CHAPTER 1

Ikutachi took hold of Barbatos' hand, frowning at the massive house looming ahead. It looked positively terrifying with its black towers and blacked out windows. And if that wasn't bad enough; the whole structure was shrouded in smoldering darkness.

A scream echoed in the distance, making Ikutachi jump so high that he stumbled several steps when he landed. Out of habit, he looked back to see if he'd tripped over something, nearly shrieking when he caught sight of a half-unearthed human skull.

"What's wrong?" Barbatos asked, wrapping an arm around Ikutachi's shoulder and pulling him close. "You scared?"

"I'm walking into Hell," Ikutachi replied sharply, leaning into the safety of Barbatos' towering frame, "scared doesn't cover it."

"You're the one who insisted on visiting Aetos, so don't try and back out now."

"I'm not backing out!" Ikutachi snapped. "I made a promise to Ae-kun and I intend to keep it!"

Barbatos snorted. "The boy writes you one stupid letter, which was completely unintelligible, asking you to come to Hell for a visit, and you accept without any thought of your safety or well-being. I knew this was going to happen, I even told you…"

"If you say anything along the lines of 'I told you so,' demon, I will slit your throat and be done with it!"

"Kill me and you'll be alone. In Hell. Surrounded by demons who want nothing more than to devour every inch of your delicious flesh."

Ikutachi huffed angrily, but didn't argue the point any further. "I don't understand why the house looks so… so…"

"Terrifying? It's a deterrent. There are lesser demons here and despite my brother's status, they would not hesitate to pillage his estate should he let his guard down. On top of its disturbing appearance, there are also numerous booby traps from here to the front door; many of which I created myself."

"What kind of traps?"

Barbatos started to reply then thought better of it. "You don't want to know".

They continued towards the front entrance, thankfully making it to the door in one piece. Ikutachi breathed a sigh of relief, causing Barbatos to laugh softly.

"Shut up, Phantom," Ikutachi muttered under his breath.

Barbatos stopped laughing, but his white-toothed smile was still on his face. "Don't worry, once we're inside, you'll be safe. You under my protection now, but once we walk through these doors, we will both be under my brother's protection."

Barbatos knocked on the metal doorframe; the sound echoing through the vast darkness encompassing King Bael's home. After a few moments, the door creaked open revealing a tall female dressed in a high-collared white dress, overlaid with beautifully handcrafted black lace. Her skin was as pale as the moon, and her silvery blonde hair was swept up atop her head in a pile of wispy curls. She was breathtaking. Something Ikutachi had never said about a single human or daemon in the history of his existence.

"Barbatos, so good to see you!" the woman said in an angelic voice. "We thought you might've had trouble at the gates." She turned her lovely almond shape eyes towards Ikutachi; crystal clear blue orbs sparkling brightly. "And you must be Ikutachi! We've heard such wonderful things about you! My son is quite the fan," she added with a wink.

"It's nice to meet you as well," Ikutachi replied, bowing to Sophia, Bael's wife and queen. "Your son is a very special friend of mine, so when he asked me to visit, I couldn't refuse."

"Well, you've made him the happiest little demon in Hell! Come inside and make yourselves comfortable. Bael is in the drawing room with Lily and Aetos is upstairs talking his bath."

Stepping into the house was like stepping into another world. The first word that came to mind was extravagant, followed immediately by elegant. The inside of the house looked nothing like the outside. Ikutachi expected poached bones and pitchforks, but what he found was warmth and an array of color.

Sophia escorted them into an exquisite drawing room filled with gilded furniture and plush cushions. Magnificent pieces of artwork lined the wall, but the one that caught Ikutachi's eye was portrait of King Bael and his wife on their wedding day.

"That's your brother?" Ikutachi asked, his jaw dropping ever so slightly.

"It is," Barbatos replied, frowning down at him. "Why?"

Ikutachi shook his head slowly; his gaze running up and down Bael's handsome image. "Nothing really, I was just thinking that I'd picked the wrong brother."

