A SEMI-LONG AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hello! I have returned to FanFiction after a long break. I just had to write this story because when I went to the Devil May Cry section and looked up Nero and Dante, I never saw a fic that was based on Beauty and the Beast. Since I really liked that movie and I thought it could work with Devil May Cry, I thought, why not make my own? I really like fic's that are based on Beauty and the Beast, so I decided to write a version with all the Devil May Cry characters, and of course the pairing would be Dante and Nero.

There were problems though, as I tried to mix the two together. So! I decided to do this my own way, so I altered a lot of stuff so now its only moderately-based on Beauty and the Beast. I used the Disney version because it was the easiest to fit the characters in. So while I was planning, I really fell in love with this story, and how every time I came up with something, it had to have something else backing it up, and then that had to have something backing that up too, and so on. Anyways! I thank you for giving my story a chance and I will try my best to live up to your expections. (BTW, this is my first time writing in a long time so please excuse me if im rusty.)

Just So You Know:

Italics- thoughts, for emphasis to words, ect.

Bold Italics- Used exclusively for when Dante is speaking and for emphasis as well.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Devil May Cry or Beauty and the Beast, they belong respectively to CAPCOM® and Disney.

Enjoy!

Le Beau et Le Démon Chapitre 1: How Could This Have Happened?

~o~O~o~

"Come...back..."

Nero ignored the call and continued running as fast as his legs could take him. He rushed down a massive corridor, his heart thumping wildly in his ears. Turning around a corner his breath caught at the sight of double doors at the end of the hall and without pause, he bolted to them and tugged them open. Forcing himself not to look back, Nero stumbled forward and closed the doors behind him, making sure to lock them.

'Fuck!...that was too close...at least now it can't get in...right?' Nero thought nervously. He turned, laying his back against the cool hardwood, and stood there in a cold sweat, catching his breath. He really fucked up this time. He didn't mean to piss it off, but it just happened! And now he was sure it was going to try and kill him for what he had seen. He just fucking knew it. One thing was for sure though, and that was that Nero wouldn't just lay in wait for it to come. He needed to get out of there...and fast. With his thoughts semi-collected and his breathing less ragged, he began to scan the room hurriedly. He was in the Grand Hall, and to his relief there stood the main doors across from him; the doors that would lead him outside to his freedom. He let out a bated breath, hope blossoming in his chest. Maybe he could make it out of this goddamn place!
And without another thought, Nero made to get up-

"Not...so...fast..."a feral voice growled suddenly from behind the doors.

Before instinct could force his body to move away, a hand burst through the wooden doors, and latched on to his forearm. Nero yelped as he felt something sharp dig into his arm. He looked down at it, his stomach churning and his eyes widening as he caught a glimpse of the appendage that had him in its iron grip. It wasn't human.It was covered in what seemed to be black hide, with tiny creases similar to cracks that ran parallel from its arm and along its knuckles, glowing a faint scarlet, and stopping at its fingers, where sharp claws protruded from its fingertips.

Those certain claws were currently digging into the flesh of his arm and drawing blood. Nero panicked, trying to pull his arm away only for the claws to dig deeper and for the sting of pain to grow sharper. Nero's breathing grew shallow, fear escalating. He tried prying the clawed hand off, ignoring the strange pulsing he felt in his right arm as he did so. Still the hand would not release him, Nero wasn't far from hyperventilating; his vision was getting blurred and his heart felt about ready to rip out of his chest.

Suddenly, another hand broke through the door directly beside Nero's head on his right, extending to reveal a gruesome looking arm. Nero gasped sharply when it wrapped around his neck and tried to cut off oxygen from reaching his lungs. He struggled against the grip, shutting his eyes tightly and blindly grasping at the arm successfully strangling him. Fear turned into agitation and in his frenzied state Nero could only think of one thing and chant it in his head like a mantra.

'Shit, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die!'

~o~O~o~

Twenty-Two Nights Prior...
~7 Hours Before The Festival~

A sudden light pervaded the room as the familiar sound of curtains being pulled apart woke a slumbering Nero. He groaned miserably, turning his back to the light and burying himself deeper under his sheets. He heard a light chuckle from behind and suddenly the covers were torn from his person, leaving him exposed to the chilly air.

"Give me five more minutes please." Nero grumbled, pulling a plush pillow over his head. Another chuckle and his pillow was taken. Nero had learned to hate that particular laugh. He turned towards the noise and snapped his eyes open, sky blue eyes glaring up at the assailant.

"Don't give me that look Nero, if I recall correctly, it was you that told me to wake you up early today." said the light and airy voice of his mother. Said woman was giving him a bright smile, a pillow in her hand and with his sheets tossed over her shoulder. Her eyes gave off a mischievous spark, like she enjoyedannoying him.

"Well damn, how was I supposed to know you'd take me seriously?" Nero said as he sat up, snatching his pillow and putting it in its place on his bed. His mother moved aside and watched Nero get up and stretch. She sighed and dropped the sheets onto the bed, moving towards the door and grabbing the knob. She turned to her son and gave him another dazzling smile.

"Well dear, I set your clothes for today on your desk over there. Ill be in the kitchen, come down for breakfast alright?"

"Yeah, yeah." Nero muttered walking over to his desk and examining his clothes for the day.

"And tidy up the bed would you?"

Nero turned to her and opened his mouth to speak but paused when he saw the stern glare his mother sent him. He sighed deeply and nodded. "Fine. Just get out already."

Ignoring his attitude, his mother hummed in approval and left the room, closing the door behind her. Nero quickly undressed and pulled on a navy muscle-shirt, zipped up his red hoddie vest over that, tugged on his pants and boots before finally shrugging on his long indigo coat. Leaving his hair bedraggled as always, Nero made to leave the room before he paused as he realized he had forgotten something. He walked to his dresser and took out a sling, and while glaring at it in disdain he placed it on his right arm, which was covered from shoulder to fingers in bandages.

