Well here it is the moment you've all been waiting for the first real chapter in the shadow diaries saga, due to the size of this story I've taken on added help and am introducing my good friend Aika as co writer and Homie as creative assistant. Now introductions are done lets get on with the story ne? * Hugs* Elspeth

CHAPTER 3

WARNINGS!!! Severely twisted Duo and Lese ahead!!!!!! You were warned!!!!! OMG what have I done?!!

Celestia laid down her pen and shifted her violet gaze out across the blackened cracked earth of the hell lands. The warm sulphur rich air blew in through the high arched window in front of her, faintly stirring her unbound chestnut hair into ripples of rich brown silk as she leaned on the sill, her eyes scanning the star speckled canvas above her. She was looking for a particular star " my star of destiny" she thought to herself with a smile, the one that was carrying the emissaries of the heavens unto earth.

" Heero Yui" she purred as if savouring the name " all this way just to die". Her eyes narrowed as she trained her vision on a tiny speck of light on the horizon. It's luminesant glow growing as it fell towards earth, casting silver shadows dancing over the planes of the jagged coal black mountains that surrounded the dark princesses domain.

" There you are my little angel" she grinned, biting her lip with anticipation as she rose from her seat in a liquid movement. Turning from the window, the shadows rippled round her like a living presence as it moulded onto her alabaster skin covering her naked form, shifting into a long black dress, a perfect gothic mix of leather and velvet. The effect only emphasised what she was, a beautiful seductive predator She paused briefly, pushing a long glossy strand of hair from her face before she left her tower room and began to descend down the spiral stone stairs to the great hall below.

Upon entering the darkened room Celestia could feel a very familiar presence hit her senses, that of the laughing face of death, shinigami her twin Duo. She smiled maliciously, she'd missed him, she had very little to do when he was off playing god and had been extremely bored with only her father and Hilde for company. She shivered slightly in anticipation and increased her paces heading towards the red light at the end of the hall where he was.

Duo was sprawled lazily in front of a huge roaring fireplace hewn out of the rock. His eyes shut, he happily basked in its heat like a giant cat savouring its hot tingle on his pale flesh. It's hellish glow sent flickering shadows across his fine boned features and shot reddy hues through his thick braid that lay snaked across the floor by his side. Across his leather clad lap lay the glassy eyed form of Sylvia Noventa, duo's face was currently nuzzling into the soft hollow of her throat, while she kept her entranced gaze fixed on the high beamed ceiling above. To an observer it would appear the two were rapt in the onset of passion, unless you noticed the thin crimson trail escaping from the corner of duo's ravenous mouth and heard the gentle suckling sound of him slowly bleeding the young woman dry.

At his sisters approach duo lazily opened his eyes and looked up at her with his glowing orbs and flashed her a seductive smile while pulling his mouth from his snack.

" Hello Celestia care to join me?" he asked innocently, gesturing to the transfixed woman on his knee and licking the stain from his lips. Celeste stepped into the light and ran a critical eye over duo's meal her nose wrinkling in disgust

" Left overs? Thank you but strangely enough I'll pass, you're taste and mine are quite different…in that I have some and you'll just sink your teeth into anything" she smirked teasingly at her brother, sitting down on a large red divan and crossing her graceful long legs watching him. Duo shrugged

" Suit ya self" he replied pushing the now drained corpse off his knee and onto the floor, where it lay face down. Turning his attention back to his sister he leaned back on his hands and crossed his legs too, pointing his feet in her direction. He tilted his head up and locked eyes with her hungrily. She hid a faint smile at his apparent appetite and leaned back sighing, and watching the flames flicker in the darkness

" I take it you being back means the nobles went well* she asked off handly, watching duo out of the corner of her eye while still staring into the fire. Duo yawned and got up, deliberately stretching to make his red silk shirt ride up his chest exposing his toned stomach

" Lets just say the Romafella foundation has been severely reduced in numbers " he grinned wickedly. The goddesses of death grinned conspiratorially back at he brother and raised her eyebrows
" Have fun?" she asked innocently? Duo smiled lethargically, letting his eyes flash black for an instant
" Don't I always" he growled stalking over to his sleepy twin. Celestia eyed his approach warily, her gaze never moving from him as he settled him self down next to her.

" Whaaaat?!" he drawled in mock surprise leaning in toward her " are you afraid of your dear old brother?!" he laughed sarcastically baring his fangs in a hungry grin. She smiled and leaned in closer, mere inches from his face
" No I just know you" she replied sweetly, then she hooked her finger tip under his fang and gently stroked the point
" And this is telling me you're not done feeding yet" duo growled as he felt the blood lust aching in his teeth and seized her finger with his fangs, breaking the skin and sucking gently. Celestia never moved, leaving her finger in her twins grip while he lapped at the blood oozing from there

". ……And you did that why?" she asked wide eyed while wiggling her finger a little in duo's hungry mouth. He grasped it with his fangs holding it still and growled through his teeth
" Because you taste good" Celestia narrowed her eyes and pulled her finger away
" Tough go drain another one of her" she snapped playfully, waving her hand in the direction of the corpse, now being dragged off by small shadowy figures to be eaten by the lower demons, their little grunts of effort the only sound present apart from the crackle of the fire.

