Okay… chapter 8.

Chapter 8: Zero Hour

She quickly made her way to the dresser, unsheathed the hunting knife and threw it at Dante with one fluid motion. He caught it in midair just inches from his jugular. Malina readied herself in case he decided to throw it back.

He didn't. Dante instead tossed it on the bed. "I don't want to fight you, Malina. Go home," he said calmly. Dante sighed, as if to reinforce the fact that they have been down this road before. He turned to walk to the door.

"Don't you walk away from me," she screamed. Dante stopped in his stride, not to obey her, but rather he was compelled to do so. He felt so queasy and tired. He had rarely ever felt so sick and worn out.

Dante tried to make an honest effort to fight the sensation. He slid down the foot of his bed and on to the floor. He fought back the bile rising in his throat.

"A binding spell," Dante said looking at the glowing chalk glyphs surrounding him, "I'm impressed. Then again, you're not alone. Are you?"

"I knew you'd figure it out eventually," said a familiar female voice from the corner, far out of range from the spell.

"Arinna… I knew there something odd about you. Hiding among wiccians, now that's a gutsy move."

The veiled woman moved into Dante's view. "So, how long have you possessed this girl?"

"Oh, Son of Sparda," Arinna began, her voice slightly more distorted, "You and I both know that possession and influence are two completely different things. Influence is almost always welcomed."

Malina harshly straightened Dante's face, to make sure he was looking at her. She gently caressed his face and hair. "You truly are beautiful," she said. Dante tried to jerk his head away and found that he could not move.

"Go figure. A devil with the face of an angel," Malina continued, "My sister always said that the worst demon was one with the guise of man."

Dante laughed at the irony. She pulled out Arinna's athame. Arinna nodded at the girl as if to say, you know what to do.

"What's so funny," Malina yelled, cutting into Dante's arm. It did hurt, but not like a simple cut, more like a burning sensation.

He continued laughing in spite of the pain. "What are you laughing at," she demanded again, digging deeper into Dante's arm.

Dante's laugh faded as he said, "Arinna told you all that, did she? Why don't you ask her, 'what does that make her'?"

"Shut up," Malina half shouted.

"Ask her. What does that make her?"

"Shut up!"

"Do you want to know?"

"Shut up," she screamed thrusting the blade into Dante's chest. She could feel it as it tore into flesh and organs and scraped past bone.

Malina's fit of rage ended as she heard him cry out in pain. "Oh God," she said with remorse painted on her faced. For a moment she took her hand off the hilt and placed it back on deciding that she had to remove it.

"I'm so sorry," she tried to reconcile. She wrapped her hand around the hilt and pulled to no avail. It was stuck.

Her efforts were only met by a weak groan from Dante, who sat there limp, like a marionette that has had its strings cut.

Malina gently pulled his head back so that she could see his face clearly. The snowy tuft drifted out of his face.

Her brown eyes met with his blue gaze. "What is she," she whispered in defeat. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he curled his lips into that silly grin that she fell in love with.

"She is…" Regaining some movement in his arms, Dante grasped the athame, only to have it sizzle in his right hand. He ignored his burning hand and managed to pull it out with a pained grunt.

As his hand dropped to the floor, Dante doubled over with wet coughs and short gasps. Malina saw the blood flow freely from the chest wound and stain his once pristine shirt.

"Foolish half-breed," Arinna hissed, "You hasten your death."

Dante managed pick his head up and glower at the veiled feminine form.

Crimson gathered behind his teeth as he spoke, telling of the blood that had already invaded his lungs, "She's far worse than me, yet not nearly as powerful." Dying and still he was goading the woman on.

"Ever wonder why you can't see her face or why she only receives power when you mention her coven name? Names have power, kid. Remember that." Dante coughed again and spat out the blood that burbled in his mouth.

Arinna moved in to slap him, but backed off at the last second. "You can't do it, can you, sweetheart," Dante gasped out, "You can't cross the spell."

He watched as Arinna's hold over Malina weakened. Dante let out a small laugh.

Malina grasped Dante's left hand and tucked something in it and said, "It had to be done." She tried to smile and put the dying man before her at ease, although he didn't need it. Neither of them noticed the faint green glow that surrounded their joined hands.

And the two young women were gone. He opened his hand to see Lady warmly smiling at him. He accepted the darkness that quickly encroached upon his vision, with a smile.

He opened his eyes again when heard Vergil scream for Lucia and Trish. Dante realized that he was lying in a pool of his own blood and he couldn't hang on for much longer. He looked up to see Vergil who was struggling to hide the fear in his eyes.

That, in conjunction with exhaustion, made Dante want to close his eyes. "Stay with me," Vergil's stressed voice woke him again.

"Verg…" Dante began, but the rest of his words were choked down with heavy coughs. Com'on Verg, he thought, its okay. "Conserve your strength." Vergil's words cut into his thoughts.

Dante… A voice whispered in his head. Dante… 'Who are you,' he mentally asked the voice, 'Where are you?'

We are here.

Dante looked up to see Eva's smiling face.

'Mom?'

Yes, Sweetie, it's me. She reached down and held Dante's hand. He inhaled… and exhaled his final breath.

Vergil opened his eyes and found that he was standing near the window and fire escape, watching himself desperately trying to bring back Dante.

"So… did you see what you needed to see?" He turned to see Dante standing beside him.

Vergil nodded. "Good," Dante said, "You need to run now."

"What?"

"Wake up," Dante whispered.

---

Vergil shot out of bed, still dressed in his black wife-beater top and blue pajama bottoms. "What a strange dream," he said aloud. His head cleared once he heard the sirens outside his window. Vergil then heard a rather disturbing conversation outside his door.

"Stop stalling ma'am, where can we find Vergil? He is wanted on the suspicion for the murder of Aurora Moore."

"How do you know it was him?"

"The lady was found hacked to bits and he's the only one that has been brandishing a sword lately."

Vergil wasted no time in grabbing Yamato, climbing out of his window and scaling the storm pipe to the roof.

He made it to his destination. He hopped up onto the ledge to face the cops dashing up the ladder. Vergil unsheathed his O-katana, stood elegantly with his blade hovering just above the ground and beckoned the men forward.

They rushed toward Vergil, hoping to overpower the white-haired man. He only swatted the advancing ranks aside with the flat edge of his sword.

Vergil walked with a cat's grace on the building's ledge until he reached the side that faced the alley. He flashed a signature Dante grin, sheathed Yamato, and jumped back from the ledge, landing perfectly on the pavement below.

Vergil ran, ducking in and out of alleys, making sure that the police didn't see him as they patrolled for the fugitive. Usually, Vergil could find away to blend into crowds, but in his haste to run, he forgot a hat or quick dyeing kit to hide the hair that is sure to give him away.

Vergil pressed himself against a brick wall as a police cruiser passed by an alley opening. When he was sure they were gone, Vergil double backed and rounded another corner.

Vergil snaked through another alley and came to a warehouse. The steel industrial doors were chained together, but there was a gap. As he approached the doors, he felt every fiber of his being screaming to him, telling him to stay away. Even the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Still, he was compelled to move forward.

He ignored the painful stinging caused by the buried talismans and charms and slipped in between the gap.

Once inside, the veiled Arinna, appeared in front of Vergil with a katana similar to Yamato, caked with blood.

"Took you long enough."

I don't like it much… its short and it feels rushed… but then again it's either a short chapter 8 or a super long chapter 7 that would be sure to lose your interest.

Oh, well… Review please.