Zeke tossed and turned on the couch restlessly. It had been days since a red Rift appeared. Moon and Sunny believed they had found a way to deal with their aggression each other, without fighting. Wood clashed in backyard with the two of them sparing. Zeke wanted nothing to do but cook and enjoy some TV. However the kitchen had been occupied by Eliza and Adrianna teaching Raven how to cook, after the great cereal debate. The TV's were in use by both Han and Skye recording every instance of which romantic love interest won. Weaver had gone to get his arm to healed, sending hourly reports of the red Rift status. Zeke sat up on his couch looking at the time. 6:27am. "HA! I'm up one!" Moon declared. "You really should have stayed in school, because you can't count. We're even!" "Oh, showing you're age already with that dementia." The two entered in combat again, with Sunny using two wooden batons and Moon using a longer kendo stick. Zeke groaned walking out of the house and sitting on the curb in t-shirt and shorts. He slumped onto his knuckles.
"Find me." Samael's voice whispered into his ear. Zeke leapt up onto his feet, summoning Shadow and his suit. He scanned the area feeling a presence watching him. "I know you're watching me. I can feel it." Zeke felt the sensation of being watched disappear. Adrianna appeared behind him. Zeke spun around slashing the air. She ducked the attack and snickered at him. "You're one of the few people able to sense my presence that well." She stopped noticing his tense expression. "Something wrong?" "How much do we know about Samael? The one who gave me this?" He asked raising his Mark. "Not much. We just know that he is powerful, and he has no army. We don't even know what he looks like or what he can do." Zeke lowered Shadow but kept it tight in his hand. "Zeke, are you okay?" "I'm fine. I just...I just need some rest." He walked off banishing his suit and Shadow. Adrianna returned inside with a concerned expression.
Zeke sat in a quiet secluded place staring at his phone. He flipped through pictures of both Moon and Sunny. His phone rang with a picture of Weaver in his calendar shot. Zeke groaned wincing away and frowning. "Damn it Han! Eugh..." Zeke slid his finger over Weaver's thong to answer the call. "Red Rift opened?" "Yes. Gather your things. I'll alert the others." Zeke returned home to four luxurious sports cars in front of his house. Weaver stood outside with his arm still in a sling. "Get in the destination is a few hours from here." "Uhhh, why the sports cars?" "Who cares! Look at how hot they are! Can Zeke have one? It would totally be his present." "Han, we don't need a uhhh-" "Dude! These are Hennessey Venom F5's! Look at how sexy they are. Capable of going up to over 430KM/HR!" "Done. How many do you want?" "WOOOOO!" Zeke rolled his eyes. "Just one..." He trailed off seeing Moon gawk at it. "Two. Just two. I already have the Mercedes...somehow." "Alright get in." Zeke peered inside. "Are we...being driven there?" "Yes."
Moon, Sunny, and Zeke reeled back in their seats feeling the entire G-force of the car. Weaver sat calmly in the front of his car. Zeke called Weaver from his car. "What is it?" "Aren't we going a little fast?" "I'd take you for the person to be the least concerned going....300 right now." "I meant about the other people down the roads." Zeke asked wincing as he heard a honk. "It's alright, I've already organised with Edelgard and the other Agencies to have Hunters keep a path clear for us." "You can do that?" "It does cost a bit." Zeke watched as his phone pinged several times with excited messages from Sunny and Moon. He gave a smile reeling back in his seat. Arriving at their destination in record time, with the sun at its peak. The four exited their vehicles. Sunny wore Moon's cheap breeches and cotton shirt. She smirked, looking down at Sunny as she summoned Iziel. She glared back at Moon. "I'll be sure to get my own armour in there." "Won't be better than mine peasant." Sunny sucked on her teeth, letting Moon walk away with a smug smile. Weaver stood next to Zeke standing in front of the swirling red Rift.
"Are you sure, that you're okay with this?" "Yeah...yeah...I just...I just never thought I'd actually go through one of these." "Do you know how to make a Return Rift?" "Yeah, same way I summon a familiar. Here's hoping it doesn't hurt as much as last time." Weaver gave him a puzzled look. "It hurt to summon Red?" "Ah huh...Felt like my whole body was on fire. You could imagine how confused I was when Red walked out." "No doubt. When you are ready, I'll be on the other side." "Hey. You're gonna keep your promise right?" Zeke asked looking at Sunny and Moon getting onto the wagon. "Of course. I'll keep them safe." Zeke looked at his arm stuck in a sling. "I'm at 95% strength. The Healer said to try and not aggravate, otherwise it will slow the healing down." "Zeke! Come look at these fucking horses! They're even bigger than the Unicorns we had." Moon said sitting on its back. "Hell Stallions?" Zeke asked. "Yes." "Moon get off its back. Those are Hell Stallions." Moon let out a terrified yelp leaping onto the covered wagon on the back. Sunny scoffed laughing at her. "Shut up." She growled at her.
