Return of the mist (Jas/ Djinn)

The cool winters breeze was enough to chill anyone to the bone as Jasper materialised into an alley behind a well known pub. He used to visit this pub alot back when he young and naive, since then a lot had changed. He had grown a hell of a lot stronger, with his mind and magic.

He flicked the collar of his coat up to protect his neck against the wind and shoved his hands into his pockets as he made he way around and out of the alley.

Djinn leaned against one wall of the alley, currently invisible to those on the mortal plane. His lip curled up in a sneer. The fire demon might not have been Satan's most favored as he had once been, but he still remained in his Lord's inner circle.

Which meant he knew precisely why His pet was back, here. He anticipated the man serving as nothing but an obstacle to his plans.

Pushing off from the wall, Djinn did appear a second later, strolling casually next to the man, seemingly unaffected by the cold. He said nothing. He felt no need to speak first.

Jasper tooked his chin into the top of his coat to shield some of his face away from the wind. It really was cold here, especially having spent the last few weeks in florence Italy. Suddenly he got a feeling that he was no longer alone. He stopped dead on the top and raised his chin as he looked around. Standing before him was a man.

"Hello there." He smiled tilting his head to the side as he seeked for his soul. The smile instantly dropped when he couldn't find one. That could only mean one thing, an original demon. Without a seconds thought he began to turn back to mist to go anywhere but into the clutches of this demon. Both his 'brothers' had died at the hands of a demon and he wasn't about to go the same way.

"Stick around, Jasper Sayer," Djinn smirked, crimson eyes gleaming as he used the man's name to ground him to where he was. It was a simple enough concept, really; any who knew a being's Name could use it to make them bend to their own will. Mortals had lost the art, of course. Mortals failed to realize how very much power a name could hold.

"Now, now, pet of my master," the demon murmured silkily, "no need to be so skittish. I just wanna... chat."

Just as he was half way gone he began to materialise again. He closed his eyes in dread, he'd heard about the power of names and right now he was cursing his mothers name for not making his longer and harder to remember. He gritted his teeth and turned to face the demon.

"I aint no ones pet." He spat, if he was going to die here in this alley he was going to make sure he didn't go down easily. "I know your kinds talking and I don't want any part in it." He said flicking his wrist so his wand appeared in his hand, that was still stuck in his pocket.

Djinn gave a low chuckle. "You sold your soul to Lord Satan," he pointed out smugly. "Of course, you're his pet, just like that scum Salvator and the brainless Curtail were his pets.

"Don't worry, I hafta treat ya nice unless you give me good reason not to." His eyes gleamed at the pleasant thought. It had been years before he'd had just cause to kill Aspen Salvator without repercussions to himself.

Djinn was unimpressed by the man drawing his wand, genuinely unconvinced that the wizard could do him any harm. "Come, now, Jasper - I can call you Jasper, can't I? What harm can a little talking do? It's not like like you can sell me your soul. Honestly, what have you got to lose?"

He narrowed his eyes, he regretted that day more and more as he got older. The power was great but he hated having to watch over his shoulder all the time, cause it was only a matter of time before satan got bored of him and decided to claim his soul earlier than pallned like with his brothers.

He took a deep breath to calm himself, he couldn't give the demon any reason to attack him cause he knew it would take mere seconds for him to kill him and that was just a pathetic death. But he couldn't stand around and listen to his criticise his brothers. He gave Djinn one last look before turning and walking away. If what he said was right then he couldn't stop him.

"No, no you can't." He said turning his head back to look at him. "Does he know you're here? Did he send you?" He asked, he'd rather they just move things along so he could either walk out alive or die like he thought he would. "Fine you have 2 minutes but try anything and im leaving because I don't believe a word you say." He said doing up the top button of his coat and pulling his hood up to keep warm.

"Now, Jasper," Djinn smirked, amused, "no need to be so disagreeable. Did it hurt your feelings, me talking of your litter mates in such a way? So very sorry." He didn't sound sorry in the least.

"I go where I want, these days," the demon stated, walking along with the man. "And only fools believe all that is said to them.

"Fine. I have only one this to say to you, anyway. Within your new ragtag band of muggle-haters are those who belong to me. There is one in particular that you will not interfere with. He is a boy by the name of Arsen." Djinn stopped, blood crimson gaze boring into the man's.

