CHAPTER 10 (From Charity)

My hand began to hurt as Suicide handed me a plate of food.

I cried out and dropped it.

It clattered to the floor and shattered, but I couldn't concentrate on that, for my hand was blinding me.

I cradled it against my stomach and sort of doubled over on the bed, almost crying with the pain.

"Are you alright??" Suicide demanded, eyes full of concern.

I nodded as the pain sort of subsided.

I looked down at my hand and my palm was all marked up.

My eyes widened, and Suicide grabbed my wrist away from me, studying the markings with narrow eyes.

The infinity sign that had appeared in my dream was apparently tattooed to my palm now. It was an eternity figure eight sort of thing, but with a cross in the middle, so it formed an infinity, two crosses, and two ankhs.

But sort of rolled into one thing.

"What is this?" Suicide whispered, tracing it with his fingertip. It sent shivers up and down my spine so bad that I had to tear my hand away from him. I nearly fell over backwards I pulled so hard.

He looked at me, eyes all concerned.

I was crying again.

"I don't know!" I cried. "It... I... I had a dream... And this appeared, and it's back..."

His eyes narrowed. "A vision..."

I sighed and the pain fully subsided, leaving just the marking behind. It was no longer glowing, but it was still there, none the less.

I looked up at Suicide.

"Whoa." Trauma was back, leaning over Suicide's shoulder. "That can't be good, huh?"

"But what does it mean?" Suicide whispered.

Trauma shook his head. "Shall I fetch Lord Hell?"

"Oh, if he's looking for Lady Heaven, I wouldn't want to disturb-"

Trauma and Suicide began talking in a language I didn't understand. Something monsterous, I'm sure.

I sighed and looked down at my feet.

What was to become of me?

They both turned back to me. "Perhaps we should seek out Lord Oberon."

"L-Lord Oberon??" I squeaked.

Suicide nodded. "The Master of the Night would know what it was." He smiled at me. "Oberon is one of the most knowledgable people in the Universe."

Trauma nodded. "He most certainly is."

They both stood.

"Are you sure?" I whispered.

They both nodded.

I sighed and stood.

Suicide shook his head. "Trauma, go and fetch some clothes from Blasphemy and Dispair. Poor little Charity can't go around in that flimsy little nightgown."

Trauma nodded and scurried off.

I leaned against the wall, still weak.

Suicide sighed. "How are you doing?"

"I'm still sore." I said softly, touching the side of my face. I could see myself in the mirror on the opposite wall.

I was about five feet and three inches tall, and weighed about a hundred and two pounds. I had a nice body, I suppose, I'm not a very good judge of these things. My skin was pale and nice, my eyes wide and hot pinkish. My hair is a nice black with stripes of purple stuck in. I usually wear my hair in twin buns, but somewhere along the way, my hair had fallen out of its ribbons and was hanging, shiny and thin, to my waist.

I was so bruised. My face was just ripe with bruises on the left side, and some scabbing at the corner of my mouth where the stranger had slapped me. I could see bandages on my thigh, and a few other places. I looked like shit.

Pardon my french.

Trauma returned with some clothes and I made them turn their backs as I slipped out of the nightgown and into the new clothes.

I ended up wearing a black fuzzy sweater that was too low cut and midriff, over a red school girl skirt that was a little too short.

Trauma and Suicide approved, though, even though I did not.

I sighed. "May I please have a coat?" I asked softly.

Suicide gave me his trenchcoat, and it hung to my feet, its sleeves way past my fingertips.

With Suicide's shoulder to lean on, we left the mansion in search of the Night Master.

"Where do we find him?" I asked softly as we went to earth.

"We go to where he will find us." Suicide answered.

Trauma nodded.

We ended up in a clearing in a forest.

I sighed and sat down. I was feeling weak. I was still tired.

Suicide smiled down at me. "This is his clearing. He should feel our presence and return in a few minutes."

"Oh." I said, smiling softly.

Trauma leaned up against a tree.

It wasn't too long before I could hear another man breathing.

I was staring at Trauma when the hand came out of the tree, like it was rising out of the water or something. The hand came out and stroked his cheek.

