Chapter 2: The Mystery

26, September 2014

Noelle stood atop the building, watching as the female demon hunters took care of some Empusas. She hadn't felt the need to get involved. Her mask remained in place, and she stiffened as she felt a presence behind her. She turned slowly, sitting on the raised edge of the building roof. The Red Devil himself stood before her. Her green eyes were shadowed in the glow of the city lights below. She felt those same butterflies from the night before as he watched her. It seemed neither would make the first move tonight until Dante sighed and tucked his hands into his pockets.

"You are a very difficult creature to track down." He spoke. "I've been hunting you for months now."

"Oh?" she asked in a soft voice. "Well, you found me."

"I did. So, what," He stepped closer to her, and her wings flared out behind her as her aura pushed against him. "Brings an angel to my city. Besides demons of course."

Noelle cursed her wings and gripped the edge of the wall she perched on. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that."

"You can. Or we can take this little chat back to my shop. See, I'm quite capable of protecting this place. And having your kind here… Well, that's just not my style." He said.

"Unfortunately, I must decline that offer. I don't care what you are capable of. Only that I see to my mission." She told him, her voice firm.

"And what mission would that be?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

The sudden pulse of aura had them both looking to the streets. Hell Caina had appeared as well, and Noelle cursed softly. There were too many for the females below to manage alone. Noelle moved, leaping over the edge of the roof closest to the street and falling. Her wings caught her, and she tucked into a roll as her silver pistol lined up with a demon and she pulled the trigger. Blessed bullets turned the demon to ashes. She fired two more shots into an approaching demon, destroying it as well. Her katana freed from its sheath easily as she blocked one of the demons from hitting the dark-haired hunter. She flicked the blood from her blade, turning toward the three demon slayers. Dante must have followed her down and joined the fight without her noticing. She stepped back, her wings ready to lift her away if needed.

"I won't be answering your questions. And I advise you not to seek me out any longer. You are meddling with things that are beyond your concern." She warned.

She turned on her heel and flapped her wings, lifting herself away from them. She glanced back, her green eyes meeting Dante's grey blue. The confrontation wasn't one she wanted to deal with. She lit down a few blocks away and pulled off her jacket after her wings and weapons disappeared. Having done this a time or two, she flipped her jacket inside out, the red interior suede now showing as she slid it over her crop top and folded her boots down to make them shorter. She let her hair down and finger combed it thoroughly before sticking her hands in her pockets and starting down the street to the alley way she left her bike in. She kept her aura dampened and her eyes alert as she moved along. She was well aware she was near the devil hunter and his friends as she started her bike and pulled out of the alley. She headed away from them, trying to get back home safely. A beat-up van passed her, and she merely glanced at the driver as she sped away.

Noelle felt the presence of someone following her as she took side roads and detours. The tail seemed to get closer, and she growled softly, heading for the ruined parts of the city. Red Grave had plenty of spots still damaged, even though they had done well to rebuild in the last two years. She stopped her bike and looked around her. Her senses were on high alert as she waited. The feeling spiked again, making her look around as she backed away from the parked bike. She backed into a solid form and spun, her sword out and her wings forming. Her eyes narrowed as the place behind her was empty. A cynical laugh echoed in her head, and she froze. She had heard that laugh in a nightmare. Her heartbeat sped up as she turned, scanning for anyone or anything. The area was silent, save for a few stray leaves on the breeze. She could feel her control slipping as her wings and her blade faded.

A soft caress on the back of her neck by a strong hand had her eyes closing. Noelle felt warmth and safety, as if she were floating. The feelings of being stalked faded to nothing and she sighed. Somewhere in the distance she could hear Alexis talking. The deep voice of a man was near, but she couldn't make out who it was. Her mind felt fuzzy as she gave in to sleep.

Alexis sighed as she watched Noelle stop struggling and fade into sleep. She tucked the blankets around her best friend and closed the door behind her as she stepped out. Raphael waited in the hall. He motioned for her to lead the way downstairs and she made her way to the kitchen with him in tow. She poured two cups of tea and leaned on the counter.

