: twenty-six :

The sound of the door hitting the wall, followed by the screen door slamming shut brought Jazmin out of a panicked slumber. Shit, when she had fallen asleep? She pushed her self up, horribly rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She didn't remember falling asleep, but she had barely gotten any these last few weeks. It wouldn't be surprising if she fell asleep while standing.

She heard the fridge open, items in the door clinking loudly. Then he cursed and the door slammed as he realized he had finished the beer last night. A few moments of silence then the cabinet being slammed shut with a louder curse as he realized he had finished the tequila the night before that.

Jazmin felt the flutter of panic push her heart to an impossible cadence. Her eyes darted to the front door. Maybe she could just slip out, avoid the evening encounter, come back when he was past out. Come back? Damn… why was she such a coward?

Too late. He appeared in the doorway to the little living room, leaning heavily on the doorframe. His suit was speckled with stains and raindrops and his tie and jacket where missing completely. He said something so slurred she couldn't decipher it. Probably for the best, but she flinched anyway, knowing the content was meant to bite. Even without the words she felt the stab of pain in her chest.

What had happened? When had this gone to wrong? He was only like this when he drank. And he only drank when he was having a hard time… at work, which turned to had a bad day, then when he needed to unwind, and then when he was having trouble getting to sleep. He always apologized when he sobered up. He said over and over he would never let it happen again. But that points when he was sober where becoming less and less frequent. Why couldn't she help him? She thought she was being supportive, being a good girlfriend; being faithful, patient. If she was here for him, she could help him stop, right?

No you're just too afraid to do anything else.

He was yelling now and she hunched her shoulders, bearing it in silence.

Wait why was she so afraid? There had been a reason but she couldn't remember it. A feeling of unreality settled over her and she reached for the necklace she always wore only to find she had forgotten to ware it. Again. Why did that bother her so much?

"Are you even listening to me?!"

"No, I wasn't." The voice that came out of her mouth sounded like a strangers.

She didn't even realize he had hit her until she was staring at the carpet.

Why do you let him treat you like this? It's disgusting.

She ignored his continued verbal and physical abuse.

I am a coward. I am afraid to admit something is wrong, to say I can't fix this. That I failed. That I choose wrong, I couldn't do it by myself. Admitting I am weak.

She fisted her hands in the tacky carpet. She didn't want this anymore; this wasn't who she was supposed to be. She had always been quite and polite, but now she could feel the urge to scream, the need to fight back that was hiding inside. She tried to rise up, to push herself to her feet but her arms didn't move; her body refused.

I need more. I am too weak; I don't want to be weak anymore.

Jazmin felt something snapped inside herself and fury sparked to life in her chest. It rushed through her with a burning clarity that turned everything to sharp, too crisp, to the point she had to close her eyes. Then her body moved on its own, reaching under the couch, her fingers wrapping around a familiar shape. Then she stood, with more grace than she knew she possessed, her old baseball bat handing at her side.

His shocked expression was beyond words. His forehead was damp with perspiration and he was out of breath from trying to beat a sound of pain from her. And she was just standing up like it was nothing more bothersome than a fly buzzing around her face. She licked her lip and tasted the coppery ting of blood.

Jazmin raised a hand and backhanded him across the face. He stumbled, the shock quickly turning to a venomous glare, his drunken rage completely out of control. She watched his lips slowly mouth yet another hateful, degrading slur, spittle fling from his mouth, the stench of alcohol strong on his breathe. But she couldn't hear him, not over the rush of her own blood in her ears, the soft whoosh of her breath leaving her lungs. Her hand tightened on the bat and she was distinctly aware of the wood grain against her palm.

He raised his hand to strike her again. As she watched the budge of his arm and the straining of tendons in his neck, Jazmin wondered if he had always been so slow. She slide a foot back, both hands gripping the bat as she swung. The bat caught him just below the ribs and she followed through, watching in morbid fascination as his eyes bugged from his skull. His face went from red to purple and faded to a sickly green as he grabbed his side, stumbling away from her, barely keeping his feet.

"You should know I held back just then."

He then proceeded to vomit on the floor. Jazmin watched, fighting the urge to stick him again on the back. The image of the bat cracking over his head, the resounding snap of bones breaking as he hit the ground. She ground her teeth, trying to fight the rage and… the enjoyment coursing through her even fiber. Where had all this power come from? This raw hatred? The pleasure from causing pain? It was completely intoxicating and she was barely feeling her head above the wave.

