Between Gods and Monsters Archive Chapter #2

[Tinker]

Halo noisily cleared her throat as she watched the banter being volleyed back and forth between the conflicting sides of heaven and hell. Her dark brows knitted as they both seemed to bond over one topic, "I sure am just tickled pink that both of you gentlemen, and believe me when I tell you that I use that word in the broadest sense of the term, are finding my situation in all this somewhat amusing and also as a shoe in to discovering my underwear colour preference, but I would like to point out that I am, in fact still in the room and can hear that frat boy like guffawing. The way you are both headed, neither of you will be hanging my particulars from the moose head back in your frat houses."

The bottle that housed her own personal salvation was swung to her lips and chugged with a deft expertise, "but before I do steer the conversation back around to the topic we actually need to be discussing, I would like to make it clear I have sampled both of your sides already, fellas, so I might not even need either of you to add my collection of 'Mystical and mythical beings I have bedded'. On the other hand, I do seemed to get quite roused by either insane acts of bravery or out and out ultra violence and hey, the night is still young, but I digress. . "

The startling sapphire of the mage's gaze returned to Sebastian as her tone noticeably changed to a far more business like demeanor, "You pretty much have my boy pegged. He's amassing parts from every person that he's eating and from his healthy appetite, I'm guessing he is amassing more than just one warrior and instead going for an all star team. I'd also be willing to stake a very large amount of my previous pay cheque on the fact that the kid has a very particular palate, did you get any details on his vics?"

[Maxx]

"Very messy is the one thing I noticed but I wasn't looking for commonality.  I was trying to track, rather than predict."  Sebastian kept a straight face in light of Halo's comments.  Just because she'd had his side didn't mean she'd had anything like him.  "Just out of curiosity, is he brewing his boys on the inside to be shat or vomited out as needed?"

[CrowsEye]

Artemis put down his drink and began to gesticulate as he explained his thoughts.

"I can see that being the case, but the more he holds inside himself, the bigger he's probably going to get...and a gigantic, hulking bag of flesh isn't exactly going to go unnoticed after a certain point. I can also imagine that he'd want some sort of protection, especially knowing he's got somebody out to stop him, too...so I can imagine he's probably splitting the difference between the two: keeping some bodyguards around, while still amassing more for what could possibly be a really really big bad."

Artemis leaned against the bar and listened to what other ideas might come about.

[Tinker]

Halo shook her head and her face contorted as if her rum had suddenly curdled in her mouth, "That makes no fucking sense what so ever, either of your ideas. I mean, he predates Gologtha, so I am hoping were not dealing with a bodily secretion army, I mean shit. . the smell alone would be the end of times. And the whole hanging on to the parts within, like a humanoid marsupial. . I dunno, that's all a little bit too Doctor Who for me. I've seen this kind of thing before, granted, never on this kind of scale, but there a few old world beings that can flesh craft and this is what junior seems to be doing. No poop, no puke and certainly no saving for later. Its more like he's going to the hardware slash grocery store and stocking up parts as and when he needs them. We just have to find where he's taking them. . we also need to find out exactly what kind of army he's building."

[Maxx]

"That is assuming his gullet isn't an extra-dimensional space," Sebastian said.  "Like the place our wings go when they're inconvenient.  Only internal.  Kind of like a hooker I used to know.  I thought it was all just talent.  Turns out she was from some other plane of existence and was the end orifice of a feeding organ.  It explained a lot of things, including where a few of her johns disappeared to."

[CrowsEye]

The angel nodded in agreement with Sebastian. "I think I know that girl...besides that, we really don't know what exactly he's capable of, or what he's planning." He turned to Halo and got her attention with a quick snap of his fingers, ending with an index pointing towards her. "You said he's been moving a lot, right? And I don't think he's really trying to take his time with this, either. This little fucker is making a move, and he's making it fast. So I can only imagine that he's already got a significant amount of resources on his evil little paws."

Artemis thought for a second, then began to speak again, his hand running through his hair in thought, still looking at Halo. "You're a mage, right? Is there no way that you might be able to do some sort of tracking thing to find him? I mean, I don't know what you've tried so far, I'm just seeing what options we might have is all."

[Maxx]

Sebastian cleaned his throat and stepped out from between Halo and Artemis.  He figured if there was anything that would set the mage at the angel's throat it was likely to be the 'snap and point' to get her attention.  "Want me to get a body bag?" he asked.

[LadyJallyn]

Shaylee entered the building and made her way to the bar. It had been a long day. The city had been an adjustment but the past year she had adapted. It wasn't the same as living in the remote countrysides.

