Lex pulled his coat tighter and leaned against the building, huddling deeper into the black leather. "I hate this part of the job." He hissed between chattering teeth.

"How can you be cold, you're a fire elemental." Eire hissed back, looking just as miserable.

"Cold? Would you like me to ignite your coat?" Lex retorted.

"Er...No..." Eire answered.

"Well then, neither do I." Lex rolled his eyes.

Eire stomped his feet and blew on his hands. "I can not believe Nate got OUT of this..." He grumbled.

"Nate's smart..." Lex replied sarcastically.

"Hey, hey wait, I think I see somethin'!" Eire brightened up, peering from the gloom of their alleyway.

A shadow darted into the abandon building across from them, pausing to look around.

"Well come on, Friday, lets move it!" Lex hissed, motioning Eire to follow. Eire scowled but ran in a crouch behind Lex as they slid up against the steps of the building. Eire crouched at the half open door and sniffed the air.

"Yep, definitely our dude..." Eire whispered back.

Lex brandished two wicked looking chakrums and rested them against his knees. "Your move, mate." He whispered back.

Eire pulled a berreta from his back holster and nodded, standing a bit more and pushed open the door. He moved inside and took up position behind a stair rail. Lex slid into the shadows, beside the stair case and both looked up the stair well. They heard hurried footsteps and then Eire was moving up the stairs against the wall. Lex stuck in the shadows, it would be easier to warp behind a person, from the shadow, then light.

They followed the footsteps up onto the third floor and crept down the hall toward the door the figure slipped into at the end. Lex leaned up against the left side, and Eire against the right. They looked at each other, then Eire glanced at the door, in indication Lex open the door.

Lex rolled his eyes and slapped his chakrum flat side against the door, shoving it open. Eire rounded the corner first, scanning the room. It was a large empty ware house room, but the figure in the middle spun around. The sucker was tall too. He brandished a wicked looking sickle, preparing to lung as Lex came into the room.

"Shit!" Eire groaned as Lex came to his side.

Lex looked at him. "You're worried?"

"No, I just didn't wanna have to do much work tonight..." Eire complained.

Lex snorted and spun his chakrums. "Fine, sit this one out..." He told Eire.

"Fine then," Eire retorted snot nosed. "This one's all yours."

Lex saluted Eire with a psychotic grin and moved towards the figure who crouched. Lex flung one chakrum, testing the air, and the sickle blocked it away effortlessly. Lex snatched the chakrum from the air in a blink as it returned and sighed. "Okay..."

He crouched, watching the figure as it began to raise. Fire rose up around his fists, spreading around the blades of the weapons. "Come on big boy." Lex challenged softly.

The figure lifted the sickle and began running at Lex, swinging the sickle.

Lex sprung up, throwing both flaming wheels and sprang a back flip toward a beam behind him as the figure was hit with one chakrum and fended off the other, still running at Lex. He used the beam, as one chakrum returned, to slide around, leaving a charred circle on the wood. He releashed that chakrum and snatched the other, leaping past the figure and cutting at the shoulders, drawing blood.

"Hot damn boy! You're trainin's been paying off!" Eire shouted with a cackling laugh as he watched.

He shout brought the figure's attention and the thing came charging at Eire now. "Guess it's my turn!" He shouted with glee, drawing both beretta's. He ran at the figure, firing, and slid right under the sickle as the figure swung it and turned, firing on the thing's back.

"Cheap, cheap, you stole that from Nate!" Lex called back, darting past Eire and sliding a chakrum up the figure's back. The creature screamed in pain and Lex slid around in front, striking it in it's face, before catching the chakrum, and using the creature's chest as spring board. He flipped over it's head and landed back near Eire, and gave a smug gesture.

Eire flipped him the bird, emptyed his clips and slapped two new home. "Watch this, kid." He sprang forward as the creature began to turn and used the closest wood beams, springing for them, firing He sprang off, sliding by horizontally of the creature, hitting it in the side and chest, before rolling into the corner.

"That's cheating!" Lex shouted incredulously.

"Should've kept his attention." Eire replied, then yelped, ducking the sickle.
"Should've kept YOURS!" Lex shouted gleefuly back.

Eire slid around a poll and darted back to Lex. "My bullets should've dropped this thing!" He said in disbelief. "They're special made!"

"Maybe you missed." Lex replied with a grin.

Eire gave him a look, then slapped him on the back. "Time to do some that magic of yours, dude."

"Giving up so soon?" Lex asked with a snicker.

"Hey, cupcake." Eire snapped.

Lex gave him the finger then darted past Eire, covering both chakrums in fire. The fire began to climb up his arms as he came to a stop. The creature bared down on him. "You wont forget this!" Lex shouted, leaping up and firing, what could only be described as flaming spike balls at the creature, stopping it in his tracks.

The sickle dropped but the creature howled in pain as it was covered in fire. Lex lept back catching the chakrums. The creature stumbled around into some of the beams.

"That was a bit much, Lexine!" Eire growled, ducking as something cracked as the fire climbed the wall.

"Or maybe it WAS almost dead from your bullets!" Lex snapped back. They made for the door and ran down the stairs. "Well this stake out is a fuck up..." He muttered as they reached the pavement.

"We didn't know it was flamable!" Eire protested.

Lex snorted, and was about to say something else, when there was a horrid shriek and the sound of breaking glass. Eire's ears picked up the sound of flapping wings and his head snapped up. "Oh Fuck..." He whispered, eyes widening.
Lex snapped his eyes upward and grimaced. Now there was a demon thing, big, with the sickle. "Oo, I'd say we're fucked." Lex muttered.

"I think we should leave..." Eire muttered, taking backing steps.

"Nooo...I think we should, GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" Lex shouted. "RUN!" He turned and bolted.

Eire was right behind him. They could hear the demon dip and speed toward them on the current. Eire tripped and felt the sickle pass by his ear. He rolled and saw the creature baring down on Lex. "Dude!"

Lex dropped with out looking back and rolled. The creatured did a summersault in the air and perpared to charge back at them. Eire bolted over to Lex. "You got any bright ideas?" He asked the younger man.

"Yeah, pray to God, Turnbul was just about to check on us." Lex replied as he and Eire got to their feet.

"Probably busy eating. I think we're on our own." Eire said back.

"Shit."

"Damn." Eire agreed. He exchanged a grin with Lex. Then Eire drew a slightly curved sword. He and Lex touched wrists and both launched themselves the same time the demon did. Lex spun the chakrums as he came in contact with one of it's wings, feeling the blades cut. Eire sliced at it's side.

They came over it, Eire sliding to a stop Lex catching himself on the ground with his wrist. He winced, but rotated his wrist.

The demon staggered to it's feet, but it's wings didn't seem to want to work. "This is it, jr." Eire muttered to Lex.

"Don't call me jr." Lex replied, before letting go of his chakrums and using fire to propel toward the demon, the fire wrapped it's self around the demon.

Eire lunged, swinging his blade, slicing at the demon's chest, he brushed past it's hip and drove his sword into it's chest with a thrust. He pushed it back againt a tree, on the sidewalk, driving it all the way in.

Lex walked up behind him catching his chakrums as Eire pulled his sword free. "Now THAT was over kill..."

