Pyro

Topside

Pyro glanced at his surroundings, looking down at Barghest in disgust, “You look like a common mongrel now.”

The high King of Hell had broken his hell hound, the poor dog was looking like a normal mutt, thanks to a glamour spell. One of Shaetan’s specialties.

The dog just growled grumpily and sat at his feet while Pyro pondered on what to do next.

New Orleans was still the same as the first time he looked at it from Hell; beautiful and mysterious, beckoning in unwitting souls to taste her nightlife and give in to their every desire. It wasn't named the devil's playground for nothing. In fact, it was considered easy pickings for the demons in training to hone their persuasion skills on the questionable souls that gravitated here. Still, nothing could take away from the city's beauty and grace.

"Well come on then Barghest let's find a place to call home for a while so we can catch this witch and return to our rightful place. Hmm..which apartment do we like?" Barghest looked up at the many balconies littering the french quarter before his eyes caught on one he fancied. Pyro c****d his head for a moment, and then an evil smile lit up his darkly handsome features. "Aah yes the lady currently occupying our home has been a very naughty lass indeed Barghest, I do believe it's time her soul made it's new home down below, come on no sense in prolonging her death."

Both beasts from Hell had a spring in their step as they entered the building, on the way to their new apartment, this eviction was going to be one of the permanent variety.

The water from the stream was refreshing and clean, lulling Marie into spending more than just a few minutes there, listening to it's babbling. The sticks that would light the fire to boil the water were strung together skilfully and tied to her back as Marie gathered the water. Truthfully, she had never needed the trappings associated with the french quarter, although she had dabbled in voodoo (After all it ran strongly in her blood) Marie had made a conscious decision to turn away from dark magic, and her soul felt lighter because of it.

Learning to curb her abilities, and turn it into positive energy was tough sometimes, but seeing the smile of someone whose pain she had managed to stop, or the loving looks two people gave her after a love spell had worked its magic was well worth it. Hearing that she was supposed to die tomorrow kind of put a damper on her birthday though, and trekking through the bayou with her decrepit great uncle wasn't exactly in her party plan, but here she was and Marie had learned long ago to make the best of a bad situation. Finally ready to leave the peaceful creek she stood up, and then it hit her-the vision. Marie's eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she went limp as the vision engulfed her completely.

The man was tall, maybe 6"5, and carried the feel of death around him. Dark eyes peered into the woman's soul as he asked her if she was ready to go yet. Despite the s*x appeal oozing from his body, the woman was too terrified to be drawn in by its magnetic presence and she begged for her life, her frail old hand clutching at the man's arm, where it was holding her up against the wall, burning her skin wherever his touch brushed against her. She knew that woman, had grown up under her wing for her childhood when Marie's mother was out causing chaos in the french quarter. Patricia Maxwell was the head madame at the most prestigious brothel this side of the river, she was ruthless when it came to business, being responsible for at least half of the bodies recovered from the bayou, but her escorts loved her and Marie found peace within her motherly embrace many times growing up. The man's beast was snarling and snapping at Marie's godmother, making the old woman blubber in panic as a wet patch appeared on the front of her nightie. She had pissed herself and the man laughed darkly as he raised his hand, ready to deliver the death blow."No!" Blinding white light surrounded Patricia, throwing the man and his beast back into the lounge, and the older woman turned and looked straight at her."Maria?"Before she could register what was going on, in rode a phantom horse, and on his back sat the man Maria missed most in the world, her father, Wordlessly he held out his hand to Patricia and she grasped it firmly, catapulting onto the horses back, behind the fallen angel, and after flashing a quick smile at his daughter they both disappeared."Marie, I presume." The dark sexy voice whispered, but before she knew what was happening..Maria jumped up, gasping for air as the vision faded. He hadn't seen her face, she was sure of that. Whoever that man was, he was dangerous in ways mere words couldn't express. Shivering now, Marie quickly grabbed her things and hastily made her way back to the cabin, the memory of those dark seductive eyes refusing to leave her."What the f**k just happened?"

One moment Pyro was sending another sinner to Shaetan, the next minute he was blasted clear into the lounge, Barghest was knocked out cold, and his latest offering had disappeared? There was a lingering presence in the house, an invisible entity who was still watching. Taking a stab in the dark the demon prince murmured, "Marie I presume?" And as quickly as the presence had snuck up on him, it vanished once again. For the first time in centuries he felt a stirring in his blood, an excitement almost, that had him grinning like a bloody i***t. Marie Laveau had managed to do what countless others had failed to in his lifetime, she had captured Pyro's undivided attention."Challenge accepted Miss Laveau." He whispered into the emptiness of the apartment.