He slowly straightened, pain laced through his look of loathing. He wasn't in enough pain that he couldn't speak. His lips moved and Jazmin felt herself slip under the surface as she registered what he had said. Her eyes widened, slowly inhaling to the point her lungs bight burst from her chest and… and then she grinned.

The man before her suddenly realized her was no longer facing the little girl her had beaten into submission, but was staring down the animal, the wild beast that had been trapped inside.

"You know. I was almost afraid she wasn't going to let me out to play." Again, it was a strangers voice falling form her lips. She leaned towards him, her eyes wide with insanity. "And I was so looking forward to putting you in your place, little man." Then she spit on him.

That brought him out of his daze and he reached out, trying to grab her. Jazmin leaned back, "Oooh, you almost got me." She shook her finger at him. He roared and threw his hand at her widely. With an unimpressed sigh, she twisted her head and caught his hand with her teeth, digging into the fleshy bits until warmth gushed into her mouth. He streaked and she let him wrench his hand from her mouth.

She giggled and spit blood, rubbing useless as her now crimson lips. "Poor, poor baby boy." She raised a leg and kicked him in the chest, sending him sprawling backwards onto the coffee table. "You can dish it out, but you can't seem to take it very well, do you?"

The air around her began to heat rapidly. She put a foot up on the coffee table, leaning over the whimpering man as he hand his bleeding hand. She pouted at him and grabbed a handful of his hair then slammed his hand back onto the wood with a crack.

"What? Nothing else to say? Come on, tell me something dirty like you did before." He blinked, a stunned look on his face. She snorted and released her grip, taking a step back. "No fun, no fun at all!" She flexed her hand experimentally until a little spark jumped to life on her fingertips. With that, the air around her suddenly bust into flames. The fire brushed against her skin, caressing, praising her and biting anything else. The carpet around her bare feet ignited and the couch quickly followed suit. Then she started to laugh.

By then, the daze of having his head bashed had faded enough for him to push himself off the table and scrambled back to his feet.

"You're insane! You… you're not even human!" He shrieked and with a flick there was a pocketknife in his hand. Jazmin stopped laughing.

"How good of you to notice." She said was a toothy grin then kicked the coffee table. It flew across the room and slammed into the opposite wall. She took a few slow steps towards him, dramatically swinging her hips until she wasn't able to keep a straight face and giggle maniacally again. "Oh you're face. This is really going to be so much fun." She said and raised the bat, faster than he would have been able to react, if not for the fact her arm suddenly froze just before it connected with the side of his head.

No.

He stabbed her, the little knife sinking into her side. Her eyes wide, she let out a little gasp, despising the little look of victory he had on his face. He jerked back, releasing the handle of the little knife, the skin on his palm sizzling. Jazmin slowly lowered the bat and looked down at the little knife in her side. She reached over and slowly pulled out. The cut sizzled and the blade was red hot for a moment before melting in her hand.

"Rude."

His legs stopped working and he fell to his knees.

"Mmm, now that is the proper response." She said, running a hand through his hand and then gently pushed him away. He started crawling back from her, spouting nonsense, saying anything to try to make her stop. Jazmin just raised her foot and stomped down on his shin. It gave with a satisfying and sickening crack. He squealed.

Jazmin suddenly winced, grabbing her head.

"Ah! What do you mean 'no more'?" She asked though clenched teeth. The room was completely on fire now, flames licking across the ceiling and burning through the furniture. "You should be thanking me." Her voice was strained now and her body was quivering.

She suddenly scream, her arm swing the bat even as her other hand tried to stop it. The end of the bat connected with the side of his head. He instantly went limp. Jazmin stood over him panting, holding the now bleeding wound in her side. Inside her mind, she fought with the other consciousness, forcing it down, deeper and deeper inside of herself. Striping it of anything she could get a hold of, locking the monster away.

She chuckled softly, sounding out of breath and weak now.

Can't keep me in here forever. But I'll let you win this time.

No, you won't, Because I'll be on my guard. I'll be prepared.

Another chuckle. Can't be prepared for what you can't remember.

Jazmin felt a jolt run through her body. She couldn't pull air into her lungs anymore. The air was now hot, burning her eyes and drawing her skin tight around her body. She stumbled forward, landing next to the unconscious man. Her vision went hazy and she felt consciousness begin to slip from her grasp.

No, not yet.

She ignored the stabs of pain that where growing by the second. She grabbed a handful of his shirt and jerked back, dragging him toward the front door as the room began to crumble around them. She coughed, eyes watering as she reached the door. She grabbed the handle and yelled, the metal hot enough to burn her skin. She tried to throw her feeling against the door but her body just screamed in protest, and stars danced before her eyes.

