#[ v: underworld. ] just what we all need: more lies about a world that never was and never will be.

[iniziare]

Tag drop: Seele (Honkai: Star Rail). Listen, I used to write her and I miss her a bit, and also: there's Belobog people around. And also, well, she's much more interesting than people give her credit for. Also, prepare for some 'rewriting', because Belobog's pacing in specific ways kind of blew a little bit much.

[babocka]

"You ever wonder how things got to be so bad here?" [ from luka ! ;~; ] // Prompts: Batman Arkham Series // @astrcls

The protectors and the protected. The oppressors and the oppressed. The Overworld and the Underworld. They were the dichotomies that reigned Belobog and had for far too long— so long that they had, somehow, become the people's normality. But how could a society as unfair as the one that they found themselves caught within, ever be the norm? How could anyone ever allow for something like that to be... the world that they lived in? She'd learned the answer long ago: those in their castles above basking in the sun would never care for those who lived in its shadows.

"No, I don't." She'd glimpsed the passerby that had likely prompted it, Luka's observation that is, the one that caused a twinge in heart still (and always would). The man wasn't the first that she'd watched leave Nat's in that kind of condition: skinny, pale, succumbing to something, whatever it was this time. Hell, no one should look like that. "I know why and how— ugh," it was frustration, it was... anger. Her fingers gripped onto the snath of her scythe that'd rested in certain repose to her side against the wall, and tightened around it— as if testing whether it could withstand the fury in the palms of her hands that would never die. And then, out came another in the same condition, reminding her that he'd been far from the only one who looked exactly like that. "The architects up there, they don't care— they never have."

But then she realised, each of them on their way out, seemed to carry more than what she'd seen them go inside the clinic with: a red-cross bearing package; a care package. And in the shadows which he and her called home for now, a smile tugged on the corner of her lips, even if for a moment. "But at least we have her, Nat."

[thenightgazer]

A Long Way Home

While still trapped in the Underworld, Dante and Vergil have to resolve their family issue. One that can't be solved only by swords and guns.

It's been two years since Red Grave incident, one week after Christmas, and still no news about Dante and Vergil. That leaves Nero terribly upset, but little did he know that miracle will come to him very soon.

Merry Christmas @nibbbs! Surprise surprise, I’m your secret santa from @dmcsecretsanta! Hopefully you enjoy the gift I wrote for you! Happy reading and happy holiday!

You can also read it on my AO3!

~~~

The Underworld has never been this quiet before.

That forsaken place is the real no man’s land; always boisterous with fights between demons to take over the throne of the Underworld. Be it a slaughter between lower demons or higher demons, they couldn’t care less. Their primal instinct is just craving more power and of course, human flesh. But since the portal to cross into the human world isn’t always unfolded, cannibalism is ineluctable. It’s either eat or be eaten. It’s bound to happen and demons don’t have any choices but to yield to the Underworld’s natural law. Surviving and escaping the Underworld seems like an absurd fantasy for humans, even for demons as well.

Which is why voluntarily jumping into the depth of the Underworld to save the world is considered to be a valiant and honorable act, yet also frivolously lunatic.

Well, for Dante, lunatic sounds like his middle name, if he ever had one.

He chuckles by the thought of that.

“What are you laughing at?” Dante’s problematic twin brother Vergil snarls.

“Nothing,” Dante closes his eyes. “Just having a weird thought.”

Vergil replies nothing. He shows no interest in Dante's daydream, but that’s just probably because he’s too tired to even think of a reply. The twins couldn’t count how many days have passed since they cut the Qliphoth tree down. They spared and killed any demons nearby, exploring other regions of the Underworld simply because they are bored and need some time to rebound their lost time as brothers. Now, exhaustion forces them to take some rest. They lean side by side on the scorched desert, staring at the perpetual black sky while restoring their energy.

Dante can sense a demon’s presence not too far from where he is right now, but that presence fades eventually. “You feel that too, Verge?”

“I do,” Vergil murmurs. “The words have been spoken, I presume. That they better not to disturb us if they still want to live.”

“Well, once we recover, they’re going to die anyway.”

Vergil’s short hum speaks of his concurrence.

