LMAO! LMAO! BURRY!!! Am I really so predictable? Perhaps in some ways I am, but perhaps in other ways I am not. QUIT READING MY MIND! Lol! I have some real good news! The books I've been waiting for, the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton have finally come out in England! (not that I know how long they have been out for, but I've just seen them yesterday!) AND, I got a Dante toy! ^_^ He has two guns and a sword! AND I AM NOT MAKING ANY INNUENDOS WHEN I SAY THAT!!!

Ahem…anyway…even though it's Valentine's Day today, there's really not much place for any loving in this chapter. Sorry about that guys. But to anyone who's reading this, I'd like to say Have a Great Day and I hope you all get lots of prezzies! (Just don't rub it in to other people if you do because like me, they'll probably end up hating the day-but what can I say? I'm no romantic! I'm more for violence stuff like that)

Iesha, don't kill me for this and don't worry by the end of the chapter. You too, DragonLady, Burry, the same goes for you, but could you put that whip away, please? Reiko's gotten all nervous now. Chasm, you wanted me to enlarge ever so slightly on Mostro's motives, but as I wrote the chapter I realised that perhaps he isn't THAT original. Damn you, Chaos Legion and Victor Delecroix!

Okay so, here's hoping that everyone will like this chapter, and that no one will kill me for it. ^_^

Chapter 16

            Reiko crouched down low, teeth bared, fangs sharp and glittering white. He gave vent to cat-like hissing sounds and circled Dante like some kind of wolf, his eyes glazed blood-red.

            The demon hunter growled and stared Reiko in the eyes, trying to decide what was the best course of action. Before he even got a chance to even think about his methods, Reiko had charged. Dante dodged to one side quickly and turned again to stare Reiko in the eyes.

            The vampire had taken advantage of his surroundings, snatching up a pool stick from the pool table and holding it like a bo-staff. Dante's eyes quickly assessed the length of the stick. Reiko's weapon had the better range. Dante was at a disadvantage.

            With the speed legendary of vampires, Reiko rushed forwards again, a smirk playing on his face, his confidence only too apparent. Dante dodged backwards, only to find himself turning upside down as he back flipped, landing no further from Reiko then where he had started.

            Reiko snarled and swung the stick at him, knocking Dante's legs out from under him. Dante fell heavily, landing hard on his back, his sword skating across the floor. Reiko pounced on top of him and clawed at him. Dante writhed and twisted underneath him, while his fingers scrabbled at the wooden floorboards, as he tried to regain his grip on his sword. He gave a final twist, his fingers managed to grab the hilt and he kicked Reiko off of him.

            Reiko was sent flying but managed to right himself before he hit the floor, landing catlike on all fours. He still had his weapon in his hands and his red eyes slowly raised to glare at Dante. Trish was crouched down by the door, startled and confused to see the two friends fighting each other until the death. Dante panted lightly; Reiko was tough, possibly too tough for him. And with that weapon in his hands, he had the advantage. Not only that, but he had to remember that he was a vampire. How did one kill what was already dead? He looked around and scowled. Not being a religious man, he had no crucifixes, nor any stakes, for he was not a vampire hunter.

            Reiko snarled again, like a wild animal and the two started circling each other, like wolves. Reiko had his teeth bared, his fangs gleaming in the dull light. Dante thought he heard someone chuckling from behind him, but ignored the sound. Trish blinked, she too had heard it, but there was no one around save Dante, her and…

            Dante blinked and straightened up, confused. The vampire had disappeared. But his taint was so strong; he was somewhere and around; he knew it. He turned his head to look behind him, for the first time in ages feeling the clammy touch of dread. Reiko wasn't there. Trish looked around the room, but there was nothing. Dante groaned.

            'Trish! Behind you!' Trish whirled around and quickly ducked, Reiko's fist soaring overhead. Trish did a forward flip, landing in the centre of the room and glared at Reiko.

            'I thought you would at least be able to remember your friends, vampire!'

            The vampire seemed to hesitate for a few seconds and that was all Dante needed; he launched into battle without even giving the vamp any time to think. Reiko snarled and clawed at him fiercely before sinking his teeth into Dante's neck. Dante cried out loud but was silenced as the two tumbled over each other, locked in battle.

