AN Hey everyone. Hopefully in this chapters some reasoning in earlier chapters will be explained and the plot thickens. I don't own TT but I do thank you all for sticking with this story as its plot keeps thickening. Please R&R, enjoy, and have a nice night.

Raven stared at the dull off-white walls of Jinx's apartment with a look of pure boredom. It had been a week since they had left Raven's home for Jinx's apartment. Raven hadn't felt safe allowing Jinx to be in her home, but she definitely didn't want Jinx to be alone. She had set up barriers around Jinx's apartment, and hoped that these would allow them time to figure out what was going on.

Richard has also been helping as much as possible. No more slaughtered girls had appeared ever since the incident at Raven's, and Richard had been searching for information as much as possible, often sending her tidbits of things throughout the day. Raven had also called in Nate to help. Although he had no ready knowledge about demons, as far as Raven knew, she often called him to bring by books that would contain information that would help them.

The books he had brought were scattered all over the living room. Raven looked around and picked up a large, leather-bound, black tome of demonic lore and started to flip through it. She scanned every page, searching for some all bit of information that would help identify who or what this demon was, but found nothing so far. She read for about ten minutes before Jinx came in with a large smile on her face. Raven raised an eyebrow, silently asking her to share what was on her mind.

"You remember how I said I met a powerful sorcerer who had a demon under his control?" Jinx asked. Raven nodded and let her continue.

"Well after everything happened, I tried to get in touch with him. He just got back in touch with me about an hour ago. After a long talk, he sent me a letter saying he would allow me to bring you to him. He doesn't like a powerful rogue demon being loose on Earth any more than we do. I don't really remember what he looked like, he kept his hood up most of the time, but I do know that he knows what he's talking about and I remember where he stays. I think we should go, and by I think I mean get your bag packed. I know you can teleport, but a good two-mile radius is protected so we'll have to walk." Jinx said and then threw the backpack that had been lying on the floor next to her at Raven. Raven went to speak, but was quickly silenced by a kiss from the ex-thief, thus ending all hopes of arguing.

Before Raven had a chance to comment on the kiss, or even react to it, Jinx had ran upstairs to pack. Raven touched her fingers to her lips. They hadn't done anything of this type since the movie night incident. After Raven shook off the confusing feelings that welled up inside her, including love, she grabbed her bag and quickly threw in a couple of books along with her clothes. She only packed an extra pair, she didn't think the trip should take very long. She also quickly conjured and put a few charms into her bag to help keep them hidden from their new demon friend.

After a few minutes, Jinx came running down the stairs, her bag full, and stopped in front of Raven. She quickly pecked Raven on the cheek, then grabbed her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Raven could sense both nervousness and excitement rolling off the girl. She could tell Jinx was over joyed to be able to meet this sorcerer again, but Raven couldn't tell why. A small, prickly feeling lodged its way into Raven gut and she felt jealous of this mysterious sorcerer. What if he tried to take Jinx from her? Rage growled threateningly in Raven's mind and she knew that she wouldn't allow that to happen.

"You ready to go Babe?" Jinx asked. Raven blushed slightly at the pet name, but nodded nonetheless and closed her eyes. She told Jinx to focus on the location they needed and slowly entered Jinx's mind to locate it. Jinx gasped a bit, and Raven smirked. She knew that having someone enter your mind was a strange sensation and experience. She just hoped that Jinx didn't figure out that it was a two-way street and enter her mind as well.

Once Raven pin pointed the location Jinx was thinking of, she grabbed Jinx around the waist and opened a portal underneath them. Once they fell into the inky blackness, Jinx grabbed Raven tightly and held on for dear life. It had been a long time since she had traveled by Raven's portals and she had forgotten the sensation of being squeezed through the darkness. It only took a few seconds for them to drop with a soft plop on to some fallen leaves in a forest, although it felt like much longer to Jinx.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Raven asked as she held out a hand to Jinx. Jinx took it and Raven helped her up off the ground. Raven's eyes searched around the area, looking for any hidden enemies. She also mentally searched out any presence that would be around them. She only sensed a very subdued demonic presence and the sensation of a wall being right next to her, although there was nothing there. It only took her a moment to figure out the demonic presence was also nothing to worry about.

