Stars Align

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"Hey, time to wake up over there."

Rivkah looked up from the hand mirror at the man standing across the room from her at an easel. The man nodded at her, pushing up his glasses with paint-covered hands, leaving a drop of red on the bridge of his glasses. "How you feeling?"

Rivkah dropped the mirror on the bed next to her, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her knees. "...Tired," she said, for lack of a better word. A better word might be... distant? Like the feeling you got after a long time spent daydreaming. "What time is it?"

"Nine," Dylan said, his light brown curls falling down between his glasses and his eyes as he turned back to his painting. He blew up at the hair, trying to get it out without using his hands. "See anything?"

Rivkah shook her head. "Jack shit," she said, blinking hard. "Maybe something, but I don't remember it."

"Don't let it discourage you. Probably we haven't found the right medium for you yet," he said, studying his painting. "It's easy to get lost looking, too."

"I know," she muttered, standing up and stumbling as her legs nearly gave way. She felt way too weak after that.

"I was gonna order pizza soon if you want any," Dylan said, putting down his palette on a table near the easel. "You probably shouldn't go out yet like that,"

"Pizza is awesome," Rivkah said, wandering over towards the window and pulling open the blinds. She stared down from Dylan's window on the fifth floor of his apartment complex to the city below. Clubs were starting to light up already, filling up with college kids drinking and dancing away the weekend. Dylan lived in the heart of the 'college' district of the city, near the university campus - the guys who lived there called it Dinkytown.

She heard the sound of running water as Dylan turned the sink on. "You gonna go out and join them?" he asked.

Rivkah shrugged. "Maybe. Why the hell not."

A teenage boy strode up into the parking lot where the thugs were parked. He had copper skin and black hair, and a self-satisfied smile stretched across his face.

He found the car the thugs were waiting in and tapped on the passenger side window. The guy inside jumped at looked at him, waving his hand. Scram, the gesture said.

The boy reached down for the door handle and casually tore the door off it's hinges.

"What the fu - "

They grabbed their guns and open fired, but the boy was already gone. "Get us the fuck out of here!" one of them said, and the driver started the engine and slammed on the gas, and the car went tearing out of the parking lot.

Metal screeched as the metal at the top of the car twisted and was pulled off, the boy holding on tight to the roof of the car. "This is new!" he said, cheerfully surprised.

"Shoot him!"

The thugs pointed their guns at the roof, but before they could fire the boy slithered inside the car and landed in the back seat. They trained their guns on him and fired, several bullets striking home before the boy reached to both sides and grabbed them by the necks.

"That hurt!" he said, surprised, as he snapped their necks and dropped them. The car careened as the driver and the guard in shotgun looked back - just as the boy thrust both arms forward again and grabbed them by the face. The boy grimaced and slammed their heads into each other, hard enough that it made a sickening crack, and with that the car was lost for good.

It careened off the road and slammed hard into a tree. As the airbags went off, a shadow slithered out of the roof and traveled back to a nearby building.

The shadow reformed into the boy, holding onto one of the guns the thugs had.

"You said this would be neat, Malaethanalot," Rivkah snapped as he reappeared. The demon noticeably cringed as she said the name.

"I know damn well what I said," he snapped, "but this place isn't anything like I remember." He held the gun up to his nose and inhaled. "Enchanted," he said, disgusted. "I smelled it on the metal box they were in, but missed it on..."

"The guns," she said, as he struggled for the word.

"Yes," he said. "So you'll forgive me, ma'am, if things got a little messy." His face brightened. "Either way, in my professional opinion, I recommend an immediate dismissal. Clearly I am not the demon for this job, and injured besides - "

"I will dismiss you when I no longer need you," Rivkah snapped, and his face turned dark.

"Of course, my lady," he said, a sneer on his face. "And what shall we do next?"

Rivkah popped out of a shadow on top of her apartment complex, crouching low. The building was tall enough that she had a good vantage on anyone else looking for her.

The demon popped up next to her, a few seconds after. "Can't keep up?" she said shortly, glancing behind her. The demon had a hand pressed over its side. It's head turned to meet her gaze, and unblinking, it pulled its hand slowly away from its side. Black liquid the consistency of tar stretched out on it's fingers, pulled away from its side.

"Forgive me if I'm a bit slow today," it hissed back at her.

Was that was demon blood looked like? She'd read a number of nasty curses calling for it... Focus, stay focused. Rage boiled up in her, pushing away her doubts. First, this place. "Malaethanalot," she said. "I order you to clear a perimeter. Incapacitate any hostile forces you encounter within a half mile radius. Hostiles will - "

"The fuck is a mile?"

