Hell's Angel
Chapter 9
By: Kiana Darkk
AN: I hope everyone who's read this story has enjoyed it as much as I have writing it. No, it's not finished yet. I'm...working on things. I need to get more involved with the plotline, and begin to move forward. It's kind of hard for me to do that, I guess. Well, in this chapter I hope that my goals begin to become clear. Bon apetit.
Disclaimer: Usual ones apply. Don't sue, all you'll get are some books and a pack of gum. Icebreakers, if that's too your liking.
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*Hotaru's POV*
I kept walking throughout the city randomly. My feet, for that's all I could see, walked over an endless stretch of grey cement. It looked as bland, empty, and tasteless as I feltl. My insides were stone cold, a chill running all the way to my marrow. Rain fell heavily on the pavement, soaking me though to my bones, but despite that I should've been happy, thrilled, delirious with joy. We won. This battle, I kept thinking, just this battle. My feet took another random turn, a man jostled me, cursed at me, then continued on as though I don't exist.
That's what I never got about humans. They're so callous. They don't need anyone or anything that doesn't pretain to them, right there and then. You only exist unless it's convenient for them. They use you for whatever their purposes may be, then throw you away. In Hell, no one's like that. We all work together as a team in order to accomplish our goals.
Speaking of goals, mine still hadn't been accomplished. I felt like such a failure. Here I thought this was going to be an easy job. Find Shinigami, bring him home, restore him to his throne. Nooooo, not even close! There's all this lying, and planning involved. Being sneaky. It's never been my best area, for it requires patience, a virtue I still haven't obtained after a million and some odd years. Sighing out loud I continued walking aimlessly along the dirty, gray streets of the Sanq Kingdom.
It doesn't matter. Nothing does. I'm so tired, so tired. I just want to sleep forever. No more battles, no more bloodshed. I want...to be safe. I don't want to be alone any more.
My feet took a right turn, and I find myself facing a door to an apartment building. A familiar door. A familiar building. It seems even here, in this realm, I am drawn to Duo, to Shinigami. My Lord... I thought wistfully. A pang of longing swept through me, swift as a knife, and I found myself hitting the buzzer for Duo's apartment. I instantly wish I hadn't, but stay rooted to the spot.
*Duo's POV**Flashback*
"My Lord?" A voice asked questioningly, somewhat hesitantly. I turned, my cape swishing with my movements. There was Hotaru, my best friend, second-in-command, and confidant. After a few hundred years she had aged as much as she would, as I had, and looked only about nineteen, if a little younger.
"Yes, Hotaru?" I replied. Curiosity got the better of me. Why wasn't she inside, enjoying the party?
"Why do you seclude yourself from your people?" Her question surprised me. Not many would dare to question me, but then she was Hotaru. She had known me for many more years than most. Hell, she and I were friends even before I became Shinigami. I found myself sighing and reaching for her hand. She gave it without question, sometimes I thought she was born with the mothering instinct. "I'm not in a partying mood, I guess... Taru?" I said questioningly.
"Yes, Duo?" She replied using my informal name, sensing that what I had to say was informal. "How do you do it?"
She looked at me curiously. "Do what?"
"Slaughter all those people, inspire fear within the hearts of people everywhere, and still sleep just fine at night." I hated that part of the job. It always seemed like such a waste. I glanced at Hotaru. Her face was still, carefully neutral, but her eyes weren't. They were tortured, looking in on some inner landscape. I knew then that I wasn't the only one who had trouble sleeping. Finally she looked at me. "Don't look back. Don't question yourself. Have no regrets. That's about all there is to it," she told me. In her eyes I saw a tumult of emotion. Everywhere from loathing to confusion.
It was beautiful, as it always was, to see her so unguarded and open. It made me want to cuddle her close, like a teddy bear, and shield her from the world. Only I knew I couldn't. Instead I yanked gently on her hand and led her to a bench. She sat down beside me, the movement graceful and easy, a sure indicator of her royal heritage.
