Persistence

[Etoile Lefevre]

Thunder cracked loudly in the sky as droplets of rain fell from the sky heavily. Storms were beautiful as they usually represented a darker part of mother nature as well as the hidden chaos in the world. It could symbolize a human's life easily. Etoile wished it it could even begin to represent her life too. But it just wasn't so because while every storm had a calmness and a beauty to it, her life was always utter chaos. And right now the chaotic events didn't cease to surprised her. Feeling her back behind slammed up against the brick wall of a alleyway building, Etoile struggled to get a bit of air in and ignore the strong sense of pain she was feeling all over her body right now. There could be cracking heard within the wall and she knew that her body had possibly made a crack in or dented the wall behind her somewhere. And the hand that was holding her by the neck squeezed tightly as if to remind her that breathing was clearly not an option for her right now. Tonight had simply not been her night. All she wanted to do was go out and get something to drink, preferably fresh and ice cold spring water to soothe her aching throat and she ended up being jumped by three men, all twice her size and eager for revenge. She had killed one of their friends and they wanted to see her blood for that, perhaps even kill her in return. It didn't matter to them that she had killed that man for a specific reason, that he was intending to bring her harm first and she was merely defending herself. No man was to touch her sexually or even out of niceness. His roaming hands hands deserved to get chopped off. So Etoile didn't regret doing anything to him. The rainwater soaked Etoile's clothing and left her long hair absolutely soaked. It weight her head down as she struggled to keep it up and aware. From the slam against the wall she could only guess that her head was bleeding because she had slammed it hard and she could now smell it. The ruby liquid she often enjoyed was now causing her great stress. "Le-Let me go you disgusting piece of sh*t!" Etoile gasped out as her nails went out and gripped the man's arm tightly. Tearing into his flesh and hearing him hiss in pain. They also had her hand so trying to hex them wouldn't work. The man gripped a hold of her chin and painfully jerked her face to look him in the eye where he promptly told her to shut up. Etoile did know how to fight with the best of them, but the last time she tried to fight and struggle all three of them pinned her down and gave her a few hard hits in the gut to calm her down. Even the knife stabbing into her captor's shoulder did nothing to help her get away.

After another one of her violent spat's against the men her captor grew tired of her fighting against them and removed her from the wall to then slam her onto the hard concrete floor beneath them. Which caused Etoile to cry out loudly in pain. Usually she was a glutton for pain. But none of these men were in the least sense attractive, nor was the dizzy feeling and sickly feeling at all attractive to her. "I told you to be quiet, or do you want to die faster? The man hissed into her ear as he hovered over her. Etoile still continued to kick and scream and hoped that something would help her get out of it. The rain continued to pour and she felt pain in her shoulder now as well. The men were talking about how to kill her and she could hear them. A blood curdling scream was heard when she felt the man hovering her use her own dagger to stab her in the upper leg. That really hurt. Not once she did cry though, anger boiling with her as she found the pain and the coldness to struggle and knock the man off. He pressed her shoulders down though and once again told her to be quiet. His finger traced her jaw as he teasingly mentioned all the ways they could bring harm to her. Being into pain would have given her a higher tolerance but she enjoyed it to an extent and this was far too much for her. Etoile managed to escaped one of her hands after moments of struggling and brought her fist up to connect with the man holding her body down. He recoiled and held his face, which gave Etoile just enough time to crawl away and stand herself up to try and run.

But there was difficulties. Running with a wound on her leg that deep made her a lot slower than she really wanted to be and Apparating would possibly cause a splinch in her state. Etoile rounded the corner when she felt a weight on her back and her body falling face forward onto the ground.The taste of rain, dirt, and blood in her mouth made Etoile feel like gagging. But even worse was the fact that she didn't know if she'd ever get away alive or not. Then again maybe this fate would have been better for her in the end. The person who jumped her forced her head back by grabbing onto her hair tightly. Was this it?

