Left for dead (open)

[kayla]

That calm aura and grin did help to ease her a bit, as much as one could be eased in such a situation. if she were to look at this objectively she would see how utterly absurd it was; going to a total stranger's house, a stranger who had something dark in him, a stranger that lived in a cemetary. But at the moment she was too bewildered, too out of it.

Nodding her head a little as she leaned on him she spoke softly, barely above a whisper, her soft country accent flavoring the words as she spoke."I think it'd be best if I cleaned up. If you wouldn't mind to grab something? I'll pay you back, I swear."

She looked pale, her limbs shaking a bit as she walked closer to the structure that served as his home, past the weeping angels and stolid saints that guarded the dead that was held within the tall wrought iron fenced property. How many people were in here. How many found their eternal slumber in these walls? The thought sent a shiver through her as she tried to hold herself up, faltering and stumbling as she walked.

[Eryle Darlusk]

"I would be happy to. Do not worry about payment", he says with a smirk, for some reason not mentioning anything along the line sof how he intended to pay for it. He smiles to her, whirling a few shadows around her to help steady her until she got inside.

The crypt he lives was above ground still, but only barely. It had been filled long ago and should have started decaying, crumbling to the ground. But as she entered the place, on the outside covered with decaying gargoyles and dusty stone, things quickly changes. The brick and rock seemed to be marbled with blackness, and had an unearthly sheen to it, that simultaneously reflected and trapped light within it.

Rooms carved out of the excess material seemed to hold a thicker weaving of the dark material, and many such rooms took the functions of rooms like an exercise room, bedrooms, and what she was looking for, a bathroom, with a basic shower, toiler, and even a mirror that reflected everything in ebony hues. It gave off an odd vibe, perhaps, but it was all functional, at least.

Eryle would come back some time later, waiting outside the bathroom, carrying a full outfit and a pair of shoes which he set on a counter next to the door. He knocked on the door to let her know he'd returned, "I'm back. Clothes are right outside the door, my dear...you know, you've still yet to give me your name", he says, leaning on the wall across from there and waiting for a response.

[kayla]

It was a peculiar feeling, to feel as if there were something holding you up even when you knew there was nothing really around you. She attributed it to her state of disorientation, refusing to look at it more closely at the moment. There was too much else going on that had her scared all to hell to worry about that at the moment. Way too much.

After having found the bathroom she looked at her shadowed reflection in the strange mirror, seeing the ebony hues on her skin, the odd, shimmery ink of her eyes reflection, the dark, grim hue that was cast of the blood that colored her skin and clothes. It was eerie, like a reflection of her darker soul, of the taint of evil she'd felt so briefly as she had taken from this man short moments before.

She felt like an abomination, unable to look at her own visage any longer. Hastily she stripped out of her clothes, propriety taking a backseat to her sudden revulsion for the blood that had dried to her flesh. Standing at the sink for a long time as silent tears coursed down her cheeks she scrubbed and scrubbed the dress she'd been wearing, trying to get out the dark stains of her sins. She scrubbed till her hands were red and chaffed and still the stain would not come out entirely.

With a small sound that left her throat, half sob, half strangled scream she let the clothing drop and rested her head against the cool glass of the mirror a moment before turning to the shower and with the water as hot as she could stand it she washed the blood from her hands and hair and body till her skin was sensitive and pink, watching it swirl down the drain. Even after the 'evidence' was gone she remained under the water, letting it run over her as she stood there, hugging herself and shivering despite the blasting heat.

It wasn't until she heard the voice at the door that she looked up, her fingers pruned and wrinkled from the dousing she'd given herself. Only then did she realize that the water had turned frigid, all the hot having been used. Turning it off quickly and grabbing a towel to rub over her face she looked toward the door and said weakly, her voice a little hoarse from the tears the water had washed away. "K...kayla.", she managed to say through her chattering teeth.

She waited till she thought he had moved from the door, wrapping the towel securely around her frame before unlocking the bathroom door and cracking it open just enough to snatch the clothes and pull them in. Dressing quickly, a little forlorn that she would feel even more awkward as she would have to for go any undergarments, she wadded up the soaked and wet clothing, wringing out the water before throwing them in the trashcan. She'd burn them if she could. No way those were going back with her. Ty had a very good nose and she wasn't risking even the most remote chance that he would smell the blood on her when she returned.

It was a good ten minutes more before she emerging from the bathroom and standing in the hall in the new sundress and sandals he'd procured for her. With trembling limbs she explored the strange little house in the cemetery till she found him in what she assumed was a living room.