"Are you ready?" Weaver asked. Zeke nodded taking a deep breath. Zeke sat on the wagon with Weaver watching as the Hell Stallions crossed the Rift. Their manes, hooves and eyes roared to life with a raging fire. Zeke braced himself going through. "Geez. Hell really is a dump." Sunny said. Zeke opened his eyes to a barren grey wasteland. Dead trees and remnants of creatures remained, jutting out of the shifting sands. Weaver looked around. "This is good. We're close to the Bone Monarch. We will need to find our bearings." Zeke scanned Hell, feeling nothing but rage fill him. He hated how amazing the air smelt. How the Demonic Mana resonated with him so well. "How do we start finding our bearings in a place like this?" Sunny asked. Moon scoffed at her. "We have a map dumbass." "Okay, Dumbass. What good is a map, if you don't where you are?" Moon froze. 'She got you there.' Iziel said. "We'll travel north until we get our bearings." Weaver said. Zeke looked to the pale sky, almost as if the sun here was sick.
The four travelled along, with Moon and Sunny following behind Weaver and Zeke's wagon. "Zeke, I hate to ask, but you remember the rule I gave you right?" "Yes. Righteousness and honour have no place in Hell. Do not deviate from our plan." "Thank you." Moving along in silence for almost an hour, Weaver pulled the wagon to a halt. "Don't make a sound." He said. Zeke and the others held their breaths. Weaver stood up and waved his hand, articulating his fingers with lightning fast speed. A dome of webbing appeared over them being covered in a layer of beige sand beneath them. Zeke spotted several shinning glints waving high into the air. The three of them except Zeke winced at the sound screeching bats. A giant black army of bats soared across the sky screeching and swirling above them. Sunny shaking held her daggers tightly. Moon placed a hand on her shoulder, letting her know that she was there.
The bats suddenly went quiet. Weaver reached into his suit grabbing out his lighter. "I SMELL YOU! SHOW YOURSELVES!" A booming deep voice. The four held their breaths. 'What do we do?' Moon asked. 'He would have attacked by now.' Iziel said. 'Be calm and ready yourself.' "I WILL NOT ASK AGAIN!" He shrieked. A woman's terrified scream rang out. "PLEASE! DON'T HURT ME!" She screamed. Moon and Sunny winced. 'Don't do it Zeke.' They thought. The swarm of bats crashed into the ground. Shaking their wagons violently. "I told you what would happen the next time you defied me!" Zeke clenched his fists, with Weaver placing a hand onto his shoulder. He shook his head. "Please, Lord Dracula. I'm sorry!" Moon and Sunny looked at each other stunned and terrified with bulging eyes. They both mouthed to each other. 'Dracula!?' Weaver sucked on his teeth. 'A threat that big out here?' A slap rung out with a cry. Zeke's hair pulsed white. Weaver felt himself release a cold breath. He shook Zeke. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I won't run away ever again. Please don't-AH!" She cried out with another slap.
"I give you my castle. I give you my food. I shelter you from the savage Nephilims that would ravage you. Sell you to slavery. Rape; murder, butcher, and commit any atrocity they could to you. Yet you run from my gifts." She sobbed and wept. "I'm sorry! Please..." "NO! There will be no more chances. Tell me where your sisters are, and I will only kill you as an example." Zeke exploded with rage, activating his Demon's blood. The cold shivering pulse froze the sand and webbing. Zeke summoned Shadow slicing his way out of the webbing.
'Damn it Zeke.' Weaver pulled the webs away. The four stared at a towering imposing man covered in a long crimson cape. His raven hair juxtaposed against his ghostly white skin. With long pointy ears, fangs and blood red eyes. Dracula turned to the four of them, holding a woman by the collar. She was thin demure woman with curly ginger hair and freckles. She shared the same complexion as Dracula wearing a flowing white wedding dress. "Let her go. Now." Zeke growled with his Spectre echoing behind him. Dracula's eyes bulged at the sight of Zeke. "Of course your majesty!" He threw the woman aside and bowed. Sunny and Moon shared a confused look. "Leave." Dracula leapt into the air turning into the army of bats, flying off with great haste. Zeke glared in the distance as he disappeared into the horizon. He approached the woman bleeding from her mouth and claw marks on her arm. She trembled and slowly scuttled back. He knelt down beside her turning back to normal and offered out his hand. "Are you okay?"