Nero hated his arm. It was an abomination, something he was cursed with and had to deal with for the rest of his life. He had peeked at it every time he had to change the bandages, and every time he turned away in disgust at the sight. Ever since the incident in Mitis Forest, where he had injured his shoulder, his arm started changing. His skin turned a blistering red, until layer after layer it split apart and revealed dark, leathery hide. At first it was small spots, but soon it had spread, from his hands to his elbow, and even then it continued onto his shoulder. Naturally Nero tried to hide it, always wearing long sleeved shirts, even in the blistering hot sun. He didn't tell anyone about the arm,not even his family, hell, how could he? Even when he was younger, he just knew it wasn't normal, he was afraid of his arm, afraid of what people would think, of what his family would think. He always felt that if he told them, if he told anyone, something terrible would happen. So he didn't. And that was the end of that. He had hid it well for the past few years, and if anyone asked why he would wear long sleeved shirts or why he was always bandaging his arm or even why he wore a sling he would change the subject immediately...or curse them off.

Nero pushed the left sleeve of his jacket up to his elbow and tugged the other one further down. Then he slipped on a glove, covering his arm completely. Once that was done and over with, Nero finally left his room, somehow still feeling like he had forgotten something.

"Ah, there you are dear. Sit down and eat your breakfast. Your father and brother have already left. Credo dropped off Kyrie at the market on his way to work, she's waiting for you there."

Nero nodded, pulling back a chair and sitting on it, before devouring the eggs and bacon on the plate in front of him like a man who hadn't eaten in years. His mother watched him, her expression a mix of horror and astonishment.

"Nero dear, chew. Don't just suck it up like you're some kind of vacuum." She chided.

"S'alright. I gotta' hurry up and meet Kyrie anyways."

Nero managed to finish off the meal in five minutes, quickly drinking a glass of orange juice and planting a kiss on his mother's cheek, leaving the woman stunned as he closed the front door behind him. Moments later, she recovered and sighed loudly, rubbing her temples in hopes of preventing the headache she knew was coming. Picking up after Nero, she looked at the calendar tacked onto the wall absentmindedly only to realize it was laundry day. She inwardly groaned as she finished drying off the dishes and afterwards she walked into each room of the house with a basket full of dirty laundry. When she finally entered Nero's room, she nearly yelled out in frustration. Not only was Nero's room in complete disarray, but he also hadn't tidied his bed like he had promised.

~o~O~o~

~6 Hours Before The Festival~

"Nero! There you are!" a wonderfully melodious voice called out to Nero. Said young man turned at the voice and smiled slightly when he located its owner.

"Hey. Did you wait long?" Nero asked as he walked towards his sister Kyrie, a sweet smile was etched on her pretty face as she met him halfway, giving him a small hug, which he hesitantly returned. "No, not long at all. Credo stayed with me for some time, he said he didn't want to leave me alone and even when I told him you were coming soon, he just rolled his eyes." Nero scoffed as he pulled away and placed his left arm around Kyrie shoulder, while she wrapped hers around his torso. They started walking past all the differently colored stalls and stores like that until Nero cleared his voice and asked,

"So...what was it you wanted to buy?"

"A new dress for my performance tonight at the festival. My Sunday Church dress is a little overused. I don't think I should wear the same thing for the festival, I need something more...well festive, wouldn't you agree?" Kyrie asked looking up at Nero expectantly. Looking back down at her Nero nodded and smiled. "Of course." he said.

His answer seemingly satisfying her, she smiled back and looked forward, searching for the appropriate store. Nero smirked. Nodding and smiling always worked when you were only half-listening. Don't get him wrong, he loved talking to Kyrie and he always listened to her, but today was different. Today all she talked about was clothes and her performance, which quite frankly, Nero had no interest in.

"You're coming to the festival right? You have to at least see my performance." Kyrie's voice burst into Nero's thoughts.

"Huh? Oh! Yeah, of course."

Kyrie halted, forcing Nero to do the same. He looked down at her to meet with stern amber orbs and a frown. "You didn't hear a word I said, did you Nero?"

"What! Yes I did!" Nero argued. Kyrie kept a stern frown, eyes disbelieving. "No, you did that 'of course' thing you always do! You thought I never noticed? Now, I never said anything because I thought you were stressed out and I didn't want to bother you with my problems, but this is serious! I need you to listen." Kyrie said, giving Nero a pained look and exasperated eyes. Nero felt a sigh ready to escape his lips but he held it back. Backing away from Kyrie he turned to her and gripped her shoulder with his left hand.

"Kyrie, I do listen to you. I know tonight's the festival, and you have a performance, and you're scared your going to look bad or perform bad, but lemme' tell you right now, its not gonna' happen because you're..." Nero paused in thought, choosing his next words carefully. "You're an amazing songstress and you look beautiful in everything you wear."

A blush blossomed on Kyrie's face, mirroring the one on Nero's. And then, despite their previous dispute, a smile broke out on Kyrie's lovely face, one so bright and kind that Nero felt warmth sprout in his chest and his stomach flip delightfully, his cheeks growing a tad darker, Nero smiled back slightly.

"You always know what to say when I'm feeling down Nero, thank you. Now, let's go find that dress." Kyrie intertwined her arm with Nero's left, and held his hand, intertwining their fingers, the action making Nero freeze for a moment before he relaxed and gripped her hand tighter.

As they walked past all the different stores and markets that continued onwards, parallel to each other, Nero watched in quiet contemplation as all the villagers prepared for the festival.

The Baker was busiest today. Baking his savory pastries a dozen at a time, the shop was warm from the heat of the ovens and the aroma of fresh bread wafted out the building and onto the streets. Nero's mouth watered slightly in anticipation of eating all those delicious delicacies.

The Tailor was also quite occupied. The women of the town were anxiously waiting in line to purchase her clothing; various dresses of many colors, some coated in frills and lace were draped over their arms. The men however, were outside the shop. In groups they conversed cooly and laughed heartily as they expected their wives to do the shopping for them. Nero cringed. He hadn't much patience when it came to waiting in line.