Head cast down, little pearls of water droplets slipping now and then from her long brown curls, she twisted her hands together in front of her as she stood there. "My name's Kayla..and thank you for the clothes, and well...everything else." she said quietly, feeling awkward and out of place, unsure what to do or say next. She couldn't quite meet his eyes, ashamed at what she'd done.

[Eryle Darlusk]

As he heard her murmur something through the door, ostensibly a response, he figured that for now it'd be best to leave her be to get dressed, and try talking to her later. He walked off from that area, turning down a corner or two until he arrived in the central area, which was probably bigger than should've been possible; another magical enhancement, most likely, and there was an actual couch and a shelf of books nearby.

She was taking a fair bit of time, which left him to his thoughts, and the scene kept playing over and over again and again within his mind. The feel of his life slipping away from him at one moment, and then slowly being granted back to him as the woman took his wounds on, harming herself, only to then get better by...basically sucking the energy from him in a kiss. It didn't make sense; that was something another demon might do, but as far as he could tell, this girl was simply a human with a healing gift.

Which meant there was something else going on with her. Something he'd need to figure out, if only on the principal of figuring out what would try such a thing. He had ways of doing so, but he didn't know if this woman would simply agree to let him try creating a ritual to draw forth whatever might be inside her; for one, it'd be incredibly dangerous.

The thoughts were finally brought to a close as he caught site of the trembling, helpless-looking form enter the room. As she began talking, he quickly got up and led her to a seat next to him on the couch, wanting to get her to relax.

"Kayla...that's a nice name. I'm Eryle", he says, grabbing a pillow to hand to her and then nodding, "You saved my life, so I felt it was something I owed you. No need to thank me", he says to her, offering a slight smile and allowing the aura surrounding him to engulf her again, just to stop her from shaking, even...

"So...Not to bring up something that obviously has you a bit...off, but, if you would allow it...I might be able to try helping you to find out whatever it was that reacted earlier...I have a feeling from the general sense I'm getting from you that there are others you wouldn't want finding out about this ordeal", he says to her, having picked up bits of the feelings that had been leaking from her mind throughout the entire time he'd been by her with his innate, if stifled, capability to read surface emotions and generalized ideas in one's mind. Not that it took supernatural perception to notice her current state, anyway.

He watched her carefully, not wanting to upset her, but hoping she'd be willing to let him try. Even if meshed with concern, he was still quite curious about what had happened, and had a strong desire to find out firsthand.

[kayla]

Kayla had to stiffle a small hysterical giggle that threatened to escape her as she heard his name, the Dixie Chick's song popping into her head. It just goes to show that in moments of surrealness that a touch of insanity is likely to strike anyone. Even mild mannered, darlings of bakers. Her fingertips pressed tightly to her lips stopped it from going out altogether but a small sound of it was still heard. "I'm sorry I just..I'm still kinda shaken up." she apologizes as she sits.

She glanced at him as he spoke in furtive, darting glances, pushing a strand of wet hair out of her eyes. The scars on her shoulder was visible in the strappy dress she wore, white and puckered and jagged, as if she'd recently been cut by something that was less than sharp. Four of them, only one that was very deep or long the others lighter and smaller in varying degrees.

At his last words she looked at him quickly, the fear of others finding out clear in her over-sized brown eyes. "I just don't want them to worry. I mean they already mother hen me to death since the accident and..and I care about them. I don't want to be the cause of their stress." she says quickly, her hands twisting together nervously in her lap despite the aura of calm that engages her. "And I'm afraid.", she confesses in a near whisper. "I'm afraid of whatever it is that...that made that happen. What if experimenting will make it happen again? "

She searched his face with those big brown eyes and her bottom lip quivered a little, a glimmer of moisture in her eyes. "I don't wanna hurt nobody."

[Eryle Darlusk]

Eryle blinked, raising an eyebrow at her bout of random giggling, but was courteous enough to not actually say anything to her about it, given her current state. "I understand, Kayla...obviously this would work anyone up", he says in response to her, gently resting his hand on her shoulder to comfort her a bit, and then noticing the scars.

"...What caused those scars?", he asks her curiously, eyes glancing over them with a touch of concern, making sure to move his hand off of them, not that he exactly expected a scar to be too sensitive, but you never know. Still, there was a chance the scars might be related if they were recently formed...

He nods, listening to her concerns about those that would be worried about her, despite not having much ability to sympathize on that ground, so often alone as he tended to be. "I suppose people can be like that..", he says idley, shrugging a bit.

