Meeting True Evil

A cell door banged.

Victoria struggled awake, sitting up on the floor with a groan. She attempted to wiggle her fingers and cried out in pain. Her hands were stiff and swollen from the chains.

The lock on her cell slid open. She struggled to her feet, her heart slamming in her chest.

Shoving the cell door open Vincent stumbled inside. His hair was loose, the long black locks hanging over his face, which was slicked with sweat from fever.

"Come, halfling. We have a guest."

Scowling she snapped, "Go to hell, Vincent."

Growling he stalked across the cell. Grabbing her roughly by the chains he dragged her towards the door. Victoria bit back a cry of pain as he continued to pull her roughly through the dungeon and up several flights of stairs.

Entering a great room he tossed her to the floor. "As promised."

Shoving the hair out of her eyes with her shoulder Victoria glanced up wide eyed. Standing above her was a demon. His skin was pale, nearly white, and his long hair was jet black, hanging to his waist. Two black horns twisted from the sides of his head and upward.

A fiery demon?

"Yes I see," the demon remarked. His voice was cold, completely devoid of any emotion. Eyes the color of ice flicked over her body and she resisted the urge to shudder. "It seems you haven't been taking good care of her. Gabriel will be displeased."

"She's mine, Ivan," Vincent snarled. "I can do what I want with her."

Ivan! Victoria's eyes went wide. Ivan the Defiler?

"Yes, well that's where you're wrong." Ivan gave him an open look of disdain. "Gabriel will be taking the halfling for himself."

Vincent let out a deep growl. "We had an arrangement. The halfling is mine. Now I want the fucking antidote!"

Ivan chuckled. "Did you truly believe Gabriel would let you take her? Come now, wolf."

Vincent wavered on his feet, clutching at the back of a chair. "We had an agreement. I kept my end of the deal."

"And Gabriel is breaking his." Ivan glanced over Vincent and raised a brow. "Look at you. How the mighty fall. I should just put you down now, dog."

Vincent growled.

"You can't even turn." Ivan held up a hand when Vincent moved towards him menacingly. "No need to attack, I have the antidote. I will give it to you. After I take Victoria to Gabriel."

The wolf stood still, his fists clenched. Victoria could see him visibly shaking with fury. "I'm going to kill you both."

Victoria glanced between the two, unsure what was happening. "What do you want with me?"

Ivan snapped those cold eyes to her. "You speak when spoken too. Talk out of turn again and I will rip your tongue out."

Her eyes widened with fear. Oh god, this man was pure evil.

Smirking Ivan leaned down, clutching her chin. "Did you truly fuck Sebastian in his demonic form?" His hand tightened and she couldn't stop a whimper of pain. Ivan's eyes lighted with pleasure. "I despise that berserker. He ruined everything, destroyed my armies, freed my slaves and sent me on the run. But now I'm going to slaughter him, after I torture him. If Sebastian thought what he suffered before was bad just wait."

Snarling Victoria spat in his face. "I hope he rips you apart!"

His hand connected with her face so fast she never saw it coming, only felt the searing pain as she fell back to the floor.

Ivan laughed. "Maybe I'll torture you a bit too before I hand you over to Gabriel."

"You're not taking her!" Vincent roared.

Ivan glanced at him sideways, with a flick of his wrist blue flame shot towards Vincent. The wolf was too weak to avoid it, taking the hit and skidding across the stone floor.

Ivan laughed again. "Such a fool. Tell me halfling do you know what happens when you make a deal with the Mad One?"

Victoria stared at him.

Raising his brow Ivan turned to her. "You may speak now."

"No," she bit out.

"As a condition you have to take a poison. It won't kill you, provided you take a small dose of it every day. It's how Gabriel controls the Legion and ensures no one breaks a pact with him. Our dog here hasn't had his dose in oh...I'd say...since he lost you at the auction."

"And that's why he can't heal?" she asked cautiously.

Ivan looked at her for a moment and she wondered if he would strike her again. Instead he smirked. "Smart little halfling, aren't you?"

There came an explosion outside. The keep shook. Cocking his head Ivan approached a window. "Well, this is interesting. Time to leave."

He moved towards her. Vincent shot up suddenly, lunging for Ivan and slamming his fist into the demons chest. Ivan flew back. Snarling the demon bared his fangs. "I'm going to rip you limb from limb dog."

Victoria used the distraction, bolting to her feet and running for the door. Ivan was in front of her in a heartbeat. He back handed her, sending her crashing against a wall.

Her vision blurred and she tasted blood in her mouth. She managed to pull herself back to her feet, leaning against a window. Outside she saw a flash of pink.

No way! The witch Chloe shot an explosion of black flames from her palm into a group of fiery demons. Everywhere blue flames and explosions lit up the night sky. Nicholas caught her eye, slicing through demons with a bloody grin on his face.

Nicholas!

One of the demons reached Chloe, his sword lit with blue flames and slashing through the air. Victoria nearly cried out when a demonic Bane snatched the demon by his throat and tore his head off in one smooth move. He gave a deep roar. Then he turned towards Chloe, pressing her against him and kissing her roughly before the two of them joined the fight once more.

They were here! If they were here then...