 

[Axel Zhefarovich]

The rain and thunder was enough have Axel's adrenalin running and coursing through his veins. What he was doing out here, that was something that Hades Lutrov would have to explain. Axel was not particularly close with the Death Eater, but he was quite interesting. Axel Zhefarovich was actually the uncle of the insane Death Eater, and he did not really hide that fact. He was going to be the future Head of the family, but right now, he was simply the Viscount. And right along side him was the Guardian, which was similar to what a Viscount did, but they were more brutal. Axel always thought that Hades was a Viscount, rather than a Guardian, but he also stalked people so he was just the perfect model for the way both positions should be. However, Axel was here now, not on a family mission but rather as a personal favor. Axel and Hades watched from a building above, and Axel stared down at the girl that was being mauled by three men that seemed drunk. So, this is Hades' newest woman. He knows how to pick the ones that bring the most drama with them, thought Axel with a smirk to his handsome face. His stormy eyes seemed to glow with excitement, because he just knew what Hades wanted Axel and himself to do. Axel was currently drenched in the rain. Axel was currently wearing a black tee shirt, dark jeans and boots. His hair was slick back and soaked with the rain. Axel glanced over at Hades, and he nodded once. It was time.

Apparating down to the scene, Hades went in first before Axel slipped on his brass knuckles around both hands. This was something that Axel preferred. The two men that focused on the much larger man that did not look like a ghost in the storm went after Axel. Axel smirked and he murmured, "Bring it on, morons." The one on the left swung once, Axel dodged, and he brought his fist up to punch the man in the jaw, a sickening sound could be heard as metal cracked the bone. The man went down, holding his face, while the other one went for Axel as well. Axel swung his leg and kicked the man in the chest, shoving him back many feet. The first man then attempted to come running after Axel with his back turned. Using what he knew, he brought his elbow back, before he brought his other fist into a punch in the forehead once again. The second man tried to use a spell, but Axel used a protection spell to block it, before he grabbed his throat and threw him into the first man. They apparated off in fright, when they caught the bloodthirsty look in his eyes. Axel turned to Hades, and he glanced down at the woman he called Etoile. Axel took off the brass knuckled and he pocketed them. He glanced down at Etoile, before he turned to Hades and he said, "You know, you didn't need my help to take out those three men. You could have handled it on your own," said Axel with a shrug of his shoulders, "Though thanks for the fun. Loved it when I broke that one's jaw. Haven't fought like that in ages." Just by the tone of his voice, he loved the feeling of physical violence.

 

[Hades Styx]

Hades had long since sought out Axel Zhefarovich for assistance, not because he doubted his abilities, but because he knew just how many men were going to fight him once he interfered. He did not know how many could have taken him out, but that was always useful knowledge, how many were going to be there. Hades stared down as the rain poured down from his ebony hair to his white face. His face was fixed in a cold, yet rather irritated expression as the three men advanced onto Etoile. Hades turned his eyes to Axel and he hoped that Axel was ready for some fun. Axel had not fought anyone good in a while, so Hades was going to give him two while he would handle the one that laid his disgusting fingers all over the one that he claimed as his own. Hades glowered down at the men, and the more he watched, the more his blood boiled. Hades let out a rough sigh, before Axel gave him the signal to go on ahead and get down there. Hades used his magic to apparate down to the scene of action. Hades bent down over one man that was all over Etoile, grabbed him by his hair and ripped him off of Etoile. Hades glanced over at Axel to see that he was handling himself quite well. Axel was a rather good fighter, but he was going to do so much more than just fight this man off of Etoile. He had touched her and everything, and Hades was not going to stand for that.