"So there isn't any explanation for what was out there?" Alexis asked.

"No. I felt a faded demonic energy, but it wasn't something I personally recognized." Raphael said as he accepted the herbal tea.

"She has been… Off… Since we came here. The nightmares. Hearing voices. On edge a lot. I worry for her." Alex said softly.

"Michael and I have been watching. You are doing well to keep her centered. Grounded. But I wonder if this is something she needs to work through. I have never known of a Valkyrie being so susceptible to human ailments. Rarely do you ladies even get ill." Rafe pondered.

"She has always had a dark place in her heart. One she cannot get past. Part of me wonders if she blames Sage for the reaping. Or if she blames herself for not seeing the red flags." The blonde sighed and sipped her tea, relishing in the warmth.

"That is for her to determine. I will keep watch tonight. She should sleep fine. Get some rest little flower. You may need it come morning." Rafe told her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

White light enveloped them, warm and comforting. She closed her eyes and smiled softly at the calm surrounding her. When the light faded and she opened her eyes, the archangel had gone. She placed his now empty teacup in the sink and rinsed her own. Her cozy chair in the living room called to her and she settled in next to the fireplace, a blanket over her lap. Her book of angelic history lay on the table beside her chair, and she picked it up, opening it to the last page she had read. She was reading up on past Greater Demons, the Legendary Demon Sparda to be exact. Living in the city where his sons resided had been enough incentive to look into his work. The night drug on and soon enough, Alex fell asleep, her book still propped on the arm of her chair.

Meanwhile, Dante cursed as the group walked into his shop. He kicked his feet up on his desk and Lady and Trish dropped two large pizzas down next to him. Nero stood leaning against the doorframe while Vergil perched on a stool. Lady grabbed a slice of pizza and sat next to Trish on the back of the couch. Everyone was on edge and a little flustered with the way the night had gone.

"So you ran into a full-blown angel. And Nero and I had a run in with another girl that wasn't a demon or fully human." Vergil said as he watched Dante stuff half a slice of pizza in his mouth with disgust.

"That's correct." Trish answered. "Though I suspect she wasn't full angel because she had a human scent to her. Similar to how you three halflings scent."

"She knew you," Nero said to his father. "Or it seemed like she did. The blonde. She couldn't have been much older than me."

"Yes…" Vergil said, thinking. "It was quite strange."

"You think they could be working together?" Dante asked. "It wouldn't be unheard of for angels to be in the same place as one another."

"I'm not sure. Even when the demon king Mundus was at large, angels didn't usually get involved with demon affairs." Trish said.

"What if it's an aftershock?" Lady asked. "Think about it. Fortuna happened seven years ago. A lot of people got hurt and died. Then the Qliphoth incident… Maybe they're being sent to ensure the safety of the humans."

"It is possible. But why they continue to evade us is still a big mystery. If they mean no harm to us, then why would we harm them?" Trish asked, nudging her friend.

"Indeed." Vergil said. "The blonde intrigues me. I plan to do more investigating. We need to stay vigilant until their motives are revealed."

"We also have the demon problem. It's gotten worse since you two got back from the underworld." Nero pointed out. "What if the angels are just helping us out?"

"We can handle the demons, kid." Dante said. "Just find out what the blonde knows. The brunette is my problem. I have some questions for her."

Dante snagged another piece of pizza before getting up and heading upstairs to his room. He finished his food, sluffing off his duster and tossing in on the old couch in his room. His boots were next as he made his way to the ensuite and started a hot shower. Even after the demon fight tonight, one thing stayed on his mind. Green eyes that glittered in the light kept haunting him. He had seen those eyes before. The brunette angel seemed very familiar, and he wasn't about to let her get away. He stripped out of his Henley and jeans, tossing them in the laundry basket that overflowed in the corner. As he stepped under the scalding spray of water his mind wandered to other green eyes.

