"Revenge is barren of itself: it is the dreadful food it feeds on; its delight is murder, and its end is despair."

- Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller

_____________________________

Death

Finally, Harbinger spoke. "I'm afraid it might be the other fragments of the piece you already found."

Of course, it is.

"What of the location?"

"It lies in the city of Vienna."

"Uhh, Austria how wonderful, did you pinpoint the exact location Harbinger."

"The Imperial Treasury, Hofburg Palace Master. It is kept deep within the palace, guarded heavily I'm afraid."

"Why is it being guarded?" It was nothing but a small piece of an object, yes it held a massive quantity of power but humans did not sense this energy.

"I have not found the reason, the only conclusion I believe it to be a holy relic. This church and the one from the last, are preserving an ancient object they believe to have power in their own belief. If I possess this second piece I will be able to read the engraving, it may well answer that question."

"We will have to find out, so I'll be searching for the third piece and we can finally end this. Do you think you can retrieve it with Sovereign or will I have to assist you."

"Of course Master." He sounded somewhat offended but the longer we stay on the holy ground, the weaker we become.

"Go then report back to me when you've obtained the relic." I had no time for hurt pride, we needed this to be dealt with or we will have a bigger problem on our hands one I do not wish to clean up.

"Yes, Master." He turned to leave, they both disappear inside the portal, leaving behind Valfalls.

She stands ready for orders, "Valfalls I need you to collect more Reapers, I'm afraid we don't have enough, we have to make up for the time we've lost."

No reapers, mean no souls are being passed over, it is not acceptable at all for my line of work.

"It will be handled thoroughly and effectively, Master." I watch as she leaves, her graceful steps carrying her effortlessly.

Now let's see if I can locate this other piece, this should be quite interesting.

✴

I throw my scythe across the room with a shout, water following alongside it as it is tossed everywhere, the scythe embeds itself into the wall of my office with a loud thud.

"Daxt!" I howled my voice booming, not only heard here but every surrounding plain.

After waiting for several minutes for the demon I was clearly past my limits of waiting. My desk became a crumpled mess as my fists came down on it.

While searching for the bloody relic, I tried to portal into numerous areas, trying to locate the damn thing, while summoning a door I thought of a certain pair of blue eyes. She crossed my mind for an instant, instead of walking into Italy I was dumped into the fucking pacific ocean.

The only reason she crossed my mind was because I was to fetch her today only I had forgotten to, do to this new threat.

Smoke started to form around my body as it heated up, burning away some of the water. Still soaking wet, I stalked over to the door flinging it open.

"DAXT!"

Out of thin air, Daxt appears in front of me, taking in my appearance he scurries back, a good distance away.

Glowering at his round black eyes I try to control myself, "Where were you?"

"Sorry Master. I was attending to some sorts with the-"

I cut him off with a growl, "Sorry, you better have a good excuse Daxt or I'll find a replacement."

He swallowed, spit spraying around him as he spoke quickly, "Bast, she said something was wrong with your succubus."

Adeline, "Explain quickly."

He rushed on, gulping loudly, "Bast lost track of her Master and cannot seem to find the young one. She believes though that she will be in danger."

That useless excuse of a demon, I should've found a better more reliable one than that minx, "Where is Bast?"

"I do not know, that is what took me so long Master. I am unable to locate either of them."

Yelling, I punch the wall in front of me, the wall easily falls to my fist, a large hole now was displayed in the hallway.

"Leave. Find. Her." I whispered threateningly.

Without another word he disappeared, ever since that woman came into my life everything has fallen apart around me. My once well-organized kingdom has broken apart to a mere demon, a newborn succubus.

Pushing off the wall, I didn't worry about changing, I summoned Bast unwillingly.

With a wave of my hand, I muttered," Accerso deamon Bastet." Forcing her to come to me, her small but lethal body appeared. I knew it to be painful when someone summoned you unwillingly, the small trace of pain carved into her features was evidence of that, how it pleased me.

"Death. I'm honored, what is the summoning for, I'm a very busy girl these days." She flicked her wrist out, examining her long red nails.

"Cut the crap Bast I know she's gone and you can not find her." Her face showed no change not revealing anything.

"You had one simple task demon, to watch over her and keep her from harm's way." My patience was wearing thin, especially with this one.

Her eyes turned to slits as she spoke, "I don't necessarily have to listen to you but you're a smart man Death. Let's see when I agree-"

I slammed her into the wall, "Enough." Her yellow eyes flashed with anger as she gripped my wrist, hissing, her small fangs showing. "We had a deal you and me, you know clearly what it was, you're a clever cat." I spat.

"If you care about the succubus so much maybe you should have told her that the demon would speak with her. You set her free without allowing her to fully change. What did you expect from the human, to accept it right away."

I released her, my anger directed to no one but myself, "When was the last you saw her?"

