[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3] P R E S E N T[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR] [CENTER][img]https://i.imgur.com/9dhUDx4.png[/img][/CENTER] [center][color=SILVER][b][sub]C H A P T E R O N E : C O M E T O G E T H E R[/sub][/b][/color][b][color=BLACK][sup][h1]DEVIL IN HER HEART[/h1][/sup][/color][/b][/center] [COLOR=BLACK][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]L O S A N G E L E S[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][color=SILVER]November 13[sup]th[/sup], 2017 - 12:03 AM | [i]Los Feliz[/i][/color][/sup][/INDENT] [INDENT][INDENT]The club was loud, the music almost deafening as the bass pumped through the speakers located nearly every ten feet throughout the room. Bright flashes of light illuminated the club in strobe-like patterns as the silhouette of barely dressed women as they moved up and down poles strategically mounted around the room. His eyes watched the dancers with a certain hunger, his tongue darting out of his watering mouth as he licked his lips enthusiastically. Leaning on the edge of his seat, the man chewed on his fingers, imagining the woman in front of him at his mercy. A sweet aroma wafted by his nose, diverting his attention as he turned around to find the source of the perfume, rising up from his seat as he walked towards the woman whom the scent was rolling off of. As she exited the building, the woman pulled a cigarette from his pouch, lighting it immediately before taking a long drag. Exhaling the smoke into the cool night's air, she turned around, suddenly startled by the presence of the smiling man behind her. [COLOR=SILVER][B]"Got a light?"[/B][/COLOR] He asked, holding up a cigarette of his own. [COLOR=SILVER][B]"Seem to have lost my lighter."[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=SILVER][B]"Yeah, uh."[/B][/COLOR] The woman stated fumbling in her handbag. [COLOR=SILVER][B]"Here."[/B][/COLOR] She responded, handing the lighter towards the man. [COLOR=SILVER][B]"Not even gonna light it for me?"[/B][/COLOR] The man smirked as he took the lighter, flicking the lid open as it ignited the flame and subsequently his own cigarette. Taking a couple of quick puffs, he blew a smoke ring into the air before turning back to the girl who had already extinguished her cigarette and went back inside the club. [COLOR=SILVER][B]"Typical."[/B][/COLOR] He muttered taking another drag before turning and walking into the alley. Whistling into the night, the man walked along swinging his keys around before a rush of wind ran up his back. Pausing, he slowly turned around, only to see an empty alley before jumping as a cat ran out from under a ruffled newspaper. Letting out a nervous chuckle, the man turned around scolding himself for being such a 'nancy'. The last thing he saw was teeth.[/INDENT][/INDENT] [CENTER][b][sub][h3]* * *[/h3][/sub][/b][/CENTER] [COLOR=BLACK][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]L O S A N G E L E S[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][color=SILVER]November 13[sup]th[/sup], 2017 - 12:18 AM | [i]Union Station[/i][/color][/sup][/INDENT] [INDENT][INDENT]The station never slept. The sounds of metal against metal constantly grinding and grating, echoed through the aging walls while the stench of diesel floated inside from the terminal outside. The terminal seemed to run continuously as bus after bus loaded and unloaded its occupants, sending them off into the awaiting city of angels. The lone rider of the midnight train, exited the car as she pulled her dark blue hood up over her long ebony locks. The noise of the city was almost drowning for the girl as wave after wave of emotion washed over her, pushing against her personal barriers as she tried to filter through the overwhelming noise. Yet one emotion was louder than the others as the voice of pure, unbridled fear screamed into either ear. A familiar sense of obligation filled the girl as she pushed against all the other voices, honing in on the loudest one, her soul-self wrapping its dark wings around her before warping the girl towards the source. The alley was dark and rank. The less than appealing smells of vomit and urine practically wafted from the unkempt stone walls surrounding the club. But another smell hung in the air, fresh and sharp, vaguely metallic, the young woman recognized it as blood. Pulling down her hood, the former Titan looked around the scene for any indication of what caused the murder. Emotions hung in the air, desire, rejection, regret, anger and most importantly fear. But something else, something feral. [COLOR=DARKVIOLET][B][I]Hunger.[/I][/B][/COLOR] Raven looked around, the hunger was raw, unbridled. She had felt this hunger before. It wasn't a hunger she wanted to experience again, - it wasn't [i]natural[/i]. There were only a select number of beings that felt a hunger like this and none of them originated from Earth's realm. A hunger like this belonged in the realms of Hell. Fresh blood splatter shimmered in the moonlight on the nearby bricks as Raven cautiously stepped forward. The body of the victim was nowhere to be seen, which left Raven with only two thoughts, neither of which were pleasant. The first idea that crossed Raven's mind was that the body was needed for some other ritual, but rarely did a loosed demon need to perform any sort of ritual. Her gut instead said that the demon ate the body, bones and all. Some of her father's offspring had been particularly forward about how good warm marrow tasted. With no body and no knowledge of the city, it was going to be a lot harder to get answers. It wasn't like Raven to just walk away, even before her time with the Titans, the girl had felt an obligation to fight back. To seek justice for the souls ripped from Earth by those in the employ of her father. It was her mission, and hers alone to prevent the rise of Trigon, she couldn't allow anyone else to take that risk again, not after nearly having her friends in San Francisco killed. The sudden realization she was being watched, caused Raven to turn quickly as a dark figure looked down upon her from a nearby rooftop with a familiar brooding presence. A sad smile crossed Raven's face as she allowed her soul-self to envelope her, transporting her to the rooftop to confront her former teammate. It was all too late, that Raven realized the brooding figure was not Richard Grayson as a wave of emotion washed over her, including one all too familiar sensation. [COLOR=DARKVIOLET][B][I]Hunger.[/I][/B][/COLOR] The being before her looked all too human, as Raven took a step backwards, raising her hands slightly towards a defensive position. She had no idea what type of demon this man was, but she was ready to send it back to the hell from whence it came. The two figures paced back and forth, each evaluating the other as Raven tried to determine her best course of action. There was no fear, no anger and while the hunger was present, it wasn't raging, it was contained, almost eerily controlled for a supernatural being. [COLOR=DARKVIOLET][B]"You're not the one I'm looking for."[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=FIREBRICK][B]"You're not the one I'm looking for."[/B][/COLOR] Both individuals spoke at the same time, before the male suddenly moved away, departing the rooftop in the time Raven took to blink. He might not be the demon she was looking for, but he was still something that shouldn't be taken lightly. There was no doubt in her mind that their paths would cross again.[/INDENT][/INDENT]