"Absolutely not! Are you insane?" a Board member exclaimed after hearing Adrian's proposal. He made the bold decision to crash a Board meeting to pitch his idea for Lilliana's final test, but it appears his mere presence was shocking for the group. It was as if they were scared to be in the room with him, but he didn't pay too much mind to it; he was used to getting weird looks from them anyway. He gave a report on Lilliana's rehabilitation and while they were happy to see her progress initially, especially after hearing about her session with her future supervisor, their faces turned sour when they heard what kind of test Adrian wanted to give her. Some were more vocal about their displeasure than others.
"Do you have a better way to showcase her progress?" Adrian challenged with crossed arms.
"Not only do you want her to be around a bloody death, but you expect her to do the collection alone?" the gruff member exclaimed. Adrian did not miss being in the same room as his biggest adversary.
"How do you expect her to perform like a regular Reaper if she is restricted? Not only would you lose an extra hand in collection, but she would be out of commission if no one is able to watch her. The best thing for the Task Force is to keep her autonomous."
"But she can't be trusted around blood. That's what failed her the last time," the soft-spoken member said.
"I made sure to address that early on. Her eyes may turn red, but she won't act on her instincts," Adrian defended. "If we want her to succeed, we will need to trust her and the best way to showcase that trust is to give her a collection that will test her restraint greatly."
"Not if we vote against it," the gruff protested, but was shot down by the leader.
"I must remind everyone that we gave Adrian full control of Ms. Kiliamo's rehabilitation, which includes how he wishes to test her. He is responsible for her actions if she chooses to go berserk and he will be the one to put the guillotine through her neck if she fails," the leader said coldly.
"I was not aware of that last part," Adrian said with a bit of shock in his tone.
"It's a security measure," he answered, but something about the shortness of his answer made Adrian suspicious. "On the final day of this year, we will implement this test of yours. As the day approaches closer, we will send you a list of souls to choose from. You cannot give her any details of the collection to keep her in the dark."
"Don't Task Force members get a heads-up on the type of souls they collect?" Adrian asked.
"You wanted to test her self-control, correct? If she is blindsided, then she will be at the mercy of her instincts," the leader explained. Adrian wanted to protest, but decided to keep his mouth shut. He didn't want to jeopardize his freedom to choose the soul. "Other than the obvious complaint, are there any other points that need to be made before we dismiss?"
The room grew quiet. Even the gruff slumped into his seat, but it was clear in his facial expression that he had a list of things he wanted to say. Satisfied by the silence, Adrian smiled and said, "Thank you. You'll finally see that the Demonic Reaper can change her ways." As he left the room, a sigh of relief could be heard by the rest of the Board.
The day of the test finally arrived and Lilliana was nervous. Even though she acted optimistic about passing the test leading up to this day, she had a sinking feeling that something would go wrong. As ordered, Adrian kept the details secret, leaving her to wonder what kind of collection it would be. She tried using persuasive tactics to get him to spill the beans, but he was tight-lipped. Despite acting opposite in front of him, he could tell she was nervous and reassured her that she would do great.
When it was time for her to go through with the collection, Adrian gave her a training Death Scythe, told her the address, and wished her good luck. She expected him to follow her to the building, but he stayed in place, discreetly watching her off with his demonic eyesight. As she got further and further away from him, she could feel her nerves grow, but tried to soothe herself whenever she caught a glimpse of a Board Member from a distance. They tried to be discreet about their locations, but even without knowing the faces of any of the Board Members, their watchful green eyes were a dead giveaway.
When she arrived at the building, she looked for an open window or door to slither into that would avoid detection from any of the humans inside. Even though it was technically not against the rules to interact with humans prior to death, she didn't want to take any chances. Luckily, the attic window was open and she snuck in. She made sure to land quietly and walked slowly toward the closed hatch. She could hear the muffled conversing of a group of men, but after a while, the volume grew louder and the tone turned hostile. She decided to wait for a sign to descend into the main house and it soon came with a barrage of gunfire.
What Lilliana wasn't told was that her collection involved a meeting between two rival mafia families and it was doomed from the start. Blood had already spilled on both sides and this meeting was supposed to be a ceasefire to discuss terms for repreration and forgiveness. However, not everyone received the memo; vengeance was prioritized and bullets started flying, hitting targets indiscriminately. It took mere minutes for a bustling room of shouting and grunts to turn completely silent.
Hearing the gunfire made Lilliana anxious. Of course she wasn't scared of guns; human weapons, though painful at times, could not kill a Reaper or cause serious damage, but it could kill a human and the results were gruesome. Her demonic senses were already triggered by the scent of blood and her eyes turned red. She took a deep breath to calm herself, but it only increased the potency of the scent. When enough time passed, she pushed the hatch down, not waiting for the ladder to descend with her. Like a bloodhound, she used the scent to guide her to the room and when she saw a pool forming underneath a closed door, she knew she found it.
She slowly opened the door and was frozen in place as she took the scene in. Multiple bodies were scattered throughout the room with blood splattered at every corner. Some bodies slumped in chairs without a hint of a gun being drawn while some were laying on their stomachs, trying to escape the carnage, but failing. The smell of blood was overwhelming and if circumstances were different, she would revel in the carnage, but today, she had to repress those sadistic urges.
Though, the sound of strained breathing caught her attention; apparently not every body in the room was lifeless. She scanned the room and though he kept himself hidden initially, she hunted down the one person clinging for his life. She kept out of his sight and saw him trying to sit straight against a fallen table. He only had so many hands to cover the many bullet holes that were gushing blood out of his body. She was surprised to see him alive this long, but knew he was never going to survive this. Though, when she saw the gold cross on his necklace, she let out a subtle exhale of frustration. Of course this delusional man was looking for a miracle from a deity that would never bother to listen to his prayer.
She turned her back on him and was about to collect the other souls, waiting for him to succumb to death's call, but he heard the dying man gurgle out, "An angel has come to save me."
She was stunned by his statement and tightened her grip on the training scythe. "What did you call me?" she asked, making sure she heard him correctly.
"An angel," he repeated. With her back turned, she couldn't see the relieved smile he had on his face. However, when she turned around to face him, his smile turned into fear as he saw her red eyes.
She chuckled at his terror. "I'm insulted you would mistake me for one of those pretentious creatures. Angels only care about souls they deem holy enough to enter Heaven and, judging by your profession, I highly doubt they would consider you worthy. In fact, a demon is more likely to save you at your final moments than an angel, yet humans villainize them and idolize the latter." She walked to him in a threatening manner that forced him to use whatever strength he had to crawl away from her. When he reached a wall, all he could do was watch in terror as she lowered herself to his eyeline. "But you can always count on a Grim Reaper to collect your soul when you die," she said as she raised her Death Scythe above her head. Her initial instinct to leave no witnesses almost put the Scythe through his head, but when she realized what she was doing, she took a deep breath and lowered her weapon.