" I am not your personal blood bank shinigami!!" duo narrowed his eyes then pouted before standing up and flopping down on the large carved chair opposite her, hooking one knee over the arm and hanging his body over the opposite arm.
" Fiiiiine" he whined, his head upside down as he sprawled across the medieval throne a graceful killer in leather and silk, the throne itself was a work of art, intricately carved with angels and demons taken from one of the many kings who'd sold their soul for power. He looked at her thoughtfully, his fingers tracing the wings of an angel carved into the back of the chair, before straightening up and placing his chin on his drawn up knee

" So my dear sister ya gotta go take down the tataki no tenshi huh?" he asked beckoning over a blonde girl from the corner of the room, his eyes never leaving his sisters.
" Yes" was her simple reply

" whatcha gonna do about the angel?" he asked seriously ,absently holding up a pewter goblet to the girl who had knelt beside him.. Celeste had to smile to herself at her twins theatrical nature, the cup was in the shape of a human silver skull, and seemed to glow under the light of the fire. She watched with mild amusement as the mindless blonde puddled at her brothers feet slowly picked up a wicked looking blade from beside duo and pause with it in the air just above her wrist. She hesitated but duo grabbed her chin and glared into her lifeless blue eyes. Celeste could feel her trying to resist but duo's will crushed what little sprit had been left in the girl, and she sliced the dagger across her wrist without so much as a whimper and sat peacefully while her blood flowed into the Shinigami's cup. Duo then waved her away leaving her to stagger back into the shadows till her was thirsty again. He took a drink from the goblet pulling a face,

" It cools so quickly this way…course if you were nice sis …."
" Forget it," she snarled, pushing the hair off her face and fixing him with a glare. Duo shifted in his chair, cradling the goblet in between two finger and smirked at her
" Your loss sis I could have made it really nice for ya" he purred swilling the rapidly congealing liquid round the cup before downing the lot and wiping his mouth on the back of his hand

" I doubt it! She growled. Duo just laughed and grinned impishly
" Well if ya wont even let me try you'll never know" he sniggered standing up again and walking over to her, he knelt by her feet and rested his chin on her knee.
" Seriously what are ya gonna do, he's got dad pretty anxious…how ya gonna do it?" The succubus stared down into her brothers eyes, half hidden by the shadows his bangs cast across his face and sighed

" Killing him by whatever means I can… I can't let that prophecy come true…I DO NOT want some sick little mortal heart beating in my chest," she snarled looking away. Her father wasn't the only one fretful about this…she was mentioned in the prophecy, that she'd have .a heart or soul, the translation was not to clear but either way she was sure this angel…this Heero was meant to work some dark spell on her to weaken her, she would show him she was not weak…she'd prove she was as strong as duo. Duo saw the anger and confusion in his twin's eyes and felt it too, everyone had been rocked when the scroll was translated and his dear sister had been named as a key player…….maybe even a traitor. He brought his hand up to her cheek and rubbed his thumb across her lips.

"Lese it'll never happen ya one of us…ya my twin, we are hell, without us it don't exist, ya never gonna be mortal ya the goddess of the underworld same as me. we aren't acting evil…….Evil is us, ya never gonna be a traitor believe me" he whispered Celeste glared and wrenched her head away

" You should be doing this, you're the destroyer not me" she snarled, her fangs flashing like ivory shards, duo sat back on his heels and snorted

" Touchy-y" he sniggered raising his eyebrows highly amused also relived to see the fire back in her
" Look dad obviously has his reasons behind this, it's best if ya don't ask questions" he reasoned standing up and flipping his braid back over his shoulder. He offered his hand out to her and helped her up

"Killing isn't really my field that's yours………I deal with …the other sins" she smirked walking off into the shadows letting her clothes shift again, melting from the dress into leather trousers and a leather corset, so tight looked like she'd been poured into them. She turned experimentally, checking she could move well and raised her eye to meet Duo's, who was stood there looking at her with his arms folded over his chest and a devilish grin on his face.

" Don't you have anything better to do than stand there and perv?" she purred running her hands down her leather covered curves. Duo's eyes followed her hands path before meeting her gaze once more
" Well if you will change in front of me what do ya expect?" he whispered back, grabbing her hips and pulling her closer. He leaned his lips next to her ear, his breath faintly stirring the stray strands of chestnut hair there
" You could give a boy bad bad thoughts sister dear" he growled. Celeste just chuckled deep in her throat and pushed him away
" You always have bad bad thoughts Duo,…you are evil incarnate, and that's why I love you "

Duo growled in frustration but just shrugged and grinned pulling his sister down onto his knee.
" True very true, I wouldn't worry that pretty head of yours lese, this angels a guy right? He'll be dead meat in front of you. Guys are what you_do_best right?" he sniggered tracing his fingers up her thigh, enjoying his little joke at his sisters abilities. Lese shivered at his touch and leaned back against him and frowned, her high arched eyebrows drawing together over her button nose as she pursed her lips.
" I'm meant to kill him, not corrupt him and steal his soul Shinigami" then she paused and licked her fangs " but you're right males are my speciality" she turned to face duo and traced a finger down his exposed chest
" I could even affect you if I wanted" she whispered as duo gasped under her cool fingers path. She smiled seductively and let her finger continue over the planes of his muscles, even more defined in the firelight. He grinned and grabbed her hand
" You're not that good sweetness" he chided " but close…very close. So my little siren of a sibling didn't you have something to be doing?"

