Scarlet didn’t see what the big deal was. To her, this was easier. It was better than Lye finding it - or Advencia, hell even Calleus. Scarlet was on a very, very tight leash right now and the fact that she had wandered this far from the compound was enough cause for concern for at least Advencia, whom had been charged with ensuring Scarlet was kept safe and away from...well.. Everything. Scarlet wasn’t even supposed to have left the Seventh Sanctum. Yet, here she was, shoving a stone into her chest so some stranger could come at her beck and call. And vise versa.

“So...how exactly do these work?” He asked, turning his own small stone around in his hand.

Scarlet pressed her back against the snowy wall of the alley. The cold from the stone tickled her back. “I said they’re linked. So the holder of one stone can do one of two things. One; the holder can create a telepathic link to the other for around five minutes. Give or take. Two; it can teleport one person to the other, and vise versa.” She paused and licked her lips, still tasting the salty taste of her blood. “In other words, we can call or summon each other- but if someone else gets a hold of it then- well, they’d be able to use it.”

“Wouldn’t that be dangerous for you to have it in your chest then?”

Scarlet shrugged. “It’d be more dangerous for me not to, with the company I keep. Sure you can deny the request but there is no way to tell who is making it. If My master saw I had something like this -” She paused. What would he do? Had he not told her to not be close to anyone? She had kept to that, almost religiously so. Still… she needed to make her contacts. She needed to cement allies for the Crimson Hand and furthermore for the Seventh Sanctum. Scarlet refused to allow herself to get close to anyone in that time. Nothing more than a mere business relationship, nothing more than a contract. Hell. That kiss was the first real physical contact she had from anyone in months. Not that it bothered her. It was simpler this way. Finally she sighed and said the likely outcome.

“He’d probably rip me apart then do the same to you. Course - I’d come back from that, but unless you aren’t telling me something. You won’t.”

“I - well. There are rumors about Moon-touched but nothing concrete. Perhaps. Something I will need to test in the future.”

She held out her palm and watched as snow began to fall onto it, melting the moment it hit her hand. “Even though I’m so cold it still melts. I sometimes...forget I’m human, yanno? That I’m a living being.” She mused to herself. Scarlet shook her head, small tendrils of hair covered her face as she disheveled it. “I should head back soon before-”

“MISTRESS!”

Too late. The small childlike voice screamed at her from the other end of the alley. Even with her tiny form shadowed, her back to the sun Scarlet know exactly who it was. There wasn’t a chance for her, nor Hunter to leave. The shop sat at the back end. The only way was forward. Toward the tiny and angry succubus. Scarlet groaned as she gestured for the man to follow.

Advencia was storming forward, her tiny feet barely making an imprint on the snow. Slitted eyes narrowed as her pointed tail wove frantically behind her. “What the FUCK!” She heaved her small chest pressed up high and almost spilling over the top of a white bodice. “What the ACTUAL Fuck!” She stopped a few feet short of Scarlet and stomped her foot. “Who the FUCk is that!?” She pointed to Hunter, then shifted her clawed finger to Scarlets Jacket. “Why are you wearing a jacket that reeks of him? Why do I smell your blood on him?” Her nose wrinkled and it looked as though she were about to launch herself. “Master is going to kill you! He’s going to kill me! Don’t you fuckin care!”

“Advencia. Stop.”

“What? Why the-”

Scarlet repeated herself, her words a stern clap against the raging fire of the demoness. “I said stop.” And she did.

The Huntsman folded his arms over his chest, white eyebrows rising as the two argued. At least he knew enough to stay quiet here.


“He’s a Hunter. Hell, that’s his name. We were just concluding a contract. The Crimson Hand is short on valuable people.”

“I can kill anything or anyone you ask me too!” Advencia hissed as she shot daggers at the Hunter. “I’m the best fucking assassin you have!”

Scarlet took a step forward and placed a finger under her chin, Advencia was half a head shorter than the redheaded woman. The close proximity caused Advencia to quieten down as her pale cheeks took on a rosy hue. “You are, but you are one. What if the faun bitch comes at us with an army of whores? What about the Tarot? We know they exist - we know they want us gone.” Scarlet paused and tilted her head, her thumb and forefinger pressed hard on Advencia and there was a faint murmur from the succubus as smoke rose from Scarlets fingers.

Scarlets voice took on a dark turn. “Or the remaining Ixian Knights come knocking for little Zero, the broken general. What if they took your little plaything away from you? Who would look at you with compassion?” Scarlet drew her face closer, “Who’d bother to love you if not he?”

Advencia’s eyes stung, bristling with tears. She opened her mouth to say something. “Y-you and Mast-” Scarlet cut her off by shoving her face forcefully back. “You’re a tool Advencia. Reel yourself in. Don’t make me mark you like he did.”

The fire in Advencia’s eyes died down and she shrunk right back from Scarlet. “You promised...you’d never use that on me your word is-”

“My word before I became Scarlet was from another woman. I’d rather not, but don’t force my hand. Why did you come here?”

Advencia shot Hunter another dark look then turned her eyes to Scarlet. “Y-you were missing. I know we shouldn’t allow you to leave the compound. You’re not meant to be going anywhere.” her eyes flashed down to Scarlets abdomen. “You should be on bedrest...Mistress…please you know what he would do if he found out you had left.”

“What I am doing is beneficial to the Sanctum.”

Advencia furrowed her brow. “I hate what you’ve become. You know he’s only keeping you alive because you have his child.”

“Such harsh words…” Scarlet hummed as she pushed the Succubus aside. “Such true and harsh words. If your goal is to hurt me then use your knife, you know I don’t have the emot-”

When prompted Advencia stepped forward, a tiny knife had dug into the side of Scarlets ribcage, between the third and second rib. “B-bitch…” Scarlet hissed “I’ll fuckin’ starve you.” She gurgled before she fell to her knees, then to her face. Dead in the snow.

Advencia flicked the blood off the knife then turned her eyes to Hunter. Despite just silencing Scarlet she stood over her body like a protective mother. “Who. The fuck. Are you and why do I smell HER all over your face! She’s OURS!” Advencia hissed. Angry tears dotted her craized eyes.

Advencia crouched, ready to strike at him. “I want answers. NOW!”