ROLEPLAY HQ - the-arms-of-the-demon

••°TRIGGER WARNING°•• adult content, dub-con, violence, blood, swearing, more to come

"What the hell? I've never seen the angels gun for somebody like this! What makes you so special?" The deep, rough voice of the demon who'd just viciously severed the head of the beautiful, pale man who'd attacked her with a glowing golden sword turned toward her and started walking. His powerfully muscled body moves fluidly, his long strides bring him to her quickly. He carries two swords, and sheathes them as he approaches. The spikes covering his black-skinned hands, forearms, and shoulders also retract into his skin. The horns on his head smooth back against his skull, and his short, white hair lengthens and darkens. His animalistic, clawed feet and legs fade from the same black as his hands as they change to much more human appendages. In the few steps it takes for him to reach her, he transforms from a fearsome demon to a well cut, handsome man with scarred arms and a rogue's smile. He has a crappy mullet and a sparse goatee. He's definitely a rough looking guy, but seeing him without a shirt is such a treat it seems indecent. He kneels down and gives her a piercing look, studying her closely. His eyes move over her whole body, taking in every detail. From the way he smirks, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, it's clear he approves of what he sees. He doesn't try to touch her though. There are to many unanswered questions for all that. "I've watched no less than five of those bastard angels come after you today. That one almost had you. They really want you dead!" He laughs, a cold, unkind sound that seems to find no humor whatsoever in the current situation. "Anybody they want dead that bad has got to be worth keeping alive, in my opinion. So I'm dying to know. Why have the good guy decided you need to be dead?" He doesn't really expect her to know that answer. They say "god works in mysterious ways," and it's generally true. Most of the angel's targets have no clue why they are being hunted down by the assasins in white. They are supposed to be a force of good, but he's never understood why they can kill innocent humans and not even tell them why. They call him evil, yet here he is, protecting this human from them! Not that he wants to be saving this poor, pathetic victim from anything. He was just enjoying watching her spend the entire day trying to flee from the mercenary angels that kept coming after her, when she happened to spot him in the park as she ran from this last one. She made a beeline for him, and the angel spotted him, too. Just before she reached him, he had suddenly grown larger, sprouted spikes and horns and demonic, animalistic feet and legs, produces two black bladed swords, and went to battle with the heavenly hit man. Now he considers killing her himself, but what would be the point of that? He just saved her from the nightmare the angels were subjecting her to with their incompetence, it would be a waste of effort. Besides, he is pretty sure that, with how many of them were on this hunt, she must be someone they want dead real bad. Which means he wants her to live just as bad. "What's your name?" He asks, still squatting quite close to her, his arms draped lazily over his knees.

05:19

@shadowcat_rp_love

What a day it had been! Ava scurries backwards on the ground where she’d landed, trying to get away from yet another creature stalking up to her. At least this one speaks to her, but his words are less than comforting, even if he had just saved her from certain death. The beautiful but deadly men that had been on her ass all day trying to kill her had almost succeeded. Her heart pounds painfully in her chest at the strain and exhaustion of it all, mixed with no small amount of fear as she regards the swords the man wields. Her back hits the steel fence of the park and she’s run out of space, pressing herself up against it just as the man -or whatever he was- closes the distance and lowers himself into a crouch. It had started as any ordinary day. She’d woken up by her alarms at 07, groggily padding into the bathroom to shower. Then she’d left her small apartment at 08, took the bus to campus where she’d set up in the library to do research for her bachelor’s thesis. Another ordinary, usual day that had been clouded by the thought of her sister stuck in a hospital bed and with little prognosis of recovery. ”We’ll call you if something changes,” the doctors and nurses had promised. ”You can come by and see her tomorrow during visiting hours.” Ava found it impossible to just pace circles in her apartment and had decided to occupy her attention on her paper. Then hell broke loose around her, and for whatever reason that remained unexplained, people were suddenly trying to kill her. But not people. Chiselled, beautifully shaped men with golden glowing swords! She’d evaded and escaped their attempts all day mostly by luck and a small portion of ingenuity. But this last one had almost done it. Had it not been for this… stranger with the unnatural appendages protruding from his body, her head would have been rolling down the hill right now.

05:54

Her attention snaps from his muscled body and up to his face, meeting deep and piercing eyes as they scrutinize her appearance. Ava couldn’t possibly back away further, yet she tries with how hard she’s pressing her back towards the fence behind her. The stranger asks her name. She stutters and fails to speak, needing several attempts before she can force her tongue to do her bidding. “A-Ava…” A hard exhale practically deflates her chest, panicked fast breaths slowing just slightly when she notices that the sharp spikes had disappeared from his shape, swords sheathed and no longer a threat, horns no longer deforming his head. Wait, horns? With her voice now functioning as intended and no longer screaming in pure fear, words come tumbling out of her mouth rapidly and without taking a breath. “What the hell is going on? Who are you? Who were THEY? Why? WHAT are you?” @redder_6989

he raises an eyebrow, then pointedly laughs at her obvious confusion and ignorance. She so scared she reminds him of a mouse staring in the teeth of the cat. "Now isn't that what I was just asking you? Why the hell those holy assholes are chasing you down like their next meal?" He says, smirking. "I guess that's asking a lot of such a frail little thing. Honestly, I'm impressed you lasted so long. Angels are no joke, when they set their sights on a target, the target dies." The smirk fades from his face and he abruptly stands, scanning the park in every direction. Then he grabs hold of her wrist and pulls her to her feet "Come on, they've already sent four, don't think for a moment that more aren't coming." He says, his voice low as he starts to pull her along with him. Almost as an afterthought, he does answer one of her questions. He glances back with a smirk, then informs her of his name. "They call me Caym."

@shadowcat_rp_love

As the man starts dragging her along with him, Ava struggles to keep up with his long strides. He pulls forcibly on her wrist, making her stumble to catch her balance. Angels?! her mind reels, remembering how he had looked like while killing that… man. “I… I can’t,” she’s panting, trying to catch her breath, tugging at her arm to slow him down. Her chest convulses with each staggering breath, the cold evening air burning in her lungs. If those had been angels, what was he then? Her train of thought is violently interrupted when her foot catch on something along the ground and she loses her balance. Falling, she’s barely able to catch herself. “I can’t keep running…” That was literally what she’d done all day since this started. Her muscles are so sore they feel like they could give in at any moment. Ava had never been a marathon runner, and while in decent shape, the ordeals of this day would have tested even an Olympic contestant. She manages to pull herself up to stand, feeling less than pathetic and quite frankly too exhausted to even care. Her brown eyes look up at the man who had helped her, who was still trying to help. “Please. I need a break.” She’s acutely aware that her hair is a tousled mess, her white wide neck shirt dirty from many falls and tumbles, her jeans scraped on the knees. She’d lost her backpack somewhere along her frantic flight, along with all her research and school notes. Yet for some incredible and irrational reason, she’d managed to hold onto her phone. A sudden flash illuminates the area for just a second, accompanied by the dull crackle that could resemble lighting. Ava’s head turns towards it, her heart plummeting into the pit of her stomach. She inhales sharply, wanting to scream, cry, beg for it to stop. Yet no sound escapes her lips. She’s seen that flash a few times this day… “Another one…” @redder_6989

with a crackling flash of red light and the smell of sulfur, her companion changes once again to the fearful visage he had when she first saw him. His black, spiked hand grips her shoulder and moves her behind him with an animalistic growl. "Stay close. You're useless to me dead." He growls out. His taloned feet step wide as he draws both of his black bladed swords. He tilts his head back and scents the air. "Where are you hiding, you god damn chicken brained waste of divinity..." He snarls. "Is that any way to address your superiors?" A melodic, feminine voice says. A woman steps into view. She weilds a golden longbow, with a glowing bowstring. Her clothing is all white, and her hair is soft and golden blond. Her dainty features are stunning, and a soft golden glow seems to radiate from her head. "Sibeal. They sent you, they must be getting desperate. What seems to be the problem? It's just one human. Why are angels hunting her like the Morningstar himself?" He laughs as he keeps himself between the two females. Sibeal begins to slowly walk in a wide circle around them. Caym moves accordingly, keeping ava behind himself. "Why do you care, Caym? It's no business of yours what we do. We handle the affairs of heaven, no need for you to get your hands dirty." Sibeal keeps her bow drawn, an arrow nocked. Caym is careful to make sure she doesn't get a shot. "You know me, I like to keep on top of things. So whats the deal with Ava? She cross the big guy somehow? Get on his holy nerves somehow?" "Mind your own business, demon!" Sibeal swiftly raises her bow and looses the arrow. In a flash, Caym swipes both his swords across the path of the arrow, cutting it into three pieces. I the same motion he lunges at the angel with inhuman speed. She raises the bow and uses it to catch his blades before they hit her. With a quick shift of her stance, the blades are pushed aside and her knee comes up to hit hard into Caym's abdomen. With a fierce snarl Caym fal

17:05

ls back, then lunges again. The angel begins to fall back under the barge of attacks from the demon. Suddenly he moves to pierce through her chest, and massive white wings erupt into existence on her back, lifting her then feet into the air. Her bow is drawn and aimed at Ava in a heartbeat. "Run!" Caym shouts, hurling himself toward her. @shadowcat_rp_love

She couldn’t think, could barely breathe as the woman so beautiful it hurt her eyes aimed an arrow towards Ava. Heaven? Angels? Demons? What the fuck is going on here?! Seeing her ‘savior’ turn into something only a nightmare could conjure, Ava almost fights him as he keeps holding her in place behind himself. When he leaves her to lunge forward at the female, Ava stands there dumbfounded for many long seconds, watching the deadly spar between them. It is only by the sharp command to RUN that she snaps out of her trance, blinking as she sees yet another arrow aimed at herself. This time from above and with a clear shot. Wings? With no time to admire the sight, she turns, her long golden-brown hair flicking behind her. Time feels like it slows and whatever exhaustion had worn her down before evaporates from her limbs in an instant. It feels like a dream where you run, but your feet are moving through mud, and you are barely making progress. At least for that one, precious second where the arrow is aimed directly at her. Then her limbs explode with speed, and she darts into a frantic sprint through the park again, faster than before. She doesn’t look back, hearing the two ….whatever they are clash together in a fight that would likely leave only one of them breathing afterwards. Ava has no intention of sticking around to find out who. Sprinting between the trees in the park, she ducks and evades any possible arrows that might come her way, eventually spotting the steel gate of the park. Her brown eyes narrow on it, vision tunneling as she wills her legs to carry her faster. Dashing though the gates, crashing into one that wasn’t fully open and hurting herself on it, she staggers onto the street before she’s able to get her bearings again. Turning, she sees no cars and no people. Where is everyone?!

