And we're back!

First off, I need to make a bit of an announcement about this story. I have decided eventually that I'm going to re-write it and one of the things I intend to remove from it is the scene between Lady and Narc.

I originally had plans for him within this story, but since I decided a while back to go in a different direction the Lady/Narc pairing isn't really resolved from here out. I apologize to you guys for that, but as an OC I was not pleased with him. I needed an OC character but decided to give him a bigger role and it didn't turn out as I hoped.

So rather than stop updating and re-write everything I'll continue on and edit it little by little. Hope you guys can understand. :)

Also, if you wanted some Vergil/Amy, then you've come to the right chapter. :D The end scene is for you guys. lol

Lastly, on my bio page I've added a link to my new web site! I found this nifty web site program and decided to put all my stories there instead of deviant art. But also, and what I'm most happy about is, I can now have fanfiction and original material in one place. :D For the time being I've only got samples of two supernaturally based original fics I'm working on. Feel free to drop by and look. :D

Enjoy the chapter. :)

Bleed It Out

Chapter 15

By the time she had finished her laundry and they made it back to Devil May Cry Amy was feeling slightly anxious. She couldn't help it of course considering she'd spent part of the day alone with Vergil and he'd actually said more than two words to her. Somehow it meant something even it she wasn't sure what.

They were surprised to find that Dante was nowhere to be found in the main part of the building, which wasn't normal since he was typically glued to his chair or the couch most of the time. But shortly after entering the door leading off to his actual "office", something he rarely used, opened and he stepped out.

"Thank God!" Dante sighed. "I thought I would have to do this all on my own."

Before either could question he walked back into the room and appeared a moment later with a stack of books. He set them on the desk in the main room with a heavy thud.

"What's going on?" Vergil asked as he set down the basket he'd been carrying.

"Research man. I'm no good at this. I need your brain." Dante explained as he flopped down on the couch. "My head hurts."

"The brain is no different than the muscles Dante. If yours wasn't so lazy and being filled with junk then it could handle a bit of reading periodically"

"Big words, owww... Shut up." Dante grumbled as he squeezed the bridge of his nose dramatically.

"That's his way of asking for help apparently." Amy said turning to look at Vergil. "He could just ask..."

"...but that would require thought." Vergil finished.

"Ames... I'm crushed. Really..." Dante groaned. "I recommend starting at the top and working your way through though."

"What are you looking for?" Vergil asked.

Amy watched as Dante, briefly, got a serious look on his face. Then on cue he grinned.

"I need to talk with you Verge... Ames, if you could just sort the books for me? Pretty please?" Dante asked sweetly. But she was looking cautiously at him because he was hiding something. Years by his side had taught her to keep an eye out for the signs. Yet she didn't push it.

"These books?" She asked as she moved forward to point at the stack on his desk.

"Those ones."

"OK."

At this Dante stood to stretch and ushered Vergil away into his side office causing Amy to stare at the door as they went. She didn't like the fact whatever this conversation was did not include her but at the same time she didn't want to press them.

So she did the only logical thing and waited a few minutes before moving to press her ear to the door. OK, so it wasn't logical but it would make her feel better.

"Amy! Get away from the door!" Dante yelled out which made her freeze. She waited a moment holding her breath and hoping she could just pretend she wasn't there. "Don't make me tie you to a chair..."

"Oh fine...," she grumbled as she pushed away and went back over to the books.

The stack of dusty old books looked nothing like what she thought a devil hunter would have. They looked new despite their dust and unused. Considering they were from Dante's private collection and not the standard ones on the wall out here it made more sense. He would rather look at his magazines than read up on whatever was inside these.

So she began dusting them off and organizing them only to find none had names or authors.

So how am I supposed to organize these?

That was obvious. She wasn't, or at least he didn't care whether she did or not as long as it got her out of the way so he could talk with Vergil. Curiosity was itching as she wondered what they could be talking about in there. But he would sense her if she moved too close.

"I can hear," a voice called out startling her as she turned. "I hear everything."

"Hello?" Amy asked.

"Hello," the voice answered back.

Normally she would question, but then again wasn't she running from something? Amy started quickly for the office door but the voice called out.

