Wolf among Sheep

1. Desire to Regret
Jonneck watched from a distance as the young girl was trialed. He would have given much to look upon her from a closer perspective. She was innocent and he was enjoying the show. He wanted her to die, the lowlife parasite she was. He had lived with her for half a year, slowly working his way to this point where she would squirm in his hand before he crushed her.
"If only I could do it myself..." he sighed but that was not an option. Eons ago when he had still been young and foolish he had one time sinned himself. He still paid the price for that. Countless were the times when people had looked at him and said: "Do you know you oddly look like one of those old pictures of the devil?"
One night of exhilarating bloodshed and lust and you get stuck with a reputation for a million years. His Satan identity lost to him ever since. The lives he led were so short that he couldn't keep shifting them. In stead he used anagrams of some of his names. His full name was Jonneck Avarius Immanuel Satanis and he was 1127 years old. Looking very well-conserved for his age, he might add. Jonneck was a recruiter, a demonic presence let lose on the world to collect the souls of those he incriminated... and those who murdered for him. Times were becoming increasingly difficult for him. He was barely reaching his agreed amount of souls, when years past he easily tripled this number. He blamed modern science. Those crime scene investigators just sucked the fun out of anything. They made being a super-being surprisingly frustrating.
Jonneck turned his attention back to the TV-screen and watched as the guilty read their verdict. Concerning the evidence...blablabla... guilty! Jonneck jumped up from his seat and started to pace around excitedly. He had taken special care this time, He needn't worry about him leaving traces, he never had. But the total lack of evidence apparently made everyone cagey. Jonneck had wasted and entire hour on planting incriminating proof that the girl had killed him. Her prints on the knife, a phone call to the emergency services right before she came home... and lastly his dead body oozing blood from several knife wounds.
Another problem modern time posed presented itself when the judge declared the punishment. 20 to 25 years in prison, with the possibility of early parole for good behaviour. Jonneck cursed loudly. All his work and all he had to show for it was one soul... and she would continue living her life. Where were the joyous times of lynching mobs and family feuds? What had happened to the humans that they'd rather risk their lives by putting murderers back among them than kill them to reduce population pressure? Had they at last figured out something about his motives and others like him?
Within seconds of the verdict, Jonneck's phone started to ring. For a moment he thought about not picking it up. But that would piss off management even more. Reluctantly he picked up the horn and listened.
"Hello Jonneck." The dark voice said, it's echo lingering like smog, poisoning the room he was in. 
"I know."
"I like that about you, never trying to make excuses."
"Stalling won't help me."
"No... You're correct about that. You have failed."
"Back to hell, do not pass purgatory and forget about savior." Jonneck said in a parody on Monopoly, a game he enjoyed. People always showed their worst sides when there was money involved, even fake money.
"Not yet. You have served us faithfully during the years. You are granted an extension."
"What's the catch?"
"Smart of you. Double the amount and half the time."
"I can never pull off 100 people in 25 years!" Jonneck called out, outraged by the impossibility."
"You won't have to do it alone. We're considering a change in modus operandi." The voice laughed as it thought about the change. For millennia they had worked with the same method, never swaying from it. But now they would. Their recruiters were kept in the dark about their colleagues... now that would change.
"Not alone?" Jonneck asked.
"No, we're going to pair you to someone else who owes us."
"Why?"
"It is not yet for you to know our reasons." The voice said.
Jonneck heard the dry click that ended the conversation. Now what was he supposed to do. Just wait? It wasn't in Jonneck's nature to wait. He was a creature of night and dead, not a trained puppy. He grabbed his coat and walked out, looking like any other young man out there on the first night of the weekend. 
At first Jonneck had no intention of picking up a woman to be his next victim, he doubted he'd have time. But old habits die hard and he soon found himself scanning the room for a likely prey. There were plenty of possible catches, each one of them waiting to be corrupted by his presence. Jonneck decided to wait until the right moment presented himself... or he got bored of waiting.
Five minutes later, Jonneck had to admit that the night's disappointment had frustrated him more than it should and that his impatience was even augmented by his failure. He casually looked around and locked his eyes on the first woman he saw.
She could hardly be called a woman, his target. She was barely old enough to drink, but maybe that would be an advantage for him. Getting her drunk enough to lead her outside and play a quick prank with her might be all he needed.
"Hey beautiful, can I buy you a drink?" he asked turning on his charm... of which he had more than enough, he was a handsome devil with manners that still dated from a more innocent age, a thing that added to his appeal.
The girl giggled and went to the bar with him. Later her friends would say that she had left with a young guy, nothing strange about that. They wouldn't remember what he looked like, no-one did. He was a wolf, prowling among the sheep, looking nothing different from them, but being something else entirely.
A wolf in sheepsclothes he might be, but Jonneck would soon find out he wasn't the only one that prowled among the sheep...