18:20

Recognizing the street, Ava clutches her painful shoulder and turns to run in the direction of a subway not far away. From there, she could get home to her apartment and hopefully find safety. The subway entrance soon comes into view and Ava almost stumbles down the concrete stairs, holding herself upright by the steel railing on the sides. With energy she didn’t even know she had, she jumps over the ticked barrier and hops onto the platform just as a train slows to a stop. Without looking back, Ava slips through the open doors just before they close. As the train begins moving, she slumps down on a seat and breathes hard and fast to catch her breath, clutching one of the steel pillars in the train and leaning her forehead on it. She’s only somewhat aware that other passengers give her odd looks, some of worry and others of clear suspicion. This… is not real. Not real… Not happening. I’m losing my mind, that must be it. Going crazy. Someone must have slipped something in my coffee back at the library. Thankfully, the worldly sounds of the train as it winds through the subway tunnels offer some comfort. Her heart-rate returns to a more normal rhythm. With the adrenaline slowly leaving her system, her shoulder starts hurting even more and she holds it tightly with a grimace on her face. @redder_6989

with a powerful thrust of his animalistic, taloned legs, Caym launches from the ground into the air and slams bodily into the angel as she looses her arrow. He lets out a roar as the arrow pieces his shoulder, but doesn't release the angel. Despite her powerful wing and her frantic efforts to break free of him, he drags her to the ground and manages to pin her flat on her stomach as he straddles her ass. He captures her arms and wrenches them behind her back to trap her wings and keep them from beating him about the face. She screams as he wrenches her arms harder and one pops out of socket. Then he maneuvers her until he has her wrists trapped against her back with one of his taloned feet, and takes hold of her wings. Her screams fill the night air. With the angel taken care of, he begins to hunt for Ava. Once he has her scent, it's easy enough to follow her. He's actually impressed by how far she got, and when he sees the subway, and the end of his trail, he grins and shakes his head. He shifts back to his more human form and strolls over to check the schedule. She caught the last train, so if he takes the same route, he can check for her scent at each stop. Time consuming, but easy enough. @shadowcat_rp_love

Blissful unaware of the carnage left behind in the demon's wake, Ava still sits with her forehead against the pole in the train. The rocking movements of the train almost luls her into a slumber, but just almost. Each time the train turns, breaks and accelerates, pain shoots through her shoulder, her body trying to compensate for the pain by holding it at a certain angle. A male voice announces each stop over the intercom speakers, passengers around her come and go. Ava pays them no mind, too preoccupied with what she'd seen and still refusing to believe it. She picks her phone out of her pocket, scrolling through the long list of contacts until she reaches a name she hasn't called in a very long time. Her thumb hovers over the green symbol for many seconds, debating if she should press it or not. Dr. Garrington would likely advise medicinal help and possibly an admission. Ava sighs and tucks the phone away again, shaking her head. If what's happening to her is real, a solitary room at the mental health institution would be safer than this. But she would also be trapped. Get a grip. It's not real. You're tripping. The intercom speaker screeches for a second and then the next and second to last stop is announced. Ava stands with moderate difficulties, feeling the pains and aches only worsen the more calm she gets. All she wants now is to get home, take a hot bath, and sleep. She leaves the station and walks with hurried steps towards the building of her apartment. While she maneuvers the streets, her brown eyes scan her surroundings for more of those creatures and she jumps at every sound, every shadow and every imagined stalker behind her. Her steps soon turn into a jog as her building cones into view, and Ava is quick to unlock the front door. It's a run-down brick building with many small apartments. Not the shabbiest of places, but by far not the nicest either. The front door automatically snaps locked behind her and she hurries up to her own a

19:43

partment. @redder_6989

it takes him well into the next morning to pick up her scent again, and by the time he finds it, it's almost completely dissipated. the arrow in his shoulder hurts like a bitch. He'd broken off the length, and wore a leather trenchcoat to hide the wound and blood. The trenchcoat weighed down the bits of arrow still protruding from his shoulder, making it excruciating to wear, and no less nessisary. By the time he finds her scent again, he isn't in the best of moods. If anyone looked past the menacing scowl on his face, they might notice the blood dripping steadily from his sleeve. When he reaches the building and sees the locking door, he rolls his eyes. Humans and their locked doors, always hiding behind their false sense of security. He starts with the first button, bussing whoever is in that apartment. Nobody answers, so he tries the next. "Who is it?" A heavily accented male voice asks. "I'm looking for Ava." Caym responds. "Not here, never heard of her!" The male snaps. Caym moves to the next room, and the next, making his way through each button until someone finally gives him a room number. He pushes the button for her room, not letting up, causing it to buzz continuously. @shadowcat_rp_love

After she’d gotten home to the safety of her own apartment, Ava had undressed with slight difficulty. Her painful shoulder and all the sore muscles, in addition to many minor cuts and scrapes were making themselves known. A hot bath would relax her, surely, and she sunk into the foamed steamy water with hisses and sighs. At that point Ava had found enough calm to think more rationally about what she’d experienced, finding drugs or perhaps even a gas leak somewhere to be the most likely explanation. Campus wasn’t known to be the prowling grounds for date rapists, but this could just have been a cruel and random practical joke. Ava called the hospital to get any news about her sister, feeling awful for missing the visiting hours that day. But the situation remained unchanged, and her sister was still unresponsive and in a coma. After the conversation with the hospital staff, Ava slumped to bed tucked into her fluffy bathrobe and fell into a restless sleep like that. When she awakens to the persistent buzzing sound of the front door, she grumbles and glances at the time, frowning. Who'd come to her door this early in the morning? At first, she just tosses on the bed and pulls a pillow over her head, refusing to acknowledge the sound. But when it doesn’t stop, she sits up with an irritated grimace and eventually makes her way to the intercom by her door. “What?!” she barks as she presses the button, knowing that whoever it was they likely had the wrong door. “What do you want?” (edited)

"I want to be let in, of course." Caym's very recogniseable, low, rough voice is difficult to mistake, even with the static of the intercom. "At least, we can start with that." He waits patiently to hear the door unlock. @shadowcat_rp_love

When Ava hears his voice, it’s as if someone had just given her an electric shock. She startles hard enough that it hurts her spine, momentarily stepping away from the intercom and staring wide-eyed at it. Impossible… It had been a trip hadn’t it? A bad, awful acid trip. She quickly turns and looks for something to use as a weapon, hurrying to the bedroom where she has a baseball bat hidden under her bed. A cliché idea one of her friends had when she’d moved into this apartment. At the time, Ava had thought it silly, but kept it tucked under her bed just in case. Now she’s glad she’s held onto it. Baseball bat in hand, she moves back to the intercom and presses the speaker button. “How’d you find me?” Thinking about it and debating it for a few seconds, she eventually pressed the button that would remotely unlock the front door. Whoever that man was, whatever he was, he had helped her. Besides, a part of her was curious what had happed yesterday. If what she’d seen was just her tripped out imagination, or if he really was… not of this world. @redder_6989

he doesn't answer her question, and when the door unlocks the hits the stairs immediately and takes them two at a time. He left a small puddle of blood by the front door, and droplets mark the way upstairs all the way to her room. He doesn't care. He also doesn't knock when he gets to her door. He tries the knob, finding it to be locked, and taps it three times before turning it with ease. He walks in and shuts the door behind himself, then turns to regard Ava. "Are you alright?" He asks, apparently unaware of the blood dripping steadily from the sleeve of his trenchcoat. "I took care of Sibeal for you. I've been trying to corner that slippery bitch for half a century now." He flashes a self satisfied smirk and drops into the nearest chair. "Seeing as I took an arrow for you, the least you can do is get it out of my shoulder. It doesn't exactly tickle." He carefully lifts the trenchcoat off his shoulder, exposing the thick shaft of golden wood. The skin around it is angry red with black lines radiating from it. "Fucking angels and their blessed arrows. Who would waste a blessing on arrows? It's not like you're going to get them back!" He growls, clearly in pain. @shadowcat_rp_love

Within seconds after she’s buzzed the front door open, Ava hears her bedroom doorknob rattle, then the three knocks. But she doesn’t even have time to reach the door and unlock it before suddenly the man bursts inside her small apartment. With the baseball bat raised, she quickly takes a few steps away from him. “How’d you…?!” Then she spots the blood trail and hears his words, the bat slowly lowering in her hands. As he continues to speak, the memories from the day before returns to her with full force. Memories she’d been able to convince herself were simply hallucinations caused by some drug. Her brown eyes trail to the wound on his shoulder as he pulls the coat away, wincing at how painful it looked. “I can’t… I don’t have medical training. Can’t you just… ‘ya know? Heal? If you are what you say you are. What are you? This is crazy. You… You need to go. I’m going crazy right?” Closing her eyes hard, she wills him to go away, trying to root herself in the presence or wake herself up from what had to be a dream. When she opens her eyes again and looks right into his dark orbs calmly looking back at her, Ava’s shoulders drop in a hard exhale. “Fuck me…” She leaves the baseball bat on the table and goes to the bathroom to grab a first aid box from it. When she emerges from the bathroom again with the box and a towel tucked under her arm, she gestures for him to take off his coat fully. The dark stripes emanating from the wound worries her, looking like a mixture of poisoning and infection at once. She opens the box and dabs a piece of cotton in disinfectant saline, before cleaning the area around the arrow shaft. "I really don't know how to remove it. Couldn't the arrowhead break off and be stuck inside you if I just pull?" she asks, looking at his face where she hovers slightly above him. Up close, she realizes exactly how attractive he is and has to pry her eyes off him so she isn't staring. @redder_6989 (edited)

"no, the arrow went through. Close range. I broke the ends off already. It's just not the easiest thing to do, pulling an arrow out. Especially when it's your own shoulder." He grimmaces as he looks at the injury. "it looks a lot worse than it is. It's because it's a blessed arrow." He drops the leather trenchcoat to the floor and steps on it, then uses one hand to rip a strap off of it. "You might need some pliers, or vice grips, if you have them. It's going to be slippery." @shadowcat_rp_love

Ava laughs almost hysterically, looking at the man as if was just as insane as she suspected herself to be. "No I don't have fucking pliers!" With an exasperated groan, she tosses the bloody cotton onto the table and adjusts her bathrobe, still very much naked underneath it after her bath the night before. "I'll ask my neighbor," she mutters before leaving the apartment. Her neighbor down the hall was a gruff looking guy who likes to wink at her suggestively every time they pass each other in the hallway. While he wasn't unattractive, Ava had no time for that romance shit. Her life consists mostly of her studies, work to pay off her tuition, and now trying to find proper healthcare for her sister. Padding on bare feet over to her neighbor's door, she knocks twice and waits. As soon as the door opens with the security chain intact, he smiles when he sees her. Ava asks for the pliers with a blush that deepens the more he considers her from head to toe, thanking him as soon as he's fetched her a pair and hurrying back to her own apartment. "Alright… pliers - check. Now what?" Approaching the bare chested man, she takes a steadying breath while focusing on the arrow. Experimentally she aligns the pliers to grip around the broken end sticking out of his front, testing her grip by pulling on it slightly. The wound begins to bleed, but her grip holds and she pulls harder until it moves. Nausea immediately waters her mouth; the sound of flesh sickening in her ears, the sight of blood making her light headed. She swallows thickly, determined to get it out of him and have this over with as quickly as possible.

