Ch 4
Frank sat down in his living room with Liz and Kumiko, who was frowning down at her swelling belly.
"This baby is making me fat," Kumiko grumbled.
Liz chuckled. "That happens, hon. Look at the bright side, it's not permanent."
"You'll have your little boy," Frank offered.
"Little girl," Kumiko said.
"You sure?" Frank asked.
Kumiko rolled her eyes at him. "I'm a Succubus dear, we have girls."
Casting a playful smile at Liz, Frank said, "Maybe Liz will give me a little boy."
Liz stuck her tongue out at him. "I want a girl too."
"We'll just keep trying until we get a boy," Frank teased.
"I'm OK with that," Kumiko said with a grin.
"And have fun trying," Liz replied with a smirk. Taking on a more serious tone, Liz said, "Frank, this demon hunting Tsukune wants us to do. I think Kumiko shouldn't be part of it."
"Why?" Kumiko asked.
"Because you're going to have a baby?" Liz asked "Beside the risk of loosing it, demons can possess unborn babies."
Kumiko frowned at her and said, "Ichi blessed my baby, as did Chris. Besides, we're only suppose to find this portal thing, not get in a fight."
Frank eyed her. "Hon? When has anyone ever found an unguarded portal to the abyss? Demons may be evil, they aren't stupid. That thing will be guarded, most likely heavily. If they think we know where it is, we'll be in for a fight. That's why Ichi is going to be with us, and you are staying home with Kyoko."
"That's not fair," Kumiko said in a pout.
"That's keeping you and our baby safe," Frank told her.
A knock sounded at the door. Liz bounced up and got it.
"Ichi, Kyoko, come in," Liz said, ushering them inside.
Kumiko got up to get some refreshments. "Aunt Kyoko, Uncle Ichi, would you like anything special?" she asked.
"Tea, please," Ichi said. He helped Kyoko to a chair and sat down beside her. To Frank, he said, "We just talked to Lin. She's going to be our witch. She is cooking up some spells to help protect us."
Frank gestured to the cellar door. "I just made 400 rounds of anti-vampire shells. Water filled pellets. Can you bless them for me?"
Ichi nodded. "I shall. These are for a pistol?"
"Shotgun," Frank said. "Nothing gets attention like a 12 gauge filled with buckshot. I'll have two, the pump and the short barreled semi-auto. I'm leaving the triple barrel here so Kyoko and Kumiko have some protection."
Liz raised a finger and said, "Don't forget the water bombs, they need to be blessed too."
"They do," Frank agreed. One of Frank's anti-vampire weapons that also worked well on anything evil, was a simple water bottle with a detonator inside, activated remotely or with a red button on the cap. When the detonator went off the bursting bottle sprayed water on all directions. Since they were sealed, they were safe for Liz to use also.
Frank had 200 of them ready to be used by whoever else was going evil portal hunting.
Kyoko shifted in place. Talk of going out to hunt down these demons made her nervous. She could only pray Ichi was going to be all right. She didn't want him dying horribly like Kouta had back in high school.
.
Yukari had a scry up, watching the land at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean. On the ground below, it was war. Men and fighting vehicles were moving and killing each other. Although the combatants were all human, hence not their concern, what she was seeing made her think they had gone mad. The forces fighting Israel could not hope to win, but they were fighting none the less. Israel was better armed, and more coordinated. They had more men and equipment on the lines and were pushing their enemy back.
From her overhead view, she could see ships coming, more support for Israel. She also noticed something odd. In one area of Israel, there was no activity. Moving her scry closer, she saw only scattered people in a town, and at what she took as a historical site, there was no one. Every other place she looked, there were at least armed patrols out.
Curious, she looked for a reason why. There didn't seem to be a reason why the place was vacant, until she cast to detect magic. This old site had a barrier around it. As she watched, people who came close, just wandered away. Every road passed by it, one even went half way around it, staying outside the barrier. She was able to see through the barrier to the vacant hill within. Bringing her scry closer, she checked for magic or movement inside the many passageways. Nothing.
"Odd," she mumbled to herself. Why protect an empty hill with magic?
Yukari closed her scry and searched her maps of the area. She found that this place was called Megiddo. The name sounded familiar to her, but she didn't remember any special significance to the name. Maybe it was one of the religious things Father Tappan talked about. Some super-special ancient holy place. That was probably why it was protected.
