4 IV~What is This?~

~Number one, cash is king... number two, communicate... number three,buy or bury the competition. (Jack Welch)~

As we get farther from the car I pick up speed as I run from Abaddon. His haunting laughter echos behind me as he begins to enjoy the chase. I glance behind me just in time to see Abaddon move off my trail, he's thinking of ambushing me. Shaking my head I launch myself upward. My hands grasp the rough bark on a branch of one of the trees. Using the momentum I gained while running and from the jump I swing myself up onto the branch I had grabbed.

I feel a slight tug at my skirt, just further ahead of where I was there is a snap of a twig. Not looking down or towards the snap I climb higher in the tree. I climb until I am able to see over the trees further out. I close my eyes and turn my face up to the full moon. I let out a mournful cry that is answered by hoots of owls, howls of wolves, and Abaddon's own cry.

After the cry dies in my throat I stay still, watching the night. Soon I am accompanied by Abaddon who snakes an arm around my waist. "The night is beautiful."

A cool wind rustles through the trees and plays with our hair, making it dance, "The night holds a haunting beauty." I quiet my voice so as not to stir the peace of the night.

"Much like your own beauty." Abaddon nuzzles my neck, this may not be the ideal date for most but for Abaddon and I this is perfect. It brings us back to a time when we were young and being out in the forest, together, at night makes us remember the peace of our youth. "It's been such a long time since we've been out like this."

I feel Abaddon's cold, rough lips against my neck, "It has, hasn't it?" I feel him smiling against my neck as the cool wind pushes my hair back, away from my neck. I turn in Abaddon's arms to look at him as he holds me close, "I am very sorry for forgetting about our luncheon."

Abaddon runs a hand through my hair as he shakes his head, "You were busy. I just wish you could be home during the day. I feel like a housewife."

I laugh, we knew this would be a problem. I work all day and run over to Midnight Fantasies to help and so I only get a few hours of sleep and I barely get to talk to Abaddon during it all. Sometimes I get to surprise him and go in late or get off early but that is very rare. I sigh, "Look I know it's hard but..."

"You are burying yourself in work as we get closer to the end of the month. Your birthday is nearing and you are doing everything you can to forget. You are doing everything you possibly can to make yourself miserable. Izzie you are supposed to be happy. I understand that you are now on a top priority case and you are trying to help everyone but, you should take a break."

My throat feels like it's closing up as my eyes begin to burn. This time last year I thought I would never see Abaddon or the others ever again. I was so close to giving up and just dying, I was on the edge but I knew death wouldn't come for me. Death had never come for me but this time I prayed for him to take me away I begged with God... if there is even a god out there, to strike me down. I prayed that Abaddon would forgive me and that I could see him one last time even if it was after my death.

I bite down on my lower lip as hot blood rolls down my face. Abaddon pulls me close so that my head is resting on his shoulder, "I know Izzie but you do have to face it. I know you don't want to." Abaddon's hand is tangled in my hair as he places a firm kiss on my head. As I calm down and the blood stops running down my face Abaddon strokes my hair and speaks in his calming voice. "Bryce wants you to do this assignment out of the office. You will have all of the resources you need and you can go in if you need the database but... he's looked there doesn't seem to be anything about this type of activity."

I pull away and look into Abaddon's eyes, "Is that really a good idea?"

"Yes, I think it is." Abaddon and I sit on the branch leaning against each other and staring up at the stars in quiet peace. I rest my head on Abaddon's shoulder closing my eyes, letting the cool night air wash over me.

My leg are pumping and bloody sweat rolls down my face. I force myself to run through the trees trying to get away from my pursuer. There is an awful burning in my lungs as I force myself to keep going. I glance behind me to see Abaddon but it is not the Abaddon I know. I've never seen him like this. His eyes are alight with fury as he moves faster than any human eye could see.