16:44

Suddenly it comes loose. Ava stumbles backwards as her pulling momentum breaks free from his body. For a long and breathless second, she just stands there and stares at him, her brown eyes wide at the sight of all the blood. Then her gaze shifts to the pliers in her hand and the bloody, thick golden arrow. The nausea ripples up her stomach and she swiftly drops the pliers right onto the floor, hurrying into the bathroom while covering her mouth. She shuts the door and turns the faucet on so he would not hear anything. @redder_6989

when she produces pliers, Caym places the leather strap he tore from the coat between his teeth and braces for it. She's quick, doesn't waste time fucking around, gets it out in one go without loosing her grip on the arrow, but it still hurts like hell. He produces a sound no human could make, a growling roar, though unlike anything an animal could produce either. He slumps back in the chair, breathing hard, clutching his shoulder. He looks pale and drawn. When the pliers hit the floor with a thunk and Ava darts to the bathroom, he chuckles and sits up. He takes his time about getting up, allowing her to finish emptying her stomach before he quietly opens the bathroom door to find her hugging the toilet. Without saying a word, he grabs one of the little paper cups off the counter and fills it, then turns the water off and kneel behind her, placing his hand lightly upon her back to draw her attention to the water. "Thank you, Ava, you did perfect. You're a damn good girl." He smirks, then tilts his head and rotates his shoulder to show her the results of her efforts. "Look, it's already closing. Just needed that blessed arrow out, it's going to heal just fine. Thank you." The puncture where the arrow pierced him is still a mess of dried and fresh blood, but it's no longer bleeding. A thin membrane of soft, pink scar tissue has already begun to seal the wound. The area is still red and inflamed, but the black lines are receding quickly. @shadowcat_rp_love

Ava had time to empty her stomach in waves, each new one twisting deep in her guts as her body violently rejects what little is there. She'd blown her nose and flushed the toilet by the time she hears the bathroom door open. Shaking hard while hugging the toilet and just trying to breathe, she feels the hand on her back. She's pale like a ghost, her eyes teary when she turns her head slightly to face him. His hand on her back is oddly gentle, almost comforting, and she takes the offered water. Her eyes wander to the wound, seeing how fast he heals. The absurdity of the situation has her -if at all possible- pale even more. "What are you…?" She's asked him that before, but somehow he keeps evading the question. This time her gaze locks onto his and she needs to know. Needs to know she is not insane. Needs reassurance that there is a rational, perfectly acceptable explanation to everything that had happened. Ava had never in her life had to fight for survival. It had been a harrowing experience she hopes she will never have to go through again. Yet something tells her, deep in her very bones, that she might have to and yesterday was only the beginning. "What's happening?" @redder_6989

he looks at her critically. She's human, and frail, and soft, and scared, and right now she looks painfully sweet and vulnerable. Caym is a predator before anything else, his purpose is to seek and kill. But this girl is being hunted by angels, meaning he wants her alive. There is more than one way to prey upon a vulnerable innocent. A low growl escapes from deep within his chest. He reaches toward her soft brown hair and strokes it with the back of his hand, his knuckle just brushing her jaw. His eyes hold her gaze steadily. "I don't know what's happening just yet, but I intend to keep you safe until I can find out." He says softly, then leans forward and gently kisses her brow. "And, Ava, don't ask questions you don't really want the answer to." He whispers in response to her first question. "Just know I will keep you safe, or die trying." @shadowcat_rp_love

A part of her wants to lean into his touch, uncharacteristically relaxing in his presence and with how gentle his voice sounds. Her eyelids flutter slightly as he places a kiss above her eyebrow, a soft exhale leaving her mouth. But at his next words, the other part of her awakens with irritation and rage, and she pulls away from him. Her earlier vulnerable expression turns to a defiant one. “No.” she simply states, looking right into his eyes. “No that’s not good enough. What are you? Why am I being hunted by… angels?! That’s absurd. Angels aren’t real, are they? And that… that arrow? Blessed??? What does that even mean?” She’s slowly working herself up to a frenzy, growing more agitated by the second, her ire rising and her heartbeats following suit. “You just expect me to go along with that and not ask questions?? No.” Rising from the floor to stand, Ava maneuvers around the man to leave the bathroom. She needs space. Space to breathe, space to think. But most of all she needs to understand. “No. I won’t accept that. I need answers, and I need them now.” She moves towards the table where her baseball bat still rests upon it, along with her cellphone. @redder_6989

he stands but does not follow her, choosing instead to lean casually against the doorframe, arms loosely crossed over his chest. He chuckles softly when she heads for the table and makes no move to stop her. "I told you already, Ava, I'm after the same answers you are. I want to know why the angels are after you, as well. It's quite the mystery." His eyes stay on her, with a slightly amused expression. He seems completely unconcerned by her being armed with a bat. "You're a smart girl. If it's angels with blessed arrows hunting you, then what do you think I am? If you wanted to know, you'd have figures this out already, sweetheart. Nobody wants to know that their gaurdian angel is a fallen angel." He still doesn't move, and his eyes never leave her. He studies her, learning her. The way she moves, the way her mind works. Her expression and reactions. Everything about her is examined and added to his general knowledge of the woman. He can't blame her for wanting answers. His concern is how she will react to learning that he is a servent of the Morningstar. Humans are known to be quite irrational, and it wouldn't surprise him if she decided she doesn't need his protection upon discovering it comes from the devil himself. It would make protecting her exceedingly difficult if she resists him. @shadowcat_rp_love

She'd taken the bat and her cell phone off the table, but she wasn't raising it at him with a threat to hit him. Instead she holds it in her hand lowered along her side, looking at him in return while he speaks. The mockery in his eyes, the inscrutable expression on his face… Why's he laughing at me? It sets her even more on edge and she can't help the angered glare she throws in his direction. Yet his words bring back the visual image of him the night before. How he had… changed. Grown. Spikes protruding from his limbs. Legs like an animal. Dark, wrong and emitting an air of danger. "You're… a demon. Or a devil. I don't know. Region isn't my…" stopping herself, she's unwilling to finish that thought. If she acknowledges what he is, that angels exist and are in fact hunting her. Then she must also acknowledge the existence of a God and a Devil. That is too much for her to take in and she eventually looks away from him, angrily fixing her gaze elsewhere. "I need to change. I lost my backpack yesterday. It has my schoolwork in it." Needing to be anywhere else but here, she quickly retreats to her bedroom so she can put some actual clothes on. @redder_6989

Caym just nods silently and watches her walk to her room, giving her a few minutes. Then, with a wicked grin, he follows her through the bedroom door, simply walking in without announcing himself. "Ava, I'm trying to protect you, I need to be able to see you to ensure your safety." He says by way of explaination. However, his eyes roam over her partially dressed form shamelessly. Being a demon, satisfying his own urges and desires is only natural, and he does so without hesitation. The only reason he is here is because the angels seem so in nterested in this girl, he's demonstrated extraordinary self control by not simply grabbing her and dragging her to hell. Seeing her naked is, in his mind, no more than can be expected. After all, he's giving her his time and attention, and hasn't just raped her and forgotten about her like he would anyone else who gave him this much trouble. He doesn't approach her or give her a reason to feel threatened. He doesn't want her scared of him, that would only make things a lot more difficult, and he is already putting much more effort in this than he'd planned. Not that he had actually planned on anything, he just happened to see the angels and thought it would be entertaining to fuck up their plans. Now he was involved in whatever way going on with this girl. The holy bastards will have realized two of their own have been destroyed. No human could possibly kill an angel on their own. They are probably rethinking their strategy. "I don't know how long it will take them to rethink their attack. Don't think for a moment that they will give up. That's not how these things work. You've got a holy target painted on your pretty little head, and weather you believe in them or not, the forces of that pompous ass in the golden robes are not going to stop trying to kill you." @shadowcat_rp_love

After she closes her bedroom door, Ava throws the baseball bat on the bed along with her phone. Then she pulls her bathrobe off and starts rummaging in her dresser for clothes to wear. Her heart races with the mind boggling ideas that creature was putting in her head, impossible and surreal. He’s just a man trying to get to you, that’s all… Maybe… He’s the one who drugged you. She shakes that idea out of her head, reminding herself that she’d seen those supposed angels come after her long before Caym had shown up. Unless he could somehow drug her from a distance, that would be impossible. Gas? No… She admittedly doesn’t know a whole lot about drugs or what types were out there, but she has heard conspiracy theories about government gassing citizens and mass delusion. Pulling on a pair of black lacy panties, she’s fumbling with the matching bra when the bedroom door suddenly opens without warning. “What the fuck!? Get out of here!” Ava quickly turns away from him while she adjusts the shoulder straps of her bra, glaring at him over her shoulder, then she hurriedly throws on a black and worn band t-shirt with an all too wide neck that keeps falling off her shoulder. She hastily walks up to him and begins physically pushing him out the door. “You think something would happen to me in my bedroom without you noticing or hearing it? I said GET OUT.” Pushing hard against him, she manages to shove him enough away that she can try to close the door, and pushes it closed. If he was to try and stop it, Ava would grumble in annoyance while returning to her dresser, pulling a pair black of jeans out of it.

17:08

“I gotta backtrack and find my schoolwork, then I have to go see my sister. I missed the visitation yesterday. She’s…” Unable to even speak the words, Ava silences while she pulls her jeans on, buttoning the waistline with fast and angry movements. The jeans hug her forms tightly, complimenting the fact that she’s a fairly small but well-built young woman. Her sister had been the beauty of the tow, while Ava had always paled in comparison. “She’s my twin…” she says, voice mellow just by thinking about her. “We only have each other.” Without more words, she pockets her cellphone into her back pocket and pushes past the man blocking the exit of her bedroom, moving towards the door to pull her sneakers on. @redder_6989

while she may not be aware, she's providing valuable information to Caym. Knowing more about her and her family will help him figure out why the fuck the angels are after her. He watches her ass as she walks past, smirking to himself. "That's fine. I just need to clean up first." He says casually, then, without bothering to ask, heads to her bathroom. "I'll be quick," he assured her as he strips off his pants. His back is to the door, and she gets an unimpeded view of his toned, shapely, muscular backside. He turns the hot water on and steps in, only partially closing the curtain. It doesn't take him long to wash the blood off, and he grabs a towel to brusquely dry off before he immediately walks to the door to find her, as though he'd expected her to be attacked while his back was turned. He seems completely unconcerned with being nude. What he doesn't want Ava to figure out is that he absolutely is worried about another attack. It is only a matter of time before the heavenly hit men are back on the trail. They're going to do whatever it takes to get to her. "Ava, did they come at you while you were home, yesterday? Do they know where you live?" He asks. If they already know her apartment, he will need to get her somewhere safe. There's only a few places he knows if nearby where they wouldn't dare go, and he doubts she will be pleased about going to any of them. @shadowcat_rp_love

She throws him a look of shocked indignance as he so casually makes himself at home in her apartment. Ava stares -no gapes- at his boldness, and even more so when he proceeds to undress right in front of her. She forgets she is in the process of pulling her shoes on, sitting on the bench next to the door with one shoe in hand and the other on her foot but still not tied up. As soon as he finishes and steps out, still very much naked and not covering up, her brown eyes cannot help but trail his form. Collecting her jaw from somewhere down her chest and swallowing the suddenly thick saliva in her mouth, she fixates her eyes on his face and tries to concentrate on his words. “N-no…? I don’t know? I was attacked when I left the campus library in the afternoon. I was going to see my sister when… something came at me.” Blinking to pry her eyes off the man, she continues to pull her sneakers on, tying the laces haphazardly and with fast movements. Once she’s done, she stands and opens the door, at this point ignoring him and if he’s dressed or not. “I don’t know what’s going on, but whatever it is I still need to see my sister.” She leaves the apartment and doesn’t even look to see if he’s following, marching down the hallway towards the stairs. @redder_6989

he shakes his head and pulls his pants on quickly, the heads for the stairs at a quick clip. He spots her down a couple of floors and simply jumps the rail, dropping down to the first floor and landing on his feet. Then he leans against the wall and casually waits for her with a rather smug expression. When she reaches the bottom he puts his hand on the small of her back and walks with her, leaning close to speak in her ear quietly. "Ava, I'm probably the only thing in the world that even knows there are divine warriors out to kill you. I want to protect you. I need you to cooperate. I have no intention of stopping you from doing exactly as you please, but I'm going to be doing it with you. If it does come down to it, make no mistake, I am capable of making you cooperate. I just don't want to waste the time and effort." As he talks, he walks with her, keeping a gentle pressure on her back. His quiet voice comes out like a low, very bedroom growl. @shadowcat_rp_love

Stopping when she spots him waiting for her, Ava clenches her fists and glowers at him. Was there no getting rid of this guy?! Yet when he moves, puts his hand on her back and she can feel his breath on her ear… Her spine feels like it could practically melt. She curses him silently under her breath while she's simultaneously unable to shake the image of him naked, unable to stop imagining that voice speak to her in an entirely different and a much more compromised setting. Keeping her mouth closed and breaths even, she remains silent. She's worried if she speaks her voice might be thick or shaking with the unwelcome effect he has on her. They exit the building and Ava steers their steps towards the closest subway entrance. Behind them and wearing ordinary, unassuming clothes, a figure follows them undetected. The frame is that of a lithe male, a hood over his head and dark sunglasses covering golden eyes. Those eyes are sharply focused on the human and her company. Down at the subway station, Ava simply can't take it anymore and steps out of his reach. She finds it hard to think when he's so near, touching her. Her brown eyes hold a mixture of annoyance and confusion while she looks at him. "You're going through a lot of trouble on my behalf. Why?" @redder_6989

he could feel that they were being watched, but didn't want to alarm Ava, so showed no outward sign of alarm. When she pulls away at the subway station, he immediately grabs hold of her forearm and pulls her back against his chest. He lowers his mouth to growl in her ear. "Don't fucking act up now, sweetheart, we are not alone." His grip on her arm is tight, and his hand goes around her back to rest on her hip, keeping her close and headed toward their gate. @shadowcat_rp_love