Yukari decided she'd spent enough time looking at nothing. She was suppose to be trying to find abandoned churches that may be holding a portal to the Abyss. Shifting her scry, she inspected the town, then moved on.
.
Daniel was becoming concerned. Akemi had spend the last two days inside with that blank look on her face. Going over to where she was lying on the couch, staring at the TV, Daniel sat down beside her and poke her lightly in the belly.
"Hey sweetie, what do you say we go out tonight?" he asked cheerfully. "Say, dinner and…"
"Why?" she asked harshly. Turning her blank gaze at Daniel, she asked, "To run into someone else who hates me for no reason? Maybe this time someone will have a fire hose they can use on me? Hear them cheer when we get driven away again?"
Daniel stared at her. "Ahh, hon? Maybe we should go back to Collinwood," he offered.
"I. Can't. Leave!" Akemi snapped. "I step out of town and my bail is revoked! I'll have a great choice then," she said sarcastically. "Either walk off to jail, or be forced to hurt, maybe kill people to stay out of jail. OH! and I'm sure my family will be fine with me sitting in a jail cell. Just how much chaos do you think we can create?"
Daniel looked away from her. " Sorry. I just wanted to cheer you up," he said meekly. He got up and moved to leave. Akemi clasped his hand.
"I'm sorry," Akemi said quickly, "You didn't deserve that. I'm just … frustrated."
Daniel turned back to her and sat back down. He nodded. "I understand. I'm feeling pretty helpless myself," he offered.
Akemi sat up and hugged him. He hugged her back. They sat embracing each other, the only comfort they could get.
.
The city of Lhasa, China, was a large pro-yokai city. Almost one quarter of the population there was some form of yokai. There were even yokai in the government that were part of the Communist party. Even though nearly everyone in the city knew it, the presence of yokai was neither talked about, nor even seriously thought about. Mixed marriages were not uncommon and if a drunk yokai changed into his yokai form, he was guided home or to a place where he could sleep it off. To the people there, it wasn't a big deal. That was until the government crackdown.
At first, city officials ignored the yokai registration order. They put up notices, but didn't actively search out any yokai and the office of yokai registration was one old woman in a small room who made up records during the day to please 'the party', then went home to her Kappa family.
Things changed when Fang-Fang was attacked. The call that went up for troops to defend China from the yokai invasion was answered. Local recruiters did sign up a constant flow of recruits to the training camps just outside the city. Part of the training in these boot camps was a lesson in the ideologies Fang-Fang was promoting. Word spread person to person about how Fang-Fang was throwing off the shackles of communism and everyone who followed him was having a better life. The Boot Camps also stressed that human or yokai, they were all Chinese and neighbors.
While the Chinese government was sending supplies to the tens of thousands of new troops being trained in and around Lhasa, those troops and the city prepared themselves to fight hard for Emperor Fang-Fang.
.
Kashiro noted there were many substitute teachers in school recently. Even Kumiko, who wasn't even a teacher, was now teaching cooking classes part of the day. Several substitutes were humans brought in to fill the ranks of missing teachers. Kaiyo had told him that Mariko Kurama was now taking Yukari's spot as head of the Witch College.
Classes had been reduced to half days. Chiho, the Sotoba valley town administrator, had talked him into taking over the Sotoba Valley police department, since he had experience being a police Captain. The vampire who previously held the job, and his wife who was a Witch, had been called away to another job. Where was everyone going?
.
Lin scried on a wooden church building in Montana that was so old, the wood was black with age. On the edge of a broken down ghost town, Matsu had marked this as a possible portal. The town was uninhabited, and from what Matsu had discovered, never had a church.
Frank stood ready to go, with Liz and Ichi, armed with shotguns and water grenades. Lin opened a portal, the three went through.
Upon stepping into the high grass, Frank brought his pump gun up. He scanned to the left, Liz scanned to the right as th three approached the old structure.
"Anything?" Frank asked.
"Nothing," Liz replied.
"I sense no evil," Ichi said.
"Let's go make sure."
As they got to the door, Liz stiffened. "Someone's here, not human," she said quietly.
Frank opened the door. The door creaked open then fell to raise up the dust on the floor. Looking at the warped floor boards, Frank winced and shook his head. He motioned to the right swinging his arm out.