Dante shifts his hands under his head as he glances to his brother. Vergil stiffly lies on the ground with Yamato on his chest while his hands gripping on it. He might close his eyes but Dante knows his brother can still attack his opponent while closing his eyes. As hard as a steel, this old bastard, Dante amuses at his idea. “Rest means relaxing, bro. You don’t have to be on guard all the time.”

“I’m preparing for any attack.”

“It’s not like there is a demon near us at this moment.”

“Have some self-consciousness, Dante. You could attack me at any time, given a chance.”

Dante wakes up straight away. “Why would I wanna attack you?!”

“There’s always a possibility.”

“Says the guy who always has the intention to kill me, huh,” Dante lies back again. “Seriously, Verge. Just for five minutes, stop thinking and go to sleep. Bet it’s been a while since you have a proper sleep, right?”

Neither show any agreement or disagreement, Vergil turns his head to Dante. “Why are you still awake then?”

“Huh? To keep an eye on you, of course. Who knows you’d do some weird shit outta there again.”

Vergil curves a smirk, then turns his eyes to the dark sky again. “I see. You are also scared of me attacking you while you’re asleep, aren’t you? We’re twins, after all.”

“I don’t-” Dante almost bite his mouth.. “Man, you’re as sharp and annoying as you always have been.”

“I take that as a compliment.”

“Yeah right.”

And there’s silence again. It’s been days, or weeks, since the last time Dante hears any demonic voices around him. To be honest, he kind of expects their appearance. He likes talking to Vergil, but the older brother has an issue in healthy communication. Hell, Vergil is a difficult person and Dante wonders if the eldest children around the world are always like this. But Dante realizes he is also no expert in social interaction, and fighting is also the only thing they both are good at. Vergil would talk a little bit much when fighting, even if it’s mostly taunting and mocking Dante, yet it’s better than having Vergil succumb to the dark side again.

“By the way,” Dante breaks the ice. “Are you ready now to tell me who’s the lucky girl a.k.a Nero’s mom?”

Vergil draws the Yamato above Dante’s throat. “One more word, and I’ll cut you into pieces.”

“C’moooon! I’m curious!”

The Yamato is now touching Dante’s skin. “Final warning, Dante.”

Dante flicks the Yamato’s blade. “Fine. Whenever you’re ready, bro. You might not want to tell me, but you owe that to Nero. He’s your son. He deserves to know.”

Vergil sheathes Yamato, scoffing at Dante’s warning. “It’s not like I’m going back to the human world.”

“Well, we HAVE to!”

“Pray tell why I should agree with you.”

“I have a shop to run and there’s a new menu at my favorite pizza parlor. You should try it, by the way. And you got a lot to explain to Nero. You don’t wanna be a deadbeat like Father, right? Though you kinda already are all this time.”

“You know it better than anyone else that I didn’t know Nero’s existence until you told me so.”

“Which is more reason why you have to come back to the human world soon. You can say you don’t need to catch up with Nero but I know you want it. You left him your frigging book; the same one you didn’t allow me to borrow. Dear ol’ Vergil got some soft spots for his son, huh?”

Vergil turns his back from Dante like a sulking child, ignoring his younger twin’s laughter. As expected from a cold man like him, he won’t ever admit that every single of Dante’s words is true. Again, a long and neglected fear consumes him. What’s fatherhood for a man who ran out of place and time like him anyway? Is there any chance for him to fix his family? Getting back in terms with Dante is one thing, but with Nero, the son he had never met before his escapement from the Underworld? Does he even have a right to call him his son after all he had done to him?

After quite long of silence and battle with himself, Vergil murmurs a question to Dante. “How old is he?”

Dante almost squealed if only he didn’t remember not to ruin Vergil’s mood or else they won’t have any friendly conversation anymore. “Nero? Twenty-something, I guess. Haven’t asked him myself.”

“How did you meet each other?”

“Long short story, some weird-ass cult that worshipped our father as a god turned out evil and wanted to use our father’s power to rule the world-”

“The Order of the Sword?”

