DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING OF THE DEVIL MAY CRY SERIES. THANK YOU.

Chapter Twelve: Queen?

It was a few minutes before Vergil actually got comfortable. I smiled and slowly made my way over to him, evaporating his relaxed state when I straddled him. His eyes met mine, amusement on his features.

"Get off," he said. I grinned.

"Now, now," I teased. "I'm not that easy! You at least gotta put a little effort into it!"

He rolled his eyes and pushed me off. I giggled and slid my hand up his thigh, again, disturbing his peace. He gave me an exasperated sigh as he snatched my hand and jerked my body to him. He then pinned me there with his other arm.

"Stop teasing," he ordered. I shook my head.

"And here I thought you knew me," I teased. "I live to tease."

He quirked a brow at me.

"And if I choose to put you in your place?"

I gave him a hopeful look.

"Beneathe you?"

He rolled his eyes and shoved me away.

"Contain yourself," he said flatly. I knew he really had no interest in me unless I was in Heat, but it was still fun to tease him. Slowly, he rose. I looked at him questioningly. "Stay here. I'll come back for you."

With a soft sigh, I nodded. We were less than thirty minutes from the wards to the temple. I knew we'd get there soon and in one piece... so I relaxed and closed my eyes, leaning back against the edge of the pool. I won't lie, I liked these little intrigues with Vergil, even if 90% of them were just me getting under his skin. He always seemed to enjoy it, though, contrary to what he wanted me to believe.

I lost track of time in that pool... but soon, a strange scent hit my nose. After exploring it further, I realized that I knew that scent!

My eyes snapped open as I sat up, my heart racing.

"Dante..."

Abruptly, Vergil appeared and yanked me out of the water, handing me my clothes.

"We have to go," he said. "Your... friends... are here."

I nodded and dressed quickly, then the two of us bolted through the surrounding trees. When I saw the wards up ahead, I grabbed Vergil's hand tightly in my own and we plowed right through them. It felt like a splash of ice-cold water, really. From there, I found a place to hide and got down to watch.

Dante was the first to burst out of the brush... and ran right into the wards, getting blown off his feet and backwards. He knocked over Trish before he hit the ground. As terrible as it seemed, I was inwardly cheering those wards. Patty came next with Nero and Kyrie. After them came Lady... but where was Sika?

Dante swore as he rubbed his singed face. His healing factor was kicking in, but it was taking a while to heal this burn. Patty frowned at the wards, walking forward to lightly brush them. Unlike Dante, she only got a soft shock, kinda like static shock. She pulled her hand back sadly.

"Guess we'll have to wait," she said. "Shetani's in there..."

That's when I saw Nero and Kyrie exchange looks. After a few minutes, Dante spun on heel and stormed back into the forest, Trish right behind him. The others were about to follow, but Kyrie stopped them and took a tentative step towards the wards.

"Shetani?" she asked softly. Slowly, I came out of hiding. Patty's eyes lit up like Christmas had come early. I made my way to their side of the wards long enough to pull each of them through to this side, where my scent could not be traced. Then I pulled them all out of view, in case Dante and Trish came back. Only after this did I dare reach down and embrace Patty. She cried happy tears, clinging to me. Kyrie also hugged me, glad to see me. When she pulled away, however, her face was grave.

"Dante's out for your blood for hurting Patty like you did," she told me. I nodded.

"I expected no less," I answered. Then I saw her and Nero exchange another look. "You told him."

She nodded.

"I told him my secret... he guessed the rest," she replied. Now Lady and Patty were confused. "I'm pregnant."

Lady smiled warmly.

"Congradulations," she said... then it hit her. Her eyes flew to me.

"That's why you left," she said, realization nailing her hard. "You saw them, Dante and Trish..."

"I should have known not to get my heart involved," I told her. "Where is that traitor, Sika?"

"Dead by my gun," Lady answered. Only then did Vergil dare step out. All eyes went to him, but none of them were unfriendly.

"Father," greeted Nero. That was news to me! I looked at Vergil in surprise. Vergil merely nodded to his son in agreement, completely ignoring the look I was giving him.

"Wow," I commented. "That's not awkward or anything..."

Kyrie gave me a confused look.

"I'm impregnated by your uncle and hitting on your father," I clarified. She giggled while Nero looked uncomfortable. Lady just shook her head. "Shall I hit on you, too, just to keep it all in the family?"

Kyrie laughed outright, knowing I was joking. Nero looked even more uncomfortable. Lady was chuckling. Vergil refused to acknowlege my statement.

"You're all trespassing," came a cool male voice. I jumped and my feline traits popped out. I heard a soft start of surprise as we all turned to see two cat-devils, both male. I looked from one to the other, only for them to exchange looks.

"Kydire?" one ventured. Surprised, I nodded. Both exchanged looks again, then frowned. "Follow us... all of you."