He wasn't kidding when he said it had been a while. "Fine. Within the distance to..." She squinted. "That building over there."

"That's a mile?"

"No it's - Malaethanalot, shut up," she snapped, and he stopped mid-sentence, his mouth snapping shut as a snarl spread across his face. "Hostiles will be armed with enchanted weapons much like you have already encountered. Go."

His snarl turned to a grin, and he gave a mocking bow before he vanished into a shadow. Rivkah rubbed her eyes, looking down at the roof beneath her feet. She needed to... hell, what did she need to do? Were the protections set by the Coven still up on the apartment?

Rivkah turned as she felt a hand on her ass, slapping it away and raising her fist - to see the boy from before. Son of a bitch. Her friend - he mean the Silver Surfer? "Glad I didn't then," she said. "Besides, he's not a friend."

She thought back to how he dealt with the last demon he encountered. Shit. I have to recall him, fast. "Thanks for the heads up," she said, pulling a candle from her bag. "But feel free to leave."


Nothing moved near Teuto except a stray cat hiding in the shadows, watching the witch with glassy eyes.

When the blast cleared, the cat was gone. "Seven hells," a voice said, and muttered something in another language. The copper-skinned boy had made his way behind Teuto, leaning on a wall with one hand pressed over his side. "You stink like an ass. What're you doing dragging around toys like those?"

"Son of a bitch," Rivkah said, lighting the candle and stepping back, starting to hastily draw a circle around it.


The demon's eyes narrowed to black slits. "[Is that what they're teaching the kids these days?]" he replied, in a similar language. "[Well. Consider me threatened. But I'm guessing you know how this works. I have orders.]" He spat on the ground at his feet. "[I cannot return until they are fulfilled, unless I am told otherwise. Look, I just want to finish this job and go home, so if you back up... twenty paces and stay there til I leave we can both move on with our lives.]"

The demon closed its eyes with a small smile. "I order you to clear a perimeter," it said, but it's voice came out higher and more feminine. "Blah blah... Hostiles will be armed with enchanted weapons much like you have already encountered." It opened it's eyes and it's mouth spread into a broad grin. "[So if you just wait for me to finish, you can stop by after and get rid of my boss for me, eh?]"

It's form seemed to glitch, and the demon looked up. "[Well what do you know,]" it said, and it winked at Teuto as it's form started to dissolve and disappear upwards.

Damn him for working so fast. In the time it took for her to pry what had happened when the demon encountered Teuto out of him, he'd already showed up on her building. And the boy refused to move as well - like hell was she leaving that thing to its own business. So long as he was sexually assaulting her, he wasn't getting any closer to finding Teuto - so she thought.

Rivkah swatted the boy away from her side when he rubbed his cheek on her hips, disgusted. She hadn't expected them to be so friendly with each other - she kind of had been expecting more of the same bullshit as last night. I'm getting real tired of playing second fiddle to this asshole.

The two didn't seem to be paying attention to her, so busy were they gossiping about her. She was getting tired of that too. "Malaethanalot," she said softly, not wanting Teuto to hear its name. "I order you to follow me." God forbid I get between the Silver Surfer and his lover.

"But I'm finally enjoying myself," it said loudly from where it sat, cross-legged and with its head in its hand, watching the two of them with some interest.

She nearly twitched as he used her real name, trying to suppress her anger as the demon's head swiveled to study her. That jackass. He fucking wanted her dead, didn't he? She could only hope the demon thought it was fake, it was a weird enough name. But at least now she knew Teuto's.

"I don't owe you shit," she said, standing up. "Big guy like you doesn't need anything from me anyway. You, spill," she said to Seamus, "so we can go the fuck home."

Malaethanalot gave a low whistle. "I hope you don't expect me to duke it out with your pursuers when they have pets like that," he said casually to Rivkah.

"Malaethanalot, shut up." The demon scowled, falling silent as she narrowed her eyes. Good news there that the demon didn't hear her name - but Teuto's behavior confused her. One might think he actually gave a damn. Rivkah chuckled.

"Yes, get on with it!" she said, waving a hand.

Rivkah feigned disinterest as Seamus spoke to Teuto. It seemed the immortal thought him dangerous as well - though she had some vague insight into his motives at least. Fuck his good intentions. From what little she had seen, he was not someone she wanted to see turning on them. He needed more watching.

She raised an eyebrow as Seamus turned to her. His words were familiar to her - she had heard about what happened to those who played with demons, of course - but it bothered her that she was drawing attention. Hopefully that would end once these fucks currently causing her problems were gone.