"Hey!"

Before Ikutachi could soothe his Phantom's wounded pride, a booming voice echoed through the room.

"Barbatos, you bloody bastard, how the fuck are you?!"

King Bael strolled over; his arms full of a tiny baby demon.

"Bael, not in front of Lily!" Sophia chastised. "Here, give her to me."

"Apologies, love," Bael replied, grinning at his wife, "but I haven't seen my little brother in ages! Apparently, he's too good for Hell these days."

"Not at all, brother," Barbatos replied. "I've simply found a reason to stay above ground."

"Ah," Bael said, looking over at Ikutachi. "Is this him then? The one you're so smitten with?"

"He is," Barbatos said proudly.

Bael smiled a smile so devastatingly charming; Ikutachi had to blink a few times to make sure the demon was real. His only thought was that no one should be that handsome. No one…

Sophia took baby Lily from Bael's hands. She whispered something to him, and for half a second they were the only two beings in the world. The king said something to make his queen laugh; a sound so heavenly it nearly brought Ikutachi to tears.

"Are they for real," he breathed, looking up at Barbatos. "They're almost too perfect to look at."

The Phantom laughed. "My brother's always had that effect. He is the king of lies and manipulation, and his good looks are his most valuable weapon. The things he can talk a human into doing would blow your mind."

"Who wouldn't trust a face like that?" Ikutachi replied dreamily.

"Careful, Anima, you're starting to drool."

Ikutachi rolled his eyes. "Oh, please, I see the way your eyes follow Sophia. Not that I blame you, she's so incredibly stunning it's… unreal."

"That's because she's newly fallen."

"What does that mean?"

"It means she was an angel not long ago. Her beauty, her voice, her every movement... They all seem perfect because they are perfect."

"So she's not a demon?"

"Not in the traditional sense. When it comes to demons, we're either created, born, or fallen. The first two types are bound to Hell, but the fallen have to choose this life."

"And Sophia chose this life for Bael? What an incredible sacrifice to make for the one you love."

"True, but their love came at a great price."

Ikutachi wanted to ask what the price had been, but Barbatos turned back to the lovers.

"Are you two going to start making out? If so, we can leave."

"Oops, sorry," Sophia said, a pale blush forming in her cheeks. "Your brother can be… distracting."

Bael smacked his wife playfully on the bottom as she walked away. "I beg to differ. When my wife is close, it's impossible for me to think of anything else."

Sophia rolled her eyes, walking over to Ikutachi. "Why don't we let these two catch up? I have a bottle of wine in the kitchen with our names on it. We can have a glass while we wait for Aetos to come down."

"After our trip down here, I could certainly go for a drink," Ikutachi replied. "By the way, will Aetos be long? I'm surprised I haven't seen him already," he added with a chuckle. "He was so insistent in his letter; I thought for sure he'd be the first demon I saw when we came in."

"He's upstairs with one of the servants. He had to be perfect for your arrival, so getting him into the bath was surprisingly easy." She adjusted Lily on her hip then gestured for the door. "When it comes to his appearance, he's exactly like his father, so expect to be kept waiting for quite some time."

Ikutachi laughed. "It must run in the family. Barbatos is the same way. Phantom," he called out. "I'm going with…"

He stopped mid-sentence when he realized the brothers were nowhere to be seen.

"They're probably in Bael's office," Sophia said. "He was a decanter of whiskey he hides in there. I pretend I don't know about it, but I make sure it's always full."

Ikutachi smiled knowingly. "Then we probably won't be seeing them any time soon."

"Nope, which means you and I get to gossip once the kiddos are down for the night!"

"I look forward to it!"

CHAPTER 2

"Ikutachi, you look as though you want to ask me a question."

"Sorry," Ikutachi said, snapping out of his daze. "You're so beautiful, I can't help but stare. Are all angels as breath-taking as you?"