After exchanging looks, we did as told. However, Vergil decided to play his part and took my hand in his own, a gesture noted by everyone in our group, minus the felines leading us.

"Shetani... I'm scared," whispered Patty. I smiled at her and gave her my other hand to hold. She gladly took it, nervous beyond all words as we followed the guards up to a large structure. It looked chinese in origion, ancient chinese. It was beautiful! Red tiles lined the roof while solid gold steps lead up to the door of the building. The woodwork of the buildings was astounding, perfectly molded and impressively upkept.

The guards led us into the temple, across black marble floors, then paused in front of an empty throne.

"Wait here," they both said, then vanished. We all exchanged looks. I was very nervous myself.

"Relax," Vergil instructed. "These are your kind."

"I know," I told him, my nerves showing. "But... I don't know anything about them past what I absorbed from you!"

He was about to say something back when Patty suddenly gasped.

"Shetani, it's you!" she said, pointing at one of the murals on the wall. All of us looked up, only for my eyes to widen. It looked like me, but this woman was slightly different in the face. Her eyes were blue, not green, but... past that, we looked exactly the same!

"Who..." I thought aloud.

"You don't know?" came an elder female voice. I looked over to see a well-aged feline, one with wrinkles and other such things. "It has been twenty years since I last saw you, Kydire... or is it Shetani?"

"It's Shetani now," I answered. "I was renamed when I returned to this world... Tell me, who is that? Is that... mother?"

The old crone nodded.

"She is the last person to sit on this throne... and the last one killed by Mundus," she explained. "You don't remember... any of this... do you?"

I shook my head.

"Child, have a seat," she said. "I have much to tell you."

We all obeyed, sitting down on the ground. I leaned back comfortably against Vergil. His only action was to wrap his arm around my waist comfortably.

"Your story begins with Mundus realizing his mistake in killing our kind," she began. "Your mother was one of the last ones still out in that world, outside of our protection... and the last of the royal bloodline."

"Wait a minute!" I said, struggling to absorb that. "You mean... I'm royalty?"

"Crown Queen of all Cats," she answered. She gave me a few moments to absorb that. "Mundus found your mother and intended to take her as his mate. However, she was not a willing bride. She ran from him, ran until she couldn't run any longer, fortunately making it into these wards, the only place he cannot go. He swore he would have his cat-bride, one way or another... Then you were born. A spy of his among us took you to him as a babe, a gift to the King and his future bride. Your mother went after you, to save you. She succeeded, using the last bit of her hidden power to transport you through time and space to another plain of existance, one where he could never reach you, one where all of this does not exist."

I looked at my knees with wide eyes.

"I'm sure you can fill in the rest," she said. I nodded.

"My power waited until I was of age to bring me back, to right the initial wrong," I said. The crone nodded. "My blood had been human in that world because devils don't exist there, anywhere. It's a place completely devoid of magic and unseen things... so my feline blood was suppressed. When I got back here, it soaked up the energy around me, reawakening it."

"Correct," the crone said. "Now you have a choice: You can go back to your origional life, your human life, and leave all of this behind you... or you can accept everything that comes with this life, including the Throne of Shorai Cliffs."

I frowned and looked at the floor.

"She, you once told me you didn't really have anything to go back to," Lady reminded me gently. "No home, no family... nothing left behind."

That truth seemed to have disturbed the group greatly, but I ignored them, thinking about it.

"I can't go home anyway," I answered finally. "I know too much."

The crone nodded with a small smile.

"But I won't take that throne either," I told her. She frowned. "I am not fit to rule."

I swallowed hard.

"I can't even guide myself," I went on. "How on earth am I supposed to lead a whole race?"

Her eyes gentled.

"Leaders are not born, Shetani," she said softly. "They are made."

"But... if I take that throne... I can never leave this place again... can I?"

"It wouldn't be advised, but I doubt anyone would or could stop you," she replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Shetani's pregnant!" chirped Patty, sounding very happy about it. The crone was surprised.

"How did that happen?" she asked quickly.

"Heat," we chorused. I looked away, ashamed.

"I couldn't resist someone and things got out of hand," I stated. Then I thought of something. "Hey, question. About our tails, are you ever able to resist completely the pleasure touch?"

The crone nodded.

"Easily," she answered. "Minus one particular case... You cannot fight the touch of your chiratama, your soulmate, without great struggle, if even then."

I froze. She took note.

"Child, walk with me," she said. "The rest of you, Denahi will be along shortly. Follow him. He will get you something to eat and then show you where you'll be spending the night."

"It's not the dungeon, is it?" asked Nero, suspicious. The crone frowned.

"You are honored guests of the Queen," she answered. "We owe you all her life. Without all of you working together at different points, sometimes against one another, she would not be here. A cell will be the last place you will end up here."

That relaxed them. Only then did I follow the crone out of the room.

"My child, I sense you are troubled, hurting," she said. "Tell me everything."

