The best place for this had been one of the classrooms It was larger and she felt safer in the classroom then out in the wilderness somewhere though recalling the slime that chased her and Rhaine all about she knew that it wasn't safe as well but there was a bit of comfort in that she could at least try to get someplace safe should things go wrong.

While at the library actually looking up a few things for chemistry that she rarely had to bother with this book was in the chemistry section. At first she thought it had been put back in the wrong place. Then she thought it was a plant meant for her or some other unsuspecting student to find. But knowing what she knew Etolie resisted the lure for as long as possible. But she couldn't help it. She had a thirst for power, a thirst in command and while she hated it she realized that the things here had been stronger.

But she was actually working with one of them for a time. Now she was gone though. She lost that power though the black ring on her finger was worn, a gift from Arblis charged by desires. If things backfired on her today she figured she could charge up the ring at least so it wouldn't be a total loss.

The thing was she was trying to regain that lost power tired of having to behave, afraid of misbehaving longing for the old days yet teetering on accepting that she had changed … not really a leopard didn't change their spots or was it cheetahs that had them, whatever.

She thumbed through the book after rearranging the room drawing the desks to the wall, setting up candles and using some paint she managed to come by from the arts department to fashion the summoning circle.

This had been hard work, no wonder why she never bothered with summoning before preferring hoodoo and voodoo. She had no practical experience with this but she was always the sort to go big or go home so she skipped all the smaller things that she could have used to work up the necessary experience convinced that she could handle the novice stuff.

It was time to establish a new partnership … but this was much different then what she was use to. Not just that but some of the symbols had not been so exact as she was unused to doing such detailed work herself outside of a bit of chemistry. It was a good thing that this wasn't the middle of the night but late afternoon where people could be around but the room no longer in use for the day. But factor in her lousy enunciation too well that was a recipe for disaster.

Had it been French that would have been one thing but it was Latin. She got results though, her eyes widened at the creature that appeared in the center of the circle in a puff of sulfur and smoke rushing to the door at once as he boldly stepped forth breaking that circle and showing how ineffectual it was.

She got to the door, managed to get to the hall beyond probably because he allowed it and was playing with her. She saw another student and ran that way, no concern as to what she was doing or any warning. She had hoped that she wasn't aware to what was going on either though as she rushed past she touched her shoulder.

“Tag,” but Etolie did not stop as she kept running hoping that that would baffle her even more and buy her a few extra seconds, perhaps longer if Gersham caught an unsuspecting student just standing there …

Nell had been walking through the science building heading back from her last class of the day. She'd hated the sciences but they were required to graduate so she waited for her last year to take them. She'd opted for Chemistry over Biology because she'd thought it might be more useful in her private magical studies. There were some spells she's found that required potion making to work and they might proved to be more effective than the weak spells she'd learned to cast here.

She was still contemplating what they'd covered in class today, considering when might be the best time to go in to complete the lab assignment when she felt the small magically charged shock wave of a circle breaking nearby. It stymied her for a moment and to froze in mid step. She looked around cautiously, fearing a monster was nearby. She hoped it was Therion again. She was in no mood to be forced into another bargain with him today.

Another student shot out of a nearby room then and started towards her at a run. She caught a flash of determination from a pair of violet eyes as the taller woman dashed passed her, tapping her shoulder as she went. Then she was around the corner, her brown ponytail whipping out behind her as she vanished. "Tag?" She questioned the empty space she'd left.

She felt the weight of dark energies swirling behind her and she turned to look back the way the girl had come from. "Oh, damn it all..." She cursed under her breath when she saw an imposing male figure standing in the doorway the other girl had come from. He might have passed for human if it wasn't for the third eye and claws. Nell retreated a step. Wondering if it was worth trying to run. The other girl had clearly been his original target. Perhaps he'd simply ignore her if she stepped out of his way. Like she could ever be so lucky.

He had spent quite a bit of time off planet to get out from under Aegir's thumb er tentacles so to speak but the monthly check ins were tiresome and during his last visit he chanced upon that forlorn student. He gave her a means of contacting him and so he had lingered behind on the island in the event she used it. Their arrangement in the last exchange had been an exchange, sex for information though sex that was freely given rather than taken as he could have just taken it if he had wanted. It went against the norm and so it had interested him a bit. Besides he didn't give that particular student much information any way.

Since he was staying behind Gersham manufactured that book and stored it in the library. Not the best bait, in fact he figured it would only snare novices who weren't knowledgeable about this place but it would be an amusement when it was sprung so it just required waiting.