Shit. The fire was too hot, she couldn't breath with all this smoke and they were tapped. She could hear the distant sound of sirens. Too far away… She sunk to the floor with a coughing fit then realized what she was leaning on. She grabbed her bat and smashed the handle, lock and all. The door swung open with another shove and she threw her bat into the yard. Then, with both hands in his shirt, dragged her abusive boyfriend out of their burning house.

She was lying on her back; hand over the still weeping cut in her side. She knew if she passed out, she would forget. She couldn't forget, not this. It was just too important to just forget. But, as the hazy forms of paramedics appeared, Jazmin finally slipped back into that darkness this was the end of her… normal life.

The memory came back to her in a rush and then was suddenly over. Jazmin blinked, her eyes focusing on the fire she had been staring into. She glanced around, recognizing the empty blackness. She was dreaming?

"Almost." The voice made Jazmin jump, and then she stared as she watched… herself sit down on the other side of the fire. The other Jazmin gave her a little wink and Jazmin realized she had red eyes.

"Who-?"

The other Jazmin held her finger up to her lips and looked pointed at the fire. Jazmin followed her gave and noticed the fire was sizzling and spitting as raindrop fell on it, keeping it from roaring high into the black sky. The rain was falling all over this space and each drop looked like quick silver. She held her hand up, catching a few drops that swirled and danced on her hand before fading away.

Jazmin looked back to the fire and saw the little flames reaching towards her. Hesitantly, she reached out to them and the fire jumped, stretching horizontally towards her hand. She expected heat, but as the flames licked across her fingers and palm, it flew like the caress of a gust of wind. She reached with her other hand and ran her fingers through the fire.

"Careful." The other Jazmin said and she could feel the severity in her tone.

Before she could ask why, she saw the flames had crawl up past her hands and along her arms. Then the rain turning to a downpour with a roar, a gush of water dousing the flames and wrenching her awake.

Jazmin sputtered, trying to blow the icy water away from her face at the same time she tried to gasp. She failed, slipping in the half empty bathtub.

"Ahh! What the hell?!"

"Oh." Jazmin looked up at a very surprised Trish, holding a dripping bucket over her head. "You're awake?"

"Um, yeah! That's what's happens when you dump a bucket of water on someone." Jazmin snapped, finally standing and realizing she was completely dress… and soaked. "What the hell?" She repeated and looked to Trish, expecting and answer but was meet with the hunteress' back.

"Hey, she's awake." She said then snapped her phone shut. When had she pulled that out? Trish turned back; staring for a moment then grabbed a towel, holding it out to Jazmin.

"Thanks." She muttered halfhearted, then noticed the bandages around Trish's arms and peaking from under her top. "Oh my gosh, are you okay? What happened?" She asked, suddenly concerned even as Trish helped her step out of the tub.

"It's nothing. Practically healed already anyways." She walked out of the bathroom and Jazmin followed, working on drying her hair and clothes. Before Jazmin could pose another question, the blond had disappeared into the kitchen.

"So?" Jazmin followed. "Why was I in the bathtub. And why the bucket treatment?"

Trish glanced over her shoulder, the clinking of glass pausing. "You were on fire… again." Jazmin blinked and Trish turned back to whatever she was mixing. "You almost caught the couch on fire the first time. After the second, we thought it would be safer for the upholstery to keep you in the bathroom." She turned holding a glass full of a liquid that was turning from bright green to a cherry red. "Here, drink this. It tastes terrible but it will make you feel better."

Jazmin took the glass and eyed it for a moment, half waiting for it to cough up a smoky skull and cross bones. Then she sighed and held her nose, chugging the whole glass. When she swallowed she slammed the glass down and had to hold back the urge to throw it all back up. A shuddered ran through her when it was over with.

"Oh god."

Trish chuckled.

"Ha ha, yeah just what was that stuff?"

"Home made devil's star."

"What?" Jazmin looked at the glass again, wondered what she had really just drunk when the front door jingled. She heard boots stomping loudly and she pocked her head out of the kitchen to see Dante halfway in the bathroom, suddenly reappeared looking frantic. He froze when he noticed her. A different kind of chill ran across her skin as he started at her, eyes quickly looking her over before their eyes meet. Her minds eyes flashed to his eyes a burning red imbedded in black. Blood on her hands, looking down to see metal piercing her chest…

Before the panic of suddenly remembering overwhelm her, he was wrapping his arms around her, gentle holding her against his body as if he might break her from holding to tightly. Jazmin stood stiffly for a moment, then relaxed against him, raising her arms and slipping them inside his jacket to wrap around his middle. She felt him kiss the top of her head.

