Chapter 1

Dark was the long alley, or was it a hallway? Dante walked cautiously down it whatever it was, not knowing what he would come across or what he would find. Better yet, he didn't know what would find him. He scanned the dark hallway or alley; he could see nothing for he was blinded by darkness. Therefore Dante could only rely on his hearing as the only working sense.

Every little sound made him jump and quickly glance around. Another sound, much like footprints reached his hearing. Dante pulled out his pistol, Ebony. He would take no chances now. He slowly backed up into the wall putting his back to it and continued to listen. The sounds of approaching footsteps grew louder and clearer in the dead silence.

Dante slowed his breathing and waited until the footsteps seemed to be right in front of him; once they were he stuck out a foot and tripped the owner of the footsteps. When Dante heard the thump of someone or something falling he jumped and straddled the thing. Now it seemed his vision was clearing and the darkness seemed less dark.

Soon, Dante was able to see this thing's head and he pointed Ebony at it. In a soft but dangerous voice he said, "Who are you and what is this place?" Suddenly howls of pain reached him. Dante looked around wildly for the source only to find that there was no one there. The person he had felled was no longer visible. Dante squinted his eyes in confusion and stood up.

The screaming was louder now. He turned around and found that he was in front of a door. Slowly he stepped towards that door and just as slowly opened it. The screaming was even louder. Dante walked forward looking every which way but kept moving towards the source of the painful howls.

He found another door, and tried to turn the knob. It was locked. "Damn it!" Dante cursed softly. He stepped back and kicked down the door and entered it. A voice, familiar and owned by a woman. The voice spoke with pure hatred and much out of breath, "Torture me all you like! I won't give in, I won't surrender!" Then the woman bit back a howl of pain. Dante tilted his head and whispered to himself, "Trish..."

He slowly walked forwards and turned a corner. There, sure enough, was Trish. Her wrists and ankles chained to a wall. Dante looked around but saw no one else, only Trish. He walked up to her and grinned, "So what trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?" Trish's breathing was heavy as she looked up and met Dante's humorous gaze, "Bite me, Dante!"

Dante crossed his arms, "Now is that anyway to talk to the only person here capable of rescuing you?" Trish growled, "I don't need rescuing!" Dante sighed, "Well by the looks of it, yes you do." Trish growled and tried to pull free of the chains without success, "No I don't!" Dante grinned, "Let's see... Chained to the wall, red marks all over your body, cuts, welts, blood... Hmm... Looks like you do need help."

Trish snorted and gave up trying to pull free of the chains that bound her to the wall. Dante leaned on the wall next to her with his arms crossed over his chest. Trish glanced over to him with her face dripping sweat. "Don't you have a demon to slay or something?" Dante looked up at the ceiling for a moment then back at Trish, "Nope. None at all."

Trish groaned, "Lucky me!" Dante grinned, "Yep, lucky you!" Trish went to bang her head on the wall but stopped and looked forward. Her eyes widened slightly. Dante looked at her and then followed her gaze to an open door where a dark shadow moved around. Trish looked at Dante, "You better get out of here! If he catches you, we're dead!" Dante looked at her, "Who is 'he'?"

Trish swallowed hard, "You're about to find out." Dante looked as the shadow advanced and turned into a man about his height with brown hair, brown eyes, and an evil air about him. Dante backed away from the wall and took out Ivory. He kept his guns lowered, but ready to fire at any given moment.

The man spoke with a light, crisp voice. "I see you've brought company my dear," he said to Trish. Dante looked at him, "Who are you and what business have you with Trish?" The man looked at Dante, "My name is of none of your concern and neither is my business with that whore." Trish breathed heavily from the pain that she had been inflicted with. "Whore? Is that your idea of an insult?"

Dante chuckled, "Trish? A whore?" He glanced sidelong at Trish then looked back at the still unknown man, "Ok, maybe you're right." Trish looked at Dante as her eyes started to glow in anger. "Watch it Dante! If I ever get out of here you will be in much trouble!" Dante shrugged and grinned, "With you? I'll look forward to it. Now," Dante looked back at the man, "What did she do?"

The man shrugged, "I found her, I figured I could turn her against you and everyone else again. But as you can see it is going to be rather difficult." Dante narrowed his eyes, "Mundus?" The man grinned, "I just work for him." Dante looked at the man and then at Trish. Once more he looked back to the man and growled, "You didn't touch her did you?" The man shrugged, "Touch? By that you mean...?"

Dante narrowed his eyes, "Answer my question. Did you touch her?" The man tilted his head, "Well I had to in order to give her those marks." Dante growled, "That's not what I meant! Let's try again. Did you touch her-" "Oh, touch her as if one who loved her would?" Dante narrowed his eyes, "If you wish to put it that way... Yes."

The man grinned, "And why do you care if I did or didn't?" Dante growled, "If you did I will personally kill you!" Trish snorted and said sarcastically, "Well aren't you my knight in shining armor!" Dante glared at Trish and then at the man, "Leave her be! She no longer works for Mundus nor does she want to!" And Trish added, "I'd die first before working for him again!"

The man sighed, "I really had hoped that it wouldn't come down to this but..." He backhanded Dante, sending the hybrid into the other wall and drew his blade. To Trish's throat he put the blade, "Join or die." Dante looked up, his head was spinning. He could barely make out the words that belonged to Trish, "I will die first! The man shrugged, "So be it." He removed the blade from her throat and stabbed her in the stomach and then the heart. To make sure he had killed her he dragged the blade across her throat then disappeared.

Dante watched in horror as this scene unfolded. He lurched to his feet and ran over to Trish. His breathing was heavy with fear and anger. Fear, for Trish's life was gone; anger towards the one whom had killed her. "Trish?" he said softly, "Trish?!" this time loud. Dante leaned back on the wall as an unfamiliar feeling of sadness washed over him. As Dante leaned on the wall and thought, the man reappeared and advanced towards Dante with his blade out. Dante watched as the blade came down on him, not at all in the state of mind to fight....