Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
Astrid watched the house where she had been sent, cruel fingers running through Chelsea's red hair as she brooded. Ashtoreth had not been happy that she had not killed the Seer, that he had managed to reach safety and give a message before disappearing again. Not even the goddess could find, some force cloaking the broken Seer from her scrying. That did not make for a happy goddess, when something proved strong enough to thwart her.
Chelsea shifted slightly at Astrid's feet and winced. Ow. Pain. All there seemed to be lately was pain. She had deep scratches and fang punctures running all along her and the gag in her mouth made her jaw ache. She wanted to go home to the mansion, or to LA. She just wanted this to end. She didn't cry. She only got hurt worse when she cried, so she'd stopped doing it. A car pulled up in the driveway.
Blakesley pulled up and turned the car off, getting out and locking the car behind him. He felt good. Even if he wasn't able to hurt them physically, he'd proven tnhat he still had the knack of mental torture. Listening to Jane try to not show him how deeply his words were affecting her, and then when she had dropped the phone, unable to cope with what he was saying...delicous. He hummed slightly as he stepped up to the door and unlocked it.
Astrid's wings settled behind her as she stepped down to confront Blakesley, Chelsea standing behind her, hands cuffed behind her back and collar on her throat.
Blakesley turned slightly as he heard a footfall and took in the imposing woman with black hair in black leathers there. Her shoulders shifted slightly, and he saw that she possessed ebony black wings, shining slightly in the light of the streetlamps. There was a girl behind her, red hair, green eyes...with a gag in her mouth and a black collar around her neck. He could see several puncture wounds on her throat and the t-shirt she was wearing was streaked with blood.
"Yes?" he said testily.
"Kaleb Blakesley?" Astrid said.
"Who wants to know?"
"My mistress wants you in her service."
Astrid pushed Blakesley through the door and Chelsea walked in after her. The winged woman kicked it closed, continuing to walk with her hand on Blakesley's throat.
"I would suggest you take her up on her offer, or I will snap your neck where you stand."
She slammed him into a door in the hallway, which had several locks on it. Blakesley winced slightly. Chelsea watched, face and eyes dead.
Christian & Blakesley Snr
Both Christian's and Blakesley's father's heads snapped up to the door as they heard the bang.
Isaac Blakesley waited a moment, figuring it was Kaleb, before frowning slightly and making his way to the door.
Christian groaned at the pain in his chest and took a deep breath, keeping his eyes on the door from the table. He watched Blakesley's father open it, then step back out of the way.
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
"And the name of this person you wish me to work for would be?" Blakesley said, stepping back into the room as Astrid let go.
He rubbed the already purpling bruises around his throat as he glared at her. Astrid stepped through into the room and her glance barely flickered over Christian before giving Isaac a regal stare.
"Her name, oh ignorant one, is Ashtoreth," Astrid said.
"And she is a goddess."
"Figatiravily speaking or literally?" Blakesley sneered.
"Ashtoreth is a goddess," Astrid said, smiling slightly.
"She can reward you beyod your wildest dreams, man of science...or she can crush you as easily as you would crush an ant."
Chelsea looked around briefly, then dropped her eyes to the floor again.
Christian & Blakesley Snr
Christian just simply blinked.
Blakesley's father eyed his son off, then watched Astrid.
"Someone else would delight in my son's services?"
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
"As interesting as it sounds, I'm afraid I must decline," Blakesley said.
"I don't deal well with threats."
Astrid tilted her head slightly, then unsheathed her sword. In a fluid movement she had Blakesley backed up against a wall, tip at his throat.
"Tell me...do you feel like dying today? Chelsea," she snapped.
"Tell me what you see."
"And of course, I feel so bunnying inclined to tell you," Chelsea said.
She fell to her knees choking as Astrid flipped a wrist negilgently and the collar started to tighten. Green eyes glared hatred.
Christian & Blakesley Snr
Christian couldn't help but smile.
"Ooh, I like this..."
"Settle Kaleb," his father tutted slightly, "you don't know what it may involve. You may like it."
He eyed off Chelsea as Christian eyed the open door.
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley/
"As you say, Father..." Blakesley said slowly, lifting his head higher as Astrid's sword came far too close to his throat for his liking.
"It would seem that I'm hired."
"Pity. I would have really loved to kill you," Astrid said, eyes gleaming with madness.
"But then again, I just really like blood."
She turned away, sheathing her sword. She walked over to Chelsea and picked her up by a ring on her collar and started to shake her like a dog with a rat.
"And what, exactly, will it take for you to behave, hmmm?"
Chelsea choked, feet scrabbling at the floor before she was lifted fully off it.
"You're a very embarrassing slave."
Christian & Blakesley Snr
Blakesley's father crossed to the cupboard, and began to sit some daggers in a rack.