"I'm not an enemy. I have just remained silent because it was Dante's wish," the voice continued and this time she could hear a distinct accent and that the voice was female.

Amy paused and turned as she heard the voice coming from the cabinet against the wall that was shared by Dante's office.

"What's your name?"

"Nevan," she replied in a sultry voice. "We have never met."

"Why are you in the cabinet?"

"Because Dante has locked me in here."

The voice sounded sorrowful and Amy was taken back. Why would Dante keep a woman in his cabinet?

"Even his father never treated me so..."

"You knew Sparda?" Amy asked a bit excitedly. She knew very little about their father.

"Of course. Such a handsome devil. Now he knew how to treat a lady properly." Nevan seemed to purr.

Despite her feelings of sympathy for the woman being locked in the cabinet this tone in her voice made Amy think twice about what exactly it was Nevan could be. As the doubt formed the woman spoke again.

"I can hear what they're talking about," she repeated when Amy went silent. "I can tell you if you like."

"Will you?" Amy asked cautiously. Nevan seemed a little too eager for someone who had never spoken to her before now.

"Of course... All I want in return is to be let out."

Which of course begged the question...

"Why were you put in there in the first place?"

Nevan went silent for a long moment before responding.

"Vergil... He and I don't... get along."

"Why?" Amy asked.

"Not that I don't try. Heaven knows I am more than willing to be on his good graces. Is it my fault if my hand strays when he's around?"

"Strays?"

"Like their father before them, both Dante and Vergil have grown into rather attractive men. Dante has been claimed by that... woman," she said adding an unpleasant tone when referring to, who Amy guessed, was Trish. "But Vergil has not yet been attached to anyone so--"

"Oh, he is. Trust me." Amy interrupted not wanting her to finish her comment. It slipped out of her mouth without much thought and Amy felt her cheeks flush as a few seconds of silence followed her declaration. She really couldn't say he was attached to anyone since he didn't seem to reciprocate her feelings but this was the first time she ever realized that maybe... Vergil could be attached to someone other than her. Was she feeling jealous?

Yes.

"Really?" Nevan asked taking on a smiling tone that teased. "Is this Amy?"

She looked at the cabinet with a start.

"How do you know my name?"

"I told you. I hear everything and yours is a name dropped quite frequently since Vergil's return."

Now that itch from wanting to know what they were talking about in Dante's office went to a burn as to what Vergil might've said when she wasn't here at all.

"Let me out... and I'll tell you." Nevan pressed with an anxious voice.

Amy remained rooted to the spot, debating on whether or not she should. Dante kept her locked up for a reason, but would he have kept her around if she were dangerous? Yet she found her feet moving towards the cabinet anyway, only to stop mid-step when a knock came to the front doors.

"Don't answer it. Release me." Nevan called out.

"Quiet." Amy answered. She didn't know if she should even go for the door, but she didn't have to since it wasn't locked.

The door opened on its own, signaling a tinkle from the small bell above it and causing Amy to freeze.

After a moment a head poked itself in and Amy saw it was a very young man with tied back blonde hair, a thin face and deep blue eyes. His features though were strikingly effeminate to the point his face seemed out of place with the rest of him which was obviously male. His skin was a milky white, almost as if he had never seen a sunny day. While he was not exactly smiling his face was friendly when he caught sight of Amy if not a little stressed looking.

"Excuse me miss. I'm looking for a man named Dante?" He asked as he closed the door behind him.

"Well, he's busy in his office at the moment. Could you come back later?" Amy replied as she took a step closer to the desk.

The tall frame seemed to lose some of its confidence at her words and his face looked even more distraught. Amy thought he might cry at this news.

"Are you all right?" Amy asked watching him closely.

"Forgive me," he breathed out and Amy noticed he looked close to collapsing. When he teetered she moved forward but he put a hand out. "I'll be fine. It's just that I'm running out of time. My matter is most urgent. I must see Dante."

"Please, have a seat." Amy said not knowing what else to do. She'd never interacted with Dante's clientele in the past, so she wasn't sure what standard protocol was for this.

The man thanked her and took a seat on the couch barely noticing the dust and stuffing that flew up around him when he did. He looked tired, yet as he watched her he was trying his best to smile.