“Right! You did your research! Nero was one of them but rebelled after they kidnapped his girlfriend and killed her brother. I came to Fortuna to retrieve the Sparda sword and apparently your kid was able to summon the Yamato and I got the picture already. He got white hair, he summoned Yamato, tried to kill me repeatedly, stab me with Rebellion and Yamato, craving for more power to save his beloved. I wondered where he got that from, by the way~”

A hint of smirk curves in Vergil’s mouth.

“Then we worked together to save Fortuna from a pope who was obsessed with our Father and destroyed the island. We succeeded and brought peace. Nero got his girlfriend back, and we established the branch of Devil May Cry in Fortuna. The end.”

“A heartwarming, and very unoriginal story.”

“You think I made up that story?”

“Didn’t say that. I am merely implying that I heard stories similar to your experience.”

“Hell knows you are the coldest person alive, but you are a terrible liar. You are a man of pride, after all. Lying doesn’t suit you.”

“I can tell thousands of lies as I please, if only that’s necessary,” Vergil takes a brief look at Dante’s mischievous face. “But I won’t, if it’s concerning my son.”

Is this really the Vergil I used to know? Dante can’t hold his grin while elbowing his brother. “Starting to feel like a real dad, huh?”

“Silence.”

“Admitting that you love your son won’t do any harm, Verge.”

“I-” Vergil stumbles upon his own words. He growls impatiently, hurrying himself to get up and sit down as he wipes his face frustratedly. “We’re not having this conversation anymore.”

“Why? Just because you can’t admit that you grew care for your son?”

“Because I’m a terrible person!”

That was the most honest words that came from Vergil, if anything, ever. When was the last time he showed his vulnerable side like this? Even as V, crumbling and dying slowly, he didn’t even spare Dante any sign of defeat and regret. Dante gets up, clapping Vergil’s shoulder. “Only if you still want to destroy the world and kill your own family, then maybe I’d call you the worst shit in the world too.”

Vergil shakes his head. “If only…”

“Huh?”

“Had I known I have a son back then…” Vergil says bitterly. “I would never leave him. I would never go pursuing power or raising that foolish tower and this ridiculous tree…” he points to the remains of Qliphoth tree with his sword. “I would have a better chance to be… a good father for him…”

Regret always comes late, isn’t it? The ‘if onlys’ never come at the front of the mind, merely whispering behind the head but never appearing into the surface before regret comes. Vergil knows that, but never really understands it until Dante tells him that Nero- the very man whose arm was ripped by him and still willing to help him in every way- is his own flesh and blood. His priority was to seal the gate of the Underworld and cut the Qliphoth tree, so that Nero and the rest of the human world are safe and sound. He will stay in the Underworld to redeem himself, for he thinks he has no place in the human world for all he has done. He planned to create a portal to the human world after he fixed things up with Dante to kick him out from the Hell with force, because he knows Dante won’t leave him alone again and will do anything to drag Vergil out from the Underworld. The plan is simple. It should have been easy to execute.

Yet ever since Vergil landed at this hellhole, his steps are getting heavier as time goes on. A haunting voice inside his head kept telling him to come back to Nero as soon as he finished his job cutting Qliphoth roots. Another sound tells him he should stay longer here with Dante to catch up with their sibling bound. The third sound, more demanding and urging, tells him to stay in the Underworld forever as a redemption.

“Y’know, bro,” Dante folds his legs as he seizes the Yamato from Vergil’s hand and puts it on the ground, which dismays Vergil. “Gotta admit that I wanted to kill you because I wanted to free you from evil, and get rid of Nero’s burden of having you as his father. Though he proved to us that we are just a bunch of nonsensical idiots who got unsolved sibling problems between us-”

“I am not an idiot!”

“You might have scored higher on the Math test than me but you’re still an idiot!” Dante barks. “Anyway that’s not my point! What I mean to say is, as much as I hate your dumb-as-rock head, you’re still my brother. And it’s never too late to fix things up.”

Vergil scoffs and takes his sword back to his embrace again. “How can you be so sure?”

“I blamed you, y’know, for that day” Dante admits, his eyes getting darker and the carefree vibe in his voice is gradually gone. “For not rescuing me and Mother.”

Vergil streaked at that confession. “What do you mean?”