Liz led the way around the right side of the building. Coming to the back, she pointed to a cellar way that had rusty metal doors that looked newer than the rest of the structure. Frank nodded. Liz grabbed one door, Frank grabbed the other. Ichi stood back, facing the doors. Frank held up three fingers, two, then one. He and Liz yanked the doors open at the same time and pointed their guns down the stairs. Frank turned his flashlight on and went down first, followed closely by Liz.
In the musty cellar that had boards hanging down from the ceiling, a figure moved. Frank had his light and gun on the form in an instant to show a red eyed man in a plaid shirt, jeans and boots.
"What do you want?" the man snapped showing his fangs.
Liz lowered her gun and said, "Relax, We're looking for a portal, not you. Have you seen anything strange?"
The man tipped his head. "Only a human, a vampire and a priest, all together barging in on me. If that's not strange, I don't know what is," he replied.
"We're looking for demons," Frank told him. "Seen or felt any around?"
"Nobody comes here," the man said. "That's why I like it. It's a trip to go steal from the blood bank in the nearest town, but normally I don't have to worry about intruders."
"Ichi?" Frank asked.
"He's the only one here. I'm not getting anything else. No evil intent," Ichi replied.
Frank nodded to the man and said, "Sorry to have bothered you."
Waving a hand towards the ceiling, Liz asked, "Was this once a church?"
"It was, about a hundred fifty yeas ago," the man said. "I suppose it still is, only no one's ever been inside since everyone moved away." eyeing them, he asked Liz, "I have to know, why are you, a vampire, going around with a human, and a priest of all people?"
"Frank is my husband, and Ichi here is working with us to find demons who are doing their best to create chaos. If we don't stop them, it's bad news for everyone."
The man looked at Frank, then Ichi. "I take it this is some serious shit then."
"Very."
The man frowned briefly and said, "It must be for you three to gather together. Look, I like low profile, but I'll keep on the lookout for you. Got a number I can call?"
"Got something to write with?" Frank asked.
The man went over to a shape covered with a tarp. He pulled the tarp off to expose an old desk. Pointing to it, he said, "Pencil and some paper. Just write it down."
Frank went over and wrote his number down.
Eyeing the guns, the man said, "You know, those don't work on vampires. She should have told you that."
"These do," Liz told him. "The pellets are filled with holy water."
"You people are something else," the man grumbled with a shake of his head. "If I come across anything, I'll let you know. It's pretty quiet around here."
"We appreciate it," Frank told him.
They headed for the doors. The man called, "Shut the doors on your way out."
They did.
.
News of the 'Harvard slayings' were not only making national headlines in the US, but in other nations around the world. Some news stations reported the investigation as ongoing. Others held a court of media opinion. A talk show in California had made their determination on the 'truth'.
On the stage, the bald man on camera who was the guest looked at the host and said, 'I have been following the events at Harvard, and I find them very unsettling. These are the facts. Five students are dead. The one who killed them has proven to be a yokai. The police know this. The District Attorney did too. He was going to prosecute, but he never got the chance. He was brutally killed in his office. There was a witness to this murder, his secretary. She saw the murderer, but that case has met a dead end, because she was murdered hours later in her apartment. Guess what, somehow the murderer got in, killed her with multiple slashes to her torso, just like her boss had been killed, and left no trace behind."
Tapping a finger on the table, he stated, "Tell me these things are not connected. It is obvious the killer who slaughtered those kids, killed the DA to keep him from prosecuting. His secretary sees it, and then she is killed. The conclusion of obvious, there is one murderer, one of these monsters, and they are showing no mercy to whoever tries to track them down. I am sure eventually a patsy will be found to take the blame while the murderer goes free. The police can't catch the murderer, so to close the case, they are going to frame some poor soul to take the fall so it appears they did their job. Worse yet, the ones who CAN bring the murderer to justice, the monsters who claim to want peace and cooperation, are protecting this murderer!"
A woman to the side said, "Of course they are. The one initially charged with murder is Akemi Aono. Her Father is the like … the prince of all yokai. Do you honestly think she will ever go to trial for those slayings? The most that will happen is she gets deported back to Japan where she belongs. Maybe we'll get lucky and her plane will crash in the ocean."
The bald man glanced at her. "We can only hope. One thing I can tell everyone, is to be very careful around these creatures. If you know of any, do not have any dealings with them. If they are selling something, don't buy. If they want to buy something, don't sell. If they go into a restaurant, stay out of that place. Since the government refuses to do anything about them, for your own protection, stay away from them."
"This is the beginning," the woman intoned, "They are showing their true colors."
.
