It wasn't often that Kyrie was alone with Trish, not that she minded. Trish didn't speak unless she had something that she felt worthwhile to say and it made for easy companionship. She was highly intelligent and inherently kind to people she cared for.
Kyrie considered herself lucky to be included in that very small group, it was the same way with Lady. They didn't have to trust her or like her they just did. She assumed it had initially been for Dante's sake or maybe even pity for the situation she had been in.
What ever the case was she was grateful for the older females insight and friendship, after all if it weren't for them her relationship with Dante may have never progressed the way it had. She couldn't thank them enough for that let alone the fact that she had come to see them almost as sisters to her.
After Credo had been killed by Sanctus Kyrie missed the familial bond that they had shared. Of course she had had Nero who she had grown up with and loved deeply but it wasn't the same.
In Lady, Trish and more recently Patty, she had found a place that she never knew existed. She had had friends in Fortuna but not anyone she would trust her life to, not anyone she knew would kick her in the ass, quite literally, if need be.
They neared the property where the call had come from. It was a run down farm with a dilapidated barn and crumbling silo. A farm house stood some distance away with the front porch overgrown with weeds and brush.
An ancient porch swing creaked a skeleton of a wooden bench back and forth in the slight breeze squeezing eerily in the other wise silent area. There was seemingly no other sound, no birds or any signs of other life, which was a clear indication that a devil was around.
Trish stopped in her tracks and took a deep breath. Kyrie watched as the female devil sniffed out their surroundings, which she knew from watching Dante do. It was an interesting ability they had and wondered if Nero had learned to as well.
It didn't take long before Trish motioned for her to flank the left side of the barn. She indicated that she would go to the top. Kyrie knew the tactic, Trish would catch it by surprise and Kyrie would provide the covering fire necessary to take it down.
She sprinted across the brown grass hearing it crunch under her feet. She grabbed Red Rose from its holster on her thigh and held Blue Princess to keep it quiet at her side.
Out of habit she checked her ammo pack that was strapped to her hip where her extra bullets were should she need them. She pressed herself against the barn hearing the devil inside scuffling around with what ever it was doing.
She crouched down underneath a broken window peering in slightly before ducking down again. It was just enough for her to see it crouched down over something.
It was grey in color with green glowing lines pulsating all over its body almost resembling veins. Kyrie placed Blue Princess down feeling that she wouldn't need it, the bullets should be enough.
She heard the devil screech out as soon as the sound of gun shots rang out indicating that Trish had opened fire. Kyrie stood quickly shooting through the remaining glass of the panes shattering it.
The devil yelled out as its armor was penetrated from the assault it was currently under. It began to advance in Kyrie's direction causing her to dodge out of the way quickly.
She was on her feet in a flash skipping backwards. As she had rolled backwards her hand had grabbed her katana. Faster than she ever would have thought she was capable of she holstered her pistol and unsheathed Blue Princess.
Some of the devils armor had been chipped away leaving the green fleshy part more exposed. Kyrie saw Trish charging her ball lightening with her bare hands still standing on top of the barn.
With out a word shouted out a plan of attack to end the job was formed. Kyrie grasped the hilt of her sword and threw it like a spear. Trish threw out her lightening as Blue Princess sunk its blade deep into the devil.
The demonic electricity courses through the metal and ripped through the devil that had been impaled. It swung wildly attempting to move but unable to with the amount of voltage it was currently under.
Kyrie grabbed out Red Rose as Trish continued to feed the charges into the devil. More of its grey shell cracked and disintegrated allowing Kyrie a clear shot of its head. One pull of her trigger from the double barrel pistol and all that stood in the devils wake was smoke and ash.
She walked over to grab her sword as Trish jumped down landing next to her elegantly. Kyrie flicked some of the ash off of her blade but knew it would need a more thorough cleaning once she was home.
"That was slightly uneventful." Trish commented.
"You sound disappointed." Kyrie said sheathing her katana. Trish gave a slight shrug.
"Least it's a nice day out." She said looking around her. "It's so different from the city."
"Yes it is." Kyrie agreed as birds chirped once again sounding almost timid at first before the full chorus began. "We could take our time going back unless you're pressed for time."
"I've got all day." She replied. The two females began a slow walk back down the dirt road they had come down. Trish's motorcycle was parked a few miles down as it was decided they hadn't wanted to announce their presence. "Tell me something Kyrie, why haven't you mated with Dante yet?"
Kyrie felt her face flush considerably as if all of the color had suddenly left her cheeks before she felt the heat of a blush slam full force to the surface of her skin.
"We've...mated." She said. "Actually we do it quite often."
"No, not sex. That's different." Trish corrected. "What I meant is why haven't you claimed each other as a mate?"