Sophia laughed, the silvery tone sending a shiver down Ikutachi's spine. It really ought to be illegal for the woman to laugh.

"I'm sorry," Ikutachi replied, taking a sip of wine to hide the blush creeping into his cheek. "I have a tendency to speak before I think. It's a bad habit of mine. My Phantom says it has something to do with my brain to mouth filter. Apparently, it's broken."

She laughed again, adjusting Lily in her arms and reaching out for her own glass of wine.

"It's quite alright. My angel status, or lack thereof, is no secret. And as for your candor, Barbatos warned me in advance. Besides, you can't be as bad as my barbaric husband, so don't worry about accidently offending me."

"Really? King Bael seems so…. nice. At least that's my first impression."

Sophia smiled in a dreamy kind of way. It made Ikutachi wonder if he looked like that when he thought or spoke of Barbatos.

"Bael is a king of Hell, so kindness is a foreign emotion to him. Inside these walls he is a husband and a father, but when he steps foot outside our door he is… terrifying."

A tiny shiver ran through her slight frame, igniting Ikutachi's curiosity.

"How did you two fall in love? To be honest, I find your relationship all together confusing. You seem perfect for each other, yet you're from completely different worlds."

"It's a long story; one that would take all night and at least two more bottles of wine to tell."

"You can give me the quick and dirty tonight, and the full story on my next visit."

"So you intend to come back?" Sophia asked raising an eyebrow. "The look on your face when you first arrived said otherwise."

"I'll be fine," Ikutachi chuckled guiltily. "Coming through the gate was intimidating, as was the walk here, but I find you and your home most inviting. I should like to come back and talk with you again if that's alright."

"I would like that very much. I haven't many friends here. In fact, I don't have any at all."

"Then we'll have to remedy that," Ikutachi said firmly. "Before Barbatos, I didn't have many friends either. I never thought much about it, but now that I have them, I think I prefer my life the way it is now over the way it was then. If that makes any sense."

"It makes perfect sense. Sadly for me, I went backwards. I was surrounded by friends that I loved and cherished, but the moment I fell from grace, I lost them all."

"Is it a sad story?" Ikutachi asked. "If it is, I wouldn't want you to relive it just to satisfy my curiosity."

"No," Sophia answered warmly. "It's actually quite exciting; filled with danger and suspense."

"And love?"

"Not at first," she laughed. "I met Bael during a battle between myself and a lower level demon. The beast had set its sights on the newly released soul of an infant. The child hadn't lived more than a few moments in her mother's arms."

"How heart-breaking! Was there nothing you could have done to save it?"

Sophia sighed softly. "The child's soul was never meant to exist in this world. She would have suffered far more in life, so I was sent to escort her to the arms of her Heavenly Father. But as I prepared to take the child's soul, I was attacked."

"Is that normal? Do you often fight for souls?"

"Very; angels and demons have been at war with each other since the Great Fall. Angels fight to protect the humans and demons fight to destroy them. But this… to take an innocent's soul is forbidden!"

"Did you kill the demon?"

"I didn't have to. Bael showed up just as I was about to land the final blow. He dragged the demon back to hell, but not before he issued his warning."

"Warning?"

"Yes, he told me he would return. And that he would find me and take me."

Ikutachi gasped. "That's one hell of a pickup line."

"I know," Sophia giggled. "At the time I had no idea what he meant by it. I went on about my business and ushered the infant's soul to Heaven."

"But he came back, right?"

"He did. Exactly 6 days later we crossed paths again. He asked me if I remembered his words. I said yes. And the next thing I knew I was here."

"He kidnapped you? Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"Talk about bold!"

"Yes, well, he's a king. And kings take what they want."

"And he clearly wanted you. What happened next?"

"We fought," she said matter-of-factly. "We fought until we destroyed this entire house and we were both covered in sweat and blood. It went on like that for days."

"But one of you had to have surrendered. I mean, you're married."