And then, Nero spotted the Armament Shop. Sitting calmly in the corner, with none around to permeate its quiet atmosphere, it was virtually empty and abandoned, but Nero knew better. Inside were all the tools and instruments capable of being used to harm or to protect. Once you walked in, it was like stepping into a whole new world with a different atmosphere and different people. In there you could behold all sorts of arms ranging from knives and swords to pistols and shotguns. This was Nero's favorite store in the entire town despite him not being able to purchase anything. It wasn't like his parents were going to let him carelessly carry around a gun anyways. "Hey Nero, it seems like I've found a good store over by the Town Square, so you can go to your precious arms store, I'll come meet you when I'm done." Kyrie said lightly, a small, knowing smile on her face. Nero felt his heartbeat pick up slightly. Had he been so obvious? "No thanks, I said l'd help you pick out a dress so I can't just leave you."

"But I insist Nero, you wouldn't like dress shopping anyways, its boring and you have no sense for fashion."

"Excuse me?" Nero said, eyebrow raised and eyes playful. "I do too have a 'sense of fashion'." He spoke, accentuating the last part. Kyrie chuckled. "Oh please, you always wear the same clothing and the same coat and boots and-"

"What's wrong with what I wear?" Nero asked, feigning a hurt expression.

"Nothing, its just that you wear the same thing every day."

"So? You wear the same white dress every Sunday."

"That's my performance dress."

"You have to have a designated dress for everything?"

"Yes." She said, bumping her hips against his side, almost making him lose his balance. "Women are so confusing." Nero commented, bumping back with less force.

"More complicated than your weapons?" Kyrie asked continuing their little game.

"Yeah, definitely."

"Well I would hate to complicate your life any more Nero, so you'd better get going to your sanctuary." Kyrie remarked stopping and untangling her arm from his. Nero frowned, but nodded. "You sure?"

"Of course." She said in a deep voice, trying to imitate him, while nodding. Another bright smile broke out on Nero's face. Only Kyrie could make him smile like this. He nodded back, pulling her into a tight hug before letting go and walking towards the direction of the bookstore. "Don't talk to strangers." He said half joking, half serious. Kyrie just laughed and waved.

"I won't."

~o~O~o~

The minute Nero walked into the store, he was greeted with the familiar scent of gunpowder and metal. He smiled slightly. It was vacant with the exception of one other person.

"Nero! Its good to see you again!"

"Hey Al, its nice to see you too." Responded Nero. Alphonse was the young and esteemed owner of the shop, it was passed down to him by his father, the late Bastien Valentin. The young man had been more than happy to oblige to his fathers last wishes and take over the store and here he has been for the past five years surrounded by some of the most impressive – and expensive – weapons of the century. Nero had always wanted to take his place and he'd always remark on how fortunate Alphonse was to own all of it, to which the cheery blond had laughed merrily at.

"I see that you ditched pretty, little, Miss Kyrie back there."

"Yeah so?"

"You jerk." Said Al, leaning over the front desk and resting his head on both his palms as he regarded Nero with disappointed cerulean orbs. Nero scoffed and walked over to the desk, picking up a stool nearby and sitting on it. "Just kidding. You know I would never leave her like that. She said that she could go pick out a dress by herself and that she would meet me later." Al raised a brow slightly and gave him a skeptical look but accepted his answer. He removed his hands as he got up and slapped Nero on the shoulder. Nero flinched. Alphonse was stronger than he looked. "Well then! Lemme' guess? You wanna' take a look at Blue Rose?" he asked, a silly grin on his face. Nero grinned back and nodded. "Of Course. Bring her out here would you?"

"Well normally I wouldn't let you take another look when I know you're not gonna' buy her, but since I know you love her as much as I do, I'll make an exception." He winked at Nero and stepped to the back of the shop, where he kept inventory. While Nero waited, he looked around the shop, appraising all the swords mounted on the wall opposite of him. Some swords were thinner than others, some were bigger and heavier looking, so were more detailed at the hilt while others were simple, yet they were all deadly, making the way the glinted in the sunlight almost ominous. Looking to another wall, Nero noticed a sturdy bow and arrow placed in the center. Nero himself never took an interest in archery since it was mainly used for hunting game and the like. Alphonse liked it though and practiced it frequently until he had developed strong arms and broad shoulders adding to his tall structure, that and he could also kill any animal with one shot.

"Here she is!" Alphonse cheered as he walked out of storage and back to his desk. In his hands he cradled the aforementioned revolver. He handed it to Nero whom looked at the weapon as if he wanted to marry it. Alphonse chuckled. "Don't start drooling Nero."

"Ah, shut-up." Nero said as he ogled the revolver some more. The Blue Rose was a long-ranged weapon, it had two barrels; one underneath the other, and so she could fire two magnum rounds for each time you pulled the trigger. On these barrels there was porting to reduce the recoil. She also had a 6-shot cylinder on the right to reload, which Nero had found a coincidence since he tended to shoot with his left hand. And for the finishing touch the gun also had a molded wooden grip with a beautifully intricate carving of a blue rose on the left side, hence the name 'Blue Rose'. Nero had named her himself.

"Still crazy for her, yeah?" Al asked, gazing at the weapon appreciatively as well. Nero nodded. "Hell yeah, too bad I cant afford her."

"Shame, shame. You were a match made in heaven too!" Al cried, wiping an imaginary tear away. Nero scowled at him. "Fuck off, man. I don't need you reminding me."

Alphonse laughed, patting Nero on the back softly before taking Blue Rose from his hands, he took a closer look at the rose etched to the side, smiling as he noticed Nero's eyes trailing the weapon. "Sometimes you're like a dog with a bone, you know that?" he said hiding the gun somewhere behind his desk. Nero ignored the statement, eyes saddening as he lost sight of the revolver. "One of these days, when I get a job and move out-"

"Move out? You mean you're stillliving with your parents? Damn, that sucks. How old are you anyways? Last time I checked we were close in age."

"Im nineteen, last time I checked." Nero mumbled. "Well thats a relief. Cause you look like an old man, you know? And I can't sell some crazy old codger a gun without knowing what hes gonna use it for." Nero punched Al in the arm, making the other chuckle and the weak attempt to hurt him.

"No, I'm serious. I wasn't sure cause of the hair." He said reaching up and plucking a white strand from the boy's head, eliciting an 'ow!' from the other. "Is this bleached?" he asked gazing at the strand with curiosity. "No. I was born with this hair." Nero said crossing his arms. "Well lets add that to the list of 'weird things about Nero'."