Called by his smile Amy recalled that she was alone with a complete stranger. It didn't take her long to decide it was time to bring Dante out, but as she turned to go for his office door the man took her wrist.

"It's my father. He's gone missing," he began before letting her arm go. "I didn't know who else to turn to and I believe Dante can help me find him again."

"Let me see if Dante will come out and talk to you." Amy replied cautiously as she backed away.

"Thank you," he said gratefully with a long and drawn out sigh as if relieved. He didn't try to prevent her from getting Dante, so she turned and went straight for the door.

She knocked lightly, glancing for a moment over her shoulder to see the man looking around the room. She knocked again and the door opened.

"You done going through the books?" Dante asked. "I have more--"

"You have a client." Amy interrupted.

"I do?" Dante asked with a frown. He stepped around her towards the living room and Amy peaked into his office to find Vergil standing against a wall frowning about something. She was going to ask if he was OK but she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Ames, there's no one out there."

Amy turned and looked at him before walking out into the main room to see no one sitting where she'd left the man.

"But he was just right here." Amy said moving around to the front of the couch as if something were blocking her view from the back. No indentation where he was. Even the dust and stuffing he'd knocked to the floor was gone. Almost like he'd never been there at all...

"What happened to your arm?" Vergil's voice suddenly asked and Amy turned to find him beside her. He took her arm and lifted it up only for Amy to see a red mark around her wrist. No... Not just a mark but a full hand print where the man had grabbed her earlier.

"What the--" Dante began before the mark suddenly lightened then vanished in front of their eyes.

Amy felt a shiver run through her and a pang in her heart.

"What was that?" She asked just staring down at the wrist. "That's bad right--"

"Calm down." Vergil said pensively as he pulled her wrist closer to his face, his eyes narrowing.

How could she calm down? The questions were running through her head.

Was that him? Am I infected with something now? What does the mark mean?

...and I let him come in.

Amy's face fell away when she realized how stupid that had been. Why didn't she just go and get Dante the minute he knocked?

"Vergil?" Dante asked when his brother remained quietly staring at the now clear skin of her wrist. Vergil ran a hand over her skin and she shivered, bringing her back from her thoughts to remember he might have an answer to this.

"It's OK. There is no traces of the mark left behind." Vergil finally said yet did not let go of her wrist as he observed them both looking at him. "It was an illusion meant to scare her and undoubtedly us as well."

"Was that him?" Dante asked as his voice lowered angrily.

Vergil's eyes came to Amy's as if he were not eager to say anything in front of her. She on the other hand may have been willing to be shunted out here before, but this wasn't something she was going to be left out on. So she twisted her wrist slowly and took hold of his, squeezing it in supplication, following it up with a look that pleaded for him to be honest with her.

"Come," he said as he walked her towards the office with Dante following close behind looking apprehensive.

Vergil released her once they were inside and went to the desk to lean against the edge. He watched Dante until he had closed the door and then turned back to her.

"You mentioned nightmares Amy--"

"Verge." Dante interrupted but Vergil put his hand up to quiet him and somehow the tone of Dante's voice made Amy feel like something bad as about to happen.

"She deserves the truth of the situation. If I see anything now it is that ignorance to what is happening is only going to put her at further risk. When the element of fear makes no move it is very easy to become too relaxed. She's had no nightmares since coming and being with us you should rightly feel safer. But..."

His face grew serious and it did nothing to calm her.

"...you are vulnerable even here. The threat is not outside the gates, but close always. The nightmares you haven't had have somehow transferred to us. Both Dante and I have had fair warning from whatever this creature is in sleep."

"What?" Amy asked. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"We didn't want to scare you. Anyone can see you've been wound up tight and it won't help to make it worse." Dante answered before Vergil could.

"That's part of it. We feared your reaction. That you might choose not to involve us any further and that is not an option here. Without us you are helpless." Vergil continued once Dante stopped.

"But...," she began but a knot formed in her throat. Those dreams began to come back into her head of finding them dead. Now whoever this thing was could get into their mind too? It wasn't the helplessness of her situation that scared her but how helpless she felt in terms of them. What if something happened to Dante or Vergil now that she had brought them in?

"Ames..."