            Reiko ended up below Dante, who quickly pinned him down by the arms. Reiko lashed out with his legs but Dante had placed his body to one side of Reiko's. Dante's breath hissed out from between clenched teeth as Reiko started feeding from his blood. He groaned.

            'Trish…' he called out frantically. Reiko hesitated again and blinked before licking the wound closed, backing away from Dante and then looking towards Trish, who was slowly coming towards him, a huge wooden plank in her hands. Reiko blinked again and suddenly began swaying unsteadily. He gave vent to something like a little moan before he collapsed on the floor. Trish blinked and looked towards Dante.

            'I…don't think he meant us any harm, Dante.' Dante glared at her witheringly and his eyes went towards the stick that Reiko still possessed.

            'Yeah…whatever. He's dangerous. I kept telling you that he's a vampire. Vampires can't be trusted.' Reiko's eyes suddenly turned red again and he raised his head, snarling. Trish shrieked in alarm and brought the wooden blank down on his head. Reiko was knocked out immediately. She shuddered and backed off and then look  up at Dante.

            'Still think he's not evil?' said Dante, one eyebrow raised. Trish nodded.

            'That wasn't anything at all like Reiko. Even when Reiko turned vampiric, he still had something in control. He still resisted against harming us. That wasn't Reiko.' Dante sighed and rolled his eyes before picking up Reiko and moving to dump him outside, tying him in ropes as he went. Reiko groaned and slowly opened his eyes, looking up at Dante.

            'W-what's going on?'

            'You just tried to murder Trish and I. You're no longer part of the team. You want to take out Mostro? You can bloody well do it yourself.' He dumped Reiko on the floor as though he were a sack of potatoes. 'You better hope that you can bite through those ropes before the sun rises.' Reiko's eyes widened with fear.

            'Dante! No!' Dante turned his back on him and started walking away. Reiko struggled against the ropes. 'Dante! Please! You can't do this to me!' His voice was tinged with real fear; the ropes were tough, and he knew he wouldn't be able to get free, despite what Dante had said. 'DANTE!' His voice was shaking by now and his eyes darted towards the sky. Already the darkness was beginning to fade. He gasped as a shadow loomed over him.

            'Oh God…' he groaned. He looked desperately towards Dante and cried his name one more time. 'DANT-' He was cut off quickly by a blow to the head.

Dante walked back the short distance to Devil May Cry. Trish was chewing absently on one of her nails. She blinked and frowned.

            'Why did you do that to him?'

            'To Reiko? Well…he can't be trusted.'

            'It wasn't his fault! He did warn us after all.'

            'Yeah…but he didn't tell us how bad it was. He didn't tell us he could end up on his menu!'

            'You think he really knew how it was going to be?' Dante was silent. 'What did you do with him?'

            'I left him tied up, outside.' Trish sighed and walked outside in the direction she had seen Dante take earlier. She blinked and stopped still, staring in disbelief. 'Dante?' She ran forwards towards Reiko. 'DANTE!' She charged forwards and ground to a halt.

            Mostro stood tall and proud in the dwindling darkness, holding Reiko by the neck, so that his feet were clear off the ground. Reiko said nothing but his hazel eyes were open, looking towards Trish and Dante as he joined her. Mostro raised him higher, causing the vampire to cough.

            'You won't kill me this way, Mostro,' said Reiko, in a tone that sounded almost bored. Mostro simply smiled, in a way that made Reiko's unbeating heart fill with cold. Dante saw the change in those eyes, Reiko was frightened. He could see why; the ropes were still tied around him, too tight and tough for him to bite through, and the sun was already beginning to rise. Reiko whimpered faintly and struggled but Mostro shook him around, making him look for the entire world like a rag doll. Reiko bore his treatment without complaint. Dante could see they had very little time left, but he was still wary of Mostro. He would be a fool not to be. Trish knew nothing of what had happened, not really, and paced about.

            'What do you want?'

            'I think you know very well what I wish. I wish for you to stop pestering me. I don't want you to get in my way.' Mostro said softly, his voice smooth but yet menacing for all its soft tone. Trish blinked but said nothing. Dante turned his focus back onto Mostro.

            'What? So then you can have your petty way with the world?' Mostro gave vent to something like a low chuckle.