“You thought Mother only saved me and left you behind while she died searching for you,” Dante woefully chuckles. “But for me, on that day, I thought you would come to rescue us.”

“I was planning to-”

“She could have hid with me in the closet until you come to save us. That’s what I thought back then when she died, and you never came back. I thought you left us, before I heard one of them say they had you killed. There I was; frightened and thinking that I was alone. My mother and brother died. No one could save me but myself. I was blaming you for running away that day. If you didn’t, we could have defeated them all and protected our home.”

“Or, we could have died. All of us.”

“Exactly. Instead of blaming you, I blamed myself for picking a fight with you. Should’ve left you and your book alone,” Dante stands up, spinning the Ivory before shooting a flying demon that approaches them. “I lived by loathing myself, until I met you again in that cursed church, remember? I was genuinely happy to see you.”

“I remember,” Vergil nods slowly, recalling a blurry picture of their younger selves. “You said you are a devil hunter and will be filthy rich someday.”

“Still waiting for that day, actually. Yet you fucker started being a dick, saying shits about power and stuff,” Dante’s harsh voice trembles slightly. “I thought we could start over as a family, but you decided to fucking stay in the Underworld. I couldn’t save you at the gate of the Underworld. I couldn’t save you at Mallet Island. I could save everyone else, but not my own family.”

Vergil raises up. His arm is reaching Dante’s shoulder, but it never touches him. His hesitation is rational, for he knows words can’t describe how Dante must have felt towards Vergil. Hatred might be the wrong word; it sounds too soft. Too lenient, too merciful.

One could tell it’s disappointment, Vergil gets his answer as Dante turns over to face him. The mischievous little brother side of Dante has gone as he aims his gun at Vergil. It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend. Let alone a family.

Dante wails horridly. “Always the quiet one, ain’t cha? Remember how our parents always told me to be quiet like you? ‘Why can’t you just behave like Vergil?’ Guess what? At least I’m not the one who fucked the world up and ripped off my son’s arm-”

“Dante-”

“Shut the fuck up!” Dante’s grip on Ivory is slightly trembling as he snaps. “I’ve been through shits too, Vergil. I missed Father and Mother. I missed you, for fuck sake! After all this time I believed I killed you in Mallet Island, then you came out of nowhere to destroy the world. I came out with the conclusion that you didn’t even change a bit, just an egomaniacal who thinks the world only revolves around him. I needed to kill you again because I don’t want my nephew to kill his own father. Don’t you fucking realize how maddening was that?!”

A bullet passes through Vergil’s head. The older hybrid stands still without any intention to return the attack, only wiping the blood from his forehead. I don’t have the right to be irritated, he reminds himself while his mouth forms a bitter grimace as Dante puts the gun on Vergil’s forehead, ready to pull the trigger anytime soon. For a second Vergil can sense Dante is going to lose his temper as he catches a glimpse of red flash in Dante’s eyes. Ever since they were kids, Vergil was always aware that Dante in his total wrath is dangerous. A ticking bomb , Vergil recalls what their father said about Dante’s anger as he watches the raging fire in Dante’s eyes ignite until it’s slowly fading.

“But I changed my mind again,” Dante continues. “Instead of blaming you and carrying on the bad blood, I choose to start over. And that’s how I can be sure,” he pokes Vergil’s head with the gun before putting it back into his coat. “That everyone deserves a second chance and it’s never too late to fix what you have done.”

The red devil yawns as he slams himself on the ground again, stretching his hands before he closes his eyes. “Sorry for raising my voice. It’s just impossible to use soft words whenever I’m talking to a stubborn jackass like you.”

He opens one of his eyes to see what Vergil would react. His older brother sighs heavily, sitting beside Dante’s lying body and puts his katana on the ground. For a man with a soul of a true warrior like Vergil, putting weapons down on the ground is a sign of defeat. Which is the reason why he was slightly aggravated when Dante seized the Yamato and put it on the ground as if he told Vergil to surrender. It should be a humiliating act, but for once Vergil throws his pride away.

Because you are right, Dante.

“Dante,” he calls his brother. This time there’s no hostility in his voice, only sincerity and repentance. “I am ever so sorry.”

