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

While the disbelief originating from the simple yet astonishing fact that she had managed to conjure a mythical being from the depths of Hell was fading away slowly, a new kind of surprise took its place much more subtle and somewhat annoyance flavored this time. Lara's recipe to handling necessary interactions with the few people she despised was to subject the poor souls to verbal abuse so intense it should be punishable by law. Okay, habitually belittling them probably couldn't be described as a pinnacle of emotional maturity, but just like all underhanded methods, it worked in ninety percent of cases hardly anyone dared to bother her after the sarcasm and hostility exceeded the tolerable limits... And this foolproof strategy failed hard with Arcadia, for she apparently didn't decode the Don't fuck with me message not-so-carefully hidden within her words. Lara could already tell this alliance was going to be the most hardcore endurance test of her self-control ever. The blonde didn't really appreciate being chastised as a spoiled child, so she almost uttered some highly thought-provoking phrase like Who cares? in response to the lecture about Lust, but then the memories from that disastrous night came knocking on the door of her mind. Memories of floor littered with dead bodies, the omnipresent stench of death burning in her nose and, above all, the despair. She suppressed a shiver the recollection was still painfully fresh and didn't exactly push the right buttons in her subconscious to trigger emotions overflowing with happiness. 'Who cares?' Really? My subordinates fucking died because of sheer ignorance am I so eager to repeat those mistakes? Well, Lara shrugged, forgive me for not knowing demonic celebrities, but my human ancestry makes sneaking out to the parties in Hell particularly difficult. I feel so blessed I have someone like you at my side, Arcadia. Perhaps you can get me an official invitation this time so I can experience your culture better? she smiled sweetly, her voice once again full of sarcasm and expression unreadable. Her body language, however, suggested a lot to those attentive enough arms protectively folded around her chest implied a certain degree of wariness. The metaphorical arrow shot at her former unit bounced off her mental armor harmlessly Lara knew next to nothing about the complicated structure of demonic hierarchy, but figuring out their psychology wasn't so hard. She wouldn't grant Arcadia the pleasure of seeing her distraught and vulnerable at the mere mention of her eradicated team. There was a time and a place for mourning, for example an empty bar with a bottle of a cheap alcohol as your only companion, but certainly not her microscopic flat containing a demon waiting to feed on her misery. Nice deduction. Sherlock would be so proud, Lara snickered. At least she thought there were no supernatural powers involved guessing what had happened couldn't be that tricky. The organization she devoted her whole existence to, The Hunters, wasn't especially famous for their love of demons and it was clear she hadn't summoned Arcadia so they could negotiate the terms of peace between their respective races. A shadow crossed Lara's face as she listened to Arcadia's reasoning, though the frown wasn't fearful just pensive. The demon's evident disrespect towards her life and threats didn't faze her in the slightest, but one snippet in her little speech did strike her as odd. Maybe Lara retained an essence of naivety, but wasn't the demon supposed to be repulsed by the notion of murdering her relatives in cold blood? Their family tree was sure to be wide and connection pretty vague, but still the blonde presumed Arcadia would be at least humiliated by having to serve a mere human in such a way. On the other hand, Lara really didn't know their traditions the demons could very well hunt their less lucky cousins just for the hell of it or to show off their superiority. Or maybe they just perceived a wall decorated with stuffed vampire head as an embodiment of a good taste. Deep in my heart, I'm a fairly modest girl, so I guess you'll suffice for now. If you prove to be a worthless fighter, I can still make you brew my coffee and take out the garbage, she replied, grinning like a crocodile. Lara possessed the special talent required to turn a smile into a declaration of a war. The confident smirk, however, disappeared once Arcadia asked her next question. She hadn't planned this far ahead honestly, matters of organization had been the last thing on her mind when she had resorted to the ritual. Well... Unless you want to sleep on the floor, which you're free to do, I guess we can share the bed until we find some other solution, she said, trying her hardest to sound completely indifferent. Tiny tentacles of insecurity wrapped around her at the idea of having the demon so close in her most fragile state, but was there any other option? She couldn't just go to the store and buy another bed firstly, the shops were surely closed at this hours, and secondly... Lara wasn't so poor she couldn't afford to pay for her electricity bills, but hunting the supernaturals really didn't earn her as much as you'd expect. A minimalistic appearance of her apartment confirmed it not only was her flat small, but it also seemed to be somewhat Spartan. A bare walls without any pictures, no carpet, a single wooden table with a notebook resting on it, a bed the only piece of furniture that reflected personality of its owner was a bookcase overflowing with obscure titles. Just so you know, usually it's my policy not to make such offers after the first date, but since you're my favorite demon, I'll make an exception for you, she smirked, the old confidence back. So, would you be so kind and tell me what exactly you can do? Is it like in the movies where the demons shoot laser beams from their eyes? Lara asked, her voice sarcastic, but real interest could be sensed underneath. After all, the price for acquiring her aid was high it should be something useful. And if you're expecting me to release you from the pentagram before you accept my soul as a payment, well, tough luck. From what she understood, the soul acted as some sort of safeguard mechanism Lara wasn't looking forward Arcadia devouring a part of her being, but it was still a better prospect than freeing the demon carelessly and being torn apart limb from limb as a result.