"You're okay…" He whispered it was half to himself. "When you didn't wake up I was so…"

Despite how Jazmin was continue to remain like that indefinitely, his words made her leaned back, looking up into his icy-blue eyes.

"What do you-" Her question caught in her throat as an odor unlike anything she had ever had the misfortune of inhaling, assaulted her nose. She clamped her hands over her nose, wiggling out of his arms with uncharacteristic grace. "What is that stench?" She coughed as the lingering scent even made her eyes water. "It's like sulfur and… and… a bunch of other nasty shit I can't think of right now! But oh my god, how are you not dying?"

Dante looked hurt. "What? You don't like my new cologne?"

Jazmin sneered at him form behind her hand-mask. He chuckled and held up the end of his jacket to his nose, sniffing theatrically. Before Jazmin could find something to throw at him Trish cut in, also grinning.

"It is pretty foul Dante." And then to Jazmin, "It's demon blood… and other various bodily fluids."

Jazmin stared, mouth a gap until she inhaled again and gagged.

"Yeah, but she's not able to smell that. Its practically impossible for hu-." He stopped realizing what he was about to say. Jazmin finished for him.

"Impossible for humans, but very possible for demons."

They were all silent for a moment. Jazmin sighed, giving up on protecting her nose and just baring with the new olfactory experience.

"Okay, well I need dry cloth if we are going to get all serious about this." She walked towards the stairs and Dante turned as if he was going to follow her but she held up her hand. "Oh no, you have to put that somewhere I can't smell it or you're going to have red cocktail to match your jacket… all over you face."

"Drinking so early in the morning? That's bad for you Jazzy." He called after her.

"Ha! Talk to Trish." She called back and stomped up the stairs to her room. When he heard the door slam Dante turned to Trish, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Well?"

"Well what?" He grumbled.

"It really does smell bad." She said with an apologetic smile. Dante rolled his eyes, making an irritated noise and slipped into the bathroom, returning without his jacket and closing the door behind him.

"Happy?"

"Getting there." She said with a wink and Dante chuckled, sitting at his desk.

"So you're making cocktails now?"

"It was a devil's star of sorts."

"A devil's star, huh?" He resting and elbow on his desk and held his chin, thinking. "Why'd you think that was necessary?"

"When she woke up… she looked a little… well she looked gray to tell you the truth. I couldn't feel her like I had been able to and figured something was wrong with her… demon."

"Guessed right. She looks fine now…" He looked back toward the stairs. "How many times did she… flame on while I was gone?"

"Three. She woke up when I doused her. It was just her arms that time."

"That's good. Getting smaller… and she was herself when she woke up?"

"Yeah, a little snippy but who wouldn't be after waking up like that."

They stopped at the sudden rush of footsteps down the stair. Dante was on his feet when Jazmin froze at the bottom, staring at them with wide, clear, icy-blue eyes. She pointed at them.

"Since when are my eyes blue."

Dante glanced at Trish who shrugged. "Mirror was fogged up so she didn't see."

Jazmin was still staring at them intensely, and Dante had a little chill. It had been a long time since he'd had to face that sort of icy glaze. No wonder people found his eyes… alluring, among other things.

"You wanna sit?" He asked and she shook her head, walking towards the desk and wrapping her arms around herself like she was cold. Her hair was still wet but he would be surprised if she was ever cold again.

"So, how long was I out?"

"Five days."

Jazmin didn't react for a moment then she leaned toward Dante, scrutinizing him. "You left me… in a bathtub… and threw water on my for five days?"

"Well you were in bed for two days, but you continue to spontaneously combust... the bathroom was less flammable."

She straightened. "It didn't look like there was a fire in my bed."

"That's 'cause it was my bed." Dante said, leaning back in his seat again. Then he raised an eyebrow at her, darning her to throw a fit about his decision.

"Why?" She snipped.

"So I could watch you while you were sleeping." He practically purred at her. "It was really cute, 'till you started snoring."

"I do not snore." Jazmin snapped, clenching her fists.

"Though, even that was pretty cute. Now that I think about it, I probably should have just recorded you. Watch whenever I'm lonely." He winked at her with a devilish grin.

Jazmin suddenly burst into flames. They started at her first and raced up her arms, the heat making her hair float as she glared at Dante. "Why you little-"

Her words turning into a gasp as a bucket of water was thrown at her, effectively drenching her once again. Jazmin turned, glaring daggers at Trish who held the bucket and shrugged.