Nero felt his heart skip a beat and his stomach clench uncomfortably at the statement. Alphonse thought he was weird? Did that mean he didn't like talking to him? Nero hoped it didn't, he really enjoyed Alphonse's company. "Hey, why are you giving me that look? Was it something I said?"

Nero snapped back to reality as he gazed at his only friend. "I'm sorry I-"

There was a knocking sound and when both men turned, they saw it was Kyrie tapping the window and signaling for Nero to come out. Nero nodded to her and she smiled. Nero turned to Alphonse and smiled slightly. "Sorry to cut our conversation short, but I gotta' go." Alphonse shook his head a bright smile on his face. "No problem man, well talk some more later." Reaching over the blond pulled a reluctant Nero into a semi-awkward hug, patting the young man on the back and letting go. Nero smiled wider and turned to leave when Alfred laughed and said, "Tell your girlfriend I said hi."

"She's my sister!"

"Riiiight~!"

And the door was slammed shut. Alphonse laughed at his friend's antics before a rare look of contemplation took over. Several questions swarmed in his head. How had Nero been born with white hair? And why was he still wearing that weird sling, after all these years? What the hell was up with his arm? These questions, he burned to voice them out to his fiery friend...

~o~O~o~

The Festival was taking place in the small mining village surrounded by the "Ferrum Hills". It was in celebration of the restoration of the abandoned mines and of the new houses that were erected in the village. Soon, families would come to live there and men would begin working at the mines, so that Fortuna could benefit from the riches inside. The small settlement would be bustling with life as it had before it was left to rot. Kyrie had been invited to come and perform, because of her renown talent in singing, she was a natural candidate to be the entertainment of the entire festival, and everyone who had gone to church and heard her angelic voice was sure to come, which meant everyone was going to make an appearance. In all honesty, Nero would rather stay home and read a book or something than to be standing out in the stagnant air surrounded by hundreds of other people, laughing, talking and screaming all at the same time. Perhaps after her performance Nero could grab some food from the buffet and retreat into the mines, where it was nice and quiet.

When he and Kyrie arrived at sunset, people were already there, some dressed simply while the richer dressed more extravagantly. Paper lanterns were hung everywhere, on every building, lighting every corner at every angle, and tents were set up all around with food and items of interest. In the center was a wooden stage, and on it was where Kyrie was to sing along to the music of the other performers. Kyrie seemed almost nervous as she clasped onto Nero's arm. Nero watched her from the corner of his eye, mesmerized by her appearance as usual.

Tonight she donned a cream colored, close-fitting, crocheted dress that looked amazing on her with the way it accentuated all her curves and draped elegantly after her, the crocheted flowers adding a tender look much like the wearer herself. Luckily, the dress, although bringing out her shape quite nicely, was not revealing, and didn't show an ample amount of cleavage, and it almost seemed as if Kyrie gave off a soft glow underneath the light of the lanterns. Adding to the dress, she wore ivory gloves that reached her elbows, and on her neck as well as her ears hung pearls, which belonged to their mother, he realized. Finally her hair was placed in a loose bun, a few tresses let lose, framing her pale, angelic face. Nero had no doubt she was the most beautiful woman there. He was reminded of a porcelain doll, one that was lovingly crafted to perfection, one who's beauty was unsurpassed, but couldn't be touched, because it was oh, so fragile.

"Oh Nero...why is everyone staring at me?" Nero asked nervously, unconsciously gripping his arm harder as she slowly began to duck behind him. Nero laid his bandaged hand on hers gently, and looked at her in the eyes. "Don't worry, its because you look amazing tonight." Nero lied. She looked more than amazing, its just that it was too embarrassing to say so.

"I-I do?" she asked almost timidly. Nero nodded, gingerly removing her grip on his arm and holding her hand. "Yeah. Don't doubt yourself so much. You have to believe in yourself as much as we do." Nero said motioning towards their parents and brother amidst the crowd, watching them with pride in their eyes.

Kyrie smiled shakily. "But what if I mess up?" Nero wanted to laugh at her insecurity, but knew it wouldn't help. "You wont, trust me. Ive heard you sing a thousand times before and you've never messed up, so there's no difference from then and now." Nero chided, leading her towards the stage, where the instrumentalists were waiting patiently for her. Kyrie let out a unsteady breath as they stopped in front of the stage. She knew Nero was right, of course he was, but she couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by the crowd of people watching her. Usually, before she performed in church, her parents or Nero, or even Credo, would give her a small pep-talk. They reminded her that they were always there to watch and support her and that was what always gave her the strength to go out there and sing what was in her heart.

"Kyrie. You can do this. Your going up there, and you're gonna' knock em' dead. No doubt about it. So get the hell up there and make us proud." Nero said confidently, as he grabbed her shoulders and shook her a little. Kyrie closed her eyes and took deep breaths. Her hand rested atop his, as Kyrie concentrated on getting her heartbeat steady.

'Mother and father are here, Credo is here, Nero is here. Their all with me so I have to do my best. I won't let them down. I won't.' Kyrie thought. She could feel her body relaxing, and her breath calming, as she felt Nero's warmth nearby, his hands gripping her shoulders, keeping her steady, she opened her eyes and stared straight into those blue orbs, whom were filled with strength and confidence, and in those moments it was as if she could feel Nero's courage flow into her body, his resolve resounding in her head, clearing her thoughts of everything else.

Kyrie smiled at him then, but it was not her normal smile; her lips curved up in a small but meaningful smile, but her eyes...they showed determination. And that was when Nero smirked and released his precious sister, knowing she would blow everyone away with her voice. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, uttering a small 'thanks' in his ear before moving to the center of the stage and facing the crowds of people, who all looked at her expectantly. Nero backed away and walked over to where his family was, watching her from there with a small grin of encouragement. She nodded and slowly motioned for the instrumentalists to start playing. Once they did Kyrie listened quietly, for her cue to sing, when it neared she took one last deep breath, looked at her family...

And began to sing with a heavenly voice, as if god have crafted it himself.