“Apology accepted,” Dante smirks playfully. “Why do you think I’m here if I still hold a grudge against you?”

“I mean it,” Vergil emphasizes. “Truthfully. For everything I have done… and my sincere gratitude for taking good care of my son while I wasn’t there for him.”

“Honestly, Verge. Forget it. I only do what I have to do.”

Watching his little brother finally howls in laughter, a surge of warmth fills Vergil’s veins as he joins the laughter. It’s comforting, since they can’t remember the last time they laugh together without any fight and bad blood. I barely remember how it feels like to have a family, Vergil chuckles while Dante kicks Vergil’s knee mischievously. Was it always this… warm?

“Dante.”

“Yup?”

“I think we should go back to the human world now.”

Dante whistles in joy. “Ready to meet your grandkids?”

“Do tell me the truth,” Vergil growls, impetuously tugs Dante’s collar. “Are you serious about grandchildren or you just make it up?”

“For fuck sake, Verge! Didn’t you know that already when you ripped your son’s arm?”

“I didn’t pay much attention... I can only recall a voice of woman called Nero for dinner- not the voice of that mouthful friend of Nero-”

“Yeah that was Kyrie. Your soon-to-be daughter in law. Anyway they adopted kids called Carlo, Kyle, and Julio,” Dante pats Vergil’s shoulder with pride and teasing manner. “Congratulations, you’re officially a grandpa! What a fine day for revelation!”

As if my life could get any worse, Vergil grinds his teeth in frustration as he releases Dante from his grip. “How unfortunate.”

“C’mon, swing that flimsy sword of yours and make a portal to the human world. We got plenty of things to do! I gotta pay those bills, refurbish my shop, return Kalina Ann to Lady, and buy a birthday present for Patty.”

“Rather a cumbersome list you got there, Dante.”

“What can I say? I’m a busy man! Now get your ass up, old man! Nero’s waiting!”

---

It’s already two fucking years.

Nero was never a believer. There’s no such thing as a miracle, he told himself. Protecting Kyrie and the kids is an endless responsibility that bestowed upon him. There’s nothing he won’t do for their happiness and safety, even if it means to cost his own well-being. He relies on nobody but himself. He doesn’t pray. He never tries to exceed any expectation, because hope is a dangerous and fragile thing. Hope bothers him, and he hates to be bothered.

Yet, lately, he almost surrendered by the temptation to hold some hope.

What hope? Nero rejects his own thought. For those douchebags to return safely? Gimme a break.

Sitting in his garage and polishing the Red Queen, Nero takes a brief look at the snowy ground outside of the house where the children are building a snowman. He grins at Kyle who waves at him; the youngest from the three children he adopted, who’s now taller and braver than he used to be when he found the little boy searching for some scraps at Fortuna’s slum. Nero chuckles when a glimpse of a picture of Vergil meeting Kyrie and the boys pops out from his head. Would they be pleased to meet him? Would Vergil be pleased to meet them? Would he himself be pleased to meet Vergil again? There’s no fucking way for them to coming back, Nero slaps himself. They either die or shit themselves in the Underworld. Probably fucking fighting again like toddlers.

Still, the thought of his father and uncle somehow return and meeting his little family is overwhelming. Nero can’t even hide his smile anymore. He throws away the rug he uses to wipe the blade and hangs the Red Queen on the wall.

Come to think of it, that fucker ripped off my arm in this garage too.

He lays a hard punch on the wall.

“Keep punchin’ the wall, and ya would destroy the house.”

Nero glances at his friend and partner in crime, Nico, who rests her back on the van and lights her cigarette. He still finds it strange to witness Nico in her winter outfit, a contrast to her usual tanktop and shorts she used to wear before winter comes. "How many times have I told you to smoke outside the house?”

“Ya blind or what? It’s cold outside!”

“Darn it, Nico! Then don’t smoke!”

“Too late~” Nico barks a laugh while blowing a smoke. “Anyway, why did you punch the wall like a madman?”

Nero shrugs nonchalantly. “Nothing. Just feeling like punching something.”

“Cut the bullshit. Ya missed yer old man, ain’t cha?”

“Buzz off, Nico.”