*-**-*

2. Desperate to Find
Ithaca stretched her long sensual legs and carefully pulled up her stockings. She sat down in front of her mirror and smiled at her reflection. She looked rather good, she thought, but there was always room for improvement. 
The tall blonde opened the vials and tubes on her make-up table and started improving. She brushed her hair until it shone gold, twisting a few curls in it to add to the effect. There was something about long blond curls that made guys go crazy. Ithaca knew, it was her field of expertise. She had done it for eons, seducing and leading young boys to their doom with her love. She was almost addictive she had been told in the sixties when the height of fashion was walking barefoot with tangled hair. Ithaca shuddered at the thought, she hoped that era would never come back.
Pleased with her make-up, rich gold and bordeaux with black accents that accented her pale perfect skin, Ithaca got up and caressed the fabric of the dress she would be wearing tonight. Dark red tassels hung from the arms and the waist band, leaving the front of her stomach uncovered, while it obscured her arms and legs just enough to add that subtle promise of an easy catch. Ithaca stepped into the dress and pulled it up. She was careful not to tear the loose fabric and ruin it. 
Ithaca stepped out of the hotel room and smiled when she felt the cool summer breeze touch her back and stomach, playing with her arms and legs it was almost sensual. She was ready. Her grey eyes touched the city and saw that it was good.
"Soon..." she said putting on the leather neckband that covered her neck partly from view. Ithaca felt sure that tonight she would score.
Times had been hard for her lately, how many men stayed long enough for her love to start it's dark magic? In this age of one night stands and drugged drinks her attempts had more then once failed. Of course the sixties hadn't been too good in that way either, but she had survived. She would survive this time too.
Ithaca left her hotel room and wondered if she should change to disease-spreader like she had been offered. Sure that profession was in the status elevator of Hell since that one floozy demoness had started Aids. Sure it came from monkeys... what had she been thinking? How had she gotten it in the first place? Ithaca decided not to think about it and just work.
She started down the stairs when she was stopped.
"Ithaca Lorrane Arabasset Hecuba, I've come for our deal." a low voice told her.
"You're too late. I payed my debt, I'm back on track." Ithaca called out  not at all eager to find out what her promise, made in harsher times, had dragged her into.
"We are never too late. You should know that by now." the voice from the shadows said. Ithaca looked at the shadow directly and saw what most mortals would not, the vague outlines of a figure... the messenger. She didn't answer.
"You could be a little more polite." the voice said, "I'll be in touch."
Ithaca saw the shadow slowly revert to it's normal features and wondered what that had been about. Normally the forces of Darkness never gave warnings, they just did and left you wondering what you were supposed to do.
Ithaca shrugged and went on with her plan for the evening. If she still had time she could at least make the evening more pleasurable. Many people would have confused her with a succubus. In fact she was not a libido vampire. She didn't kill her preys during the act, she starved them, slowly while her force kept growing. Draining her lovers till the last drop of life's energy had left them. They died old and withered at a young age, still young on the outside, but old and worn within. But lately, it was getting harder to kill with her power. Most men she encountered either waited too long or were gone too fast for her to get enough life to survive... and that's why she had made a loan, paid back in full, but apparently not forgotten.
Walking under the cold orange street lamps through deserted streets Ithaca wondered if there was something like an eternal lover. The concept had come to her more lately, someone immortal who would not die and from whom she could leech life forever. Someone who could be her safe haven when times were rough. 
But then, wouldn't that mean giving up the life she led now? Could she find a lover that had no problem with her taking time of up to six months to suck dry a mortal in a (let's face it) pleasurable way to go. Most beings she had met who could sustain her like that had not seemed like the type to ask.
Ithaca reached her goal, a small smoky tavern that was perfect for picking up someone with a long term relationship on his mind. She entered the bar section and found a seat. She waited, someone would come to her in the end, that was part of her power. Ithaca didn't quite knew how it worked, but it had never let her down.
Indeed someone showed up, sitting down in front of her. Ithaca smiled at him, she sensed a lot of power in this one. He was still young, younger than he said he was... They started with the ancient process of seducing. Ithaca learned a lot about her prey, most of them told her about their lives which always helped her in the end. For instance she learned that this youth had no real family, he said he was in college, but more likely he was in high school, away from his grandparents with the week in boarding school. Perfect... a secret lover in town would add to her charm and he would be available all week.
Ithaca got up and made the boy follow her out. If she bound him to her body now he wouldn't leave her until he was dead. 
"Ithaca." the low voice sounded through the alley where she had lead him.
"Did you hear that?" the young man asked.
"The wind." she whispered, almost hypnotising him with her voice.
"It is time I bring you to your next assignment." the voice said.
"Damned!" she called out and watched as she and the boy were transported somewhere. Ithaca wouldn't mind being able to teleport herself, but it was a gift reserved for high demons and she was only considered a half. Way out of league for a teleport charm.
The boy struggled to get away, but he was caught in the vortex as much as she was. She casually strangled him with a kiss, making him fall to the ground -if there had been ground. Ithaca dragged him back up, not willing to let her prey get away like this. She could always hold him prisoner if need arose... not a plan she liked because it was messy and not very safe, but it would suffice to keep his energy.
"You'll need him for something else..." the shadow told them.
"Great." she said, "Bye bye, life."
"We will provide you with another way of life."