"Damn," Christian grunted, "can't you kill him anyway? For the sake of it?"
Astrid & Chelsea
Astrid dropped Chelsea again and she sprawled on the floor, t- shirt riding up to display whipmarks. The redhaired girl sobbed for breath quietly, hands twisted up behind her back in the handcuffs. Astrid stalked over to Christian.
"Pretty boy..." she purred.
"I don't feel like dying when I've only just begun to live."
She trailed sharp nails down his face, then cut his cheek. Delicately, she lapped up the blood that welled to the surface.
"Yummy."
Christian
"You mean someone actually wants this asshole alive?" Christian raised his eyebrows, ignoring the sting.
"Can't you lie to them? Just say he kicked up a fuss or something so you had to slaughter him?"
Astrid.
"Ever tried lying to a goddess? The last one who did that is dying as we speak. And he's been dying for over a year, apparently," Astrid said.
She grazed her fangs across his throat.
"The Rising Sun wishes him alive...but she also does not want him working for anyone else. Consildation of resources, you might say."
Christian
"Can't say that I've lied to a goddess," Christian pouted slightly as he considered.
"But I kinda lied to a couple of godlings and got away with it pretty well."
Astrid & Chelsea.
Astrid chuckled against his throat.
"You amuse me. Chelsea, get up. And don't be rude this time."
Chelsea got to her feet awkwardly. Astrid made her look at Christian.
"Let's try this again. What do you see?"
Chelsea shuddered, using her talent to look at Christian.
"Full Dath, but it's blurred somehow. Like a copy with an alteration. Telekinetic. Something..."
Her eyelids fluttered rapidly.
"20 years old, cruel, unforgiving, angry, a hunter, lamb in sheep's clothing and god stop!"
She squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to open them again.
"Slaves," Astrid said in disgust.
Christian
"Lamb in sheep's clothing?" Christian frowned, "was that an insult?"
He twisted his right wrist, and glanced at Blakesley and his father.
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
"And the point of that little exercise was?" Blakesley asked.
Astrid smiled at him umpleasantly.
"Little red here has this thing where she sees the truth of what is. Handy. I picked her up mostly to hurt someone, you know, just game playing but she's most useful in her ownself."
Chelsea shuddered and opened her eyes again, looking at the ground.
Christian
Christian looked Chelsea up and down, and raised an eyebrow.
"Looks a little pathetic if you ask me, which you're not, so I won't tell you."
He chuckled to himself.
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
"Actually, she's doing rather well, considering the last two people who developed this talent went stark raving mad," Astris said.
"It's very rare. There's only been the three of them. The Oracle, the Seraph and Chelsea. Who doesn't have a name yet, really. Seraph I still have to kill...and if it hadn't been for that blond kid and the wolf, and that stinking cat, he would be."
Suddenly enraged, she turned and slapped Chelsea across the face. Long blood red welts formed on her face and she stumbled forward into Christian, then fell heavily again.
"Only three?" Blakesley asked.
"Novel."
Christian
"Why the $#!+ do animals keep coming up lately?" Christian groaned.
"Ever since I freaking met Taylor and Mouse it's like they haven't left me alone."
He scowled to himself, then glared at Blakesley.
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
"I've been very frustated lately," Astrid said, then kicked Chelsea hard in the side.
Chelsea rolled with it, coming up against the legs of the table. She glanced upwards and nearly vomited when she saw Isaac and took in his aura. She looked away again quickly.
Astrid looked at Christian more closely, smoothing his hair back from his face. Taylor. The name was familair. It clicked.
"You look like him. The blond alien who kept my prey from me. I would dearly love to know why. The big black mutie called him Taylor."
"Because, as your...possession deduced, he's a copy," Blakesley said.
Christian & Blakesley Snr
Christian scowled again, and looked at Blakesley.
"If you hadn't $#!+ed my hand up so bad I'd give you the finger. And somehow I doubt Taylor would be able to stand up to anyone, let alone someone like you," he looked back up at Astrid.
"He's a freaking wuss."
Isaac stepped back from Chelsea, taking in her presence.
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
"With someone to back him up, he's brave," Astrid said, pacing around Christian slowly, wings fluttering slightly.
"The Old One was there as well. Cat shaped, most annoying. Too small to hit properly."
She ran her hand down Christian's chest, talon-like nails catching slightly at his whipcuts.
"I have noticed that aspect to Taylor's behaviour," Blakesley said.
"It's when he's alone...that's his weakest point."
Chelsea shuddered, knowing he was looking at her and too afraid to move.
Christian & Blakesley Snr
"RK," Christian realized, frowning slightly.
He looked between Astrid and Chelsea, then turned to Blakesley again.
"Guess you'll have to put off catching him again, now you have another job to do," he smirked.