She looked up and felt a few stray tears fall at the thought of it and saw why Dante's voice sounded so gentle, because his face looked worried at the sight of her typically solid exterior cracking only a bit. Amy quickly wiped them away.

"I won't let him win," she whispered trying to straighten her stature. "He can invade my mind, but I won't let him touch yours."

Dante let out a breathy laugh at her attempt at being what he thought was tough, but truthfully she felt she would do most anything to protect them even if she was weak in comparison.

Her eyes came back to Vergil's who was watching her curiously even as another tear escaped. Almost as if he could read her thoughts. The tear was for the thought in her head that she would never again lose Vergil. He would never be hurt again by anyone as long as she had the breath to prevent it. It was the vow she had made to herself that night at her apartment once she decided to come clean on her feelings. Even if she had to put her weak human body between him and the thing that threatened she would do it. She would die before anyone ever hurt him again.

"I won't lie though. In my dreams I saw you both dead at my feet." Amy continued trying to keep her composure.

"He shows you only what he knows you fear the most." Vergil said but his eyes seemed surprised by this revelation. "Is this... something you fear?"

Amy took a deep, steadying breath.

"Of course," she replied as if this should've been obvious to him by now.

"We're family." Dante added slinging an arm around her shoulders, saying the words she felt she could not say without Vergil possibly laughing at her. Hearing Dante confirming it though made her tense shoulders relax under his weight.

Vergil blinked at Dante, looked at her and then looked unexpectedly amused. But he didn't laugh, only put his hands in his pocket and let out a deep sigh.

"Once Trish and Lady have come home we will see what we can come up with. For the time being I recommend you are not unaccompanied, even inside the building. Once Lady returns you two will share her room. Until then Dante and I will take turns keeping watch on you as you sleep. I can give you a mild sedative that should allow you to sleep without dreams to at least ease your mind of fear." Vergil said in a long breath thoughtfully as if checking everything off in his list mentally in his head.

"He can't really hurt me in my dreams though, can he?" Amy asked.

"Well, the problem is Ames that we really just don't know. Until we know what he is then we're groping in the dark." Dante replied.

"But one thing is obvious. He can manipulate the mind in dreams yet isn't fully in control of his powers or else I wouldn't have been able to eradicate him from my dream the other night." Vergil added. "We could use this to our advantage on getting more information about him should he be foolish enough to try and invade our minds again," he continued looking at Dante.

"Dude needs to keep out of my dreams period. The only blonde in there should be Trish." Dante said resolutely with a smirk. "Next time, I'll show him a nightmare."

"The man that was out here. He was blonde." Amy said when Dante's words brought it back. "He said he was looking for his father."

"Did he?" Vergil asked.

"Yeah, but he could've been lying." Dante added with a doubtful look. "He could've been playing on her sympathies."

The two continued to theorize on this and as Amy watched them both slowly the fear and panic ebbed. It was hard not to ease in the face of their combined confidence. Hell, Dante's confidence alone would've done it, but to see Vergil so keen to the idea of protecting her...

Well, she'd be lying if she didn't feel severely good about that.

"First things first though bro." Dante said.

"What's that brother?"

"Once the girl's come home, we're due to give Ames a proper welcome."

--

"Absolutely not!" Vergil said pointedly to Dante.

"Oh come on... We can't keep her cooped up here this whole time. It's a tradition for me and her when she comes for a proper visit." Dante shot back from across his desk.

Vergil pinched the bridge of his nose annoyed.

It had been a few days since Amy arrived and they had had the scare of that man walking straight in the front doors without any hesitation. Many days and nights followed where Vergil was on edge to make sure nothing else happened on his watch while anxiously hoping the bastard would invade his mind again.

But of course he didn't.

Things were bad enough being cooped up inside all this time with his twin, who could easily drive him mad if Dante became bored, but the added tension of being so close with Amy and Dante was wearing his patience thin. He had to face the fact that even with time he still had little patience with everyone unbiased.

And perhaps another side of him was still aggravated with the girl for letting that man in so easily... It was a mistake, this he knew, but it could've been a costly one. Worse yet knowing it had happened when he himself was just in the next room and he'd sensed nothing. It made even him feel helpless for a mere moment, something he had not experienced since... his mother's death.

