"They told me you'd be here." Lucifer hissed at Crowley. I stood, hidden and cloaked in the shadows. Invisibility plus the normal disguise, and I was back in the unknown status to Lucifer.

"Really?" I was impressed. Crowley sounded… Disinterested. Lucifer, on the other hand? Quite enraged. He lunged forwards, grabbing the arms of Crowley's throne as he leaned down to eye level with the demon.

"Get off my furniture, squatter." He ordered.

"Lucifer. Wearing Vince Vincente, second-tier star." He flicked some dirt from under his nails. "I would've thought Bieber was more your style."

Personally, I disagreed. Bieber wasn't his style at all. He was too… Primpy. Nobody wanted a gaggle of hormonal tweenies chasing after them.

"You're either mad," Lucifer proclaimed, cocking his head. "Or dim." It was easier, seeing him looking like this instead of… It wasn't his voice. I mean, it was the same voice, same intonations, same lilts, same undertones, but it wasn't Castiel's voice that matched Lucifer's style of talking. Not this time. That still didn't stop me from hearing it in his voice for a moment, though.

When Crowley didn't respond, Lucifer stood, and walked away from Crowley. Either he wasn't powerful enough to get anything from the demon, or he had decided it wasn't worth it. I was hoping the former was true. "I have a proposal." Crowley offered. This made the Devil stop, turning. "I mean, why in Hell would you want to rule over a motley, witless crew of demons? God's on sabbatical again." I don't think Crowley noticed the almost imperceptible flinch. "You could reclaim Heaven. Now, that's real estate that's worth ruling. I can handle the branch office."

Lucifer faced Crowley, arms crossed, looking like he was making a mockery of contemplating the offer. "Or," he countered. "I could raise my hand, smite you into oblivion."

There it was - my cue. "Manete." I said, holding out a hand. I remembered Rowena using this on me. I had felt pained, and couldn't move. "Manete." I repeated, moving out from where I was hiding. I could see the pain on Lucifer's face.

"Problem?" Crowley asked. I continued to repeat the word, Manate, as he spoke. "Mummy's little paralyzing spell. I taught it to a new witch. Trust me, it works."

"I know this new witch." Lucifer said. "I've felt this magic once before, and I don't forget the signature each spell leaves. Diana Nyx," he turned his head towards me, and for a moment I felt pure fear. "Also known as Kylie Dillinger. Up to your old tricks again, huh?" He clucked his tongue. "I should've finished the job when I had the chance. Oh, and trust me," Lucifer challenged, his eyes glowing red. "This little spell you're working on me, it won't hold. Not for long."

"Oh?" Crowley held up two clear balls, liquid bouncing around the insides of both. Sulfuric acid.

I won't lie. Lucifer's screams as the acid burned his face… I felt a little good at that. Call it payback for the Arctic Circle.

"Now!" Crowley ordered. "His essence, send it back to the cage."

"Wah tay," I chanted, praying that it would work. His essence was still in the vessel, but not completely. My keeping him still, combined with Crowley burning him, was helping me get a bit of a grip on the Devil's essence. "Fay roh lah!"

I threw a bit of Vince Vicente's hair in to a fire, and watched it burn up in a small puff of smoke.

And that was it.

Nothing else happened.

"Kylie," Crowley warned. I could already feel dread at the spell not working. It should've worked. Why didn't it work?! Shit!

"Manete!" I could feel it breaking, feel my power weakening. No. No no no no no. Please no. Please don't. "Manete! Manete!"

"It's not working!" Crowley shouted. I could hear some desperation in his voice, as well, and fought the urge to respond "NO SHIT!" I kept chanting, but it was no use. Lucifer stood, almost effortlessly, as light began to glow from behind him.

I'd only seen a few angels do what Lucifer did, spread their wings just enough for humans to perceive. Each time I had seen it, though, the wings had been clipped, broken; evidence of the damages still left over from the fall. Lucifer's wings were full. No feathers falling or missing. They just shone in the shadow we were forced to see it through, fully functioning and definitely dangerous. Lucifer raised two glowing hands to his face, healing it instantly.