At her admittance of fear about the experimenting, he nodded slowly, "There's always that risk...but it will only get worse if you simply allow it to fester, and then you won't even know what you're dealing with to have a chance to stop it", he explains to her, glancing over at the bookshelves lining the room, "I think...I think I can create a ritual that wouldn't rely on the energy the being inside seems to enjoy. I learned other magic from my father...", he says, then looking back to her.

Bits of arcane symbology and possible rituals flowed through his mind, magic he used but often combined with his own innate abilities, so it might be difficult for him to do so purely on its own merit. Still, he was sure he could manage something that would at least give more information, if not likely cure her of it.

[kayla]

"Little old man with bad fingernails." she replies to his query of her scars. the answer is the truth even if it makes little sense ot anyone but her. But she's rattled and not really putting two and two together at the moment. If there was pain or tenderness at his touching those scars she doesn't show it, sitting ramrod stiff on the couch, and shivering. Her skin is cool to the touch, likely from the the cold water she stood under so long in the shower, not even realizing it's temperature.

Hearing his word abut the experimenting her eyes cut quickly to him, a frightened look in her eyes as his words reinforced the horrible suspicion she had about herself, that there was indeed something inside her that wasn't all her. But she wasn't entirely ready to say it out loud or believe it spoken. "Being? What.....what do you mean being?" she questioned, letting the other bits that made her head spin about arcane spells and magics slide at the moment. It was hard enough to focus on one aspect of weirdness but with so many happening outside her normal scope of control she couldn't begin to compartmentalize them all.

Standing abruptly she began to pace the small space in frontof the couch, her steps a little jerky and less fluid. Her head shook side ot side, her wet hair drifting lazily in it's wake. "I..I don't know...I.." her words were clipped off as she pressed her knuckles to her lips. Dropping them slowly she looked back to Eryle and her bottom lip trembled as she spoke, eyes glimmering in the low lights of the room.

"I don't wanna hurt nobody. It's not who I am. Not what I do. I was put here to help people. I'm sure of it. Either ..." she waved a hand, frustrated in front of her as she spoke. "Through healin' them or..or just normal things.. like feeding those folks that don't have money ta eat. Or..or taking care of the strays that show up on my doorstep. Or giving a job to someone that really needs it."

Her accent grew a little thicker as she spoke and her pitch raised a bit as hysteria tried to claim her and break her fragile control over herself.

She stopped talking and closed her eyes, a tear glimmering out of the corner and sliding down her cheek. despite her instincts and her fear she nodded. "Alright..", her tone was decided as she kept her eyes closed and thought about those that she loved and cared about. She had to try something. If not for herself, then for them. "Let's try this."

[Eryle Darlusk]

His expression went blank when she explained the scars were because of a 'little old man with bad fingernails', as he wasn't exactly sure how to follow up on that or exactly to what extent he could take it at face value.

His hand kept to a soft touch when he felt her cooled skin, and even though she didn't react to the scars being brushed accidentally once or twice, he still did his best to avoid it, if only because it was somewhat instinctive.

"Yes...being. As best I can tell, at least, from what magical sense I have and the minimal symptoms exhibited, along with your inability to actually recall what might have caused it leads me to believe there's some sort of spirits or demon or whathaveyou dwelling inside. Or perhaps just some conceptual morphean of darkness. Whatever the case, well...the longer there, the more it can take hold of you, as far as I know", he explains, ranting a bit and then looking to her, realizing that as shaken as she was he should be keeping things a bit more compact, rather than overwhelm her.

He stood up shortly after she did, looking a little worried at her pacing and uncertainty, nodding at her explanations and slight rant, and not in any way trying to rush or push her, all things considered. When she finally agreed, however, a slight grin crept across his lips, "Good, now...give me a minute", he says to her.

He moved over to the bookshelves, and unless interrupted, would take a good hour or so paging through different books and writing things down on some parchment he'd grabbed, perhaps talking to her if she spoke but otherwise fairly ingrained in what he was doing. Finally, he walked over to her and offered his hand to her.

"Come with me...I have a special room for this sort of thing, and...I think I have something that will work", he says to her, a confident and soothing tone flowing from him.

[kayla]

Kayla's blood turned to ice as she listened to him, the fear showing clearly in her eyes. Demon?!? Did he just say DEMON?!? Feeling her leg go out from under her she sat abruptly on the couch and just stared into space a little, not even really hearing the rest of his rant, not that she would have understood what morphean of darkness was at any rate. No, this was so not her field of expertise.