Her black dress was not elegant and graceful though. It was inticing and blatantly sexual, something Hotaru herself was not. One of her maids must've picked it out. It was ahead of its time in my opinion. A black skirt, slit high on both sides, came down to her ankles. Leather boots went up to her thighs. A corset-type thing formed the top of the dress, also made from leather. Spikes decorated it. (Un-lady-like, if you asked me.) Leather straps connected the corset to a spiked collar around her neck, and free flowing black sleeves hung off her shoulders, connected to the corset by the underside. Her black hair hung freely, looking like a wonderfully tended mess.
I began subconsciously stroking my thumb across her hand in a circular movement. She leaned into me a bit, resting her head on my shoulder, and sighed. We stayed like that for a very long while until fireworks began to go off, then Hotaru shifted slightly, and looked up. "Happy birthday, Duo," she said softly. "Indeed," I said sarcastically. Happy indeed....
*End Flashback*
I
heard the buzzer to my apartment, then the dog barking, and shot up. I was still on the couch, and it was late at night. Almost eleven. I wondered who could possibly be here. I got up slowly, stretching my arms over my head, and walked leisurely to the intercom.
"Hello?"
Static fuzzed loudly, but underneath it I could hear a faint, "Hey, Duo." I recognized that voice. That was Camille. What the hell was she doing here? "Camille, what's the matter?" I asked before I could stop myself. Dopehead, I berated myself, maybe she doesn't want to tell you!
"I-" she began, sounding hesitant, "Can I come up?" Suddenly, from the open window in my bedroom I could hear the rain pouring outside. "Of course," I answered, and hit the buzzer. Moments later I heard footsteps coming down the hall, each step accompanied by a sickening squish. I opened the door to see Camille standing there, sopping wet.
She gave me a sheepish look, and shrugged. "It's raining." I nodded and let her in. "You must be freezing," I said, and moved off before she could say a word. Quickly I grabbed a towel from the hall closet and went back to her.
There was a little puddle of waer in front of the door where she was standing, shaking like a leaf. I shook my head and steered her over to the couch while wrapping the towel around her shoulders. Mid-way she dug in her heels. "I'll get your couch all wet."
"Doesn't matter," I replied lightly, and continued shoving her forward. Finally Camille gave in and sat down on my ratty, old couch. She pulled the towel around her tighter, trying to get warm. Her teeth were chattering, making soft clicking noises. I sat down next to her and wrapped my arm around her, adding my body heat to hers.
"So you wanna tell me why you're walkin' in the rain at eleven at night?" I finally asked.
Camille sighed heavily. "Honestly, I have no idea," she began, "Thinking, I guess."
At eleven at night? Well, it had to be something serious to bug her. Curiosity got the better of me. "What were you thinking about?"
Camille raised her shoulders in a casual shrug, moving my arm with it. "Life, death...the meaning of it all. How pointless war is, that sort of thing."
"I hear ya. I've lost some very important people to wars." And I did mean it. First Solo, then Sister Helen and Father Maxwell. That's just the tip of the iceberg. On impulse I pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry for whomever you lost. I understand if you don't want to talk, but just know that I'm here."
As she relaxed in my grip I noted how easy it had been for me to offer comfort. Usually, when it came to stuff like that, I was awkward and uncomfortable. It also felt so wonderfully natural to be that close.
*Hotaru's POV*
I hid my face from the world in the crook of his shoulder and prayed that he wouldn't release me. It felt so wonderful to be held by my Lord again. Unknown to me, I began dripping silent tears onto that pale, beautiful shoulder.
While I cried of things I shouldn't have been, Duo or Shinigami, or whoever he truly was, murmured nonsense words that were comforting, despite their futility.