The Death Eater had a good time moving about, and he threw the man down onto the ground that he had by his hair. The man got up to his feet, and he gnarled at Hades, "Who the hell are you? And what in the world is wrong with your face?" Hades narrowed his eyes and knew that the man was talking about his skin. Hades smirked lightly, and he murmured, "I would be asking yourself that in a few moments after I am done with you." Hades watched as the man dove in after him, however Hades dodged, took the man by his throat and he lifted him high in the air, before he tossed him to the side, only pissing him off even more which was what the Death Eater intended. When someone was mad, they charged in without even thinking, and that was all it took. Once the man charged. Hades went in and with a few punches and a powerful kick to the chest, the man was so injured, he could not move. Hades watched as he apparated away, but he was sure that he could not get too far. Hades turned back to Axel and he shrugged, "I figured that two is better than one. But thanks for assisting; but she might need some healing." Hades could smell her blood, before he looked down at Etoile, and wondered what she thought about him coming in and saving her life, with Axel by his side.

 

[Etoile Lefevre]

Etoile that this was surely going to be her demise because of the roughness she was receiving from this man. His friends made it hard for her to escape too, so what other choice did she have other than to do die? But someone out there must have loved her or something because just as he was going to take a hard punch to her jaw she felt hip being ripped up from off of her, the material from his jeans brushing up again her stab would and causing Etoile to hiss in pain. Her silvery green eyes didn't even have to look at the fight for more than a moment before she figured that the three thugs would lose and she would be free of their rampage. Slowly, she brought her pale hands to her face to cover her eyes and fight off the pending shock and nausea that were taking over her small body right now. She could hear the sounds of punching, blood spurting, the sound of cracking, grunts of pain, it was a lot of sound to take in but she could hear it all. Moments like these is when she always brought herself to think back of the times when her mother was alive and well to take care of her and tell her that everything was going to be okay. When the old house she lived in was in tact, the furniture wasn't packed away and Etoile didn't have much care in the world other than the fact that one day she wanted to come out on top and possibly follow in her daddy's footsteps and become a Death Eater. Her mother told her that she could easily do anything she wanted, even become the Head of the Lefevre family. Etoile believed her and today that was her one goal, take Danielle out and put herself in that position. When Etoile's mother and little sister died though her world fell apart and it was just her and her closest friend, her brother soon died too though. Leaving her to be alone, scared, and angry as hell. The tattoo on her back of the feather and the birds was supposed to represent her family and her. How they all broke apart from her heart and from their home. Etoile had been alone for nearly right years and she preferred to have it that way. When the noises stopped Etoile lifted her hands from her face and slowly sat herself up, pain shooting through her body with every move she made towards sitting up. The rain still feel heavily and it forced her dark hair to stick to her face and shoulders. Her eyes met with the two men that saved her and a loud irritated sigh left her lips.

"What the hell?! No matter where I go, you seem to show up and it's really pissing me off. I could have handled those thugs all on my own and you come in bringing blondie over there and but into my business! Your like a bad cold, hard to get rid of." Etoile hissed as she pointed her finger at Hades. Why the hell could he never leave her alone, did he get some weird kick from seeing her get mad when he was around? A frustrated sigh left her lips as she grabbed a hold of something that may or may not try and help her stand up thanks to the nice deep wound within her leg. It took a good ten minute's or so for her to get up and once she did, the she literally saw the small blood of blood that her leg had caused. And boy did it hurt. Her eyes flashed over to the two men before she scowled. "I don't need to be healed either. If either one of you touch me so help me god I will scream bloody murder." Etoile hissed as she pulled her wand out just in case. She didn't want Hades' in help in particular but she wasn't fond of the idea of a man that might be a friend or relative of Hades helping her either. It would be like she actually cared if she starting to meet his family and that was gross. This was no longer funny and Etoile was about ready to blow the pale man's head off, he didn't know when to quit obviously.

 

[Axel Zhefarovich]

Axel gave Hades an odd look, and he wondered if this was the right girl or not that they were meant to save. He shrugged a little bit when she seemed more pissed off at Hades and he could not help but smirk a bit more. She was not melting all over him, and that was something that he was used to seeing and hearing when Hades had a new woman. Axel glanced over at Hades and he raised an eyebrow and he uttered in Bulgarian, "Hm, what did you do to piss her off so much?" Then again, what could Hades not do to piss off a woman? Axel narrowed his eyes and he truly did not care what she said anyway. He doubted that she was able to walk anyway, not with a wound that deep. If it had struck a nerve and not healed properly, then she might end up with a limp. Wasn't that how Jaken got his? Well, Hades stabbed him deeper than the bone, so hers probably wasn't as bad as that. Axel smirked a bit, "Well, luckily for you, I won't have to touch you to heal you. But I'd try to walk first. If that doesn't get taken care of soon, I'd imagine you would soon be walking around with gangrene and end up dying anyway, or losing a leg, your choice."