She watched only idly as he prepared for whatever it was that they had to do, totally out of her element. She did not move from her spot, only watching him for the most part as her mind reeled. Some sense struck her as she remembered herself and took out her cell phone, staring at it a good long while before taking a breath to steel her nerves and try to sound normal. She closed her eyes and found a happy place in her head before she hit the button that dialed the number to the Cafe.

The perky male voice that answered told her that Casey was still there and clearly having a good time. "Casey? Darlin, I'm gonna be a little while longer. I know I was just supposed to run to the post office and the bank and all but....I got to thinkin about what you and Ty have been harping at me about and well...I saw this really cute dress in a shop window. So...I'm gonna do what y'all have been suggesting and have some R&R." She listened as he spoke and couldn't help but smile at the Irishman, even if that smile was a sad one.

"Yeah well.. I might be hard headed but I listen eventually. Tell Ty that he might as well just go on home. I'll call him later. I might be a while. I wanna do some shoppin. I aint gotten to do that in a long time and well my closet could use some additions.Might stop and have my hair done in one of these fancy barber shops too." she said using the old term for them instead of one of the fancier terms.

Her eyes darted over to where Eryle was writing on the parchment and she took another deep breath. "Alright hon.. I'll see you when I get back." She made her goodbyes to Casey just as Eryle walked over and offered out his hand. Snapping the cell shut she set it back in her purse and took his hand, her own trembling almost violently and cold.

Without a word she rose and walked with him to the place he had indicated. Good sense told her this was foolish but in for a penny, in for a pound her Granpa used to say.

[Eryle Darlusk]

((Was continued on a chat program outside, the following is the log of that thus far:))

Eryle: (IC) A book in-hand, Eryle began to lead Kayla through the hallways of the converted mausoleum area again, moving slowly so the shaken girl could easily keep up with him. On the way, he glanced towards her curiously, "Who were you on the phone with...out of curiosity?", he asks her, obviously a little nosy ((obviously chat posts are gonna be a lot shorter for me . especialyl cus im a tad tired))

Kayla: Kayla didn't see a lot as she walked along with him, her mind elsewhere as she tried to resist that draw she felt towards him, or rather towards that darkness that eminated from him. She couldn't explain it exactly, it was like smelling a coffee house and wanting it even though you really werent' a fan of java. it almost startled her out of her thinking as she heard his voice and looked up at him. "Oh..that..that was Casey. He works for me. I didn't want him to be worried. They um.. they worry a lot about me. Too much." she replied softly, blinking as she glanced over at the book in his hand.

Eryle: Eryle nods slowly, "Ah...", he says idely to her response, then turning into a small room. The room, however, is fairly dark, almost impossible to see within. Eryle obviously has no trouble, although she can see a bit of a red glow to his eyes now as he leads her inside. "Sit in the circle near the center", he says, not even consideirng she might have trouble finding it, which is likely good, as the 'circle' is a demonic sygil, surrounded by further ones. On closer inspection, it might even become clear that it's blood. He begins gathering some candles from a small shelf, placing them on the ground, and then starts gathering other minor components, mixing some together and preparing the ritual he planned

Kayla: Looking warily to those eyes she blinks several times, trying to get her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room. In the back of her mind she can't help but think that this might not be a good idea. this was like...serial killer creepy kinda stuff here and stupid her let him know that no one would be expecting her for a while. They wouldn't know where to look or .. or anything. Her skin felt strange, kinda crawly, as if there was something prickling just over the fine hairs of her arms and she shivered. Stumbling a little she held her hands out in front of her, trying to keep from running into anything as she headed toward where she thought was he center. She slid her feet slowly so as not to trip, the sole of her sandal sliding over one of the sigils on the floor, smearing hte blood and distorting the symbol, unwittingly breaking the circle of protection. Turning in a circle when she thinks she's in the center she stops"Is..is this it? I can't really see anything."

Eryle: "Yes, that's fine", he says, just barely glancing over to see she was in the circle, and not noticing she'd messed up the sygil, figuring she wouldn't be so slumsy, since he kne whe always instinctively kept it intact. "Now then, stay still", he says, then grabs the book he'd written in, and begins to start chanting. As soon as he does, the various symbols and tracings in the room begin to glow, as the candles flare up instantly because of the power behind it. His voice seemed to lower, start echoing, and deepened, taking on a scary tone as he began the spell. She might start to feel the effects of it beginning, one way or another

Kayla: She sat and fidgeted with the hem of the sundress, biting her bottom lip and looking around worriedly. As the chanting started and the symbols began to glow she didn't notice at first, the first ones being behind her but when the candle flames jumped and the blood on the floor began to gloow she jumped as well, her heart thundering in her chest. His voice had turned dark, frightening. Something inside her hurt, like it was climbing her spine, digging it's way out of her very core. "I..i don't think this is such a good id......." her last word was cut off as she felt her body stiffen and jerk, her throat siezing up and cutting off her breath a moment before she screamed loud and long, the sound of pain and torment. Falling back, her scream silenced she lay in the center, body twitching now and then, small sounds coming from her throat, eyes closed.

