Fire & Ice Ch. 09

Demetrius sat down on a chair in the public park near his office, he couldn't go up there yet. His inner demon snarled at him, a raging beast that wanted to rend and maim, logically he knew that this was truly the only way Ryan would be safe. But the sharp, harsh feeling of possessiveness had taken over him, he clenched his fists as pictures of Ryan and Katherine tangled up together flashed through his mind. It made him angrier and it wasn't what he needed right now.

He knew that this needed to happen or he would have to kill his friend, there was no way he was allowing Jasrahel to win. He knew what his plan would be, to use Ryan as his window and possess him and then use Ryan to kill him, he would thwart that plan. He just had to get his demon to calm down, this would be rough but he would do it for his friend. It also had the side effect of further increasing his power as each demon sired increased the sire's strength.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and searched for his demon, the heavily muscled midnight red hulk snarled at him as he built up his strength of will and forced it against a wall. It howled furiously and tried to swipe out at the force field with its claws, he held firm as he pushed the demon back inside its containment cell. The one he had taken a century to perfect, with recent changes he knew he needed to make it far stronger, but that would take a long time.

He needed perfect focus to re-enforce the shimmering blue-green walls of its prison, he opened his eyes and got up off the chair. Now it was time to deal with what will be a life changing event for Ryan, he just hoped that he could get Ryan to trust him and not the voice whispering to him in his head.

Once he reached his office, he knew he was still throwing off don't screw with me vibes because he noticed that no-one as much looked at him. But he knew that this could be accepted because of what was about to happen, the smackdown with the board members. He expected to find at least one other conspirator amongst them it had always been too suspicious that they didn't seem to pay much attention.

Once he collected all of his papers into a folder, he opened the door and strode out. When he passed Ryan's office he could feel the dark vibes present in there, this time they were all one flavour. He didn't know how Jasrahel had thought that he could get away with this undetected, even now he could feel the strength of the building corruption. Once he reached the board room, he pushed opened the doors and stepped inside to see Ryan sitting near the head of the table.

Ryan looked up at him, a dark fire burning in his eyes. The color reminded him of burnished copper, similar to the color of the dress shirt he was wearing. He only hoped it wasn't too late to turn this around, he knew they had one chance at this he had to convince Ryan that he wasn't the one he should be looking at.

Demetrius took his seat and dropped the folder on the table, he looked at Ryan and said, "Let's see how many toads we can catch with this," the energy burned against him, it felt familiar it reminded him of when he first met Jasrahel. The burn running over his skin, but he could be mistaken because when he met Jasrahel he was dying and he was cold.

"A few at least, they won't be able to hold it together against us. We can clean house after this and make sure it won't happen again," said Ryan. Danger seemed to flood off his words, Demetrius grinned. The power behind his voice would be enough to get them trembling but that mixed with his own enhancements should be enough to pin point the traitors.

Once the boardroom had filled up, Demetrius stood. His nerves were on edge from sitting next to Ryan the aura coming from him was very similar to Jasrahel. He had to push his time table forward, he was going to do it once they had finished for the day. But he didn't know if he actually had that long, he had to take control of the situation once he had finished with the board meeting and weeded out the traitors he would deal with this situation.

He looked around with a predatory gaze watching everyone closely, some of them shuffled in their seats. He could feel the tension in the air, he knew they were all wondering what was going to happen. "As you all know, Mr. Daniel Clarke was fired for insider trading and a criminal investigation will be launched into his actions. If anyone knows about illicit trading, anyone who could possibly be traitorous, now is the time to speak up. Once you leave this room and you knowingly withheld information then the retribution will be harsh. I will not suffer to have traitors working to deliberately undermine all that we have worked for."

Demetrius could feel the burn of Ryan watching him, he knew this had everything to do with Jasrahel whispering to him. Pushing his corruptive influence on him, he had to set him straight afterwards. He could see some of the board sweating, he knew some could be caused by the overall tension in the room, but he knew the truth of it some of it was a direct result of guilt and the threat that their secret will finally come out. He decided to sweeten the deal, he knew gave an incentive, if anyone did know information they'd be more likely to forward it if they got something in return.

