Devils Crossing. Teaser.

Standing in the galley cooking bacon in a frying pan on the stove, is a small Japanese woman of about twenty four years of age. She is the long suffering personal assistant of James Nickson, the bass player and founder of a highly popular Death Metal band Hades Gate. Small in stature with long raven coloured hair streaked with hot pink and purple strands around her fringe that for the most part covers her glassy looking dark brown eyes. She blankly stares straight ahead, not even seeming to be paying much attention to the sizzling strips of bacon that she's pushing around inside the pan in front of her. Nearby is a dryer that she'd turned on earlier that day and even when it finishes it's cycle and beeps loudly to make her aware of this, she barely reacts to it. Slowly putting down the spatula the young woman turns and makes her way over to it. Reaching out and shutting off the machine and blindly opening the door while pulling the washing basket closer. She pulls the clothes out and places them in the basket, then picking it up again she takes the basket to the galley door and drops it on the floor. Then slowly walking back she kicks the dryer door closed with her foot and returns to the pan on the stove.

Her name is Min Xui and she had met James and the band when they had been touring around Japan after the release of their third album. Although she hardly spoke a word of English, she had made the decision that she was going to join them in some way. So had practised a speech in English until she was word perfect. Finally managing to sneak backstage and make her way into the dressing room. When James walked in she instantly began speaking and by the time she finished talking the guy had made the decision that he liked her gall. So he hired her. It wasn't until later that night, after introducing her to the rest of the band and making a big show of having her as his assistant, that James worked out that she couldn't understand a single word that he was saying to her. But he kept her on anyway and slowly they worked out a system that they were both comfortable with. Slowly she's been learning new words, mostly related to alcoholic beverages and the odd invented swear word or insulting phrase. She had bought herself an English phrase book, but when James saw her practising with it. He pointed at it, shouted "EVIL!" then instantly set it on fire. She gathered from that that either he was incredibly drunk at the time, or was making it clear that he didn't want her to learn. So she went back to simple hand gestures and slowly working out what he wanted through trial and error. He just didn't seem to care, even if it did frustrate them both. Neither did she after a time. Because just being his assistant made her famous. Fans would often ask to be photographed with her and get her autograph, because she went everywhere with him. Even sitting just off to one side in interviews.

Regardless of their endless fights and arguments between James and Min, journalists quickly learned just how fiercely loyal she was to the man. She was once offered ten grand from a journalist who wanted to find out just how many women James had actually slept with and if there were any children produced from such encounters. She turned the guy down, even when he doubled and tripled the offer. She told James, when she could eventually get the message across, what the guy was up to. Then left him to work out what to do about the man himself. Later that week, Min heard that the journalist had a run in with a rather nasty motorcycle gang and later still, when he got out of hospital, he quit his job and left the country, moving to Brazil. She tried to find out if James had anything to do with it, but wasn't able to get him to speak about it. But the fact is that most know not to cross the man, because terrible things often follow. Min seemed to be the only one who could make much of a difference to him. While most would steer clear when James was in a foul mood, Min seemed to just wade in fearlessly. Their screaming matches could be heard reverberating around whole buildings. His gravelly snarling voice and her broken English and strings of Japanese swear words. She was forever snatching bottles of rum from his hand and half dragging, half carrying him to his room to sleep off drinking binges. The next morning they would be huddled together laughing and talking as though the night before was nothing more than a dream. Many had wondered if Min and James were sleeping with each other. But a quick word to the band members would result in them rolling around on the floor in gales of laughter. Which would tell you the answer was a distinct no. James liked the girl, because even when she was bossing him around she held a deep respect for him and his wishes. Min liked James, even though he was most definitely not her type and liked to play power games that would make her blood boil. Fact is, they had a well oiled business relationship and nothing more. Although he did like to tease her by making lewd suggestions and comments that would have her run screaming from the room covering her mouth as though about to be sick. Something he often used to shut down arguments when he was tired of fighting with her.