Ageha turned the TV off. "What a load of crap," she grumbled. She brushed a few stands of her thick red hair off her face. Ageha was a blue-haired Succubus, but had changed her hair color to a bright red. John loved that color and it made his lust for her so strong, it was wonderful.
In bed beside her in their hotel room, Sir John shook his head sadly. "It amazes me that so many people are willing to believe half truths and conjecture. All that man was doing was stirring up hate that may well end up in violence." He had an arm over her shoulder and was absently brushing her hard nipple. Ageha was loving the attention.
"I know Akemi well enough that she did not kill anyone who didn't deserve it," Ageha stated, "Of all the Aono kids, she is the most reserved."
"Quite true. Unfortunately, people like that man want everyone to think otherwise."
"It's almost like he has an agenda." Ageha said. A few seconds later, she looked at John and asked, "Do you think he does?"
"I do," John agreed. "Instead of trying to find a demon, perhaps we should start looking for the demon's trail."
.
The next morning, John and Ageha were out and about. They ate in restraints, visited stores and malls, constantly making comments about how yokai were taking over, and there was nothing a common person could do about it.
By dinner time, they were both tired of complaining, but kept on, fishing for someone to approach them in agreement. They did find a couple young men who agreed with them, and claimed the wildfires were the work of yokai, then a pack of girls who claimed that yokai were 'stealing' the best boys away from them, but no one who seemed to be organizing anything.
Stopping at a decent restaurant, they gave it a break while they relaxed. After dinner, they went back on their quiet rant as they walked back to the hotel. Stopping at the hotel bar for a few drinks before bed, they chose a booth that overlooked the pool.
A man in a suit came up to the booth. "You don't like yokai?" he asked.
Sir John frowned at him. "Is there anyone who does?" he asked.
The man grinned and said, "Not anyone I know. The question is, are you willing to do something about it?"
"How can we?" Aghea asked, sounding exasperated.
"Mind if I sit?" the man asked.
John slid over and offered his hand. "John Smith's the name, this is my lovely wife, Ageha."
"Dan Chase," The man said and sat down. Shifting his gaze between them, he said, "If you are serious, there are things you can do."
"Like what?" Ageha asked, watching him intently. "It's not like there's an organization we can join, or anything like that."
"Actually, there is," Dan said with a grin. He pulled a card out of shirt pocket and handed it to John. "We're new, and looking for members. Our leader wants to run for office on the Democratic ticket. We need people to pass the word and help with funds to operate. Any help is appreciated."
"Running for office," John said thoughtfully. "May I ask the platform of your candidate?"
"Simple liberal values with an emphasis on California is for humans," Dan explained. "Why is the federal government so hard on undocumented workers, yet pay no attention to the monsters creeping around?" he asked. "Think about it, the displaced people from the southern countries are at least human. They come for a better life. What do the yokai come for, besides taking over what us humans have worked hard to make?"
"I see your point," John said as Ageha was doing well and not showing how angry she was at the things this man was saying. "So, this is the meeting place?" he asked, indicating the card.
"It is. We meet twice a week, Tuesday and Friday nights." Dan said. Seeing their drinks were half gone, he said, "Let me buy you another round, I can fill you in on the projects we have going."
"Very generous of you," John said with a smile. "I am sure Ageha and I are very interested in becoming involved with your activities."
Ageha cast the man her wining smile and adding Charm to her voice, she said, "We would love to meet your candidate, who is it?"
Dan returned her smile. "Joan Bennet, and she would love to meet you if you can give her a donation."
"Five hundred thousand?" John asked.
Dan's smile got bigger. "That would be wonderful! Joan is due here for the Friday meeting. Can you bring your donation then?"
"If this Joan Bennet is who you say, we will," John agreed.
John and Ageha had another drink with Dan. Ageha started getting playful with John. John returned her affection and excused themselves to head for their room.
Once on the elevator, Ageha's mood shifted. "We'll give that candidate something, all right!' she growled.
John put am arm around his irritated wife. "We will, love. Just remember, we aren't after the puppets, we're after the puppet master. Cut the strings and they all fall down."
Ageha nodded and leaned into him. "I need to release some frustration," she said in a moan.
John kissed her temple. "I was thinking we use that tub in our room. What do you say to a bubble bath with that purple lilac smelling soap?"
Ageha giggled and snuggled into him. "Dear, I love how you think."
.