She shook her head completely baffled at the gentle gesture. "My name's Zeke. What's your name?" She gulped, hesitantly reaching out for his hand. "Clara." "Can you stand?" She nodded. Helping her up Zeke introduced her to the others. "That's Sunny and Moon, and he's Weaver. We're a little lost and still getting our bearings. Can you help us?" Clara shakily nodded. "We're looking for an audience with the Bone Monarch. Which way is his kingdom from here?" Weaver asked. The other women that resembled Clara leapt out from the sands. One had long straight white hair as if they were made from piano strings. The last one had her short raven hair cut into a messy bob. They rushed over hissing and baring their fangs at Zeke, pulling Clara away. Weaver clicked open his lighter. "What are you going to do with that!?" The one with the raven hair hissed. "Fry the three of you into a crisp." "I'd like to see you try from there!" The woman with the white hair spat. "Weaver stop! They're not a threat." "Like hell they aren't!" Moon said summoning Spark. "They're vampires!" Sunny declared pulling out her daggers.
Zeke raised his hands up to diffuse the tension. "We're not here to fight. We just need directions." Clara broke free, pulling her arms out. "Eleanor! Ordelia! He just saved us." She bowed at Zeke. "Thank you Zeke." Eleanor scoffed with Ordelia joining her, and whipped her white hair, flicking sand out. "Saved us? Dracula will come for us again. What then? Will you ask him to defend us again?" "Where are you trying to go?" Zeke asked. "Stay out of this! Clara, we need to keep moving and stay away from every Nephilim." Eleanor begged. "Some ungrateful ass hoes right now." Moon said. "What was that?" The two hissed. "He just saved your lives, and you haven't even thanked him yet." Sunny said. "Enough!" Weaver declared. "We've wasted enough time here. Either you help us, or go on your way." The three sisters huddled whispering and hissing away. They periodically glanced up peeking at Zeke. "Just a suggestion here." Zeke said. "You saw how Dracula reacted to me. No doubt others will as well. This Mark, it means you belong to me." "Trading one slave owner for another! What an amazing bargain." Ordelia said rolling her eyes.
"What are you?" Clara asked. "I have never seen him so terrified before." "I'm a Child of the Nine." The three sisters froze, giving him an concerned stare. "Which Nine?" Zeke paused. "Samael the Destroyer." They stared at the sister gawking at him. Zeke looked back to the others who shrugged at him. "Did I break them?" "MARK ME FIRST!" Eleanor screamed shoving her sisters aside. "NO ME!" Ordelia roared. Zeke stumbled back terrified. Clara snatched the both of them by their collars and threw them down. "STOP! You're scaring him off! He'll say no to us!" "You're right!" The two of them fell to their knees, bowing at him. "Oh great-" "Stop!" Zeke exclaimed. "I'll...I'll place my Mark onto you, if you help us first." "Oh of course. Of course. We would be happy to guide you to the Bone Monarch." Ordelia said with a smile. "Yes! Yes! Happy to guide!" Eleanor said. Zeke turned to Weaver and shrugged. The four hopped onto their wagons, with Ordelia and Eleanor taking the reins of Zeke and Weaver's wagon. Clara stood awkwardly beside the wagon.
"What are you doing?" Zeke asked. "Well I doubt your two...wives?" Zeke shook his head. "Girlfriends?" "It's complicated." "Um well, I doubt they would be okay with me taking their reins, let alone sitting behind them. So I will walk beside-" "Sit behind me." Her eyes bulged startled at Zeke's nonchalant response. Was he stupid to trust a Vampire to sit behind him? Or confident in his abilities? Or was he just simply kind. "Zeke. We cannot allow her to sit with us." "You know they can't turn me if they tried. I can sit with them and you can follow with Moon and Sunny." 'He's confident in his abilities.' "Fine, but if I sense a single wrong doing. I will kill the three of you." Weaver declared hopping off. Zeke offered out his hand helping her onboard. She sat beside him in the back with Ordelia and Eleanor steering the front wagon. Sunny and Moon watched on awkwardly as Weaver leapt into their wagon. "Umm...Where's Zeke?" Moon asked. "He's sitting with the three of them." "ALONE!?" Moon exclaimed. "What's the big deal? He can't be bitten." "That's not the problem! The last time I left him alone in the back of a wagon with a beautiful creature. It took his virginity and still wants him." "We need to trade places right away." Sunny said. "Stop. Zeke will not do anything with them. I have a web on them. If they make a wrong move, I'll rip their spines out."