"As an added incentive, I'm willing to... overlook your transgression for not reporting the suspicious activity if you let me know what you've seen or heard. It only extends to this meeting, you would also have a good chance of being assigned to the more important cases," he almost smirked as he looked at the change in posture of some of the board. He knew someone would soon speak out, he looked to Ryan who was carefully observing everything that was going on.

Demetrius looked around the silent room, just as he was about to question them again, one sat forward in his chair and looked across the table. "I was going to inform you of the situation at the end of the next board meeting in private to avoid anyone making a public scene. But considering one has already been busted, now is as good a time as any to let it be known that I overheard Clarke have a good discussion with Joseph over there about what he had planned to do forged documents to try and frame you as a thief."

Demetrius smirked, it was who he expected it to be, in past meetings along with Ryan he was one of two others who seemed to pay attention to every detail. Robert was an oily, vicious snake and he very well could have been involved in this plot as well as he was jealous when Ryan got promoted over him. He would have the chance now to allow him to sink or to prove his worth to the company, it didn't particularly surprise him that Joseph Butler had been involved in this scheme.

He was a follower and never had much potential to be a real leader, "What do you have to say for yourself Joseph?"

Joseph appeared to have melted into his seat, he could pull back the aggressive aura his demon was projecting but he wasn't feeling very merciful right then. It probably wouldn't have worked anyway not with the building firestorm burning behind him, when Joseph had been outed he had felt the aggression from Ryan flare up hotter.

"He's trying to set me up, that's what I have to say. He was at that same meeting, but there was no discussion of fake documents. I had thought they were real, I thought that those papers were what was really going on."

He thought it could be the truth, but the incredible naivety to believe everything that Clarke had told him he didn't think that would be true if he was honest with himself. "So why are you only now bringing this up, you've had plenty of time before this meeting to discuss any kind of concern, you also didn't even have to talk to either me or Ryan you could have asked anyone else here what they thought. That was your biggest mistake blindly believing what you've been told, Clarke wanted to take over and it was likely he would have fired you and most everyone else. I'm going to suspend you until more investigation is done on the matter. And Robert you can have your pick of any assignment in the future just let me know which one you would like."

Demetrius smirked again as he noticed Ryan staring at Joseph, a hot glare cutting through him. Before he had an accident in the board room he broke the standoff, "If anyone else would speak up, now would the time to do it."

He watched as everyone stared at each other, he saw Emily scowling at Robert. He wouldn't say it now, but Emily almost became VP. She was going to be his candidate for the VP position when he handed the top job to Ryan when he left but now things were different, he didn't know if he could get her to stay if she wasn't going to be afforded any promotion opportunities for the near future. "I'm sure the rest of you have a lot of work to be doing today, so get on with it. The secretary will be contacting you Joseph about what will be happening.

He watched as they got out of their seats and left the room, the tension and the stress from Joseph fed his demon and especially with the increasing violent force of Ryan's aura had made it anxious and harder than usual to keep contained.

Once the door shut behind the last of them he sat down in the chair across from Ryan and said, "I hope that is the end of that. What do you think if Joseph?"

"I think he's trying to slime his way out of trouble, even if he didn't know all the facts the way it appears to have been handled should have been extra suspicious. So what are we to do with Robert?"

Ryan's eyes had flared again, he knew it wouldn't be long before the corruption progressed enough to allow for possession. "I'm not going to allow him to get away with it, he's a slippery snake and we can't let him get away. For all we know he could have been the mastermind and not Clarke. I'll let him take an important job and I'll have arrangements made with the investor, he's days here are numbered. So do you have any suggestions on who might be suitable replacements?"

Ryan smirked, "I do in fact, recently I got in contact with one of my old buddies from college and he's looking to move up here and will need a solid job. He was one of the best consultants for his investment firm in Los Angeles but he told me he's sick of that place and wants to move here to New York."