However, that did not soothe his horror. She could hear his heart beating rapidly, but it didn't have enough blood to sustain it. More blood was gushing out of him and soon, he took his last breath with an expression of sheer terror planted on his face. She sighed as she said to herself, "This better not count as me killing him." She made sure there weren't any more survivors before proceeding with the collection. She made sure to review every soul carefully to make sure no one was deserving of a second chance at life and even though each life would be leaving behind family and friends, no soul was worth resurrecting.
When she was done, she felt a huge sense of relief and carefully left the room, making sure no one was around to see her leave. Although Reapers didn't care about interfering with human concepts like justice, she still didn't want to be spotted by humans who might mistake her as a serial killer. Luckily for her, she was in the most crime-stricken part of town, so even audio witnesses of the gunfire would keep their mouths shut to avoid retaliation toward them or their families.
She reported back to the rehabilitation center, where the Board, William, and Adrian were waiting for her. While Adrian and William were happy to see her, the Board was quick to check her work. One of them immediately took the Death Scythe out of her hands while another cross-referenced the collected soul with a To-Die list, marking each one with a COMPLETED stamp. "They're all here. Not a single one is missing," he said as he closed the book.
"And she did not venture off to find any other souls to devour," another said. Lilliana noticed him following behind her after she left the house, but she was surprised he made it here before she did.
"She . . . passed her test," the leader said in shock. With elation filling her body, she immediately ran to hug Adrian, who welcomed the sudden affection and let her stay in his arms as he could feel tears falling onto his shoulder. William watched the scene with pride, but as he turned to the Board, he noticed that most of their faces did not show the same pride or happiness. In fact, most of them looked either conflicted or even disappointed. Surely they didn't wish for her to fail that strongly. "Congratulations, Ms. Kiliamo. With the success of your test, we officially see you as one of us and are welcomed into the Task Force as a Rogue Reaper."
At the sound of the title, the happy scene turned into confusion as they looked at him with shock. "What do you mean 'Rogue Reaper'? She passed her test, so that should negate the distinction," Adrian argued.
"We are pleased with her success, but we cannot overlook the fact that she has demonic instincts, even if they are controlled."
"You can't be serious! She has worked this hard to be treated like any other Reaper and only now are you telling us that she will still be labeled Rogue?" Adrian said with his anger boiling. If he wasn't careful, he would have a repeat incident of rage-filled murder. "We agreed that if she passed her test, she can work in the Task Force as a regular Reaper."
"Yes, she would have the responsibilities and autonomy of a regular Reaper, but the title of Rogue Reaper must stay. It cannot be negotiated."
"But simply having the title limits her abilities. She will be stuck in the London sect unless given permission, which will be hard to come by. Not to mention the heightened scrutiny to make sure she doesn't falter even once."
"All Reapers are under scrutiny, Mr. Crevan. One grave mistake could result in the guillotine. Be happy that you were able to save Ms. Kiliamo from that fate, but if you wish to plead for her case, then follow us to the Board room," the leader said as he and the other Board members started heading to headquarters.
Adrian turned to William and Lilliana and asked him, "Mr. Spears, do you mind helping Lilliana get her things out of the rehabilitation center? She won't be staying here any longer."
"O-Of course," he responded. William looked at Lilliana, who had disappointment written all over her face. In a way, he felt like he was lying to her by saying that the Board would accept her. She may be free of the rehabilitation center, but she will always be chained.
Adrian walked into the Board room last, watching as everyone took their seat, but when he was about to take his usual seat, he noticed the leader occupying it, leaving him no place to sit. He decided to walk to the front of the table, where the leader usually stood. "This meeting is now in session. I will remind all of you that the topics discussed here will remain confidential," he said in an authoritative voice.
"Confidential? Aren't we here to discuss Lilliana's Reaper status?" Adrian inquired.
"She's not the only one we will be evaluating," he said as he pulled a file from below the table and the rest did the same. "Adrian Crevan, we have reason to believe that you have the traits to qualify you as a Rogue Reaper."
Adrian took a step back at the allegation. "On what evidence?"
"Quite a lot of evidence," the gruff member said with a confident grin on his face.
The leader took back the control as he explained, "We received an alarming tip from Dr. Peters before he left on his vacation, saying he feared for his life, and asked us to commence an investigation if he were to die or go missing."
"He has been working against me since the very beginning. He wanted to regain control of the rehabilitation center and would say anything to get me out of there," Adrian defended, but they didn't seem convinced.
"Yes, we heard the multiple complaints from Dr. Peters and we usually dismiss them, but then he sent us this," he said as he threw a notebook onto the table, aiming it in front of Adrian so he could look at it. To his surprise, it was the same type of notebook Dr. Peters used to write down disturbing entries about his patients. He swore he had Lucifer burn all of those infernal notebooks, which was even more confusing when the one presented to him had his name written on it.
"Does it look familiar to you, Crevan?" the gruff smirked. "Apparently, the good doctor made a copy in case the original one 'disappeared'."
"I'm more concerned that he was taking notes of me when I was not his patient," he misled. He couldn't just say that he knew of the notebooks or Dr. Peters' perverted reasons for taking such notes or else it would further implicate him in his disappearance. "Am I allowed to read its contents?"
"No need. I made an outline of the major points," the head researcher said as he slid over a single paper on a clipboard. "Everyone has a copy."
"Most of the points made were mostly frivolous complaints about you 'interfering' with his treatments, but then there were some entries that caught our interest," the leader said as he looked through his file to find a specific page:
Adrian Crevan, a highly-respected Board Member in the Association is a Rogue Reaper?! I know he's eccentric and a pain to work with, but to affiliate with a demon? I would have never believed such a thing, but I overheard him talking about his relationship with Lucifer, the very demon who raised the Demonic Reaper! Perhaps he overhauled her treatment as a way to help her escape or even help her conceal her demonic instincts to find an opportune moment to get revenge. It is dangerous for the entire Association to let him mentor her and I have to find a way to stop him, though the Board is not so keen on listening to me. I'll try to write down all the evidence I can gather, but I'll be doomed if he figures out that I'm watching him. Hopefully I'll be around to see the look on the Board's faces when they know I'm right.
"Awfully cocky, isn't he?" Adrian responded, but his response seemed to concern the Board more.
"I'm surprised that you didn't immediately try to deny the allegations," the quiet Board member said.
"Like I said earlier, he would say anything to get me out of the center. Going so far as to accuse me of knowing the king of the demons is almost comical."
"But the choice of demon is alarming," the leader pointed out. "It is the very one who taught her how to be a demon and if you have any affiliation with said demon, that would put the whole year into question. We had to keep the investigation of Dr. Peters' disappearance quiet to not alarm you or Ms. Kiliamo, especially since you were the prime suspect."