She ordered a vodka cooler and her pale green eyes surveyed the bar.  She came from an eternal race. But her glamor protected her from the eyes of mortals. They say her as a mortal and not who she truly was.  She was one of the Dark Fae. Her glamor hid her pointed ears and dark skin coloring. She was a creature born in the dark. Though she had relatives who were born of light. She had however been cast from the fae realm due to a past indiscretion. The punishment had been banishment cursed to roam the mortal world.

As she drank her sweet drink she noted a group of people gathered around a table in the bar. She did a double take at the fact that their aura's shone with a mystical aura.

She remained silent however and silently observed. it had been over a decade since she had seen anyone that carried even the remotest bit of magic within them. They were not fae but they were most decidedly otherworldly.

[Tinker]

Halo stared at Artemis, her glacial gaze unblinking and she nodded in response to Sebastian's half joking question, "You know, Sunshine. I might be a relative babe in arms compared your timeless and grizzled ass, but don't you think after spewing this creature from the ancient Netherworld from my lady hoo-hoo and watching it attack a fucking God before scurrying off to leave a visceral trail of destruction and pain in his path, that I might, just fucking might have even considered that?"

The grind of her teeth was almost audible as she somehow managed to keep her voice down and her fists clear from Artemis' face, "I have tried every fucking bastard spell, ritual, chant and evocation that I have ever known to track junior and I have turned up squat. I have googled him, fuck I have even scoured Craiglist to find him and nothing."

She jabbed a solitary finger at the angel's chest as her voice lowered to a threatening growl, "So how about you throw out some more fucking ideas, Captain Obvious, rather than tell us how to utilise our own special skill sets?"

The bottle of rum was slammed to the point of being almost entirely drained, Halo's cool eyes still burning with an infernal fury, "And next time you click your fingers to get my attention like I am some sort of fucking dog, I will make sure your genitalia and nose trade places quicker than you can say 'Hail Mary, full of grace.' Anyway. . "

Her composure seemed to return as quickly as it had slipped, "Yes, he's moving fast, but not hastily. He knows what he wants and he going directly for it. He has to be hiding out somewhere, somewhere he can not only build his army, but also keep them, so a studio apartment on the upper east side is entirely out of the question, a place in Queens on the other hand, isn't entirely out of the question."

[Maxx]

"Better place to start looking than, say, Hell's Kitchen,"  Sebastian said.  "Don't let Whitebread get you down, Halo.  I'll give you a backrub after all this is over.  Now is it just me or are dark fae just way too rare to just come wandering in here by sheer chance?  Then again, we are where we are.  If there is a centre of the universe for coincidence, we're standing in it."

[Tinker]

Halo perked up a little in her seat, her neck craning to scan the entirely of the bar to try and get a view of who Sebastian was talking about, "Your sider sense were tingling, eh, Sebastian? And a back rub, if you include aroma therapy candles and wale song in the bargain you might just have a deal."

[Maxx]

"I can't swear to the whale song but I know I can get my hands on the candles,"  the incubus said.  "Would you settle for wolves?  Up against the bar, wearing an illusion to make her look about five nine.  Dark hair.  Nice tan.  Blends in well.  Watch her move though.  It's dead give away if you know what to look for.  Flexible and passionate people, the dark fae.  Just don't nibble on their ears unless you mean it.  You think it's an erogenous spot on a Ferengi?  It zero to two hundred in three point six seconds, even if you're trying to take your time."

[LadyJallyn]

Shaylee could feel the gaze of them on her skin. She watched from the corner of her eye as she drained her drink and asked the bartender for another one and two sugar cubes.

The bartender was happy to comply but raised an eyebrow as she droped teh sugar cubes in after she had taken two sips.

The dark elf picked up the cooler and gently swirled it watching the fizz from the drink and the sugary cubes dissolved into it. She took another sip and sighed it was about the only pleasant thing in the mortal realm. It wasn't mead or blood wine, or the tears of of babes but it did the trick to help take the sting of living in such a dark and bleak world devoid of magic.

She focused behind herself letting her keen ears listen in on the goings on at the table that contained the unusual rabble.

[CrowsEye]

"Okay, look, I'm just saying what you may or may not have done, I'm just seeing what you know, so you don't have to be a cunt about my suggestion. I don't know what you have or have not tried, and dog or not, you're still being a bitch. I'm just making suggestions, all right? Fuck."

Artemis drained his drink and slammed it onto the table with a loud bang, drawing the attention of various bar-goers. "I don't know as much as you do, but I'm just seeing what's been tried, so you don't have to be a cunt about the whole thing, okay? I could easily be doing something else, so be glad I'm trying to help you rather than accelerating the end of the world, all right!?" The angel slapped away Little One's hand and glared at her.