And now, after days of respite from any sense of trouble or danger the girls had returned. With them brought a grim prospect that Dante was dead set on.

"Listen Verge, if we keep her like this it's only going to freak her out more. We have to add a sense of normalcy to this even if it's for a night." Dante added purposely when Vergil did not respond.

He was referring to the fact that it had been a long standing tradition that he and Amy go out to celebrate for a night whenever she came to visit him. Made worse by his excuse the last time she came someone had made the mood so icy there was no merriment to be had.

"I thought we already discussed this Dante? Taking her to a crowded bar and letting your guard down will only mean trouble for her. If you want to protect her then forget this." Vergil said stubbornly crossing his arms.

"I not only want to protect her, but I also care about how she's doing. She's on edge with every passing day even if she doesn't show it. She won't even look out the windows and I can't help but feel that's because of the fear we put in her. We can still protect her, but if we cut her off from life completely then what will that do to her?"

Vergil tapped his fingers on the desk eyeing him.

While the atmosphere between them had changed, Amy did seem rather resolute to abide by every law he set in place to the point it surprised him. It had eased his annoyance to see she was trying, obviously sorry for what had occurred and not willing to let it happen again. But with that obedience came a calming of her natural flare. He knew what Dante spoke of, because he'd seen it too. He always wondered what would happen to lock her away from the world, notably under different circumstances, but he was finding it out regardless.

"We'll be with her all night. You can even dictate how long we stay. Just give the girl some breathing room." Dante said in a last ditch effort to win Vergil over.

"I will not bend on this."

Alive is better even if it means she wilts.

"We're going with or without you Vergil."

"Then you go without. This is a bad idea and I will have no part in it."

Dante blinked at him and pushed back from bending over on the other side of the desk to stand tall.

"Fine then. You do what you want."

With that Dante turned and walked away towards the gym.

Vergil felt extremely annoyed, glad that the girls were all upstairs and not privy to their bickering. Dante was far too loose for his own good and it did not bode well with Vergil at all.

Of course while he said he would not go he would more than likely hang around outside to keep an eye on them for the sake of safety. The fact that Dante couldn't see how important this was only made him angrier.

Yet it was his twins ability to recognize and sympathize with Amy's unspoken fears that made Dante a very good Devil Hunter. It was something he never had...

When Trish and Lady came back they had nothing to report on the topic Dante had asked of them which only darkened his mood. They explained that there were bad storms on the way back and anytime Lady tried to use her wireless it didn't work properly.

"Besides, we have a better selection here." Lady said appreciatively glancing towards the bookshelf.

"And the blessing of not having to read while driving." Trish added thoughtfully.

"It's not like you could die if you got in an accident." Vergil had pointed out foolishly, forgetting that Lady was human and causing the hellcat to give him such a glare he found himself looking elsewhere.

"What do you see in this jerk?" Lady had asked in an insulting groan towards Amy who was drinking from a cup at the time and almost choked at that question. "If we left him in charge you'd be dead in a day."

In the days before the girls returned Dante and he had taken turns staying in Amy's room while she slept just as a precaution. It was better she wasn't left alone and when Lady came home they would be sharing a room. Though human, Lady was just as capable as them to watch over her. It was more a need for someone else to be with her.

On the nights he was there he did not believe she really slept, or tried not to as she fought the sedative he gave her long enough to talk with him in private. Unlike before she was open about her life since his "demise" and what she had done. Still teaching piano lessons, Amy had managed to move up to a simple office job that helped keep a roof over her head. She did not have any close friends outside of her work place but swore that Dante was a handful all by himself.

But this of course made him wonder if she had... other relationships over the years. He could not deny the thoughts had always been there. But this was one thing she never spoke of and he never asked.

Tonight Dante would be taking the three girls out and Vergil couldn't settle. He doubted he would until they caught this thing and he felt she was safe again.

--

He sat reading as everyone else moved about around him. Dante was absentmindedly looking for a boot that Vergil could see under the other couch from where he was sitting. He decided though to let Dante find it on his own as a form of private revenge and to delay their departure.

"Lady! Don't forget to clear out the back seat." Dante called as he looked behind the couch. Getting warmer... Vergil thought with a devious smirk.

Lady walked by and kicked the boot he had on while he knelt on the couch.