The two looked at Weaver with deep concern. "You can do that?" Moon asked. "Yes. Now follow them." Weaver sat in the back closing his eyes. Sunny and Moon mouthed to each other. 'Oh my god he's terrifying.' 'Right?' Clara felt a cloth wrap around her arm. She flinched on the spot seeing Zeke tie of her scratched arm. "What are you?" She asked confused. "Umm, what do you mean?" Zeke asked. Clara blushed and gasped, covering her mouth. "Did I say that outloud?" Zeke smiled. "It's alright.I saw your wound was healing slowly, but not exactly sure if Vampires can get infections." "Nope! We can only transfer one kind of infection-" Ordelia slapped the back of Eleanor's head. "Well, there shouldn't be any reason to let dirt in." Zeke tied it off gently. "I have to ask, how far are we off?" "Oh, a few days maybe?" Ordelia said."Yep, we'll be there real quick."
The seven stopped to set up camp and sat around a circle. The four of them, ate preserved meats and drank chilled water. Zeke foraged through the crates in the back, before popping out of the tent. "Um...what do you three eat?" Everyone looked back to Zeke, unsure if he was joking or not. "We drink-" "Right blood." "We don't need a lot, maybe a few sips." Clara said blushing. "I'm not giving you my blood." Sunny said glaring at them. "Me neither." Moon said. Weaver gave them a glare. Zeke awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "Well that's awkwardly because I can't bleed." "Zeke are you seriously trying to feed them?" Moon said frowning. "Yes I am. Is there anything else you three can eat?" "Um well, we can subsist on Mana." "Great, how do we...feed you Mana?" Zeke asked now confused at the logistics of it. Clara approached Zeke taking his right hand. "May I?" "Uh sure-AH!" Zeke jumped feeling her fangs and tongue swirl around his Mark. Moon and Sunny stared on annoyed and ready to attack.
Clara broke away after a few seconds, wiping her mouth and turning around abashed. "Thank you." She said softly. "You-you're-you're welcome." Zeke blushed staring at his hand. 'He's not joking. He's really a child of Samael, but that Mana, it doesn't match him. He's too gentle for such vile Mana.' "Um, did you two-" Sunny made a small nick atop her forearm. "Here! There's blood." Moon did the same, glaring at them. "Here's mine. Get your fill." Ordelia and Eleanor looked at them disgusted, glancing over to Zeke. "Hey! You two don't get to be picky! Now drink our blood." Moon declared. The two begrudgingly took sips of blood from Moon and Sunny. As night fell, Moon and Sunny forced themselves to stay up glaring at the Vampire sisters. "You know we're nocturnal right? You'll be dead asleep by the time we feel remotely tired." Clara said. "I'm fine." Sunny said struggling to keep her eyes up. "Me too." Moon said shaking herself awake. "Go to sleep. I'll keep an eye on them." Weaver said. Zeke looked at the bright giant moon floating in the sky.
Enamoured by its beauty, it seemed to shine even brighter than the one on Earth. "Look at what he's staring at." Moon said smugly. "Oh will you shut up?...Besides, you can't stare at the sun." Sunny pouted. Clara floated up beside Zeke. "Is something wrong?" She giggled. He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Did I say something wrong?" She shook her head. "Far from it. You are simply so...kind and caring. In the short moment you've met us. You've offered us food, shelter, and to came to our rescue without a moment's hesitation." "I just did, what I thought was right and-" "Zeke. We need to talk." Weaver said staring him down. Zeke and Weaver took a few paces away from the camped wagons. The others eavesdropped attentively, watching from the slits of the wagon covers. Weaver shoved Zeke, startling the others. "What did I say!?" He shouted pointing at Zeke. "What was the one thing I asked you to do?" Zeke lowered his head. "To not interfere." "Why!?" "Because righteousness and honour have no place in Hell." "They don't! So why is it the first thing we run into. You jumped straight in!?" Zeke bit his tongue, clenching his fist.