"Yeah see here's the part I'm stuck on," she said. "Blah blah, we're both doomed and so on, but I'm less doomed with that fuck?" She pointed at Teuto.

Rivkah rolled her eyes as he flew off, watching him go with her head in one hand.

"Far be it for me to question your esteemed judgement, but that wasn't wise."

She turned to look at the demon behind her. It was laying on its back, staring up into the sky. "I can't work with that man," she said shortly. Her plan was to keep an eye on him, but just being near him pissed her off. It was exhausting.

"You won't," it said. "Because you're an idiot. No matter your feelings about him, that man is far more potent than most sorcerers. He would serve you better in your current agenda than I."

"Perhaps," she said, "but I don't trust him as far as I can throw him. He's... you heard the immortal."

"So you listen to the immortal when he agrees with you?" the demon said, amused. "But yes, he knows a language he ought not, unless things really have changed since my time. Certainly he's dangerous and untrustworthy. But then, you summoned me."

It raised a finger as if realizing something. "Ah, but you use me because you have the illusion of control."

Rivkah scowled. "There are no illusions about it-" It cut her off laughing. The demon sat up, looking at her with amused eyes.

"You are a novice. A child. What control do you have? Do you know what I did while creating your perimeter?" It grinned slowly as she blinked, uncertain. "Was I just doing the job you assigned, or did I perhaps make arrangements with your enemies to destroy you once you left your safe little haven?"

"...I would have heard," she said. "From the immortal."

The demon shrugged. "So maybe you're safe this time. I'm sure you know not to take advice from a demon, but it's common sense to live with the enemy you know over the one you don't." It smiled. "At the very least you will be ready when you sorcerer friend betrays you."

It spread its hands. "Dismiss me and use him instead. I'm sure you could find some way to convince him you're worth the while," it said, with a lewd smile.

Rivkah scowled. "As if." It only grinned. Rivkah gave a tsk and stood up, walking away from the demon and staring out where Teuto had flown off to. "...Malaethanalot."

"Yes?"

"Track down the witch who is friends with Seamus the immortal. Lead me to him."

Was it just her, or had the demon slowed down from when she first contacted it? It led the way, sniffing the air like a dog and occasionally taking off into a shadow, and she'd follow its trail and pop out next to it a block or two over. It kept its hand on its side - was its injury getting to it? Damn thing is gonna really be useless to me soon. At least if she had to it could be used as cannon fodder.

"You're lucky your friend is so pungent," the demon said, its lip curling as it sniffed. "But it will be a long time before we catch him. He flew quite a ways ahead."

All the mischief in its demeanor seemed absent too - and it put her on edge. It seemed more willing to do its job than ever before. Rivkah never explicitly said she would dismiss it when they found Teuto, but she got the feeling nothing good would happen if she refused to do so...

They arrived in the suburbs - annoying enough, there were less shadows here and less dark alleys to sneak around here. They walked forward along the sidewalk a short ways until the demon stopped short.

"He's ahead," the demon said. It pointed. "That way. If you run you'll catch up."

"Okay...?"

"Dismiss me," it said, turning to look at her.

Ah. Of course. Rivkah blinked, glancing down at the demon's hand on it's gut. He was probably drawing the attention of all the housewives in this damn neighborhood... "Are you deaf?" it said, interrupting her thoughts with what was very nearly an actual growl. "Dismiss me. I have tracked down your disgusting daddy. Send me home."

Keeping it while it's injured isn't worth it anyway, she thought, suppressing the twinge of unease she felt looking into the demon's eyes. "Do I need to go over all the ways I could end your life right now?" it snapped. "Your wizard gets farther by the moment."

"Yes, of course, but not here," she said, looking around quickly. There really was no place to hide in the suburbs - there was a sort of big tree in one person's yard, and the house didn't have any cars in front of it so hopefully no one was home. She ducked under the shade of the tree, the demon unsettlingly close behind her, and turned to face it, rummaging in her bag for her knife. She slit her thumb open and quickly drew a circle around the demon. He said he was going home, but she wasn't dumb enough to take his word for it.

"Demon, I release you from your service," she said, and the words had barely left her mouth when the demon grinned - and vanished.

Rivkah let out a sigh - with the circle containing it, the only place it could go was 'home'. She rubbed her eyes with her hand, wincing as she got blood in one eye. Next time I do that I'm getting a lawyer to write the contract.

She turned, blinking blood out of her eye and taking off running down the sidewalk in the direction the demon pointed her. She hesitated in her run - it'd be just like the demon to send her to, say, the headhunter and not Teuto as one last act of revenge. But she'd included a clause on lies in their temporary contract - it had to be telling the truth. Right?