"Bad, bad Crowley." Lucifer chided, shaking his head. He took a step towards Crowley, and the demon popped around to appear behind me. He put a hand on my shoulder, and we both got the hell outta dodge, landing next to a small pond in the middle of nowhere. We got a call from Crowley's mother less that twenty minutes later. Lucifer had her. He couldn't track me, I was warded, but Rowena… Not so much. He was just calling to gloat.

"I'm sorry." I told the demon. He brushed it off. "We're going to find her."

"I thought you wanted out, done, never to be seen again." Crowley spat.

"Well, I'm involved now, aren't I?" I asked.

"Classes? College?"

"Please, I'm me." I said, rolling my eyes. I walked over to the small pond, holding out a hand as an idea came to mind; one I had accidentally doodled on what I think was some Chemistry homework focusing on the properties of water. "Et reflectere novum." And reflect new. I watched as the water rippled for maybe a moment before a second me, looking exactly like the first me, rose from where my hand had been and walked out of the water completely dry. "She'll only last a few days," I explained, looking over the duplicate. An exact replica of me, when I was disguised. "And is completely mute, but that should take care of classes and college. She has no magic, no powers, but all of my smarts." The duplicate of me nodded enthusiastically. "And hopefully, that homework you promised you'd do." I turned to Crowley. He nodded, snapping his fingers. A folder appeared in his hand in an instant, all the work for this week and even what appeared to be a part of next week's in there. "Damn. You outdid yourself." I commented, taking the folder from him to leaf through it. Immaculate work, even looked to be done in my handwriting!

"A bonus, for the extra work." He explained. I enchanted the pages and folder to be waterproof, then handed it all to the duplicate.

"There shouldn't be any tests, so just turn these in and show up to classes." I told the duplicate. It nodded again. "Oh! I almost forgot!" I thought for a moment, turning to Crowley. "Do you have a pen and a blank piece of paper?" He just handed me the items in response, and I wrote a quick letter to Mrs. Tran.

Things got complicated. I can't back out just yet. Will call soon. Duplicate is mute.

I'm sorry. Stay safe mom.

Love,

Kylie

I enchanted the note to be waterproof as well, and stuck it in the folder. "Make sure this gets to Mrs. Tran." I ordered, pointing out the small note as clearly as possible. My duplicate offered a last nod before I sent it on its way to campus.

"Why are you helping me?" Crowley asked afterwards. "You could leave, now, if you want. Why stay?"

"Lucifer knows I'm involved now." I answered. "He knows I'm alive, and knows that I just tried to gun for him. I don't think I can leave, not safely." I thought for a moment. "Shit, my duplicate won't be enough to protect Mrs. Tran. It can't do shit but be a stand in."

Crowley held up a hand, silencing me as he dialed a number. "Tran residence in Montana. Protection. Highest priority." He said, then hung up. I stared at him in confusion. "What? I promised you in the first place that if you worked with me, I would keep Linda Tran safe." He reminded me. "You don't think I keep my promises?"

"Thank you." I said, slightly stunned.

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it." He said. "I'm still a demon." I fought back the urge to say he wasn't anymore. Not fully, anyways. "Oh, and speaking of promises," he turned towards the water himself, and raised a hand. "Canis inferorum." The water turned black, and from it a viscous black dog emerged, coming up to my knees. I knew that Crowley and I were the only ones that could see it. It turned to me, and growled only for a moment.

"Concedo." I commanded, kneeling in front of it. The dog didn't growl again, just stared at me for a moment. I rooted around for my pocketknife, and sliced my palm before petting it's back.

I'd never seen a hellhound's tail wag before until that moment.

"How did you know that would work?" Crowley asked. "I didn't even know that would work."

"How do you guys usually tame your hellhounds?"

"Smoke through them for a moment, combines the essences." He answered.

"I think I just did the same." I answered, scratching behind it's ear. It felt a little gooey, and a bit like when I solidified Kevin to give him a hug. "How old?"

"Maybe a few weeks." Crowley answered. I stared back at the dog.

"That's a big puppy." I commented.

"And you're going to need her." Crowley answered. "Good protection against Lucifer."

"Great." I stood, and the dog took it's place at my left side. "Her?"

"Her." Crowley confirmed. "I believe you called it 'Trixie' earlier."

"No way." I shook my head. "Trixie is too… eugh." I made a face at the name.

"Figure it out later." Crowley told me. "We have work to do."