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
"That would depend on what the job is," Blakesley said, looking at Astrid.
Astrid smiled slightly and raked her nails down Christian's chest hard before raising her hand to her mouth to lick at them daintily.
"She who is more terrible then all the fires of heaven wishes your nothingness, man of science."
Blakesley frowned slightly.
"Excuse me?"
"You have made...an elixer that mimics the power of Null. My lady wants it. And she doesn't want anyone else to have it. You will be well recompensed."
Christian & Blakesley Snr
Isaac went to sit in his wheelchair, his face showing no expression as usual.
Christian frowned, trying to think of what a goddess would want with Null.
"Why would she want it?" he asked finally, barely flinching as she drew blood.
Astrid & Blakesley.
"It can be a very powerful weapon," Astrid said.
"And sometimes you take something just so someone else doesn't have it."
She kicked out at Chelsea again and the girl tried to crawl away under the table, gasping slightly in pain.
Christian
A smile crossed Christian's face.
"I like that idea," he insisted, glancing at Blakesley.
"Very much so."
Astrid.
"I wonder..."
Astrid looked Christian over carefully.
"I think milday would find you most amusing. If she didn't kill you first."
Christian & Blakesley Snr
"I'm not a toy*" Christian began in a sing-song voice, looking away.
He caught Isaac's gaze and looked away again.
Astrid.
"Feel the collar on your throat?" Astrid purred, tracing her finger along it slowly.
"It means you're whatever your masters say, boy."
Christian
"It don't mean $#!+," Christian sneered, "I ain't got no master, and I'll never have one either."
Isaac tapped his fingertips together, watching Astrid closely.
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
Astrid laughed, a pure melodic sound.
"Come back in a year, and tell me that. Between the fawning and the cringing. Toy."
She looked at Blakesley, and he smiled slightly.
"They're much easier to break if you get them younger," she said conversationally.
"I have noticed that," he said dryly.
"Although Chelsea is being rather more obstinate then most," she said.
"You're going to die, and I'm gonna laugh," Chelsea said defiantly.
"Oh yessssss...your precious X-men."
Astrid reached down and jerked Chelsea to her feet by the front of her collar.
"If he really wanted to, your precious Xavier could find you. You're all alone, little girl."
Christian & Blakesley Snr
"I won't break for this asshole," Christian said, eyeing Blakesley.
"As far as I know he's already had the satisfaction in Taylor. He's not gonna get it from me."
Isaac pursed his lips, but otherwise didn't move.
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
"I usually find that depriving them of all sensory input works well," Astrid said to Blakesley while Chelsea dangled from her hand.
"Yes," Blakesley said.
He looked at Christian and smiled slightly.
"That did work quite well, for a time."
Chelsea spat in Astrid's face, hoping this would be the thing to make the woman kill her. Astrid hissed in disgust and dropped Chelsea, wiping her hand across her face. She put her foot on Chelsea's back and slowly pressed down. A rib broke with a crack and Chelsea screamed in pain.
Christian
"Bet you won't be doing that again for some time," Christian glared at Blakesley.
Dammit. He'd been so close to killing himself that day. A few more seconds it could have worked*
Christian glanced at Chelsea, without so much as a twinge of care for her.
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
"I must apologise, I thought she was better behaved by now," Astrid said to the Blakesleys, ignoring Chelsea as she gasped and sobbed.
Blakesley smiled slightly knowingly at Christian, then looked back at Astrid.
"So, are you a mutant, a demon...what?"
"Half alien, half mutant," Astrid said crisply.
"Also known, in my former life, as the Valkyrie."
Christian
Christian sighed and leant his head back on the table, closing his eyes for a moment, before staring at the ceiling.
She was beginning to remind him of Spook, when they were at the Rabbit Hole.
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
Astrid took her foot off Chelsea and the small girl curled in on herself coughing and retching.
"What do you say?" Astrid said sweetly.
Chelsea looked up at through tearswimming eyes.
"Sorry, Mistress," she panted out, in too much pain to care anymore that she was betraying herself.
And inside, she died a little more.
"And?" Astrid prompted.
"I beg your forgiveness, Mistress," Chelsea said weakly.
Blakesley watched with detached interest as the young red head got on her hands and knees then crawled over to Astrid, who patted her on the head like a dog.
"Good girl," Astrid cooed.
Christian
Christian almost growled, as he remembered seeing a similar scene through the surveillance cameras of the labs. Except Taylor was the one watching, and Natalia was the one crawling to Blakesley.
He turned his head away and kept his eyes away from Isaac.
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
"I'm sure, in time, he'll be the same," Astrid said, fingers carding carelessly through Chelsea's hair.
She wept hopelessly and silently, crouched at Astrid's feet.
"Eventually," Blakesley said.