I force myself to turn my gaze back. Somehow I know that if I can just get to the edge of the trees I will be safe. The branches of the trees reach out to me, as if they are trying to stop me from leaving this accursed forest. As I get closer to the edge of the trees I see a man standing with his hand held out to me. Seeing his tall and slender form I find an extra burst of energy. I force myself to move faster even though I feel like I am wading through mud up to my hips. Just as I feel that I cannot run any further I reach a hand out to the man.

I trip over a root and I just know that Abaddon will catch me and when he does he will kill me but I never hit the ground. I feel a rough hand wrap around my wrist and I am slammed into something hard and warm. Feeling the rock-hard muscles of the man's chest and arms against me I know that I made it. Giving a small whimper I look back to the forest only to see Abaddon snarling and his eyes filled with even more bloodlust than before.

The scenery of the forest changes and the warm night air of the summer turns frigid. The forest disappears and the man and I are surrounded by barren tundra. I look up into the man's eyes, his white irises, red pupils, and black scleras make me take a swift inhale. He is a class four but last I remember the other two.... And now Abaddon wanted me dead so why did he save me? Who is he and where are we?

A strong wind pushes my hair into the man's face and forces me to move closer to the man as I stumble trying to keep my balance. The deep rumbling of the man's laughter causes a shiver to run up my back, "Hades is a lot colder than you expected, isn't it?" At the man's words I look up into his pale face. He has a thin silvery scar just below his left eye. As he stares down at me I see the colour in his eyes begin to change.... His eyes now reflect the colours of my own. Everything white excepting a small ring of red where the pupil and iris would meet. His thin, pink lips quirk up slightly at the corners, "Yes, I said Hades. I much prefer that name to Hell."

"Baren, never to bare fruit and never to see love... a tundra." Smiling I look around at the cold wasteland of ice and snow and the somber grey skies. "Even so it is beautiful."

"Beautiful?" I nod just watching the wind blow billows of snow across the ground. The blue of the ice shows the water underneath as the snow acts as the waves that have never been allowed to form. As my smile grows larger with the peace of Hades washing over my, clearing my mind, I nod to this mysterious demon. "That isn't the word I have ever thought to use for this barren wilderness." The warmth of this mysterious man leaves and I am surrounded by the comforting cold of the brewing storm, "Islanzadi." I glance to my right to see the man standing off in the distance, "You will join me here, it will be soon." The man bows at the waist, "Until then."

I sit up with my heart trying to escape my chest, my lungs failing to drag in breath, and the images of Abaddon's eyes filled with such a burning hate as he chased me through the forests of my mind. I feel Abaddon's strong arms wrap around my waist as he slowly sits up in the bed with me. "What's wrong?"

His groggy voice makes me want to forget that dream, that wasn't him. This, this right here is him. With me in our bed with his arms around me and concern is him. I rake a shaky hand through my hair as I shake the dream from my mind, "It was nothing. Just woke with a start, that's all."

I turn to face him and there is nothing like the hatred or bloodlust I saw in my dream anywhere in his face. There is, however, doubt and concern, "What aren't you telling me Izzie?"

"Nothing, love." I gently touch his cheek, running my hand along his jaw, the feel of light stubble comforting.

Abaddon's warm hand wraps itself around mine stopping me, "You were dreaming about it again weren't you?" I shake my head with a small pained smile breaking across my face, "You were back there again." His voice becomes harsh at the thought. Every so often I will have dreams about my past but that's not what this was. This was far different than remembering the torture I've been through or all the times I was forced to kill innocents. There have been nights where the dreams would become so real that I would scream and writhe or plead with bloody tears streaming down my face. When Abaddon wakes me from those dreams he seemed to be in just as much pain as I was and that only broke my heart further.

"Not this time." I place a soft kiss on his cheek, "I'm going for a walk." Abaddon gives me a skeptical look and does not move to release me from the cage he's made with his arms around my waist, "To clear my mind, I'll be back within the hour. Get some sleep, I'll be back when you wake."

Sighing Abaddon loosens his hold on me as he lays back down, "Take your phone with you and..."