He cried out and tried to move away, but another hand came and held his neck in place.

A head followed, and finally, Lord Oberon, the Night Master had manifested himself completely.

He smiled widely and stood in the center of the clearing.

"Monsters." He said. "And angels, oh my."

Suicide and Trauma fell to their knees and bowed. I was already on my knees.

But I had never met Oberon before.

Lady Heaven and he did not get along very well.

Oberon was not as big as I had expected him to be. He was only a few inches taller than me, really. He was pale and his eyes were a luminescant yellow amber color, like those of a cat's or a wolf's. He had a nice smile, and twin fangs. His hair was blue, hanging just to his chin, with bangs in front. He had fox's ears poking out the top of his head, peaked and listening for anything. Very alert.

He was thin, yet muscular. He wore a black cloak with red jewels. A fox's tail poked out of the back side.

He smiled.

"Lord Oberon." Suicide said softly. "I apologize for disturbing your night..."

"Yes, yes." Oberon said. "Why have you sought my company?"

"It is little Charity." Suicide explained. "There seems to be... Something amiss..."

"Whatever might that be?" Oberon asked, eyes resting upon me.

I looked nervously at Suicide and Trauma, but their eyes were downcast, not even looking anywhere near me.

I looked back up at Oberon, and he was already right in front of me.

He knelt on one knee and gripped my chin in one of his soft hands and pulled my face until I was making eye contact with him.

"This little angel..." He said. "This is Charity?"

"Yes, lord." Trauma said.

Oberon pursed his lips and leaned in closer to me. I squeezed my eyes shut and he inhaled deeply, his nose right at the bottom of my ear, nuzzled in my hair.

He rolled his eyes back and smiled. "Marvelous." He looked at me and sniffed me again, this time seeming to taste me in the process. Like a snake would.

He leaned back a bit, but still held my chin in his fingers.

"I smell fear." He said. "Fear and pain. She hurts..." He looked back down at me and narrowed his eyes. "And a loss of innocence..."

I blushed wildly and gathered up enough mauxie to turn my head away from him, thus evading his grip.

His hand fell away and he stood once again.

"What seems to be, as you put it dear heart, a miss?" He asked Suicide.

"Charity, show him your hand." Suicide instructed.

I held my hand up for him to see.

He touched it gingerly and made a face.

"The mark of the beast." He said.

"Huh?" I managed.

He laughed. "How eloquent." He shook his head. "It is the mark of the beast. The sign of the devil. She has been visited by something quite unholy."

My eyes widened.

"What did they do to you?" He asked me, suddenly. "The devil, was he the one that had his way with you?"

I looked around. "I..." I started. "I don't think so... This happened after..."

He nodded. "I would like to know exactly what happened."

"I had a dream." I said softly. "And there were two people in it. A man and a woman... They said I had to save them. Something... An Ancient Enemy..."

Oberon narrowed his eyes. "I see..."

I shook my head. "What does it all mean?"

"Couldn't say." He shrugged, turning away from me and pacing in a circle. "I could try and confer with the spirit world, but most likely they wouldn't know either. I think this is the sort of thing that we have to ride out and see what happens..."

"So you can't tell us what the mark on her hand is all about?" Trauma asked. "What a gyp."

Oberon's eyes flashed and he was suddenly standing sideways on the tree, like gravity didn't affect him at all. He was holding Trauma by the collar of his shirt, pulling him a few feet off of the ground.

"Don't be so quick to judge, my cherub." Oberon said. He dropped Trauma, who landed on his ass and looked quite surprised indeed. "I said that the mark on her hand was that of the Beast. A devil has touched her. And that is never ever good. In fact, I would say it was highly bad."

He began pacing up and down the tree.

It was highly unnerving.

"The Devils have been banished for quite some time now." He said. "I have not seen one in centuries. Which would lead me to believe that something very very powerful has brought them back from the Land of Nod. Something very powerful would most likely be the Ancient Enemy our little angelic friend her has referred to. This Ancient Enemy must be stopped if he has been bringing Devils with him. Who knows what other sorts of ancient wickeds he has brought back with him?"

He walked down the tree and continued walking, pacing on the ground now.