"Druken Lullabies, mate." Eire replied with a grin.

Lex rolled his eyes with a snort and grinned at Eire. "Lets bolt." He motioned.

"I'm with you...we better report this to Chaos...whoo is she gonna be annoyed." Eire replied with whistle as they began to walk away.

"Fine, you give her the bad news..." Lex replied.

Eire gave him a dark look. "If you think-OW!" He yelped as Lex slammed him into the side walk, already rolling. It was then that Eire noticed the sickle coming down. "FUCK!" He rolled in the opposite direction of Lex.

Lex kicked at the demon and drew a short sword from under his coat. Both he and Eire lunged at the same time, slicing at the demon. They landed on opposite sides and crouched, waiting to see if they had to go again, but the demon collapsed and was consumed by an ill looking fire.

They stood, staring at the spot the demon had been. "Thanks man." Eire muttered to Lex.

"No prob." Lex replied.

With that, they turned and headed off in the direction of the car. "All in a nights work." Eire said, with his hands resting behind his back at they walked.

"I'll drive!" Lex raced ahead of Eire.

*               *

"K is not going to be happy." Eire said as he scooted around comfortably in the passenger's seat of Lex's mustang. It was nice, a 67, recently fully restorted. Lex was quiet fond of the car.

"No, we were specifically told to just WATCH..." Lex replied, speeding down a backroad.

"Self Defense." Eire protested. "But that thing was wicked though, that sickle." He glanced at Lex as he put his hands behind his head.Lex spared him a glance in return, looking amused before preparing to take a corner.

The sickle's blade passed through the windshield, right between Lex and Eire. Lex slammed on the break, and spun the steering wheel, something flew past his line of sight. The car sat side ways on the road now. Both Lex and Eire were breathing hard. Eire had his nose pressed against his window, searching the darkness outside.

He thought he saw something to his left and he sat quickly back in his seat, giving Lex a wide eyed look. "Get us the fuck out of here, man." He hissed.

Lex said nothing, but threw the car in to reverse, backed around and threw it into drive. He'd just started picking up speed, when something slammed onto the top of the car, the propulsion causing the car to start swirve. Lex caught the wheel, jerked it around, steadied, then threw it in reverse a second time.

They watched as an even bigger and uglier demon with the sickle tumbled off the top of the car. "Stage Three." Lex muttered.

"Fuckin' hate boss fights like that." Eire grumbled, knowing what Lex meant.

Lex barked a laugh and glanced over his shoulder, driving the car in reverse. They had to get away from the spot if they intended to finish this thing off.

"Lex, man! MOVE IT!" Eire yelped, Lex glanced back around and saw the creature baring down on the front of the car. The sickle blew off the hood, putting a deep dent in it.

"That's MY car, mate!" Lex growled, slamming on the breaks. He threw the car into drive, which surprised the demon. The front of the car struck the demon in the wing, sending it spinning as Lex sped past it.

He spun it around a corner and kept speeding. Again the demon slammed down on the top of the car, but Lex held it to the road and reached over to two red switches. "Lets see if this fucker can handle the speed." He growled, flipping the first switch. The car charged forward faster. They heard a metalic scraping. "This bloody fuck is determind to destory my car!"

"Maybe he doesn't like the color..." Eire muttered, sinking a tad lower in his seat and loading his guns.

"Well fuck you and fuck it!" Lex snarled, coming off the top of a hill with a hard land. Eire held on to his seat, and glanced upwards as they heard another loud thud on the top.

"No, I don't think you wanna do that." Eire muttered, trying to hold on to his seat and load his guns. "You gotta plan right?"

"Mate, I'm just wingin' this!" Lex snapped back, eyes on the road. They sped through an intersection. "I'm headin' out of town." He told Eire. "We need a clear shot at this son of a bitch and we ain't gonna get it 'round here!"

The sickle slammed down into the car through the roof. Eire screamed and twisted in his seat, finally opening fire. Lex growled but kept himself focused on the road. He sped out of the city, turning down a road toward a quarry.

He took the corner fast, throwing the demon into the rock wall around them and sped the car toward the center of the quarry. He spun a 360 and brought the car to a stop, already opening his door as the creature came circling around them. Eire scrambled from his place, checking the clips in his guns. The car, was smoking by this point, and Lex turned his eyes from the beat up thing, to the demon with a snarl.

"You don't think we're gonna need some help on this, do you?" Eire asked.

"Only if he kills us..." Lex replied still watching the thing circle. "Lets get this over with, mate."

"Try not to get sliced in half." Eire replied. "I don't wanna have to explain it to K." His wrist touched Lex's and they were off. They split up, bothing flanking to either side of the demon, forcing it to land, as they attacked it. Lex flung fire laced chakrums at demon, knocking it in the wings. Eire fired for what ever target he get.

The demon landed with a stumbled and snapped the sickle in half. Now the weapon was connected by a long chain. It swung the chain, the bladed end heading in Eire's direction. Eire holstered his guns and dove out of the way, turning into a silver wolf as he jumped, he bound toward Lex, who covered his escape by throwing the chakrums again at the demon's face.

Eire skidded and while turning, became himself again. He shook his head to rid the fuzziness after such a fast change and drew his guns. It was always reckless when Eire pulled at move.

"How much ammo you got?" Lex asked, catching the chakrums and retreating to Eire's side.

"A few more clips." Eire answered, slamming two more in.

"There's more in my trunk."Lex answered, vanishing the chakrums and reaching into his coat. Since being cursed, Lex never went on a job with any less then three kinds of weapons. He could always summon his chakrums, but he kept a short curved kitana on him and a pair of high powered semi automatic 9.mms. They were fast, light way, and always gave a hell of a kick.

He pulled these now, checked the clips and then he and Eire ran towards the demon firing. Eire slid around the side of the demon, under the club end of the weapon as Lex flipped over the chain. With yell, he planted his combat boot, squarely in the demon's face and kicked hard, knocking it's head back, while twisting away from it, opening fire.

He slammed his side into the ground behind Eire and winced, shook his head and got to his feet.

"You're using to much speed, Lexine." Eire said, dropping the empty cartridges from his berettas. "You know what happens when you push those limits."

"Fuck you. This thing is faster then the both of you and me put together, and it's not letting us near the car." Lex was right, the thing had planted itself between them and the mustang.

"Just don't need ya givin' out on me tonight, dude." Eire replied with a look.

Lex flipped him the bird and emptied his clips. Eire took a step infront of him giving Lex room to reload. He stuck the guns under each arm and squeezed, cocking the chambers simultaneously. Then he rolled around Eire's side, under his arms and aimed.

Eire nodded and they broke, running in opposite directions. The demon swung one end of the staff, causing Lex to roll, and flung the bladed end toward Eire who leapt back. Lex rolled behind a boulder, crouching against it. "You alive, mate?!" He shouted over his shoulder, as he pulled the half spent clips from his 9mms and pocketed them, pulling out two more from a side pocket that had a line of red paint the down side.

"Just barely!" Came the sarcastic reply of Eire who was crouched behind a barrel. He took was busy changing the clips of his guns. But his clips had a blue line down them. He slammed them in, chambered the first round and sprang up, in time to see Lex come running from behind the boulder. Both opened fire on the demon as he spun his weapon. Lex was using armor piercing bullets. Eire's were shatter tipped.

