Howe hears the pleas and his smile grows wider with anticipation. He can feel the power in the room building, he can feel Renna moving ever closer and his excitement builds. He bends in close to eye the girl's face, to take in the scent of her. The taint of Renna rides inside him; he allowed it to be so because it kept her close all these long months. Again the sin of Lust, his least favored of the seven, gripped the very core of him and he could not let her go. He did not want to. The wisdom of his choice may come back to bite him, but for the time being it has given him the ambition to see this project through to completion. " The pulse of energy, the writhing of the girl upon the altar, it all lends to the air around him. It has grown darker, overwhelming in its density." It won't be long now before he is graced with her presence once more. He feels hunger for the essence of her. A twisted desire no doubt, but as he stares into the agonized face of the girl pinned to the altar he feels a tightening below. A sensation he has not had the pleasure of for years. " As the intensity continues to build he feels it only prudent to step away from the altar. He straightens from his peering into the girl's suffering. " She gasps for air as he stepped away. As if the invisible thing that had wired her jaw shut has simply vanished. "Thank you....Thank you....Just-just let me go....I promise, I won't say anything - I promise....I won't, I won't, I swear, s-s-so just let me go..." " The whisper upon the fluttering of the winds; the utter under the breath of the curtains as they twisted and swayed to the dark ethereal intention of its wicked Mistress spoke to Howe in a language he may have never even heard of before... " But somehow he would know what it meant. " Kill her. " Give me her body. " Give me her soul. ???" Blood trickles down the woman's eyes, creeping out from under her lids. She blinks them away as she can feel something moving from inside of her. Something that was present out of the corner of her vision, vanishing into the other corner the moment she attempts to glimpse it. " Her head turns to chase the wandering movement, "What was that?" Again, out of the corner of the other eye....Her head snaps left, then right, then up towards the ceiling. "No....Keep that thing away from me, what....What is that"!" ???" Suddenly, sharp unseen things tear down her cheeks, opening flesh and drawing blood in the guise of four sharp talons. " Her wild blue eyes turn left, then right, and as one fades into dark red does she look to Howe, "What....What's happening to m-" Her back arches, blood sprouting from her mouth, splashing back down onto her face. " Gasping for air, she thrashes against her bonds. "Can't you see that?!"

The moment his declaration was witnessed did a woman's fine and bloodied fingers curl around his neck. The whore-to-die was very much alive, but the eyes that glare deep into Howe's beady little own were so very not the common blues they once were. Howe has seen and has become enchanted by their bloodied red gaze before... " The dead woman moves to pick Howe off of the floor. " "Dearest' Oh please, I must be hearing things....How somewhat pathetic that you would release such a declaration of your love so easily in front of me....But, I suppose, a congratulations is in order for successfully summoning me from that drab old prison my daughter had locked me up in." ?"?" All wounds that were present during the whole ritual, and enforced by Howe and his blade, have already started to heal at an unnatural and accelerated rate. Skin and muscle stitch itself back together, while what blood that has been spilled absorbs back into the pores of her skin, wasting not a single drop. " A wicked smile finally breaks out across Renna's brand new, beautifully young face as she throws Howe across the room, cackling. "Honey, I'm home!" ?"?" Howe flies across the room, slamming into the wall hard. Beady eyes bulge as he tries to figure out what the f*ck is going on! Heaving himself to his feet he stares at the figure before him. The smell is a little off, but the eyes give her away. Her tossing of him around like a rag doll however" that brings a flash of anger. " "B*tch. I bring ya back and ya throw me around like a sack of dead kittens"!" He can't hide his pleasure at seeing her as the smile twists thin, cruel lips, but it doesn't staunch the anger not one whit! "A little gratitude for all my hard effort wouldn't kill ya. You have any idea how much this little venture has cost me" Ya got any idea how much C.O.P.E. would give me for a soul like our little darling's?" He snorts as he straightens out his suit. " Extracting a cigar from an interior pocket of his expensive tailored jacket, he places it to his lips and lights it with the tip of his finger. He enjoys a few full puffs as the stink begins to fill the small confines of the room. " "Now, my pretty, pretty little Renna" what say we have a nice dinner" Perhaps even some dancing" I picked the slaves out myself. I am sure you will find them lovely." His smile is oily, evil, full of unrepentant lust. Yet, he hasn't taken a step closer to her. He's keeping a healthy distance. " Renna's smirk curls ever wider, as her dirty blonde hair becomes a silken display of golden elegance. She advances in her slow bloodied step towards him. "...You pathetic little man. I've f*cked more women than you could ever hope to dream of....I've eaten finer things after I was done sexually with them " and trust me, they were very broken bits of flesh by the end of the night..."

