Chapter VI
It was a long moment, but a prickling sensation was now creeping up his spine. Dante was aware that his heartrate had increased; he could feel a burning heat around his wound as his reawakening demonic blood set about healing the ragged hole Yamato had ripped in him.
Beneath his now burning body he could sense his brother's strength returning as well—the languid moment was almost ready to expire. With the exhaustion ebbing from his muscles and strength returning, he was suddenly aware of his erection pressed stiffly against Vergil's abdomen.
With a burning humiliation scalding his cheeks, he realized his twin must be aware of his arousal as well (how could he not be!), and Dante recoiled and leapt off Vergil's body to his feet as quickly as he could.
Immediately, he knew his mistake— cursed himself for it as he felt the chain break; in his embarrassment, he had forgotten the amulet was still clenched in his brother's hand. Now he was standing, breathing heavily, feeling the hard rain pound his body as he watched Vergil climb smoothly to his feet clutching the amulet, the broken chain dangling from between his fingers.
o-o-o
Vergil smiled; "My thanks, brother," he called over the beating rain, gripping Yamato and extracting it from the pavement. He directed the tip toward Dante's heaving chest. "Now Father's sword."
His younger twin was glaring daggers at him through piercing eyes slitted against the punishing weather. He could feel his brother's furious humiliation, and it prompted a slow stirring in his own loins.
The dragon was rearing its head within his chest again, but this time he opened his will to it, allowed it to bring a lazy smile to his lips. The violently lustful instincts that had drowned his common sense the night before had been far from satiated— and they reawakened, roaring and clawing, as he felt his own demonic strength flood back… as he watched Dante's confused face contort in angry shame.
His brother's curious three-pronged weapon was still lying on the ground; Dante had drawn Ebony and Ivory instead, but he made no move to shoot.
Vergil took a few slow steps forward through the rain and picked Cerberus up; it was oddly cold. Must be an uncomfortable weapon to wield, he mused, and experimentally flicked it through the air.
o-o-o
Vergil swung Cerberus with a natural grace, and for a moment, Dante was struck by the concept of how he and his brother mirrored eachother… in appearance and movement at least, if not in personality.
The thought was fleeting though, and he gripped his twin pistols and rapidly squeezed off half a clip with each. Vergil easily deflected the rounds by windmilling the sanchaku before him, scattering raindrops and bits of metal alike in a whirl of crystalline ice. He still held Yamato in his other hand, the amulet chain now wrapped around his wrist.
Dante holstered the pistols and reached for Force Edge as Vergil sprang forward, dual-wielding the odd combination of sword and sanchaku; he blocked Yamato's strike, but felt one of Cerberus' rods extend around his body and strike him forcefully in the small of his back.
He staggered once and wrenched Force Edge downward with all his strength, sending Yamato flying from his twin's grasp; the blade spun through the air and buried itself in the pavement several meters away— in the same move, Sparda's sword sliced its way across Vergil's torso, opening a gaping slash from his shoulder to his hip.
But even as the sword was slipping from his hand, Vergil retaliated, whirling Cerberus around his body; the chain wrapped itself around Force Edge's blade and all three icy, spiked prongs struck Dante full in the face.
He was blinded by pain and blood, and for a split second, he allowed himself to admire his brother's versatility before he crashed, dazed, to the ground.