"Claimed each other? Like, get married?" She questioned. Trish grasped her arm gently to stop her in her tracks to simply stare at her and blink. "Was it something I said?"
"Oh my god." Trish said softly. "Dante hasn't told you, has he?"
"Told me what?" Kyrie asked as her friend stared at her incrediously. She could feel her stomach sink a bit as if she were in trouble for something or she had missed an important answer to a question.
Trish wasn't one to ever be at a loss for words let alone to stand seemingly mute unsure how to continue. "Trish".
"Alright so with demons and devils once they find a suitable companion that they want to be exclusively theirs they consummate the relationship if you will." Trish began resuming to walk down the road.
Kyrie followed next to her listening intently. If anyone knew about devils it was Trish seeing that she was one. If there was something that she was supposed to do according to devil culture then she wanted to make sure it was done for Dante's sake.
"In order to do that you have to mark your mate preferably during intercourse." She continued.
"Okay so how do you mark each other?" Kyrie asked mentally jotting down the information she was being given.
"A bite." Trish replied. "You bite your mate hard enough to draw blood and leave a mark, enough so that it will scar over."
"No wonder Dante never said anything." Kyrie said to herself. "Unless he doesn't know about it seeing as how he prefers to live more like a human."
"Oh no, he knows. It's an innate trait that devils possess, an urge or an instinct if you will." Trish responded. "The same way that we just know how to breathe or birds know how to migrate, demons and devils know how to mate."
"Okay, so is there any specific ritual that has to be followed or anything like that?" She asked mulling over what she had been told.
"No. You just do it when you're ready." She stated. "In your case it may take some easing into but then again maybe not."
"Why's that?" Kyrie inquired.
"Well like you said Dante has chosen to embrace his more human heritage than his devil. Granted he does rely on it when push comes to shove but ultimately he prefers his human side." Trish said. "It leaves his devil kind of starved for attention."
"Is that why he never has had a girl friend?" Kyrie asked causing Trish to let out a delicate laugh.
"I don't know about that part of it but it explains his physical needs." She replied. "Demons and devils have three powerful instincts; hunt, kill and mate."
"That's why he's a hunter." Kyrie interjected. "To satiate some of his urges."
"Dante has his reasons but I do believe it is why he is so good at hunting, yes." She partially agreed.
"Alright then." Kyrie said setting her resolve.
"There is something else you should know once you are mated and that is this; demons and devils will be able to sense that you belong to him." Trish said a slight hint of worry in her voice. "It will keep most of the weaker demons away since they will be able to sense Dante's power but it may make you a target for the stronger more intelligent devils."
"I understand." Kyrie said with an affirmative nod. "How can they sense it?"
"By scent. If Dante does mark you then his bite will contain his saliva, obviously, it will help the wound heal more quickly but at the same time it will leave his signature, I guess you could say, embedded in the mark." She replied.
"That makes sense." She said. "Is there anything else I need to know?"
"If you do decide to go through with his Kyrie you will belong to him." Trish said. "You need to know that if you decide to take this step then you can never leave him. If you ever did he may die."
"Die?" Kyrie asked shocked. The jolt shot through her harder and faster than if Trish had electrocuted her.
"He will be bound to you Kyrie. If you left or died yourself then it is possible that he would join you shortly after." Trish said. "On a biological basis he may not be able to survive with out his mate."
"It would break his heart." Kyrie stated. She weighed her options thoroughly in her head on the ride home deciding what to do once she arrived at the shop.
She made a quick dinner from leftovers in the fridge. Dante had been on a job and came in a few hours after her. His jacket and clothes were drenched in some fluid or other that he shed most of at the front door.
He washed up the best that he could in the half bath downstairs before making his way up the stairs. Kyrie had already showered and sat in their bedroom reading.
"Welcome back." She greeted watching him cross to the bathroom. He gave a two finger salute before closing the door. A moment later she heard the shower turn on.
Kyrie took a deep breath readying herself for what she wanted to do. The words became blurry as her eyes unfocused as her thoughts wandered.
She barely even registered when Dante walked into the room with only a towel wrapped around his waist. He let out a huff sitting on the edge of his side of the bed.
"Long day?" Kyrie asked placing her book down. Dante gave a nod.
"Yeah." He said curtly. Kyrie swallowed hard feeling his tension. Something had happened that he was upset about she just didn't know if she should pry or leave it be.
"Want to talk about it?" She asked.
"No." Dante replied quickly laying down with his back to her. Kyrie edged closer to him running a hand down his back feeling him flinch slightly under her touch.
"Does that hurt." She asked taking her hand away.
"No." He said again almost as soon as she was done asking. "Just need to sleep."
"Alright." She whispered. "Good night Dante." It wasn't long after that Kyrie settled down and fell asleep herself.