The creature was simultaneously spun on the spot by the force of the bullets and when their clips were empty, the both turned in the same direction and sprinted for the car. Lex slid around the back end on the gravel and grabbed the trunk side to keep from falling. Eire reached through the drivers window and snatched the keyts, tossing them to Lex.

Lex pulled open the trunk and Eire began reloading and collecting more clips. "Anything in here to put a bang in this thing's plans?" He asked Lex.

Lex pocketed a few more clips and began moving things in the trunk around, before pulling out a a slim cylinder, four inches high. "Mini grenade."

"Where'd you get that?" Eire asked, never having seen one.

"Aiyla left in my car one night." Lex shrugged. "Whats it doin'?" He poked Eire with the end of the grenade."

Eire peaked around the trunk. "Just standin' there...sorta...eyein' us..."

Lex looked around the opposite side of the trunk and frowned. Then suddenly the demon charged froward, brinning the blade of the sickle right through the engine of the car, before it was knocking it out of its way. Lex and Eire made a run for it, Lex spun to see his car slam into a rock wall. "FUCKIN' NASTIE! THAT WAS MY CAR!" Lex screamed.

Eire placed a hand on his eyes and shook his head. He took off after Lex as Lex launched himself at the demon who'd spun. Eire opened fire, distracting it long enough for Lex to get in another good face kick. He flipped in the air and brandished his chakrums at the same time, cutting it.

Eire holstered his guns and slid right on under the thing's legs, grabbing it's tail as he went. He gave a hard yank as he slid in front the creature and sent the demon sprawling backwards. Lex landed on the things chest and sliced with both chakrums.

The demon howled in pain and swung the club, knocking Lex off of him. Lex rolled, his side on fire, but got to his feet. "That car is comin' out off yer ass, big boy!" Lex growled.

Eire pulled his blade and sliced at the thing, dancing a step away from it's swiping grag. It swung the chain, lunging for them. Eire ducked the blade and Lex leapt over it again. Pulling the grenade from his pocket, pressed the button. "Eire!" He shouted, getting the other's attention, then threw the grenade.

Eire caught the grenade and lept at the demon the same time it lept at him. He sank the cylinder into a wound on the demon and lept to the side. Lex lept back away as the grenade blew.

There was a large gaping hole in it's chest. It swayed a moment, then fell face forward with a thud. Again it was consumed by an ill looking fire. Eire kicked at the ground as he got up and he went over to Lex who was standing there, breathing hard, glaring at the spot the creature had disappeared.

"Think you got enough to get us home?" Eire asked.

"Yeah. I just had that fuckin' car restored too!" Lex snapped, turning to open a shadow portal. He opened it up straight into the lobby of the Chaos Inc. building and with another forlorn look at the wrecked mass of his car, he followed Eire through.

The lobby was dimly light, most everyone was gone for the night. It was well past two in the morning. Lex rubbed his sore side, lifting up his shirt, to see the black and purple bruise on his side.

"Yeah, I took a beatin' too." Eire said, rubbing his shoulder. "Lets go tell Chaos the bad news." he motioned down the hall toward Chaos' apartment.

"K ain't 'ere." Came Nate's voice as he appeared from a side room.

"Where is she?" Eire asked incredulously

"She got a break on the case she was workin' on." Nate replied, eyeing both of them. "Weren't ya just supposed t' watch?" He asked.

"Self defense, man!" Eire protested.

"Righ', wha' happened?" Nate asked.

"We were stakin' out the building, followed our guy inside and had to fight him. Lex drops him, but we have to make a run for it. Mean while, this...guy turns into this demon with this wicked ass sickle thing and attacks us on the street. We get the better of it, make a break for it. And this thing shows up bigger and uglier then ever and proceeds to trash Lex's mustang, before we tear it a new ass hole." Eire said quickly.

"Where's the car?" Nate asked Lex.

Lex snorted. "Trashed up in the quarry outside of town. Fucker."

Nate sighed wistfully, then said. "K shouldn't be gone to much longer."
"Right, I'm gonna get a cup of coffee and an ice pack." Lex said, hobbling off toward the kitchen.

Nate and Eire watched him go, before Nate asked. "How'd the kid do?"

"Not bad...pushed the speed there abit at the end, though." Eire answered with a nod.

Nate snorted softly. "A few more times of passin' out in a fight and he'll get the idea..."

"He's trainin's payin' off." Eire said with a gesture.

"Kid may just make it after all." Nate replied with a slight grin.

"Just might." Eire grinned back. The two headed in the direction of the kitchen after Lex.

Lex had put on another pot of coffee and was leaning against the counter with an ice pick against his hip and a cigarette in his hand.

"Sorry t' hear 'bout the car, man." Nate said looking through the fridge.

"We'll get chu another one." Eire put in going to the table.

Lex shook his head. "Damn car never let me down." He said bemused.

"It happens...some boogy totaled my truck one night...man...that pissed me off so bad." Eire said in complaint. Nate smirked.

"It's always a fuckin' pain when that fuckin' happens." Nate said.

Lex opened his mouth, but the building suddenly shook, and alarms went off. "What the fuck!?" Lex snapped. "Aww man, don't fuckin' tell me!" He whined.

"Couldn't be!" Eire groaned. They left the kitchen at a run, and headed for the security room. Throwing open the door, they made their way to the monitors, past the phantoms. An outside camera picked up something that was roughly the side of a two story house. And it seemed the sickle grew as well.

"Stage four, the hero is starting to get annoyed." Lex muttered rolling his eyes.

"At which point, the gamer is getting pissed." Eire put in. "I FUCKING HATE four stage boss fights."

"That the thing?" Nate asked, tipping back his hat.

"The upshot is," Lex answered. "That boss fights never extend past stage four."

Eire clapped Nate on the back. "Don't think you're gettin' out of this one, dude." He grinned at Nate.

Nate rolled his eyes, already pulling his guns and starting out of the room. Lex sighed dramatically and followed after him. "If there's anyone else in the building, alert them to this." Eire told the security.

The three hurried out of the building and into the street. The demon turned from the building to stand infront of them. It roared a challenge and began swinging the sickle. "Yeah...okay." Nate said simply, before opening fire on the thing. Eire brandished his own guns, moving to the side.

Lex's black and red chakrums appeared already covered in fire as he launched them at the thing. Then there was another report of firing from the other side of the demon and he caught sight of Nate sliding behind it, firing.

The demon spun on him, finding a new threating angle. Lex lunged in, slicing the demon's thighs. The demon spun again, and swung the sickle and knocking Lex back. He slammed into a car and cried in pain as he hit it. Nate, who was closest, kept on gun trained on the creature, firing as he turned in Lex's direction as Lex staggered to his feet. "Alright?" Nate asked.

"Peachy." Lex replied, cracking his neck and wincing. "Nate!" Lex warned as the sickle bared down on him and Nate. They lept away as the demon's hand followed, snatching for them. There was a black blood oozing on it's skin, and when drops of it hit both Lex and Nate, they hissed as it burned.

"Fuckin' hell!" Nate snapped, wiping some of the blood off of him.