With a slight laugh I finish his sentence, "And at least a knife. Of course now go back to sleep." Nodding he closes his eyes as I make my way to the closet to find something comfortable to wear. I settle with a pair of Abaddon's sweatpants and a tank top. Grabbing my phone and a small dagger, if I get into any trouble I'll just use my nails and teeth. I rush out of our house careful not to wake Abaddon again. We live miles outside of the city so the warmth of the night air only brings in the soft sounds of the owls and wolves.

This makes living among humans so much easier than it would be if we lived in the city. Abaddon and I are both very distrusting and paranoid people, especially around the humans, so we keep our distance as much as we can. We really always have but for some reason these city folks have been kind to us, welcoming us when outoftowners sneer or run in fright.

As I walk through the warm night my mind wanders back to the dream. Who could I have seen in that dream? Your mind cannot make up faces so everyone you see in a dream you know. So who was that man? I recall the man's eyes changing to match my own but I've never seen another banshee and in the beginning his eyes were those of a class four.

Glancing at my phone I take note of the time three forty in the morning. I should get back home, Abaddon will worry if I don't. At this thought I feel an overwhelming sense of disgust and anger. Shaking my head I brush off the feeling and make my way to our home.

~*~

If I want to get out of this accursed place I will need help. None of these buffoons know what real power is and none of them deserve to live. I need to find someone with the power to help me get out. I can open small gateways from here to Earth so I can begin my take over by sending the stupid, scavenging demons to stir things up and take care of some of the... locals for me.

Closing my eyes I lift my hands from my sides. Who is the banshee? Where is the banshee? A banshee is the only one that can help me destroy these demons and get me to the throne of Earth and Hell, where I belong. I open my eyes to be greeted by a slender, porcelain-skinned woman. She seems to be outside, the wind blowing her white knee-length hair about her dark clothed frame. Bright red lips are parted slightly as her stone-like features begin to morph as her lips curl up in a pleasant smile. Closing her colourless eyes she inhales deeply of the night air causing her full chest to swell.

She releases some kind of howl as she lifts her face to the sky. Her action causes me to become aware of the moonlight glinting across thick, jagged, and silvery scars that run across her slender throat and two of the same running the length of her face, cutting through the center of her right eye as well as the corner of her lips. Instead of making her look unbecoming the scars add to her beauty and the mysterious aura around her.

Islanzadi. This word rings through my mind as the banshee's figure disappears. Well gaining the trust of the banshee should prove a simple task. All I have to do is get her here. I leave the room followed by a grimy demon. "Sire, have you found the banshee?"

"I have." The thing of filth follows me through the castle halls as I try to ignore it.

"Sire do you think joining forces with the last banshee is such a good idea considering?"

Considering the prophecy that clearly states my rule will be ended by the last judge and executioner. It has always been known that the banshees are the judges, juries, and executioners. There are only two people that can override a banshee's decision and only three can take me out of my immortal state. God and Death can overrule a banshee but is has never happened and only God, Death, and a banshee can end my existence. A banshee might as well be God and Death, neither of the two ever make an appearance to do their jobs but the banshees have always been everpresent.

"Perhaps you should find a dragon to help you Sire?"

"No!" I had entertained the thought once but I know I must get God, Death, or better yet a banshee on my side. My dear old father locked me away here so that is out of the question. No one has really seen Death recently so... if I can't find him I can't get him. Then we come to the banshee. If I can get her here and sell her my sob story I can get out. "The banshee is more powerful than the dragon."

"Yes, Sire, but isn't that why the banshee was prophesized to kill you instead of a dragon?"

I turn my head quickly as I stop my forward movement, "Do you dare mock my impending overthrow?"

The foul creature shrinks away from my gaze as his body is taken over with tremors. "N-no Sire! I wouldn't dare!"

Turning away I walk off leaving the trembling little pustule. This banshee should prove to be an amusing prey. She looks as though she would break if I so much as blew on her. The innocents in her eyes was overwhelming. I can't wait to play with her.