"Yep this is the right place, I remember it quite well. Now if you'll follow me." Jinx said and took a few steps to the right of the pair. After shivering slightly, Raven couldn't sense her even though she was right next to her. Jinx motioned for Raven to follow and chuckled at the other girl's confused expression. Raven went to walk to where Jinx was, but all of a sudden the sensation of ice water being poured over her chilled Raven to the bone. It was only momentary, but the minute she passed through it she knew Jinx was right.

The sound of a crow cawing overhead caught the pairs attention. The bird, which was larger than a normal crow, landed silently in front of them and stared into Raven's eyes. Violet scanned crimson for information as the pair stood silently. Before she knew what to expect, Raven felt the sensation of a new mental link being formed with the creature.

Hello again Jinx, and hello Raven. I see you came as soon as you were summoned.The creature spoke mentally. The voice it used was a deep male voice with a slight gravelly edge to it. Raven figure this was the demon Jinx spoke of. He seemed to have very nice manners, which surprised Raven a bit. She expected him to be savage and bloodthirsty, but held back by an enchantment, not running, or flying, free in this territory. From the way the voice chuckled in her mind, Raven guessed he could hear what she was thinking.

Now, now Raven. You as a Demon Lord of all people should know that not all of us are as savage as your father or the lower class demons he controlled. Some of us don't have the power to just crush everyone, and we have to do our duty the old fashion way; with tricks and class. At this Raven could have sworn she saw the bird smirk at her. Raven merely chuckled and spoke aloud to the bird.

"Does this mean you are admitting that you are not powerful?" She asked, trying to taunt the bird. At this a flare of challenge sparked in the bird's eyes. He quickly flew into the air and opened his wings, allowing a large screeching caw to rip from his throat. At this the shadows ripped from their places on the ground and trees and lashed at the half-demon. Raven quickly threw up a shield around herself and Jinx to block the attacks. The bird cawed once again as a taunt and Raven had to mentally keep her demon in check. She couldn't let her pride get to her now, especially when they needed this demon's help.

Anything else you'd like to ask half-breed? Demon Lord or not you do not rule my circle, and as such I do not have to listen to your insolence. I would suggest you keep your mouth shut and follow me, or else you will find yourself further away, rather than nearer.The demon said before he started to fly towards the slop of the mountain that they were near. It seemed to be in the center of the protection spell for this area and Raven assumed that it was where they would find where the sorcerer was.

"He always was a bit of a show off." Jinx said. Raven turned and looked at her before shrugging.

"He seems like he has quite the ego." Raven mumbled as they set off to follow the crow. Jinx laughed and nodded.

"You can definitely say that again." She said and flashed a smile at Raven. Raven's chest warmed at the look and she smiled back. They walked in mostly silence for most of the first mile, but after that Jinx felt the need to hold a near constant stream of chatter. Whether it was with Raven, or, to Raven's irk, the crow she didn't care. She hated walking in silence though. After a bit longer, a question popped into her mind and she needed to ask it.

"Hey Rae?" She asked. Raven looked at her and cocked her head slightly, earning an internal chuckle from Jinx.

"Yes Jinx?" Raven asked back. She didn't know what the girl could possibly have a question on. Her topics had ranged from food to spells to types of underwear on this long trek. Raven didn't want another strange and unnecessary topic to be brought up.

"The demon had the full ability to find us, break into your house undetected, and trash it right?"

"Right."

"So, why didn't it attack us or kill us? It doesn't make any sense. It even shredded the blanket I was using, but didn't touch me at all." Jinx said. She shuddered at remembering how close she had gotten to becoming "demon brand Swiss cheese" as she had put it. It was one thing to attack an opponent while they were conscious and had a fighting chance, but when they were defenseless and sleeping was a whole different thing. It went against any rule of honorable combat, but then again Jinx didn't know if demon's had honorable combat.

Don't you two know anything about demons?The crow spoke again for the first time in a while. He couldn't attack you. It's against the code and if he did, he would be unable to take what he really wants. The throne.

Raven thought on this for a minute before speaking.

"From what Rage told me, there's a very strict hierarchy of demons, and there are only certain ways that another person can take the throne even if they are the next in the bloodline. That's all I know." She stated simply

Long ago, before the Balathus Code, demon's often attacked the family members of a Demon Lord to weaken him before attacking him. These rulers often were overthrown by the demons and the rightful heir often took over again. After thousands of years though, Balathus, the greatest Lord the fifth circle ever had, took over. He ruled for a very long time before taking a wife, Tashiare. She bore him a son called Arakez, and although Arakez was powerful, he was very oblivious. He didn't think there was any danger in his position in life. One night though, the dragon demon Isharu stole into the home of the family and stole the child.