"I'm just trying to help, and I don't know what you've fucking tried or not, so give me a shitting break, all right?" Artemis waved to the bartender and held up his glass, slamming it down once again, accentuating it with a loud "FUCK!"

[Tinker]

Any rage that his words or the swatting of her hand may have cause was instantly replaced as the angel's frustration rose. A smirk danced lazily around Halo's full lips with the last barked obscenity. She reached out and took a sizeable pinch of angel cheek between thumb and forefinger, her lips pulled into a perfect pout as her voice rang out in an even squeaker tone, "Oh aren't you just the most adorable little fallen pumpkin when you get your wings all in a twist, Sunshine? You;ve been far from home for a long time and you're not used to having your nose smacked with a rolled up newspaper by us fleshie types that are utterly beneath your contempt, are you?"

The pout teased into a smile as she continued to pinch his cheek and waggle his face in the way your least favourite auntie would, "And my goodness, if you're not just positively darling now that you are pickled with booze and trying to hold your end with all three of us tearing you a new glory hole."

Halo released his cheek and stroked it with a remarkable tenderness with her knuckles, "You're in Sunshine, not only can you take the verbal assualt, but you also like to get hammered, which grants you the nearest thing to acceptance that I issue and who knows, you keep that fiery temper up in the field and commit a stupid act of bravery, you might just get a glimpse of the interior of my bedroom."

The hand at Artemis' cheek dropped and snatched up the bottle of rum to polish off the contents in one satisfying slurp, "And yes, angel cakes, that means we will fuck."

[CrowsEye]

Artemis snatched away the Little One's hand again, snarling at her and talking quickly. "Alright, you cunt, just because I'm fallen doesn't mean I don't have any self-respect, so don't you fucking DARE think that you can make me feel like any less than I am me." The angel practically growled at this point, and clutched his now full beer mug to the point of breaking. Cracking filled the air for a slight sentence until he began to speak once more, finally letting go of her hand.

"Smack me around all you like, but I still deserve to be at the VERY least respected. A fuck-up or not. If you don't want my help, then I'll go the fuck away, but don't come screaming to me and crying, because I'll be to busy praising the Big Guy when that happens."

[Tinker]

Incredulously the infernal terror of Halo's wrath didn't even peek its nose over the surface, instead her smile grew allowing the fallen to still grasp hold of her wrist without any grievous bodily harm, "Well hot damn, Sunshine. You have a set! Not only that but you just confirmed for a second time as to what you really are, shit, it might just be the booze talking and loosening your tongue but, this whole fire and holy vengeance temper is exactly what I have been baiting you to see. This wrath of the holy is a beautiful force to have on your side and like I said, Sunshine you're already in and I don't work with assholes I have no respect for."


The perfect smile that sat on her full lips never wavered, much like her gaze as she held it fast to Artemis, "Nor is the offer of a fuck just given to any old tom, dick or harry."
 

[CrowsEye]

The angel raised a brow, and didn't move much as he spoke. "I'm not in this for the fuck. Sex with you is just a perk, Little One."

He turned away from Halo and sipped his drink deeply.

[Grimoire]

"Oh damn you've been demoted to perk of the job Halo. Like the benefits package, pay for your own dental, pay for your own health but hot damn you can stick it in what used to be a hell mouth! Careful, there may still be teeth." Andi said as she tried very very hard to keep from bursting out into hysterics. They were all sooooo...Touchy. She'd hate to see how Artemis handled breakfast hall with the Valkyries if Halo got under his skin that easily. She leaned over the table looking at the angel consollingly.
"Respect comes in many forms dear heart, just becasue we respect you doesn't mean we won't bend you over on a regular basis. Fuck lemme tell you how often I get bent over by the other Valkyrie's but you just gotta ram right back...Fuck, that came out wrong didn't it?" The Valkyrie paused her large eyes glancing upwards as she mused how that would seem.  
"Shit I'm starting to sound like you Halo. Next thing you know I'll be talking no clothese pillow fights and the -" She put on a sultry pout and pushed her chest forward batting her eyelashes as the next line came out in a breathy tone. "Interior of my bedroom." The obvious mockery of her inverted counterpart made another brilliant smile crack her face and she laughed inspite of her self, sitting back on her inch of air, putting back a good portion of her pint. She sighed contentedly smiling warmly at Halo petting her cheek with the back of her cool pale fingers.
"Anti virgin indeed." She winked.
She then turned back to Artemis. " The point of the matter is, we razz but we cover and protect eachother when needed. It's a much more effecient brand of respect. Hell it can even be mistaken for liking ya. But please darlin, I have a tape measure, you don't have to go breaking poor Al's cups to prove you're a big boy.  We'll respect you more sans hissy fit.  Besides, your anger just encourages us." She finished her drink noticing Artemis's still dower expression.
"Oh come on, give us a smile Mista Gwumpy Pants. Halo just offered to bone ya, that'd put a grin on whole teams of men. Infact I think it has." She giggled poking the pint sized mage in the ribs.