"Careful over the blood!" Lex warned Eire in a yell.

Eire was picking himself up off the ground, furiously wiping at his arms. "Yeah, now ya TELL ME!" He shouted back, before opening fire.

The demon turned on Eire backing him up against the wall. Nate was already running to his rescue, drawing the creature's attentions to him and Eire lunged forward with a yell, aiming for it's knees.

The three fell back together, out of reach of it's swing. "You didn't say it was this pissed." Nate retorted at the two.

"I thought I mentioned it," Eire replied with a shrug.

"We're fuckin' gonna need some fuckin' big hits, if we're gonna fuckin' bring this fuck down!" Nate snapped.

"I fuckin' hear ya." Lex agreed with a roll of his eyes.

The answer was another round of bullets, from somewhere to their left, all three looked over to see Meeks dodging the sickle. She rolled to her feet beside them. "Did you tell it, it's mother wears army boots, Lex?" She asked sarcastically.

"No I told it, it's mother ATE army boots." Lex corrected in just as sarcastic tone.

Meeks stole a kiss from Nate as she holstered her guns. "Well that's even worse." She commented with a cheerful smile. Lex snorted. "What say you we see if we can't boil us an over sized lobster?" She asked evily, while brandishing a pair of wicked long sharp fans of some kind of metal.

Lex just smiled in return spinning his chakrums.

"Cover us, handsome." Meeks said, grabbing Nate's collar and pulling him down for a kiss.

"Watch yerself." Nate replied with a grin.

Meeks opened the fans with a flourish. "Always." She replied, following Lex forward. The demon swung the sickle at them before bringing the club part around trying to smash them. Meeks bound forward, slicing at the creature's wrist, opening a deep cut.

Lex lunged, releashng a chakrum upward into the demon's chin. Meeks folded one fan, sunk it into the demon's forearm and pulled herself upward, flipping over, opening her fans and slicing it across it's face and shoulder.

Lex slid around it's back and grabbed onto a spike on it's tail to keep himself from swinging around to fast and brought his chakrum around into the demon's flanks. He let go of the spike, turned the chakrum flat and landed with his leg extended, hand on the chakrum.

Meeks slid down the demon's back, dragging her fans as she went and flipped off of it, landing slightly behind Lex. She ruffled his hair and grinned, flashing her fans open again. Lex laced the chakrums with fire and spun them around his fingers at his side. He releashed them, using fire to slice them up the demon's back.

Nate and Eire were still firing on it from the front and it seemed relatively confused. Lex caught the returning chakrums and leapt up, flinging them again at it's wings. The demon swung the sickle around at Lex grazing his side as Lex twisted away.

"Kid, quiet takin' such a beating, you're not letting any one else have any fun!" Meek said as she pulled him to his feet, looking him over. He now had a nice bleeding graze on the back of his side.

"Fuck it." He replied with a gesture. "He's all yours."

Meeks smiled happily and may have actually skipped off to take her turn. She unfolded the fans with a snap and crouched. "Hey, brighteyes, this way." She yelled, getting the creatures attention to her.

It stomped her way, twirling the blade around it's head. Meeks held her position until just as the sickle was coming down, then she lept upward, using the demon's arm as a ramp and lunged, twisting around with her fans, catching it in the face even more.

The demon howled in pain and dropped one end of the weapon to grab it's face, and staggered. Lex seeing an opening, ran forward, throwing his chakrums at it's knees from behind. It fell forward to it's knees, groping blindly for it's attackers. Eire and Nate moved in, renewing their attack.

"Lets put this thing out of it's misery, Lexine." Meeks growled, vanishing her fans and pulling a wickedly etched and serrated kitana. Lex vanished his chakrums and pulled out his short sword.

"Ladies first." Lex gestured with his other hand.

Meeks only laughed and turned, running for the demon, Lex followed. Meeks jumped over a swip and lunged, slicing at it's stomach. Lex used the hand that came down, and borrowed Meeks trick, using it's elbow to go straight for the chest. He sank the knife in to the hilt and shoved off, pulling the blade upward.

Meeks slid out of his way as he landed and they bolted back a bit. The demon swayed, then growled and leaned forward dangerously. There was a single shot, then Lex and Meeks ducked out of the way as the creature crashed to the ground, shot between the eyes. Nate stood with the smoking gun.

This time, the fire that consumed the demon was bright red. Everyone stared at the charred ground a minute, before moving over to the curb, where they all plopped down in front of Chaos Inc.

"Not bad, Lex." Eire said from his spot to the left of Nate who was changing the clips of his guns.

"Not bad at all, Kid." Meeks put in, wiping her sword off on an old cloth. She handed the cloth to Lex who wiped down his own blade.

"Thanks." He said, giving the rag back to Meeks. "Damn, was that fucker mean though."

"I hear ya." Eire agreed.

"You two are a bunch of fuckin' wimps." Nate retorted.

"Love you too, Nate." Lex replied with a grin as Eire flipped Nate off.

"Oh come on, you have to admit that thing was a bit...worrying." Meeks replied sheathing her sword and giving Nate a look.

"Nah, never worried for a fuckin' minute." Nate replied.

"Never worried when it knocked me into the car?" Lex asked.

"Not really." Nate answered, though he snuck a glance at Lex.

"Never worried when it came after me?" Eire asked.

"Fuck no." Nate snorted. Eire flipped him off again.

"Weren't worried about me?" Meeks asked suger coated.

"Well now, that's different." Nate replied with a tone. Meeks just grinned, leaned over and kissed Nate.

"Ahh get a room already!" Eire complained. Lex just leaned back on the curb, laughing, until he had to stop because it made his side hurt.

"What the fuck are you four doing sitting on the curb?" Came a voice from behind them, and they turned to see Chaos standing there looking at them. Eire fell over from laughing so hard and Lex wasn't far behind, even if he was holding his side.

"These two fucks got 'emself into some trouble and Aiyla and I here just cleaned it up for them." Nate replied with a grin. Meeks just shrugged, though she grinned herself.

"Fuck you, Nate!" Eire retorted.

"We ran into some trouble with the stake out." Lex replied, getting his breath.

"Fine, tell me inside, not out here." Chaos replied, opening the door with a gesture. Everyone scrambled to their feet, Lex and Eire helping each other up.  
 
 
 Let Sleeping Demons Lie; Part 2

"So let me get this straight, your car, Lex is at the quarry, outside of town, totaled, and this thing, followed you back, even after you used a shadow portal?" Chaos askd from behind her desk.

"That's about right, yeah." Lex said with a nod.

"Why didn't you call for back up when it first attacked you?" She asked.

"Ask Eire, he was incharge." Lex replied with a roll of his eyes.

"Me?! What the fuck. It didn't occure to us...EITHER of us." Eire replied, stressing this.

"I give you guys an easy job and you almost get yourself killed. Lex, go get that side bandaged." She told him.

Lex groaned, got up for the chair and headed for the door. He knew when the discussion no longer concerned him. Or was completely behind his back. He left the room, closing the door behind him.

"Before you ask, he did pretty good out there. He held his own...but he pushed his limits. Like always." Eire said, sitting back in the chair.

Chaos nodded. "Figured as much. Just as long as he doesn't push them to hard."