"I followed her all day, only I couldn't get inside the boyfriend's house, his name, however, is James. I overheard her saying she was going to be there for awhile but when I went back she wasn't there anymore."

"Fine, we'll start there."

✴

We arrived at the human's house, standing on the front lawn hearing for how many heartbeats were in fact inside. The lights were on downstairs as were the ones upstairs, I felt three souls in the house, she had to be here.

"There is three people in this house you're telling me Adeline is not here."

"The boy is upstairs, the other human is pregnant genius," I growled threatening her, she only rolls her yellow eyes.

"I've checked the entire area she's long gone."

"Next area then, go to the girl's house see if she made it home. I'll check around here again."

"Don't hurt him too much." She muttered, leaving quickly.

As I opened the now unlocked door, I entered the house. The pregnant woman could be heard breathing in the living room, crunching on whatever food rather loudly. Gliding through the house undetected I found the boy instantly.

The stupid human didn't even realize I was in his room before it was too late, grabbing his shirt I lifted him from the bed.

Before he could scream I demanded that he be still, "Silentium peur." I had certain abilities that came handy for this sort of thing, on cue, his body halted his eyes unmoving as they stared blankly.

"Where is Adeline?"

"Home" He muttered.

"She left, when and why."

He shakes slightly, terrified not of me but remembering what happened, "Kiss. Fight." His body shuddered violently, "Kill me. Eyes. Glow."

They kissed, damn that girl, she revealed herself to him, I'm sure she must've lost control in some way. Looking at the human boy I uttered softly, "You will forget everything that happened when Adeline came home with you and now. You simply came home and fell asleep."

"Sleep." He muttered. Letting him go, I released him, his body falling asleep easily.

Where was she? Leaving the house I started to walk down the block as if she were walking home.

__________

Adeline

With the guidance of my demon, we tracked him easily, channeling everything into my vision and hearing.

Easy enough.

He was wandering around the park, a bottle of liquor in his hand, I watched as he struggled to walk across the lot as he came to a stop in front of a car, guessing it was his. He set the bottle he carried down on the dark pavement to fiddle with his keys as he tried opening the door. The idiot finally opened it getting inside, walking slowly to the car I made sure to stay hidden amongst the shadows.

My vision changed as I neared him, his body became a beacon of light, my body instantly felt the call to it, wanting it for myself. I shook my head, not wanting to deal with that part of me.

Walking up to the car, Tony had no idea of my presence, grasping the door handle I tore the door off the car, flinging it across the grass.

He barely had time to register what was happening in his drunken state, "What the fuck?" Before he said more I ripped him from the car dragging him into the woods alongside the park. He struggled against my iron grip but nothing would stop me from dragging him inside the deep forest. I only let him go when I knew it was safe enough so no one would hear his protests and screams.

Tossing him aside I let him figure out who had dragged him out here so forcefully, "Adeline?" He questioned.

"Good you can see, now Tony before I start I want you to answer some things for me."

"Go to hell bitch." He spits out.

The succubus growled as he tried standing, I only kicked him hard enough to knock him down again, shaking my head I kneeled to his level, "Wrong answer Tony." Swiftly my hands gripped around his neck easily throwing him into a tree trunk, his head bounced off with a crack.

His groans were ignored as I stepped towards him, this is far from over, "Want to try again."

"Okay, okay I'll answer you fuck!"

Kneeling in front of him I ask the simplest of questions, "Did you or did you not beat the shit out of my sister today." I was practically shaking as I waited for his answer.

His eyes focused on my face, he was staring at my eyes, they had to blaze right about now, "Tony." I encouraged.

He snapped out of his daze, "Y-yes." He stuttered.

I held in the rage as I continued, "Did she cry for you to stop, when you beat her?" Silence. "Did she!?" I shouted.

"Yes." He cried out.

I stood, facing away from him, I couldn't control the rage I felt leaking from every pore of my body. I fought the urge to tear him to pieces with my bare hands.

You will endure no such thing, let me kill him.

I can't. This wasn't me, I didn't just go around killing people.

You said anything, I did not kill the boy let me have this one.

I don't think I can.

Remember what he did to your sister, do you think she deserved that.

Her words were echoing inside my head as I struggled to see reason but all I saw was my sister, beaten and bloodied by him.

She knew my decision, she lived in the same mind as I did. I did what I had to do, I closed myself off letting her go.

She turned, picking him up by his shirt she flung him into another tree, I saw the world in swirls even the trees and the plants seemed to come alive around me.

Grabbing his arm, twisting it as she recalled the pain my sister endured, she made me remember so I wouldn't stop her, "Was it you who broke her arm a few months ago."

I remember her telling me she tripped on the steps of her apartment, only I never realized she lied.