"All the Beyonds should be on guard." He said. "Look out for any strange goings ons."

"There have already been many."

"All sings point to a reawakening of sorts." Suicide said, agreeing with Trauma. "Something big is happening soon. We can feel it."

"Lady Heaven is missing." Trauma said.

Oberon looked mildly interested. "I think, perhaps, that has something to do with little miss Charity's loss of innocence."

"Huh?"

"You'll see in due time." He said. "But meanwhile, shouldn't you be looking for her ladyship? There's but three hours 'til dawn, and then she must resume her appointments. There are no sick days for death."

Trauma stood, as did Suicide.

Suicide helped me to my feet.

I stood on shaky legs.

Oberon walked over to me and gripped my hand in two of his. He leaned over and kissed it, delicately.

"I hope that you find your Ladyship." He said, smiling at me. "As do I hope that you visit me again very soon. It was a pleasure to acquire your aquaintance."

With that, he was gone.

"A devil." Suicide whispered. He looked at me. "Perhaps we should return to the mansion now."

Trauma nodded. "I do not think it would be a good idea to be out and about if there is some sort of Devil chasing after our little angelic friend."

They started to walk out of the clearing, and I followed slowly, limping behind.

Apparently my limping was not fast enough for Suicide, for he turned around, picked me up, and carried me all the way back to Hell's mansion.

Upon our return, we were greeted by a rather enraged Hell.

No sooner had Suicide put me down in the bedroom than Hell had stormed across the floor to him, striking him so hard with the back of his hand that poor Suicide fell to the floor and I had to scurry out of the way, near terrified of this sudden outburst of rage.

"Where have you been??" He demanded of Suicide, who was trying to cover himself, but keeping in a submissive position. "I returned to find all three of you gone! Why did you not tell me where you were going??"

"F-forgive me, Master..." Suicide choked, breathing hard. "We only sought to-"

"Get out of my sight." Lord Hell said, taking a drag off his cigarette and turning his back on Suicide. "Take Trauma with you. I shall deal with the two of you later."

Trauma helped Suicide to his feet, and they scurried out of the room quickly, closing the door on their way out.

I, meanwhile, was huddled up against the wall and the bed. In a little corner, trembling and slightly covering my face with both hands.

Hell turned his attentions to me and I made a little noise as he crossed the room over to me. For a moment I had visions of him striking me as he did Suicide, and when his hand was suddenly in my face, I made a little noise and thought my fears had manifested themselves.

Then I realized he only meant to help me up.

Still trembling, I placed my hand in his and he placed his other hand around my back, so as to help support my weight as I stood on not yet stable legs.

But now, after seeing him hit Suicide, I was worse. Terror was still running through my veins, because of the stranger, because of my dream, because of Lord Oberon, and because of Hell.

My hand trembled like a butterfly in his, and my legs were so shaky that I swayed, and would've fallen to the ground if he wasn't there to catch me and hold me against his chest.

"There now..." He whispered, stroking my hair with his hand. "You're alright, calm down, please..."

I sucked in a deep breath.

He looked down at me, into my eyes, and laughed a little. "Your eyes are so wide and fear-filled that you look something like a rabbit." He shook his head. "You've no need for fear, you're safe now."

"You saved me..." I whispered. "B-before..."

He shook his head. "What else was I to do?"

I blushed. "Th-thank you." I whispered softly, my voice not quite steady yet. "I cannot thank you enough, your highness, I shudder to think as to my fate if you hadn't sh-shown up... I... I..."

I stopped talking and lowered my head.

I was slightly startled when he placed his hand on my chin, lifting my face so that he could look into my eyes.

"It was nothing." He said. "I only regret that I could not have been there sooner."

I didn't say anything at that.

"Where did Suicide and Trauma take you?" Lord Hell asked.

"T-to see Lord Oberon, sir." I said, nervously, as if I actually was still frightened that he would hit me for some reason. He was being perfectly nice to me, but what with the way my day had gone, I wasn't quite right. "B-because of my hand..."

He seemed puzzled.

I held up my hand to show him my palm.

His eyes narrowed, those funny magenta colored eyes of his.

"You saw Lord Oberon?" He asked.

