Numb

It was pointless, for the last two days Dante kept interrogating hunters in their sleep, giving them nightmares that would hunte them forever, and he still didn't find anything about this so called Marcus Bane. He was frustrated and furious and the thought of leaving Cheryl alone all this time, brought him on edge. And that damn demon didn't want to tell him where the bastard was. Dante was certain that Morphius knew exactly where the prick was, he just liked to make him work for it.

"It's time for you to return to my child, Dante Forsythe."

He usually heard his voice in his head, but it seemed that now he chose to make a appearance. His white skin with those red eyes, always made him cringe. This time, the demon chose a black suit to compliment his black slicked hair. But no matter what clothes he wore, or what haircut he sported, those sharp horns in his forehead always made him look like what he was, a demon. Smirking sarcastically Dante shot him a question.

"Are you exercising to look more appealing Morphius? Cheryl will freak out no matter what suit you'll wear."

"My informor told me that humans tend to be more acceptable if the person looks the part." His voice was horse and guttural and Dante laughed, unable to hold it anymore.

"Well you need to practice your voice more, that shitt will scare her for sure. Anyway, this hunt ain't gonna make me find Marcus or whatever his name really is. You should just tell me where I can find the fucker."

The demon smiled sinisterly and floated all the way to his face.

"Dante Forsythe, you need to understand your place. You don't tell me what to do, I do. You chose that for my daughter's protection. Besides, for you to find the culprit, you need to get over your most prized possession... Your pride."

"I don't need that fucker's help!"

"Oh, but you do. You and your brother have more in common than you realize. And in the middle is my child. So I suggest you get over your pride, and start doing what you should've done from the beginning."

"I can do it on my own, Morphius!"

"And I don't doubt that, but you can't get between them, not anymore at least. The damage, how you would put it, has already been done."

Dante felt his viper clawing to the surface, the whole in the pit of his stomach almost made him feel like he had a body again.

"What did you do?"

"I will tell you this. My child was born for you, but she was forged for Ace to claim... And you can't stop that from happening, not anymore Dante Forsythe."

"My puddin' won't suffer the same fate as my mother! How can you do that to your own child?!"

"She won't, because she has you to protect her. Now when you'll return, remember that her happiness is all that matters for you."

He vanished just like he appeared, leaving him restless and fuming of rage. Screaming into the night he rushed to his sister, searching her energy all around Greendale. When he finally found her, she was in that stupid pub, in a booth sharing a joint with his piece of shitt of a brother. He wanted to kill him on the spot, to drain him of blood and deliver him to the pits of hell. Just when he was about to strike Cheryl giggled.

He stopped his attack mid air, the moment that beautiful sound entered his soul. It was such a long time since she made that sound, that Dante almost forgot it. So he lowered his hand and decided that Ace's death was postponed, for now at least.

One thing he couldn't accept easily was the way he kept touching Cheryl's hand every time he passed the joint. So he did what every perfectly normal big brother would do. He slipped between them in the booth, to keep those prying hands to a minimum. He stretched his arms over both's shoulders and smiled a warning to Ace.

"Danny! I missed you!" It could be heard in her small voice that she was trying to diffuse the bomb that was about to explode.

"What did I tell you, before I left puddin'?"

"Sweet little Jimmy invited me, I just happen to came across Ace. Look he's about to start playing. Guess what? The kid said that you're his idol! I wonder if he'll do a cover from one of your songs"

Flattering was always Cheryl's plan to escape his wrath, and for that smile that was stretched all over his little sister's face, he left her be. He planned to make a visit to Ace when he was sure he would be alone.

"Hmm.." was all he said as he watched the kid on stage adjusting his guitar and the length of his microphone.

The notes where there, the song starting to shape and when he heard the lyrics, his ethereal body froze, and so did Cheryl. Because they both knew what that song meant for Dante, when he wrote it. Jimmy's voice was slightly less lower then his, but the kid played well. So well that the memories came flashing before his eyes, unable to stop them, and Cheryl leaned more into him, trying to take his sadness aways.

"I let you in my brain

I used to doubt, now I believe

I let you ease my pain

Using your black magic on me

I don't know how you do what you do

But you do it so good to me

My favorite pill when I'm feeling so blue

Your taste is all I need

Baby, you're my cocaine

I can't stop sniffing

You move so good, got Muhammad Ali tripping

The moment that I get you in my veins

I'm taking over the world

I let you in my brain

I used to doubt, now I believe

I let you ease my pain

Using your black magic on me (Oh, oh)

Using your black magic on me (Oh, oh)

Using your black magic on me

You make it feel so damn good to be bad

You're the best I ever had

You're cold-blooded and I love it

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Baby, you're my ocean

I can't stop swimming

The salt of your waves and

I can't stop sipping

The moment that I get you all alone (Alone)

I let you in my brain

I used to doubt, now I believe

I let you ease my pain

Using your black magic on me (Oh, oh)

Using your black magic on me (Oh, oh)

Using your black magic on me

When I was young (O oh) my father warned me

About girls like you (O oh)

About girls like you (Oh) , oh

When my heart is numb (Oh)

And I'm feeling lonely

I let you through (O oh)

And you fix my blues up

I let you in my brain

I used to doubt, now I believe

I let you ease my pain

Using your black magic on me (Oh, oh)

Using your black magic on me (Oh, oh)

Using your black magic on me"

When the song was over he kneeled in front of a girl and asked her to marry him. It seemed that everyone still believed that it was a love song, after all this years. He snorted sarcastically and got up from the booth. Cheryl didn't even asked him, she just said goodbye to Ace and left with him.

All the way to her apartment she kept silent, even that damn cat flicked his tail around him, trying to comfort him in a way. But nothing could, and Cheryl knew. That's why she didn't say anything, just unlocked the door and got inside.

She left her backpack on the floor and got on the couch, waiting with her arms spread for him to lay his head on her legs. Only she knew that "black magic" wasn't a love song as everyone interpreted, it was a goodbye to the only woman he ever loved, except for his family.

And bringing back memories of Lydia, broke him again, just like all those years ago.