"I thought it was odd I was never interrogated during that time," Adrian stated. It was becoming clear to him that they would not be so easily convinced by constant denial. If he heard all the evidence, he could make a convincing case without any conflicting details.
"I had one of my researchers work as a doctor to observe your behavior and actions after we received this notebook," the head researcher explained. "He said that while Dr. Peters left, you entered his locked office and left the room with a handful of notebooks similar to this one. Sure enough, when there was an investigation of his office when he was reported missing, those notebooks were nowhere to be found."
"So you lied about knowing about the notebook," the gruff gloated.
"I never said I didn't know about it; I said I wasn't aware he had a notebook about me. The ones I pulled out of his office were of Lilliana and the other doctors he was observing," Adrian argued.
"Regardless, the original copy of your notebook went missing and you are the only one who could know of its existence. It's safe to assume that you were the one who made it disappear, just like Dr. Peters."
"Are you accusing me of having anything to do with his disappearance?" Adrian inquired. He was careful not to use the word 'murder'.
"We are only pointing out the coincidental timing," the researcher said. "After his disappearance, things have gotten a lot smoother for your rehabilitation of the Demonic Reaper, or should we say, the Rogue Reaper. My spy didn't notice any suspicious activities since then."
"But that doesn't mean our investigation ended," the member with thick glasses said. "We had one more person we needed to get information from."
"We thought it was unusual for you to ask for a specific doctor to oversee Ms. Kiliamo's physical. We weren't aware that Dr. Fleur N. Gale is your primary doctor," the researcher rejoined. "I don't know any other Grim Reaper who insists on seeing the same doctor for every clinic visit."
"She and I have developed a friendship with each other, so why would I see someone else that I trust less than her?" Adrian rebutted.
"Being friends with your doctor insinuates that you see her often, but you don't partake in yearly physicals, like you should," the researcher scolded.
"We meet outside the clinic, like friends do," Adrian lied. He can't even remember the last time the two of them interacted that didn't involve her treating his wounds.
"Still, we couldn't quell this suspicion and asked her for her file on you," the leader said. "The file she provided looked normal, minus your lack of yearly visits, and your mental health screenings were normal."
"Then why bring Dr. Gale up if nothing was found?" Adrian questioned.
"Well, we suspected that she was holding back information and after sneaking into her office while she was away, we found another file locked away," the leader said as he threw the dark-colored file on the table. "She may have never reported your injuries, but she took extensive notes."
"These kinds of notes would be most helpful to the demon hunters recovery team. Her treatments, while experimental, could actually save the lives of many demon hunters who are injured on the job," the researcher praised reluctantly. "But instead, she keeps them secret, most likely to save your reputation. What a shame."
"But it is also most helpful for demon hunters to be aware of traits of Reapers who affiliate themselves with demons. Mr. Crevan, may I have a look at your spectacles?"
Adrian's eyes widened, but sighed in defeat since there would be no use in arguing. "Before I do, can I ask one thing?"
"What is it?" the gruff asked in annoyance.
He took off his spectacles and handed it to the nearest Board member before saying, "Please don't punish Dr. Gale. She was simply doing her job and I gave her information that she found valuable to note."
Each board member passed them to the next before it reached the leader. "You have my word that she will not be prosecuted for secrecy. In fact, once this meeting is adjourned, we plan to send her findings to the demon hunters for them to look over. She will be praised for her work, which I don't think she will object to."
"Even with me as her patient?"
"We will redact your name from the file. The last thing we want the rest of the Association to learn is that a Rogue Reaper managed to infiltrate the English Board," the leader said as he examined the spectacles, noting that he could see through them perfectly even though he was wearing his own spectacles.
"So you have already labeled me a Rogue Reaper before I entered the room?" Adrian said with a chuckle. "Didn't even want to hear my defense, huh?"
"We were hoping that it wasn't true, but too many things were lining up. Be honest with me, Adrian: did Ms. Kiliamo's status as the Demonic Reaper influence your decision to rehabilitate her?'
"No, it did not. I want her to be the Reaper she was destined to be, not to go back to the demon she was," he said.
"You wanted her to be like you," the gruff interrupted as he stood from his seat in anger. "You plotted to rescue her so she could join in your little game of deception. Imagine having the Demonic Reaper as your pet to do your bidding when things weren't going your way."
"Not this again," Adrian grumbled, trying to keep his anger in check. "I assure you all that my involvement with Ms. Kiliamo was purely altruistic. I refuse to see anyone locked in a cage simply for the reason of their birth."
"You saw yourself in her, didn't you? Except you weren't born with demonic instincts. You made the conscious decision to obtain them."
"I think I've heard enough," a board member said as he stood up from his seat. He kept his face hidden with a tall hat, but as he removed it, Adrian could see the many scars on his face. Adrian recognized him, not as a fellow Board member, but as a prominent demon hunter that is famous across all of Europe. "I have learned a lot about Rogue Reapers over the years thanks to one we hired as a demon huntress in America. We studied her blood every year to see if there were any abnormalities, but none was found and those who are transfused with her blood don't experience any difference in anatomy or performance. Of course, we kept this knowledge secret, but that might explain why Mr. Crevan is opposed to giving his blood."
"Why would those foolish Americans hire a Rogue Reaper as a demon hunter? Seems counter-intuitive, don't you think?" the gruff argued.
"She did not want to be a Rogue Reaper, but the details of her demonic involvement are confidential. Just know that she is atoning for her sins by working to slay demons," the demon hunter defended before turning his attention back to Adrian. "No one would know she was a Rogue Reaper unless her eyes turned red when using her demonic instincts. But there are more obvious signs than concealed red eyes, such as heightened eyesight and strength and since you can recognize my face without your spectacles, it's safe to assume that you can see just fine without them."
The rest of the Board murmured, wondering what Adrain would say next. Even he was at a loss for words. There was no way he could spin this to aid his defense. What defense did he have left? All he could do was laugh, which alarmed everyone in the room. The demon hunter kept his hand on his Death Scythe, awaiting any excuse to use it. "Well, it looks like you caught me. I'd tip my hat off to you if you would let me borrow yours, sir," he said with a Cheshire Cat smile.
"Do you have any shame for your crime?" the leader criticized.
"Not at all. If anything, I feel free now that I no longer have to hide my secret."
"Even if it results in your execution?"
"Better to be executed for being who I am than to be forced to hide any longer."
"Then why did you fight so hard for Ms. Kiliamo to live?"
"Because she never had a choice in becoming who she was and you were going to punish her for it. At least I chose my fate," he said initially with a grin, but it soon faded away as a thought ran across his mind. "Is that why you labeled her a Rogue Reaper?"