"Sounds promising, there is something of critical importance I need to trust you with Ryan. Come to my office once you're ready," he said as he got up from his chair. He knew that Ryan wouldn't be able to resist, the whispers would likely already be trying to tell him what it would be.

"Ok, I'll be in there soon. I'll call my friend and find out when he's moving here."

Demetrius grinned, he wouldn't allow Jasrahel to win this fight, he knew something like this was bound to happen sooner or later. He just didn't expect him to take as long as he had to respond to his desertion, not many demons abandoned their sires. He had hated the grasping squeeze of control, he would ensure that Ryan stayed free of that shit.

He entered his office and closed the blinds before shutting the door, he took off his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt. He didn't want his demon form to rip his clothes, he sat back in the chair and waited for Ryan to come to his office, soon enough he felt the raging firestorm of energy approaching. He was doing the right thing by telling him now and not waiting until the end of the day.

He called out to Ryan once he knocked on the door, he stepped in and shut the door. "Lock the door Ryan, we have something of critical importance to discuss," he just hoped that the Watchers weren't going to smite him for what was about to happen considering Ryan was still technically human.

Once the door locked he got up out of his chair and slipped off his shirt and hung it over his desk along with his jacket. He leaned against the desk and said, "I know what's been happening Ryan, the voices in your head, whispering to you. Making you doubt everything you believe, well so I can get you to trust me on this I have to show you who I really am. Don't listen to the foul voice in your head, it's nothing but my sire Jasrahel. Once he uses your body to kill me, he will drag your soul back with him as his possession and will destroy your mortal body. He'll make you one of his demonic slaves, he's likely attracted to you because of your strong will."

Tension tightened Ryan's body as the aura grew noticeably stronger, Demetrius grinned Jasrahel wasn't happy he was trying to push through. "Don't give him any permission and you're safe from him, just an irritating voice." Demetrius closed his eyes as he brought up the shimmering wall, he unsealed the door and allowed the demon to come barrelling out.

He felt his belt and pants tighten around his waist as his hips grew, coolness wisped around the bottom of his legs as he grew taller. He opened his eyes and looked at Ryan who stared, not shocked as he had expected but in admiration. He looked down at his arms the almost black muscles bulging to ensure the transformation was complete. "This is my demonic half, I would think that Jasrahel didn't think I would show you this, that he could continue to manipulate you until he made you unconsciously give him permission to possess your body." His voice was much deeper and powerful in his demon form but it still got the message across.

"Fuck, Demetrius I don't know what to do about it. Those voices are getting angrier," said Ryan.

"Don't worry about it, just ignore them for now, I already have planned for it. He can't hurt you if you don't listen to him. And its Katherine, Ms Valencia, she's a powerful witch and she's getting the spell drawn up that will help you," Demetrius looked down at his watch and said, "A few more hours and I will take you back to my apartment and we can get this done. Just hold on until then."

"Of course, I can do that no problem," said Ryan as he turned to leave the room.

"I'll come by your office when it's time to leave," said Demetrius.

Ryan nodded and unlocked and opened the door then left pulling the door shut behind him. Demetrius breathed out a sigh of relief, he felt he had effectively contained that situation, he pushed the demon back into its cage and groaned as the tightness around his waist released. He hadn't transformed with his clothes on in a long time, he had forgotten how uncomfortable it was.

***

Anxious tension burned through Katherine's body as she took a breath to calm her nerves as she carefully completed the arcane markings on her skin. She looked in the mirror she had moved into the living area so she could see if she had correctly drawn all of the arcane runes on her skin correctly. If they hadn't been she could end up either killing herself, or killing Ryan as the runes needed to be correctly aligned or the power transfer would be unbalanced.

Then she looked down at the circle she had drawn on the floor with a grin, she wondered if Demetrius would be pissed with the mess she had made, the enclosed rune marking warded against demonic interference. With Demetrius bolstering her strength she didn't believe that Jasrahel would be able to intrude once the power transfer lit up like a beacon attracting all kinds of nasties. It was something else she had to get right or it wasn't just Demetrius' sire they would have to worry about.