*-**-*

3. Longing to Move Forward
The vortex suddenly stopped, making Ithaca and her burden stumble out onto what seemed to be an abandoned parking lot. Suddenly she heard screaming.
"What's that?" she asked.
"Only your new partner, busy with his game... You should stop him, he'll need his prey too."
Ithaca shrugged, dropped her victim where she hoped he would stay safe and unconscious and walked toward the screams. She saw a girl sitting, covered in blood, crying over a man fallen down with a knife sticking from his stomach. Ithaca wondered if the girl was her new partner. No, the shadow had said 'he'... but then, how should she get him back? He was dead.
Suddenly the corpse opened his eyes and looked at her. The girl, seeing the sudden resurrection of the man she had followed out, stumbled up, her screams dieing down to a whine. She tried to get away, but Ithaca drew her back, she felt an arm snap when she pulled the girl close to her. The shadow hadn't told her anything of keeping the girl in working order, just alive.
"Who are you?" the man said, his voice angry and deep, like the snarl of a wild cat. Ithaca enjoyed wild cats...
"I'm your new partner apparently. Messenger told me you'd need this for our assignment."
"Our assignment?"
"Didn't he tell you we'd be working together? He told me."
"He said I would get a partner... you don't look like my kind."
"Watch it boy!" she said, "I've been around long."
The man laughed. It was short and musical, something she didn't expect after his previous outrage. There was something excitingly different about him. Ithaca knew he had to be a demon to get up unharmed by that stab wound. But why hadn't he just killed the girl? Why kill himself? For the kick?
"I can kill you, you know." the demon said.
"Are you the kind that does?" she asked.
"I'm the kind that wants to." Jonneck answered her, "but isn't allowed."
"Pity, then maybe I am more powerful than you."
"Not likely." Jonneck answered looking at the woman. He knew what she was and also that she would never recruit a soul to Hell, only her own would be trapped if she should become uncareful and die. And when he stabbed her, she would stay dead.
Ithaca handed the girl back to Jonneck, waking her up briefly, only to faint when she looked into Jonneck's eyes who had changed from caring to cold. Ithaca went back to her own victim, pulled him from the pavement like he was a ragdol and turned to Jonneck.
"So you know how to summon a messenger?"
"Nope." Jonneck said.
"So we wait?" Ithaca asked.
"Apparently..."
Neither of them was interested in speaking to the other, they just guarded their victims who stayed unconscious. Minutes became hours and day would soon be upon them when the shadow appeared again.
"Finally!" Jonneck exclaimed.
The shadow just looked at him and started his message. "I'm here to announce that I'm here to pass out promotions and a relocation."
"promotions?" Ithaca asked, "I never signed up for promotions."
"Too bad, you did when you loaned from us."
"What about me?" Jonneck asked, "I'm barely filling my quotum.
"You are still in our debt from your killing spree."
"Come on! That was 700 years ago!"
"The high Court has a great memory." the messenger spoke.
Ithaca and Jonneck thought about the promotions. They were generally an unwanted consequence since they only led to more work, more pressure and less freedom... promotion was a nice way of saying that you would be sucked deeper into Hell's fiery doom... sure you got more respect, but all things considered promotion was not a word they loved to hear.
The shadow continued: "You'll be relocated to a place called Cy Dragonstake to pair of with some creatures directly spawned from Hell's depth. They will accompany you on your future career."
"What's all this about new careers anyway?" Jonneck asked.
"A more direct way of delivering pain," the shadow said, "A thing I think you should appreciate seeing you both have a bloody past." the shadow looked at both knowing very well that they had always felt the need to get in more personally when they killed, though really, how much closer could you get? They wanted blood on their hands, and not just figuratively speaking.
"How?" Ithaca asked.
"Raiding planets and expanding our master's reach of power." the shadow said, "It's time we did some PR work for ourselves. Might attract some good partnerships."
"Oh." Ithaca said,
"Any quotums?" Jonneck asked.
"Has there ever been a job without?" the shadow asked. "Of course there will be quotums, but we have faith in you two... and the xenos."
"What do we need these for?" asked Ithaca
"Food for the xeno."
"Amusing little critters." Jonneck remarked.
"Consider yourselves promoted to high-level clearance. Until next time." the low voice spoke, trailing away when the vortex formed around them again.
"That was interesting." Ithaca said, "Do you think I'm really a demon?"
"No chance." Jonneck told her.
Ithaca shrugged, she would find someone in this Cy Dragonstake who could keep her entertained and alive until things got clearer.
For the second time that day she stumbled out of a vortex and noted that the place seemed wonderfully old fashioned. Alien, but in a way that would turn out good for them. 
"So where do we go now?" she asked.
"I have a feeling we go there..." Jonneck said pointing to a cave with black sands that pulsated in a dark aura. He threw his victim over his shoulder and started walking. Ithaca followed, only having a little more problems with her sacrifice... she would soon find a replacement anyway... maybe even that cutesy demon fellow the messenger had got her involved with, why else had he teamed them up?