John would prefer to have gone to meet this candidate alone, in case this candidate was one of these demons. He knew Ageha would not let him for the same reason. Ageha was very brave in her own way. Even being a Succubus that primarily used her charms and guile, she had went to Apollo for her family knowing she was going to be beaten badly, maybe killed. She was not going to let him go into possible danger by himself.
John wanted to protect them in case this was a demon. He also didn't want to be too conspicuous with his preparations. He called the Aono's and told them what was up. Tsukune promised someone would meet them in their hotel room.
Taking lunch on their balcony, Tsukune arrived with a briefcase.
"John, Ageha, good to see you," Tsukune said with a smile.
"Tsukune!" Ageha cried happily and hugged him in a breast-smother. "Oh, so how's my darling Son and his talented family?" she beamed.
Tsukune had been face planted in boobs for so long, he now only saw it as a greeting. "We're doing well. I suppose you heard Kumiko is going to have a baby?"
"Oh yes!' Ageha said, clapping her hands in joy. "My very first great-granddaughter! I'm so excited to see the little bundle of joy! We MUST come visit soon."
Tsukune smiled at her exuberance. "You are always welcome," he said and passed the case to John. "Sir John, I brought the five hundred thousand, and Father Tappen added a couple items that will be useful if this candidate is a demon," he explained.
John opened the case. Besides the bills packed inside, against the top was tapped a large vial of water and a bottle of a white granular substance. John could understand the holy water. "Salt?" he asked
Tsukune nodded and explained, "Demons cannot cross a line of salt. If you're in a circle of salt, they can't touch you. If they are in the circle, they can't get out. And the vial is holy water, just squirt it."
"Thank Father Tappan for me," John said. "About this money, are you sure you want to give this up?"
"Ruby made it with a conjuration spell. It will exist as money for five days, then the spell will wear off and it disappears," Tsukune explained. In a firmer tone, he asked, "John, are you sure you don't want any backup?"
"Quite sure. We have to be convincing that we are true to the cause," John explained. "If the demon does come, we don't want to spook it."
"Understood," Tsukune said in a huff. "I'd still feel better if you let us keep an eye on you."
John cast Tsukune a brief grin. "As would I, but alas, not possible if we want to meet with this thing."
"Tsukune dear, we will be careful," Ageha assured him.
"All right then. Good luck. If you find something, let me know a soon a you can," Tsukune said. He then shook John's hand and hugged Ageha. "Stay safe," he told them, then walked back inside and disappeared.
John sat and frowned at the vial and the bottle.
"Something wrong?" Ageha asked.
"I think we need to disguise these," John said in a mussing tone.
.
Friday, John was set to go to this meeting. He wore a charcoal gray suit white shirt and a black tie. Ageha put on a medium blue dress, stockings and heels. She had her hair braided up in multiple braids that met in the back of her head to join together and fall as one braid. Briefcase in hand, and Ageha on his arm, John went to the meeting.
The meeting was at another hotel that had a large dinning room. Walking into the entrance to the room, John and Ageha were stopped by security to get a metal detecting wand waved over them. Security just passed them through, when Dan, drink in his hand, hailed them.
"John, Ageha, good to see you could make it!" Dan said cheerfully. Seeing the briefcase, he asked, "You brought it?"
"No sense putting things off," John said with a brief smile. "I do want to meet Miss Bennet and talk a bit to ensure we are investing wisely," John told him. "Both Ageha and I have no problem supporting someone, if we know their cause is good."
Dan nodded towards a door in the back. "Joan arrived a short time ago. She's in with another investor at the moment. I'm sure she will be free shortly. Bar's right through there if you want a drink. It's an open bar, so feel free."
John scanned the room. There were around a hundred people in here, and in the other room, the bar looked full. "Yes, thank you. Ageha, shall we?" he asked.
John led Ageha to the bar. They each got a drink, then gravitated closer to the door Dan had indicated, picking the closest table to it. John held Ageha's chair, then settled down to watch the door in his peripheral vision.
"Sense anything?" he asked quietly.
Ageha shook her head. Scanning he room, she said, "No. I am keeping my own yokai contained as much as possible. So far, everyone seems human."
They sat sipping their drinks until the door opened. A well dressed man and a black suited security guard came out. The guard talked briefly with Dan. Dan gestured to them. The guard came over. "John and Ageha?" he asked. "Miss Bennet will see you now."
"Thank you, Sir," John said. He offered his hand to Ageha. He took his hand and got up. The followed the guard in.