"And before you just dismiss this one and only warning, I'd ask your old buddy Aspen what happened to the last person who meddled with my son."

He narrowed his eyes at the litter remark but he let it pass none the less. He'd lived his life so he was never seen or heard, living in the shadows from even satan himself and yet his most sucessful creation had found him without even breaking a sweat.

"Set the animal free did he?" He smirked, he wasn't about to be intimidated by anything created by his boss. Besides showing weakness wasn't his thing, he was good with pulling up the walls, it was his power after all.

"Arsen? As in... your offspring? Didn't seem too please about that did he? Heard he punished you bad." He smirked. "Word travels fast even for those stuck in the shadows."

"The Salvator boy? Might have know." He smiled. "Why taking an interest now? Aspen protected that boy from everything long before you came and began demanding. You never even bothered to save him from that step father of his." He said trying to understand why the boy was so important all of a sudden. "What you don't like others playing with your property?" He smirked before it suddenly dawned on him.

"Oh." He laughed pointing at his obvious plan. "Very clever, use the boy as your little pawn here on earth." He smiled. "Im guessing you're gathering followers too?" He asked, he couldn't believe the mans nerve.

"I will, my powers come in handy when wanting to contact the dead." He smirked.

"I've no need to answer to you," Djinn responded in a bored tone. "The boy is my son and had his protector not simply stood by as someone tried to murder him, the man wouldn't be dead right now. Go ahead and double-check the facts.

"As for demons keeping human pets... It's hardly anything new. All the demon-born have those who belong to them. Hell, even some of the mortal-born keep pets. It's trendy, you see." He gave a smirk of his own, crimson eyes bright.

"Heed yourself, Jasper Sayer," the demon said, turning to leave. Pausing, he threw back over his shoulder, "Oh, and I wouldn't call Arsen a pawn where he can hear you. He finds it very insulting, and as I don't dictate his every action, I really can't say what he might do to you. See, he's not beholden to the Master, and he is, oh, so temperamental."

Continuing on, Djinn literally walked out of sight, disappearing between one step and the next, the smell of sulfur lingering in the air behind him.

"He would have had a reason to watch the boy die. He loved that kid like his own before Satan got involved." He said shoving his hands back into his pockets. He remembered the time when his brother had been sane.

"I know." He said. "I have a few of my own. It's amazing what people are willing to believe, when it suits them. Besides its easy when you know everything they desire." He smiled tapping the side of his head.

He smiled. "Im not afraid of a little fire. I have some tricks of my own to deal with that. He's just a boy." He said turning to look down the isle. "Wait!" He called stepping forward. "How about a deal?" He said hoping Satan couldn't hear their conversation, but no pain came so he was guessing he was clear.

Djinn reappeared so quickly that it would have been difficult to tell he had vanished at all. He reappeared so quickly, in fact, that a momentary haze hovered over him as his human mask settled back into place.

Back to the man, the demon tilted his head in what would have been a thoughtful manner had he been human.

"A deal, you say?" Djinn said. "And whatever happened in wanting no part in my kind's talking?"

He gritted his teeth but continued anyway, he wanted out and this was the only way forward. "You could do with someone like me and you know it." He said not surprised by Djinns sudden appearance like he never left. He himself had the power to do that too.

"Word travels around you know. It's amazing what you can hear from the shadows and the dead. You'd also be surprised by how many of the dead are rooting for you." He smirked knowing that would catch his attention. All good leaders craved numbers, after all numbers did boost your chances.

Djinn started to turn and suddenly, he standing face to face with the wizard, crimson eyes studying him intently.

"I know how well word travels," he stated quietly, eyes glinting though the light hadn't changed. "A little too well." The demon walked a slow circle around the man.

"Your Master is one of the very few beings who can tear me limb from limb. Why would you make a deal with me, his former favorite? The one who was cast down due to a mere rumor?"

He followed the demon with his eyes, showing him he trusted him just enough not to turn with him. "I have a better feeling about you. I want to be on the winning side and you need people dead and alive to win this." He smiled spreading his arms.