Her immediate reaction is to push back, the need to steal back her personal space overriding the effects he's having on her. That is, until he whispers in her ear about them not being alone. Her brown eyes dart around, at first defiantly while she prepares an answer. Of course they're not alone. They're in a subway during morning rush hour. But her snarky comment remains unspoken, understanding that perhaps that's not what he meant. The turmoil he causes in her only grows as he has his hands on her, holding her far closer to himself than necessary. "People are gonna think you're forcing me," she warns with a lowered voice. The fact that he technically is becoming glaringly obvious by how he holds tighter the more she tries to move away. A train thunders through the tunnel, screeching to a stop. The doors open and people line up to get inside. Ava steers them to it. The unassuming man watches them, moving in parallel with them and entering the same train on a different cart. He sits down on an empty seat with a clear view of the duo, moving his head slightly to the side to make it look like he's gazing out the windows. @redder_6989

tension pours off of him, now that she knows they are in danger and he isn't trying to hide it. He eases his grip on her arm, but keeps his arm around her back, gripping her hip and keeping her at his side. In part because he likes the way she feels pressed against him, but mostly to minimize the odds of a projectile slipping past him to stick in her. Fortunately, angels have a sense of discretion. They have to keep the majority of the devious, underhanded things they do secret, or risk their reputation as the holiest of holies. It's not likely that they will attack in a crowded subway. Nor at the hospital. They'll wait until there are less witnesses. Hopefully. "Listen to me closely, sweetie. I need your help. Whoever is watching us is on this train. Take a good look at every face you can see off to our left. I'll look at the ones on the right. I need you to be able to recognize any one of those faces if you were to see it again. Do you understand?" He was already looking from face to face, doing exactly as he instructed her to do. If she cooperated, it would give them the best chance of spotting the angel before he strikes. @shadowcat_rp_love

Turning her head to their left, Ava silently does what he asks her, looking at every face she can see. They are many; young people and old. A few women wearing heavy make-up, a couple of bearded men, some dark, some white. From what she remembers and saw the night before, the ones who had hunted her had been painfully beautiful to look at. None of the faces she saw could match such a description. “I don’t know what I’m looking for,” she mutters silently, moving her head to his chest and almost hiding her face into it. Inhaling, she notices he smells slightly like fire and an earthly scent she can’t place. Very unlike the rotten eggs smell of sulfur he had emitted the night before when he… changed… The train makes many stops, people leaving and coming on. Ava’s mind soon swims with the flow of so many new faces, trying to remember them all and knowing it’s just not possible. Instead, she tries to look at who had not moved. Who had been there since their own stop. Also almost impossible. Turning her head back to him, she repeats her question from before. "Why are you going through all this trouble on my behalf? Why are you helping me?" @redder_6989

feeling her turn into him, seeking safety, protection, shelter, makes his body practically buzz with awareness of her vulnerability. She is a lamb, a babe, an innocent. Everything about her makes him want to own her, use her, make her worship him. She's everything that holy hypocrite claims he will love and protect. Everything Caym wants to claim as his own and prey upon. Except the angels want her dead, which means Caym wants her alive long enough to fuck up their plans. Keeping himself in check is not easy, especially when she accepts his protection and presses against him like that. They didn't take a seat, choosing instead to remain standing near a door. He keeps her within his arms, wrapping them around her from behind, and when she asks him again why he is helping her, he lets out a low, rumbling growl as he lowers his head as though he will whisper in her ear. Instead he breathes in her scent deeply, then his teeth scrape lightly over the skin of her neck, and he kisses her gently, his lips surprisingly warm and soft against the same skin his teeth had been so hard and sharp against. He growls before he lifts his lips from her, just enough that they almost brush against her neck as he speaks. "I'm not helping you, princess, I'm just fucking up the angel's plans. Anything I can do to ruin the halo boys day is my favorite kind of thing. Which means, with how badly they want you dead, you have become my absolute favorite thing ever." He chuckles and tips his head, looking sharply around the train, checking every face he can see. As he does this, his warm breath dances down her neck, and the bit of goatee he keeps grazes her gently. "I'll keep you safe, Ava. I might be doing it for the wrong reasons, but the result, for you, is the same. I am the only one who wants you alive, Ava.... What happened to your sister?" @shadowcat_rp_love

A violent shudder rakes down her back, feeling his teeth scrape against her skin like that. His breath is hot but leaves behind a cold chill, the lowered growl reminding her of an animal more than a man. Ava both hates and loves how weakened she feels, how thrilled her nerves are as they flare to life. A part of her -perhaps instinct- recognizes him as a predator and the urge to break out of his arms is strong. The other part of her wants to melt into it, him, and let him have his way with her. But what way would that be? she wonders, feeling that exhilarating sensation dwindle at his words. He… doesn't care. Isn't doing this for me. Instead of answering his question about her sister, she inhales hard, then exhales slowly to try and act normal. Over the speakers, the next station is announced and Ava slowly begins to unwrap herself from his arms. "This is our stop." The hooded figure had turned his head a little more towards the window, tilting his ear slightly better in their direction and listening to their conversation. Most others would not be able to hear it, but he could. A barely detectable, cold smile lurks on the corners of his lips when he hears the demon's response to the human. It was good information to have. As the train slows to a stop, he remains seated while the human and her company disembark along with many other passengers. Then he slowly stands and follows. @redder_6989

he doesn't let her get far from his protective embrace. He gives her enough space to walk, but keeps a hold of her hand. He can't get her scent out of his head. It's intoxicating, alluring, and makes him all to ready to use her. Keeping her alive is his priority at the moment. As soon as they get off the train he leads her just a few steps away and turns with her to watch the rest of the passengers disembark. "Watch the faces. They'll be getting off too. Look for anything you recognise, or can't see." He instructs as he pulls her back against his chest, both his hands at her hips with a strong grip. "What time does visiting end?" @shadowcat_rp_love

Ava looks at the many faces, not taking particular notice of anyone. Her attempts at focusing scatters and reels, his hands on her hips all too distracting. She puts her own hands over his and tries to pull them off her. "I don't see anything. Let's go. Visiting hours don't end until later in the afternoon, but I wanna get there while the doctors are working. Otherwise it's just nurses." She starts pulling him with her, but then suddenly stops and turns to look at him with her head slightly tilted. "Wait… I didn't tell you she's in the hospital. Did I?" Damnit, why is it so hard to think straight with him around? The hooded figure has already passed them and climbed the stairs up to street level. There, he starts walking in the direction of the hospital, now knowing that's where they're going. @redder_6989

he lets out an irritated growl and starts walking with her, crossing close to her so she can hear without him having to raise his voice. "Ava, I don't think you want to experience being 'smited by God' anytime soon, right? I'm going to need you to learn to follow direction real quick, because obviously you have no clue just how dangerous angels can be. A real big problem with you not doing as your told, is that you are going to get me killed now. When I put you somewhere,-" he pulls on her arm sharply as she is mid step, making her stumble backward and bump into him. Still holding her hand laced with his, he wraps his arm around her waist, just under her breasts. He lowers his head to the opposite side of her neck than he kissed so sweetly before, and kisses there softly, then opens his mouth and lets his teeth scrape over her skin. He breathes her in again and smirks as he catches the distinct, alluring scent of her arousal. Then he is walking again, urging her to continue as he moves into her. His eyes are on the people around them, scanning constantly. "He's gone. He isn't near us anymore. No fucking way, he didn't just walk away from his target? So where is he?" @shadowcat_rp_love

Again, she's left to try and keep herself composed, pretend that his breath and kiss wasn't haunting across her skin. Lingering with a hint of sharpness that suggests so much more. Promises of bliss and pain at once. Ava's breaths betray her, coming slightly faster as he pulls her to him, holding her hips locked against his own. She's sure he can feel the heavy heartbeats in her chest, his arm draped tightly across it after all. "Stop it…" she mutters, trying to free herself from his presence. She's only vaguely aware that he's interrupted himself and forgotten to finish his sentence, now more alert to the lack of presence around them. It gives her the time she needs to forcibly pull away from him, glaring this time at him. "That's a good thing, isn't it? Maybe I'm not worth it after all. You can go now, your job is done. Guess the angels aren't interested in me after all." Her tone is harsher than she intends, but this guy us just fucking with her on so many levels she can barely think. With hurried steps she climbs the stairs to street level, setting off in the direction of the hospital. "You're not taking this from me. My sister is my only family. She matters. Even if she's not… here." @redder_6989

he returns his attention partially to ava. Long enough to let her step away and lead them out to the street. With her hand gripped in his, he can divert more of his attention to trying to locate the angel, and allow her to lead the way to the hospital. Angels, when they are close, cause him something like a migraine headache without the pain. Bright colors become more intense, and his ears ring with high, clear note. When the angel reveals themselves to him, the intensity focuses on the angel. It begins when an angel is about 150 feet from him. When they near the hospital, he can tell the angel is somewhere nearby. "How the hell did he get here first?" He growls, once again drawing Ava close to his side.

@shadowcat_rp_love

As they arrive at the hospital, Ava shows little care and regard for this angelic hunter supposedly stalking them, taking Caym with her to the ICU where her sister was being held. His constant holding her had to begun feel a bit clingy and she tries to discreetly push him away from her while she walks down the corridor toward the room where her sister stays. “Will you relax,” she scolds, glancing sideways and up at him. “They ain’t gonna attack me in a hospital full of people, are they?” They approach a door that is slightly ajar, and when Ava steps through it she walks right up to the singular bed in the room. On the bed lies a young woman who doesn’t look like Ava at all, aside from some smaller similarities suggesting they were sisters. While Ava’s hair was a long golden-brown mane, this woman’s hair suggested she had a pure honey blond shine to hers. Her features were hard to determine due to the expressionless face, all facial muscles entirely relaxed and likely had been for a while. Yet they suggested she was a stunning young woman, very beautiful in a natural kind of way. The type of woman who doesn’t need to even try to look pretty – she just is. The young woman lies on her back, limp and expressionless while many wires and hoses are hooked to her body. The left side of her head is bandaged, and outside the bandage sits a hood that registers brain activity. Multiple monitors show the vital signs of all the instruments. Forgetting about Caym for a moment, Ava maneuver between the machines and to her bedside, dragging a chair with her so she can sit close to her sister. She takes one the young woman’s limp hands between her won, kissing it gently. “Hi Lucy,” she speaks softly, looking at her sister’s face with a pained yet gentle expression. “I’m sorry I didn’t show up yesterday. I got held up…” her eyes dart to Caym for a moment. “I lost all my progress on my bachelor’s thesis; can you believe that? My backpack got lost. I’m going to try and find i

04:24

t. I know you’d scold me for losing it, but a lot of shit happened.” It would perhaps become obvious to Caym that the young woman on the bed is comatose. Meanwhile down the hall, the hooded figure sits along with a few other visitors in a waiting room. He can’t see his target, but he knows where she is and if he tilts his head slightly he can hear the sounds coming from that room. @redder_6989

Caym stays in the doorway, vigilantly a watching the people that pass near the room. From the corner of his eye he can see Ava sit with her sister and talk. The white walls and washed out colors make his eyes strain, threatening to give him an actual migraine. The angel is close, that much is for sure. "Hey, princess, how long are you gonna be?" He asks, his tone less than patient. Being this close to an angel makes him nervous. He finally leaves the hall and walks over to look at this sister. "What happened to her?" Every time someone walks by the door, he glances up, checking their face against those that were on the train. "What do they say about her chances for recovery?" @shadowcat_rp_love

“As long as I fucking need,” she hisses at his impatience, glaring just for a second towards him. She would not let him take this from her. Lucy was her only family and they had relied heavily on each other for years. Without her… without being able to come here and talk to her even if she knew Lucy was probably long gone… She needed it. Still needs it. Ava stands from her chair, almost protectively hovering over her sister’s form as Caym approaches the bedside. “Hit and run,” she replies to his question about what had happened, leaning forward to gently stroke some of the hair around her sister’s face. The bandage and cap they kept on her head made it impossible for Ava to do simple things like brush or braid it. Things she would have gladly done for her sister. “A drunk driver ran her over. She has… very bad brain damage. The doctors…” Ava stops talking and bites her lip, stifling an unwelcome desire to cry. She almost always cries when she’s here, but doesn’t want this man to see it. As if on cue and saved by a bell, a male in white scrubs enters the room. His nametag says ‘Dr Adams’. “I heard you’d come in early today Ava,” he says, taking the chart clipboard by the bedside and glancing at it, before moving to check on one of the IV bags connected to Lucy’s arm through a tube. Then he looks at Caym and smiles. “And you brought a friend. That’s a first.” “He’s not a… nevermind. Any changes?” Ava says, looking at the doctor with futile hope in her eyes. The man checks the printed scans showing brain activity and gives her a mellow look. “Can we speak? In… private? Unless you want your friend to hear this?”