"I thought you were going to clean it out!" She snapped.

"I was, until I just now passed the chore onto you. Unless of course you'd like to look for my boot for me?" He grinned as he turned to look at her. She lifted a brow and looked at Vergil, who glanced briefly at the lost boot before looking back at her. Her eyes momentarily fell to the boot before looking to Vergil with a smirk.

"No Dante, you keep looking," she quipped as she walked towards the front door, opened it, and slipped through with a final wink at Vergil.

Moments later Trish rushed down looking for Lady. Dante pointed towards the door without a word. Trish rolled her eyes and went after her.

"Ahhhh, found it!" Dante chimed as he finally bent over and tugged his boot out from under the couch. He sat down and began to pull it on when a shout was heard from overhead.

"A little help up here! Lady? Trish?" Amy called from Lady's room. "Hell, I'll even settle for Dante!"

"That cheeky little..." Dante said partly growling partly laughing. "Hey Verge, think she's naked?"

Vergil gave him a stern look.

"Ahahahaha. I'm busy with my boots, go see what she's harping about would ya?"

"She asked for you," he replied looking back at his book.

"She said three different names which leads me to believe she could care less who goes up there. Now scoot, or I'll force you to come with us tonight and hook you up with the bar tender Lucy." Dante replied as he laced up his boots.

"That's not much of a threat."

"She's 50, been married fours times, and has about 8 children. Her nickname is Loosey Goosey," he grinned. Vergil stood and tossed the book at him, which he caught before leaning back to watch his brother ascend the stairs.

Vergil walked to the door and knocked, to which Amy pulled the door open before walking back into the room.

"This is absurd! I have been clasping my own necklaces for most of my life, and in one fell swoop these damn nails Trish gave me have made me incapa--..." Amy started as she turned to see not any of the three she asked for, but Vergil standing in the open doorway.

They stood and stared at each other, she with a rosy hue creeping into her cheeks at the intense stare he was giving to her. She was dressed up and it was the first time Vergil had ever seen her that way. When they knew each other as teens the girls had not been permitted to wear make up. Mostly due to the fact the old crone who ran the place was against vanity. Then when they met the last time it was hardly the place, time, or situation for such things.

Now though Amy was in a white sundress that looked like it might be made of soft velvet. It was above the knee, with thin straps at the shoulder and a delicately loose bow at the center just under her bust. She wore her hair down, her silky strands straightened to show both the layers and different hues of red in the light from the lamps. She was wearing make up too, just enough to make her normally large eyes look even more so and greener than he had ever seen them. It was her mouth though that he couldn't stop looking at. It was glossed over with a rosebud tint, and against his will he began to wonder how they felt...even how they tasted.

"Oh," she said in a whisper. "Hi."

"Did you need help?" Vergil asked after feigning a cough to compose himself. Amy nodded and lifted a necklace up. Vergil stepped forward and took the delicate chain from her hands. He looked from it back to her, and she quickly dropped her eyes from his. "Turn around."

Amy did as asked, and he watched as she pulled her long hair away to expose her shoulders and neck. The strap on her shoulder fell and Amy quickly hiked it back up. Vergil realized that he had never really been able to look at her skin before, except that one time while under the influence of the necklace. He shivered as he remembered what it felt like to be so close to her and of how he felt at that moment when he finally gave in to those feelings.

Now though she was heading out with Dante and the others, had even gotten all dressed up. This was what she looked like when she was trying to attract members of the opposite sex. He felt a bit of anger bite at thinking of her possibly meeting someone while out tonight. Then reprimanded himself because his mind should be on supernatural dark shadows, not humanly hormonal ones.

Despite the fact he was unwilling to admit he cared for the girl, he could internally battle with that fact. She would always hold some of his fascination because of their history together, and his inability to get her away from him. Both physically and mentally. He wouldn't claim her and yet he considered her his. Since he was a teen, only to be reconfirmed when she had kissed him that night on her roof. One could say she sealed her fate with that kiss.

He moved forward and she stepped back into him as he lifted the chain up over her head. She stood perfectly still and he noticed a shiver run through her as his knuckle grazed the back of her neck. Goosebumps spread out before his eyes and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of delight at seeing despite her lack of attention to him she could not hide what was undoubtedly in her own thoughts. Possibly mirroring his own?