"You asked me to keep the two people you love the most safe. How am I meant to do that, when you throw yourself into danger?" Weaver scolded. "You're smarter than this Zeke. You're always so calm and collected, but the cry of a woman makes you lose your mind." "I just wanted to help." "Help!? You heard the name Lord Dracula from her. What if he wasn't afraid of you? What were you gonna do then? Talk him down? Because I know you would never try and fight him right off." Weaver rubbed his face frustrated and disappointed. "We're here on a job, and I need you to follow the rules I set out for you. From now on. You will listen and follow." "What good is having this power, if I can't protect anyone with it!?" Zeke yelled, his hair pulsing white. The others gasped at his outburst. "I'm sorry I'm not the Demon you wanted, but I won't just stand by and let defenceless people get hurt!" "You think their innocent? They're Vampires, and judging by their proximity to Dracula. They've indulged in plenty of murders to keep themselves satiated."
"I didn't say innocent. I said defenceless. I cannot abide by letting that happen if I can stop it." "And then what happens when you can't stop it? What happens, when you throw yourself in front of a force you cannot handle?" Zeke lowered his head. "Hey!" Weaver barked. "Look at me!" Zeke raised his head glaring down Weaver. "You are not immortal or unbreakable, and you are not alone." Zeke felt the words pierce his heart. "You have those who love you, and you have to live for them." Weaver turned to the wagon, seeing five pair of eyes staring at them. "Just...just pick your battles more carefully. Sometimes you might cause more problems than solutions." "I'm sorry..." "It's alright. Let's get some sleep." Weaver climbed into the back of the wagon with Sunny and Moon pretending to be asleep, facing each other. "Go to sleep, and stop gossiping." The two rolled over. Zeke laid down with the three sisters, staring at each other. "That man was able to talk him down? He's stronger than him?" Ordelia hissed. "Maybe he's like a guardian? Just reprimanding him, but not actually stronger?" Eleanor said. "It doesn't matter. Zeke is the real deal. I tasted his Mana."
"How was it?" They asked. "Orgasmic, but not the point. Zeke is Samael's. The Mana is identical, but the person..." They turned to Zeke sleeping on the padded floor, leaving the pillows for the three of them. "We simply have to guide them to the Bone Monarch. Once we are Marked by him, Dracula would never dare to touch us again." Clara said. The sisters nodded in agreement. The next morning they were awoken to a screeching halt of the Hell Stallions. Weaver shot up, leaping out of the wagon. Their location had changed. The ground had become a desolate barren land devoid of any moisture, cracked with fissures running along. The bright sun started to crest over the horizon. "Where are we?" The sisters poked their heads out under the covers hiding in the shadows. "We hope you don't mind, but we kept travelling throughout the night. If you keep heading this way, we'll pass King Cerberus's territory, and be there in about a day or so." Ordelia said.
"Did...did you just say 'King Cerberus?" Weaver asked. They nodded in sync. "Right. We'll be sure to avoid him then." Weaver approached the front wagon, seeing Zeke holding the reins. "You're idea no doubt?" "You wanted to make progress, this was the best way to do it." Weaver sat beside Zeke. "How did you get us to not feel anything?" "I didn't. You lied about your arm." Weaver looked down. "You're on Nightshade." "I can still-" Zeke glared at Weaver, his eyes crimson over black sclera. "Don't lie to me." He growled with his voice echoing. They returned to normal. "You promised me you keep them safe, but you're nowhere near full strength. So what are you actually at?" Weaver rubbed his arm. "My last encounter with the Bone Monarch, left my arm mangled beyond comprehension. "I managed to puppet it back into place and escape. However whatever he did, left something that the Healers have been having trouble moving past." "Like what Astarte did to Eliza's legs." "Yes." The sisters looked at each other shocked. 'Astarte?' They mouthed.
"I'm sorry for keeping that information from you, but I would say I'm at least over 50%." "It's fine, we should be done with this soon enough." Zeke took the reins moving at a casual gait. "Are those two okay." "Aside from the bickering? They're like sisters." "I'll take it I guess." Sunny blew a raspberry. "This isn't what I expected of Hell." "What were you expecting? It's Hell. It's meant to be shit." "Where's the brimstone, the sulfer and the Hellfire?" Clara poked her head out the back. "Actually, Invahazen's kingdom resembles that." "And that would be?" Ordelia poked out beside her. "One of the Nine Monarchs." "And Zeke, because he's Samael's "Child", what place in the hierarchy would he be at?" Moon asked. "At the top." Eleanor popped her head out. "Actually he might be second." Ordelia rolled her eyes. "The Deceiver is not as strong as Samael." "You don't know that, because he could be-" "Do no finish that stupid pun!" Ordelia barked. "Deceiving you." Moon snickered with Sunny rolling her eyes. "What? That was funny."