Her nerves were starting to become more restless as she finished the rune marking on the floor, thankful it had been wood or it would have been much harder to prepare, she had been busy all day preparing but soon she would conduct the most powerful spell she had ever done. There was a lot at stake here, but she couldn't fail, she had closed off the emotional link to Demetrius as much as she could stand as the conflicting emotions of jealously and anxiety made her own anxiety worse.

She sat down in the middle of the ward and took out the other two containers of ink, she put the amber ink down on the floor next to her and inspected the second container, she understood the silvery blue ink on her skin as it was very similar to her soul colour and the amber ink was Demetrius'. The ink container contained burnished copper, it had to be Ryan's she didn't know how she did know but she was grasped by a compulsion to pick it up when she was deciding on what colour it needed to be.

Now it was time to release the control she had on the connection, at least until it was time to prepare Ryan for the ritual. She took a deep breath as the emotions slammed into her, frustration, anxiety, jealously and burning urge to possess. She still had to remind herself that things happened a lot more quickly in the magical realms, the moment the emotion flowing towards her got stronger she knew he was coming. Tingles washed over her at the thought of what would soon be happening, she craved her demon's touch.

It would be rough and fierce, she expected there to be more once they had finished the ritual, the feelings of jealously must be because she had to touch Ryan and be with him. She grinned it would be a good way to bait him, for Demetrius to give her everything afterwards. She wanted to possess him just as much as he wanted her, his core of inner strength was attractive to her. But her more human part wanted to actually get to know him, but she knew that wasn't actually possible.

Not at least until this drama had been settled, then she would demand that he spend time with her so she could get to know the real man. She had been so caught up in her own thoughts she hadn't felt Demetrius come up until the door unlocked. She looked up then stood in her nudity, the arcane glyphs shimmering as Demetrius walked in the door with Ryan following behind.

She hadn't really noticed Ryan the last time she saw him as she was paying more attention to Demetrius, but now with the corruption burning through him she noticed him. He had hair similar to Demetrius' short black hair that he wore close to his head. His dark green eyes caught her as he looked at her, heat beginning to shimmer from him as they glinted like green amethysts. Tension radiated from both men as they took in the sight of her naked body.

She noticed that the colour of Ryan's shirt was the same burnished copper she had in the ink container, she needed to get this done while she could. She was already starting to burn up from the need, she turned around and picked the ink up from the floor. She closed her eyes and settled on pushing down on the emotional link, the thunderstorm she could feel building would only hamper her efforts to get everything right.

She turned back and moved over to Ryan, it appeared the corruption had only brought out and sharpened his inner qualities. She knew just from the burning touch of his aura that he could be ruthless to get things done. Now would be a test for Demetrius, she looked at him his eyes had started to glow as heat shimmered from him. She shuddered as a bolt of lust rushed through her, she wanted him as well but she would do his markings second so she could re-assure him.

She turned back to Ryan and unbuttoned his coat and slid it off his shoulders that she hadn't realized were quite as broad as they were. She unknotted his tie and slipped it out from his shirt and began to unbutton his shirt, she cursed to herself as her fingers shook. The possessive and jealous emotions from Demetrius crowding her, he was a dark, angry thunderstorm barely restrained. She had to do this as quickly as she could while remaining precise, the real challenge would be when she needed to begin drawing the runes on his skin.

As she unbuttoned his shirt, she revealed more taut, muscled flesh a golden brown color, while not the dark mediterranean colour of Demetrius. Her mouth watered at the sight of his flat muscled chest. While not as defined as Demetrius, she still couldn't wait to feel his abs brushing against her and the fine dusting of black hair on his chest rubbing against her. She almost groaned as another bolt of lust rushed through her, she finished unbuttoning his shirt and pulled it from his pants then unclipped his cufflinks and slid the shirt off his shoulders.