The room was an office with a desk, two more guards bracketed the desk. A tall blond sat behind the desk. The instant they came in, Ageha and the blond locked eyes on one another.
"Bingo," Ageha whispered.
"Hello," the blond said in a smooth tone. "And you are?"
John looked down at Ageha's hand to avoid her gaze. He patted her hand three time and said, "This is my lovely wife Ageha." Shifting his gaze to the briefcase, he shifted it to his free hand and looked at the closest guard and handed the briefcase to him as he said, "I am John Smith. I have brought a donation. Merely a drop in the bucket mind you. Enough to show we are serious about supporting you, if you do hold a platform we can support."
The blond grew a smile. "I see." The guard brought the briefcase to her. She opened it. "Very generous," she said in a purr. "And in cash, so it is not traceable."
"Paperwork is such a bother," John said off hand.
The blond laughed. Her eyes still locked on Ageha, she said, "I do believe we can work together. Guards, go get a drink."
The men filled out of the room. Once they left, shutting the door behind them, the blond grew a wicked grin. "So, Ageha, was it? I take it you are feeling the pinch of the growing Anti-yokai sentiment?"
Ageha squeezed John's arm for support. "I must wonder why you are driving this campaign. If you are exposed, all your followers will turn on you," Ageha said evenly.
Joan laughed. Standing up, she came around the desk. "Those fools would follow me if I came out in my true form! If anyone, you should know we can manipulate humans freely. The question I have, is why give me money? Do you want some sort of protection?"
John pulled the realistic looking pistol from his jacket to point it at her. "No." he stated.
Joan looked at it and laughed. To Ageha, she asked, "Do you really think you can hurt me with that?"
"Yes." John stated and squeeze the trigger. A line of holy water shot out of the squirt gun and hit her in the face. Joan recoiled and spun in place, hands over her face as she wailed out a pained scream. Her black leather wings ripped her blouse apart as they burst forth.
John shot another line of water that hit the base of her left wing. Upon contact, the wing smoked where the water hit it. Joan spun again, making that wing fly off her, she slashed out blindly with a clawed hand. Ageha dropped low and bringing out her own long nails, cutting that hand off.
The hand went flying Joan retreated and wailed out again, then disappeared. The wing that was now on the floor turned to dust. John squirted the hand, it boiled, smoked and reduced to dust also..
The door burst open. Ageha quickly withdrew her nails, John put his pistol away. He looked to see the men pointing guns at them.
"Sir!" Ageha said quickly. Charming them, she pointed to the ash on the floor. "Miss Bennet suddenly started screaming, then she just … tuned to ash!"
"It must have been a yokai" one guard stated.
"We need a way to defend against them," another agreed.
John did his best to maintain a shocked look. "They can do … that?" he asked.
"Call the police?" one guard asked.
"And tell them what?" another guard asked. "Miss Bennet just crumbled into ash?"
"We have to let people know what happened," Ageha said weakly. "Gather everyone, people must know."
.
In the dark alley that was her emergency escape place, the demon going by the name Joan Bennet stumbled into a wall. She was blind, her face felt like it was on fire, and so did her left wing. She felt her hand missing. She clapped her other hand to the pit that used to be her face. Letting out a moan of agony, she bumped up against a wall. Angry she had been fooled so easily, she punched the wall.
That red haired bitch had come in with the perfect trap! DAMN HER! She shook her head to get the fire off her, but it clunk to her slowly working it's way deeper.
"Well, well, what happened to you?" a smooth voice asked.
Although she couldn't see, she knew who was in front of her. She tried speaking and found she only made moaning noises. She needed help from her Master.
"Too bad that succubus works for the other side," The devil said in a smooth tone. "That was a very well executed attack. While you can't be killed, she did make you useless. Well, almost useless. You can still be of some use as fuel for the fire."
Moaning out a cry for help from the gaping hole where her face used to be, she begged for him to destroy the red haired traitor.
In a huff, the devil said, "To the pit with you." He send her back to the abyss in a burst of flame. "Amateurs," he grumbled. Throwing his hands in the air he asked, "When will some learn you can never let your guard down?"
.
John held Ageha as went out to give the gathering a story on what happened to Miss Bennet. What they found was a room full of confused people, wondering why there were there. Since it was a party, Most decided to stay to enjoy the free drinks and food.
John and Ageha quietly meandered through the crowd. Walking out the door, John said, "Strings cut."