"Lex has what it takes though...to be damn good at this." Eire replied.

Chaos smiled. "That he does..."

Eire got up. "Well, I'm going to get a shower and a nap." He said, stretching and heading for the door.

"Don't exepct to get to much of a nap. You're heading back out in a couple hours." Chaos called after him. Eire just waved her off. He went down by the kitchen were Meeks was bandaging up Lex's side.

"Later dude, I'm crashin'." Eire informed Lex. Lex managed to wave from the chair he was slouched in for Meeks to have better light. "And nice moves out there tonight." Eire said with a slight grin.

"Thanks." Lex replied.

"He's right you know." Meeks said, finishing cleaning the side.

"About what?" Lex asked, lighting a cigarette.

"You really looked good out there tonight. I think even Nate was impressed." Meeks winked.

Lex snorted, blowing a smoke ring. Meeks tryed not to start laughing herself. Lex tryed not grin.

"You've got really nice eyes, Lex." Meeks said casually, with a smile.

Lex looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Meeks chuckled and said,. "That's not a come on, that's an observation. What kind of eyeliner do you use?"
Lex scratched his nose with the ring finger of the hand that held the cigarette and shrugged.

"No seriously, what kind?" Meeks asked sitting back on the floor and looking up at him with her head cocked to the side.

"Rimmel, black magic." Lex answered, tapping his ashes off in an ashtray at the table.

"Rimmel, not bad, Brits always knew how to make good make up." Meeks pulled her bag to her off the table and dug through it, before handing Lex a small bottle of very black powder. "Powdered khol, got it from Egypt last month. Go ahead, I have another one at home."

Lex took the bottle with a snort and eyed it, before sitting it with his cigarettes. "Thanks."

"Now, about your hair..." Meeks said with a serious look.

"What about it?" Lex asked incredulously, a hand touching the spikes.

"You really need to tone down the spikes, mate." Meeks answered getting up from the floor. "How adventurous you feeling?"

"After that pain medication...what'd ya got in mind..." He eyed her as she stood over him.

"You seriously need a hair cut, so come on." She plucked at his sleeve as she opened a shadow portal.

"Where?" Lex asked.

"To see a friend, come on." Meeks pulled him up out of the chair and began dragging him through the portal, pausing long enough to grab his cigarettes and her bag.

***
Eire crashed in a guest room intent to grab a nap. He'd just rolled over, and was about to really fall asleep when his cellphone rang. He covered his head with the pillow and grumbled. "Mr. Phone, Mr. Pillow here would like me to tell you, he's going to suffocate me, unless you shut up."
The cellphone continued ringing.

"Mr. Phone, my life is in your hands...SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

The cellphone continued ringing.

Eire groaned, let go of the pillow and sat up, grabbing the cellphone. He looked at the number and his knuckles whitened. His hand trembled as he opened the phone. "H-hello..." He said softly.

"Can we meet up somewhere?" A soft voice asked.

"Emerald, I don't think that's a good idea..." Eire replied.

"No, it's an excellent idea, lets meet somewhere." The voice answered, loosing it's casualness.

"Fine, where, Emerald?" Eire asked rolling his eyes.

"The usual spot." Emerald answered, before hanging up.

Eire groaned flopping back in his bed and covered his face with the pillow again, again trying to suffocate himself.

But it was of no use. After about a minute, Eire flung the pillow away, taking a deep breath. Glaring at his cellphone, he got up, shimmed into his jeans, pulled on a fresh t shirt, grabbed the flannel shirt he always wore over top, laced up his hiking boots and snatched up his bomber jacket, leaving the room.

He grabbed the keys to his dodge truck and started getting in, when a voice stopped him. "Where ye goin'?" Nate asked, appearing.

Eire sighed and tossed Nate his cellphone. Nate caught it and looked at the last number called, frowning. "Yer not goin' alone, man." He said finally with a growl.

"Fine, tag along, but she wants to meet up...in the usual spot." Eire said, one foot in his truck.

Nate tossed him back his cellphone, and opened the passenger's door, getting in. "Then lets go meet the bitch." He answered resolutely

***
Lex and Meeks came out in a semi dark, small shop. Half was a salon, the other half filled with racks of clothes. The whole place rang expensive, even if the room was small. "Hey Candy, are you here?!" Meeks called out, still holding onto Lex's arm.

"I'm gonna regret this..." Lex muttered, glad the pain medication had somewhat destoryed his common sense.

"No you're not." Meeks replied, turning back to the room. "Candy?!"

"Quite yer howlerin', girl!" Came a voice and what could only be a drag queen appeared from another room. He was dressed in a short black and white pinstrip skirt and black tank top.

"Candy!" Meeks exchanged kisses on the cheeks with Candy, before turning to Lex. "Lexine, Candy, Candy, Lexine. He's in desperate need of a change..." She explained to Candy.

"Come to the right place then!" Candy said with a grin, looking Lex over.

"This was her idea." Lex replied, pointing at Meeks.

"Trust me, darlin' I ain't gonna do anything drastic." Candy said, taking his arm, turning on the lights in the room and walking him towards a barber chair. "The collar might have to go..." Candy said, fingering the ring as he shoved Lex into the chair.

"The collar can't go." Meeks put in before Lex could open his mouth. "It's like, one of those..." She stressed the last three words.

Candy sighed. "Poor thing." He patted Lex on the head, "Alright, we'll work with it...guess we'll just have to stick to the goth/punk look, but maybe class it up..." Candy leaned the seat back and began washing Lex's hair.

Meeks wandered over to the racks of cloths and began going through the clothes. "So hows things with Jeremy?" She asked Candy.

"Oh this and that, you know how it is." Candy replied, washing Lex's hair.

"Yeah, I hear ya there." Meeks answered, pulling out a black and white horizontally stripped shirt and held it up in front of her, squinting one eye and visually trying it on Lex.

"Oh I hear you got yourself a new guy, Aiyla..." Candy purred, then looked at Lex. "This isn't him, is it? No offense beautiful." Candy added to Lex who just rolled his eyes.

"No." Meeks laughed. "Lex is just a really good friend. No, Nate is back at the office." Meeks said, thumbing in the direction the shadow portal had been and pulling out a fucking little purple and pink top. "No, pink definitely isn't your color, Lex."

"Thank god.." Lex muttered, Candy chuckled, sitting the barber chair up.

"So then I'm guessing, Nate, is quiet a catch?" Candy asked sweetly, turning Lex around. "How short you wanna go with this?" He called over his shoulder to Meeks.

"Not to short, just do your magic, Candy." Meeks answered. "And Nate is...something special." Meeks answered, smiling to herself.

"Ah, but can he keep up with you?" Candy asked.

 "He can keep up with me." Meeks replied, pulling a dark blue and black stripped garter shirt and a pair of black leather low cut jeans. "This." She decided, carrying the items over to a chair.

Candy set to work cutting Lex's hair. Lex shut his eyes. "So how do you two know each other...I didn't think hung out with punks and goths, Aiyla...you're always a cyber girl."

Meeks plopped herself in a empty barbers chair and propped her feet on the counter. "Lex works with Nate." She said simply. "We met...oh months ago on a unusual job."