07:42

Ava immediately stands and moves towards the door along with the doctor. If Caym attempts to follow her, she would firmly put up a hand in the air to stop him -very much like silently asking a dog to stay. Her brown eyes offer no debate, no option. She aims to speak with the doctor alone. Gently closing the door to Lucy’s room behind her as she exits with the doctor, she crosses her arms over her chest and hunches slightly, and awful feeling of dread settling in her gut. Dr Adams’ face is soft, voice slow and calm, yet his words cut her deep. “It’s been three months Ava. We hoped that she would recover, that her brain plasticity would mend and reroute some of the damage. But every day there’s something new. And every time there’s something new, her brainwaves dwindle even more. If she was to wake up by some miracle, she’ll be in a vegetative state and in need of 24/7 care.” He very gently hands her a clipboard he’s been carrying under his arm, and Ava looks down on it, seeing the top sheet of paper is a consent form for DNR. The other form behind it is a…. “No.” She pushes the clipboard back into the doctor’s hands. “Organ donation? You want to harvest her while she’s still alive?!” At this point her agitation has her voice go louder, echoing slightly through the sterile and empty corridors. “Ava… The most severe damages were to her head. But if we do nothing, her organs will start to fail. She’s slipping away. Think about it. Organ donation saves lives, and Lucy was very healthy.” The doctor interjects with an empathetic voice. Then he stops talking and lifts his eyes over her head, nodding to someone behind her. Ava feels a warm hand on her shoulder, squeezing lightly, comforting and reassuring. It’s all that takes for her resolve to crumble and the tears well freely out of her eyes. The hand tightens its grip and she wants to turn around and cry into the chest of whoever is behind her.

07:42

The hooded man had noticed the human was currently not in the company of the demon. He rises and walks slowly into the corridor, approaching with a calm demeanor while listening to the conversation between Ava and the doctor. Once he gets close enough, he puts his hand on her shoulder to offer some comfort. Angels are good, after all. And Lathariel wasn’t just a divine assassin. He had enough empathy for the plight of humans to offer comfort in their final moments. And that is exactly what he wishes to do for Ava as his hand comes to rest on her shoulder. @redder_6989

he can practically see him through the door, every one of his senses recoils at being this close to the angel. "Fuck this!" He opens the door and instantly his senses focus on the figure standing behind Ava. It would be the perfect moment to kill the angel, he isn't even aware of Caym, but being in the hospital would create a lot of backlash, and he isn't sure he'd be able to get Ava out of it safely. He lets out a low growl, frustrated with her beyond belief. The damn fool doesn't seem to realize how much danger she is in. "Ava." He says sharply as he walks toward her and the angel and the doctor. "Do you know this man?" He comes right next to Ava, his eyes on the angel, who still hides his face under a hood. When he looks at Caym, he chuckles. "Oh, I know him. We've met once or twice before." Caym hopes she gets the hint and gets away from the assassin while they are in the relative safety of a crowded hospital. The angel would recognize Caym, of course. Hopefully he isn't desperate enough to just kill her right now, witnesses be damned. @shadowcat_rp_love

Ava startles at the sound of Caym's harsh voice saying her name, sharp and commanding. Teary eyed and blinking, she looks at him, then freezes under the increased pressure from the hand on her shoulder. For a moment she had thought, perhaps even hoped, that it was Caym who had come to offer his comfort. Her brown eyes go wide, staring between the doctor and Caym, before she slowly steps away from whoever was behind her. Being oblivious to the ongoings between the three, Dr. Adams excuses himself awkwardly and gently pushes the clipboard with the forms back into her hand. Then he gives them all polite nods and turns to continue his rounds. Ava blinks in confusion, looking at the lithe built man in front of her. She can only see parts of his face, but what she sees matches the description of someone dangerously beautiful. The man offers a gentle, yet bone chilling smile as he slowly throws his hands out. "It's time to go, Ava. Your sister will be with you very soon." His voice is silken smooth, melodic and pleasantly toned. "No…" the tears well back into her eyes as she looks back to the door leading to Lucy's room. She steps away from him, closer to Caym and seeking some kind of protection from him. "Not yet. She can still… I can't leave her." The clipboard rests in her hand, hanging uselessly down along her side. He shakes his head slowly, knowingly, almost apologetically. "You know that she won't." @redder_6989

his eyes narrow as Latheriel speaks his chilling words to ava. He grabs her around the waist and pulls her against him, growling menacingly. "You can't have her, Latheriel. She is mine." He snarls, fighting the urge to take his true form and destroy this holy, cocksucking kiss ass. Latheriel is a much more dangerous opponent. His skill is legendary, and he has managed to hold on to His favor longer than any other angel. The fact that Latheriel is here means Ava has the direct attention of the divine Father. She's someone important, and in more danger than she can imagine. He pulls her back with him as he steps back, needing to get her away from the angel. Needing to get her to safety. Needing a better place to fight. "Why don't we step outside, Latheriel, and settle this matter." He demands. He doubts Latheriel is going to be willing to go. After all, his orders are to kill the girl, not fight Caym.

@shadowcat_rp_love

Still somewhat blinded by tears, Ava allows herself to be pulled back and pushed to Caym's side so she's no longer between the two men. Her eyes dart to her sister's bedroom, grief stricken and overwhelmed with a need to help her in some way. But Lucy lies in her bed as still as a breathing corpse. The man she now knows by the name Lathariel steps with them calmly, countering every single step Caym pulls them back. It feels more like a deadly slow dance than a standoff to fight. I do not wish to fight you, demon," he says softly. "You have no claim to her. All you are is just another pawn in a game far too big for your comprehension. Has he not told you? Morningstar is no better than the Allfather, ruling you lesser vassals with the same tyranny he claimed to revolt against." His hand reaches out slowly, beckoning for Ava. "It is far better for you to come along willingly. Trust me, you don't wish to find out what this one can do to you." Even if his eyes are hidden behind dark sunglasses, it is clear his gaze is fixed on Caym. A horrible shudder runs down Ava's spine, the angel's voice so alluringly convincing she has to clutch onto Caym hard not to fall for it. She glares at the angel with what little resilience she has left. "I'm not going. And neither is Lucy." But her conflicted inner restrictions are being stripped away layer by layer and eventually all she can do is cry. "It's not up to you anymore," the angel calmly replies. "What's he doing?" she mutters, still unwilling to let go of Caym's side. @redder_6989

"he's doing what angels do best. Lying like a dog, and making it look so beautiful you'd rather believe it than face the truth. Wouldn't it be nice, Ava, to just give it all over to God's hands, to stop worrying, to let him guide your life? To fucking bad. Lathariel is an upper tier assassin, He is here to kill you, and I don't give a fuck what he thinks you want, I already told you, angels want you dead, I am going to make sure you stay alive if I have to drag every angel to the pits of hell myself!" He turns toward Ava suddenly and puts his hands on either side of her head. Then meets her eyes. "Trust me. I want you alive." He growls, "now close your eyes." "Stop! Caym! You fool, you'll loose her soul forever!" Lazariel cries out. "Close your eyes, Ava." Caym says, more insistently. @shadowcat_rp_love

Lathariel steps forward but doesn't dare get too close. "Ava… you asked for His help. Do you remember? In that very room two nights ago, you asked Him to help your sister. He has that power, and he does hear the prayers of his children. All you have to do is come with me…" Ava looks sideways at the lithe, hooded man, then at Caym as he has her head between his hands. His eyes are intense on her own, his hands holding her head still in a restrictive grip. Something feels wrong. Terribly, horribly wrong. My soul?? her mind reels, finally after everything that had happened and all she had seen realizing exactly what has been going on. "What of my soul?" she questions, repeating the angel's warning with fearful eyes. Caym's words from the subway come back to her. That he doesn't do this for her, to help her. He's doing it for shits and giggles to piss off the angels. And who are known to devour, destroy or trap the souls of mortals? Demons… She stares up at Caym with new fear and steps away in a wild instinct to run as far as she can. @redder_6989

"Ava, don't do this. Sweetheart, I'm just trying to keep you alive..." Caym watches her step away, realizing what must be going through her mind. "Damnit, I took an arrow to save your ass, you are not going to throw that away..." His voice is a low, dangerous growl, but the malice is not directed at her. He turns on Lathariel with a snarl. "Her soul, you fucking joke! Her soul? Tell her what happens to souls when humans die? Tell her the god damned truth! How many souls actually pass judgement? The fucking truth! It's been more than a thousand years since a single soul was jusged pure enough to escape eternal damnation! Her soul was damned the day she was born! Her and every person living here! The pearly gates stopped admitting souls long before she drew breath!" He advances toward Lathariel, furious at him for daring to hunt what he'd claimed. "I told you, you fucking pious bastard, this one is mine!" He rushed at Lathariel, his body changing to embrace his full demonic potential as he closes the distance. His black bladed swords are in his hands and flash through the air at Lathariel, but the angel moves with inhuman speed as well and evades the strike. Caym manages to keep himself between Ava and the angel. @shadowcat_rp_love

Caym's rage and spiteful words only heightens her fear. Fear for her life, the life of her sister, and now their souls. When he charges at the smaller angel, Ava quickly scrambles back and into the room where her sister lies. She closes the door with a slam and wedges a chair underneath the handle. As if that would stop any of them… Lathariel had indeed evaded the demon's attack, swiftly sidestepping and trying to circle him so he could follow Ava into the hospital room. A slow smile spreads on his lips even if his voice remains calm and very much serious. "Do not fight me here, Caym. These humans have enough worries on their mind without a demon adding to their nightmares." Ava watches through the window in the room that leads out to the hallway, shaking with anxiety. This isn't happening… not here… not now… it's not real. Turning to the bed, she rushes for it and takes her sister's hand, the limp dryness of it hurting beyond measure to feel. "Please… Lucy. I need you." The angel had said she would not live, which only had more tears well up into her eyes. She hears the two males outside speak, words being sent back and forth in a taunting tone. "You have no claim here," Lathariel continues while still attempting to get around Caym. He had yet to draw his weapon, not wishing a fight in this hospital. Yet his inhuman speed serves him well to evade more attacks. "If you wish for a fight, Caym, it will not be here. Not at this time." He pauses, eyes hidden by sunglasses peering through the window into the room where Ava is. Then he slowly backs away with soft movements, conjuring what looks like a short spear in his hand. It has a golden glow to it, emitting a vibrant blessed hue. @redder_6989

