One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Astor moved forward toward the entrance. He was impatient and wanted to take care of several things. He'd told Vincent and Lust that he would be here tomorrow. He'd changed his mind and came tonight. Though it was very early morning now.

He passed the two demons that were outside checking those that went in. They recognized him instantly and just stepped aside moving away from him to let him pass. Fine with him, he didn't need their permission.

He paused for a moment looking at the large number here. He felt the strong pull of this place. The pheromones and scents were strong. Most purposely put into the room to dull certain senses and make others spike. He was effected, but didn't need to act on any of them. Sexual need was always the worst after being here.

Astor wanted the group that Vincent and Lust had acquired. The strongest of their kind they could get. He was hoping that it would work to bring up at least one more acolyte without a huge toll. It was his kind's time to rule, once here he would draw power from those that he brought up. There were still those demons that resisted him. When he wasn't there it was harder to control them.

Some were growing a bit to sure of themselves and would come after him eventually. Seeing as he was one of their biggest enemies. Astor moved across the room. Those that were in his way moved instantly sensing him. It was good to be him, no one questioned you, disagreed with you. Just did what you said.

Most of the time, and those that didn't he killed. His one exception and problem was Savon. The only one that existed who persistently told him no. Defied him and fought against him. How he wanted to get a hold of him and teach him a lesson that he would never forget. However as of late he was starting to wonder if he should use Savon in short rituals. Only drain him near the point of death, not killing him. He was proving to be valuable.

There was no guarantee that he'd manage another child powerful enough to bring multiple acolytes over. It took select humans to give a viable child, which made Savon even more valuable and rare. He survived birth. He hated searching through humans. Such an inferior race. He still had the one that he needed, but he didn't think that she would give him the same kind of child the second time around.

Astor got to the stairs and went up them, taking quick strides. He got a few looks, but no one met his gaze. To worried that they would draw attention to themselves. That their look would be taken as a challenge.

Astor went up to the next level and felt Vincent here, he moved toward him. He also wanted a group of demons to send out. To find the groups of humans in this area that fought against him. They were annoying and doing better than they should. He still had yet to find the group that was with Savon, and their escape after killing Remis was unacceptable.

He'd killed a large number of humans and demons for that. He didn't tolerate failure, and he was also pissed about Savon getting away. The fucking half breed should not be as good as he was.

"Vincent." Astor said coming up behind the daemon, he turned quickly.

"Astor, I didn't think you would be here until later today." He said moving from the female demon that backed up quickly away from them.

"I changed my mind. Where is Lust?" He demanded, he was in half a mind to use the two of them. That would be a powerful duo. But they were good at what they did and kept things running smoothly for him.

"She was just here, but moved up to more private quarters." He said turning to move toward a door there. "She has been in an odd mood. Rather angered by a male demon that told her off, and then left. She hasn't been able to find him to punish."

Astor could care less what her problem was, he had things that he wanted. Things he needed done. So she better have her act together when they found her. He wasn't in the mood to tolerate any kind of attitude. She was a good one for that.

They went in the door and then through another to a set of stairs that went up. He followed Vincent glad to be away from the other public area. Disgusting, all of them. Not that he found what they did appalling, he found it entertaining. But the beings themselves were lesser and therefore not up to par.

Vincent unlocked the double doors there and opened them moving into the living area that was there first off. As they came in Lust looked at them. She let go of the one that she was holding and he fell to the floor unmoving. Neither even gave the now dead man a glance.

"Astor, didn't expect you so soon." She said, her face was flushed from feeding and the kill. Her skin was brighter and her eyes were as well. She straightened herself and he just moved around the room.

"I want those that you have collected. I'm impatient." That was all the explanation they were going to get. His tone said it all as he approached Lust. She turned and moved toward the bedroom where the elevator was.