So I did. I told her about Dante and I, about how our relationship had progressed. I told her about how I'd come to care for, even love him. I told her about my tail-training with him, then about the training with Vergil. I told her about Mundus and about Patty. Lastly, I told her about Trish and Dante and running away with Vergil. I even threw in there Sika and his treachery.

"-and now I'm here and..." I paused with a heavy sigh of dispair. "I don't know what to do... I still love him, my heart still races when he is near... but he hates me... and he loves that Trish-woman."

"Is that why you left the two of them outside the wards?" she asked. I nodded. "My child, usually when a man takes a cat, they fall in love with them, deeply so... but this Dante seems to be... above that effect."

"He's half-devil, half-human, a son of Sparda," I revealed. Her eyes flashed. "I'm guessing from the look on your face, that this is why."

She nodded, sighing heavily.

"Your mother loved Sparda dearly, child, but he only saw her as a passing fancy, someone to take to his bed," she explained. "When Sparda chose a mortal woman, a human, over her, your mother was devastated, just like you are now. She grew to resent their mother... and told Mundus where to find the traitor, Sparda, and his precious family. He agreed to attack them and kill his wife under the condition that she would allow him between her legs, just once. She agreed... and killed the babes that grew in her stomache. He was furious, but it was too late to take back the deed. He'd all ready seen to the death of Sparda's mortal wife, leaving behind two sons. It doesn't surprise me that you are drawn to them just as your mother was drawn to Sparda."

I felt my heart sink. Now Dante really would hate me... My mother indirectly killed his mother... And Vergil... Goddess... how could I face him, knowing this?

"I see that this troubles you," she said. "I will take you back to the others now."

I barely acknowleged her, too far into my thoughts to really pay attention. However, I was soon in a large room where all my companions sat, eating. Vergil saw my face and was at my side in a nano-second, acting the part completely, like we'd agreed. However, when he reached to touch me, I flinched away.

"Don't," I whispered, my conflicting emotions in my voice. "Please, just don't..."

Now he was genuinely concerned. I never refused his touch like this...

"What happened?" he asked softly. "What's wrong?"

I began to shake.

"You really, really don't want to know," I said, trying to get out of telling him. However, all that did was catch his interest all the more.

"Tell me," he said. I shook my head, desperately trying to avoid it. However, he soon grabbed my chin firmly and clamped my body to his with his other arm, forcing me to look at him, to be near him. "Now... answer me."

Tears began to well up in my eyes and I closed them, trying to force them away... but I obeyed. I told him what the crone had just revealed to me. He froze right off the bat, just hearing that my mother and his father had had relations. When I got to the part about how my mother had ordered the hit on his mother, he began to shake. When I finally fell silent, I couldn't look at him. I hadn't left anything out, not even how I was drawn to both of them, just as my mother had been drawn to their father. I dreaded his reaction, waited for him to just kill me and get it over with... or to storm out, completely furious.

To my surprise, he did neither. Instead, I found myself in a hug.

"You are not held accountable for the actions of a mother you don't even know," he assured me. I sagged in relief and simply clung to him.

"Thank... you..." I whispered softly, telling him in my voice just how much his answer meant to me. I leaned my forehead against his shoulder, relaxing in his embrace.

"Shetani!" called Kyrie, interrupting our moment. "Are you hungry? This food is amazing!"

I laughed and pulled away from Vergil. I took his hand and we returned to the table, sitting down once more to eat. We talked and laughed, completely relaxed, completely unaware of what was going on around us.


"Is she the one?" asked a male. The crone nodded as they watched a very angry male pace next to the wards, a blonde woman simply watching him, though her own irritation levels were showing. The male's eyes were constantly on the wards, like he thought if he stared at them long enough, they'd go away and let him through.

"How long has he been pacing like that?" the crone asked.

"For the past three hours," answered the male. "He's determined. That look in his eyes tells me he's out for blood... and he's after Shetani. He's muttered her name under his breath several times. The blonde bristles everytime he says it, too. I would venture a guess that she doesn't like Shetani, either."

"No, she doesn't," the crone validated. "The male is Dante, the father of our princes or princesses. He is also Sparda's son."

The male visibly winced.

"The woman is his lover, the one he chose long before he knew our Queen, though he could not resist our Queen during her Heat," the crone continued. "He's the Queen's chiratama, as proven by the effect he has when touching her tail."

The male growled lowly.

"This just keeps getting better and better," he grumbled. "Is the woman expendable?"

"As far as the Queen's concerned, yes and no," the crone answered. "As far as I'm concerned, yes."

"What will the Queen do when she finds out someone killed the blonde?" asked the male.

"I don't know, Denahi. I don't know."

"Then it might be best to let them stand there for a while longer."

"Very well. You make the final call. The Queen cannot ignore her chiratama forever."

They both watched as the male slammed his fist into the wards again, giving a low hiss as his hand was burned badly.

"Shetani..."