Noelle… Her name was like a whisper in his ear. She had been alluring and mysterious. Her tight little body had him reeling with desire, yet she had almost seemed disinterested in him. Like she expected him to chase her. He wanted to seek her out. She seemed human enough. She wasn't a demon but maybe she was something else. He pondered through his thoughts as the water turned cold. With a sigh and the brunette from the bar on his mind, he stepped out of the shower after turning the water off. He needed a haircut and a shave again; he decided as he toweled off and looked in his foggy mirror. He sifted through his mess of a dresser for clothes and turned off the lights, falling asleep in the king-sized bed that took up most of his room.

Vergil wasted no time in going up to his own room, followed by Nero heading off to shower and sleep as well. It was still tense with his son, but Vergil was at least making an attempt much to Dante's pleasure. The older twin hated to admit it, but he actually enjoyed sparring and mentoring his son. He felt things more now than he would like to, but Nero seemed to appreciate having him around after he had lost his girlfriend a year ago. It seemed being around his sire had pulled the younger demon hunter from the edge of despair. Vergil pulled out a book from his collection, one he had worked tirelessly to accumulate again after returning from the underworld and paged through it. He was looking for specifics on angel and demon conflicts. There had to be something about it in the blood-spattered history books.

It would be two days before Noelle was out and about again. She had awoken the morning after the encounter with the Devil Hunters and the strange demonic energy, feeling like she had run a marathon. Her mind was fuzzy and her skin clammy with dried sweat. She had showered and gone about normal household chores but didn't seem too interested in much else. This morning she had been met with a flustered Alexis who was packing a duffel and rushing around. She had been called to Sage in Ireland and was waiting for Michael to orb her there. After much promising to stay out of trouble and ensuring that Michael would be watching, Alexis took her brother's hand and left. Noelle took the opportunity to go for a much-needed walk.

After a shower and drying her wavy hair, which she had trimmed to the middle of her shoulder blades, she dressed in low-rise flare jeans and a maroon tank top. She slipped into a pair of black and white converse sneakers and black corduroy half jacket with a fur lined hood. She zipped the jacket over her breast and left the house on foot. Her mind was a tumble of thoughts as she walked, letting her feet carry her wherever they wanted. She found herself on a park bench as the fall air kissed her skin. She was alerted to the presence beside her as someone sat next to her on the bench. The familiar musk of demon and cologne hit her, and she looked over out of the corner of her eye.

Dante sat casually next to her, arm over the back of the bench as one foot rested on his knee. He looked relaxed as he took in Noelle's frown and the way she seemed to carry herself differently. He waited patiently for her to acknowledge him as she seemed deep in thought. Noelle sighed and shifted her weight, so she was slightly facing him, slouching as she tilted her head back on the backrest of the bench.

"You stalking me?" she asked as she give him a side eyed look.

"Nah. Saw you sitting here and thought I'd say hello." He said with a grin. "Haven't seen you around in a couple of days."

"So you aren't stalking me. Just keeping tabs on me?"

"Well I wouldn't want you to need saving and not be there."

"My hero." Her tone was laced with sarcasm. "I can take care of myself."

"Alright. Alright." He raised his hands in mock defeat. "I wanted to see you. Is that wrong?" Dante admitted sheepishly.

"No…." Her frown softened and she turned her head to meet his eyes. "No it isn't. I'm sorry. I'm just not in a good headspace today. I've been under the weather."

"You do look a little paler than normal. Everything okay?" He asked.

"You barely know me…. Why does it matter to you?" She countered.

"Maybe I want to. Maybe I want it to matter?" He said with a shrug.

Noelle was silent for a minute, watching him. Her guard was up but he had shown her no reason to fear him, other than the threat of her angelic lineage being exposed. She shook her head as she sat up and sighed.

"My sister... She had to leave today to go help our other sister. I worry about her when she's gone." She said.