Axel thought for a moment, and he added, "But this 'blondie' saved your ass from death, so unless you were just faking your wounds and with your tiny body, I'd imagine you would be dead within the next five minutes of our arrival." Axel turned his attention to Hades and he cocked an eyebrow up. He saved a girl, via request from Hades, and she wasn't even grateful for it? Axel did not appreciate his services going by without some sort of gratitude. "Hades, I don't know your sick games and all, but asking me to help out with some girl that isn't interested was not apart of the job description. I have to study on being Head of the family, and I can't waste time on a b*tch." Axel sideways glanced at Etoile for a moment, before he pointed his finger at Hades. "Fighting was fun, yes. But Hades, as much as you humor me and all, just don't drag me into your psychotic plans. I have enough on my plate." Axel reached into his pockets and he withdrew both wands, one used for protection and healing, and the other for more powerful curses and offensive duels. Axel turned his eyes to Etoile and he inquired softly, "Want to be healed, or not? It would be hard to get away from Hades without a leg."

 

[Hades Styx]

Hades just chuckled a bit when Etoile yelled at him. He glanced over at Axel and he muttered in Bulgarian to answer to him, "I stalked her a bit, maybe done stuff to her. The usual." Hades turned his onyx eyes to Etoile, with a smirk on his face that clearly read that what he said that he was going to be around and watching, and he was not going to stop either. She should have taken that note seriously. He never kids around and this was a little different. She took an awful long time to stand up. Hades shook his head and he said, "No, I'm worse. You can cure a cold with a potion. Nothing will send me away though. Tough talk for someone who managed to get subdued by three men that ran like cowards." Hades folded his arms across his chest and he smirked almost full of insolence. Hades glanced up at the sky and the rain continued to pour, but the thunder and lightning seemed to have subsided for the time being. Good, then they won't have to worry about being struck down with lightning since that seemed to be the biggest threat to Hades right now. Though if Axel turned on him, it would be a different story. They were on the same side, so chances of that happening were slim. Hades shrugged a bit, and he said, "And any scream can very well be silenced." Hades could easily use Langlock or Silencio upon her if she tried to scream. He wouldn't know how her nonverbal magic worked, but it would do for a little while that is.

Hades turned his attention to Axel and nodded along with what he said. If she was not taken care of, then she might die anyway or lose that leg. But what struck him as curious and something that he had been thinking about for some time... She did not want people taking care of her at all. What made it so bad to be taken care of from time to time? She seemed to really hate it. Hades thought that she was afraid of anyone coming close to her, but he would figure it out eventually. Though when Axel pointed out something, that Etoile was not interested - knowing full well what it meant - and that he was not happy with what came. He even went as far as calling her something rather rude. But Hades knew that it could have been any girl that acted like that and he would have received the same response. Hades shrugged lightly, and then the last sentence made him narrow his eyes. Hades did not want Etoile to get away from him, and he had told Axel that. Hades hissed, "Axel, that is not what I-" But the next words and the glare that he received silenced Hades for the time being. "Ghostface, does it look like I give a rat's arse about what your plans were? You wanted her alive, so shut it and let me do my work." Hades shook his head and he took a small step back from Axel. He unfolded his arms across his chest, and he realized that when Axel got mad, it reminded him of his own father. Hades knew that Axel would make a fine Head of the Zhefarovich family. "Fine, if she lets you." But he had told her that if she was healed, then she could get away. Hades really did not want to have to lose track of her again. It lasted for a while, but then again, it was only a few days or a week to get caught back on track.

