Chapter 12

Success

Ronald reached the stone wall where Ashling had been chained first, running as if his own life depended on it. The other Shinigami were close behind, and even Silver did a decent job of keeping up with them. Claude brought up the rear, walking calmly and confidently. He wasn't nearly as concerned as the rest of them, for he knew how the ritual had gone, and did not really need to see it to be confident in his success.

Ashling herself slouched back against the cold stone, gasping in dimming pain and hanging her head. Her clothes were ripped and torn in several places, and she looked exhausted. But she looked just as human (or Shinigami) as she was supposed to be. She slowly lifted her head to glance into the eyes of the group gathered around her, and a small smile slowly spread across her face.

"Is it over? I'm cured?" she asked, focusing on the lean demon standing patiently next to his master.

"Yes. You should get some rest, but you no longer have anything to fear of the moon." Claude nodded curtly, and Ashling grinned widely.

The other Shinigami, save for William, cheered and quickly undid the shackles securing the former werewolf to the mystic stone wall. She slumped forward, but Ronald caught her and hoisted her onto his back.

"Take Mrs. Ashling to her home and help her with anything she needs today. I'll get one of the other departments to take care of the work load." William said with a tiny smile.

"Aren't you going to come with us?" Eric asked.

"No. I need to speak with the leach for a moment." he shot a disgusted look at the smirking demon.

The other Shinigami exchanged concerned looks before nodding and walking away. William waited for the sounds of their cheery conversation and relieved laughter to fade before turning to face Claude. The demon smirked triumphantly at him, and William swallowed a lump of hatred before speaking.

"I suppose I should be thanking you for curing Ashling. Having a werewolf running rampant could have been very dangerous." he said smoothly.

"Indeed. I have kept my side of the bargain, Mr. Spears. Now I believe it is time for you to keep yours." Claude held his hands out expectantly, golden eyes serious.

William narrowed his eyes angrily, the weight of what he was about to do making him feel uneasy. Silver could sense the tension in the air and, feeling anxious herself, took a few steps away from the pair. She knew very well that demons and Shinigami were natural enemies, and it was difficult for them to compromise on anything.

William sighed and slid what looked like a small black book from an inside jacket pocket, holding it up importantly.

"This is Silver's Cinematic Record, all of her experiences and memories of past, present, and future. There is a lot of power in this book, and it should be treated with caution and respect." William emphasized before handing the book to the demon.

Claude nodded and tucked to book away into his tailcoat.

"I understand, and will treat it with as much respect as Silver herself. You will find this book in your personal mailbox when I no longer have need of it. Goodbye, Mr. Spears. May we never meet again." he said coldly.

William nodded.

"The same to you."

He watched as Claude led Silver away, and nearly smiled as she turned to give him a friendly wave of goodbye. If only he could save her from the fate that noxious monster had in store for her. She seemed to be an intelligent and friendly person. How she ended up in a contract with the beast was a curious mystery, but it didn't matter. She would be just another ravenous monster soon enough.

The worn-out Shinigami sighed and began the walk back to his office. He had a lot of paperwork to get done, and he was sure he would have plenty of overtime tonight. Damn.

Sorry about the really short chapter (and the fact that I've not updated this in MONTHS)! I'm going to finish it in the next chapter, as I have too many fics open right now. College year two is approaching, and I am going to be dealing with classes, club leadership, psychology research, maybe work, and NaNoWriMo. Halp! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this! Allons-y~!

~Silver