Tthen suddenly the girl stopped behaving this way with the man. She almost completely stopped talking and would walk through rooms looking as though lost in some kind of daze. She doesn't react to pain or sharp sudden sounds and seems more like a robot than a human being. The only person who seems able to talk to her is James, and she whispers her responses back to him, rather than speaks out loud. It seemed as though her whole affect had been sucked out and replaced with half a house brick. Most had assumed that she was high on drugs. But for her well noted and fanatic dislike of them. She'd even attempted to get James to stop once. But the instant the words became clear to him, he turned almost evil and gave her a very distinct no, then threatened to fire her if she ever spoke about it again. The conversation was dropped and she never did make another attempt. Not long after her sudden personality change, someone pointed out James' Satanism and seconds later the rumour mill began to vibrate wildly. The suggestion is that he had something to do with it. A week later someone leaked the story to the press. Apparently James had gone back to his hotel room after a performance and had cooked up a potion that he had been working on for a few days. Deciding to store it, he placed it in one of Min's personalised water bottles. Then went out to an after performance party. Not wishing to join him, Min remained behind to get his clothes ready for an interview the next morning. Not realising what he'd done, she accidentally drank the potion, thinking it was her water. She's been turned into a zombie and he didn't know until he found her much later that night. Of course James denies it. But he does add that their working relationship is better than ever.

In truth he did do it, quite by accident of course. The potion was actually meant for a critic who had been making some very derogatory remarks about him and he wanted to make him stop. He'd originally made several attempts to turn her back, but nothing had worked. Except that she regained a small amount of free will, which pleased him because he was getting tired of having to tell her what to do every five minutes. Especially in relation to bathing, dressing, eating and going to the toilet, all of which she started doing herself without him having to prompt her. Unfortunately, she does take things quite literally now. So he does have to be careful about what he tells her to do. The best thing, as far as James is concerned, is that because she's a zombie, he isn't required to pay her anymore. So he took advantage and now she's pretty much his personal slave and body guard. Being a martial arts expert and not able to feel pain, she can take down people three times bigger than herself and because she's just as fiercely loyal as she ever was before. She doesn't hesitate to step in and protect him if she believes he's in trouble.

Tired and worn out from constant touring and wanting to end on a high note. James put the band on a permanent hiatus. He'd made his money and bought himself a private island in the Bahamas. Called Devils Cay, he spent an almost despicable amount of money developing the 117.00 acres of island to his liking. On a small mountain of rock at almost the centre of the island, surrounded by trees and in some places almost hidden from view, is a huge mansion. The lower two floors of which are dug deep into the rock. The mansion is only accessible via a set of stairs that leads to an elevator, which takes you up into the mansion itself, or down to the maintenance hub and a few hidden bedrooms. Not attached to the mainland, how the island functions is a complete mystery. Asking James results in his trademark evil sneer and the answer "Magic".

Born in June of 1966 in a little hamlet just outside Essex, to a drunken father and a mother who had been suffering with bipolar disorder for many years. James barely got to know his mother, before she was taken away and placed back into an asylum for attacking a barman at one of the local pubs with a hatchet. Standing at 5ft 10 in Cuban heeled boots. He has deep brown, almost black eyes, high cheekbones and and aquiline nose. Overall a rugged masculine look that most women tend to look twice at. Spending much of his time in jail keeping fit and trim, he's athletically built, but not overtly muscular. The only flaw is a small paunch due to his drinking, but it's barely noticeable unless you specifically look for it. With shoulder length slightly greying hair, styled almost like a mullet but with a thick fringe that almost covers his eyes. The other noticeable feature are his sharp almost shark-like teeth, that he specifically had filed to points, to give him a menacing look. He has tattoos. On his back, he has two folded dragon wings, that extend down to just above his buttocks and on his right upper arm, a small pentagram. He also wears a gold inverted crucifix, given to him by his brother for his 16th birthday, which he never takes off.

Growing up, he and his older brother Lester very quickly had to learn how to dodge their fathers tirades, without their mother there to protect them and would often be seen wandering the streets late at night. Expected to bring money into the house from almost the time they both could walk and string an intelligent sentence together. Lester and James developed a very efficient partnership. With the much younger James sometimes faking an injury and convincing a sympathetic lady to let him and his brother come inside her house for a while. James was very good at feigning tears and distracting her, while Lester disappeared upstairs and robbed the woman blind. They would then take the goods to a local pawn dealer and sell them on. Keeping a little for themselves and giving the rest to their dad. Which he would then take to the local pub and spend on more booze.