"You have two sisters? Like Identical triplets or something?" Dante asked.

"No. One is older. One younger. And we aren't really sisters. We're best friends. Our moms were all best friends, and we sort of grew up together." She explained. "We're super close. It's just weird not having one of them with me all the time."

"I get that." He said. Dante was used to being on his own but lately, he had to admit, it was weird not having the kid or his twin around. "So you're the middle child. How old are you anyway?" He asked.

"You know it's rude to ask a woman her age." Noelle joked with a halfhearted grin.

"Not when they look like you. That's jailbait right there." He joked.

Noelle stared at him for a second and then laughed. "I'm twenty-four. I turn twenty-five in December." She told him.

Dante was a little shocked. She was a whole twenty years younger than he was. Not that age was much of an issue with him. He was half demon and would live a longer life than humans would. But it put a lot into perspective. She was only five years older than Patty. Dante still couldn't help the strange attraction to this girl. His inner demon purred at the closeness to her.

"You're a lot younger than I thought you were. Guess that's why you didn't care much for my flirting at the bar."

"Age isn't a big deal to me. It's just a number." She said. "Plus I guess I have a thing for older guys. Daddy issues or something like that."

"Daddy issues?" Dante chuckled.

Noelle nodded. "My sisters and I… We all lost our mothers in accidents or childbirth. My father was murdered. The other two never knew their dads. We're all orphans." she said somberly.

"I feel that. My parents died when I was a kid too. My twin brother and I got separated. And we finally just got the family back together." He told her.

"It was hard to move on after…." She paused as flashes of the accident ran through her mind again and she quickly shook them away. "After losing someone so young."

Dante noticed her hesitance and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey. Whatever happened, it's in the past now. You can't change it. But you survived it. That means something." he said as he stared into her green eyes. Something in his mind seemed to click but it was hard to focus with his demon purring loudly in his ear.

"Thank you." She said softly as she gave him a real smile. She checked the time on her phone and realized it was already in the afternoon. "Do you… Want to get some food with me? I really hate eating alone."

"I'd love to. I know this great little place a couple of blocks away from here." He told her, standing and offering her a hand.

Noelle locked the door behind her as she entered the house. Dante had insisted he walk her home after they had finished eating but she had wanted to walk around the city more. She had checked in with Alexis at one point and knew her sister was fine. A smile ghosted over her lips as she thought back to the late lunch with Dante. He had taken her to a sweet little diner two blocks from the park. She hadn't had food that good in a while. The company she had helped too. Her burger had been phenomenal, and she had enjoyed teasing and talking to Dante. They ended up swapping thoughts for thoughts over strawberry milkshakes, something they found they shared a common love for.

By the time Dante had suggested he walk her home, it had gotten dark. The fading sunlight had caught her attention and she asked to walk along the pier facing Fortuna instead. They walked in a comfortable silence as the light faded and the streetlights beckoned her home. He insisted once more that he make sure she got home safely but she denied him. Demons had appeared and gave her the perfect excuse to slip away. She had slipped a card in his coat pocket as she brushed his arm and smiled, walking away from him. The card had her name and phone number on it.

She couldn't help but focus on the time with the red devil. There were no ill feelings or bad thoughts. She had genuinely had a good time with the Devil hunter. Something about him felt safe. Like she was finally home. She didn't understand these feelings. She had never had them with her ex. As she made sure the house was secured, she felt a spike of demon energy nearby. She pulled the curtains on the living room windows and headed upstairs to curl up in her bed. The silence would eventually lull her to sleep as she lay there in her own thoughts of the afternoon she'd had.

A/N: Chapter two has ended. Alexis is off helping Sage and Noelle is on her own. What was the demonic presence stalking her? And can she shake the depression that still haunts her? What about her date with Dante? Read on to see what life has in store for out little brunette friend.

Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, its characters, or material. This is purely fanfiction.

Story Available On: Wattpad, AO3,