The fleet of SUV's glided through the rain; we ran convoy speed, tearing through Berlin just after three in the morning. After Lucy and I had cleaned up, she'd made some calls in rapid-fire German. Not long thereafter, we'd been met by a group of some bad looking dudes, all sharply dressed, all armed to the teeth.
Now I was riding in the back of a behemoth of an armored Benz, dressed in a suit Lucy had picked out for me, a black blazer over a dark red dress shirt, black pants and dress shoes that probably cost more than this convoy and all the hired guns in it, the icing on the cake was Lucy's sigil on my lapel. It was a far cry from my usual blue jeans and a t-shirt, but I had to admit I looked pretty damn good. I shifted in my seat, adjusting the Glock I'd insisted on carrying in a leather shoulder rig.
I kept my eyes fixed on the rooftops, every now and then flicking my gaze through the windshield to the next vehicle in line.
The one carrying Lucy.
Procedure, her guys had said, no two VIP's running in the same vehicle.
To say I was uncomfortable with the arrangement would be an understatement.
Something about the oath I'd sworn, Lucy and I had swapped pieces of ourselves, she'd told me under the hot spray of the shower, I could feel her now, like a warmth that didn't abate no matter the temperature outside.
The hopeless romantic in me was tap-dancing.
We pulled into the parking lot of a darkened warehouse; the radio crackled with German voices as our escort fanned out.
"Alles Klar."
"
Verstanden, Bewegung.
"
My door popped, the hulking German gave me a nod as I stepped out, another guard rotated in, opening an umbrella to shield me from the rain.
That level of deference was gonna take some getting used to.
We moved quickly across the parking lot; Lucy was out ahead of me, striding through the rain like the force of nature that she was, her guards hurrying to keep up.
With a screech of metal on metal, the massive bay door opened wide, revealing the interior of a broken down warehouse. Umbrella guy rotated out, replaced by another as we walked across the expanse, the clack of Lucy's heels echoing off the walls. One of our escorts moved ahead, pushing aside some debris to reveal a well-concealed door, complete with a keypad. Lucy stepped up and punched in a code; the door slid open with a hydraulic hiss.
A flight of stairs wound down into the dark. The guards stepped to the side, and Lucy gestured over her shoulder for me to follow. The journey into the darkness beyond was probably some kind of metaphor for our relationship if I stopped to think about it.
But I was too busy watching the way her slacks hugged her ass.
Step after step into the inky blackness, I could hear voices from below.
And the operation showed its face.
The place was huge, easily extending under city blocks in every direction, but it was the assembled force that held me awestruck.
Hundreds of soldiers milled around; some smoked, some checked weapons, others still chatted idly.
Not one of them were human.
A hulking, bearded demon, easily over eight feet tall, horns and wings visible, dressed head to toe in jet-black Crye gear, offered me a fang-filled grin.
A woman who's features seemed to shift with the light sharpened a wicked-looking blade; her eyes glowed blue as she worked, a scorpion-like tail curled around her feet. She nodded and smiled as Lucy, and I passed.
A four-winged female demon checked what looked like chemical gear over a pair of reading glasses, marking a clipboard as she moved down a line of crates.
And finally, Ari stood at the far end, keeping a watchful eye on the rest of my world.
"Mom," I breathed, stepping it up, blowing past Lucy. She caught sight of me a second later, flying out of her chair, Jen close behind. We crashed into each other; I wrapped my arms around them both, pulling them in tight.
"Hey," trying to keep my voice from shaking and failing hard.
Mom sniffed, "When they came for us...we thought..."
"I know," I whispered, "I'm okay."
I gave Jen, tucker under my right arm, a squeeze, "Hey, kid."
She buried her face in my shoulder and shook.
The relief was overwhelming.
We'd lost enough already.
All eyes were on our little reunion, Lucy stood back, giving us space, but she still washed over me; it felt like a warm embrace to match my family's.
After a long moment, I reluctantly let them go, clearing my throat and wiping my eyes, "Guys, um, this is Lucy."
I stepped to the side and glanced at the Princess of Darkness herself, wringing her hands gently, her body language tight, and her face neutral.
She might as well have been screaming.
Mom was the first one to move, closing the distance and grabbing ahold of her, wrapping the surprised Devil in a tight hug.
Lucy looked at me over Mom's shoulder, bewildered. But her hands crept up, returning the hug. I could hear Mom whispering something to her; Lucy nodded and held her tighter, answering with whispers of her own.
Jen grabbed my hand, "She's...something else."
I squeezed her hand, "Yeah, she really is."
Lucy and Mom separated, smiling at each other. My heart sped up at the sight, a smile blooming across my face.
"I gotta get in on this," Jen whispered, walking up to Lucy and offering a hand; Lucy pulled her into a hug. Whatever she said to Jen dragged a grin out of my baby sister. Jen nodded, and they separated, Jen shot me a thumbs up, and I let out the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
Lucy gave me a million-watt smile, lighting up like a Christmas tree, the lights around us glowing brighter at her unrestrained happiness.