Lese got up and stretched with her back to duo, her hair coming to life on it's own, flowing like water as it began to braid itself into a long rope down her back

" Anxious to get rid of me?" she asked in a hurt voice pouting " or are you playing with that pathetic little Hilde tonight?" she giggled. Duo just raised and eyebrow tracing an elegant finger round the rim of his goblet
" Now whatever gave you _ that _ idea?" he asked amused. She looked over her shoulder while tying off her braid
" As I said..I _ know _ you…uggghhh I have to seduce some sappy fluffy white angel in a toga…give me leather ANY day " she snorted throwing the chestnut rope over her shoulder in disgust. " I hate father for this " she snarled clenching her fist and glaring at the dying embers in the grate, their red glow bathing her face in a crimson hew. Duo sighed and got up placing his hands on her shoulders and began gently rubbing the tension from them
" Could be worse," he whispered kissing her slender neck.
" How?" she asked surprised, turning round to meet him, her eyebrow arched in inquiry

"You could have been sent to seduce the nobles," he laughed maliciously. Celestia's face contorted into outrage
" Me with one of those…those vile inbred mortals?!! Don't even demean me by saying that!!" she shrieked, her eyes shifting black for a second " father wouldn't…he would never?!! You took care of them didn't you?!!" Duo put a finger to her lips his eyes twinkling with mischief
" Shhh calm down, I took care of them" he paused smiling at the memory of the days of blood shed and torment he'd orchestrated " I caused a lot of suffering" he added happily

" I'm so proud " she drawled kissing his cheek " and so shall I, the angel will bleed…die and I'll hang his pretty white mutilated wings above my bed. That should get Wufei's attention yes?" she hissed her face lit up in demonic glee. Duo looked thoughtful, his thumbs absently stroking his sister's shoulders
" Yes I should think it should..Can I have the tenshi's skull?" he asked quietly giving her pleading looks. She pouted and brought her hand up to his face
" Awww for you baby anything…." She whispered then her face brightened " I want Wufei's hide" duo chuckled dropping his hands back by his sides, he looked expectantly at her
"What do you plan to do with it?" he asked. Her face clouded dark as she remembered the Chinese princes rejection at her offer, saying she was not ever going to be permitted into his kingdom nor would he consider joining her father unless someone with more authority visited him..Not some..some pretty little onna. The insult to her status still burnt her and she wanted to see him pay dearly for it

" Shred it " she hissed, flexing her obsidian claws for an instant before retracting them back again " arrogant little lizard!!" she snarled. Duo threw his head back and laughed at his sister anger, he knew what Wufei had done and if he was able, he'd feel pity for the prince. Celestia could be very patient and her revenge was vicious if you were lucky, horrific if you weren't. He could see Wufei spending a long time in his siblings " play room" her little place of fun she took people to that was responsible for most of the screams of pain that emanated across the hell lands. She was an expert at keeping you alive for days on the edge of excrutiauing agony. She'd turned it into an art form. He hadn't seen her this pissed in a while he enjoyed her like this, she was more fun.

" I get the tenshi's skull you get dragon boys hide…deal?" he asked. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and smiled getting her temper under control.
" Deal" she replied while turning away " on one condition" she added
" And that would be?" duo asked innocently. Celeste grabbed him by the throat with the speed of a viper, as he lunged for her and smiled sweetly digging her nails into his skin and drawing blood
"No more feeding off me…go use your little whore Hilde" duo smirked and backed off, they both knew if he wanted he could take her then and there and there would be nothing she could do about it, but that just wouldn't be any fun. Instead he just looked hurt and pouted at her again giving her puppy eyes

" Ya sooo mean to me sis…no respect for my status " he sniffed then his eyes flashed black and he hissed " now go kill the tenshi" she nodded her head and turned on her heel, blue black flames shimmering across her body as she began to sink into the shadows on the floor.
" Take good care of my skull" he called after her. She raised her eyes to his violet and violet locking
" I will…stay out of my play room " she grinned wickedly. Duo nodded and growled
"* Et tu Diablo fii terra" her face became serious, her eyes hardening as she replied
" Et tu Diablo fii terra, the tenshi dies" she snarled then her body melted into the marble floor and disappeared.

Duo watched her go with an odd feeling of unease…the prophacey..the stone around his neck nagging him..come what may it had begun..it was out of his hands. He shrugged, all he could do is wait and play his part..Till that time he was bored, he turned and sank into the floor, off to find the demon Hilde, whatever happened with the tenshi it was Lese's problem now not his. " Come back to me sis" he whispered then disappeared. The prophecy had begun.

Writers note * "Et tu Diablo fii terra" hell on earth.

elspeth chang http://www.kjkemp.fsnet.co.uk/default.htm