I nodded.

"Where did you get this?" He asked, tracing it with his fingertips.

"In a d-dream." I said.

Hell's eyes met mine, and he was puzzled. "What did Oberon make of it?"

"He didn't know." I said. "He said I had been marked by a devil..."

Hell seemed to agreee, and seemed worried.

He opened his mouth to say something else, when the door opened roughly.

My eyes widened, and Lord Hamunaptra stalked into the room.

"There you are." He said, pointing at Lord Hell. "What is going on?"

"Our little Charity has been marked by a Devil." Hell said.

"That's not what I mean and you know it." Hamunaptra said. "Is she alright? What happened? Harmony told me a little, but failed to give me an entire story."

"Our little Charity was attacked." Hell said. "By a stranger. And Lady Heaven is MIA."

Hamunaptra nodded. "That much I know."

"That is all I know, as well." Hell said.

There seemed to exist a tension between the two men.

I was too tired to analyze into it, however, and I just leaned against Hell's muscular chest, and let him hug me.

Hamunaptra sighed. "We've two and a half hours until dawn." He said. "And Lady Heaven is still missing..."

"Where could she be??" I wimpered.

Hell shrugged.

Hamunaptra frowned suddenly. "I fear something must have happened to her ladyship..."

My eyes widened. "W-what??"

Hamunaptra offered me an apologetic look. "I'm dreadfully sorry to be so blunt, little Charity, but how else can we explain the fact that Lady Heaven failed to protect you?"

My blood ran a little colder.

Hell hugged me a little tighter.

"I did not want to say anything." Hell said. "For fear that I would jinx it..."

I was looking back and forth between the two men.

"But I fear that you may be right." Hell said softly.

"W-wh..." I started to protest that idea, dismiss it as something silly, when there was a low laughter that echoed throughout the room.

"Lady Heaven..." The voice cooed. "How juvanile..."

We were all looking around.

Suddenly, there was a sickening rip noise as what I can really only describe as a black hole appeared on the wall above Hell's bed.

It was like a shimering greyness, not silver really, because it was like a mist, a cloud, a cloud about to rain. It swirled and at once was pearl, then back to grey, not silver, again.

A hand suddenly, deliberately, gracefully appeared from the depths of the grey.

It was paper white, with well manicured, slightly pointed and very long nails. They were the color of turquoise with black tips. Black green and purple tribal tattoos decorated the wrist and back of the hand.

And then there was the corner of a face. Not the whole face. Not even the nose. A cheekbone and an eye. Both quite lovely, peered out at us, as if from beneith water or something.

The eye was a million colors all at once. The iris was all a'flame, red, orange, yellow, blue, and white, with a pinpoint of a pupil, like a parrot, that dialated and contracted with excitement.

"Hamunaptra..." The voice, which was almost bell-like, feathery, yet definitely male said softly. "Hell... How truly nice it is to see you once again."

"Who in Christ's name are you??" Hell demanded.

"I'm sorry if I caused you an inconvenience..." The voice whispered. "But, no harm done."

The voice laughed. "I'm sure we will all be seeing much more of each other in the near future." The eye and cheekbone disappeared back into the greyness, and then the lips surfaced, perfectly formed around jagged and dainty teeth. The lips were a deep purple black color. They smiled softly. "In the meantime, you may have your female back."

A head appeared from the darkness and the two hands that belonged to the voice helped deliver Lady Heaven onto Hell's bed.

With that, the greyness receded until it was gone.

We all looked at each other.

Lady Heaven was unconcious.

She was so very lovely. She was smallish, like me, but a little bit taller and with a little bit more muscle. She wore a lovely white dress and her skin was slightly tanned. Her hair was a perfect shade of raven black, hanging to her ears perfectly straight and then wavey from there to her shoulders. Her eyes were wide and greenish colored. Her lips were perfectly defined and wine colored.

Hamunaptra was instantly at her side.

He held her hand in his and slapped at it until she awoke.

Her eyes opened wide and she sat upright, panting heavily as if simply awakening from a dream.

"L-lady Heaven?" I whispered.

She looked around the room. "Where am I?" She cried.