All the blood and death over the last twenty-four hours and I was in a twist over whether or not the family would like the new girlfriend.
Some things remain constant, I guess.
From the look of things, I had nothing to worry about.
Ari, who'd watched the whole scene with a smirk on her face, walked up and side-hugged me, "Alright mate?"
I wrapped an arm around her in turn, "Now I am..." I squeezed her tight, "Thanks for getting them out."
She shook her head, all business, "I wasn't about to let those mutts hurt them."
I let her go, nodding, "It stands; glad you're along for the ride Ari."
"Nowhere else I'd rather be."
Lucy took that moment to address the hundreds of assembled soldiers in a booming voice that caught me off guard, echoing off the walls and into the distance.
"My children, none of us are under any illusions about our undertaking; the enemy we face is not of Heaven or Hell, not of Humanity, but the three combined. They seek to disrupt the balance that we have kept for eons, to wipe clean the realms over which we hold dominion, they will stop at nothing."
She looked at each of the assembled faces, the hand by her hip gesturing for me to join her.
Time to step up.
I brushed past Mom and Jen and took my spot next to Lucy; she gently laced her fingers into mine.
"They will try and take what we hold dear..." She squeezed my hand, and warmth rushed through me, "To destroy it for destruction's sake. My orders are simple, no quarter asked and none given. We will tear this disease out by its roots with the help of the Angels. I know that each of you will do your duty, as will your brothers and sisters. You make me proud by your very existence, and I know you will not fail." The assembled demons stood straighter, adulation present on every face.
"And remember, above all."
Her gentle look of encouragement turned vicious, fangs lengthening and gleaming in the harsh light. Her voice low and deadly.
"Inferos Aeternum."
"INFEROS AETERNUM!"
The thunderous reply made every hair on my body stand up; this was the real deal, every story I'd laughed off, every eye-roll during the few church services I'd attended. The last weeks had been a humbling lesson in just how wrong I was.
Lucy squeezed my hand before raising her voice again, a blush dusting her cheeks.
"One final, informal, note," The demons stood at ease at the shift in tone; a few in the front ranks openly grinned. "This is Zackary Miller, many of you have heard of him... for those who have not...he is the human who holds my heart," Her blush was radiant now, somebody whooped in the crowd, and I couldn't help the chuckle that slipped out of me as Lucy continued.
"He has sworn his oath to me and will join us in this great endeavor. I expect you to welcome him as a brother in arms..." She trailed off, smiling at me without even bothering to hide the love rolling off her in waves; she glowed with it and took my breath away yet again.
A chorus of cheers erupted from the assembly, thundering support for us both.
"Well done, my Queen!" Someone shouted, and Lucy broke down, a hand covering her perfect lips, tears spilling from her eyes at the love and acceptance pouring from the crowd of her loyal soldiers. The gravity of the moment wasn't lost on me; she told me how alone she'd been and for how long.
How she'd waited for me.
I'd wager that the demons under her command had been waiting too, for someone to free their Queen from her loneliness.
A wild thought occurred.
What was that saying about forgiveness and permission?
I reached out and snatched Lucy off her feet, pulling her into a deep kiss; her eyes, wide and shocked, slid closed with a happy purr that I felt more than heard as the cheers became a roar.
Long after the cheers had died away, Mom, Jen, and I were sitting around a table in a private room, finishing a fantastic spread Lucy had secured for us. Lucy and Mom were chatting animatedly about one thing or another; Jen was watching them with a smile on her face; she elbowed me gently, speaking quietly.
"She's perfect, dude, and a blind man could see she's completely devoted to you. Devil or not, that's a catch."
I couldn't help the smile, all stupid happy, that burned its way across my lips.
"She is, isn't she? I almost don't know what to do with it, it's only been a couple of weeks, and I'm fucked, completely head over heels. Isn't this supposed to be something you take slow?"
Jen shook her head, "When it's right, it's right. Don't get wrapped around the axle here. She really loves you, and you both deserve to be loved," She snorted, shaking her head again, "If you'd have told me that I'd be playing on the Devil's team a month ago, I would've laughed in your face. But I honestly believe it; she might've been evil as all get out, but right now? All I see is a woman who wants you to be her whole world, and she wants to be yours. You earned it, man."
I planted a kiss on the top of her head, pulling her into a side hug, "I love you, kid, leave it to you to keep me out of my own head."
"Love you too. What I'm here for, bud." She wrapped an arm around me and squeezed.
Mom laughed at something Lucy said, dragging another smile out of me.
I realized something then... I was happy, just like that, no talking myself into it, no convoluted path to it. I was just... happy. I watched Lucy be her charming self, watched Mom laugh easier than I'd seen in years, and that light thrill that I'd given up on ever feeling again rushed through me like lightning.
I felt whole again.
"And he looked so good in his tux!"
And just like that, all my happiness was replaced by violence.