People listened as the petite beauty sang her heart out to them, her voice fluid and even like silk caressing their skin. Not once did she pause, nor did she make a mistake, she just sang as if it were all she knew how to do, as if she lived and breathed on singing alone. Nero felt his chest warm with pride at his sister. He knew what she was capable of and she had always exceeded expectations, it was a shame she could not share her voice with the rest of the world. They were certainly missing out.

He could hear his mother holding back tears of joy behind him. Strangely enough he could smell the salty liquid poring from her eyes. He ignored this, his eyes glued to Kyrie's form as she sang her lovely melody.

"Gaudeamus igitur

Iuvenes dum sumus. Post iucundam iuventutem Post molestam senectutem Nos habebit humus~"
Nero marveled in her expression as she sang, its was one of pure joy, happiness swirled in her eyes as she saw others begin to dance to the tune, while she too did small spins and twirls when the instrumentals overtook her voice. Nero felt her smile was contagious as his own lips curved upwards more and more. As he watched her, it occurred to him that she would probably be in need of a drink to alleviate her throat afterwards, he could also get something to eat while he was at it anyways.
"Ubi sunt qui ante nos In mundo fuere? Vadite ad superos Transite in inferos Hos si vis videre~"
She turned to gaze at Nero and in that moment Nero signaled that he was going over to the table where they had served the food. As if reading his mind Kyrie understood and nodded, her attention switching from him to the crowd once more. Nero chuckled, glad that she was enjoying herself and retreated past the hordes of people to the buffet table.

~o~O~o~

Lady was not having a fantastic day. Perhaps it was because today the castle was more quiet and eerie than usual; that and she was bored as fuck. There was nothing to do but walk around the empty halls, staring at nothing but ancient paintings and tapestries that hung on the wall or the old cobweb-infested furniture that laid on the dirty granite floor or even the flickering lights of the antique chandelier in the Grand Hall that looked dangerously ready to fall if given the slightest nudge, and...well, you know. The point is, everything in this castle is old, grungy, and poorly taken care of, and it never failed to irritate Lady. Almost enough to make her want to clean it herself, but not quite. The only way you would get her to clean willingly was if you paid her tons of cash. Besides, she was a Demon Hunter, not a maid.

Lady could feel her anger rise as her thoughts wandered to the master of the castle. The damn prick was being emo today and sulking in a corner in his library. She knew today was not exactly a cheerful day for the bastard, but he should at least come out of his room for once in the day and do something productive. Like hiring maids to clean this crap castle. Or better yet...let the lazy bastard clean it himself! Lady chuckled sadistically at the thought of him wearing a maid uniform and dusting the furniture. Disturbing perhaps, but indeed funny.

"Well, I might as well see what he's up to. Probably still sitting in that damn chair of his..." Lady muttered to herself, walking through a set of doors and finding her way through the endless hallways until she ascended a set of stairs that would lead her to the second floor. As she walked along the carpeted floor, she found herself humming a small tune, one that her father had taught her long ago. Suddenly she stopped, her expression troubled.

'Father...he-'

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Lady? Haven't found anything to do yet I see." a familiar voice burst into Lady's thoughts. Lady scoffed. "Hah, as if there would be anything to do in this dump. I was just headed to see if the old man was still sulking."

"Well he's still at it. Perhaps you can snap him out of it?" said the velvety voice of the demoness as she stepped out of the darkness of the hall. Lady raised a brow her mismatched eyes narrowing. "Trish...why aren't you with Dante? Don't you usually hang by his side like a shadow?"

Trish smiled, but it was cold and did not reach her eyes. She tossed her long, blond locks behind her shoulders as she walked closer to Lady. "I doubt he would want to see me today of all days. After all, today is the anniversary of that day..."

"I know. But don't you go sulking around too. And don't go blaming yourself either. Its nobody's fault for what happened." Lady said, placing a hand on Trish's shoulder in an attempt to reassure her. Trish smirked cruelly at her. "Of course."

Lady nodded then retreated her hand. "Well I'm gonna go talk to that bastard, so see ya." she said before passing Trish and walking into a room just further down the hall. Trish started walking again, her expression turning rueful as she replayed Lady's words in her head.

'Don't go blaming yourself either.'

For the first time in a long while, Trish let a frown mare her features. "Too late." she whispered to absolutely no one.

~o~O~o~

Lady slowly opened the door, slipping past and closing it with a soft click. She stood and walked over to the red velvet chair sitting before the fireplace, noticing the slumped figure on it. She sighed when it didn't move an inch to look at her.

"So how long are you planning to sit there and sulk?" She asked bored, crossing her arms over her chest. The figure shifted, but only to wave her away.

"Lady...go...away..." it muttered, in a dark and menacing voice, akin to a growl.

"Hell no. You need to get off that lazy ass of your and do something about-!"

"Leave me...alone..." it growled once more. Lady ignored the demand, moving to stand in front of the creature, blocking its view.

"No. You need to revert to your old self, because this mopey you is pathetic!"

"I...said...leave."

"Now, I don't care if today is-"

"LADY!" the feral voice snarled. "I said...get the...fuck...out..."

Lady paused and scowled at him. "Excuse me? Listen up Dante, I dunno' what your all pissed off about, but you have to get fucking over it!" she said, leaving over and poking him in the chest. Dante looked at her with what she guessed was a frown and then looked away.

"You...don't...know anything..."

Lady felt something in her snap. "Okay, you know what? Fine! I don't give a shit anymore! I tried being nice for once but all you do is shove it back in my face. So guess what? Screw you!" she said charging towards the door with the full intention of slamming it shut. Just as she opened it and was walking past, she froze as she heard Dante whisper something weakly, as if he didn't want her to hear what he said. Too bad she did, and what she heard made her shiver subconsciously on the inside.

"Im so...hungry..I..want...human...flesh..."

Never had Lady heard him utter such words so desperately as he did. Deep inside she felt her heart swell with pity for the demon. But her mind was telling her to disregard the secret plea, telling her that she shouldn't kill humans, much less capture one and watch Dante rip it to shreds like a starved lion. She closed the door, not slamming it as she had previously planned. Her mind swarming with questions as she faced two tough decisions.