Being four years older, Lester soon found other means of gaining money and eventually ended up in jail. By the time James was 11 years old, his brother had a fairly long criminal background and had spent more time in the company of the police than at home protecting the young boy from his father's rage. It didn't take long for James to develop a bad attitude, but his self confidence somehow remained fairly high. He learned how to emotionally shut down and just stop listening. Determined to get away from his dad, he started teaching himself how to play the bass guitar and formed a school band. His popularity at school and the fact that the little band did very well, boosted his belief in himself and when he finally graduated, was more determined than ever to become the huge success he believed he could be. Which he would have done much sooner, if he'd simply continued down that path instead of rejoining his brother and continuing on his criminal path. Eventually the two brothers got caught burgling a house and a moment later, the home owner was dead and the two young men were being taken back to lock-up. Neither one would say who pulled the trigger. So they were both charged with manslaughter and ended up with a fifteen year sentence in Chelmsford Prison. Given time off for good behaviour, the young man was released after only serving ten years. Not that it made that much of a difference, because by that time he'd developed into a much meaner and nastier individual than he ever was before. But staying in what was once considered one of the most disgraceful prisons in the system had been the motivation he'd needed. James was back on track and ready to start working on his musical career. Now a man of thirty, he knew exactly what he wanted and had no intention of letting anything else get in his way. After a few false starts and some band member jostling, he finally had his line up and four years later, smashed his way to the top with a hit first album. Ringing his brother still in prison, James told him of his success and beamed with pride when his brother said that he'd heard him on the radio and was quite proud. But three years later, Lester committed suicide. Which disappointed the young man, but James was determined to give his older brother the biggest and most lavish funeral that he could. He'd wanted to share some of his success with him and if this had to be the way, then he'd pull out all the stops. He then wrote a tribute album and the first single from it, My Brother's Keeper, he wrote specifically about and for Lester. The album  and single both went straight to number one on the alternative charts and stayed there for three weeks.

Known to be a very difficult person to interview, which he does on purpose to the delight of his fans. James tends to take them over and often makes a point of talking more to the audience and poking fun at the interviewer. Rather than answering any of his or her direct questions. Even though he keeps many of the gory details of his life secret, James isn't opposed to give out a few highlights here and there. Often things that he's emotionally resolved and doesn't wish to cling onto anymore. Quite simply because he no longer cares about them. Not that he's one to regret anything that he's done, because he regrets nothing. Sometimes he holds onto things more to resolve them and understand them before he lets anyone else scrutinise them. In this way, he has an answer for it all and no one can catch him off guard. Not that he's left much for interviewers to catch him out with, because he's pretty much touched every subject of his life, even telling them about his time in Chelmsford. His idea being that in giving them 99% of himself, they can't go down the road of ruining his career by doing any shock horror exclusives. He even makes it clear that he's an alcoholic and a drug addict. As far as his Satanism is concerned, he let them know that he's a LeVeyan, but refuses to discuss it, stating that all it ever does is cause arguments and he can't be bothered with it. That's when they can get him to actually talk to them of course. In between the caustic comments, foul language and sarcastic one liners that tends to floor anyone within earshot of him. At the end of the day, James is the epitome of the kind of Gothic rocker that many young men have wished they could be. And unashamedly, he's often the first to mention that, while swigging back on a bottle of rum and chain smoking his way through half a pack of Lucky Lungs.

Tucked away in a room near the maintenance hub at the bottom of the island, is Steven Temple. The 28 year old former lead singer of the now defunct rock band Excalibur, due to his chronic drug addiction, was an overnight success with a hit album and three singles that went platinum in less than a week. Dubbed a musical genius, the young man found himself surrounded by adoring female fans who would fling themselves on the stage at his feet and try to drag him into the audience. Not ready for such a reaction, he took to drugs as a form of coping and within a year everything that he'd accomplished, ended up in the toilet. His next album was so unusual and full of bizarre imagery, that no one understood it. There was a whole lot of in-fighting and that was when Steven remembered to turn up. He fired people who tried to help him, and often was so doped to the eyeballs that he had no idea where he was. Not long later, his guitarist and drummer quit and went to other bands, his bassist followed and when his manager mentioned it, the young man hadn't even noticed.  