Caym sees the spear and curses. He can only guess what Lathariel is aiming for, and it doesn't take any time for him to decide that spear will not hit it's mark. The only one capable of matching an angel's speed it a demon, and he demonstrates that now, but not to avoid being struck. He hopes to place himself in the path of the spear. "Why did you stalk her all the way here, if you were going to back out of the fight, coward? Since when has His Holiness cared about a few more lives, so long as he reaches his target?" Caym growls at the angel, "Ava is Mine, you can tell God himself that! If he wants her, he'll have to come get her himself!" Ava is a presence in the back of his mind the throughout the entire confrontation. He knows she is scared, and doesn't know who to trust. He can't really blame her. The angels are trying to kill her, and the demon offers her safety. What safety is to be found in the care of the fallen? But she doesn't understand, there is no good and evil. There are only those above, and those below. The fallen were cast from heaven for trying to tell the truth to humans, that their benevolent God was not so perfect. That they were being used. That they do, truly, have a choice, and that choice does not have to include any god in their reality. Those who spread the truth were cast down, and those who upheld the illusion of a perfect god remained. So who, then, are the real demons? @shadowcat_rp_love

"I already told you, I am not looking to fight you. Only to bring her to Him. His reasons for wanting her are none of your concern," Lathariel calmly responds, not aiming his spear yet but letting it rest loosely in his hand. He could fight Caym, right here and now. But it would be a messy affair and that is simply just not Lathariel's style. "She is only resisting because of her sister…" he continues, still slowly trying to position himself so he has a view of the room. "She is no believer, clinging to the earthly vessel of her sister's spirit. She doesn't know what happens after, and it makes her full of fear and doubts." Meanwhile inside the room, Ava has seen the spear and is quick to hide out of sight, pressing herself against the wall next to the door so she can't be seen from the window. Lathariel makes a quick movement to Caym's right, as if trying to get past him again. But it is a feigned move and instead she swirls to the demon's left, throwing the spear with surprising force. It pierces the window in a perfect hit, not shattering the glass but leaving behind just a small hole where it had gone through. Lathariel straightens with a rueful smile on his lips, backing slowly away. Inside the room, there are many seconds of deadly silence. Then, Ava starts screaming. @redder_6989

his reaction is aggressive and instant. Caym snarls as he leaps over the medical cart in the hallway to grab a hold of the angel by the throat the moment Ava screams. His clawed hands just manage to slice the skin on the angel's white throat, creating three long gashes that stand out starkly red against his skin. At that moment voices are heard coming fast down the adjacent hall. Caym quickly reverts to his human form and tries to open the door to the room Ava is in. It doesn't budge, blocked by the chair from the other side. Growling, he slams into the door with his shoulder and manages to break two of the chairs legs, allowing the door to open. "Ava!" He stumbles through the door and scans the room for her, expecting to see her on the ground in a pool of blood. Genuine concern and fear bringing him almost to a panic. @shadowcat_rp_love

She stood against the wall, listening to the two males outside speak, hearing the angel's comments about her faith. Or lack of it thereof. He wasn't wrong. Ava and Lucy had been raised to believe in science, observable and measurable facts. They had not gone to church, not said their graces or prayers. They simply had not been believers, and any religious speculations had been more out of fascination and a philosophical need to understand. But Ava had prayed once, just like the angel claimed. Just that one time a few nights ago, sitting at her sister's bedside with her limp hand between her own. Suddenly she startles as something whistles past her too fast for her eyes to see. Then her gaze drops to Lucy on the bed and she sees the golden spear protruding from her chest. Lucy had not reacted, her body simply jerking slightly at the force of the impact. Her face is as expressionless as it had been for three long months already. A loud, shivering and petrified cry fills the room while Ava moves quickly to the bed, the spear simply vanishing into dust that dissipates in the air. An insistent and even high pitched sound mixes with the sounds of crying, and only then does Ava realize it's her own voice. The high pitched sound is coming from the monitors, alarms going off as Lucy's vitals flatline. She barely registers the door crashing open behind her, almost crawling onto the bed to cradle her sister in the deepest pain she's ever experienced. Behind Caym, doctors enter the room and swarm the bed. Out in the hallway, the hooded angel slinks away and disappears to heal his wounds. @redder_6989

"that fucking bastard!" Caym growls as he wraps his arms around Ava and bodily moves her, letting the doctors do their job, even though he knows it's futile. Ava fights him, but he handles her easily. He brings her out to the hallway, ignoring her protests and attempts to strike him. Once there, he pulls her in close and envelops her completely in his arms. She can't move, can't fight any more. He leans onto the wall and slides down it, holding her tight against his chest. "I'll kill him, I'll kill that fucking bastard, Ava, I'm going to enjoy watching him die. It shouldn't have been like this..." His voice is a low, comforting rumble just for her to hear. "Shhh, sweetheart... i think the doctor needs to speak with you..." Caym almost didn't notice the doctor from before walking brusquely toward them. When he looks up at the man, he takes a step back. Caym looks furious, ready to rip out a throat. He knows the doctor is going to give her bad news. @shadowcat_rp_love

They say twins are connected. That often they will finish each other's sentences, have the exact same thoughts. Twin studies done on twins raised in entirely separate environments suggests that there might be something to that claim. Some even say that twins can feel each other, feel each other's pain and distress. All Ava feels is an emptiness carved violently out of her chest. She can't breathe, can't think, can't even stand as Caym wraps his arms around her to pull her away from Lucy's body. Agonizing cries keep rattling through her, leaving her heaving for her breaths in panicked gulps. Her eyes are too clouded by an endless stream of shocked tears to see what's happening. When Caym wraps his arms around her tight like a straight jacket, it somehow helps. She can feel her breaths again, struggling to expand her chest in his grip. The embrace is warm, tight and exactly enough to keep her in the presence. His voice in her ear grounds her to him, her mind holding onto it so she won't slip and fall into the sudden hollowness inside her. She burrows her face into his chest. Dr Adams approaches, voice lowered and remorseful. "Ava… that form. Lucy had the chance to save many lives as her final act in this world. Please consider it." He hands the clipboard and a pen from before to the male holding her, entrusting that he will make sure she can sign it. Ava simply looks at it, her sight blurry and unable to focus. She takes the pen from Caym and scribbles her signature somewhere on the presented page, not caring where. Then she throws it at the doctor, returning to her crumbling self. With her signature in place, the doctors are quick to roll Lucy's bed out and towards the nearest available OR. @redder_6989

Caym holds her tight, tucking her into his arms again when she finishes with the paperwork, his hand cradling the back of her head, her body pressed tight against him. He can feel her sobs, tearing through her body as though they came straight from her soul. They probably do, what would he know about having a soul? He just holds her close, because it seems to be what she needs right now. After a while, when she seems to have calmed down, or run out of tears, he gradually loosens his hold on her and stands, helping her to her feet. "I don't know how they do these sort of things, do they need anything else from you? Can I take you home now?" He asks, watching her closely, uncertain what she might do next. @shadowcat_rp_love

Ava shakes her head, mind too foggy to think. “I’ll ask,” she says and walks with slow steps through the ICU ward to find the front desk. She’s practically forgotten about the angel who had caused all this, not caring or thinking he could still be lurking around. Or perhaps she hasn’t forgotten, but just doesn’t care. At the front desk, a nurse gives Ava her condolences, then informs her that once Lucy’s body is out of surgery, she will be stored until a funeral agency comes to pick her up. She hands Lucy a few pamphlets to different agencies, as well as the card to the hospital church and the priest working there. “He is an excellent grief counselor,” she insists when Ava doesn’t take the card right away. Bitterness swells within her as she finally takes the card. Religion had caused this. A fucking angel had murdered her sister. But she’s too numb to protest and turns to Caym with the pamphlets in hand, ready to leave the hospital. This would be the second funeral she has to plan. Only this time, Lycy would not be there with her. On the street outside the hospital, Ava pauses and looks off into the distance, irrationally not wanting to go home. If she goes home and starts calling these agencies… It gets real. It happened. “My backpack,” she mutters instead, thinking about her lost schoolwork. Lucy would scold her for abandoning her studies so close to the finish line. @redder_6989

Caym let's her do her thing, but remains vigilant. There are no angels nearby, not at this time, anyway. Apparently they were satisfied with the problems they'd caused for now. He keeps his eye on Ava as well, concerned for her state of mind. He had never experienced loss before. Not that he hadn't seen many people die. He'd killed his fair share of them, too. But grief is not within his capacity to experience. The emotional range of humans is largely defined by their souls. A demon does not experience emotion the way a human does. Nor does an angel. When she mentions her backpack, he nods. He has no objections to retrieving it, except that it puts her in danger of another attack. But really, she's in danger of another attack no matter where they go. It may as well be to find her backpack. "Ava, once we find your bag, I want to take you back to my place. It will be safer than your apartment, angels can't find it. At least, they haven't yet. And if they did, they would find less than a warm welcome." He says, letting her know his intentions. @shadowcat_rp_love

His voice came through to her in a blur of sounds, standing there looking helplessly off into the distance. At that moment, Ava doesn’t know nor care where ‘his place’ is and how it supposedly keeps the angels out. She cares about… Lucy… Her throat thickens again, new tears well into her eyes and she wipes them away with an angry movement. Gone… “I… I don’t know where I lost it.” The importance of finding her backpack was overshadowing everything else, attempting to replace the loss with something worldly and menial. Something to do. Something to keep busy with. Did her schoolwork even matter anymore? Ava can’t imagine herself preparing for an exam and writing her bachelor’s paper while preparing the funeral of her sister. “The library… Maybe. Or somewhere between there and the park.” She begins moving, walking right out into the trafficked street without looking. Her movements are almost robotic, as if a part of her humanity had been stripped away with Lucy gone. Cars around her hit the breaks, honking, dark tire marks on the street, yet Ava doesn’t care and keeps walking. After she’d left the campus library the previous day, she’d gone to a coffeeshop not far from it. She’d had her backpack when she left that shop? Think! The first attack had blindsided her, come out of nowhere while she was heading for the subway to go to the hospital. But she hadn’t made it to the subway and ended up running for her life through the city instead. Until she ran into Caym at the park. “Did I have it when we met?” she asks, turning to look at him. “When you saw me at the park?” @redder_6989

he follows her into the street, unconcerned by the traffic. He keeps just a step behind her and doesn't take his eyes off of her when she asks him about the backpack, he has to think for a moment. "You know, I really can't remember if you had a backpack or not. I'm more concerned about you right now, though. Lets get to my place, I'll find your backpack for you." He suggests gently. He doesn't know what to expect from her right now. Walking into traffic isn't exactly rational behavior. @shadowcat_rp_love

They reach the other side of the four-lane street. Behind them, many drivers shout curses at her as they accelerate away. But Ava doesn’t even look in their direction. She hears Caym’s suggestion and shakes her head as she keeps walking, this time in the general direction of the park they’d met in. It would be a long walk, the city big after all. But she doesn’t consider that fact and lets her feet carry her forward at a steady pace. “N-no… I need to find my backpack. It’s…. important.” She doesn’t stop to speak, barely looks at him as she continues walking. A very small and dark part of her almost hopes that another angel would try to come for her. She would not run this time if it did. @redder_6989

