this is going to nag my mind all day.' I groaned. Once I've made it to the dinning hall, everyone excluding Misty and Al were already present. "Morning." I said. Everyone turned to me. "Good morning Erica. How did you sleep?" Charlie asked.
"Good I guess, it's just I don't remember falling asleep." I told her, she looked at me oddly. "What do you mean?" "Well the last thing I remember was coming to the kitchen to get a drink, the next thing I know I'm waking up in my room." I explained. Not unnoticed to the both of us, Vaggie was mumbling something under her breath about Al. "Just what the hell is he planning?" was all we managed to hear.
Charlie nervously smiled, "How about we forget it and just enjoy breakfast?" she suggested. I couldn't help but feel a bit sceptic, but I shrugged it off and walked over to the table. We had French toast with scrambled eggs, done quite fancy I might say.
Then some neatly wrapped boxes were placed in font of me. "What's all this?" I asked. "Well since it was your birthday yesterday, and it didn't end the way as you hoped. We all thought we could make it up for you." Charlie explained with a small smile.
I smiled back, "You guys didn't have to." I said. Vaggie smiled saying, "Oh we know, but we did it any way cause we wanted to." "Just accept the goods toots." Angel inputted. I playfuly rolled my eyes at him, then grabbed the first box. "That one's from me!" Charlie stated excitedly. It was a good size box, wrapped in black and tied with a pink bow. Opening it, my eyes widened; inside was a crystal apple tree with dozen or so crystal apples hanging from the branches.
"I thought you could use some pretty decor for your room." she exclaimed, I smiled as I carfuly placed the tree back in it's box. "I love it. Thanks Charlie." she squealed and hugged me. "My turn~!" Angel sang handing me a long box. Vaggie scolded at him, "What did you give her?" she asked. He smiled with a shrug of both his arms. "Just a little something very gal needs for a good night." he winked at me at that last statement.
I gave him a brow, cautiously opening the lid I peeked inside. However after seeing the gift I immediately closed it with my face turning almost apple red. I turned to Angel who just smiled at me, "The fact that you managed to get my size is just as disturbing." I said, Vaggie grabbed the box from me and looking inside it herself, "You got her a Lingerie!?" she yelled at the spider.
"Hey she's a big girl now, it's only natural to get new underwear." he shrugged not phased by the woman's furious stare. "Let's...just move one alright?" Charlie said with a nervous smile, she handed me the next one. "This one's from Vaggie." she told me.
Once I had the box in my hand it felt pretty heavy. Opening it I found it was a dagger. Though it looked more then just a dagger, the handle was made of some quarts crystal and the guard was made of some red resin. Pulling it out, the blade was made of the finest black steel I've ever seen.
"Do I even want to know how you managed to get your hands on this?" I asked. Vaggie folded her arms and thought about it for a moment. "Probably not." was all she said. "My turn! My turn! Niffty jumped placing her gift in front of me. "I made them myself!" she smiled. I opened it and inside were a dozen hair ties with roes on them. Some were red and some were black.
"Aw thanks Niffty." I smiled at the cute cyclops. "Hey kid." I turned to Husk, who tossed something to me. Catching it, I saw it was bottle shaped wrapped in red paper. "Even though we only meet yesterday, I can tell what this is." I ripped the paper off and I was still surprised of it. As you've probably guessed, it was alcohol.
But not just any alcohol, it was an unopened bottle of a rare Macallan Scotch-Whisky of 1878. "How.." He chuckled a smirk at me. "Not just sinners come down here kid. Stuff from their time ends up here to." he explained. "Okay I'm saving this for my twenty-first, cause I've got an uncle that would and Believe me on this one, 'kill to get a swig of this." I stated.
As this was coming to a close I felt a familiar chill. "Brace yourself's." I said, Everyone looked at me oddly. Suddenly Misty burst out from a wall. "Guy's! Your not going to believe this!" as soon as she appeared, everyone except me jumped out of their skins.
"HOLY SH*****! DON'T F*****ING DO THAT!" Angel hollered. Vaggie had her spear out and Charlie hid behind her. Niffty went under Husk's tail, which he snatched it from her begrudgingly. "Nice Misty, you scared the sh*** out of five people in one go. Yet I'm still not phased." I said plainly to her.
"I'm not trying to scare anyone. I came in here to tell you that a monarch conference is happening right now!" she said to everyone on the room. "Are you serious Misty?" Charlie asked. Misty nodded. "But, wasn't one supost to be happening in a month?" Vaggie questioned. As those three were talking; Me, Angel, and Niffty were still confused.