"Oh, one of those jobs." Candy rolled his eyes. "Keep your head straight." She took Lex's head and turned it straight, slapping him with the flat side of the comb.

"I just figured the boy needed an update. Still stuck in the 90s here, Lex." Meeks said, leaning forward to pluck at his shirt sleeve.

"I like the 90s." Lex replied flatly. Candy snickered.

"You'll like this." Meeks replied in a tone that suggested, or else.

Lex rolled his eyes and made himself comfortable, while Candy continued to work.

"There, all done." Candy said, stepping back. Lex opened his eyes and Meeks turned from the jewelry.

Lex's hair was still shoulder length, but much softer and layered, with long bangs. Candy beamed. Meeks came over to inspect the work. "Nice, looks good." She said with a grin. Lex pushed the bangs out of his eyes and was actually glad to see the spikes gone. "Now, lets get you dressed." Meeks said evily. Lex noticed she'd added things to the pile in the chair.

Meeks practically made Lex change right in front of them. The outfit was a good fit, but the low cut of the jeans bugged the shit out of Lex. Matched with the midrift cut of the shirt, it showed his dark red boxers. "Get over it, it looks good." Meeks said, rolling her eyes. She fit a leather cuff on his wrist and dug through the jewerly, finding a small crystal vile with a very small rose in it, and strung it around his neck, grinning.

Her final addition was a pair of fingerless, kidskin black gloves, with Lex actually liked. He liked the feel of them. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, a bit surprised. What ever Candy had done, had given his so feminine looks a bit of an edge. He didn't come off so girlish, but then, the idea was to look girlish. A sorta punkish tom boy look. Lex had to admit he liked it.

"Well?" Candy asked, coming over.

Lex blushed slightly, then said. "I...like it."

"Told ya, you would!" Meeks said with a grin, grinning at him. "You look good, Lex, not so damn pansy assed now. Now, my turn." Meeks turned back to Candy. "I wanna strip the color." She said, pulling at lock of green hair. Candy seemed to raise an eyebrow. 
 
 
"After all this time?" Candy asked.

"Yeah...I'm ready for a change myself. And tell ya what Lex..." Meeks gestured to the racks of cloths. "You pick out the outfit."

"Me?" Lex asked incredulously.

"Here's your chance to get some revenge, boy, don't miss it." Meeks replied as she headed over to a barber chair. Candy winked, setting the chair back and took down a bottle of black liquid, sitting to work.

"You wanna cut it?" He asked Meeks as he worked on 'washing' the color out of her hair.

"Layer it...but a couple inches off." Meeks answered, content to let Candy do his magic on her.

Lex moved over to the rack of clothes and began going through them, not sure if Meeks should have let him do this. He had such an odd taste in clothes.

"How's things with Rue?" Meeks asked from her spot.

Lex was glad his back was to her as he answered. "We've...had an argument."

"About what?" Meeks asked with surprise as Candy continued stripping the lime green out of Meeks' hair.

"Us..." Lex answered softly, taking a black top with fishnet sleeves off the rack, looking at it. It had red roses around the collar and trim. He actually liked it, but didn't think Meeks would match up to it.

"Listen gorgeous," Candy called from his spot. "I don't do this for any one but Aiyla's close friends. If you see some clothes there, you like, snatch 'em now while you have a chance." He winked at Lex.

Lex laughed softly and dropped the shirt on the chair with his duster, before turning back to the rack.

"So... elaborate on the us bit, Lex." Meeks said as Candy began drying her hair.

Lex sighed, finding a damn nice pair of black leather jeans with studs on them. He tossed those on the chair. "Rather or not things between her and I are going to progress since I started working for K..."

"Boy, if you don't tell her!" Meeks snapped.

"She knows how I feel about her!" Lex replied in protest. "I just...don't wanna push it, until I've straightened some things out..."

Candy was starting to trim Meeks hair. "No girl's gonna wait forever, no matter what they are." he said. "And Rue, especially isn't the type to wait forever."

"You know Rue?" Lex asked finding a kick ass black and white tight barbarilla style cat dress. It was in swirling patterns, just something Meeks would wear.

"Yeah, I've met the gorgeous redheaded half vamp. I love doin' that girl's hair." Candy replied with a grin. "She's a great girl...she's come a long way from when I first met her...some thirty two years ago."

Lex glanced at Candy. "You're not...normal?"

Candy laughed, glancing over his shoulder at Lex, and when he blinked, his eyes became a light pinkish color. "No, handsome, I'm a half demon."

"Oh, I didn't..."

"I hide my demon side well." Candy replied, turning back to Meeks.

Lex found a pair of matching knee high stiletto heeled boots, and sit them with the cat dress, before coming back towards Meeks and Candy.

"So that's what I forgot..." Meeks muttered, glancing at Lex's small sock covered feet as he propped them up on the counter the way she had.

Candy finished with Meeks and patted her on the shoulder. "You look good in your natural hair color, Aiyla, I wish you'd wear it more."

Meeks looked in the mirror, with a deep sigh. Lex was looking at her with wide eyes. Meeks' natural hair color was somewhere between an extremely light blonde and white. "I'll wear it this way for a little while." She answered.

"Why do you dye it lime green?" Lex asked as Meeks got up, going over to the clothes Lex had picked uot.

"In a way, it keeps certian people from finding me." Meeks answered, picking up the dress and grinning her approval, before snatching up the boots and heading into the changing room.

Candy sat down in the empty barber's chair Meeks had gotten up from. Lex glanced at the drag queen demon.

"How long have you known Aiyla?" Lex asked softly.

Candy sighed contentedly. "I've known Aiyla since she was a slip of a girl. I was friends with her sister, Maya." Candy explained. "Aiyla is...something else. Maya would be proud of her."
Lex had heard of Maya, but never really asked about her. "What happened? I mean, I know Maya died, but...Aiyla doesn't talk about it."

Candy sighed, this time sadly. "Maya, Aiyla and their adopted brother, Gwyndion, were in a battle against a real bastard... he'd gotten Aiyla cornered and she struck out at him, but just as she did, Maya had appeared to help her... Her blade passed through the bad guy, who slipped effortlessly from it, and impaled Maya in the chest. Maya died with Aiyla's sword through her heart. Aiyla's...never forgiven herself." Candy told him softly.

Lex grimaced, and sighed. "I guess that's why she's never said anything...damn..." He looked up as Meeks came out from the changing room.

"Well?" Meeks asked, doing a turn. She looked very good in the outfit.

"Very nice, sweety!" Candy said clapping.

Lex grinned. "Looks good to me." He answered.

"You've got taste, Lexine." Meeks said with a nod. Then she turned and began searching through the boots, "Here!" She pulled out a pair of nice black combat boots, with little cherries on the three buckles. She handed them to Lex, before finding a long white, soft leather trench coat with a hood and tossed it to him as well. "Finish off that outfit. You need a new coat."

"I like my duster..." He muttered.

"Wear it!" She snapped, grabbing a faux rabbit fur short jacket and pulling it on.

"Well, you two are lookin' damn good." Candy said with a grin as he slipped the clothes Lex had snatched and some others, into a bag along with Lex's old boots.

Meeks did another turn and grinned. "Thank you." She pounced on Candy, kissing his cheek, slipping something into his pocket. "Thank you Candy...for you know...all of it." She said softly, hugging her old friend.