"I wouldn't call it a surrender. He mortally wounded me during our last battle. I was going to die and he knew it, so he did the only thing he could."

"And what was that?"

"He took me back to earth, found another angel and forced them to return me to Heaven."

"But that wasn't the end of it, right? Did he come back and steal you away again?"

"No, actually, I came to him. I think somewhere in the midst of our chaotic battle, I started to respect him. He was never trying to kill me, and in the moment he thought he had, I saw the most remarkable thing."

"What?"

"Love. I could see it in his eyes as he tried to stop the bleeding. Panic, fear, rage… they were all swirling in his red eyes. I thought he'd taken me because he wanted an angel to play with. Every day I waited for him to rape and torture me. Cut off my wings and leave me somewhere to die when he was finished with his game. But it never came. In fact, the only time he touched me was when I attacked him. The rest of time we just… stared at each other."

"You fell in love with him, didn't you?"

"I don't know what I felt back then. I just knew I had to see him. I had to let him know I survived. Unfortunately, it's impossible for an angel to enter Hell without help from the inside, so I grabbed the first lesser demon I could find and sent Bael a message."

"What was the message?"

"Come and take me."

"Oh wow, this just keeps getting better and better!"

Sophia lifted Lily up, switching her to the other arm. There was a sadness in her eyes that made Ikutachi's heart ache.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I-is that when you… fell?"

"No, no. You mistake my nostalgia for repentance. Those were the most wonderful days of my existence. Bael had the power to make me laugh and cry at the same time. He opened my world to emotions I had only witnessed in humans. Before he came into my life, I didn't even know angels were capable of lust and desire." She smiled, closing her eyes reverently. "I still remember the night I gave him my innocence. I knew was committing a mortal sin, but I didn't care. I'd fallen in love him, and I wanted there to be nothing more left undone or unsaid between us. From that moment on, I was forbidden to enter the gates of Heaven."

"And you don't regret any of it?"

"Not even for a second," Sophia replied without hesitation. "Aetos was conceived that night, and I knew then that my union with Bael was ordained. We were married shortly after, and the rest is…"

"History?"

"You could say that," she replied.

"Did she tell you she started a bloody war?" Bael asked, strolling into the kitchen.

"You started the war," Sophia corrected, "not me."

"Yes, but it's because I married my Sophie that I had to go to war."

"And did you win, King Bael?" Ikutachi asked.

"Of course I did," he replied with a wink. "Sophie, my love, Barbatos and I are going to make a quick trip down to level three. We won't be more than 20-30 minutes, I swear."

"Do you have to?"

"I'm afraid so, darling. We'll be quick."

"Alright, but if dinner is ready before you get back, we're starting without you."

"Understood."

Bael leaned down to kiss his wife. Their intimacy was beyond transparent, and seeing them together was uncomfortable for even Ikutachi to watch.

"By the way," Bael said, pausing at the door. "Aetos is on his way down. Be prepared."

CHAPTER 3

"Ikutachi-tan!"

Aetos came barreling into the kitchen, dressed in his finest little suit. His hair was combed back out of his face, and he smelled of soap and baby powder. He launched himself into Ikutachi's arms, squeezing him tightly.

"Ae-kun, it's so good to see you! I've missed you."

"I misseded you, too. I keep asking mama to let me come see you, but she says I cause too much trouble."

"But you're a demon; you're supposed to cause trouble."

"That's what I said!" Aetos exclaimed. "But mama still said no!"

Sophia laughed softly, continuing to feed Lily her bottle.

"Well, don't you worry. I'll talk to your mama and see what we can do."

"Otay, Ikutachi-tan!"

Aetos climbed onto Ikutachi's lap, reaching for one of the raspberry tarts sitting on the counter.

"Don't even think about it, little demon," Sophia said. "You'll ruin your dinner."

Aetos pouted, leaning back against Ikutachi's chest. "Then how come she gets to eat?"

"Because she's a baby, Aetos. Babies need to eat a lot and frequently. Mama explained that to you, remember?"