Eryle: Eryle continued the spell even as she screamed, knowing if he didn't finish it would end up much worse for both of them. As the words continued to roll from his throat, the echoing seeme dto increase and the air in the room became charged with magical energy, the sygils glowing further and then shining a light upward with an eery red glow. However...it was flickering as Eryle finished, and a look of fear crossed his eyes as he noticed that, quickly looking down at the sygil, hoping he could find out why and fix it in time

Kayla: Kayla's body on the floor begins to tremble like a seizure , arsm out to the sides, legs straight on the floor. A low, vibrating hum can be heard, like an approaching tidal wave or thunderous wind. her back arches upward, bending inward and unnaturally before she begins to rise from the floor, lifted by unseen hands as a wind begins to swirl about the room, threatening to exstinguish the flames and whipping her hair around her face and shoulders. Her screams stop but a light begins to emerge from her eyes, blue and frozen, the brown orbs tinging a crystaline, unnatural azure. Fromthe scalp her hair begins to change as well, blue streaking down along her locks and framing them even as the skin on her body does the same.

Eryle: The half-demon noticed the changes and he tossed the book aside, grabbing a dagger and making a small wound on his finger, looking down and hurriedly moving to find the damaged sygil. Upon noticing it, the warlock starts to try removing the smudge and reforming the lines, but as the wind begins swirling through the room, it becomes difficult and he has trouble focusing. His eyes travel over towards Kayla, and seeing he rstarting to transform, her hair blue and her eyes glowing eerily, he knew he had to hurry, and works to try repairing it. However, it looks like it might be a losing battle...but that wouldnt stop him from trying

Kayla: Slowly she turned, her body uprighting itself as she looked around, the wind whipping her hair around her, the dress too finding itself the plaything of the chilly wind. Turning towards Eryle she tilted her head to the side curiously and raised a hand, sending an invisible force toward the man in an attempt to push him back from the task he was working at.

Eryle: Eryle's eyes were attuned to magic, and he saw the blow coming, and braced himself, the shadows of the room wrapping around him to stable him, but it was more powerful than expected. While it didn't send him flying across the room or anything, it did knock him back, and he had to scramble back to his feet to try moving forward to start working on the sygil again, not about to give up on trapping the entity and keeping its appearance temporary.

Kayla: Kayla walked forward as her feet touched the ground as light as a bird's wing. When she spoke her voice was different, more rich and without an accent at all, almost sultry. "What do you hope to do little wizard?" She sniffed the air as she approached him and smiled slowly, her eyes finding him again. "Ahh yes. You're the one. The one who tasted so delicious. All that dark energy inside you. " She stopped just at the edge of where he was crouched and reached out, touching an icy cold finger along his jaw line as she drew him towards her. "Come now, give us a kiss. I've hungered for so very, very long."

Eryle: He shivered a bit at her touch, losing touch with the sygil, "Damn it...", he says, obviously having been unable to finish it, "A ward, obviously", he says to her in response, "To keep you powerless...Kayla must have accidentally broken it", he says, half muttering that with a bit of anger. It was clear he already knew this wasn't kayla since he referred to the girl as a different person. He pulled back from her speaking of a kiss, "No...I'm not letting some possessive entity drain any more of my energy", he mutters, his eyes glaring at her angrily.

Kayla: The woman's foot touched the half finished sigil and paused, hesitating as if something made her uncomfortable. "You know this won't hold me forever little wizard." she purred and toed the line slowly back and forth. "It's just a matter of time. A matter of finding the right energies and even your pathetic little circle won't stop me. Wouldn't you rather be on the side that wins? Or would you rather me hunt you down like vermin when I reach full power and devour you like a snake?"