Candy hugged her back with a smile. "You know I love you, girl." He answered letting her go with a fond smile, before turning to Lex and holding out a hand. "It was a real pleasure to meet you, Lexine. Don't be a stranger 'round here. Any time you're feelin the need for a change, stop in."

Lex took Candy's hand and shook it. "Thanks. I'll remember that." Meeks had already opened up another shadow portal.

"Later Candy!" She called cheerful as she grabbed the bag and Lex's hand.

"Stay out of trouble, Aiyla!" Candy called as they disappeared into the portal.

They passed through the dimly light lobby, heading for Chaos' apartment door. They were just passing the kitchen when Meeks and Lex came out of it, Meeks carrying the shopping bag. She smiled coyly at Nate, who'd stopped, looking her up and down as Meeks did a cat walk turn.

"What happened t' yer hair?!" Nate asked in surprise with a crooked grin as she stopped before him.

"I thought it would be nice to have a change for a little while, so I had Candy strip the lime green color." Meeks explained, sitting the bag against the wall. "Don't like my natural hair color?" She asked slyly.

"Nah, it's nice, just fuckin' different." Nate remarked, taking a lock of hair between his fingers.
Meeks smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Regardless of what hair color I have, it's still me." She replied seductively, before kissing him.

"Yeah, I can see that." Nate replied, amused, after the kiss ended, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Eire had stopped, turning back to look at Nate and Meeks with an amused look. That's when he noticed Lex leaning against the wall. "Dude, what happened to your hair?" Eire asked in awe.

Lex blushed slightly, touching his hair, then jerked at thumb at Meeks. "She decided my spikes had to go...Why...does it look bad?" Lex asked, scrunching up his nose in a look.

Eire laughed. "Nah, it doesn't really, not on you...the out fit is...different." Eire replied, looking Lex up and down, from the cherry embossed boots to the midriff cut top, to the white floor length coat that Eire was really sure was made for a woman, but fit Lex's frame nicely.

Lex grinned slightly, and shrugged, then narrowed his eyes on Eire, coming away from the wall. "Alright, what the fuck is wrong?" He asked with a slight hiss. He knew something was wrong, because Eire wasn't teasing him over the look, and had even failed to mention the silver hooped belly button ring, Lex knew, Eire never knew Lex had, had.

Eire blinked in surprise and rubbed the back of his neck, then scratched his nose in the hesitant way he did. "N-nothin's wrong, Lex...It's just..."

"Bullshit, E. I know better, man." Lex replied, staring hard at one of his best friends in the building. Since working for Chaos, Eire and Nate had become Lex's best friends, the three were always getting into some kind of trouble, on and off work time. But becoming Nate and Eire's close friend had been good for Lex, they toughened him up, to say the least.

Eire sighed, and snatched Lex's arm, pulling him around the corner out of the ear of Meeks and said softly. "My mom called a while ago..."

"I thought you didn't communicate with her?" Lex asked, crossing his arms as Eire leaned against the wall.

"I don't." Eire replied flatly. "But she called me, wanted to meet me in the park...so Nate went with me...She wants me to do some kind of retrieval job for her..."

Lex stared hard at him, his head cocked to the side slightly. "What kind of retrieval job?" He asked suspiciously.

"I don't know yet, Nate's got the information in an envelop in his pocket...I haven't looked at it yet..." Eire said with a sigh, looking back at Lex. He took in the newly added jewelry and reached over, fingering the tiny crystal vile with the ultra small rose. "Ya should give that t' Rue."

"Right, don't change the subject, E." Lex said in a warning tone.

Eire barked a soft laugh and ruffled Lex's hair. "I was on my way to tell Chaos, Emerald is in town, before Nate and I were going to take a look at the information..."

"Fine, I'll come with you." Lex answered flatly, used to Eire ruffling his hair. Hell, almost everyone around here did it. Since Lex was the newest member to join, everyone teased him. But there wasn't anyone in the group that Lex didn't like and get along with. So he was happy to be working here.

"Lexy, man..." Eire groaned. "Look, if I dont' do this job for Emerald, she's threatened...to come after you and Nate..."

"Well, that's nice of her, I look forward to meetin' her and tellin' her off." Lex answered, crossing his arms, but giving Eire a look. "Don't tell me to stay out of this for my safety, I'm not completely helpless, Eire." Lex added in a warning tone.

"I know that!" Eire replied in protest. "I just don't...want her hurting you...I know what she's capable of, man! She's a fuckin' genius of a witch, especially in offensive magic..."

"E, I'm helpin' out on this, mate, just accept it." Lex replied firmly.

Eire sighed. "I can't convince you not to?"

"No. You and Nate, are my best friends. I don't abandon my friends when they need help with something."

Eire regarded Lex. In the few months Lex had been working with them, Eire had grown fond of Lex, growing close to the fire elemental. He and Nate both knew they could count on Lex to cover their ass in anything. Eire sighed, "Alright Lex...But if things start getting really bad..."

"No, I'll stick with you on this...I'm not backing down, Eire." Lex replied, his arms still crossed.

Eire gave an apologic grin and nodded. They went back around the corner to find Nate and Meeks standing close to it, having eavesdropped. "You need help, E, you can ask me as well." Meeks said, her own arms crossed resolutely.

"Aiyla, babe...really...I think." Eire trailed off, catching her glare.

"You're my friend, Eire...I'm in." Meeks replied.

"Alright...come on, gotta tell Chaos. then we'll take a look at what ever it Emerald gave us..." Eire moved down to Chaos' door and knocked. The others leaned against the wall on the opposite side, waiting.

Chaos opened her door a moment later, in a black halter top and pj pants. "This better be important, Eire." She said sourly.

"It is...you'll have to give Lex and mine's case to Bull and Reese...maybe Shauna.." Eire replied with a sigh, glancing at the other three.

Chaos eyed him, glancing at the others then asked. "Why?"

"Emerald is in town..." Eire answered softly, giving Chaos a pointed look. "She wants me to do something for her...Nate and I just got back from meeting up with her."

Chaos swore and looked at Eire. "Can you handle this?" She asked him, knowing better then to try and tell him not to do it.

Eire took a deep breath, and glanced at Nate, Lex and Meeks who gave him a firm nod. "Yeah...I've got back up." Eire said with a slight grin, looking back at Chaos.

Chaos held his eye for a long moment, then nodded. "Alright, just cover your ass, Eire, and if you need me to have a word with your mother, I will." Chaos said with a wicked smile.

Eire grinned and nodded. "Night, K." He said as she closed her door. Then he turned and motioned to the others.

They went back down to the kitchen and Nate handed Eire the envelop. Eire flopped down in a chair and opened the envelop. Meeks had recovered the bag from the hall and stuck it under the table as Nate sat down next to Eire. Meeks planted herself right on Nate's lap as Lex made coffee.

Eire pulled out the bundle of papers from the envelop, looking them. One had the image of a blood red gem, the other, the information. "What the fuck is a blood star?" He asked out loud, laying the papers on the table as Lex light a cigaette.

Lex picked up the photo and looked at it. "It's a gem that's been...charged magically with usually black magic..."He said, sitting the photo down, and taking a long drag.