Technically he wasn't a demon and couldn't be summoned but he had an easy way around that. He could feel that book being used and simply went invisible using his Shadow Step ability. Next he moved into the circle surprised at what he saw, he had encountered this student before, in fact twice as he recalled and did not expect to snare anyone that actually knew about the nature of this place. He expected some naive novice though he waited for her to finish before manifesting the sulfur and smoke then dropped the invisibility to make it appear as if he had been summoned. Next he would step outside that circle to manifest even more fear.

He could feel that the lingering binds of magic where there but they were weak, easily broken even if he were a true demon He could see that some of the sigils were wrong though by exiting that circle what little magic contained there had shattered and the girl ran as expected.

He gave her the head start to the door deciding to have a little fun with her first though by the time he reached it he could see her dip around a corner and a very confused student there.

A part of him thought to ignore her completely and pursue the student that had tripped the trap teaching her that she could not hope to get away. That was a morbid sense of humor, had he heard correctly? She wasn't even giving the new student a heads up like run or look out. He could sort of follow that logic with being out for herself and all. He started toward her but it just wasn't Nell's day.

The fact that he had that particular student already made the latest arrival all the more appealing so he had changed his mind seeing that she was there indicating that with a smile as he drank in her appearance. If she were uglier than the other or had some undesired trait he may have changed his mind further but she would do and nicely at that. The issue was if she would run or not, not that it would matter in the long run either way.

Nell frowned slightly when the dark haired male shifted his attention from the corner the other girl had disappeared behind to her and a wicked grin spread across his face. She was all too familiar with grins like that. He would be pursuing the other girl. He was more interested in the fresh meat standing there before him. He watched her curiously, clearly waiting to see if she intended to run.

She didn't though. There was no point and she knew it, not while his eyes were trained so fixedly on her. She could try a spell but the ones she had memorized were still too weak. There was the teleportation spell she had bargained with Therion for but she still didn't trust it. It had backfire on her the last time used it and teleported her without her clothes. Therion had said it was safe now but his word wasn't worth much. She sighed dejectedly and met the waiting male's gaze. "Don't suppose you happen to know that girl's name? I'd like to know who I have to thank for dumping me in this mess, at least." She didn't really mean to do anything against the other girl but it was a better icebreaker than 'Please don't rape me, Mr. Monster. I have Chemistry homework to do tonight.'

So she wasn't going to run. Even the one he ended up reaching a bargain with ran initially and even Lacey put up a fight at first. He slowed as he approached bestowing a more discerning look upon her. Not only was she not going to run but didn't begin things with a plea, she knew how useless it would be. She was broken … or attempting a trick of some sort, his third eye would see any danger to him so he wasn't too cautious but more curious.

His grin turned into a brief smile though. It took him a moment to remember back as it was so long ago when he had first encountered her. It was for some disciplinary action in the basement and the second time Midnight brought her so there was no names. He recalled that it started with a vowel but didn't conjure it up until he was an arm length from her.

Her posture wasn't intense and coiled as if she had been drawing him close to kick him low and run either. “It's Etolie. Her last name is a blank to me ...” and as if his own words triggered a memory he smiled again. “It's Leblanc. Etolie Leblanc if I remember her file. You have been here for some time I take it, at least you do not strike me as fresh of the boat. Your name?”

She watched him approached, not deceived by his casual air. He was getting into easy grabbing distance. Still, as long as they were pretending this was a casual meeting and not a prologue to an attack she was okay. He'd make his move eventually but she was well trained. Some monsters reacted better if you did show any signs of fighting them. Not that she wouldn't fight him if he turned out to be another sadist like Luju and Therion but she'd save her strength for now.

He gave her the name of the other girl with a pun. She gave a mirthless little laugh. "Leblanc, I get it." She met his gaze, still trying to take his measure. She seemed to have surprised him. Most girls probably ran by now. She was still no moving, not about to make herself more appealing prey by giving him something to chase. "I'm Nell. And no, I'm far from new to this. May I have your name?" To know who she was going to need to avoid for the rest of her stay on this hellish island.

“Nell.” He repeated the name. He may have heard it at one stage as he thought upon it for a moment. Thinking if there was another student that mentioned it but that was not right. But he had heard it. He was just a thought and yet as good as real. You would have thought that he would have a better memory but it was no different then most other beings.

He let it go, it would come to him later. If not then it wasn't truly important. “Gersham,” he stated reaching toward her cheek but not touching her if she flinched. If not he would simply duck a strand of hair behind her ear or stroke the side of her cheek with a pair of knuckles.

But it was his turn to surprise her though he didn't think she would go for it. Still he did not know what she had been through and seeing how Etolie just tossed her to the wolves he knew that humans were a vengeful bunch.