“Aaaaw, don’t be so meanie~”

“Seriously, Nico. Go bugger off someone else. I’m not in the mood for having a chit-chat.”

“Everyone’s worried, ya know,” Nico exhales exaggeratedly, pointing at the children outside. “Those lil’ brats asked me if somethin’ pissed ya off because ya look like ya wanted to punch someone in the face since the Christmas party last week.”

“I indeed want to punch a certain person,” Nero lets out a cackle. “But he’s not available at the moment.”

“Y’know, I’m not an expert of daddy and son shits, and yer dad is obviously not an ideal father, but it’s totally okay for ya to miss him. The jackass did save the world, at least.”

“Thanks, Nico. That’s so motivational. I’m deeply touched- ouch !” Nero swears when a sturdy plug lands on his head. “What the fuck Nico?!”

“Talk to Kyrie,” Nico lowers her voice. Her brash mouth always sounds kinder and empathetic when she talks about Kyrie. “Ya locked yerself in this garage the whole day! You’re making her worried, ya know?”

“I think you should double your eyeglasses. I didn’t lock myself. See that door? It’s unhinged, because I need to make sure the kids are alright.”

“Yeaaah whatever. Go talk to her, pretty boy. I’ll watch over the brats.”

“Fine…” Nero scratches his nape as he walks away from the garage. “Don’t let the kids go anywhere near my weapons!”

“Gotcha~!”

Nero never meant to worry anyone, of course. He lives a happy life; he married the love of his life, adopted a bunch of orphans whom he loved and took care of equally, and ran a business with his best friend whom he considered a big sister. The world is currently safe from danger. So what's to worry about?

His confusion disappears when he sees Kyrie’s figure covered in a thick blanket at the terrace. She smiles happily as the snow continues to fall and catches a drop on her palm. Nero feels like he could melt anytime he sees Kyrie’s soothing smile. He takes his time to watch her catching snow as he leans against the door, ignoring the cold breeze that sneaks inside his body. It doesn’t take a long time for Kyrie to be aware of Nero’s presence as she asks him to join her at the terrace.

“You should put your coat on, Nero. It’s cold here.” Kyrie speaks her concern while she wraps him with her blanket.

“Chill out. I’m fine,” Nero gives her a light peck on the forehead. His right hand envelopes Kyrie’s waist to give her a sense of comfort. “The kids are building snowmans back there. Been hours and who knows when they will stop.”

Kyrie giggles. “The more they grow up the more energetic they become! At least we don’t need to worry about how to get them to sleep on time. I believe they’ll get exhausted after play and filling their stomachs with delicious dinner would quicken their way to sleep!”

“You’re right.”

Kyrie looks up at her lover’s tensed face. She brushes the tip of Nero’s nose slightly to make him smile. That little maneuver always succeeded to cheer him up. Kyrie rests her head on Nero’s chest. “Are you not happy with the Christmas party last week? I know you hated surprises but-”

“No- I liked it! Really! You know we rarely celebrate things lately and last week was one of the best days in my life! How could I hate that?” Nero tightens his grip on Kyrie’s waist, gazing at Kyrie’s eyes deeply. “I’m happy, Kyrie. I’m happy here with our little family.”

“Then it must have something to do with your father and uncle, is it?”

“That obvious, huh?” Nero smirks bitterly. “I just… I don’t know. You know how Dante is. To think that he’s actually my uncle is… weird. Then I found out the man who screwed up Red Grave was his brother. My father. Vergil, he left me when I was a child… as V, he manipulated me to do his agenda. He reemerged and left me again. And Dante didn't even bother to tell me the fact before Vergil was back. That made me feel… kinda betrayed. It still doesn’t make any sense to me. I got a pair of dysfunctional family members and I don’t know what I should do if they come back. I just can’t stop thinking about it.”

The only parental figure Nero ever had was just Kyrie and Credo’s parents, and they didn’t even live that long to give little Nero more love and parental advice. Kyrie truly understands Nero’s struggle to accept his heritage and keep holding on his humanity. “Nero… do you forgive your father?”

“What?”

“I don’t mean to bring it up again, but after all the ill he caused to you, do you forgive him?”