"Well, that's something you're gonna have to keep an eye on… if me being annoying if enough to light your fire," He winked at her again and this time she just scowled and crossed her arms. "I don't know what else might set it off." After a moment he cleared his throat. "Sorry Jazmin, I had to make sure you were really in control. I don't think a demon would have been so bothered by my flirting."

Jazmin snorted. "You call that flirting?"

He shrugged, "Eh, I'll admit not my best line."

Jazmin shook her head, unable to keep from smiling. She pushed the fire in her chest down, waiting for it to disappear. She was surprised when it didn't actually disappear as it always had. Her fire had always appeared when she was in danger, but it faded once danger was gone. And she hadn't been able to draw on it on command… This persistent ember inside her was different; it had quickly turned into a fire, her emotions fanning the flames.

"Are you going tell her or do I need to explain?" Trish asked, pulling a chair closer to the desk and sitting on it backwards. Jazmin noticed that she had refilled the bucket as she handed her another towel.

"I'm getting to it." Dante whined then turned back to Jazmin. "So, you asked about your eye color?"

"Yeah, what's up with that?"

"We aren't really sure why, but I saw them change after your trigger faded."

"I didn't trigger. I mean, triggering is what you do when you," she gestured at his person, "get all demoned up."

"You did an echo trigger. The soul of your demon appears like a projection around you and has some level of physical substance. I've only seen something like that once before, with this kid I ran into on the job. He was born a human, but somehow gain the powers of a demon."

"Makes since…" Jazmin said quietly, lot in her own thoughts.

"Why'd you say that?"

Jazmin looked up quickly, "I just remember something. And it fits… So my eyes?"

"Right, well the kid, his eyes where the same blue and his hair turned white as well. But I would bet Ebony he wasn't born with 'em." He gestured to himself. "We figure its some kind of reaction to the demonic power inside a human body."

As he spoke, Jazmin suddenly stood and raced into the bathroom.

"Jazmin?" They both stood but after a moment she burst back out and slammed the door holding her nose.

"I had to see if my hair…" She pointed with an embarrassed smile. "Still auburn." She returned and leaned on the edge of Dante's desk, crossing her arms. "So… what ended up happening?"

"You don't remember?" Trish asked, surprised.

Jazmin tilted her hand side to side, "Bits a pieces but most of it is hazy at best. I guess that's what happens when you uh…" She let out a nervous laugh. "Die. I remember being in a cop car at some point? What was that?"

Dante laughed, "You punched a paramedic when they tried to put an IV in your arm. Cops cuffed you thinking you were dangerous."

Jazmin grimaced. "Does that mean I have another mark in my police records?"

Dante frowned. "Naw, I talked with a detective on sight and he cleared everything up." He didn't jump on the suggestion there was something else that warranted police records. "But, the gate was open for so long, plenty of nasty shit escaped into the human world. On top of that, the demons that had been under Zigor's control are now running rampant and probably scrambling for power. Lady and I have been trying our luck at crowd control."

"Dirty work." Jazmin said nodding.

Dante chuckled. "I'll work harder to not bring the messy bits home with me."

Home… Jazmin had a suddenly moment of panic. Dante wasn't being paid to protect her any more. Would see need to find somewhere else to stay? She didn't want to just assume Dante would let her stay without payment…

"Um, about that… do I need to, um find somewhere else… since, you know…"

Dante snorted, standing. He ruffled her damp hair, turning it into a proper mess. "You think I'd let you just up and leave? After we've been through so much," he put his hand to his heart and with a sad expression, "I'm hurt, Jazzy."

She let out a realized breath, grinning at him.

"Besides! If you get all 'demoned up' I gotta be there to rein you in." He walked to the kitchen, "You survived being hunted by demons and even dying… but being a demon is a whole new ball game."

Jazmin snorted. She had survived, if through sheer luck and force of will. "Bring it on."

.

.

o.o hi... I'm baaaack~... its summer and everyone keeps reading this darn story and asking me to keep going so I'm kinda giving up on the rewrite and will just keep hashing this one out... yeah so... there you go... be seeing you all again soon... i think it need to replay a game and watch the series again... just to get back into the DMC vibe *purrs at the idea*

ps: any bleach fans, let me know. I wrote something during the semester and if some of my readers want to see it, I'll put the polish to it and post it for ya'll. Love you guys~

Reviews are the aphrodisiac of authors. PLEASE REVIEW!

DISCLAIMER: I, sadly, do not own any characters from the various Devil May Cry series, nor do I make any money from this reproduction.