Gravedancer

She reached the bed sooner than expected, her mindless fear neutralizing her ability to tell time or distance. She stared at the black bedding, her eyes wandering round its delicate red filigree stitching. Her lip trembled. What she would give to burn that blanket so that creature couldn't have his fun. Or what she would sacrifice to feel Darrow's warm hands on her skin again...

Icy hands rested on her hips, wringing her out of her trance. Hot breath slid down her back as soft lips pressed against the nape of her neck.

"Think of the fun we could have in this bed," he whispered.

She shivered again, helpless to stop. Despite her mind's rebellions, her body still reacted to his touch, still wanted his caress.

He nuzzled her neck. "I can imagine you in a thousand different positions. And that's just the start."

"I thought you needed to kill me," she managed to whisper. "That you needed me gone because I could understand you."

His hands slid to her breasts again, squeezing them until she gasped and twitched against his grip.

He laughed in her ear. "No, my dear, sweet Claire. I don't want you dead. I don't even want you gone from here. I need you here with me. You do understand me, and that's what makes you all them more incredible. You and I Claire... think of what we could do together. We could rule here, command this place and its people absolutely."

Rule Hell? Command Thaltos? No, she couldn't. It broke her heart to think about having that kind of influence over those she cared for. She wanted her demons as lovers, nothing less.

She shook her head. "I couldn't. I couldn't do that to them."

His hands rubbed her breasts more vigorously. "Oh, come on, girl. I know you could. You've got all the power and strength you need to run this show with me. A little push in the right direction, a little time on the throne...a little less clothing and you and I could have these demons eating out of our hands."

Strength and power she may have, but not the black heart to do it.

"No. I won't. I refuse to harm them in any way."

She heard his growl, felt his hands move lightening-fats down to her hips. He spun her around and shoved her onto the bed, glaring down at her with frustrated lust. His lips twitched up in a wicked smile.

"I suppose I'll have to break that out of you as well."

Threads of silver slid out from under the bed, looping around her wrists and ankles and slowly pulling her back. They twisted around the corner posts of the bed, spreading her body wide and holding her in place. The vision of her being trussed up in the exact same position flashed through her mind, making her whimper and struggle against her bonds.

He reached down and curled his fingers around the handle of the whip, his silver eyes never leaving hers. He straightened, still smiling down at her, running the whip through the palm of his hand.

"Oh, Claire," he purred. "I could leave you like this for the rest of eternity."

She turned away, refusing to look at him. She didn't mind being exposed like this to Darrow or any of her lovers -- she liked it when they ogled her. But being pulled open for the amusement of this new mist creature was beyond humiliating.

The soft leather of the whip brushed against her cheek. She felt the pressure against her skin as her head was forcefully turned back. Pools of liquid silver stared into her own soft grey eyes. A warm smile played on his lips.

"Don't be like this." His voice was rich, dark, almost hypnotic.

She chewed her lip, fighting her desire to lose herself in those eyes.

"Come on, Claire. Don't be a spoilsport. Have a little fun." His smile widened an inch.

A near carbon copy of her vision in the hallway, the cool leather strands of the whip slid down her body, tickling her belly along their descent. The handle of the whip pressed against her sex, making her squirm and fight her restraints again. She tensed her body, preparing for his assault and numbing her senses to the touch.

"I could, you know." His smile never faltered. "Break you again. It would be easier this time, slower, more enjoyable for the both of us."

He pressed the handle harder against her sex, drawing out a soft whimper from her throat.

"You'd love it this time. I could teach you things you never knew were possible. Show you things you never knew existed." He drew the whip up an inch, making her twitch at the small burst of pleasure. "Make you felt things you've never felt before."

Recovering form the tiny spark of bliss, Claire regained her equilibrium and shook her head.

His smile faded. "Why so argumentative?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, but clamped her mouth shut. Her anger and fear had her itching for a fight, but her sense of reason had won out. If she stayed quite, she might make it out unharmed.

He frowned, his silver eyes narrowing to match her. "Fine, then. If you're going to play hardball, I'll play, too."

He straightened, pulling back on the whip as he did so. The entire length of the leather braid slid against her sex, sending bolts of lightening racing up her spine. She inhaled sharply, closing her eyes to concentrate on regaining control. The tip of the leather smacked against her clit, propelling a flurry of sparks through her veins.