The memory of him and Vergil on the top of the Qliphoth tree rises again. He succeeded in bringing some sense back to his father and the old man entrusted him his precious book- the one which Nero kept safely on the shelf- before jumping to Hell and finishing what he started. Vergil didn’t say much, but his promise… his damn promise!

“I won’t lose next time. Hold onto that until then.”

“I forgive him,” Nero admits. “I think… I just miss him. And Dante. I really want us to be a proper family. That's all.”

“Just as I thought,” Kyrie cups Nero’s jaw with her hands. “I’m glad that you’re honest with yourself. There’s nothing wrong with missing them. They might be flawed, but they are your family."

Nero carefully caresses his beloved hands as if he's afraid of hurting her. "I'm sorry I keep putting you to my demon lineage problem…"

"Hey, we talked about this. Demon or human, it's you I want to be with…" she kisses him on the lips. "I love you, Nero."

"I love you too." He returns the kiss deeper.

Nero wraps her around his arms, seeking comfort and warmth from her presence. Kyrie's words succeed in getting his head together. He can feel a degree of burden has left his shoulders as he finds himself finally letting go his worries. Kyrie is right. There's nothing wrong with missing those douchebags. They're my family-

"NERO!"

Nico appears out of nowhere at the terrace, panting and panicking like she ran for her life. Every single nerve inside Nero's body tells him that something wrong is happening, but the sassy smirk on Nico's face while she tries to breathe normally tells another thing. "You're not gonna believe me if I told you this-"

"Are the kids safe?" Kyrie asks anxiously.

"Yeah they're fine. They have company."

What the fuck? "Company? What are you talking about?!"

Nico rolls her eyes as she grabs both of Nero and Kyrie's hands. "Just follow me quickly!"

Nico seems excited… if it wasn't a danger, then what?

The children are giggling and shouting happily at something Nero can't see yet. But as soon as Nico delivers them in the backyard, he spots two familiar figures among the kids. The red-coated man joins them to decorate the snowman as he helps them crafting the pile of snow with stones and branches. He summons a cowboy hat and a shiny red scarf from thin air- which excites the kids- before he puts the hat on the snowman's head and wraps its neck with the scarf as the last touch. The children are applauding and hugging him, saying their gratitude and bombing him with questions on how he could summon stuff only from thin air. The cocky red man barks in laughter and tells them that he learns some magic tricks.

In a contrast to the red man, the blue-coated man stands a bit far from the crowd, facepalming and reluctant to do anything despite the children's curiosity as they glance at him and whisper their surprise on how similar his face is with the red man. Carlo states that the blue man is scary, and quickly hides behind the red man when the blue man hears his mutter and glares at the poor kid.

"C'mon, Verge, stop glaring at the kids! You're scaring them!" The red man chuckles.

Dante?

Vergil?

How-? Since when…?

"You…" Nero breathes heavily, barely trusts his vision. "You guys are alive…"

Dante grins and waves a salute at Nero. "Heya, kid! Miss me? I know we're late, but Merry Christmas!"

Kyrie holds her giggle when she catches Nero's dumbstruck face. She grips his hand and whispers him a word of advice. "Time to let your doubts go, Nero. They are here, at last."

Nero gives a nod, but his mouth isn't capable of forming any words. He reluctantly approaches Vergil, who seems nonchalant about his surroundings, if only Nero failed to catch his father's warm gaze as he stands before Vergil. A minute has passed and none of them say anything. Words cannot describe how they feel towards each other.

But Nero decides to solve the problem in Sparda's family old-fashioned style: punching his father hard right in the face.

There echoes Dante and Nico's laughter as Vergil's body lands violently on the ground, covered with snow.

The older son of Sparda can taste a metallic scent liquid dripping from his lips.

"That hurts," he murmurs and proceeds to get up as he wipes the blood from his mouth. "Two years and still have no manners, I see."

"Fuck you, old man!" Nero spats angrily.

Dante, still laughing at the picture of his brother getting sucker-punched by Nero, sloppily walks to approach them. He pats Nero's shoulder in pride. "You're doing the right thing, Nero. You gave him the right Christmas present-"

The legendary devil hunter gets a very lethal slap from his nephew before he finishes his sentence.