Aetos sighed, crossing his arms and poking out his little lip.

"Ae-kun, you should be nice to your imouto. You're a big brother now, which means you have to protect her."

Aetos groaned. "But she's a girl. I don't like girls. They're stupid."

"I think you can look past it this one time," Ikutachi said.

"But she's so boring," Aetos continued. "And she always cries."

"Well, she's a baby."

"Yeah, but she don't have to cry about it."

Sophia and Ikutachi both laughed, exchanging amused looks.

"Mistress," one of the servants said. "Dinner is served."

"Thank you, Eoin. Can you finish feeding Lily for me then put her to bed?"

"As you wish, Mistress."

Aetos took hold of his mother's hand as well as Ikutachi's, and led them into the dining room.

"Such a gentleman," Ikutachi said.

"Papa taught me. He says we got's to treat ladies with restect."

"You mean respect," Sophia corrected. "And remember what mama told you earlier. Ikutachi isn't a girl. He's a male just like your papa and uncle. It's inappropriate to treat him like he's female."

"But I like holding his hand." Aetos replied innocently.

"And that's okay, but you mustn't call him a lady, or call him your future queen."

"It's alright," Ikutachi said quickly. "I don't mind."

"Are you sure?" Sophia asked. "I've been trying to explain the concept to him ever since he met you, but he insists that you will be his queen."

"It's really not a problem. To be honest, I think it's adorable."

"Don't encourage him," Sophia warned playfully. "He's already sworn to fight Barbatos to the death and claim you as his own."

"Yes, but he's only joking, right?"

Sophia giggled. "Oh, Ikutachi, you've got a lot to learn about demons."

They took their seats, starting with the first course of the seven course meal King Bael had arranged. Aetos had demanded to sit next to Ikutachi, in what was clearly supposed to be Barbatos' seat. But, since the Phantom wasn't there, Ikutachi didn't see the harm in letting him do so.

They talked, ate and laughed, and Aetos regaled them with stories of his father's bravery. It was then that a thought suddenly struck Ikutachi. He waited until the little demon crawled onto his lap and fell asleep before he mentioned it.

"Your Grace…"

"Please, call me Sophia. You and I are friends now."

"Thank you," Ikutachi replied, bowing his head. "Sophia," he began again, "the war your husband spoke of. Was Barbatos in it?"

"He was, and he fought bravely."

"I can't believe he never told me about it."

"It was before he met you," Sophia replied, placing her hand gently on his, "and frankly it's not something you want hear about."

"Yes, I know, but to think there's a part of him I don't know about upsets me. He knows everything about my past; the good and the bad."

"I'm sure there's a reason he hasn't told you, Ikutachi. He was a different demon back then, and considering how he feels about you, there's a good chance his silence is out of fear of your reaction."

"But I knew he was a demon when I met."

"Ah, but you don't understand what it means to be a servant of Hell. There are nights Bael comes home and he can't even look at me. He gives me any number of excuses, but I know the truth. He feels guilty and ashamed when he looks at me. I want to help him carry the burden of his crown, but at the same time I understand that's there's a part of him I will never be allowed to see. I'm the one pure thing in his world, and he believes if he allows me into the darkness, then I'll be tainted forever."

Ikutachi considered her words. "So you think Barbatos is trying to protect me?"

"I know he is." Sophia put her fork down, dabbing her mouth with the napkin on her lap. "Do you know I still remember the day Barbatos first met you?"

"Really?" Ikutachi asked; his anger suddenly replaced with curiosity.

"Oh yes," Sophia exclaimed. "He came crashing into the house, shouting and carrying on. Bael was so flustered; he called for me to fetch his armor and sword. He was convinced they were going into battle!"

"I can imagine! My Phantom gets so worked up at times."

"You would have died laughing, it was absolutely hilarious! Anyway, Bael is rushing to prepare, and the first thing Barbatos does is ask to speak to me. My husband was stunned by the request, but considering how desperate Barbatos was, he allowed us to speak in private."