"You're prepared to play this game?" He stroked the whip with his fingers, gazing down at her impassively.

Still shaken by the burst of pleasure flowing through her, Claire managed to keep her mouth shut. She opened her eyes to stare at him. She swallowed, mentally preparing herself for the barrage that was to come.

He sighed, the same soft smile playing on his lips once more. "Very well. You've asked for it, remember that." He drew the whip down her body again, pressing the handle against her sex a second time. "I'll break open that luscious mouth of yours. By the time we're through, I'll have you screaming for more."

He raised the whip again, dragging the length of the leather harder against her body. She cried out this time, the small flames of desire that had festered in her belly now blossoming. The tip of the leather brushed against her clit again, making her tense against her restraints.

"I can do this all day." He replaced the whip quickly between her thighs again. "Though I'm not sure you can."

He pulled back again, repeating the same delicious torture that she'd tried so hard to avoid.

"Do it, Claire," he hissed through gritted teeth. "Beg for it."
Another burst of pleasure flooded her senses. She managed to shake her head, her heart barely winning the fight over her body.

He growled low in his throat. "Fine then. We'll play hard."

He pulled the whip away, allowing her body several precious seconds of rest. Her relief was only temporary, though. A mirror of her vision, she watched a thin strand of silver slide up onto the bed and wriggled under her leg. Its cool, slick skin made goosebumps rise on her flesh. The tip pressed slid between the cheeks of her ass, barely pressing the tight puckered hole.

Her heart nearly stopped.

The man sat down on her bed beside her, running his cool fingertips along her belly. "Oh, yes. You remember this, don't you?"

She stared at the slender thread of sliver, barely able to breathe. Oh, she remembered this part of his plan, alright. It was the part she'd feared the most.

His fingers continued to stroke the tender flesh of her belly. "It doesn't have to happen if you'd just be a good girl," he crooned. "If you'd just relax a bit and do as you're told, we could avoid this part all together."

A good girl? She'd always been a good girl. She cared for others, helped those less fortunate...hell, she'd even managed to fall in love with three demons no one else could possibly care for. But this idea of a 'good girl' was a corrupted one. A darker, sinister version of who she was. It was an idea of a person she simply couldn't be. She shook her head, still keeping her mouth closed.

The man inhaled slowly, closing his eyes to gather himself. "You're stubborn, alright. Almost as stubborn as that damn demon king." His smile returned. "But don't you worry about him. That kiss he stole from you doesn't mean anything to us."

Her stomach barely twitched at his words. Of course he knew bout Lucifer's forced kiss. There wasn't much that damned mist didn't know. She continued to stare impassively at him, waiting for his next move.

"You're forcing me into a very comfortable position, Claire," he warned. "This isn't something I'm uneasy about or uneducated in. I'm very proficient in making people do what I want. You're just a bit more bullheaded than I'm used to."

The thread of silver pushed harder against her anus, making her squirm again. The memory of her time with Darrow and Silthos, when she'd so stupidly tried to show how brave she was, flashed through her mind. Her resilience hardened at the thought. No, that area was for her lovers alone. Not some self-absorbed mist-man with a hyperactive God complex. No, she would never let him get that far.

"You're just a bit more of an asshole than I'm used to," she spat.

His eyes widened, as did his grin. "There we go! That's my girl!"

His elation stunned her for an instant. He should be furious with her attitude. After all, she was being as defiant as possible. He should be torturing her more, trying to break her with ever ounce of power he-

A ripple in the shadow door caught her eye. Still glaring her captor, she watched in her peripheral vision as more ripples emanated from the dark pool that covered the slick wall of her room. Two onyx horns speared through the surface, followed by black eyes and a mass of brick-red skin.

Darrow.

Her heart swelled with joy and relief. He hadn't abandoned her at all. None of them had. His dark eyes caught her own, a mixture of shock, anger and concentration swirling in their black depths. She managed to hold back her smile; showing anything other than anger now would alert her captor to their new guest.