 

[Etoile Lefevre]

Etoile narrowed her eyes and tried to catch on with what Axel had said to Hades, it was in a foreign language so she didn't quite understand him as she would have liked to. It was either Slovak or Bulgarian, she couldn't tell which and she couldn't speak the language either. English and French were the only two languages she happened to know at all. She hated this too, all of it she couldn't stand. How she was stuck in this situation with Hades and there was nothing she could do to stop Hades from following her. He found her even now and she hadn't been away form him for long. What was the meaning of this persistence that he now had with following her? Could he just not leave her be and let her move on with her life like she had planned to for the longest time? Were her threats to his life meaningless to him? Etoile didn't know want to do anymore because her life was becoming too involved with the ghostly pale man in front of her, yes he just saved her life but she wanted to handle this on her own. Not have his family get involved in her affairs. Not have him follow her around for so many different reasons. And definitely not to have Hades in her life. How would she ever take over the Lefevre family, get her heir, and convince Danielle that she was worthy enough to take over the family if Hades was holding her back by the back? "I doubt I'd lose my leg but you appear to be right, I'm not going to get very far with this. I suppose I should thank you now as well Hades, for destroying my home after I left. I hope you enjoyed the little nap you took." Turning her head she could hear her pet Raven squawk off in the distance and she knew that once her leg was healed she'd be okay to run off on Hades again. Her head was forming plans already and she felt so cruel but it didn't matter. This little obsession Hades had was going to end here and she was going to make sure of that. If the last time didn't work then this time was going to have to. He had destroyed her home by breaking all of her picture frames with her and anyone else in them. Luckily he didn't destroy the photos themselves. Reaching into her bag she pulled out all the pictures he had smashed the pictures frames of and help them up. Every one of them with her and the person in them were perfectly in tact. "These people mean more to me than you ever will, just so you know." This was true, and her eyes reflected that.

When the blonde male started to speak to her rudely Etoile narrowed her eyes but kept quiet. He must not have been very happy about her freaking out. Could one really blame her though. Etoile was about to open her mouth and reply to the blonde about healing her leg but Hades interrupted her by saying something first. But even he was silenced by Axel. That was not what he..what? Was there a plan behind this or something? Etoile bit her lip and took a step back herself as she tried to decide what it was that she wanted from them. To be healed and run away or to remain injured and keep herself distanced from him. Most likely the first because she wanted to be away from Hades and this wound was really hurting her. It stung and felt like it was being ripped out from the inside out. "Would you please heal me then? But- Hades has to stay over there, and not anywhere near me." Etoile pointed the place where she wanted Hades to stay. Not close to her and not near Axel while he healed her. She didn't trust Axel and she didn't trust Hades but she supposed that it was either remain injured or let them through for a moment. This was just a pain in the ass for her that she wasn't sure how she really wanted this to be dealt with.

 

[Axel Zhefarovich]

After Axel managed to hush Hades for the time being, he smirked almost as if he were full of arrogance. Not many could do that at all, not when it came to Hades. Axel raised an eyebrow, but figured that Etoile was thanking him, but thanking Hades for wrecking her home. He turned to look at Hades, before laughing softly, and approaching Etoile once she asked to be healed. Axel bent down on one knee, and he stared at the wound. He smirked a bit, waved his lighter wand over the wound, and muttered some healing spells. With a few moments, her leg was healed. He stood up straight and he for once smiled genuinely down at her. Axel decided to introduce himself, "Axel Zhefarovich, Hades' uncle. Pleasure to meet you, Etoile." Axel then whispered, in broken French from what he picked up on during his journeys around the world as a Death Eater, "Run while you can." Axel glanced over at Hades and he, for payback and laughs, was telling Etoile to leave. Axel went back over to Hades' side, and he glanced down at his knuckles, somewhat brushed. He asked his nephew, "Think I should heal these before I go home to Avory? Or wear them as battle wounds?" He was basically making sure that Etoile would have a good head start. Nothing like chasing down a woman when she is healed and has a few second head start at least. There was a shine to his eyes, and a smirk as well.