"Not entirely. She would have always been considered Rogue due to her past, but having you as a mentor did not help her case. We were going to execute her once we learned the truth about you, but then the demon hunter brought up a good point: a Reaper with immense knowledge of demons and their weaknesses would be most beneficial for the Association."
"So you want her to betray the people she once considered friends and family?"
"That kind of thinking is what got you in trouble in the first place," the thick-glassed Board member quipped.
"We were hoping you would convince her otherwise, but I guess it wouldn't be possible with your history. However, she can be taught to be a law-abiding Reaper and, perhaps, even one day, she can be a demon huntress herself," the demon hunter said.
"I admire your ambition, but I taught her to obey without sacrificing her free will. She may follow the rules to avoid getting in trouble, but that doesn't mean that she will do whatever you ask her to."
"I would hope that she is smart enough to listen to reason," the leader said. "But that will be Mr. Spears' problem when the time comes."
"I see. Despite knowing the truth for a while, you let me continue my sessions with Lilliana just so you can later mold her if she were to succeed. You made me do all your dirty work and reap the rewards or wash your hands clean if she failed since the blame would be placed on me."
"Quite perceptive, aren't you?" the gruff member said with a grin on his face. "And now we can rid ourselves of you now that the mission is complete."
"I guess it is only reasonable to put the guillotine through my neck," Adrian said with an unnerving smile that put a chill down everyone's spine.
"We had something different in mind," the leader said, watching as his grin disappeared. "It would be more detrimental for us if we underwent a public execution. Not only do we have to fear Ms. Kiliamo's retaliation that her mentor was executed, but there would be a lot of unrest if it was made public that a Rogue Reaper had infiltrated the Board."
"So it's all about keeping your infallible status? You lot are starting to sound like angels with that kind of talk," Adrian joked and seeing the death glares he received with that comment made him chuckle a bit.
"We are trying to prevent panic and hysteria amongst the Association. People would think their fellow Reapers are Rogue. Imagine the chaos that would ensue," the quiet member said.
"So if execution is off the table, then what is to become of me?"
The leader got up from his seat. "Adrian Crevan, after reviewing the evidence and listening to your confession, we have no choice but to classify you as a Rogue Reaper. The punishment for such a crime would normally be execution, but since we cannot proceed with such punishment, we are exiling you from the Shinigami Realm. On record, you are 'retiring' and will turn in your Death Scythe. We will keep your status of Rogue Reaper a secret, but if you ever return to the Shinigami Realm or become an enemy of the Association in the human world, your status will become public and will be blamed on your time in the human world."
"Also, you are not allowed to inform Ms. Kiliamo that you are a Rogue Reaper and cut ties with her. We do not want her to start a vendetta on your behalf," the demon hunter said.
"And how do you expect her to react to my 'retirement'? She is a smart girl that won't buy such a lie," Adrian argued. He was fine with exile, but the added condition concerning Lilliana punched him in the gut.
"Convince her," the demon hunter threatened.
Adrian grew quiet for a bit. Being exiled, while not ideal, would have been a dream come true for him. He was growing so weary of the Association, both for its conformity and hypocrisy, but could never find a way to escape it without being labeled Rogue. That was partly why he developed a relationship with Lucifer as a secret form of protest. However, things have changed now that Lilliana was involved. He wanted to watch her succeed in a system that was rooting for her downfall. In a way, he wanted to see her fight back against the Association, but not in the way the Board feared. He wanted her to spite them by simply being a Reaper. Now he is forced to separate from her and force her to live on her own. Even if he returned to the Board after her rehabilitation, he would have made an effort to check in on her and to be there if she needed extra support. That was the part he was having the most conflict with, but if he continued to see her in the human world, her status as a Reaper would be in jeopardy and he could not risk that.
He sighed and said in a defeated tone, "I accept the terms of my punishment."
"Good. You have until midnight tonight to get your affairs in order. I wish you luck, Mr. Crevan," the leader said. "This meeting is officially adjourned. I remind everyone in this room that the topics discussed here are to remain confidential. You are all dismissed." Everyone got up from their seats and swiftly left the room. Though, the gruff had a satisfied smirk on his face, happy to be rid of his adversary. Adrian was the second to last person to leave, followed by the demon hunter, who kept some distance between them.
After asking the rehabilitation staff of Lilliana's whereabouts, he headed to the registration office. She was granted free housing in a nearby apartment complex and he asked for her address. It didn't take long to find the apartment and he knocked on the door, keeping an eye on the demon hunter that was still watching him from afar. Adrian was glad that the demon hunter had the decency to let him speak with her alone. He heard shuffling through the door and soon, Lilliana opened the door with a happy smile on her face. "Come on in," she invited as she stepped out of the way to let him in. He walked in and immediately noticed unfinished painted walls surrounding him. Although tenants are allowed to paint the walls if they wanted to, most kept the white walls since they planned to save up for a house. He wasn't a fan of the beige color she chose, but it was probably the only option given to her. Furniture was pushed to a secluded wall and it looked cheap.
"I see you wasted no time in making a home," he said with a smile.
"Well, it's not home just yet. I need to start working in the Task Force and make some money to get some better furniture. Speaking of which, how did the meeting go?" she asked hopefully. When she saw his frown, she knew the answer would not be favorable.
"They refuse to remove the Rogue Reaper title from you. It appears that they never intended for you to be anything else despite your success," he said regretfully.
"Those bastards," she said as her eyes turned red. "We worked so hard for me to be part of the Task Force."
"And they are still granting you autonomy in that regard. You just won't be allowed to leave the London area without prior permission."
She lowered her head as she said, "I was hoping that I could use my free-time to look for my brother."
He was surprised to hear her say that. "You know what would happen if you were caught with him."
"I know, but I can't just pretend that he doesn't exist. I'd make sure to be discreet," she reasoned.
"You're on thin ice as it is. As much as I agree with you, you'll have to be on your best behavior until you develop more trust with the Association."
"You and I both know that's not going to happen," she lamented. "The only hope I have is with you in the Board."
He felt a piercing pain in his heart at the sound of that. "I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but I am no longer a Board member."
"What?!" she exclaimed.
"I put in my resignation today since they did not keep their end of the bargain and I'm cutting ties with the Association."
She was left speechless; so many thoughts were racing in her mind. "You . . . You can do that?"
"Technically no. They are treating me like an exile and wish for us to sever contact if I am no longer part of the Association. I cannot bear the thought, but I don't want to get you in trouble."
At those words, she couldn't hold back her tears and started weeping. The world they were building up was crumbling before her in just one day, a day that should have been the happiest one in her life. He was quick to hug her, but she harshly pushed him away. "Don't act kindly to me! I should have known that you would abandon me. It was all too good to be true and I was an idiot for letting you trick me into a fantasy," she bawled.