He purposely took his time and if she knew she didn't say one word. He could smell her lovely perfume and inherited her goose bumps as he did. It made him wonder if she could have such an effect on him, how would she fare in a bar full of drunken idiots? Would Dante keep a close eye on her? Or was Dante doing all this in hopes Vergil would be jealous? Was she doing this? His eyes darkened.

"I feel so silly getting all dressed up like this," Amy suddenly said as he finished clasping the necklace.

"It suits you," he replied. Amy turned around to face him and he saw her face light up.

"Really?" She asked. She was blushing like a school girl, and that damn lovely glow added to the effect of it all. Maybe it was the lighting, but she looked beautiful. The first time ever he had thought to think of her this way. It had nothing to do with physical looks, but just the way she smiled at him made his heart squeeze in his chest and purr like a contented house cat. The strap of her dress fell down again and Amy instinctively went to pull it up, but Vergil found his fingers got there first.

"Really," he said in a voice so tender it surprised even him. He let his fingers push the soft velvet strap up slowly because he wanted to feel her with his fingertips. Their eyes were locked on one another as if caught in time, just the two of them. Her girlish blush faded and was replaced by the look of a woman begging to be touched, and kissed. Strange how he should see it that way, but that was what he read in her heavily lidded eyes. Her lashes were so long, so soft he wanted to touch them too. Hell, he was pretty damned sure he would've touched her foot if she'd offered it to him.

Amy began to lean into him, shivering slightly as his fingers worked their way to finally put the strap on her shoulder. He felt a pleasurable growl deep within the closer she came to him. He wasn't ready to come to her, but he loved it when she made it so easy for him. So he leaned in, his hand snaking its way into her hair. He felt his entire body warm when he felt just how soft it was. He felt the ache of need that had been building over the years finally piquing the surface. He was beyond thinking what kissing her now could mean, because all he wanted just then was to remind himself what it felt like to be just Vergil in her eyes, and in her soft embrace.

He could smell her perfume and it was making him anxious as her warm breath was close enough to taste. Her glossy lips gave off a faint scent of strawberries... They were so close now, and soon he would taste...

"Time to go!" Dante chimed from the doorway. Amy pulled back, her eyes widening as she looked around like she didn't remember where she was. Then her eyes moved to Vergil just before Dante rounded him to block him from her view. "Ames! You look breathtaking! Who would've known under all that grit was a real lady?"

Dante actually lifted her up as Vergil looked on with a deep frown, his inner self growling for a completely different reason now. If looks could kill, Dante would die about 100 deaths in a mere second.

"Put me down." Amy said meekly, no doubt noticing the look Vergil was giving them. Dante did as he was asked, but held her arms out to get a better look.

"Doesn't she look beautiful Vergil? I'd better bring my sword with me tonight to help keep them off ya Amy." Dante grinned as he softly knocked her jaw with a wink. Amy smiled, but she kept glancing at Vergil.

As much as Vergil hated to admit it, Dante was right. Some moron... No, more than one moron would undoubtedly see her just as Vergil did and try to make a move. He doubted Amy would accept the offer, but even the idea of any man thinking he could move in on her made his blood boil. He knew better than anyone what thoughts could race through the mind...and other places... at seeing a beautiful woman alone at a bar. Dante would be too busy entertaining himself to keep an eye on her, and what if the guy in question wouldn't take no for an answer? That made his hair stand on end and now he wanted to beat up a man who existed only in his mind.

What if it was the thing that was after her?

"Well my dear, it's time to go. It'll just be the four of us tonight." Dante chimed as he put an arm out for Amy. She looked at Vergil and he could see disappointment briefly in her eyes before taking his arm. "Don't wait up Verge!"

Dante walked to maneuver himself and Amy around Vergil. Vergil could feel her eyes glancing at him out of the corner of her eyes. As they walked by he could smell her perfume again wafting on the air as she passed. They didn't make it to the door.

"Wait," Vergil growled. He turned to see Dante glancing back at him with a knowing smile.

"Yes Verge?" He grinned a little too expectantly. Vergil sneered at him.

"Give me five minutes."