Flashes of the once-Inner Senshi kept going through my head. Myself, young in body and unhealthy, befriending that pink-haired moon-brat, Rini. Serenity, smiling and welcome me into her adoptive parents' home. Mamo-baka making tea for Rini, Serena, and I while we all watched cartoons. I remembered Ami, shyly inviting me into her world of textbooks and computers. Mina and Lita, dragging me along to the mall to 'scope out some guys.' Finally came Rei, the foe I had cut down just hours before.
When I finally sniffled into silence I considered pulling away, but disregarded that thought as soon as it formed. I snuggled even closer to Duo's warmth, begging for it to take away my inner cold, while he stroked my hair, his other arm still banded around me.
I closed my eyes to savor the sensation. His hand, making a slow, langorous movement on my back. His arm holding me tightly to him. Gradually I began noticing other things. Like the rise and fall of his chest, the play of muscles beneath flawless skin. I could feel the beat of his heart beneath my own hand, pumping blood to various parts of the body. Hearing the blood play within the big pulse in Duo's neck was inticing.
No. No feeding Hotaru. I wasn't going to feed, but the temptation was just too much. Slowly I turned my head and instantly focused on that one part of the neck. The smell of blood overrode everything, and without my direction my head drifted towards it. I was aware of the lengthening of my incisors and my mouth opening.
Then I was fastened onto Duo's neck, suckling as vigorously as a newborn, as helpless to stop myself as Duo was to stop me. Not that he wanted to. No, those we fed off of were often overcome with a sense of calm or peace, either that or arousal. I couldn't tell which one it was with Duo, nor did I want to.
He tasted just like I remembered. Rich and heady, zinging with the tang of his own power. I was so over-ridden with nostalgia that my throat closed up and I had to choke or pull away. I chose the latter.
I looked at what I had done and was surprisingly joyful. My Lord had allowed me to mark him. There were two small puncture wounds surrounded by what would be a bruise. Reluctantly, I placed two fingers over the wound and sent out enough power to heal them.
Then I checked on the rest of Duo. He was leaning against the back of the couch, breathing like he'd run a marathon. A light sheen of perspiratiton covered him and his eyes were dilated. "Holy fuck," were his first gasped out words, "What was that?"
I fidgeted. To tell the truth or not. That was the question indeed. I opted for the first...sort of. "Okay, Duo, what I am about to tell you is a very secrety secret. Can you keep it?" He looked at me with a flushed but serious face, and nodded.
"Okay, when you die, you go to one of two places. Heaven or Hell. Now I know they say the good people go to Heaven, and the bad people go to Hell. Well...not really. It's more like first come, first serve. So with all of these dead people coming in you have to have someone to keep an eye on things, right?" I waited until he nodded again, although I could tell he was lost.
"We're called Keepers, but humans like to call the ones from Hell 'demons' and the ones from Heaven 'angels.'"
"Why?" Duo asked. It was a very good question, one kthat had boggled me for centuries.
"I don't know. Perception?" I guessed. "Anyway, both Keepers are essentially the same. We both keep order among the dead. We both feed off of mortal blood, but we can choose to abstain and eat normal foods. We both live in eternal youth, unless we get a fatal wound. Then we die. Both kinds have wings, although Heavens' are white, and Hells' are black."
Talking about all of this was exhausting me. Duo relieved me from saying more by asking, "where are you from?" He seemed to be taking this all in good stride so I answered honestly by saying, "Hell." He looked thoughtful, then asked, "And Camille isn't your real name, is it?"
"No," I answered hesitantly.
"What is it then?"
I paused before saying, "Hotaru."
He smiled briefly and said, "Okay Hotaru. I won't tell anybody, but next time you feed off of me, warn me. It was a shocker. Now can I give you a ride home?"
I smiled in relief and accepted. Only in the car with rain pounding on the windows did I realize why I had bitten Duo. After years of deprivation, being so near to blood had weakened me and my control, and bloodlust had overwhelmed me. Oops.
AN: Yay! I finished! Review please! I'll get the next part up as soon as I can.