A Rock and a Hard Place

Savon stood looking at the building. One that he hadn't been to before but knew that this was where Astor was. All the others had arrived before he did, well in a way. He'd lead them here and then left. He didn't want his presence known until later, if they were paying attention.

His first reaction was to just go and kill Astor. Easier said than done as they were in his territory, playing by his terms. He felt Kayla here, still alive. Her signature was strong so he knew that she hadn't come to any real harm. Though he wasn't stupid and figured that she had been harmed in some way.

"You are sure this is smart?" Kiore asked next to him. He looked down at the hell hound.

"Not really, but she matters to me. And I want him dead."

"An acolyte who cares. This is very odd." Savon's gaze moved to Ikis.

"The acolyte doesn't care like you may think. It's the human part that does, and by proxy my acolyte." He said looking back at the building.

"Not that it matters to you." With that he moved forward to enter.

"You trust him, go beyond what he tells you?" Ichor asked Kiore.

"Yes, he is different and this master I will follow." He said and trotted after Savon. The three hell hounds were bound to protect him even if he didn't want it. Even if they didn't want to, and him going into this place was fairly stupid and costly.

They went in and Savon felt around the place. There weren't a lot of demons here, there were a few humans. The humans that were with Savon had to be in the building the moment that he did the ritual. t was going to kill most that were out in the city.

He couldn't stop the human causality, but it was the dent to the demon population that was what they were aiming for. Savon was counting on the fact that Astor would have him perform the ritually fully alone. That way it was more direct, and it would only drain Savon. Not Astor. he could manipulate it to the way that he needed.

They went in and Savon moved through the entryway there first. There were several demons on this level. When he came in, they stopped what they were doing. Then moved back away from him and the three hell hounds that followed him.

He heard them whispering. That no one was to confront him when he showed. That he had killed several daemons, and rumors that he had killed an acolyte. There was fear from them and Savon felt his other half purring at that. How it should be. He felt the corner of his mouth twitch in humor at this.

He entered a hallway, there were perhaps twenty some demons in this building. Not including Astor. He was sure that Astor had chosen them all for Savon to use. Though he would only use ten in the initial ritual. The next ten would be used to hold the gate open while multiple passed through. Or more if the balance to life and power was wrong.

Savon came to a set of stairs and went down. His senses telling him where he needed to go, he came to the bottom and there was another demon here. A man, on the bigger side, but Savon wasn't concerned with him. The man moved off out of his way, glancing at the hellhounds that looked at him dismissing him as they went by.

He reached for the door here and opened it. The room that he was now in was large, with nothing in it. It was empty except for the symbols written on the walls and floors. Well he didn't waste time did he? Savon noted all the symbols and what not, knowing the ones that he would need to change.

Standing off to the side was Kayla. She wasn't alone ,standing next to her was his mother. One person that he never thought he'd see again. There wasn't really any feeling there. She looked exactly the same as he remembered her, except more tired. She had a slight protective stance toward Kayla which he found odd. What would she care?

Astor was in the room as well, with three others that stood off to the right. Clearly they had been told of his approach and were waiting. The hell hounds sat not far from the door. Kiore just a bit in front of the other two. Astor looked at him and then glanced at the hell hounds.

"I see that you found this place easily." Astor said, his eyes assessing him.

'I am not a child, I remember much more than I had before. He does not know that I am part of you.' Savon's dark half seething looking at the one that had nearly killed him. Stabbed him in the back.

'Let's keep that to ourselves.' Savon said.

"If you didn't think I would find it, then you would have told me. I'm sure you just wanted to test and see."

"Something like that. I've been having a talk with your human." Savon glanced at Kayla, she was watching him. She looked concerned. He didn't know if that was good or bad.

'She knows more than she should.'

'She won't say anything.'

'Don't be so sure.'

'Shut up. 'Savon snapped at his acolyte. He noted that Kayla was wearing different clothes.

"Why is she in different clothes?" He asked looking at Astor. He better not have touched her in anyway. He felt anger rise, and it tasted bitter in the back of his throat.

"What she had was torn and bloodied. You should be happy that she was taken care of." Astor looked back at her. "However what I wish to discuss before you do what you were meant for, is her current condition."

"Being?" Savon said, she looked fine. And from here it seemed that her scent was normal. Astor looked like he might laugh.

"She may carry your child." Savon felt a sudden pitfall in his stomach. Please let that be a lie. He didn't know if he could take that information. The knowledge what Astor would do if that were true made Savon's blood run cold.

'Not like we were careful.'

'Just how are we supposed to be careful with that? Besides I'm a half-breed, hybrids aren't normally able to reproduce.' Savon snapped.

'You are a human with an attached acolyte. Still a hybrid in a sense, but ours is in perfect working order.' He couldn't believe that his other half was completely calm about this. This was one of those times that he wasn't completely one with his other side.

'She can't be pregnant.' Savon mentally argued. His mind racing and barely a few seconds had passed since Astor uttered the words. He didn't know how to feel about a child. Right here and now was definitely not the time for something like that. Could she cause a miscarriage?

'I want the child! 'The acolyte in him snapped. 'It would be ours, and I am allowed only one. I want her to give me that child.' Savon was surprised by the fierceness of which that was said.

"You lie." Savon replied out loud while his two parts were going at it.

"No, I said that she may. Even if she doesn't. It will be seen too that she does. You are part human and may be able to have more than one."

"I'm not your personal pet to breed." The acolyte went quiet in him thinking, going over things in its mind. There wasn't anything Astor wasn't willing to not do. After all look at what he wanted from his own flesh and blood.

'He may be right, we may be able to have more than one.'

'So? He would take our child. Take the child that Kayla would give us and use them as he will use us.'

"You will be what I say you are. And we will find out if I am right. She is clearly your main choice, I will find others just as suitable."

"You have to get me to do the ritual first. You would have to wait for the child to mature." Astor looked at him. "Let her leave unharmed and I will do the ritual."

"Savon, it'll kill you." Kayla finally spoke, sounding upset.

"Touching, she cares." Astor cut in. "How about this. She stays and you perform the ritual under the conditions that only you may touch her for any reason. All her needs seen too, she will want for nothing. I'm willing to allow this for one human to get what I want."

"Not if it kills me, not if I am weak and unable to stop you from doing what you want with her." Savon wasn't stupid.

"I will swear in blood." Astor really wanted the child that this woman would provide him. If she was let go he'd have to hunt her down. Or find another that Savon was willing to use instead. No this was the perfect set up. Savon was a living battery for this ritual and his child would be the perfect key to unlock it. No searching for others, a nice bundled package.

Savon made a slight sound, and one of the hell hounds behind him moved over toward Kayla and Jill. It was the largest of the three. The one that Astor had thought dead, looked like he was wrong. Savon looked back at him.

"Fine, so long as you personally swear to allow any of my hell hounds to kill any that would touch her. For any reason other than my say."

"Easy enough." He said with a slight smile, too easy. He'd swear that in blood and have Savon on a leash.