Eryle: "So it's at least partially effective, already, then?", he muttered to himself, eying the circle and then Kayla, frowning, "On your side? As what? A store of energy? I'm more than simply a battery of energy", he says arrogantly, taking a step back from her and looking to her with a slight bit of caution, but obviously he wasn't afraid of her quite yet. "Now tell me...who and what exactly are you?", he asks in a demanding tone

Kayla: Holding up a finger and wagging it slowly back and forth she tsk tsks at him. "That would be telling now wouldn't it? Where's the fun in that little wizard? The time is coming. The tears in the realms are growing, widening. Soon there will be a battle for control of this plane and you will either be on the side that prevails or the one that is buried." Her fingers trickle over the invisble barrier as she tests it. It's uncomfortable but it isn't that bad, being incomplete. "You were very, very naughty little wizard....drawing me out before I was ready. It takes energy you see. i'm not quite ready to reveal myself. But soon.....Son." her voice trails off and she looks around the place, hand resting on the invisible barrier. A soft sigh escapes her lips and she frowns. "Pesky little mortals. Always have to be infuriatingly stubborn." Whether she is speaking of him or Kayla it's hard to say. Pushing through the barrier she steps out and towards Eryle, hand up once more and ready for his counter, drawing the shadows he controls into her as she nears him, each step easier than the last.

Eryle: He frowns, fairly angry looking as she fails to give him any information. Most were intimidated by him, this was quite the unfortunate turn, really. Unfortunately, she then began to step through the incomplete circle, and he cursed to himself again, eyes darting around as the first bit of fear crossed his mind, "I had to know what was possessing her...what could draw my energy from me liek that", he says when she mentions him being 'naughty'. He groaned in frustration and near-pain as she began to draw the energy from him and the area around him, and did his best to resist it. His eyes darted back to the sygils...and he began to inch towards it, knowing he could possibly gain control if he got it going. Even if not inside, if at least nearby the spell would keep the entity subdued, ideally, so he figured he could try to finish it still.

Kayla: "I smell your fear." she says with a smile, clearly enjoying it. Spreading her arms wide she continues to syphon his energies, drawing in his shadows. "Arrogance little wizard. Pride always goeth before the fall. Didn't you ever learn that." She pauses and tilts her head, puzzling over something. "But you are more than just a little wizard aren't you? You have a bit of demon in you as well. Delicious." A soft laugh leaves her, the sound like tears on the ear, nothing joyful in it at all. "You were willing to risk this little mortal woman to satisfy your pride? To find out what could possibly catch you unawares? Oh you are a prideful one aren't you and more evil than you want to admit. If she weren't such a comfortable and clever host I might let you do it to watch you sink further into the darkness that feeds your soul. But i've decided to keep this one." A very humanistic shrug comes from the creature, "At least for the time being. She's ....useful."

Eryle: Her words pierce him, his expression obviously hinting there was some truth behind the woman's words, and he paused a bit in anger and damaged pride before remembering his plan, moving closer to the sygil, "You...know nothing about me. I'm a Half-Demon, but that means nothing....", he says, exhaling and trying to calm himself, to focus...he needed to focus. He couldn't let whatever this being was get to him. He'd dealt with demonic entities and beings of vice before. Whatever she was, it was certainly similar in some ways. "And why her? There are plenty of other hosts likely more suitable to....whatever it si you are?", he asks, trying to keep her distracted

[kayla]

Eryle

A book in-hand, Eryle began to lead Kayla through the hallways of the converted mausoleum area again, moving slowly so the shaken girl could easily keep up with him. On the way, he glanced towards her curiously, "Who were you on the phone with...out of curiosity?", he asks her, obviously a little nosy.

Kayla

Kayla didn't see a lot as she walked along with him, her mind elsewhere as she tried to resist that draw she felt towards him, or rather towards that darkness that emanated from him. She couldn't explain it exactly, it was like smelling a coffee house and wanting it even though you really weren't a fan of java. it almost startled her out of her thinking as she heard his voice and looked up at him. "Oh..that..that was Casey. He works for me. I didn't want him to be worried. They um.. they worry a lot about me. Too much." she replied softly, blinking as she glanced over at the book in his hand.