"no," Caym moves fast, wrapping an arm around her waist and lifting her to his shoulder, then quickly stepping into an alley where he sets her on her feet, her back against a wall, and crowds close to her so she can't help but see he means what he is saying. He puts his forearms on the wall on either side of her, trapping her there, and holds her gaze. If she would try to turn away he would take her chin and make her look at him. "Listen to me, Ava. You need somewhere safe to be. Your backpack is not important enough for you to be walking into traffic for. You're in pain, I can smell it. You need to be somewhere where you can do what you need to do to figure out how to handle this. Let me help you, princess. You are asking to much of yourself right now. For fucks sake, you just watched an angel flatline your sister, how are you worried about a damn backpack?" Her pain is quite obvious to him. He doesn't understand it, but he is trying. He can logically understand that her sister was important to her, that her grief is deep. But he's never felt an emotional attachment to anybody. Being without a sould does have it's merits. Having her close to him, however, despite her grief, has its own affect on him. Her scent fills his mind, and she looks absolutely vulnerable and innocent. It makes him want her, the same way a hawk wants a rabbit. It takes immense effort for him to restrain that urge. He doesn't want to scare her more than he already does. Her scent is intoxicating, and he can't help but want more of it, of her. Unlike an angel, he does not operate under the delusion of being infallible. He is fully aware of the mistakes he makes. Right now, he wonders if taking her back to his place is another one. @shadowcat_rp_love

She stares up at him with wide eyes while he speaks, pressing herself up against the wall at his hovering, entrapping proximity. Her breaths are slightly fast, constantly suppressing the urge to cry even if her eyes fill with unbidden tears. Caym’s stern but convincing words make sense at the same time as she refuses to admit to it. The backpack was important to her schoolwork, but in the shadow of losing her sister, it mattered little beyond having something to distract herself with. Her hands lie palms flat against the wall behind her. When Caym leans closer and she sees something in his eyes change, something akin to a falling sensation settles in her guts. The brown in them seem to darken as his pupils widen. The way he inhales as if he’s scenting the air around her should be unsettling. But instead of trying to push him off her or to get away from him, Ava moves her hands from the cold concrete behind her, placing them on his chest. He feels human. Warm, breathing, alive. Leaning her head forward slightly so she rests it against the top of his chest, she stifles a sob and nods. “Okay…” is all she can manage to say, exhaling so her shoulders drop a little. @redder_6989

the moment she leans into him, defeated, his arms wrap around her and hold her close. She feel small and fragile, and so very much in need. A new urge floods him. The urge to protect her, to keep her safe. Even from himself. Angels and demons both are creatures of instinct. They survive to fulfill those urges they can't resist. Caym's arms tighten around Ava as he struggles with these conflicting urges, but ultimately, he wants her alive. The urge to protect must prevail. However, his predatory instinct can't be denied. She is the perfect prey, and is so helpless, and trusts him. It's temptation itself. "This way. We don't have to go far." He says, loosening his hold on her to take her hand and lead her. They go to the nearest subway and catch the train. The car only has one seat available, and Caym sits there, then grabs hold of Ava's hips and sits her quite abruptly on his lap before she can protest. He puts his arms around her and holds her against his chest. He likes having her close, it feels good to comfort her. @shadowcat_rp_love

Ava allows herself to be dragged along, her feet moving robotically still as if without a will of her own. Down to the subway again, into a train, off to somewhere she has no idea where is. She sits at his wordless instructions, somewhat surprised to be pulled into his lap. But it feels nice, almost comforting, to have his arms around her. Ava has always hated feeling helpless, in need, vulnerable. But this time it is different. This time she doesn’t have her sister’s strength to lean on. They’d always leaned on each other, giving each other the strength they needed to make it on their own. Without Lucy…. Ava feels lost. While she sits there and the train rocks them slightly as it turns through the dark tunnels, she looks off into nothing, not paying much attention to anything. Her brown eyes linger on the black windows, the tunnel outside every so often illuminated by a service light. She sees her own and Caym’s reflection, thinking how messy she looks with her long hair hanging unruly from her head. Another light passes by in a flash of a second, and where Ava’s face was supposed to be she saw herself different. Startled by the sight, she straightens in Caym’s lap and frowns. Then it happens again. Flash – a face outside the train, illuminated by the light. Flash – same face but this time overlapping her own. Ava reels back, almost falling out of Caym’s grip. It was her own face, and at the same time not. “Lucy…?” her voice is hoarse, low and shaking. She stares at her own reflection, waiting for another service light. But it doesn’t come. Instead, Lucy’s face appears over her own in the blurred image, but her face is wrong and distorted. Golden eyes seem to glow in the dark. Ava looks away, hides her face against Caym’s shoulder. “What's happening to me?" @redder_6989

"what's wrong, princess?" Caym asks, glancing around for any kind of threat. He can't feel an angel nearby, and their stop is coming up soon. Nobody else seems alarmed about anything. "We're almost there. I should warn you, though, it's been a while since I was here. Not sure how it's going to look inside." He looks around again, picking up on Ava's unease. He wants to be at his home, the sooner the better. At least he knows the ghosts that haunt there. The final stop on the line lets them out at a very derelict, rundown station. He leads her out onto a crumbling, obviously uninhabited street. At least, it should be uninhabited. An occasional figure appears in a window, or shadows flit around a corner, I dictating that someone lives here, still. The crumbling buildings are old and unstable, but from one of them can be heard a crying infant, followed by a man's voice shouting profanities, answered in kind by a woman's voice. As they walk down the street, a small group of children, ages ranged from 8 to 13, make their way down the middle of the street. There are no cars on the street, so no traffic to block. the kids seem rowdy, shoving each other, shouting profanities, even threatening each other. Caym seems unconcerned by them, just leads her past without paying the least bit of attention to them. "It's like this wherever I go." He explains, "it doesn't matter how deep I bury it. This is what becomes of where I reside." This area, on the southern edge of the city, was once the heart of the city. When they moved city hall to the current location, the businesses and people followed. It had rapidly declined, so that this once affluent part of the city was left to become little more than a ghetto. The crime rate had skyrocketed, drug use became prevalent. More than half of the cities "halfway houses" for newly released inmates are located in this area. As well as half the drug treatment and alcohol detox centers. It's considered a dangerous part of the cit

12:09

y to travel through, most people avoid it altogether. Caym walks for several blocks before stopping in front of what looks like the most intact building on the street. It's an old brick and mortar church, complete with a bell tower and stained glass windows that are miraculously unbroken. "Home sweet home," Caym says with a smirk. He glances over at Ava to see her reaction before heading up the stairs and touching the doors, which open as though they had been unlocked. @shadowcat_rp_love

Unable to hide her unease about the area they venture into, Ava stays close to Caym while he leads her through the derelict city district. She’d only heard about this place and never visited beyond the outskirts. If hell on earth existed, it was within these rotten buildings and dark alleys. “Y-you live here? She asks, unable to hide her shock as he walks up to the old brick church. Despite the numbness of her grief, she almost laughs at the hypocrisy of it all. Caym was allegedly a demon, was he not? “Can you even step foot inside a building like this?” She shudders as she steps over the threshold to the old building, folding her arms around herself in discomfort. It is clear the church has not been in use for many years, thick spiderwebs at every corner and a layer of hardened dust on every surface. The damp, gloomy light inside does nothing to make her feel better, looking at the rows of benches on either side leading up to an altar. At the altar, a mostly broken crucifix hangs, depicting Jesus himself. The paint of his pace has peeled off in large chunks and he looks more like something out of a nightmare than a holy figure. Ava stalls at the entrance, almost backing out of it. Why did he take me here? “I… I don’t want to be here… Can we go?” She bumps into Caym’s chest as she tries to back out of he building again, feeling the warmth of his body soon engulf her own. “You don’t actually live here, do you?” she asks as she turns to look at him, the anxiety poorly hidden in her expression.

"well, not here, exactly. This is just the only entrance, for a human." He explains, placing his arm around her waist and urging her forward, to a door just behind the alter, to the left. Through this door is the bell tower. A round, tall room with steps spiraling all the way up. The bell looks to be still intact, though it looks to have fallen and become lodged in the tower. Caym walks behind the steps, then flashes a wolfish grin before kneeling down and lifting a trapdoor. It hides more spiral stairs, only these spiral the opposite direction from the ones going up the tower. The hole they disappear into is dark, until Caym steps onto the first stair. A red torch suddenly flares to life, shedding it's light down the tunnel for a ways. "This is the worst part. It won't get any creepier than this, princess, I promise. It's just dark on the stairs. My place is quite well lit, inside. Nothing creepy about it. I have a home bar, a kick ass home theatre setup. Wait until you see my jacuzzi tub. It's got everything you could want in a retreat. You just have to make it through this creepy entrance." He gently encouraged as he takes her hand to guide her down the stairs. She would notice more torches lighting as they descend. @shadowcat_rp_love

When Caym lifts a hatch in the floor and wants her to go down the winding stairs, it strikes her then that perhaps this was not such a good idea. Ava has read the news, heard the stories, and watched the documentaries. Women being captured and imprisoned for years in basements, sheds, attics and other isolated builds. This… this was raising all the red flags at once. "No," she says firmly, not the slightest inclined to go down into that hole. No one would know where she is, who is with her, and for how long she's been gone once someone notices her missing. She looks at Caym, how he reaches for her hand to guide her down the steps. Ava is quick to pull her hand away, stepping out of his reach. "You didn't say 'your place' was… a mausoleum under a church. I'm not going down there." The sudden new danger she thinks she finds herself in hits hard. Ava may still be grief stricken and numb, but there is still a small part of her that understands there are fates worse than death. She'd known him for… what? About a day? @redder_6989

he'd expected this, really. Actually she'd followed him farther than he had thought she would. Now, though, he was going to have to scare the fuck out of her. This last little bit of the journey would be quick, at least. "That's not really an option, sweetheart. I'm sorry, but let's not waste time on the trivial things." Moving faster than her eye can follow, he suddenly has his arms around her, lifting her easily off of her feet with her own arms pinned to her sides. He hoists her up, throwing her over his shoulder, and walks over to the trapdoor. Without so much as pausing he tugs a cord to shut the trapdoor and walks right off the stairs, sending them plummetting into the dark center of the spiral. Falling is fast, but at some point during this fall something seems to resist their decent. Almost like passing through the wall of a bubble, they are surrounded by some sort of barrier. As soon as they pass through, torchlight blazez to life down the walls, revealing the spiral stairs that they are plunging past to fast to count the torches. Then, quite abruptly, their decent ends. Caym lands on what sounds like gravel, his stance wide, his grip on her allowing him to absorb most of the force of the impact. He doesn't put her down, though if she were to look she would see what appears to be a large underground cavern lit by some unknown source from above. A soft white light reveals what looks like a multi floor estate house. The whole thing is made of stone, even the rails on the front steps. Caym doesn't put her down until they are inside of the house, in an entryway with high ceilings and tiled floors. A luxuriously woven rug runs the length of the entryway. When he sets her down on a bench near the door he instructs her to remove her shoes. There is a glimmer of laughter in his eyes that he doesn't quite succeed in hiding. @shadowcat_rp_love

"No, let go of me! Ohmygod… what are you doing?!" Her loud shriek echoes upwards and down the vertical staircase shaft. She's stiff and too terrified to fight him, clinging to him like a drowning cat instead. The fall is long enough for her scream to run out of air, and even in that situation Ava understands it would be just comical if she inhales only to start screaming again. Breathing hard and staring down into what she's certain will be a painful but quick death, the darkness ahead is almost a blissful veil. Until it lights up and she sees how far they're truly falling. The landing strikes the air from her lungs, despite Caym absorbing most of the impact. Such a thing should be impossible. Both his legs would have shattered. She knows how gravity works! When he lets go of her, Ava's thick and golden brown hair is an absolute mess from the unorthodox blow dry it had just gotten. She grasps the bench he'd placed her on and stares with wild, furious eyes at him through the curtains of her hair. "Y-you… madman! You absolute shithead of a madman!!" The mocking and humorous glitter in his eyes only has her seething even more, kicking her shoes of in defiant obedience do hard they skitter across the floor. "I said… no! I said I didn't want to go down there… and this… Where is this?!" @redder_6989