"Figures Emerald would be after one.." Eire grumbled, rolling his eyes, sitting back in his chair.

Lex sit down in the other chair. Meeks picked up the picture. "This doesn't bode well, Eire." She said softly as Nate looked at the image as well.

"Nothing that involves my mother bodes well, Aiyla." Eire replied simply, he reached over and took Lex's cigarette from him, pulling a long drag as the redhead gave him a look. Eire handed the cigarette back and sighed out the smoke. "I'm only doing this for the bitch, to keep her away from you guys." He said.

Nate took the page with the information of where the gem could be located and snorted. "Privet collector, so you can be sure the guy's a magic user..." He said, reading the information.

"Smashing." Eire replied sarcastically.

Nate frowned. "I don't fuckin' get it... Emerald's fuckin' powerful enough t' get this thing 'er self..wha's she need ye for?"

"Man if I knew that, I wouldn't be sittin' here." Eire replied, rubbing his eyes.

Meeks was looking at the paper and drumming her fingers on the table, thoughtfully. "Well at any rate, it's far to late to go to this guy's house...but I gotta an idea..."

Eire looked over at her, all ears. "Wha?" He asked curiously.

Meeks was the next one to take Lex's cigarette and he rolled his eyes, taking another out of his pack and lighting it, waving off Meeks when she went to hand the other back. Tapping the ashes off the half spent fag, Meeks looked at Eire with a glint in her eyes. "About...nine or so later this morning, Lex and I'll take a trip over to this guy's mansion and pose an interest in his collection. We'll see if we can't do this the easy way first, before contemplating the illegal way. Sound good?"

Eire contemplated this, then nodded. "Yeah, sounds better then anything I can come up with..."

Meeks looked at Lex. "Sound good to you?"

"Why not..." Lex replied with a shrug and a slight grin.

Meeks nodded then, finishing off her cigarette. "Just wear a turtleneck, Lex...to cover up the collar."

Lex snorted, fingering the ring on the collar. "Why, you could put a leash on it and say I'm your assistant." He said with a slight grin.

Meeks grinned back. "As much fun as that is...lets leave you some ego, boy'o."

Meeks crashed with Nate in a guest room, curling up against him. She stroked his hair as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer. "Is Eire going to be alright with this?" She asked softly.

Nate sighed, looking at her. "Every time fuckin' Emerald Shadow fuckin' pops up, she causes some kind of fuckin' serious trouble for Eire."

Meeks frowned, then asked. "What's the problem? I mean, what happened between them to put mother and son at odds like this?"

Nate sighed again, and said. "Understand, I don't even think Eire knows the whole fuckin' truth. This is all we know fuckin', from the last fucking time Emerald was in town. Eire's parents were never even in love with each other. Eire gets his wolf nature from his father, who apparently, according to Emerald, raped her. She fucking abandon Eire with her sister, when Eire was born, mostly because of the fucking fact that Eire didn't inherit the magic, like she'd damn well wanted her son to...She didn't want the fucking abomination she'd been left with." He quoted, with a sneer and roll of his eyes. "So Eire's aunt raised him, mind you she was more a mother to him, then Emerald. Ruby loved Eire like the son she never had. When Michael and I met Eire, Eire had believed Ruby WAS his mother. He was 17."

Meeks snuggled closer, leaning against him. Nate continued. "Then Eire was fucking picked up by the Illuninatie. They had him for two fucking years, fuckin' brainwashed him, LiVed made him work for him or torture the fuck out of him."

Meeks grimaced. "Yeah...I remember seeing Eire's name in LiVed's files...And I know Saffron pretty much set Eire free..."

Nate nodded. "So Michael, K and I find him again and Eire teams up with the three of us. Then the fuckin' bitch, Emerald appears for the first time, believing Eire learned something from his time in the fuckin' Illuninatie. So she tried to get him the fuck on her side. I guess fuckin' Emerald's always fuckin' using black magic, not happy unless she is. Eire refused to go onto her side and she caused some serious fuckin' problems for us, finally trying to kill Eire. Well K had fuckin' had enough of that shit and she fucking went up against Emerald, beating the fucking shit out of the bitch." Nate grinned wickedly and Meeks chuckled.

"I believe it." She said softly, stroking Nate's cheek.

"So the bitch vanishes for a few fuckin' years, then fuckin' resurfaces, demanding Eire fuckin' SERVE her, that she'd fuckin' given him his life. Chaos tells her the fuck off again, after which again, the bitch nearly fuckin' kills Eire, this time I got in a few hits too. And we don't hear a fuckin' peep outta the bitch fer years...til t'night."

Meeks sighed, laying her head on Nate's shoulder. "Poor Eire...I love the kid, he's like a lovable, but rabid puppy."

Nate barked a laugh, kissing Meeks on the top of her head. "If you say so."

Meeks smiled, chuckling. "I just didn't know Eir's been through all this shit...almost as bad as Lexine...So what happened to Eire's father?"

Nate nodded, the shrugged. "Almost...Eire's a bit more lucky then Lex...And some how, the fuckin' bitch has found out about Lex too...she threatened Eire, that if he doesn't fuckin' do this fucked up job for her fuckin' skank ass, she'll come after both Lex and I..." Nate snorted to that. "She can fuckin' TRY! As for Eire's da, well we don't fuckin' know. Eire doesn't even know who he was..."

Meeks growled, holding Nate possessively. "She threatned BOTH you and Lex?!" She asked.

"Yeah...now I ain't worried 'bout meself. But Lex...well, he's got enough curse on him..." Nate said with a shrug.

"Lex can hold his own, though..." Meeks said softly, yawning. They had at least four hours to grab a nap.

"I know he can..but the curse...makes him a fuckin' target for the bitch's black magic...she could even set the curse back to restart, if she knows how, I don't wanna take the fuckin' chance, and with LiVed no where in sights...how'd we buy Lex more time? Eros and I can only do so much t' staunch the damned thing..."

"So Lex is gonna have this curse hangin' over his head the rest of his life?" Meeks asked, turning her head to look at Nate.

"Pretty much..." Nate said in reply. "If Emerald finds out 'bout the curse, like I fuckin' said she could reset it...if she don't know, then Lex can live a long life, just bein' careful not t' push his limits. Every time he pushes the limits, it drains a little more outta 'im...which is what I'm always bitchin' at him 'bout...There's other limits to the curse, but Eros is still researching them..." Nate said.

Meeks frowned. "Oh that bloody idiot." She said finally.

"Wha?" Nate asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I asked Lex how things between him and Rue were. He said they'd been arguing...now I know about what..."

Nate shook his head with a sigh. "I bet ya anything, the little whelp thinks he's not good enough for her, because of the curse..." Meeks added with a serious look.

"Could be why he keeps pushing himself in fights..." Nate agreed. "Its the fact that Rue's such a fuckin' kick ass chick, Lex feels like he's not good enough fer her..."

"But she loves him...dearly." Meeks replied.

"We know this...Lex just needs t' realize it." Nate said, yawning. He snuggled deeper under the cover, with Meeks.

Meeks smiled, before kissing him tenderly. "Just like I love you, Nathaniel." She whispered, her fingers tracing his jaw.

Nate kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her. "Love ye too,