When Balathus realized this, he tracked Isharu to the cliff that overlooked the river separating the fifth circle from the drop to the sixth circle. Balathus threatened Isharu, but the dragon merely flew over the river and sunk his fangs into Arakez's neck. He tore Arakez's head from his body and let them both fall into the river and go over the edge of the waterfall. Instead of pain filling Balathus and weakening him, rage filled his heart and he grew stronger. After a might battle, Balathus called upon the forces of the rock and trapped Isharu in a cocoon of them, only allowing his head to stick out of the rock. He brought Isharu back to the center of his circle and called the demon's from all the circles to witness what was happening.

"Let all the cowards who dare to attack the family of the Lords face this fate!" He proclaimed as he tore Isharu's head from his body and held it up for all the demons to see. After that, a code was drafted in his honor to set the rules of how one could take over the throne. Attacking the mate, or family, of a Demon Lord means that if they find you, you must allow them to do the same to you. Every demon must follow this law, and if they don't then they must face every other demon. Although we may not seem it to humans, demon society is very structured and rule oriented.

It took Raven and Jinx a moment to let that sink in before either of them had anything to say. Raven's mind was a whirlwind of new information that allowed everything to click into place.

"But," she began, "Jinx isn't my family." Raven said simply. Jinx nodded in agreement. A chuckle left the crow's throat as they stood there confused.

Ask you're demon Raven. She is the one who already knows what Jinx is. The bird said cryptically. Raven went to look at the bird, but he quickly vanished into the side of the mountain they were now facing. Jinx shrugged and looked at Raven before also vanishing into the mountain. Raven sighed and followed the two into the side of the mountain and gasped when she noticed that it wasn't a hidden cave they walked into, but a hidden home. The walls were carved out of the stone of the mountain but it was made as if it was a glorious house.

The crow cawed and flew down the hallway that ran next to the room they were in. After following him at a breakneck pace down the twisting hallways and rooms of the mountain home, the crow landed in a room at the very back. Raven gasped as she saw a large emerald portal in the middle of it. She had only heard about powerful sorcerers being able to conjure these. They were twenty-four hours tunnels to one place, but they took an incredible amount of energy to make.

What surprised Raven more though was that after she had turned to look at the crow that had led them there, she couldn't find him. In his place though was a medium built black feline with those same taunting crimson eyes. His fangs hung slightly out of his mouth, but not enough to call it a saber-toothed cat. With a flick of his tail he quickly sprung backwards into the emerald portal and vanished. Raven turned to look at Jinx.

"Do you think we should follow him?" She asked. Jinx nodded and steeled her nerves before jumping in. Raven followed right after. It was a smoother ride in this portal than through hers, and soon after she landed on her feet next to Jinx in an old wooden room. She couldn't sense any magic from a sorcerer in here though and it confused her immensely. The feline motioned for the pair to follow him and so they did.

As they walked into the next room, a very familiar voice met both Raven and Jinx's ears.

"Ah, Dalear, I see you brought our guests." He spoke. Raven's eyes widened as she saw a very familiar mop of spiky, blonde hair running his hand over the head of the beast and look at her with mischief and knowing dancing in his bright green eyes.

"Nate, you'rethe sorcerer Jinx met?" Raven asked. She was completely shocked at learning this. Nate smiled and snapped his fingers. All at once a wave of power flooded Raven's senses. She couldn't believe she had never noticed this. Raven and Jinx immediately went into defense mode and put up their guards. Nate laughed as he dampened his powers and looked at the two women in front of him.

"Come on Rae, if I wanted to hurt you I would've done it way before now. Now come on, we have a lot to talk about and I was really beginning to wonder if you two were ever going to figure it out and show up." He said and motioned for Raven and Jinx to follow him into the back room of the bookstore. With a quick nod to the other they braced themselves for what they were about to learn and followed him.

AN2: Just mentioning here that Dalear is pronounced Dah-Lee-air in my mind, but you guys can have some fun with it, and hopefully the questions about why Jinx didn't get injured by the mystery demon have been answered. Thank you for reading and please review