Eryle

Eryle nods slowly, "Ah...", he says idly to her response, then turning into a small room. The room, however, is fairly dark, almost impossible to see within. Eryle obviously has no trouble, although she can see a bit of a red glow to his eyes now as he leads her inside. "Sit in the circle near the center", he says, not even considering she might have trouble finding it, which is likely good, as the 'circle' is a demonic sygil, surrounded by further ones. On closer inspection, it might even become clear that it's blood. He begins gathering some candles from a small shelf, placing them on the ground, and then starts gathering other minor components, mixing some together and preparing the ritual he planned

Kayla:

Looking warily to those eyes she blinks several times, trying to get her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room. In the back of her mind she can't help but think that this might not be a good idea. this was like...serial killer creepy kinda stuff here and stupid her let him know that no one would be expecting her for a while. They wouldn't know where to look or .. or anything. Her skin felt strange, kinda crawly, as if there was something prickling just over the fine hairs of her arms and she shivered. Stumbling a little she held her hands out in front of her, trying to keep from running into anything as she headed toward where she thought was he center. She slid her feet slowly so as not to trip, the sole of her sandal sliding over one of the sigils on the floor, smearing hte blood and distorting the symbol, unwittingly breaking the circle of protection. Turning in a circle when she thinks she's in the center she stops"Is..is this it? I can't really see anything."

Eryle:

"Yes, that's fine", he says, just barely glancing over to see she was in the circle, and not noticing she'd messed up the sygil, figuring she wouldn't be so clumsy, since he knew he always instinctively kept it intact. "Now then, stay still", he says, then grabs the book he'd written in, and begins to start chanting. As soon as he does, the various symbols and tracings in the room begin to glow, as the candles flare up instantly because of the power behind it. His voice seemed to lower, start echoing, and deepened, taking on a scary tone as he began the spell. She might start to feel the effects of it beginning, one way or another

Kayla:

She sat and fidgeted with the hem of the sundress, biting her bottom lip and looking around worriedly. As the chanting started and the symbols began to glow she didn't notice at first, the first ones being behind her but when the candle flames jumped and the blood on the floor began to glow she jumped as well, her heart thundering in her chest. His voice had turned dark, frightening. Something inside her hurt, like it was climbing her spine, digging it's way out of her very core. "I..i don't think this is such a good id......." her last word was cut off as she felt her body stiffen and jerk, her throat seizing up and cutting off her breath a moment before she screamed loud and long, the sound of pain and torment. Falling back, her scream silenced she lay in the center, body twitching now and then, small sounds coming from her throat, eyes closed.

Eryle:

Eryle continued the spell even as she screamed, knowing if he didn't finish it would end up much worse for both of them. As the words continued to roll from his throat, the echoing seemed to increase and the air in the room became charged with magical energy, the sygils glowing further and then shining a light upward with an eerie red glow. However...it was flickering as Eryle finished, and a look of fear crossed his eyes as he noticed that, quickly looking down at the sygil, hoping he could find out why and fix it in time

Kayla:

Kayla's body on the floor begins to tremble like a seizure , arms out to the sides, legs straight on the floor. A low, vibrating hum can be heard, like an approaching tidal wave or thunderous wind. her back arches upward, bending inward and unnaturally before she begins to rise from the floor, lifted by unseen hands as a wind begins to swirl about the room, threatening to extinguish the flames and whipping her hair around her face and shoulders. Her screams stop but a light begins to emerge from her eyes, blue and frozen, the brown orbs tinging a crystalline, unnatural azure. From the scalp her hair begins to change as well, blue streaking down along her locks and framing them even as the skin on her body does the same.

Eryle:

The half-demon noticed the changes and he tossed the book aside, grabbing a dagger and making a small wound on his finger, looking down and hurriedly moving to find the damaged sygil. Upon noticing it, the warlock starts to try removing the smudge and reforming the lines, but as the wind begins swirling through the room, it becomes difficult and he has trouble focusing. His eyes travel over towards Kayla, and seeing her starting to transform, her hair blue and her eyes glowing eerily, he knew he had to hurry, and works to try repairing it. However, it looks like it might be a losing battle...but that wouldn't stop him from trying.

Kayla:

Slowly she turned, her body up-righting itself as she looked around, the wind whipping her hair around her, the dress too finding itself the plaything of the chilly wind. Turning towards Eryle she tilted her head to the side curiously and raised a hand, sending an invisible force toward the man in an attempt to push him back from the task he was working at.

Eryle:

Eryle's eyes were attuned to magic, and he saw the blow coming, and braced himself, the shadows of the room wrapping around him to stable him, but it was more powerful than expected. While it didn't send him flying across the room or anything, it did knock him back, and he had to scramble back to his feet to try moving forward to start working on the sygil again, not about to give up on trapping the entity and keeping its appearance temporary.

Kayla:

Kayla walked forward as her feet touched the ground as light as a bird's wing. When she spoke her voice was different, more rich and without an accent at all, almost sultry. "What do you hope to do little wizard?" She sniffed the air as she approached him and smiled slowly, her eyes finding him again. "Ahh yes. You're the one. The one who tasted so delicious. All that dark energy inside you. " She stopped just at the edge of where he was crouched and reached out, touching an icy cold finger along his jaw line as she drew him towards her. "Come now, give us a kiss. I've hungered for so very, very long."