She stood in the middle of a burning building. Smoke and ash choked off her breath as she desperately looked around her searching for something.
She shielded her eyes feeling the heat burn around her including her flesh but still she searched not even knowing what she was looking for.
Kyrie moved her feet careful where she stepped kicking at burning debris that surrounded her. It was then that she thought of the closet.
In a flash she was pulling off the door that crumbled in her hand igniting her palm as it blistered and burned. She threw the wood aside and fell to her knees despite herself.
A small child sat in the back of the space with ash covering it. It didn't move or make a sound, the toxic fumes had already done their job, the child was dead.
Kyrie sat up quickly in the bed gasping for air. Dante held onto her shoulders tightly to keep her from flinging herself to the floor.
"Kyrie, it's okay...baby you're okay." Dante said loudly to get her attention. Her eyes scanned around their room quickly before they settled on him.
His amulet seemed to pulse and glow brightly. It sparked and if it weren't for the silver backing he was certain it would have burned Dante's skin where it sat. She took another deep shuddering breath as realization hit her.
"It was you." She said. "Looking for the kid." Dante took a deep breath and swallowed hard.
"Bad day." He said simply staring down at his amulet. "This damn thing."
"Dante." Kyrie said reaching out a hand to his cheek. "It's okay."
"Sorry you had to see that." He stated. "This thing absorbs memories and feelings, I guess it felt the need to share."
Dante grabbed her hand tightly and brought her fingers to his lips kissing each one. She saw the tears flow down his cheeks and knew that he was trying to hide them from her.
She leaned closer to him laying a soft kiss on either side of his face catching the drops as they fell. Dante smirked slightly moving to lay a trembling kiss against her lips.
Kyrie wrapped her arms around his shoulders allowing him to lay her down. He kissed her deeply, their tongues entwining in a desperation she had never felt before.
It felt as if Dante were hanging on my a delicate thread, whether it was his humanity or his sanity she wasn't sure, and she knew that she was the only person who could reel him back in to his senses.
There was no foreplay or groping like they usually did, Dante adjusted himself as Kyrie took down the shorts she had on and wrapped her legs around his hips.
He eased into her slowly since she wasn't very wet but that changed as he began a steady pace. Kyrie brought him down closer to her brushing her lips against his collarbone.
Trish had instructed her that a female generally marked her male close to his collarbone or by his neck. Kyrie kissed at the spot feeling his pulse thrum out as he continued to push and pull out of her.
She wasn't certain if she should mark him or not. She didn't know how he would react to it but then again maybe it was the best opportunity she had.
With out another second guess Kyrie gave a final sweet kiss to his skin before willing herself to sink her teeth in. She had never realized how difficult it was to bite through flesh, since she had never done it before.
Dante let out a yelp of pain followed by a hiss as she broke through the layers of skin leaving an angry inflamed mark that bruised quickly and seeped blood.
Kyrie kissed at the mark as it began to heal over rather quickly. Dante backed off from her slightly to stare at her, needless to say he looked surprised.
"Kyrie." He began only to have her shush him. He studied her intently taking in the serene look she wore on her face. A small smirk was adorned with his blood as it dried on her lips and chin where it had smeared. "Okay then."
His voice had come out as a whisper and in a heartbeat he had pinned her hands above her head pressing down hard upon her wrists. He pressed his weight on her grabbing at her thigh tightening his grip.
As he pressed his full length into her holding himself in place. Kyrie watched as his eyes shifted from the glacial blue that they normally were to a brilliant red that sparked as if they were got embers.
Dante bared his fangs before lowering his head slightly and marking her skin with his bite. Kyrie let out a sharp gasp and shut her eyes tightly as he bared more weight down on her so that she couldn't move if she tried.
She could hear Dante growl out an approving sound as he lapped at the blood that flowed from the wound. He sucked on it gently causing it to throb more than it would have already.
Kyrie felt her wrists ache as well as her thigh where Dante gripped tightly certain it was going to leave bruises, Trish had conveniently left that part out.
Dante contained to thrust inside her even though he was fully sheathed. Kyrie wasn't going to lie to herself and say it didn't hurt because the entire process was painful but reasoned that after this Dante would be hers and she would be his, that was all she wanted.
Suddenly he pulled away and out of her as he came harder than she could ever remember. She felt some splash on her inner thighs but for the most part the bed caught it and soaked through the sheet.
Dante released his grip on her and simply remained sitting between her legs staring at her as if perplexed. He studied her curiously as if he wasn't certain who she was.
Kyrie reached out a hand beckoning him to lay next to her. Dante obliged settling into her arms. He nuzzled against her kissing at the wound he had inflicted on her as she traced the nearly healed mark she had given him and that was how they fell asleep.