"this is home. It's... A gift, from the Morningstar. A little personal pocket dimension, outside of heaven or hell. It's fully portable, and never expires." Caym explains. He steps out of his own shoes and tucks them in the closet, then fetches hers and puts them in the same place. The furniture is not stone, though the walls seem to be. The tiled floors are darkly attractive, and the rugs are all quite rich. "Allow me to give you a tour." Caym gives a mock bow, extending his arm for her to take. The hint of laughter never leaves his face. @shadowcat_rp_love

Ava looks around, slightly calmer now even though she's still throwing furious looks in direction. She stands from the bench and feels the thick carpet underneath her feet, wishing she could curl her bare toes into it. "A pocket dimension?" The idea is mind bending, ludicrous. But everything these last 24 hours had been, so why shouldn't this as well. Pulling her phone out of the back pocket of her black jeans, she unlocks the screen and checks it. No signal. With a sigh she tucks it back, thinking for a second about the hospital, the agencies she has to call, Lucy's body up there cold and… alone. "I can't stay here, you know that," she says, but follows him as he motions for her to come along for a tour. Wherever she sets her gaze, there's something to look at. Masterfully crafted carpets, furniture, deep and vibrant colors everywhere. "Are there anyone else here?" @redder_6989

"there shouldn't be, but it's possible." He says with a chuckle. The entire house is filled with things that history forgot. Beautiful antiques, true craftsman works, personalized items from long dead heros of their field. Nothing is ordinary, nothing is plain. He shows her through the kitchen, which includes a breakfast nook, the den with the large, ornate fireplace and squishy couches and chairs, the home theater, where the electronics were housed in inconspicuouse cabinets, but which had a fairly expensive projection setup. He showed her where the bathroom was located, and took her to the backyard, which was ironically quite a private affair, with carved stone screens, and had a small Jacuzzi as well as a top of the line stereo setup. There were only a few rooms he didn't show her. Those doors remained closed, as if to tease her with what might be on the other side. He led her upstairs with a sly grin, and opened the door to his own room. Its stone walls were softened with wood accents, and the whole room is done in attractive earth tones. The furniture is ornate and interesting, things not often seen. The bed itself is a large, square piece in the center of the room. There are dark red rugs on the dark hardwood floors. Everywhere, on every surface or shelf, are exotic curios and knickknacks. Most of them look very old. @shadowcat_rp_love

She looks at everything they pass, every room giving off a rustic almost medieval feel that mixed with whatever comforts one could expect from a modern mansion. Somehow, everything had an earthly, grounded atmosphere to it and Ava could appreciate that. She was glad Caym’s home wasn’t the typical cliché glass penthouse apartment. Still though, the fact that they were underground and in what he called a ‘pocket dimension’ set her mind at unease. Drained and weary, still very much grief stricken and lost, she listens to his introduction of the rooms with detached interest. Had she been herself she would have wanted to inspect the exquisite and rare arts and items she saw on display. Once they are done and he presents her with what appears to be the centerpiece of his house; the bedroom, she turns to look at him. “It’s beautiful.” He looks proud of this place, even if his smile is more the sly grin of a fox ensnaring a bunny, there’s a pride in how he carries himself here that she had not noticed before. All these old and strange things make her wonder how old he is, if his age could even be counted in human measures. Ava steels some of her courage, knowing that no matter where she goes she can’t escape what had happened and the responsibility she has to ensure her sister is taken care of. “But I can’t stay,” she continues. “I have things I need to take care of. Lucy… and my studies. My backpack. And…” find out why the angels are trying to kill me. “…things…” Just the thought of Lucy has her bite her lip not to start crying again. This pain would not go away anytime soon, and she knows she will need to deal with it. Caym’s presence is both a comfort and a source of distress. The fact that he’s the only one who knows what she is going through somewhat comforting. The fact that he is having a very unusual effect on her just by being close, however, quite distressing. Wringing her hands together, her brown eyes sweep the room they’re in with shyness. “P

04:03

lus, I haven’t seen a guest bedroom.” @redder_6989

"I'll get your backpack, Ava. I know you have things to do, but look, they are going to keep coming after you. If I could kill every angel in heaven, I'd do it for you. But if I could do that, I'd be a lot higher up the chain of command by now." Caym looks at her with concern. Seeing how much pain she is in over the loss of her sister is distressing, and he doesn't know why. He wants to see her smile. "Since I can't do that, this is the safest place for you while I try to figure out what the fuck has the holy fuckers after you. I have a couple of people I can talk to. They may know whats going on. I just need a couple of days. They aren't the easiest people to get in touch with." He looks at her, wondering why he doesn't just tell her no, she can't leave. He could easily make it so she can't. He could keep her here forever. For some reason, he can't seem to bring himself to do that to her. She's been through a lot, loosing her sister, being hunted by angels, having a demon shadow her. He's surprised she has any kind of grip on reality right now. Human minds are always so very easy to break. To much pressure, and they shatter. Her strength is admirable. He wants her to be safe, but he wants her to not hurt any more. He wants to protect and possess her, and he wants her to want it. He wants her to use that precious free will of her to trust him, to want him, to need him... He wants to see her begging for his touch, and hear her crying out his name. He wants her nails to claw at his back as she looses control, he wants to make her crave him. Then he wants to hold her close. Feel her heart racing, watch her relax into his embrace as she catches her breath. "You'll have everything here at your disposal. The Jacuzzi, the bar, the kitchen. Of course there are guest room, princess. Right down the hall there, you'll find four of them. You can have your pick. For now, though, here, let me make you a drink." He walks over to a cabinet and pulls out two tumbler

04:37

s, then pours them both full with a dark amber liquid. He brings one over to her and sips at his own before dropping onto a plush loveseat opposite the door. "A few days. That's all I'm asking. We can figure out another plan if I can't find out anything in that time." @shadowcat_rp_love

Ava sits on the pillowed pallet in the middle of the room, rubbing her face with her hand, discreetly wiping treacherous tears away. Why did he have to make so much sense? Why couldn’t he just be an asshole, and make it easy for her to leave? Her shoulders drop slightly as she takes the offered drink, sipping it and feeling the burn of strong alcohol warm her throat. It feels good. Perhaps too good. Ava had never been a heavy drinker, but she could very easily understand why people used alcohol to numb away something difficult. A few days… It’s not so bad. Looking around, she knows she will be comfortable here while he finds… whoever he needs to find. “Who are they?” she asks, squinting slightly into the tumbler with the alcohol, wondering what it is. She’s not tasted it before. “Your ‘people’, I mean.” With a shrug, she downs the entire content of the small glass, rolling it between her hands when it’s empty. Her brown gaze adjusts to him. “Who knows about the ongoings of divine matters? I mean who really knows? Many have claimed to know, throughout history. But did they really?” She hasn’t yet agreed to his terms, but Ava knows that she has little choice unless she wants to spend the rest of her future hunted, or just let herself be killed. Or worse… That last thought is as unwelcome as it is a valid option. She could end it herself and just be done with it all. But why would she? And where would she go? Dying and the afterlife now suddenly seems so…. Frightening. Ava had been raised with a rather pragmatic view and rarely delved into thoughts of what is and what isn’t beyond what she can see and experience. One could almost say agnostic; if there was a God, a haven and hell, there was no way it could be proven. Yet here she is, sitting so casually with a demon, having a drink. The idea sends a cold shiver down her back. (edited)

07:27

If she was to finish this herself and not give the angels the satisfaction of snuffing her light out, where would she end up? “Where’s Lucy now?” she suddenly asks, this time looking at Caym more steadily, needing to know. @redder_6989 (edited)

this is a question Caym has been hoping wouldn't be asked. One of the drawbacks of not having a soul is the inability to outright lie. Angels and demons both are incapable of knowingly stating a direct falsehood. Thus, both are master manipulators of the spoken word. There are many ways to lie without telling a lie. How his words are interpreted is not his concern. However, Ava is sharp. If she were to think about her question, she would find she already knows the answer. With a sigh, he stands up and refills his glass, then brings the crystal decanter over to sit beside her on the edge of the bed and refill her glass as well. The predator in him loves this. Pouring her drinks, sitting close on the bed. It's like a trap that slowly closes around her. He knows what will happen if he is sympathetic, offers comfort, is gentle and patient. He also knows he wouldn't stop himself from doing those things. Not unless he truly didn't give a flying fuck about her. It would take a special kind of sadistic bastard to just watch her suffer and offer no comfort... Not that he isn't perfectly capable of doing so. "You know I really, really wish you hadn't asked that." He says, sitting beside her with his drink in his hands, hunched forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He's close, but not quite touching her. If she were to shift just a bit, his knee would touch her thigh. A bit more, their thighs would touch. He leaves this space intentionally. He glances at her, meets her eyes for just a moment, then turns his gaze forward, focusing on the shelfs in the window alcove. This conversation is not exactly intimate or seductive. It's almost the exact opposite.k "What do you think, Ava. With what you know about angels and demons, what do you think is the answer to that question is?" He asks gently. @shadowcat_rp_love

It took almost all her self-control to reign in her rapidly dwindling calm. Caym is acting so calm, so rational, so… compassionate, it's driving her nuts. His answer isn't an answer and she takes many breaths while fighting the urge to yell at Caym. "I don't want to think!" she says louder than her usual hoarse whisper, a flicker of her agitation shining in her eyes. She quickly corrects herself, turning her head to glare off elsewhere while she downs the second serving to her glass. It helps calm her down a little. "I just… I just want you to tell me. I don't need to speculate on it. I don't want to speculate on it. Lucy… she just died in front of my eyes. I just need you to tell me where she is. You said, back there at the hospital, that no souls make it to… heaven anymore. Is that true? Is she… suffering?" The thought of her sister trapped in eternal suffering cuts into Ava's insides. But she can't even know if that's true. What if heaven and hell are not the utopia and realm of eternal fire as they have been described? "I need to know. Please…" she turns to look at him again, a plea in her eyes. Only then is she aware of how close he is, but she can't bring herself to move away. In fact, she wants him closer. Wants his comfort, to feel something else than this hollowness in her chest that ached so bad she could fall apart at any moment. But she doesn't move closer. She's too concerned with his answer to move, simply sitting there and staring at him. @redder_6989

it isn't as simple as that, it never is. Truthfully, Caym doesn't know where Lucy is. She could have gone to any number of places. There is one way he can answer without lying to her, though. "I can find out." He says, "I can find out where her soul is, Ava. Again, it will take time, but I can find her." Her pain is enough to send any lesser demon into a frenzy. It was the suffering of man that the Morningstar had strove to alleviate when he was called a traitor and cast down, and is the suffering of man still that he works to end. He wishes to give man the truth, that they may be free to live their lives as they wish, not beholden to any undeserving being who holds nothing but indifference to the struggle it is to be alive, yet sits in judgement of those lives. Ava makes him want to help her. Demons are simple creatures. Man is fragile, and their suffering only truly can end when their lives end. When the Morningstar was cast down, he recognized this in his loyal friends, and gave them simple instructions. End the suffering of man. But Caym was a fallen angel, a true demon. When humans typically think of a demon, they are naming other beings, servants of the Morningstar who are nothing more than animals. They are like dogs, thralls, beasts and nothing more. Caym had stood beside the Morningstar, commanded his brothers in battle, stood with his back against the Morningstar's back as the battled for days against the legions of heaven alone after the others had fallen. He was not an animal, who would resort to the simplest answer to the hardest of questions. Without giving himself a chance to think better of it, he reaches toward Ava, places his hand on her cheek and turns her toward him. He rests his forehead gently against hers and holds her gaze with his own brown and gold flecked eyes. "I will find her for you, Ava." He say once more. Her scent, her trembling body, her need, finally proves to be to much. With a low growl he pulls her to his lap, w