One of the last things he did before he finally fizzled into obscurity, was an interview in a Hilton hotel room. His manager came to the room to call him to the function room and making sure he was okay, left again to make sure the journalists were ready, assuming Steven would follow soon after. The young man got to the foyer and stepped out, instantly forgetting why he was there. Assuming he was suppose to be somewhere else, he took the elevator back upstairs to get his luggage. James was at the same hotel at that time in another function room doing his interview at the time. And unbeknownst to him Steven was making his way into his room. Seeing a red guitar case sitting next to the bed, Steven took it, thinking it was his and wandered downstairs and out of the building after checking out. Finishing his interview, James made his way back upstairs and after wondering why a man in a grey suit was looking very sweaty and worried as he swept past him, he made his way into his room. Instantly he saw his favourite bass guitar, a blood red flea bass that had been autographed by his idol Ozzy Osbourne, and it's scarlet coloured case were missing. Racing after the sweaty man, James dove on him and beat him up, demanding to know where his guitar was. The man, Steven's manager, told him that he had no idea and was worried because he had lost his client. Not because he just stole the furious bassist's guitar. So James let him go and went back to the foyer to ask anyone at the desk if they had seen it. One of the hotel porters mentioned that he'd seen Steven Temple leaving with a case just like that. But had no idea where he went. When James finally caught up to him three days later, there was no sign of the bass and Steven had no idea what he was talking about. A few quick punches to the head changed that, and he did remember that he'd taken it, but couldn't remember what he did with it. So James punched him some more, but it seemed that Steven had indeed forgotten. From that moment on Steven became a permanent fixture at James' side. Because the bassist has no intention of letting him out of his sight until he gets his guitar back. Taking over his drug regime to make sure he doesn't overdose and die without telling him, James has pretty much ended up taking over his life. Not that the singer is that bothered, because Steven believes that the bassist was being nice and had saved him from sinking even deeper into the mire. Still a drug addict, broke and relying on James for his fix. He's not so bad that he's a dribbling mess like he used to be all the time. But he is still addicted enough to not want to leave James and put an end to his free supply. He turns to James for everything from drugs to food and clothes, because he no longer has a choice. Even though the guy endlessly complains and continues to ask why he's not allowed to go wherever he wants. James enjoys the fact that he has another person under his complete control and likes to remind the guy of the fact that he owes him for all that he's done for him. Taking him with him to his private island has ensured the guy can't escape his clutches. And so long as he stays down in the bowels of the island and doesn't complain too much when he ventures up for daily walks and occasional meals, James is very happy.



Seven years after having himself dropped off on the island, James was meandering along the beach looking for interesting bits of driftwood while puffing away on a cigarette. When he suddenly spotted something up ahead. Thinking that perhaps it was a seal of some kind, his cruel streak creeps into view and he hurries a little closer, looking for a stick or something similar that he could use to poke and harass it with. But once close enough to make it out better, he sees that it's a man. Judging from the blue colouration to the bits of skin that he can see, a very dead one. His demeanour slumps a little, because the only person he'd had to speak to was the dullard back in the mansion. But all that guy tended to do was whine and complain, until he finally lost his temper and beat seven bells out of him until he shut up. So very early on in the first year he'd sent him packing to his room under threat of death if he stepped out of it again. So since then he'd hardly spoken to anyone. Given Min was a zombie, she was hardly conversational, so he gave up even trying with her quickly. His band members had warned him that isolating himself out here would be a mistake, because he'd wind up with some freaky form of cabin fever. But he mocked them and said he wasn't a pansy and could handle anything. Looks like they'd been right. But not the kind to admit defeat or allow anyone the chance to say I told you so, he refused to pick up his phone and call them. Just in case they guessed that that was why he'd rung. His caustic tone and affect meant that he didn't really make friends easily. So in effect he may as well have been the only man left in the whole world. Now it seems he had company. But by the looks of it, the silly sod went and died on him before he got here. So what's the point of even bothering to turn up at all? He grimaces and mutters to himself while rolling up his sleeves and preparing to drag the body further up out of the water. Leaning down he takes note of the jacket the body is wearing and smiles. Not a total loss, at least the guy had bothered to bring him a present. He straightens again and begins to study the corpse a little more.

The blue man looked to be very tall. To be certain the bassist twists his head on an almost uncomfortable angle to reckon it out and in doing so realises just how tall and widens his eyes at the sight. With jet black hair plastered down one side of his sand-encrusted face, he looked a rather pathetic sight. But it still didn't mask the fact that it was a rather pleasant looking face. Catching on to that thought, James shudders and shakes it from his mind, mentally kicking himself for thinking like that in the first place. He leaned down to begin dragging the body away from the water and relieve it of its jacket. Reminding himself that he doesn't and never would swing that way, no matter how lonely he got.