            'Oh…if I took over the world, well, I know I'd have to face you. You hurt Nelo Angelo grievously one time, Dante. I never could compete with someone who injured the Dark Angel.' Another thing smile accompanied the languid, lazy tone of his voice. Reiko struggled suddenly, trying to break free but Mostro only tightened his grip, holding him fast. Mostro's eyes seemed to smile maliciously at Dante. 'If I tried to take over, I would be killed. What I want is something much more than the world. Tell me, Dante. Have you ever wondered what it shall be like when you pass?'  '…'

            'Well? Have you? I expect an answer. And I don't think your friend will be too happy if the sun rises in its entirety.'

            'Yes.' Dante scowled impatiently. Mostro smiled at this.

            'What if…you didn't have to pass away? It seems a wonderful idea. No need to worry about being killed, no need to worry about how you'll die…in fact, all you need to worry about is how you're going to pass the time.' Trish looked pale.

            'You want immortality…don't you? And then afterwards…' Mostro smiled.

            'Well…I would have thought you'd have been able to figure it out much sooner. I overestimated you it seems. It's not just that however. For too long demons, mythical beings, vampires, werewolves, and even people like I…not entirely human…but not yet a demon, have been tormented by these pitiful fools we call humans. If I took over the world, then it would come to a sudden halt. I wish to destroy it. And then? Well…rebuild a world in which everything is in order.' Dante growled.

            'And how the hell do you intend to achieve this?' Mostro laughed.

            'Now if I told you that, you'd go out of your way to stop me.' A sudden cry from Reiko filled the air. Mostro blinked as though only remembering the vampire he still held in his grip. He threw them down onto the ground, straight into a patch of sunlight. Reiko cried out in agony and writhed helplessly on the ground, his wrists still bound together, as well as his legs. Trish watched on in mute horror. Mostro started laughing again.

            'Just so you know, if you want to save your friend from the fate that awaits him, you'll fail. Especially as it is I who is the key to him losing his humanity.' Mostro grinned and then seemed to fade away into the surroundings, until he became nothing. Dante quickly slung Reiko over his shoulders and slammed the door to Devil May Cry shut, Trish hot on his heels.

            'Dante…Mostro's doing this to him; he's not losing anything!'

            'Except perhaps his sanity,' said Dante bitterly. Trish said nothing but bent down near Reiko.

            'How do you think Mostro is doing this?' Dante shook his head.

            'He's clever. Full of tricks and he seems to know all kind of spells. I think he must have some kind of spell over the vampire.'

            'You mean Reiko.'

            'That's not Reiko anymore,' said Dante firmly. Trish looked as though she'd been slapped in the face. Reiko opened his eyes and winced, groaning in pain as he turned his head to look at Dante.

            'He deserves to die. I deserve to die,' he said softly. Trish glared at Dante accusingly but Reiko only smiled. 'Don't blame him; he's right. Something happened, and I'm not what I used to be. I just tried to kill you. I should leave.' Trish blinked.

            'What?'

            'I'm leaving tonight. I can't afford to put you in any more danger.' He looked around, looking at them both helplessly. 'I'm sorry.' Dante said nothing but Trish sighed heavily.

            'We're not in any danger Reiko.' Dante looked towards Trish and shook his head.

            'You can go,' he said. It sounded more as though he was giving him permission to leave, rather than it being Reiko's decision. Trish's eyes snapped onto Dante's face. She looked distraught.

            'But-' Reiko and Dante ignored Trish, acting as though she was not there, and that they could not hear her.

            'We'll take it from here,' said Dante slowly. Reiko nodded.

            'Don't expect me to not try and carry on the fight. Mostro took something from me.' Dante nodded once, to show he understood.

As the day passed, things got progressively sombre, as though someone had just died. Dante seemed not to care, and Reiko seemed to be treating events with a certain resignation. Out of all of them, it was Trish who was the most depressed. She couldn't understand it. How could someone so gentle suddenly turn into something so fierce and untamed? How could Reiko leave when it wasn't even his fault? Hadn't they been able to defend themselves against him? They could surely do it over and over again, for as long as they had to. But as darkness fell, and as Reiko left, Trish saw Dante make no move to persuade him to stay.

Reiko slowly walked away from Devil May Cry, but from somewhere behind him, he could hear a woman crying.