As he stepped silently through the pool of shadow, Claire glimpsed a long, slender dagger gripped in his hand. The handle was made of carved silver metal encrusted with red and black jeweled. The blade was at least eight inches long and made of elaborately carved ivory-colored material. Bone, no doubt. Darrow's hand tightened on the handle, his jaw tightening in concentration.

Distract him.

The thought flashed through her mind before she had a chance to comprehend it. But her instincts were right. The more her unwelcome partner focused on her, the less he knew about Darrow.

"I'm going to have so much fun breaking you, Claire," the man whispered, catching her attention again.

She plastered a sarcastic smile on her lips. "I don't think so."

His brows rose an inch. "Oh? What makes you so sure?"

She scoffed. "All you've given me is pleasure and a tiny but of discomfort." She motioned to the silver thread probing the border of her anus. "You've haven't done any real damage. You haven't proven yourself to be the all-powerful, malicious being you claim to be."

His smiled faltered a bit, a spark of anger glowing in his eyes. Her courage started to swell inside her and she continued to goad him.

"I wonder if you're even able to fuck. You've never shown me any evidence that you could. All you've ever been able to prove is that you're good with messing with people. You've never given me any reason to think you could actually pleasure anyone but yourself."

The back of his hand collided with her cheek, whipping her head to the side and sending a bolt of searing pain across her face. She whimpered and closed her eyes, biting her lip against the pain. Tears stung her eyes, but she managed to fore them down. She was barely able to keep her emotions in check, but she wondered about how that smack had affected the rest of the room's occupants.

Darrow must have nearly lost his mind.

"Damned bitch," he hissed, rising from the bed. He gripped the whip in his hands again, glaring at her with absolute hatred. "You want proof of my malice, do you? Fine then. I'll give you proof." He raised his hand, aiming the whip straight at her belly.

He cried out in pain before he even had a chance to focus his strength. Darrow had stepped up behind him, looping his arm around his opponent's waist and pulling him backwards. The tip of the bone dagger pierced through the flesh of his shoulder, sending a fine spray of liquid emerald into the air. The mist roared with rage, dropping the whip and clawing at Darrow's thick forearm.

Her lover managed to keep the upper hand, though, and kept him close despite the deep wounds in his arm.

"I have him," he roared. "Get Claire!"

Silthos and Thaltos burst into the room, both heading straight for her. Thaltos diverged at the last minute, turning to held Darrow control her captor. Silthos' focus remained on her. He knelt on the bed, clawing away the stands of silver that bound her. He brushed away the thread that rested against her anus. Slipping his hands beneath her back, he hauled her into his arms and scrambled off the bed, darting to the nearest corner and cradling her against his chest.

"You okay?" he whispered, his eyes wide with concern.

She nodded vigorously. "A little shaken, but I'm fine."

A torrent of shouting caught her attention again. She turned to see Darrow and Thaltos wrestling their opponent to the ground. The mist still struggled ferociously, but the weight of two demons plus his wounded shoulder made breaking away impossible. Darrow planted a giant hand on the back on his adversary's head, forcing his beautiful face into the hard rock of the floor. He and Thaltos pulled back a bit, breathing heavily but satisfied that they'd won the fight.

"Where'd you get the knife?" she asked.

Thaltos wiped a smear of blood from his lip. "It's a fireblade. Probably the only thing down here that could harm this pile of shit. Silthos managed to swipe it from Lucifer while we were outside."

She looked back at Silthos. "You stole something from Lucifer?"

He shrugged, offering a slight smile. "It was the only chance we had of getting you out of here. I think the old man will get over it soon enough. It's not like it was his archangel's blade."

She smiled back and kissed him. "Crafty little hellion, aren't you?"

His smile widened an inch. "Only for you."
"Is it under control?" Kerion's voice resonated around the room.

The old spider crawled through the shadows, making his way quickly over to Thaltos and Darrow.

"He's down for now. But we can't hold him for long," Thaltos stood and welcomed Kerion warmly.

"I can handle keeping it controlled for now. How is Claire?"

"A bit traumatized, but I think she'll be alright." He offered her a soft smile. "Where's Lucifer. I thought he was with you."

"He went to gather the Counsil. After a stunt like this, I'll be surprised if they don't chain this despicable thing up for eternity."

"Good. Will you be able to keep him down for a bit while we help Claire?"
Kerion nodded. "I'll handle it. Darrow, hold him still."