"I am your link to both, a link that has 100% access to earth and can still contact you in hell. Why else do you think im in charge of Satans 'pets'? I'm the only one he has a good communication link with." He explained, that was what he hated most. He wanted rid of that link so he could do as he liked.

"One condition though. Once this war is over and you've won. I want out." He said, he was sick of living his life watching over his shoulder.

"You did choose the most useful gift," Djinn remarked.

A smirk slowly pulled at his features. "Fine, but I have one more condition of my own." Leaning forward, he murmur dangerously into the man's ear. "If you betray me in any way, I tear your soul into so many piece, the word 'mist' won't be able to describe you anymore."

"So we have a deal?" He asked his voice void of all emotion. He'd learnt over the years to that. Emotions just weren't something you showed to Satan, he really wasn't a big fan.

"I won't, get me out of this deal and im yours." He said, maybe it really was possible to be free after all.

"Serve me well until Hell and Earth are mine and your deal is void," Djinn said. "Deal. I trust you remember how a deal is sealed, don't you?" A smirk pulled at the demon's lips, dark amusement shining in his eyes.

"Deal." He said holding out his hand before he realised. His face scrunched up in disgust. "I remember kissing an incredibly beautiful woman yes." He said looking on at the demon wondering how he could do this.

"Can't you bring out some sexy female demon to seal the deal for you?" He asked, there was no way he could kiss a guy let alone a demon.

He threw back his head and laughed. Looking at the man, he said one word: "Kaori."

Nothing appeared to happen for a moment, that is, until Kaori stepped silently forward, running a hand lightly across Jasper's shoulder. She was petite, dressed in a brightly-colored kimono. Her almond-shaped eyes raked the man from head to toe, their color the dark red of a crossroads demon - a deal-maker. She turned to Djinn.

"You called for me, sempai?" she asked in Japanese, her tone silky soft.

"I need you to seal a deal for me," Djinn replied in kind.

A musical laugh rose from the she-demon as she turned back to the wizard. "I do not blame you," she told him in English. "I would not kiss him, either." She took the man's hands in her own. "You may kiss me, instead. I am much prettier to look at."

He smiled as the female turned up. He was just relieved he didn't have to kiss the demon in front of him, he'd never live it down if he could actually go through with it in the first place. "Thanks." He smiled appreciatively she was so much better.

He smiled. "You definitely are." He smirked moving in for the kiss, this deal was going to be so much better than the last he could already feel that. As soon as his lips met hers his mind began to tingle and eventually burn as Satan was forced out. He shook his head to rid himself of the feeling and looked up at Djinn.

"Is it done? Am i free from him?" He asked, his mind was free but he needed to know.

Kaori smirked up at the man, eyes never leaving his face. "Until next time, sempai," she told Djinn, then promptly blinked out of sight.

Djinn inclined his head at the man's inquiry.

"He can still call for you," he replied evenly. "Otherwise, you are mine until the war is over. You're... free of the Devil. Just be sure He doesn't find that out."

He looked on in shock. "So what your saying is, I now have two jobs? Working for you and working for Satan so he doesn't know we betrayed him?" he asked beginning to dread this deal already, now he had two people to run from.

"Would he know it was you if he found I no longer belonged to him?" He asked, he could deal with it if he didn't. If he did? The he was stuck working for the both of them.

"Yes and no," Djinn replied in a bored tone. "Your job for me, at present, is working for our lord. There will come a time when he will begin withholding things from me, excluding me. Then, I will need you to relay such information to me.

"It would foolish to presume that Satan will remain in the dark indefinitely. He's an angel. I am, however, counting on him being distracted enough not to take immediate note of your shift in loyalties. When he does find out, he will that it was I who struck a new deal with you. I can make no promises, of course, but I will do what I can to shield you from him."

The demon brushed an imaginary bit of lint from his sleeve. "If there is nothing else, I do have other things to attend to."

He nodded. "Okay, i'll do what i can." He said pulling his hood up further to shield his face from the cold winds before putting them back into his pockets for warmth.

"Thank you. You know where i am if you need me." He said nodding his head slightly. "I'll keep an eye on your son as well, seeing as he's in my order." He said, it was the least he could do seeing as he had gotten him out of a bad deal.

"See you around." He said before turning to head towards the pub where he knew the girl was waiting. He wanted her but he was going to make her see she needed him first.