"I'm not abandoning you, believe me! I had every intention to be at your side to watch you succeed in spite of prejudice. However, I could not be part of a group that systemically wants to see you fail. That would go against everything I stand for," he countered.
"So instead, you leave me completely?"
"Not at all," he said, but remembered the demon hunter was probably listening outside her door. "I plan to make a life in London since I am the most familiar with the area, but I cannot disclose to you my exact location."
"So, we might run into each other in the future," she said in an exhausted voice.
"Who knows," he said. Hopefully that answer was sufficient enough for the demon hunter. The last thing he wanted for her is to be surveillanced when she is out in the human world. Her earlier comment about her brother could raise alarms. "But you have to promise me one thing: you have to be the Reaper you were destined to be. I don't want you to be their puppet, but I still want you to live freely. You still have the right to tell them no when the situation makes sense to do so."
His last statement raised her suspicion. He wouldn't be emphasizing free will unless they told him something they planned to do to her. She wanted to pry him about it, but reasoned that he wouldn't be allowed to say it. She pushed her suspicions aside as she simply said, "I promise."
He pulled her in for a hug, which she was more receptive to this time. Now it was his turn to shed some tears, but kept his breathing steady to not alarm her. There was so much he was hiding from her for her protection and feared that if she ever learned the truth, the trust they have built this past year would disintegrate. If they were to meet again, perhaps he would tell her the complete truth, but feared the consequences if he did. For now, all he could do is wish the best for her as she goes through this next chapter alone. With parting words, they said their goodbyes and he left her home.
Adrian waited in the forest outside of London, waiting for a certain demon to show up. He planned to tell him the news of the exile, but he was a bit anxious. He knew that Lucifer would be happy to hear he finally left the Association with his life, but then he feared his reaction after hearing Lilliana would be alone on her journey from now on. Though, hearing she passed her test might overshadow that reaction.
Suddenly, a blue flame portal appeared nearby and out from it came the tall demon with a satisfied grin on his face. "I hope you have some good news for me."
"I do," Adrian replied. "Lilliana will be joining the Task Force as a Rogue Reaper."
Lucifer's expression was mixed. "I'm ecstatic to hear she passed, but I thought you told me that being labeled a Rogue Reaper is very restrictive, not to mention a death sentence."
"It is, but it's the only compromise they'll accept. Speaking of which, I have been labeled Rogue myself."
"How did that happen? You were always so careful about keeping it secret," Lucifer asked with shock in his voice.
"Not careful enough, apparently. The doctor that you killed managed to find out my secret and told the Board long before our confrontation."
"But we burned those notebooks, didn't we? What evidence would they have?"
"Apparently, he made a copy and the Board underwent an investigation on me, but kept it quiet until Lilliana's test. They didn't want to compromise her cooperation if she found out her mentor was a criminal."
"But if they figured out your secret, then how are you alive? Didn't you tell me those involved with demons would be put to death?"
"That's the funny part. To save themselves from the shame of having a Rogue Reaper in their ranks, the Board thought it was a more fitting punishment to exile me from the Shinigami Realm and keep the status a secret."
"Those self-righteous assholes," Lucifer growled. He let out a huff before continuing, "At least you're alive. I was serious about exacting revenge if something were to happen to you."
"Well, at that point, I wouldn't be able to stop you," Adrian said with a chuckle. "But despite all this, they're going to let Lilliana become a Reaper and collect souls on her own . . . eventually. I'd assume they will observe her on her initial shifts to make sure she doesn't cause trouble."
"At least she is free from that cage. Let's hope that they don't force her into another," Lucifer said with a somber tone. "I'll let Bastille know to look for her in the London area."
"Don't tell him so soon. If she's caught interacting with him, who knows what kind of trouble she can get in," Adrian warned.
"I would hope that boy would know to be discreet for that reason. London is such a big city that it will be hard to track her down regardless. Though, it's been over half a century since he last saw her. I'm not sure how long he is willing to wait."
"I understand. As part of my punishment, they are forcing me to sever my ties with her, so I would have to be discreet as well."
"So they used your altruism to get what they want and wipe their hands clean of you. Quite manipulative, aren't they?" Lucifer said with a cackle. "And yet that distinction usually falls on my kind."
"I told you that we were more alike than you think," Adrian said with a giggle. "The difference is that demons are more honest about it."
The air was filled with laughter, but when it died down, Lucifer asked, "So what do you plan on doing next? If you need a place to stay, you're always invited into my chambers in my Hell palace."
"Tempting as it is, I don't know how your children would react to having a Reaper as a step-father, let alone a house guest," he said with a grin.
"They're grown up enough to know that their father can have tastes outside the norm. Those that refuse to accept it can either leave or be punished."
Adrian smiled. "I appreciate the offer, but I think I'll make a life in the human realm. There's bound to be something for me to do here without bringing attention to myself."
"Are you not afraid that they will try to hunt you down?"
"If they want to keep my Rogue status a secret, it is in their best interest to not involve demon hunters. Any one of them could have a loose tongue and that could bring disaster."
"That's a shame. I was hoping to fight them off with you," Lucifer pouted. "But if that changes, let me know."
"I think I can handle demon hunters on my own. I can hold myself against you," Adrian goaded.
"Oh really?" Lucifer said as he got into a fighting stance and grew his fingers into black claws. "Prove it to me, then."
"With pleasure," Adrian said as he pulled out his Death Scythe.
"I'm surprised they let you keep your toy, but it does keep this fight fair."
"Reapers have a deceptive nature, remember? I have my ways of keeping my prized possession," he said as the Death Scythe glowed green. Yes, he turned in a Death Scythe, but he had commissioned a replacement after a particularly tough fight with Lucifer in the past. Luckily, they could fix the original Death Scythe and he decided to keep the replacement for a moment like this.
Lucifer was the first to strike as he dashed to him and extended his arm for a strike. Adrian only had mere seconds to dodge and he did with only a couple strands of hair cut in the crossfire. Though, he was just as speedy with his attack as he swung his Death Scythe, shooting out a green beam to head toward the demon. Lucifer managed to dodge that with some difficulty and the beam landed on a nearby tree, shattering it to pieces. "I see you're not holding back any punches. That makes this more fun," he said as his eyes turned blue and his claws engulfed in flames.
He threw some fireballs in Adrian's direction and he swung his Death Scythe to form a beam that would counter the flames. However, Lucifer was relentless with his flames and kept shooting several at a time, forcing Adrian to retreat when the counter wasn't enough. Luckily for them, the blue flames were controlled and would not burn the forest around them; they dissipated the minute they hit a mark that wasn't the Reaper.