Should she bring Dante a human? Surely Dante was restraining himself, starving himself just to keep his oath to never harm humans. He was suffering, Lady knew he was, and for once, she felt like she needed to help him.

On the other hand Lady didn't wish to drag an innocent here to watch them get mauled to death by Dante. She also wasn't a big fan of killing humans.

Fuck, why was it so hard to choose?

" I don't know about you but I would do it. For Dante's sake." Trish said, suddenly appearing beside her. Lady turned to her and shook her head. "Easy for you to say. You don't mind killing humans, but I do." Trish grinned widely for the first time that day, sharp canines glinting in the moonlight. "You're right. But its just one human. Its not like you're ever going to do this again. Just this once. Just one, insignificant human that the world can do without. It wont even stay on your conscience long enough to make you feel guilty." she said. Lady frowned, Trish's silver tongue wouldn't convince her so easily. This was a decision she would make of her own conscience, she needed no persuasion.

"I won't do it. I won't take someone else's life." she said with a tone of finality. Trish grinned devilishly, still persistent on convincing her otherwise. "You wouldn't even be doing all the work. If you'd like, i could join you, I could do all the work and all I'd need you for is back-up in case anything goes wrong. You can even look the other way if you want?" Trish said placing an arm over Lady's shoulder. Lady narrowed her eyes at her. "Why are you so keen on having me go capture a human?"

Trish's grin lessened, but her cerulean eyes still burned with mischief. "I could never repay Dante for what iv'e done. I owe him a great debt. And so do you."

Lady huffed. "What could I possibly owe Dante?"

"Back then when you had missions, he helped you without asking anything in return, and not to mention hes saved you a couple of times as well as the matter with your fath-"

"Stop." Lady said, pushing her arm off. She walked away from Trish, only pausing when she spoke up again.

Trish's grin wore off as she harbored a more sympathetic look. "Lady, do him this favor. Don't you love him?" she asked. Lady ignored the way her heart skipped a beat as the words were spoken, she ignored how despicable she felt all of the sudden, and she ignored the warmth she felt on her cheeks. She looked down at the floor and clenched her hands tightly. Trish looked at her back with worry. Had she pushed too far?

"I don't love him." Lady said after a moment. She lifted her head and started to walk towards the stairs at the end of the hall. Trish followed.

"Where are you going?"

"To catch a fucking human and bring them here so that everyone can stop pestering me." she said coldly. Trish nearly smiled at the brunette. She knew Dante would appreciate her kindness. "Ill help."

~o~O~o~

After packing any necessities for if problems arose, Lady and Trish used the secret tunnels underneath the castle that connected to the mine near Fortuna. They knew for a fact the cave was abandoned, so they knew that they would not be seen by any humans. It was nightfall by the time they reached the mines and Trish kept conjuring orbs of light to light up the tunnels. It was mainly for Lady's sake since she couldn't see in the dark like Trish could. They hadn't spoken since Lady had decided to go, though somehow the silence enveloping the two didn't bother them or seem awkward.

Soon enough, as they reached the mine entrance, Lady and Trish began to hear music reverberating throughout the cave. They followed the sound and were lead to the entrance were they noticed there was a celebration of sorts going on. Luckily, they were concealed in the darkness and no one could see them, so from there they watched as the festival went on, mindless of their presence.

"I wonder what they are celebrating?" Trish asked aloud. Lady shrugged, squinting as she tried to search for an appropriate human. "Just look for a human we can take with us." she told Trish. The demoness nodded and seconds after peering into the crowd she pointed Lady to someone she found delectable.

"That girl over there, the one wearing that white dress, she looks like Dante's type."

Lady regarded the girl she believed was the subject of their conversation. "You mean the red-haired girl talking to the guy in the white uniform?" she asked, examining the girl while waiting for her companions response.

"Yes, thats the one."she said. Lady frowned, examining the girls pretty face."She looks young." she said pointedly. Trish furrowed her brows. "So?" she asked looking at her companion passively. Lady sighed. "Nothing." she said, watching as the girl conversed avidly with the tall man in uniform.

"So do you have a plan? I doubt we can just come up to her and take her away without anyone noticing." Trish said matter-of-factly. Lady rolled her eyes. "Of course we can't. And I do have a plan. Care to hear it? You play a major role."

Trish nodded and and Lady begrudgingly told her the strategy she had planned. She still was reluctant to kidnap a human like this, but she had made her choice and couldn't go back now. Trish smiled deviously as the plan was relayed to her." Simple yet effective." she commented. Lady nodded. "Right, so just wait till he leaves and you can go."

"Very well." Trish said as she and Lady watched after the girl as she conversed. It was then something unexpected happened, that shocked both woman standing in wait. Out of the crowd came a young man, with hair as white as snow and eyes as blue as the heavens. Lady couldn't believe her eyes. Could it be?

"Trish?" she called, hoping the demoness could shed some light on the situation. As expected, she gave her the answers she wanted.

"He's most likely a demon, I can feel a demonic presence, although it is a bit different, and more faint." she said. Lady frowned. "Meaning?" she urged. "He could be a half-demon." Trish said incredulously, as if not believing her own words. Lady was slow to process the revelation. "A half-demon? Like Dante? That means he-"

"Yes I suppose he can help break the curse."

Lady frowned at the thought of what breaking the curse entailed. She felt bad for the boy now that he was seen by them. There was no way they could let this go."So? Why don't we capture him instead?" she asked Trish. The Demoness shook her head, not that she could tell in the dark. "No, it is reckless to try and ambush him. I don't know his strength and for all I know he may have already caught my scent and is wary of anything suspicious. Besides, even if we do lure him in, he could turn aggressive and I don't want to kill him and ruin the chance of bringing him to Dante alive. We must find another way."

Lady stood silent as she continued to watch the boy. He was carrying a plate of food and glass full of water. He walked towards the girl, and when she spotted him she immediately went to hug him, kissing both his cheeks and almost making him spill his drink. Lady watched in interest when the man in uniform scowled at the boy. The girl turned back to him and smiled, bringing the scowl back to a straight line on his face. The boy then handed the girl the glass with water, she smiled at him and drank it, while the boy picked at the food on his plate.