I turned over to Husk. "You have any idea what their talking about?" After taking another swig of his booze, he boardly said. "Every two other month, your old man and Lucifer make a big a*** meeting with all the other hot shots of Hell. With a few selected overlords added, emphases on few." he took another jug. "It helps the two check in on what's going on in the nine circles, and if any demons are steppen in to far for their comfort."
I gathered all the info he said to mind. "Who usually comes to this meeting?" Husk stopped drinking for a minute to think. "Normally the other rulers of each circle, their trusted right hands, their heirs, some other nobles and like I said before a few overlords that are civil enough." he quoted with his fingers and a eye roll at the end.
"I take it Alastor is one of the few that are selected?" I guessed. "Well obviously, he's the only other son of a b***** that's all buddy with Vince." Husk grunted. "Excatly how did those two meet?" I asked. He just shrugged, "Let's just say your pa is the first and only man that Al owns a favor to."
I was about to ask what he ment by that, until Charlie said. "Everyone! Eye's over here!" she turned on a T.V that flickered a bit till the screen cleared to show a man wearing a gas mask.
"Good morning Hell! If your wondering were Katie is, well brace yourself for this scoop! Earlier today it was announced that the great gathering of hot shots of Hell is commencing as we speak! And Katie is already at the conference hall to see what's going down. Katie..."
The screen image changed to show a very tall and thin woman with a 'stick of a neck and a sleazy smile.
"Thanks Tom! Hey folks! I'm here at the conference hall live! Showing you all the arriving monarchs of Hell that are participating in this months meeting.
The camera showed a few rich a*** looking demons passing by and going into the big building. Looking closely, I saw Alastor already inside. Just at the doors to greet the other powerful monarchs. 'Well that explains why he wasn't here this morning.'
However, a lot of us are wondering why is this big meeting happening today instead of the coming month? What crises is going on that has every big shots on their toes?"
"Let me guess, she's the b**** that made your rehab idea a joke?" I asked Charlie quietly. She nodded. "You think she and Kenzie are related?" Misty asked me. I shrugged, "Wouldn't surprise me one bit." Then the camera turned away from Katie to a 1900's model doble steem buick arriving at the scene.
" *GASPS!* And here comes Hell's top dog of Lucifer's enforcers! A man of Mystery, the Angel of war himself.. Lord Vincent Nightshade! Let see if he can tell us what's behind this sudden meet and greet!"
She and the camera crew went up to dad, I leaned forward to see his face for the first time. But to my disappointment, everything on his person was covered in shadow. I could only make out his figure and eye's. His are the same as mine when I'm not wearing my pendent. 'I guess I should be happy that I saw a portion of his identity.' I grumbled in thought.
"Lord Nightshade!" he turned to her, not looking pleased. "Could you tell us the reason of this sudden gathering of Hell's finest nobles?" she pointed the mic to him. I could see the irritated gleam in his eye's as the woman stuck the thing in his face. "Either that woman has a lot of guts to be sticking that mic in his personnel bubble, or she's wishing an early second death." I quoted. Everyone else nodded their heads agreeing with me.
"As I have stated at conferences before Miss Killjoy. I don't utter any classified subjects that are mentioned at these gatherings. It's only 'need to know information, to myself and the nobles of hell. Should anyone learn them, they'll be dealing with me personally. And I can assure you, that is not something that any, demon here, wants." dad glared at the Katie then to that camera, as if he were talking to all of Hell in person.
"He sure knows how to intimidate." Angel spoke, breaking the silence that was in the air. "What did you expect?" Vaggie scoffed at him. "A total war lord hunk, with a bod that gives good 'eye candy." he answered. She faced palmed, I rolled my eyes. Katie nervously chuckled while losening her pearl necklace.
"R-Right." With that, dad walked off to the conference hall, once inside. Alastor closed the door, not after giving the camera the famous Cheshire cat smile. "And...With that note folks, the suspense of this sudden gathering will-" Charlie turned off the T.V before that pin-neck could say anything else.
"People here actually listen to her?" I questioned. "Apparently." Charlie groaned. "So what do you think it's all about?" Angel asked. "It's obviously something critical. Other wise my dad would have told me about it and I would be there with him." Charlie said pacing. "Were you aware of this Misty?" I asked the shadow. She shook her head, "Nope I've only found out when I saw everyone starting to gather."
"With this sh**** going down, we can all agree that we're in for something." Angel inputted. We all nodded our heads. I looked out the window at the pentagram sky. 'Mom, I hope your doing alright.' I prayed. Hoping this meeting thing has nothing to do with me.
Stay Tuned Folks...