Adrian swung out beams to try to get him to stop this barrage of fireballs and while it did for a moment, the minute the attack missed, Lucifer would shoot them out again. When dodging seemed futile, he decided to change up his strategy and used his demon instincts to run through the barrage and fight the source. He was careful to dodge them and took Lucifer by surprise with a normal, yet powerful swing of his Death Scythe. He jumped back, but it still managed to graze his skin and cut his clothes. "That was brave of you, Adrian. One wrong move and you would have been roasted."
"And if you weren't quick enough, you would have been sliced," Adrian bantered.
Lucifer smirked as he said, "I hope you have more tricks up your sleeve than just that." He raised his fingers to form a wall of blue flame and made a pushing gesture to launch it toward him. Once it got close to Adrian, he extended his fingers to make the wall longer, cutting off Adrian's plan to dodge it. Eventually, the wall hit the trees that blocked his way, but when the flames dissipated quickly, Lucifer finally noticed that he had disappeared.
"If you're only going to send projectiles my way, this is going to be a boring fight," Adrian said from behind the demon as he landed a surprise blow on Lucifer's shoulder. It was deep enough to start bleeding profusely, but it wasn't in danger of being severed.
Despite the pain that coarsed the demon's body, he laughed. "How exhilarating! It's been a long time since you made me bleed. Do it again, if you can," he beamed. Soon, his body was engulfed in flames and he and the flames disappeared as quickly as they appeared. Adrian kept his guard up, knowing he could show himself at any moment for a sneak attack. He listened closely for the roaring sound of fire and looked behind him for a nearby tree to back up to to protect his back. Once he felt the hard object hit his back, he felt safer, but when he felt a hand on his neck, he knew he was in trouble. "I learned to mute the flames," Lucifer whispered in his ears before he dug a single claw into his neck and sliced across his neck.
Lucifer watched his partner hold a hand onto his neck, which was now pouring out blood, and licked up the blood from his claw almost seductively. Adrian knew there was only one way to quickly recover from this attack and that was to drink his own blood. He put his bloody hand up to his lips and lapped up whatever amount needed to close his wound, but made sure not to indulge to keep his wits about him. "Thank you, Lilliana," he said quietly.
"It appears you are picking up some demon fighting techniques. About time," Lucifer said as he tried to attack him again, but before his claws could land another blow, Adrian used his Death Scythe to block him. Although his stamina was restored, he noticed that his vision was getting a bit blurry. He used his demonic strength to push Lucifer back and proceeded to swing at him unceasingly. However, he was able to dodge each attack with ease. "You're getting sloppy," Lucifer pointed out before he managed to get close enough to the Reaper that he could embrace him. However, he had more sinister intentions as he grabbed onto his face so that his claws were digging into his hairline. With all his strength, he managed to throw him to a nearby tree and cut his face with his pinky finger.
Adrian was writhing in pain, but he knew he had to keep fighting. He could feel the blood that dripped down from the bridge of his nose and his left eye as it reached his mouth, but he knew it would be disadvantageous to him if he drank any more of his blood. Lucifer knew this all too well as he walked up to the fallen Reaper and pinned his arms against the damaged tree. Adrian kept a strong grip on his Death Scythe, but he knew he didn't have enough strength to fight him off.
"So what were you saying about being able to defeat me?" Lucifer teased before he started to lick up the blood from his neck. The unexpected gesture sent a shiver down Adrian's spine and he felt his body loosen up; damn this demon and his explorative tongue. He made sure to not leave a single drop and let his teeth graze Adrian's skin, teasing a bite that he was fighting hard not to take. Looking at Adrian's conflicted face, he knew the context of the battle had changed and grinned. He then kissed the Reaper, licking up any blood off his mouth. Maybe it was his own blood making him do it or he was craving this just as much as Lucifer, but Adrian found himself letting go of his Death Scythe, embracing the demon, and deepening the kiss.
However, Lucifer pulled back and looked at the begging Reaper with lustful eyes and red lips. "As much as I'd like to revel in my victory, there was someone I wanted you to meet."
"You tease," Adrian pouted as the two men got up from the ground.
Lucifer chuckled. "Look who's talking. Perhaps after this meeting, we can finish what we started." He extended his hand and a blue flame portal manifested. He gestured for Adrian to go through the portal and he obeyed. Once Lucifer walked through it, the portal disappeared and the two found themselves in the slums of London. Worn-down buildings were coated in grime and the streets smelled of human feces and rot. The people that were brave enough to walk these streets at this late hour looked shady, but knew to keep to themselves. Two men with blood on their clothes didn't look too out of place here.
Lucifer guided Adrian to one of the nearby buildings, but kept a look out for any unsavory characters that might bother them. The door was unlocked and inside was just as filthy as the outside, but it was cloaked in darkness. They walked up a couple flights of stairs before Lucifer stopped by a door in the middle of the hallway. He turned to Adrian and said, "I must warn you that she is not fond of strangers."
"Did you tell her we were coming?" Adrian asked with confusion.
"Of course I did," he reassured, but the demon's cheeky smile sent doubt in Adrian's mind. He grabbed the doorknob and tried to open it, only for it to be locked. Though, with a wave of his hand, the door opened on its own. The two carefully walked into the decrepit home, observing all the broken and dusty furniture, holes in the floor and wall, and torn curtains that failed to cover the broken windows. For someone's home, it looked inhabitable, even to rodents or insects. There wasn't a hint of light other than the street lamps from a couple of windows.
Suddenly, they heard the sound of a cocking gun and Adrian felt metal touching the back of his head. "I don't remember inviting you inside," a French feminine voice said in a threatening tone. It may be a human gun, but Adrian did not feel like dealing with another injury.
"It's all right. He is the friend I was telling you about," Lucifer quickly reassured.
"Your friend?" she said with suspicion in her tone, but put the barrel of the gun down. Adrian turned toward her and for some reason, she looked familiar. She had a thin frame, long blonde hair that flowed past her shoulders, and blue eyes. She wore a simple white nightgown cinched by a rope belt and golden sandals that strapped up her calf. She wielded a double-barrel shotgun with her hands positioned for a quick attack. "You said you were going to bring him right here when you left."
"I apologize for the wait. I got a little caught up in a sparring match," Lucifer said, almost oblivious that Adrian's well-being was threatened.
"That explains the injuries," she said before she walked to the door to lock it. Once she felt safe, the room started to glow with a golden light, blinding them both, but when the light diminished, Adrian was surprised to see the once dilapidated room turn into a cozy little home with new furniture and daytime lighting surrounding them.
"How did . . . ," Adrian said as he looked around the room, but when he looked at the woman, she too changed her appearance. Her eyes were lavender and her hair changed to a reverse ombré of white to black.
"I'd like to introduce you to my friend, Marie Kilia," Lucifer said with a proud smile.
"K-Kilia?" he choked out.
"That's right. She's Lilliana and Bastille's mother."