Astor was right behind her and went into the room after her. She paused at the elevator and hit a button. From her he could smell the demon she had just killed, but there was another scent on her. It smelled slightly of demon, but it wasn't right. The scent fading, had to be a few hours old if that. His gaze grew dark for a second.

"Who has been around you?" He asked her, the scent was light on her. Not someone that she slept with, but had close physical contact. It seemed that she hadn't really been around others tonight.

"Just a human and a couple demons. I wasn't feeling very social, why?" She asked watching him, there was apprehension in her gaze. She froze when he came very close to her and took a deep breath. His eyes flashed yellow for a second. He grabbed her by the throat and slammed her back into the wall next to the elevator doors as they opened.

"Where is he?!" He screamed at her. She looked terrified but she didn't fight him. Very smart, if she tired he'd snap her neck right here. Make sure that she didn't come back.

"Wh...whoo?" She managed with the tight grip that he had on her throat.

"Savon, his scent is on you. Have you been hiding him? Helping him?" There was no way he came into this place to just hang around! That he'd approach her for no reason!

"No, I swear, I have no idea where he is. I only saw him once as a child." She said panicked and his anger was very sharp and deadly. He did however feel the truth of her statement. His grip on her throat loosened and he pulled her from the wall.

"Who have you seen?" He said. "Think! Each of them."

"There, there was only one that I didn't know. He had a human woman with him. He was tall black eyes. Smelled demon, looked demon. I just thought him odd, he didn't hold power in him like you do." She said.

"When, how long ago?"

"Perhaps two hours. Maybe less." She said and he let go of her. She stumbled reaching to rub her throat, there were red marks there.

"What did he look like?" Astor asked. He needed to know, because the scent was very close to Savon's, but not exactly. It smelled like demon.

"Like I said, tall dark hair he had a very confident air about him. He was rather possessive of the human female that he had with him. Didn't like when I pulled her away from him." She was trying to recall anything, anything that would satisfy Astor. She didn't want to be killed in a fit of anger.

"That is all you remember?" He asked her.

"Yes I..." She said and paused, there had been that briefest moment next to him that he'd scared her. "no, it was odd. Like a fog came over my mind. I swore that for the briefest second his eyes were green not black. Like..." She glanced at him.

"Mine?" He asked her, he was just controlling his anger.

"Yes, but I swear I didn't know. I didn't realize what he was. He hid it so well and I just seemed to lose interest."

"You didn't realize you were being manipulated?" Astor snapped, he'd been right there and she hadn't even realized it. However, he didn't think that she would have been able to take him alone. Not with what she was describing.

He'd manipulated a daemon, something that only a real acolyte could do. How was it that he managed to function so well with his other half? All those before him had torn their minds a part, or started to. They never made it older than two years. The human and acolyte halves at war with what they wanted, and their natures.

"No I didn't." She said lowering her head. "I am sorry."

"We could try to see if he is near by." Vincent said glancing at Lust who had her head down. He'd never seen her in such a submissive role. She looked like she might be shaking slightly. Then again he would too if Astor's anger was aimed in his direction. Astor was looking at her in a deadly way.

"No he is not here, he would have come and gone quickly getting what he wanted." Astor said.

"There was an unknown demon down in the holding cell area earlier tonight." Vincent added. "But they were unable to find him, or catch him. He'd killed one of the demons on duty." Astor looked at Vincent, his eyes still close to a bright yellow.

"They are all accounted for. The inventory."

"Then I want to use them, and I want to use them tonight. Clearly he is planning on doing something with the stock that you have collected." He said moving toward the elevator, damn him. Son of a bitch was better than he should be. Astor felt for his mind, but there was nothing there. He felt like screaming in frustration, and then killing a good many things.

Either he was to far away or he had found a way to completely block him. He needed someone stronger, less likely to be manipulated in his pursuit for his son. So they were doing this tonight. He needed reinforcements and he worked to damn hard to be foiled again. This time Savon and his group lost, they just didn't know it yet.