The old spider crawled towards Darrow, reaching back with one of his long legs to grasp a strand of silk from his underbelly. Darrow lifted the mist's head from the floor, letting Kerion loop the strand of silk around his head. Bit by bit, they worked together to wrap the offending creature in a layer of sticky silk.

Thaltos made his way over to Claire and Silthos, kneeling down on the floor beside her. He reached out with warm hands, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs.

"Are you sure you're okay?" His grey eyes were worried.

She smiled and nodded. "I'll recover."

"I will say - not that I ever doubted you, my dear -- but nice job keeping your mouth shut when I came in," Darrow shouted to her.

She smiled over her shoulder at him and blew a kiss. His eyes lit up with his smile, and he mimed catching her kiss in his hand. Kerion had reached the mist's torso now, slowly wrapping its human body in endless stands of silk. It still twitched in rebellion, but not nearly enough to break free. Only its silver eyes peered out from the layers of silk, glaring at her.

"What do you think will happen to it?" She stared at the wriggling body.

"That's a difficult question," Silthos answered. "It was born from the emotions of the damned souls, so there's no way to kill or destroy it. I suppose they'll lock it up somewhere in the Fire Pits where it can't escape."

The hatred in those eyes made her stomach turn. "You're sure we'll be safe with it down there?"

"We'll be fine. It'll have to escape the Fire Pits before it can come after us. Besides, Kerion's silk will hold for a few millennia." Silthos kissed her neck.

She nodded. "What about Lucifer?"

"Well," Thaltos started. "I don't think he appreciated that bite you gave him. But he'll have to learn his boundaries one way or another. I think he's still upset, but he won't come after you for it. He'll probably take his frustrations out by hurling a few damned souls into the worms of the Gluttony circle."

"Oh." Her stomach turned another inch. Those poor people. She should have never bitten him.

"Don't worry about them, Claire. They're all asshole down there. With the exception of your parents and everyone else who made a stupid deal, they're not worth saving." Thaltos kissed her hand.

She watched as Kerion finished wrapping the mist's form. Those silver eyes still pierced her through the webbing, but she felt safer now, more secure. It couldn't hurt her anymore, couldn't chase her anymore. She was safe from any of its evil charms or wicked deceptions. She could have her demons now and be as safe and loved as she'd ever been.

"He's good now, Darrow. You can let go."

Darrow nodded, stepping back from the mound of silk. The mist had stilled now, obviously understanding that wasting its energy on struggling wasn't gong to get it anywhere. But Claire knew in her heart it hadn't given up. There was still some fight left in that sack of fog. Something dark and sinister still brewed beneath the surface. It might take years to break loose, but when it did, there'd be hell to pay.

"Don't worry. I'll take him to the Capitoris." Kerion hauled the limp sack of web onto his enormous abdomen. "It'll be dealt with there."

"You'll be alright, Kerion?" she asked.

The old spider nodded, his eyes lighting up with an unseen smile. "I'll have a few guards with me. I'll be fine, Claire, I promise."

She nodded and watched as he turned and dissolved through the shadows, the bundle of mist still resting on his back. Darrow made his way over to join them, kneeling down opposite Thaltos and running his hand through her hair.

"I'm very proud of you," he whispered as he kissed her neck. "We all are."

"Yes, I'm sure we're all very happy and proud of the little human girl." Lucifer's voice resonated from beyond the shadow door.

Oh no.

The dark former angel stepped through the wall of darkness, his bright gold eyes finding her instantly. A tight smile crossed his lips, making her squirm under his gaze. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest.

Thaltos, Darrow and Silthos shot up, from the floor, inadvertently dragging Claire along. They stood at attention, staring at the demon king and awaiting orders. Claire stood awkwardly in front of them, her stare filled with more fear than militaristic readiness.

"I'm sure we're all very excited and relieved to know miss Harding is safe and sound." His voice, while tinged with malice, was just as smooth and seductive as always. "And I'm sure we're all very happy to know that tat damned lump of fog has been taken care of."

"Sir?" Thaltos initiated the talk.

"The Counsil and I have had a talk about the recent events. After many shouting matches and one particularly long silent treatment, we've managed to come to some conclusions."