She was grabbed roughly from behind and spun around. Ivan snarled down at her. "We're leaving."

No! She fought against him.

The heavy keep doors burst open.

Ivan grabbed her by the throat, spinning around as Jasper bolted through the doors followed closely by Charles.

"Jasper, you look well."

Jasper clenched his jaw. "Ivan, you prick."

"Have you missed me?" Ivan asked coldly. He grinned evilly, his eyes flicking to the very clear bite mark on Jasper's neck. "You've been claimed?"

"Let her go."

Ivan laughed, backing up and dragging Victoria with him. "Let me guess, the vampire. Tell me Charles, has Jasper told you of our time together? I have rather fond memories myself. The things I did to him, to his body..." Ivan licked his lips.

Jasper paled.

Charles eyes turned black, his face murderous. "I'll kill you myself, Ivan."

"Get in line vampire-" Ivan never got to finish because Charles phased directly to him, his sword slicing forward. Ivan jumped back and threw her away from him, just avoiding the sharp blade. He unsheathed his own weapon, his horns igniting in blue flames as he turned demonic and fought against the vampire.

Victoria fell to the floor in heap. Jasper ran to her. "Victoria!"

"Jasper..."

More fiery demons ran through the door. Jasper jumped to his feet and turned incorporeal, running to fight them off.

Victoria managed to get back on her feet, her eyes darted around the room trying to find a way to escape the chaos.

Damn these chains!

Ducking just as a blue fireball flew past her head she bolted for a set of stairs. Her hair was snagged roughly from behind. Crying out she was yanked backward.

"Where do you think you're going?" Vincent hissed in her ear. Fuck! She couldn't win.

A demon body flew through the door, crashing in a heap to the floor, followed closely by a bloodied demon wielding a doubled edged sword. He glanced around the room. When his golden eyes saw her he let out a vicious roar.

"Shit!" Vincent pressed a blade against her throat, pulling her against him. "Stay back demon or I'll take her head clean off."

The demon stilled. "Release her, Vincent."

Another fireball exploded beside them, knocking them both off their feet. Ivan let out a bellow of pain as Charles ran him through with his sword. Then he was gone, vanishing into thin air.

Victoria struggled away from Vincent, who groaned in pain. Then the demon was on the wolf, grabbing his throat and slamming his fist into Vincent's face.

"I'll fucking kill you!" the stranger shouted, landing another blow. Vincent went limp beneath him as he struck him again.

"Stop!" Charles ran forward, grabbing at the strangers hand.

"Not until he's dead!" the demon roared, struggling against Charles. Vincent managed to let out a weak laugh, before grabbing the amulet around his neck and vanishing.

The stranger let out a bellow of rage. Then he froze, his back going rigid as he turned to her. "Victoria."

"Get away!" Victoria tried to scramble back but he snatched her to him, clutching her to his chest.

"Victoria," he whispered brokenly.

Victoria shrank away from the stranger unconsciously. "I said stay away!"

He gripped her shoulders gently. "Victoria, it's alright."

Panic ripped through her. She kicked her feet as she struggled to get away from him. "Who are you? What do you want with me!?"

"Victoria, look at me." The stranger grabbed either side of her face, forcing her gaze to meet his. "It's me. Look at me little female."

Victoria stiffened, staring up at him in shock. It couldn't be... "Sebastian?" she whispered, tears gathering in her eyes.

"Yes, little one." His voice was still deep and rough, tinged with his accent that she had grown so familiar with.

"Master, this isn't over, more demons are coming!" Jasper shouted.

******

Damn it! He needed to get Victoria out of here. Sebastian grabbed his amulet intending to teleport them back to the castle but it didn't work. Snarling he stared down at her chains. They were enchanted and wouldn't let him teleport her.

Shit! He needed the witch.

"Jasper, these chains are enchanted. I need Chloe!"

"Right!" Jasper nodded before he and Charles both phased away to the witch.

"Sebastian," Victoria clutched at him. "Sebastian, I..."

"It's okay little one. I'm going to get you out of here."

Another wave of demons burst through the doors, their blades ignited with blue flames. Sebastian jumped to his feet, standing protectively in font of Victoria. "I am your king. Stand down!"

"You are not our king. Not anymore," one of the demons spat. "We serve the Legion now."

"You can still go back. You can join me."

"We'd rather kill you, Demon King. You abandoned us!" the demon yelled. "And your weak. In your condition you won't stand a chance."

The demons advanced. Shit, they were fully demonic and he was already fatigued and wounded from fighting his way into the keep.

Have to protect Victoria.

Sebastian met them, their swords clashing as he dodged attacks and flames. He managed to slay two before one landed a hard blow, knocking him off balance. A sword sliced down his back, burning as it cut. Another cut across his chest. He stumbled back, gripping at the bloody wound.

"Sebastian!" Victoria screamed.

The demon within slammed at the cage, demanding he turn and protect what was his. He eyed the demons before him, assessing. They were strong experienced warriors. If he fought them like this there was a strong chance he wouldn't survive.

He needed to save Victoria and there was only one way he could do it. He would have to embrace what he had spent all his life fighting to cage away.

Grinning he threw down his sword and let the demon rage free.