She sighs in disappointment, "You slippery little b*stard, do you think I would be so easy as to accept such an offer straight away' I did just eat quite the delicious soul to get here just now....She was indeed the prize-winning cow. I demand something better than just simple slaves you've herded up for my amusement. And what makes you think I will dance with you? Do I look like I am in the mood for dancing?" " She places her hands to her chest, "I am after all, your beloved, or was that a lie?" She rakes her fingers to press against pouting lips, "Down boy! Down little puppy, don't be angry for losing one of your toys. And by the way' Money means nothing to me. And for someone of your power, it should mean nothing to you. Who cares how much it cost you to bring me here, Howe. You've got your pretty little Renna, have you not?"

Her fingers curl around his cute, little plump cheek, and then she rakes her nails down to claw at his chin. "And by the way....Little, who' I'm sorry, I am sure we're not in my realm anymore but what makes you think you can subject me to your endearing little entitlement' Renna is my name."

Renna pouts a little, "Little, Howe..."

Howe stares at her with fresh anger springing to life and a flickering in darkening red eyes. He snorts, then straightens his suit with slow measured movements, attempting to regain his composure. " "You want souls" What do I get in exchange for those souls, Renna" Obviously not the luxury of your bed!" He fairly spits out the words "your bed". "I'm thinking I set you free from that prison you were in. Now it's your turn, sweetmeat. And yeah, I picked a delicious young thing for you to romp around in. This is Rhy"Din after all." Spite taints his tone at the mention of the damnable city, "Ya gotta be a looker to get anywhere these days. Ya don't need to remind me of that!" " He turns his back on her and begins a slow circular pacing. "But if ya want more outta me, then you better make me a sweet deal, b*tch. Cuz I ain't giving you jack without getting something in return!" " Could a demon have hurt feelings" This is Howe; he doesn't have a heart or feelings to hurt. But rejection is still rejection. And he plans to make her pay for it. " "A sweet deal..." Renna ponders over that, "I am sorry, I did not understand my position....For a minute there I thought I was the one who actually suggested I could have all the souls I could ever want....But maybe that might had been you, when you agreed to let me out of my imprisonment?" " Slowly she brushes her fingers to her lips, "But....Fine....Please, take whatever it is you want....But be gentle, I think this new body is just a little bit fragile..."

"DeMuer" Ahhhhh! Alain..." Renna comments idly, her eyes narrowing sinisterly upon Howe, speaking with a measure of remembrance. "What a good man he is..." Slowly, her smile widens, "Was that a hint' Do I need to choose between them' Brian Ravenlock....Or Alain DeMuer?" Her eyes close, and slowly she turns away, "Interested" Me..." In them' What a shame you should say that - what a shame, little Howe." " Bloodied red eyes turn over her shoulder then, her grin a mocking one, "Me and Alain have had business in the past long before I finally met you. So maybe, just maybe, I could get close enough to him to....Well....I'll let you fantasize about that. I've always wanted to fuck that pretty little boy to death....But anyway....I will go visit my room, shall I?"

She turns, leaving him there to stew in his anger. "Sweet dreams, Howe." ? Howe stares at her back as she saunters away, pretty as you please. The anger inside is eating him alive. He will have her. If it is the last thing he ever does, he will have her! And nothing, not even her power or sway or anger or hate is going to stop him!