"In my bedroom." Hell said softly.

She looked up at Hamunaptra. "Oh Naptra!" She cried, and threw her arms around him. He hugged her close. "What has happened? I was... I was in my office, and then... There was a stranger... And..."

"Shh shh...." Hamunaptra whispered. "You're safe now, Heaven, it's alright..."

"Lady Heaven..." Hell said, stroking my hair. "Little Charity was attacked."

Heaven looked at me with wide eyes.

"What??"

"She was attacked, Heaven." Hamunaptra said softly. "And raped."

Heaven's eyes clouded over and she moved her mouth. No sound came out, and she buried her face in Hamunaptra's chest.

He hugged her close and I was on the verge of tears.

"She lost her client." Hell said quietly. "And her halo."

Lady Heaven seemed deeply saddened by this.

"It is getting close to dawn." Hell said after about twenty minutes of silence. "And the work day is ahead of us. Perhaps it would be a good idea if we all tried to get a few hours of sleep in before tomorrow's work day."

Hamunaptra nodded. "Come, Heaven." He stood and helped her up. "We'll get you back to your mansion. Let's go."

She nodded, and let him help her up.

I pushed away from Hell and started to follow them.

Heaven suddenly pushed away from Hamunaptra and whirled, eyes wild as she made eye contact with me.

"Don't follow, Charity." She said, her eyes all cloudy. "You're fired."

"Wh..." I started.

"You're fired." She repeated, and turned around.

I stood on shakey legs, and she was on the way out the door with Hamunaptra.

I could feel my pulse on my throat.

Those tears that I was on the verge of? I totally burst into them, and fell to my knees.

"Lady Heaven!" I whispered. "Why?"

"I can no longer employ you." She said softly. It sounded as though she were on the verge of tears as well. What had I possibly done to upset her thus? "Take me home, Naptra."

With that, she was gone.

And I was alone.

I was breathing heavily, and couldn't stop crying.

I was still hurting. My inside hurt, my face hurt, everything. And now my heart ached as well.

What had I done??

There was a sudden hand on my shoulder, and I looked up to see Lord Hell standing behind me with a sympathetic look in his eyes.

"Little Charity..." He whispered.

I started to say something, and then stopped, overcome by sudden tears again.

Hell picked me up and held me close, and I cried against him.

"It's time for bed." He said.

"Don't leave me..." I whispered feebly. I couldn't be alone. As much as I needed and longed to be alone, I just couldn't be alone right now. I needed him. "Please, please, your highness, don't leave me alone, please..."

He nodded softly and stroked my cheek.

"Can you sit on the bed while I change into some night clothes?" He asked.

I nodded, and sat down.

He walked softly away from me and stripped out of his tuxedo vest and pants. Underneith them, he was wearing a corsette with garters. Very lacey.

He slipped a robe on over this and that was apparently what he slept in.

I was just sort of huddled in on myself when he tossed me a white dress shirt. The button up kind.

"Here." He offered. "That sweater and skirt won't be very comfortable to sleep in."

I nodded, and started to try and get out of the sweater, but there was a sudden pain in my arm where the Stranger had cut me, and in my ribs where he had kicked me.

I cried out and gave up rather quickly.

Hell crossed the room to stand over me.

I looked up at him, so disgusted with myself for being such a wreck of emotional baggage, and so completely helpless. I was utterly pathetic.

He sighed and gently pulled the sweater off of me.

He did it gently and slowly so that it didn't hurt as much.

I crossed my arms over my chest and blushed. He helped me slip the shirt on and button it up. As soon as it was on, I wiggled out of the skirt.

He climbed in between his sheets, and I slowly inched my way up to climb in beside him.

"Thank you..." I whispered, feebly. "I'm so sorry..."

He shook his head and turned his light off. "No, little Charity, it is I who am sorry."

I nodded softly, and he hugged me close to him.

He was warm and solid, and it felt nice to be in his arms.

I fell asleep rather quickly. I had had a long and horrible day. It would be nice to wake up the next morning in my own bed and discover that everything had been a horrible nightmare. But I knew that wouldn't happen.

I fell asleep in Hell's arms, his hand gently stroking my hair.

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