Eryle:

He shivered a bit at her touch, losing touch with the sygil, "Damn it...", he says, obviously having been unable to finish it, "A ward, obviously", he says to her in response, "To keep you powerless...Kayla must have accidentally broken it", he says, half muttering that with a bit of anger. It was clear he already knew this wasn't Kayla since he referred to the girl as a different person. He pulled back from her speaking of a kiss, "No...I'm not letting some possessive entity drain any more of my energy", he mutters, his eyes glaring at her angrily.

Kayla:

The woman's foot touched the half finished sigil and paused, hesitating as if something made her uncomfortable. "You know this won't hold me forever little wizard." she purred and toed the line slowly back and forth. "It's just a matter of time. A matter of finding the right energies and even your pathetic little circle won't stop me. Wouldn't you rather be on the side that wins? Or would you rather me hunt you down like vermin when I reach full power and devour you like a snake?"

Eryle:

"So it's at least partially effective, already, then?", he muttered to himself, eying the circle and then Kayla, frowning, "On your side? As what? A store of energy? I'm more than simply a battery of energy", he says arrogantly, taking a step back from her and looking to her with a slight bit of caution, but obviously he wasn't afraid of her quite yet. "Now tell me...who and what exactly are you?", he asks in a demanding tone

Kayla:

Holding up a finger and wagging it slowly back and forth she tsk tsks at him. "That would be telling now wouldn't it? Where's the fun in that little wizard? The time is coming. The tears in the realms are growing, widening. Soon there will be a battle for control of this plane and you will either be on the side that prevails or the one that is buried." Her fingers trickle over the invisible barrier as she tests it. It's uncomfortable but it isn't that bad, being incomplete. "You were very, very naughty little wizard....drawing me out before I was ready. It takes energy you see. i'm not quite ready to reveal myself. But soon.....Soon." her voice trails off and she looks around the place, hand resting on the invisible barrier. A soft sigh escapes her lips and she frowns. "Pesky little mortals. Always have to be infuriatingly stubborn." Whether she is speaking of him or Kayla it's hard to say. Pushing through the barrier she steps out and towards Eryle, hand up once more and ready for his counter, drawing the shadows he controls into her as she nears him, each step easier than the last.

Eryle:

He frowns, fairly angry looking as she fails to give him any information. Most were intimidated by him, this was quite the unfortunate turn, really. Unfortunately, she then began to step through the incomplete circle, and he cursed to himself again, eyes darting around as the first bit of fear crossed his mind, "I had to know what was possessing her...what could draw my energy from me like that", he says when she mentions him being 'naughty'. He groaned in frustration and near-pain as she began to draw the energy from him and the area around him, and did his best to resist it. His eyes darted back to the sygils...and he began to inch towards it, knowing he could possibly gain control if he got it going. Even if not inside, if at least nearby the spell would keep the entity subdued, ideally, so he figured he could try to finish it still.

Kayla:

"I smell your fear." she says with a smile, clearly enjoying it. Spreading her arms wide she continues to siphon his energies, drawing in his shadows. "Arrogance little wizard. Pride always goeth before the fall. Didn't you ever learn that." She pauses and tilts her head, puzzling over something. "But you are more than just a little wizard aren't you? You have a bit of demon in you as well. Delicious." A soft laugh leaves her, the sound like tears on the ear, nothing joyful in it at all. "You were willing to risk this little mortal woman to satisfy your pride? To find out what could possibly catch you unawares? Oh you are a prideful one aren't you and more evil than you want to admit. If she weren't such a comfortable and clever host I might let you do it to watch you sink further into the darkness that feeds your soul. But I've decided to keep this one." A very humanistic shrug comes from the creature, "At least for the time being. She's ....useful."

Eryle:

Her words pierce him, his expression obviously hinting there was some truth behind the woman's words, and he paused a bit in anger and damaged pride before remembering his plan, moving closer to the sygil, "You...know nothing about me. I'm a Half-Demon, but that means nothing....", he says, exhaling and trying to calm himself, to focus...he needed to focus. He couldn't let whatever this being was get to him. He'd dealt with demonic entities and beings of vice before. Whatever she was, it was certainly similar in some ways. "And why her? There are plenty of other hosts likely more suitable to....whatever it is you are?", he asks, trying to keep her distracted