 

[Etoile Lefevre]

Etoile eyed the blonde man carefully when he smirked. If he was anything like Hades than she knew better to think the smirk he was wearing had anything good behind it. She either needed to watch her back or he found something to be extremely amusing about the situation she was in. It wasn't until he laughed softly and approached her that she tensed up and bit her lip nervously. Though she didn't let it be seen on her face that she was nervous. Instead she forced it to contort to coldness and anger so it wouldn't be obvious that she was worried about her life right now. Her brother had always warned her not to let people see that she was scared, because they tended to use that against people when they knew. The man bent down on one knee, and he stared at the wound just as Etoile's silvery eyes flicked over it. Hopefully it wasn't as serious as it felt right now. He took his wand and waved it over the wound and said some spell that she supposed would help heal her leg. It took a moment or two but her wound completely healed. Extending it out to inspect it Etoile even brought her finger out to brush over it. There wasn't even a scar to be shown. He was a lot better then he looked. Her eyes flicked back onto him to see him give her a genuine smile. Now she was a bit curious as to what was going on now. This was Hades' uncle? Goodness that was a lot closer then she might have guessed. But she didn't know what to really say back to him. "Thank you." She thanked him for healing her leg but she didn't really greet him much at all, he already knew her first name and that she and Hades seemed to have some sort of History. The less Hades' family knew about her, the better as she wouldn't be sticking around long enough for any of them to care probably. Unless they knew about Danielle and the Lefevre's at all. Then he spoke in some very poorly spoken French; 'Run while you can'. Etoile furrowed her brows, sure she understand his poor excuse of a sentence but it took her a moment to piece it together. When she did she understood fully. He was giving her the chance to run away and get away from Hades. Her head nodded softly as she waited for the perfect opportunity. She waited until Axel reached Hades and gave her an open chance. Once Axel opened his mouth to speak Etoile turned her body and ran. Ran in the opposite direction and as quickly as her legs could carry her. The rain letting up a little bit Etoile dashed through the woods and as far away from Hades and Axel as she could get. She would need to thank that man later.

 

[Hades Styx]

A growl could have been heard from the throat of Hades when she spoke about the nap that he took. Never was she going to get the better of him again. Hades furrowed his brows together and his white hands turned into fists. He would get her back for that, he would guarantee that with his own life. Plans were already in session. Though Hades was not pleased with the outcome, and he still thought over what he had done that night. He smashed up the pictures, punched through the floor. One would not know that Hades really had a temper, but he did. Hades stared over at the pictures that she held up, and he was about to say that he could gladly catch them on fire, but he remained as silent as the wind. He wiped some of the water from the sky that had landed on his face and shook the water from his hand. Hades listened as Etoile asked to be healed, but if Hades stayed where he was. That seemed rather redundant. He was going to be here regardless. Axel went over and healed her, and was glad that Axel was able to do so very easily. Hades was unfortunate to not catch onto what Axel had said in French, well broken French, to Etoile, but that was before Axel came over and asked him a question.

Hades glanced down at the wounds, having to take his eyes off of Etoile at the time. "I'd not bother. Avory might enjoy the story," shrugged the Dark Priest. Once his eyes gazed up to see Etoile, she was gone. She had run again. Hades turned his glare to Axel to see him smirked and laughing before he apparated off. Hades looked all around him, lightning flashed, and thunder roared, and blocked out his thoughts. He thought with a growl, You can run, but you cannot hide. Hades would have to keep track of her. He figured out which direction she was running in, but this time, he was going to not just chase her down, and keep an eye on her, but she had to go home eventually. Hades smirked darkly, before he stepped into the shadows and vanished. Hades left a present, for Etoile when she got home. On her bed, there was a single word below the word "Once". "Twice" was what it said. However, on the other page, there was a rose. Blood red, and dripping in blood. It soaked the pages, and there was no sign of intrusion or Hades after that was left. Everything there had a symbol, and it was all a mystery. What could they mean? Hades only knew...