"Yes." He slurred. She gripped his arm in my hands, feeling it tighten as I broke it, hearing the bones crack, his screams made me shudder in pleasure. She was enjoying herself.

Lifting him up by his throat, I asked yet another question, questions I didn't think needed answers until now, "Was it you who gave her that concussion."

I could barely hear him as he said the word that fueled me to keep going, squeezing his throat she smashed his head into the tree. His blood already coats the light color of the tree trunk, she seemed to only want to add more.

"You will never harm her again."

Choking him she forced him to meet my gaze, "You will never see the light of day either." As if it were instinct I crushed my mouth to his, despite my relentless torture he gave into my kiss, opening his mouth. I shuddered against him feeling his energy getting closer to being mine.

Moaning softly I feel him weaken as I release him from my mouth, hovering just before his lips I inhale deeply. My eyes shut, colors swimming along the edges as I rip away his life force, no sound comes from his unmoving form as I take every bit greedily. Slamming him down, I straddle his waist, his hands grip my thighs seeming to only want more, yet the more I take the faster he dies. Opening my eyes, I stop watching him struggle for breath, he looks to be swimming in ecstasy.

I lower my head, meeting his ear so I can whisper to only him, "Goodbye Tony." I grip his face only to snap his neck harshly to one side, breaking it.

You have surprised even me Adeline. She leaves hiding away deep inside my head, abandoning me to feel the aftershock of what she did. Of what I did.

Peering down at Tony's lifeless form I see a small glow still in his body, I scramble away from his lifeless form on the damp ground. He's dead.

Out of nowhere a dark figure glided from the shadows, his hands hover over Tony, a slight white light escaping his hands, as if satisfied he kneels over him, I watch as he takes the light from his body. The darkly clothed figure turns to me, I can not see a face only I know he stares at me. With a small bow in my direction he leaves, entering the shadows.

Backing away slowly I find that I can't breathe, scrambling off the ground I run out of the forest, finding the park in the dark easily.

The moon above casts the park in a white light as I look down to my hands seeing his blood splattered on them. I fall to the ground scrubbing my shaking hands on the wet grass, trying to rid of his blood.

I killed him. Me.

Pressure slams into me as she enters my head, He hurt her. Your sister remember, he hit her endlessly.

But I still killed him!

Stop overthinking it.

A small panicked scream escaped my lips, I killed him. Looking down at my now clean hands, I can still feel his blood on them, I can still feel his bones crush underneath them. No. No.

I lean forward, a deep ache forms in my chest as I hyperventilate, trying to get oxygen to reach my constricting lungs.

I couldn't breathe, the oxygen wouldn't enter my lungs as I shook on the ground, my hands tearing into the grass as I cried. I killed him. His lifeless eyes will haunt me forever.

He deserved it, Adeline.

Stop! He deserved it but not like this. Not like this.

I screamed again. Hitting the ground over and I over again, until I couldn't see the crushed wilted grass anymore.

"Adeline." The voice came from behind me. His voice was soft, something different from anyway he's talked with me.

"Death," I muttered, my voice barely audible.

"What did you do my pet." His words were a whisper compared to my weak clipped words.

"I killed him," I stated bluntly, allowing the tears to fill and spill over again.

I heard him walk towards me, slowly kneeling in front of me. "Why Adeline?"

I tried focusing on his face but the tears wouldn't allow it, "He hurt my sister, he hurt her so I hurt him."

A tear trailed down my cheek, he reached up to brush it away only I flew into his arms. I buried my head in his neck while my hands winded around his neck, I felt his arms wrap protectively around me, holding me firmly to his chest. He let me cry into his neck, letting my tears soak his shirt, I hiccupped softly as he rubbed my back soothingly.

"Try to stay calm my Adeline." He lifted me from the damp ground, his hands brushing against my hips. "I can help you control her."

How does he know it's a she, I let go of him, taking a few steps back, "You knew she could talk to me, didn't you." I say disbelievingly.

He sighs, his dark eyes following my movements, "I wanted you to try and process this first, try to figure it out slowly on your own. I didn't know she would try to speak with you so soon." He answered truthfully, his face was full of concern but no remorse. No forgiveness.

A hollow laugh escaped me, "Guess I figured it out, huh. Is that what you wanted for me, to lose it, to come crawling back to you for help. I don't need you."

"Adeline." He protested.

"No, you did this to me! You! It's your fault damn it! I don't need you, I don't want your help!" I turned to leave.

"I made you! You belong to me!" He growled possessively.

I flipped him off, walking back home. My body was drained of any energy, I blocked out the last image of Tony as he lay lifeless in the forest.

"I will figure out a way for you to leave."

Try darling girl.

Count on it.

••••••••••••••

Don't forget to comment until your hearts content, vote like no tomorrow, and follow to receive updates on this very book.

I will try and update as frequently as possible.

Until next time,

-Ash

Xoxoxo