"What do you think their relationship is?" Lady asked Trish. Trish stayed silent as she focused on their conversation. "They are close. Her name-" She stopped to listen."Is Kyrie."

"And the boy's?" Lady asked impatiently, digging her heels into the ground."I haven't managed to catch it yet." Trish answered. Watching the boy intently. For a moment the young man flinched and looked directly at the mine entrance, straight into Trish's eyes. She froze and grit her teeth in frustration.

'He senses my presence. He knows were here.' Lady heard Trish's voice in her head. 'Fuck' she thought. The boy narrowed his eyes at them, but then brought his attention back to the girl beside him. Lady let out a breath. "Lets get this over with before we get caught."

"I agree but all we can do right now is wait, unless you have a new plan?" Trish asked, almost hopefully. Lady shook her head. "Nope. Tough luck. If he notices us then I'm going over there to kick his ass and take him with us. Commotion or not." Lady said pushing her sleeves back, and adjusting the Kalina Ann strapped on her back. Trish placed a hand on her shoulder and held her back. "Don't be rash. Take a look." She said pointing back to the three. Lady huffed but did as requested.

She watched as another man in uniform walked up to the other and whispered something in his ear. The man nodded and dismissed the other. Then he turned to the girl and gave her a kiss on both cheeks before glaring at the white haired boy one last time and leaving.

"Now the plan can begin." Trish said. Lady nodded and watched as Trish retreated further into the shadows and transformed. It wasn't what Lady expected, it was as if a bolt of lightning was produced out of thin air and struck the demoness, sounding her with small sparks that gradually faded away until the darkness shrouded her once more."Thats it?" Lady asked. "Did it work?"

"What? Were you expecting something flashier?" asked a foreign voice from the shadows. "Kinda." Lady admitted. A chuckle was heard and from the darkness exited the man she had seen conversing with the girl and the white-haired boy. "Impressed?" Trish asked with a smirk on her(his) face. Lady smirked back a nodded. "Sure." she said, motioning towards the festival behind them. "Now get going, Dante ain't gonna wait forever. He'll realize were missing."

Trish nodded and left the shelter of the mine approaching Kyrie and her companion.

~o~O~o~

Nero and Kyrie were chatting away until Credo approached them with a vacant expression. Kyrie and him regarded the man with confused eyes. "Brother? What are you doing here, I thought you had to leave."

Credo cleared his throat and spoke up. "Pardon. It was just a small matter. Nothing too preoccupying really." Credo noticed that Nero was giving him odd looks, and glared back at him. Nero huffed. "Are you alright Credo? You don't seem like yourself."

"Im fine." he deadpanned. Nero furrowed his brow. "Are you sure? You don't seem li-"

"I said, I'm fine." he interrupted placing his palm on Nero's shoulder and patting it. Nero's eyes widened, then narrowed as Credo retreated his hand. Before the boy could speak Credo regarded Kyrie with a small smile, which she hesitantly returned. "Kyrie, may I speak to you-" he glared at Nero. "In private?" he finished. Kyrie tilted her head in confusion but nodded. "Of course, but where? Were in the middle of a festival." she said motioning around her. Credo nodded and took her by the wrist and started walking.

"We could go into the mines for a moment, we wont be long." he said. Kyrie seemed reluctant but she followed after him anyways. She trusted her brother.

"Wait! Were the hell are you going? Let me come with you!" Nero yelled catching up. Credo shook his head. "I said this was a private conversation."

"Well what can you tell Kyrie that you cant tell me? Were family you know. There aren't any secrets...between us." Nero tried, his voice fading as a look of hesitation crossed his features. Credo took the chance. "We can discuss it later, come along dear sister." he said leading Kyrie into the mine whilst leaving a grim Nero behind.

"Credo, really, what is it you want to tell me?" Kyrie asked as they delved deeper and deeper into center of the mine. Kyrie stared apprehensively at the strange orbs of light that lit up the tunnels. She stayed silent about them considering her brother didn't seem worried. Credo didn't respond, he just released her when they reached the center of the mines and then turn to regard her with a satisfied grin. "How easy. That went better than I thought it would."

Kyrie seemed stricken by his words. "Credo? What do you-"

before she could utter another word, she felt the ground reach up to her and saw the world go dark.

Arms caught the girl before she could hit the dirty ground, and swept her over a shoulder. Lady grunted as she wrapped an arm around the girls waist and watched the man in uniform transform back into the familiar demoness. Trish flipped her hair back as she walked up to lady and took the girl into her arm bridal style. Lady scowled. "I could have carried her."

Trish smiled calmly. "Of course, but I just don't want you having to bear the bear the burden anymore than you already have."

"Hmph. Whatever." lady said as she walked forward and through one of the tunnels until she reached a dead end. Trish followed behind and passed her once she stopped. Looking down at the ground Trish lifted her palm and faced it towards a spot on the floor, then whispered a few words which Lady recognized as Latin. On command a secret hatch formed on the ground and slammed open. Trish lowered her palm and carried Kyrie down the steps that led down to the hidden tunnels leading back into the castle. Lady sighed deeply and followed after them, closing the hatch behind her, and knowing it would fade away from sight again.

~o~O~o~

Kyrie awoke amidst the pitch black darkness of her surroundings. She sat up slowly, fearfully, as she tried to remember what had happened. She remembered following Credo into the mine, then everything had gone blank. She couldn't make anything out in the darkness and it was chilly in the room, making her shiver in fright and discomfort. She tried moving only to realize she was lying on something firm yet soft, that let out a slight squeak every time she shifted. Runner her hands through what was underneath her, she was surprised by the familiar texture of silk. Was she on a bed? It seemed plausible.

She felt around some more until she could feel the edge of the bed. She moved towards that direction managing to plant her feet on the ground and sitting up before a feminine voice broke through the silence of the room.

"It seems you're finally awake."

Kyrie let out a pathetic yelp, jumping in surprise. She whipped her head in the direction where the voice originated and strained her eyes to see through the dark. "W-who's there?" she asked, her voice quivering. She could hear footsteps then, coming closer.

