Distorted Affliction

Chapter Twenty Three

I thought about that for a second, shuddered, and then met his eyes again. It wasn't that I was disgusted in the act of feeding and releasing, I preferred the use of restraint over the alternative. It was the alternative that disturbed me, because I knew he was right. This would be the perfect place for any Mouri to live.

"How do you know so much about this?" I asked before I even thought the question through. From the look on Sin's face, I could tell he didn't want to answer, but I didn't retract my question. I needed to hear him say it.

"I've been there before," he answered quietly, looking away from me. "I used to frequent this city quite a bit, before things changed. It's easy to exist here for our kind. The city is alive all night, the blood and the booze never stops flowing, and the crowds make it easy to pick prey. Most people don't even notice bodies in the street until morning, when they realize they aren't just drunken tourists who pass out before they reach their hotels. The police don't even bother investigating."

I had to admit, this definitely seemed like the city of death, the city of Mouri.

"So where's this bar exactly," I asked, pushing the gruesome, dark thoughts aside. "And do I get to come with you?"

The bar was called The Dungeon, an appropriate name for something so cynical. Vanessa had opted to stay in the motel room, something Sin had urged her to do, though she didn't need much convincing. It was odd enough for her to share a room with Sin, who she knew but still didn't completely trust. Walking straight into a bar full of Mouri was a more disturbing idea to her, and I could only imagine the thoughts shooting through her head at the idea that I had volunteered to go.

It wasn't imperative that I be there, seeing as Sin was much older and stronger than any of the Mouri there and certainly didn't need my help in a fight against any of them. There was no real reason they would respond to him with hostility anyway, but I couldn't exactly sit in the motel room and watch the weather channel with Vanessa until he returned. I hadn't exactly packed clothes for a night out, but I opted for jeans and a tank top, since the weather seemed to permit less clothing here.

The inside of the bar was smaller than I expected, but the dim lighting gave it an eerie feel as I sidled up to the bar. Sin ordered a drink for himself, and I hesitated a moment before getting myself one. I could handle my alcohol, but was still wary about being intoxicated around this crowd, especially not knowing who was human and who wasn't.

"Stay here," Sin instructed, leaning his mouth close to my ear to be heard over the bar chatter and the music. Without another word, he disappeared, and when I glanced around to see where he might have gone, I was left with no answer. There was a large chandelier hanging above the bar decorated with skulls, and I wondered absently if they were real or fake. After listening to some of Sin's stories on the walk over, it wouldn't surprise me if it was a trophy of sorts.

When I finished my first drink, I ordered another, opting for something mixed in hopes that it would contain less alcohol. I wondered how the rest of the coven was doing, how Silas was, and how long it would be until I could see him again. It was a familiar feeling, drinking at a bar and thinking about how much I missed my son. This had been routine when I was under Lucas's compulsion, when I believed that he was dead.

Lucas. My mind couldn't help but picture him in the little cell where Seline had warned me about Lazarus and his punishments. Would Lucas be tortured, too? My stomach twisted at the thought, and I quickly washed it away with the drink. I could only handle one thing at a time, and I needed to focus on the mission at hand before I thought too much about Lucas's situation. He was strong, and since he wasn't human, he at least wouldn't have to endure the same fate I had.

"Well, well," a deep voice purred in my ear as someone slid up to the bar beside me. "What brings such a pretty thing like you to such a ghastly place?"

When I looked up, I met the deep brown eyes of someone familiar, and my heart nearly leapt out of my chest. I wanted to backpedal, to jump up from the bar and test my cardio skills, though I knew there was no way I would ever be able to outrun a Mouri, especially one of the originals. My mind was racing, and as I glanced back down at the drink between my fingers, I made the decision to stand my ground. I downed the drink before turning to him.

"How exactly did you find me here?" I asked, hoping my voice didn't reveal the anxiety building inside of me. I also wasn't sure if he knew Sin was with me or not, but I wasn't about to tell him.

"I have my ways," Demidicus winked. "Care to have a little chat outside?"

"Not exactly."

He didn't seem like a threat, but it made me nervous to think that he had found us so easily. We hadn't been in the city for more than a few hours and he had already tracked us down. Was his brother with him, or would he be quickly on his trail?

"Come on, little Bishop," he pleaded, flashing me a grin that lit my body on fire in ways that were both similar and unfamiliar to the way Sin made me feel. "I saved your life, ya know."

"I haven't forgotten," I muttered, though I was grateful that he had ended my pain and allowed me to escape. "You pushed me out of a window."

"And I can't forgive myself for it," Demidicus joked, leaning in a little closer until I could see his fangs in the dim light. "Come on, I don't bite. Or at least I promise to be on my best behavior with you. You can spank me if I misbehave."

The wink he shot me brought a small smile to the corner of my lips, but I refused to give any life to it. It crossed my mind that if Demidicus wasn't working with Lazarus, he could be a major asset to my plan. It had definitely crossed my mind before that he could be useful, but I had had no means of getting in contact with him to confirm or deny his availability to our team.

This would be my chance.

"Fine," I said, giving in with an eye roll. "But you have a lot of explaining to do."