"B-But that can't be . . . she should be dead . . . unless . . . ," he rambled before she showed her true form: feathery wings with the same ombré style as her hair on each feather. "You would associate yourself with an angel?"
"A fallen angel, to be exact," Lucifer corrected. "I seem to have a knack for finding the outliers of a species."
"But how did you manage to find her?"
"Allow me to explain," Marie interjected. "But first, how much do you know about fallen angels?"
"Honestly, not much. During training, Reapers are taught about angels, but since we don't interact with them nearly as much as demons, our information is limited. In fact, I'm not sure if we are taught much about fallen angels other than their existence."
"Well, let me teach you. While angels live in Heaven under the rule of His Holiness, fallen angels choose to rebel by falling to Earth. Their reason for falling is different from person to person, but the result is the same: the label of a fallen angel. It's considered a great shame in Heaven to have anyone falter from 'purity' and a group of these zealots called the Fallen Hunters have decided that it would be better to purge the world of them."
"The same as Rogue Reapers," Adrian commented. "Except, I've just learned that they are starting to recruit them as demon hunters."
"That would explain why they are getting tougher to kill lately," Lucifer said.
"But why would you fall from Heaven? As a Reaper, it is easy to see the entitlement from the outside, but what made you turn your back on blissful eternity?"
Marie sighed as she put down her shotgun. "Heaven wants you to remove all earthly attachments to fully embrace the bliss of Heaven. They shower you with praise and love, saying my upbringing in a cathedral and my strong devotion in a higher being were the reasons why I was chosen to be an angel. I was almost hypnotized by it, but I had a strong urge to become a guardian angel for my children. They told me that my kin needed to be deceased before I could even be considered for the role to avoid growing attachments. I pretended to understand, but I couldn't let it go. I found myself going back to Earth to observe my children, but the more I watched, the more heartbroken I was. My daughter had undergone horrific trauma and lost her will to live. My son blamed himself for everything that happened to her and was forced to do unspeakable things to atone for his sins."
"And in the end, the children of an angel became a Grim Reaper and a demon. How ironic," Adrian commented.
"It's funny, isn't it?" she said with a sad smile. "And a certain devil saw me observing them in the distance and tried to seduce me."
"I only said that Heaven was no place for her if she still yearned to be her children's mother."
"Using your silver tongue in the correct way, I see," Adrian jabbed at Lucifer.
"I did offer it the other way if she so wished," he said as he licked his lips, but the two rolled their eyes.
"Eventually, I was caught by the Fallen Hunters, who were trying to prevent me from becoming a fallen angel and they brought me back to Heaven, hoping His Holiness would talk some sense in me. However, he did the opposite: he said that my children's newfound divinity has made them enemies of Heaven and it would be best for them to be eliminated by the Fallen Hunters. He said it would be a mercy killing so they wouldn't have to suffer for eternity. I couldn't let that happen and that's the moment I fell. I had 40 days to change my mind before the transformation was complete and they were so forgiving of my transgression as long as I returned, but after those 40 days, their warm forgiveness turned to stone-cold vengeance. For centuries, I have been hiding from the Fallen Hunters, but I'm getting tired. The more close calls I've had, the harder it is to fight them."
"And that's where I come in," Lucifer said. "I've always been intrigued by the idea of a fallen angel and that fascination has led to my kind accusing me of being one. I don't mind it since it makes an interesting myth to pass around and now I am given indirect permission to meddle in Heavenly affairs. Speaking of which . . . ," Lucifer said as he conjured up a wooden box. "Here is your shipment."
"Thank you," she said as she took the box and opened it. Adrian was surprised to see a block of steel, but the red glint from the metal showed its true nature.
"There's only one way to kill a deity and that is to use weapons forged by empyrean steel," Lucifer answered Adrian's unspoken question. "Greed demons can conjure anything, including empyrean steel, but there is an interesting drawback: they can make the material, but they cannot conjure weapons made out of it. Someone has to make the weapons themselves."
"I never thought in my life I'd have the strength to become a blacksmith, but you never know what destiny has in store for you," Marie said as she put the box down. "Ever since my fall, Lucifer has kept close tabs on me and we have formed a partnership, though I'm still unsure of my end of the bargain."
"I don't know why you're so insistent that I am trying to get something out of you. Maybe I want to see you live and maybe one day be able to see your children without fear," Lucifer whined.
"Wait, after all these years, you haven't seen them?" Adrian asked.
She regretfully shook her head. "I don't want to put them in danger. Bastille is just like his father who values family over everything and knowing I'm around will put him on a crusade to reunite the family. However, by doing so, he would put us all at risk of being killed by the Fallen Hunters. For everyone's safety, I will hide a little longer and let those who have taken a fatherly role to look out for them," she said as she looked at Adrian.
He had a confused expression on his face. "I wouldn't call myself a father figure."
"Father figure or mentor; it's the same in my eyes. From what Lucifer has told me, you saved my daughter's life and I cannot be more grateful to you."
"Well, she still suffered before I got involved. I wish I had helped her sooner so she wouldn't have had to go through the abuse my kind can administer," he said with regret, but felt her warm hands envelope his hands.
"If it wasn't for you, she wouldn't even have a fighting chance," she said with a warm smile and watery eyes. "Pain is a given in this cruel world, but if something catastrophic were to happen to either of them, I would have fallen for nothing."
Adrian blushed a bit. "D-Do you ever regret falling from Heaven?"
"Regardless if I fell, my children would have been targets. Heaven is far from the utopia I was taught to believe and I do not want to be a part of it," she declared.
"And we are willing to help you however we can, whether through combat or childcare," Lucifer offered.
"Wait, we?" Adrian asked.
"Naturally. As my mate, you are now part of this partnership."
"Can I have a voice in this arrangement?"
"Only if your answer is yes."
"That's not an agreement; that's enslavement," Adrian yelled.
However, the sound of her laughter interrupted their argument and they grew quiet. "He told me you were his mate, but I didn't expect you two to act like a married couple. It reminds me of when Pierre and I would fight over the littlest things," she said with some remorse in voice.
"Do you want him to bring your husband back?" Lucifer offered, making both their eyes widen in surprise.
"You can't just offer something like that. It's not possible for us to bring a collected soul back to life," Adrian explained.
"Really? Don't tell me the point of your massive soul library is simply to store souls."
"That and research on human behavior."
"You Reapers sit on a gold mine of souls and don't do anything substantial with them? What a waste! That library alone could satiate all of Hell." Adrian was about to retort, but grew quiet; he did have a point.
"Even if it was possible, I would have said no. Pierre deserves his rest," Marie said sweetly. "Besides, my children have their own supernatural dads to look up to."
"Then let's make this official and get married," Lucifer said, shocking the rest of the party.
"Excuse me?!" they exclaimed in unison.