"Allowed you?"

"Yes, Bael is a jealous man, and at the time Barbatos was unattached."

"Oh, I see. Well considering your beauty, I can understand. What did Barbatos want to talk about?"

"You," Sophia smiled. "He said it was love at first sight! I could've sworn your demon had been struck by cupid's arrow, because he was completely besotted with you!"

Ikutachi groaned in shame. "I was so mean to him the first time we met, too."

"If you were, he didn't notice. He swore you were an angel fallen from Heaven, and the most beautiful being he'd ever laid eyes on. I see now we wasn't lying."

Ikutachi chocked on his wine. "Oh, please! I can't even hold a candle to you, Sophia!"

"Oh believe me, you are my equal in looks, Ikutachi. Or did you miss the way my husband's gaze lingered on you?"

"I doubt he even realized I was there. The moment he saw you, he never stopped staring."

"Oh, he noticed you alright," Sophia laughed. "Do you want to know what he whispered to me? He said we should get rid of Barbatos and invite you to our bed."

Ikutachi blushed crimson. "He didn't!"

"He did," Sophia confirmed with a mischievous smile. "And if I did not absolutely adore my brother-in-law, I would have done everything in my power to help my husband seduce you."

"I-I… Y-you…"

"What have you done to him, Sophie?" Barbatos asked, walking into the dining room. "I don't think I've ever seen my lover in such a state!"

"Nothing, my dear brother," she said, standing gracefully to her feet. "Is my husband with you, or is he still down at Witches' Pub drinking?"

"He's in the front hall waiting for us."

Sophia and Barbatos exchanged a suspicious look; one that put Ikutachi immediately on edge.

"What's happened?" he asked, lifting Aetos in his arms and getting to his feet as well.

"Why don't you come and see?" Barbatos replied.

Sophia took Aetos from Ikutachi. "I'll give you a minute to prepare him," she said to Barbatos.

"Phantom, what is she talking about?"

Barbatos didn't reply until Sophia left the room. He took a deep breath, walking over to where Ikutachi stood and taking hold of his hands.

"You're scaring me, Barbatos. Whatever it is; out with it!"

"Marry me. Right now."

"What?!"

"I want you to marry me, and I want you to marry me right now."

"But we…"

"There are no buts. You said you wanted me to ask you again, so now I am."

"Married? Right now?"

"Right now."

"Where?"

"Here."

"Right now?"

Barbatos laughed. "Have you changed your mind?"

"NO!" Ikutachi practically shrieked.

"Good, then come with me."

Barbatos led Ikutachi to the front entrance. A grinning Bael stood with Aetos asleep in his arms. Sophia was at his side; her smile so bright it was almost blinding. There was another female; one Ikutachi didn't recognize. She was dressed in a long black gown, with her almond colored hair falling in waves around her shoulders.

"What's going on?" Ikutachi whispered.

"This is a binding ceremony," he whispered back. "Demons don't marry each other the way humans do. When we find another worthy of spending our lives with, we create a special bond with them."

"What kind of bond?"

"It's hard to explain, but it goes far beyond the exchanging of rings. Our spirits will be linked for eternity. No matter where we are; in life or in death, our souls will always find each other. We will be destined to walk side by side until the end of time."

"Wow, that's… intense."

"It is. We're dealing with forces that are beyond either of our understandings, and once we make this commitment, we can never go back."

"And that doesn't frighten you?"

"Not in the least," Barbatos replied; his voice breaking at the end. "If you only knew what I felt for you, Ikutachi, you wouldn't have to ask that question."

Ikutachi could see the tears forming in the Phantom's eyes. He could hear the desperation in his words.

"I don't deserve you," Ikutachi replied, cupping his face and wiping away the tears now falling down his cheek. "I never have, and I never will. But you just offered me the one thing I want most in the world, and there is no possible way I can say no. Bind me, demon. I am yours."