Christian
"Bullshit," Christian retorted, looking her up and down.
"Even Taylor wouldn't be caught doing that $#!+. You're an extremely underestimating person."
Then he chuckled.
"Know a few of those."
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
"When you've broken him, I would love to come and look him over," Astrid said to Blakesley.
"And you haven't done your share of underestimation, Christian?" Blakesley asked.
Christian
"My estimation of you as an asshole has proven worthy," Christian couldn't help but smirk, "and is continuing to. Who ended up with a gun pointed at him by the weakest runt in the universe, hm?"
He shifted slightly.
"And my estimation of him is still justified."
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
Blakesley lifted an eyebrow slightly.
"I rang them today. I had Jane in hysterics by the time I hung up. Taylor wasn't that much better. I can't wait to get him back."
"Let me know, and I'll see what I can do about helping you," Astrid said.
Her wings flared, the feathers ruffling angrily.
"No one thwarts me when I'm hunting and gets away with it!"
Chelsea winced slightly as Astrid's nails dug into her scalp.
"Any help would be appreciated," Blakesley said.
"I'd be glad to," Astrid said.
"I said I was going to eat his heart...but I think I could trust you to hurt him sufficently."
Christian
"Keep your $#!+ing hands off him," Christian sneered, sitting up slightly as he pulled on the cuffs around his wrists.
"Steel will have your ass, and then he'll share it with me."
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
"I truly doubt this...Steel, did you say? Is able to oppose the wrath of a goddess," Astrid said scornfully.
Blakesley looked thoughtful. Perhaps this would prove more advantageous then he thought.
Chelsea closed her eyes. She didn't want to think anymore.
Christian
Ok, how the hell did Taylor get himself into this? Christian thought as he frowned again.
"You never know* he may one or two on his side," he raised one eyebrow.
"Watch where you're treading Queenie. You can't tell from a first look who you're dealing with."
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
"Queenie?" Astrid said with an upraised eyebrow.
"And I usually don't tread. I fly."
She patted Chelsea's head again and the girl's shoulders slumped even lower.
"Highly doubtful many gods will be willing to tangle with Ashtoreth. She's more powerful then most of those on this earth."
"Well, seems that I've joined the right side then," Blakesley said dryly.
"Was there anything else?"
"You will be contaced if milady has other needs," Astrid said.
"And she wants to know what happened to the dragon."
"Varian?" Blakesley said.
"I'm not sure. The YIRAAS let it go. Fools."
Christian & Blakesley Snr
"More powerful than most on this Earth," Christian chuckled, "yes, she may. And she very well may be in this Solar System too. But not where we come from."
He settled down onto his back again.
"I'm sure I've seen a lot more in my time than she could pull off."
Isaac tutted slightly.
"Perhaps we should silence the young man for the moment," he suggested, raising his eyebrows at Astrid.
"Kiss ass."
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
"You could just cut out his tongue," Astrid suggested in a bored voice.
"Then he'd be silent. You can make it very painful as well. I find pincers work well, or heated tongs. The problem is making sure they don't choke to death on the blood."
Chelsea shuddered. She'd seen that happen once already. The screams still lingered in her mind.
"I tihnk something less ah, permanent will do," Blakesley said.
He got up to find a gag to put in Christian's mouth.
"You are such a fool," Astrid said to Christian, almost pityingly.
"Why don't you take your own advice for once, and not underestimate your oppenents or what powers they could wield?"
Christian
"You've just spent however long practically bragging about your abilities," Christian squinted up at her.
"And yet you know nothing about what I know. Advice I give is learnt the hard way."
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
"You have no idea of the slightest of milady's abilities," Astrid said coldly.
"Consider yourself lucky you aren't writhing in torment for your effrontry. If you have any of the Null elixer, the Merciless Defender would most like to see it."
"Of course," Blakesley said.
"Follow me, please."
Blakesley left and Astrid followed him, Chelsea trailing along like a whipped dog.
Christian & Blakesley Snr
Isaac stood and made his way to the cupboard, pulling out a gag for Christian.
"Ashtoreth isn't the only God out there," Christian frowned, watching the door as it closed, "and I've seen what they can do. She doesn't have a $#!+ing clue of where I'm coming from."
"Indeed," Isaac seemed to agree as he made his way over to him.
He lifted his head by the hair and forced his jaw open, before slipping the gag in and buckling it closed behind.
Christian groaned and leant back on the table, as Isaac prepared to continue with his work.
Astrid, Chelsea & Blakesley.
Astrid recieved the small vial of black liquid from Blakesley and looked at it thoughtfully, before sliding it into a pouch at her hip.
"I will see that you recieve enough money to continue your research."
"That would be good, thank you," Blakesley said.
"Fare thee well, then."
Astrid left with Chelsea. Blakesley smiled to himself. Well.