"BUT! Irrelivant to whether your panties are in a twist. If you can't do it with Magic and the Interwebs fail you, always try the old Fashion way. I could inquire ever so nicely on your behalf to borrow some of Skadi's hounds. I'm sure even if he doesn't leave some sort of trail magic can trace that he leaves a putrid scent of some sort that the pups could pick up on. Sides that they're so darn cute and fluffy."
After offering Andellion flagged down the bar keep holding out a crisp bill, it seemed everything about her was in gleaming order.
"Can you tell the dear young thing at the bar, that her next drink is on me. Thanks." She said nodding towards the shielded Dark Fae that sat, nursing a sweet drink like it was her last hope. 

[Maxx]

"You think I haven't tried that?"  Sebastian asked.  "Trust me, if there is a demonic trick for following somebody, I've tried it.  And did you have to clue the angel in on how the razzing works?  I was going to see how long it took him to find a word to replace 'cunt' since he seems intent on wearing it out single handedly.  Not that he'd be able to in the literal sense.  Halo would break him."

"On the other hand," Sebastian continued, "I'm going to see if we can raise the female percentage on this little universal rescue crew.  It will improve Arty's chance of scoring because I doubt he's got the chops to meet Halo's stated specifications." 

How he moved the distance between where he was and where the dark fae sat was a mystery.  One second he was mocking the pseudo-fallen angel, the other he was standing beside the newcomer.  "The conversation is much more interesting if you're part of it," he said in a voice that was just above a soft whisper.  It slid across her skin like a physical sensation, full of sensual promise.  "Come join us.  I can assure you, we're the most interesting people in the bar."

[LadyJallyn]

The dark Fae had accepted the drink that the Valkyrie had purchased for her. She had ordered a sex on the beach this time. She pounded back her vodka cooler and sipped the sweet beverage when Sebastian wandered up.

With old seeing eyes she gazed on him as he whispered. She could feel the magic in his voice dark and seductive. She let out a little sigh and felt a pang of homesickness as she met his smoldering eyes.

She let go of her glamour just the slightest bit when she whispered her response back her voice was rich and soft like a velvet spun from the darkest fibers of midnight. "You seem like one large happy family. I would hate to interrupt the merry making. Pray tell why would I be of interest to you and your companions?"

[Maxx]

"Of all those present, only you are able to draw my attention," Sebastian said, his eyes half closing at the touch of her voice.  "You might find our conversation of interest, because if will likely lead to excessive bloodletting, some serious violence and perhaps some very kinky sex.  If none of these things pique your interest as a participant, perhaps you might be interested as an observer of events that will go far beyond the point of earth shaking, right up to earth shattering."

[LadyJallyn]

Shaylee cocked her head she ran her fingers over the front of her shirt. Her pale green eyes sparkled at his words. "Your words are tempting. I must admit that your offer is interesting. I've found myself rather bored as of late. If what you say is true dark one, I would come along to see what comes of things."

[Maxx]

Sebastian stroked his fingers across hers.  "Trust me, you will be anything but bored."  He pulled away only slightly, not far enough that it would be out of her reach.  "I am Sebastian.  Join me freely and of your own will and I will show you wonders."  He gave her his second best smile.

[Grimoire]

Andi chuckled to herself as she watched Sebastian speak with the Fae, her finger tips running down the front of his shirt like waterdroplets.
"It would appear, Kaleb dear that we are the odd one's out. Aw well we can always hope for an orgy." She chuckled, when out of the corner of her eye and the edge of her hearing something caught her attention. Her large blue eyes turned to the warm motherly glow of a small box, bolstered near the ceiling and angled so all in the bar may worship her eyeseering beauty. A television. Upon it a woman stood infront of a building just being put out by fire fighters, a notice at the bottom informed her this was Susan Torres - Breaking News, and along the bottom in red ran the words 'Family of Five found Murdered and Mutilated.' she could barely make out the words coming from the woman's lips do to the chatter in the bar.
"Yo, Halo." Andi said commanding the girl's attention and nodding towards the newscast.