Donut Look Now

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

Nero

Location: Chicago, IL
Skills: Sedate

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I blink and my eyes return to normal to beam at Caden before he jumps down. I keep my focus on the beastie, feeling anxious even though the Sedation had worked. Clinging onto the railing, I perch, ready to pounce if needed. I feel my stomach drop when the chimera stirs at Caden’s touch. “Somnum.” It’s not working, I can’t put the monster back to sleep. “Somnum!” What the fuck did Asmodeus create?

Like a cat, I jump down, using beams and the other structural parts of the warehouse, landing behind the chimera as it focuses on Caden. “Somnum.” I try again now that I’m closer, but it’s still not working. The throwing knives in my hands aren’t anything super special, but maybe I can give Caden the chance to shift if I distract the beastie for a moment. I throw the knives at the chimera and they bounce off its hide, but the thing has turned one of its head back toward me.

“Come here, little beastie.” I back up a few steps to ensure I can escape quickly if needed.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

Nero

Location: Chicago, IL
Skills: Sedation

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The loud roar makes me flinch, my eyes flying open, but I climb onto the railing to get a good look at it anyway. The chimera certainly fits the description of the Greek mythology with its three heads, the goat head on its back rearing to sets the human ablaze. There’s something else to it though… It might look like the mythological chimera, but there was something hellish about it as well. My attention shifts to the prey and I recognize the human as Shouren Wu, the missing father of Nicholas Wu. I keep my voice barely audible as I tell Caden, “That’s the kid’s father.” It had been five days since the chimera had fed on Lì Wu and with its attacks becoming more frequent, it was probably starving now. I don’t know how the old man had survived this long. I tear the glove off my left hand and reach over the railing towards the beast with it, closing my eyes to concentrate once again.

“Somnum.” I say as my eyes fly open again, but this time they’re completely white.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

Nero

Location: Chicago, IL
Skills: Sedation, Localization

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I shoot Cass a glare. This is what I get for trying to help. With a sigh, I pull the bottom hem of my shorts up to grab a couple of the throwing knives strapped to my thigh. Caden asks if I’m ready and I look up at him. “Just… I don’t know if it’s going to work on it, so be careful.” I say, almost pleading, before I tiptoe into the warehouse. On high alert, I try to keep my eyes peeled for any sudden movement. The warehouse has the typical open layout; we’re on a catwalk that wraps around the big open space, a story up from the cement flooring that makes up the subfloor level. The floor below is riddled in objects and I lean over the railing to get a better look. It’s crushed phones, half chewed shoes, and gnawed-on bones - things that the chimera couldn’t digest, I guess. This must be its nest. I confirm it when I sense a human in the warehouse somewhere with Localization - this was definitely its nest.

I look behind me to signal to Caden and Cassiopeia that I’m going to try putting it to sleep, giving Caden a pointedly look to be careful. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and concentrate.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

Nero

Location: Chicago, IL
Skills:

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I flick my thumbs as I listen to the two of them strategize, shifting my gaze away. There is the obvious answer - I can go in and use any number of the abilities I have as a white-eyed demon. I could use Sedation to put it to sleep or just wrestle it with my Super-Strength and Invulnerability, but I don’t like the second option since I don’t know what the beastie is capable of. Plus, I know Cassiopeia will be even more wary of me if I do this. I sigh heavily before turning to them. “I can try putting it to sleep.” I offer awkwardly.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

Nero

Location: Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Caden’s touch is both comforting and terrifying to me, the latter only because I’m concerned at how he can help me relax so easily. I also don’t like that when he pulls his hand away, I want to snatch it back. Crossing my arms, I pout but it isn’t for show; I just can’t wrap my head around what’s happening to me. I remind myself that we have a job to do. Still irritated with her, I resist turning around to watch Cassiopeia perform the spell. We’re close to the beastie now and I feel my brain buzzing with thoughts, anxiety creeping up.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

Nero

Location: Chicago, IL
Skills:

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I don’t have an answer; it’s weird for me too right now and I don’t like it either. I turn back around fully in my seat with a huff, looking out the passenger window with a furrowed eyebrow. “Ich glaub’ ich spinne” I mutter to myself.

None of this had been an issue for me before and I feel like it’s because that curtain between my human life and my demon life keeps moving and shifting. I want to throw something at Cassiopeia in frustration, but I know I can’t blame her entirely for this.

Translation

Literal translation “I believe I spider”, really means “I think I’m going crazy.”

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

Nero

Location: Chicago, IL
Skills:

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I keep my hands on my cheeks. ”Yeah, well…” I can’t even deny it, she’s right. This time the groan of frustration comes out and I drop my hands. “I don’t know what you want from me here. It shouldn’t surprise you that Crowley would want loose ends taken care of.” I snap irritably.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

Nero

Location: Chicago, IL
Skills:

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I tilt my head and throw a questioning glance at Caden. It seems like it might be more than that with the way she is acting, but I only just met these two today. I purse my lips a little bit. “I wasn’t really going to hurt him…” I tell her, wondering if she might be mad at me for what transpired in the morgue. I tap my pointer fingers together awkwardly. From the two instances where I met the kid today, he doesn’t seem like someone who will go running to announce our world to the masses, but what do I know. I’d have to play it by ear, which would make for a decent excuse to stick around. I slap my hands to my cheeks again, wanting to groan in frustration at these stupid emotions.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

Nero

Location: Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Feeling sheepish that I’m getting all worked up, I try to mask it with a smirk and a raised brow. “Ihr Selbstvertrauen ist bewundernswert.” I tell him.

“Dann muss ich wohl mal schauen, ob ich etwas Passendes zum Anziehen habe.” I wink at him before I turn to Cass, feeling a little less anxious now. “So this human, how do the two of you know him?” Of course I knew some of it from when I eavesdropped earlier that day, but I want to hear the story from them.

Translations

“Your confidence is something to be admired.” “I guess I'll have to see if I have something appropriate to wear then.”

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

Nero

Location: Chicago, IL
Skills:

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I’m in some sort of daze because I barely register Cass and Caden getting back into the car. Caden’s questions pulls me out of my own stupor and I blink a couple times before I turn to look at him. “H-huh? Oh, uh,” Was he able to read minds too? I nibble on my lip again as I try to gain a grip on reality, hoping it was too dark for him to see the warmth I felt on my face. “Witzigerweise habe ich gerade darüber nachgedacht ... Gilt das Nachtclub-Angebot noch?” I look down at my gloved hands sitting in my lap, a little fidgety on what his answer will be. What the fuck is wrong with me?? I mentally chastise myself.

Translations

”Funnily enough, I was just thinking about that... Does the nightclub offer still stand?”