"S-Stop! Don't come any closer!" Kyrie cried, feeling fear and panic creep into her mind and overtake it like vines growing steadily on a wall. The voice chuckled, and Kyrie felt her heart leap within her chest. "Worry not, I have no intention of hurting you."

Kyrie still kept on her guard, her petite form shaking with trepidation. "Please, s-stay away..." she muttered. The woman hummed in thought until staying silent and then Kyrie suddenly felt the bed dip downwards as a new weight was put on it. Before she could scream a hand covered her mouth and she found herself staring straight into a pair of azure orbs. Kyrie felt as if her body was paralyzed, she could not feel her limbs, she could only stare into those frighteningly blue eyes, so similar to that of Nero's. Kyrie shivered as she felt her eyes grow watery. What was going on? Where was she? Where was Credo? She was scared, scared of being hurt, scared for her brother, and scared of never seeing her family again. 'My god, help me. Help me please.' she prayed in her head.

"Shh, don't cry. Everything will be alright. I just want you to answer a few questions, then ill leave you be. Can you do that?"

Kyrie nodded fearfully as tears poured from her eyes. Anything to get her out of here. The woman chuckled and Kyrie felt her tears being wiped away gently as the hand was removed from her lips. "Good." she soothed. "First, what is that white-haired boy to you? The one you were conversing with at the festival." Kyrie stayed silent. There was only one boy she knew with white hair, and that was Nero. But why did she want to know about Nero? And had she seen them at the festival? How could she not have noticed? Anyhow, Kyrie was reluctant to give away any information about her brother. What if this person wished to harm him? She could not allow that, she had to stay quiet.

Taking her silence as reluctance, the woman chuckled darkly. "Did you know? You've been sleeping for hours. Im sure your family has already noticed you're missing. And I'm sure their already looking for you. But i'll do you a favor. I've already sent my associate to track them down and bring them here. Soon you'll all be reunited, and then, you can all die here together, perhaps you may even watch, as I slowly skin them alive, layer after layer of skin. Or perhaps I should tie all their limbs to horses and have them run in different directions, till their bones pop out of their sockets and their skin and flesh slowly rip apart-"

"STOP! STOP, STOP, STOP!" Kyrie shrieked, fresh tears flowing from her eyes as she tried to repelled those horrible, horrible images...

"Then if you wish for me to call my friend back then I suggest you answer my questions." she hissed, a hand coming up to grip her chin and make Kyrie stare in horror as those azure orbs turned into a deep shade of crimson. She screamed and tried to look away but the grip on her chin kept her steady. She shut her eyes tight and sobbed in terror. "Look at me." the woman commanded. Kyrie did so slowly with tears blurring her vision. "Now, what is your relationship with that boy?" she asked again.

"H-he's my b-brother..."Kyrie sobbed. The grip on her chin tightened. "You're lying. You look nothing alike."

"W-were not a-actual s-siblings. He's a-adopted..."

"Oh, is that so?" the woman said with a disbelieving tone, but she released her grip on Kyrie's chin. "And what is his name?" she asked. Kyrie stayed silent for a moment. "What is his name?" the woman repeated with venom in her voice. "N-Nero." she cried.

"I see. Does he live with you?" Kyrie gulped. "Y-yes." she said.

"Very well. Where do you live then?" the woman asked, crimson eyes boring into Kyrie's soul. The young songstress shivered once more.

"P-please, d-don't make m-me s-say-"

"I will find your family, and personally slaughter them before you. Do not test my patience girl." the woman threatened with cold and uncaring eyes. As Kyrie looked deep into them she knew the woman was telling the truth.

"We l-live, in the South part of the C-Castle Town of F-Fortuna. It's c-close to t-the Opera House. T-the Abdalia residence. The house n-number is 666." She couldn't see it in the dark but by the way her eyes tilted upward, Kyrie could tell she was smiling. She felt cold inside all of the sudden, she felt like the worst filth on the earth, she felt like she had betrayed her family, betrayed Nero.

"Very good. Thank you for your understanding. You have kept your family out of harms way for now. I will call my friend back." Kyrie felt the bed groan as the woman got up. "And as for your brother Nero...you'll be seeing him soon hopefully." Kyrie listened as the clacking of heels resounded throughout the room and then stopped. Suddenly the room was filled with light and when Kyrie's eyes adjusted, she looked to see a tall blonde woman wearing tight-fitting clothing, standing at the doorway to the room. Her eyes reverted to the clear blue they had once been. "You should get some sleep, tomorrow will be a long day." she warned before smiling warmly and closing the door behind her, leaving Kyrie in the darkness once more.

The girl sat in silence, her eyes shedding tears without pause. She stayed like that for a moment before she heard a strange noise sound throughout the room. It sounded like a wail or a whimper, like an injured animal trying to call for help, then she realized the pitiful sound was coming from her own throat. Kyrie broke down that instant, tears streaming down her cheek as screams, wails, whimpers and sobs teared through her throat one after another. What had she done? She had betrayed her family...what had she done? It was all her fault. What had she done?

She betrayed Nero.

Wow, that was actually the longest chapter i've ever written. I actually had to cut off a portion of it cause it was looking too long for my liking. Yes I know, I suck for doing that and leaving it on a cliffie, but fret not! The portion I cut off will begin in the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed the chapter that I sacrificed a few nights of sleep for. (Thats my fault though, i'm a perfectionist.) if you found any mistakes in spelling or grammar, please tell me.(My ego can take it, lol.) and if you have any suggestions, I encourage and appreciate them!

Im sorry though, for posting the chapter in August, when I could have done it sooner. I hate to say it, but school is getting closer and closer (And I still haven't done any of my Summer Work, fml.) and if I can update as frequently as I'd like, I hope that reading this story can bring you relief from the stress of school and everyday life.

Now I know this may be a lot to ask, but please go to the upper right corner of this page and click Login, then give me a review. If you're really that lazy then that's fine but i'd really rather like to be able to respond to your feedback. S'il vous plaît? Anyways, wether Anonymous or not, I really appreciate you reading this story and for leaving a review, so Merci! Have a nice day!

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