“Why don't we deal with Miss Leblanc together?” She was at an all girl's school but he did not leap to any assumptions. “I could be your weapon of choice.”

His hand drew away though, he had been more interested in seeing any sort of change there and how she worked through it. If he could not frighten her into running he went back to the thing he did best, playing with temptation. Even if she declined he relished the decisions that one worked through.

“But that is your call, Nell.” He had not offered her any sort of deal or exchange yet, he wasn't in bargain mode but was not above entertaining one either, it was sort of a trade of his. Not always his first choice but something he was open to never the less.

She couldn't suppress her fight or flight instincts entirely and shied away from Gersham's hand when he moved to touch her. He didn't seem offended though. Instead, he made her a surprising offer. He offered to help her get back at Etolie for passing her the buck of dealing with the monster. She quirked a brow at him. "Hmm... That's an interesting proposal..." One she fully intended to refuse but she made a show of thinking it over, to forestall him from starting in on her right away if nothing else.

"And what would I do in such a scenario? I'm sure you've noticed that I'm not much of a fighter." That was another lie but she decided it was for the best to stick with the pretense she had started up. If he underestimated her she might have a chance of getting away later. "I suppose I could except your offer to be my weapon but..." She trailed off, waiting for him to bring up the topic of payment. It was a power play she'd read about in some business book. In a payment negotiation, the first to throw out a number lost. She wanted to know what he wanted before she offered anything. Ever if she was going to refuse his offer in the long run, the negotiation would give her some clue as to what she could expect from him.

Her reaction had not been terribly surprising. She had been use to this but didn't want it, a natural response. She flinched but held her ground though soon he had retracted the touch of his knuckles that melted down her cheek. Etolie had a bit of a head start now and assuming that she even went for it they'd have to set up a future encounter as he would be unable to run her down and get Nell to follow without some serious convincing but he did not have time for that.

He was good at deciphering lies, his third eye always saw the truth and body language though he was uncertain about her statement of not being much of a fighter. She was stalling maybe but that would only draw out their dealings so he did not rush her, once they got started the same length of time was going to be spent on matters unless they had some sort of agreement or bargain.

Gersham looked at her again, looking for signs of athletic ability size and what not. But there was nothing telling not that anything would stand out. Lacey was rather small but a skilled fighter … well if not here with the inhibitors so there was no way to validate her skill.

“You're not a drama student, I know that much. You would serve as the director. In a sense you would call all the action sequences. You're weapon, but if you are not interested we can get started.” He held out a hand to her palm up as if inviting her to take it the intent was to draw her out of the hall at least to the vacated classroom not that intrusions had been an issue but they were a distraction.

Her features tensed with the first outward signs of fear as he extended a hand to her, offering to led her to privacy before he had his way with her. She watched his hand like a snake she expected to bite her. He'd called her bluff. Now she had to turn him back onto Etolie, at cost to herself for using him, or he would commence taking his pleasure just from her. She wasn't going to sic a monster on another student, even if she deserved it. Still, taking that hand and going willing with him...

She'd done it before. Given up without even a token resistance. Once with Luju, the first time. But she was coming off an encounter with the demon's father and too weak and terrified to fight anymore. Luju had been a big mistake in any case. The biggest of her life. The second time had been her last meeting with Aegir. They had had a bargain though and he was a gentle lover compared to the other monsters on this island. She had no idea what Gersham kink was yet. She could be making as big as a mistake as Luju if she went with him without even a token resistance.

She drew her eyes back up to his and asked seriously. "Is it going to hurt?"

He saw the hesitance there. His arm remained extended toward her waiting for her own to take it. He witnessed all the the issues she had been going through, to take his hand or not to take it. She had not run though and he didn't know if she had that thought on her mind. It was evident that she had been thinking back on things but rather than run and delay the inevitable she asked a question.

Gersham had not encountered such a question before. Either his prey put up a hell of a fight before hand or had been too terrified to ask assuming the worse. As an incubus he had dealt with all manners of kinks and perversions usually summoned for such tasks at least he had such memories.

“Only if you wish it to,” he answered. Some had been into pain to varying degrees though he could gather a guess that she had not been one of the later. She didn't seem the sadistic sort either and it had not surprised him that she had not jumped at the chance to get Etolie back or hope to save her own skin in the process. It would have deviated from the norm so he made that offer but really with her already here there had been no reason to delay unless he could entertain himself with something new.

His eyes settle to her own though trying to read her further. He had no mental abilities but had been perceptive. He noted her shoulders in particular for any trace movements and her eyes to judge what was going on behind them a bit better.

“I'm guessing you do not wish it to.”