*-**-*

4. The Need to Start Again
Jonneck and Ithaca had been summoned to the hatching cave. The eggs in the outer circle were rocking reassuringly, the moans of the helpless prey in the inner circle was delightful.
"Ferocious creatures." Ithaca smiled, tickling the belly of her own sacrifice.
"Desperate to escape and see the world, like we once were." Jonneck said.
"Like you once were. I was human, remember?"
"Does it matter?"
"Not really." Ithaca shrugged and pinched the male hard in his cheek.
More moans escaped his dieing body and this time even Jonneck laughed as they saw their little snack awaken and trying to get himself free.
"Didn't you listen to your mother?" Jonneck asked.
"Never talk to strangers..." Ithaca whispered close to his ear, "Especially not me."
More candidates entered the heavily guarded inner circle and the occasional strange burst of movement could be seen behind the shirts of the people captured in the white gluey material of the walls.
The candidates in the inner circle were mostly quiet, awaiting anxiously the arrival of the bursters. They were hardly aware that several of the normal eggs had already hatched before the first scream of pain alerted the waiting candidates below the walls of white.
From that moment of delicious pain on, little xenos exploded like clockwork from bodies, gobbling away on the flesh and blood they left behind them. It didn't take long before Ithaca felt a strange kind of tugging at the fringes of her mind.
Ithaca looked down as the omega drone approached her. 
"Aren't you the pretty one, Tedora?" she asked as she caressed the xeno's rough back.
"Glad you think so", replied the xeno as she rubbed up against Ithaca's legs. Just wish I could say the same about him. She flicked a tail at an alpha warrior who had just been on his way to Jonneck.
"Hey, watch your tongue or I might just rip it out for you", snarled the warrior as he kicked some sand at Tedora.
"Thats the spirit, Zeont," said Jonnck as he patted the xeno.
"Hmph. You don't have to tell me that", growled Zeont as he headed back over to Jonneck. "Lets go find someone to eat. I'm starving."
Jonneck followed Ithaca to the nearest corpse for their new companions to feast on. He winked at Ithaca as the two xenos dove in and gnarled at each other for the food.
"They're so adorable.3 Ithaca smiled as Tedora pulled a stringy piece of muscle free."
"I can't wait to see these in action..." Jonneck agreed.

Stats and Xeno Dragons:
Jonneck  -  Ithaca

*-**-*
Jonneck and Ithaca are Candidates at Cy Dragonstake
Dollbases from Hush

Lantessama Isle