Thread: Flirting with the Devil [Shaelinn and Dreamer-]

Lara was eyeing Arcadia intently, much like a dedicated maths professor would have observed an especially complicated equation presented to him by his most favorite student. A spark of curiosity flashed in her otherwise mostly neutral expression the demon seemed to be a bunch of contradictions sewn together into one bizarre enigma. The little knowledge of demons planted in her head through the courtesy of fairy-tales, random action movies and horror video games from the era of her adolescence was neither validated nor disproved by meeting the legendary being in person. Certain aspects of the mythos fit her like a glove, such as Arcadia's apparent passion for drowning defenseless kittens and using the font Comic Sans, but other characteristics going hand in hand with the definition of a ghoul were simply missing. Every soldier serving in a special forces unit needed to be a quick analyst of a human behavior, mostly so they could catch the warning signs of their colleagues cracking under the pressure and react with utmost precision to minimize the harm as such, Arcadia's discomfort at having to share a bed together didn't escape her. Either the rumors about 'insatiable lust' were rather exaggerated or I'm repulsive enough to smother even the most basic of all instincts, Lara thought sarcastically. Or maybe she just doesn't swing that way. Well, whatever her reason is, good for me! I probably won't have to sleep with a taser under my pillow. That was just a figure of speech the presence of the high-voltage stun gun she had named Trish in an especially melodramatic mood calmed her and Lara wouldn't trade it for anything in the world... Excluding a lifetime supply of ice-cream, of course. The question about moving came completely out of blue the blonde couldn't have been more surprised if Arcadia had pulled out a 'Fish is a friend, not a food' transparent from her sleeve and started persuading her about advantages of a vegetarianism. There were no emotional ties established between Lara and her flat she wasn't the one to let the reality distort through pink glasses of sentimentality. The woman considered her apartment to be a sanctuary of serenity in the middle of chaos, yes, but that didn't magically erase its defects. Lara still wondered how she hadn't developed a severe form of claustrophobia from living in such a confined space frankly, it could trigger feelings of anxiety even in a notorious shut-in. The neighborhood also wasn't the one you'd feature in an issue of magazine Home Living with a recommendation for young families to move there and raise their children. Not that Lara planned to become a mother any time soon, yet frequent gunshots in the middle of a night didn't exactly enhance her already disturbed sleep. I would welcome it, but only if you come in a package deal with a trust fund. It doesn't matter how much the bankers prey upon their unsuspecting customers committing a bank robbery is still against my principles. It wouldn't shock her if Arcadia truly suggested something outrageous like burglary as the demons probably took what they wanted without fear of consequences, but she didn't intend to engage in criminal behavior because of something as petty as her convenience and this had to be known. A focused shimmer appeared in her icy blue eyes as Arcadia started talking about her powers she obviously enjoyed demonstrating her intellectual superiority by lecturing her as her speech was long-winded and full of flowery details, but for now, Lara didn't mind. She had requested this information, after all. Interesting... Very interesting, indeed. With a dash of imagination, many great things could be achieved through this combo and inventiveness wasn't ingredient Lara possessed in a short supply. Few different scenarios ran through her head at once, painting different possibilities and outcomes. Say, Arcadia, since the technology clearly isn't the key to kick the supernaturals' asses, could you perhaps sacrifice few hours of your precious time and teach me some tricks? You did mention a Witch and those are human as far as I know, Lara said in a tone suspiciously close to politeness the sharp edge never really vanished, but she wasn't barking orders either and that was a big deal in her book. Bringing them down with their own weapons would be so, so unspeakably sweet. As I said before, I'm not that hard to please. Yes, take me under your wing, Lara answered in regards to their bargain, cutting her previous string of thought. For a second, embarrassing silence - silence filled only with Lara staring a hole into Arcadia - descended on the pair... And then, something in the demon's glare - anticipation? - opened her eyes suddenly. The realization that SHE was supposed to do something, not the trapped demon, set in and Lara resisted the urge to slap herself. Oh, right. I'm a certified idiot. Just a moment. I've got some... technical difficulties, the blonde exclaimed, maintaining her poker-face dutifully, and shifted her attention back to the old grimoire. Because reading the whole damn manual beforehand is for the unpopular kids, she thought sarcastically, for some irrational reason feeling like a student who got caught cheating during the test, and sought out the formula quickly. Okay... Lara looked up from the brittle pages, flame of determination providing her with courage. Zyweto, menhatoy, fabelleron. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. I am hereby offering my immortal soul to the demon in exchange for her allegiance. Ysgewoth, athanatos, meweth. Taste my essence and become one with me! Lara's last words were accompanied with a surprised gasp the moment she finished the invocation, an invisible force squeezed the air out of her lungs with a steel fist and left her struggling for breath. The pressure pushed a flickering ball of green light out of her chest and while it didn't hurt per se, the sensation of emptiness permeating every fiber of her being was more than a little unnerving.