She shook her head in response. "No, I'm not a masochist." Sure, in the heat of the moment she had found she enjoyed a little rough passionate sex but that wasn't the same as being into full on BDSM. She didn't know Gersham well enough to confess this to him though. She was relieved to hear he wasn't the type who would hurt her simply because he enjoyed it. "That's why I'm not running. I've known too many of your kind that would punish a girl for simply trying to run."

She shrugged and looked to his out stretched hand again. "I'm a little concerned accepting that hand will give you the wrong idea about me. I would run if I thought I had a chance of getting away. That's why I didn't agree to help you go after Etolie. Her methods might be a little heartless but I can't blame her for doing what she could to escape..." She trailed off and gave the monster another once over. He had clearly had dealings with the other girl before and she seemed to have thought it was worth it to try and get away from him. Nell had no real inkling as to his power level. It was likely he could overpower her regardless but if she didn't even try to fight him then it was like she was helping him. If she found out later that he was a complete bastard would she look back at this moment and wish she had fought. She sighed wearily, her voice already sounding defeated. "I really am not in mood for a fight right now. But I don't think I can, in good conscience, just give myself over to you. You are going to have to... convince me a bit more, if you want me to come willingly."

He withdrew his hand rather then just having it hang out there like that. “I may have opted to punish you to some degree if the chase ended up being particularly annoying but not likely. Running would not do you any good though. It wouldn't have done Etolie any good at all and if I wasn't playing with her a little but you know how the rest of that tale goes. If you could have seen the look on her face when I bypassed her conjuration circle … I guess you just had to be there.”

He had considered. He liked fighting but the inhibitors got in the way when he was here. Earning a prize was far better than just having one handed to him, he was an incubus and had sex far more times then his pseudo memories could remember. Slowly he looked her over.

Her attire wasn't conducive for combat and in the middle of the corridor wasn't the best of places either. “But you do not wish pain ...” well a handicap could be interesting. He thought a little. “In which venue do you wish to battle? We do not have to do so right this instant either. Tomorrow night, perhaps, assuming I'm not busy. I'll do you one better, if I don't show you win by default and can get off the hook so to speak. I'll need a student ID though to confirm who you are in case you don't show I'll know who to look for.”

He didn't mind scaring students, he most likely did more and though he did not have an infinite degree of patience he had enough to wait a bit, definitely not the sort just to tare into her right away. And he didn't mind negotiating, those were some of the key features she noted.

He had claws but they were small but he had no further weapons and either did not need them to subdue students or had some other method or ability. He indicated he was summoned so he probably had a degree of magical ability too though he had not shown her any signs as to what it had been just yet.

Nell gave give a look of alarm at his offer to meet in "honorable combat", as it were. "That... really wasn't what I meant..." She choked out, face warming in embarrassment. "I really don't want to fight you at all... I doubt I'd even stand a chance against you." She did think is comment about her winning by default if he was a no show was much of a consolation. If he was interested enough then he'd definitely show. She sighed and looked away. This was unbearably awkward. She couldn't believe he was offering to do battle with her for the right to boff her.

"I didn't mean 'convince me' as a euphemism. I actually meant convince me, with like words." She explained, slightly exasperated now. She'd been on this stupid island too long. She massaged the bridge of her nose. "Or... I don't know. Show me a display of your power, nothing painful, just something to indicate that it would be a waste of time trying to fight you."

“Oh,” he grinned once more. A display that wasn't painful but had made it seem like a futile effort in fighting him. It had not taken him long to come up with something. He turned backing away, the display a bit more effective with a bit more distance placed between them.

She didn't want to dread the remainder of a day pondering whether or not he'd show or take too long entertaining someone else only to miss their meeting which was probably the only way he would have missed it. He turned seeing that she had not run though he did not expect her to take advantage of his back being turned for such a sort moment. If she were going to run she would have done so already.

He pointed to the floor at her feet the wood erupting as a series of skeletal hands reached through them grabbing at her ankles. It the palm of the other he effortlessly generated a sphere of black miasma. Incredibly cold it sapped the heat from whatever it touched the dart as he referred to it though it was more or less shaped like a baseball could make a targeted area feel numb and even paralyze it for a time with to much exposure.

It came at her zipping past her ear with an inch or so to spare It may have been a near miss or a deliberate one, it was damn close. But that was not all. He was quicker, one effect following another with well rehearsed precision. These were abilities he called upon often it seemed.

He stepped into a shadow, vanished moving to another somewhere behind her. A bare moment later she could feel the brush of knuckles against her cheek again and a hand settle upon her hip. Leaning in from behind her he dropped his tone since he was more or less near her ear.

“I have used a restrained target as practice for my aim. I rarely miss under such circumstances. Care to see or is that enough of a demonstration for you?”