"What? I view her children as my own and they see me as their father, so why not legitimize it?" he asked with an ignorant smile that only confused Adrian more.
"You're putting human values into a supernatural partnership," he pointed out.
"And? All three of us aren't the ideal versions of our kind, so why not have an atypical partnership?"
"No offense to you, Lucifer, but I don't feel comfortable with the idea of . . . consummating a marriage with a demon . . . much less with a Reaper," Marie interjected.
"You don't know what you're missing," Lucifer hinted. "He's a very good lover."
"Is sex all you can think of?" she said angrily.
"Of course not. We can always fight out our feelings and you can show me how accurate your shooting is."
"That still sounds sexual," Adrian joked.
"Even if we don't have to consummate, there is still the issue of being married to a demon and a Grim Reaper," she insisted.
"Oh, don't be like that. You can't let the stories told by those Catholics influence your thinking now you know the truth. I know they were core beliefs when you were human, but the afterlife is completely different, including the true nature of demons and Reapers," Lucifer said as he walked up to her. Normally, he'd wrap an arm around her shoulders and pull her close, but a move like that might undo his argument. "Not to mention the angels you once praised."
"His tone may be facetious, but he would never take the mating ritual lightly," Adrian defended.
"What's so special about it? Is it like marriage for humans?" Marie questioned with crossed arms.
"It's much more than that," Lucifer said as he showed his mated mark and Adrian did the same. "Human marriage is so trivial since it can easily be corrupted by greed and deceit from the start. A demon's mating ritual, on the other hand, is the truest showcase of equal partnership. Not only do I get to claim you as my partners, but you are able to feel my intense emotions no matter where I am. We'd protect you with our lives since it would be ours at stake too. Even in the eyes of the demon king of Hell, you would be my equal and I treat you as such."
"And there are no other strings attached?" Marie inquired.
"I'm surprised you're humoring his idea," Adrian said under his breath, but Lucifer's face gleamed with hope.
"No string, mon cher. You'll have us as your partners to do with as you wish," he said with a bow. "And I mean anything."
"Including protecting my children?" she asked.
"That's the main reason why I brought up the idea," he said as he straightened his posture. "So, will you join us?"
She looked at them with inquisitive eyes, thinking over her options. There weren't really any downsides to this arrangement besides the obvious one, but even then, the demon was surprisingly good at respecting boundaries. She knew nothing about Adrian other than what Lucifer told her, but he seemed to be the more level-headed of the two. They're not asking her to marry out of love or lust, but rather as a promise that they would look over her children and even her. The deal seemed too good to be true, but she didn't have a soul to put on the table. "Fine. It's a deal."
"Excellent," Lucifer said as he pulled a knife from his belt. "I will warn you that the ritual can be a bit painful to those uninitiated to it."
"Wait, how?" she panicked, but Adrian put a hand on her shoulder.
"It'll be fine, I promise," he assured her.
"Now, place your arm out, palms side up," Lucifer ordered as he did the same. Adrian and a reluctant Marie followed his instructions and he slit each of their wrists, watching the different color blood seep from each wrist: black, red, and silver. "Now, let the wrists touch."
"Couldn't you just have slit our palms instead? Would have been easier," she protested.
Adrian chuckled. "That's what I said when I did this the first time."
He shushed them. "Just trust the process."
"And that's what he said too," he giggled. Soon, their wrists touched, letting the blood mix together, but it seemed to have a mind of its own and it slithered back into their wrists with voracity. While Lucifer and Adrian showed some discomfort on their face from their pain, Marie held onto her arm and fell to her knees.
"Fuck!" she yelled out as she watched three black bands form on her wrist.
"I think that's the first time I heard you curse," Lucifer joked, only to feel a slap on his chest from an empathic Reaper.
"She's clearly in pain. Unlike us, who are only dealing with one new band, she's getting three at once," he chastised.
"Oh, right. This is the only pain we won't share," Lucifer said with regret. The two watched as she rode out the pain, but soon, the ritual was complete and each of them had three thorny bands on their wrist.
"I'm starting to regret this already," she said as she got onto her feet and looked at her swollen wrist.
"You won't, I promise," Lucifer said as he handed her a vile of blood and did the same for Adrian. "Drink this."
"What's this?" Marie asked suspiciously, watching the other two drink with no reservations.
"It's Reaper blood. It will help calm down the swelling," Adrian answered. They could see her disgust at the thought of consuming blood and Adrian took the vial away from her and placed it on a nearby table. "You don't have to drink it if you don't want to."
"I'm surprised that the wounds didn't heal up immediately," Lucifer said while gesturing to Adrian's face.
"It takes a lot more blood to completely reverse scarring, but I'm not in a rush to get healed. There's no one I need to save face for anymore," Adrian giggled.
"I always told you that scars would make you sexier," the demon growled.
"Can you two get a room or something?" Marie asked uncomfortably.
"Fine with me," Lucifer said as he started pushing him out of the room. "But I must warn you: now that you are our mate, you will feel our intense emotions, including carnal."
Her face turned red as she grabbed her shotgun. "Y-You tricked me!"
"I did no such thing. I'm not forcing you to join us, but it would be ideal for you to. Otherwise, you might have quite the frustrating night."
"I think you made her frustrated anyway," Adrian said as he pulled the demon out of the room. "I'm so sorry."
"At least one of you has decency," she said as she walked to the door to slam it. Despite being in such a lit room, their eyes had to adjust to the near pitch black they entered and there seemed to be no sign of light emitting from the edges of the door.
"My, that woman drives me crazy," Lucifer swooned as the two deities walked away.
"And she's clearly not interested in your advances."
"That's what makes her more attractive. I love a woman who plays hard to get. It's my forbidden fruit and I want a taste."
"I don't know if I should feel offended about you fawning over another person."
"You know that I would never replace you. She would be an equal addition, not someone to turn to if you aren't around to fulfill my desires. Besides, I wouldn't do anything without her consent. I do hope she comes around to the idea of being our third in the bedroom."
"Don't I get to consent to such an arrangement?"
"Oh, once you feel how pleasurable it is for the two of us to make love, I'm sure you'll beg to join us," Lucifer grinned before slamming his partner against the wall. "Luckily for us, there are no humans in this building, so we can have our fun right here and now."
"You just want to be close enough for her to change her mind, don't you?" Adrian teased.
"Perhaps," he purred. He was quick to kiss the Reaper and he let his body give into his advances. That night, Marie didn't join them, but they put on quite the show for her. Ever since that night, they didn't see her much other than on occasion to help her with Fallen Hunters. They kept their word to keep her existence a secret from her children, but hoped one day, they could be the happy family they wished to be.
How will this history affect Lilliana and Adrian in the future? Will Lucifer or Marie make an appearance in the future? Will Adrian's incident on the Campania reveal the truth? Reviews are appreciated!