"And that's a present for you, deadweight!" The young devil hunter shouts.

The view of Dante and Vergil getting slammed by Nero only increases Nico's laughter.

"Why did Nero punch Mr. Dante and Mr. Vergil?" Carlo asks Kyrie. "Nero always punches bad people. Are they bad people?"

"Well… no, they are good people! Mr. Vergil is Nero's father and Mr. Dante is Nero's uncle," Kyrie chuckles to hide her worry and struggles to find the correct way to explain the situation. "They haven't met for a very long time. Nero misses them so much that he… doesn't know what to do anymore. But punching people doesn't solve problems, so don't ever do that, okay?"

The kids nod obediently despite not completely understanding the circumstances.

"Can we stop Nero from punching them, Kyrie?" asks Julio, the oldest one from the three. "Family doesn't hurt each other, right?"

"Nah, don't worry. They will stop soon," Nico says as he points at the three hybrids. "Let 'em get the reunion they deserve."

They become calm and smiling at the sight of Nero bringing his father and uncle in a tight embrace together as the young man lets out a cry.

"You both are full of shits and stinky… like a scavenger…" Nero sobs, his teeth grinding hard. "At least take a shower before you show up, dumbass…!"

Dante sneers as he taps Nero’s back. “Yeah, I miss you too.”

The red devil glares at his twin. Say something to your son!

Vergil, unmoved and stiff, doesn’t know how to react from this awkward embrace. He feels uncomfortable, yet finds himself melting between this fuzzy feeling. “Nero…”

“Shut up,” Nero interrupts while breaking his embrace and burying his teary eyes on his palm. “Just fucking shut up.”

“Forgive me,” the blue devil insists to continue. “For leaving you again.”

“Yeah yeah, just shut up...”

Nero jolts by the unexpected weight on his head; Vergil’s hand ruffles his hair as he curves a very subtle smile.

“I’m proud of you, son.”

Oh how Nero wanted to punch him again, if only he could bring himself to.

“Uhm…” Kyrie comes to Nero’s rescue as she smiles politely to the twins. “I’m sorry to interrupt this reunion. It’s dinner time and… we would be very happy if the two of you join us for supper.”

“We’d be glad!” Dante accepts cheerfully. “Nero once told me you cook the best meal in Fortuna!”

“Shut up, Dante!” Nero grunts. He remembers he hasn’t told the twins that Kyrie and him are married. He pulls Kyrie closer and holds her hand firmly. “Anyway, Father. This is my wife, Kyrie. Kyrie, this is Vergil. My father.”

Kyrie smiles warmly at Vergil. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Vergil.”

Vergil appreciates Kyrie’s bravery and gives his sincerest nod of approval. There is not a single hint of fright from Kyrie as he recalls how people tend to tremble and stutter in fear whenever they talk to him. He can see why Nero loves her and is very protective towards her. “Thank you for taking good care for my son all this time.”

“Sorry for missing your wedding party, babe. We’ve been busy cleaning up Hell,” Dante grins at Kyrie. “Congratulations. My nephew is lucky to have you as his wife.”

“Can you shut up already?” spats Nero, feeling terribly embarrassed.

“I’m hungry~!” Nico shouts mischievously. “Let’s continue inside! It’s damn freezin’ out here!”

Kyrie gives the twins a final nod as she invites them to come inside the house. She runs to the kitchen with Nico while Nero gathers the kids to enter the house. Dante chuckles like a cocky cool uncle when Julio asks him to do another magic trick, and the little chuckle turns into a bigger laughter when he sees Vergil’s hand tucked in Kyle’s hand as the youngest child calls him Grandpa Vergil.

“Grandpa’s hand is cold!” Kyle says, unaware of Vergil’s death glare. “Once you eat Kyrie’s food, you’ll be warm in no time!”

“Let go of my hand, little rascal.” Vergil scoffs, uncomfortable by the strange kindness from the little child.

Kyle laughs and keeps guiding him to the kitchen. The food is prepared and everyone is about to get their seats. Carlo drags a chair beside Dante’s seat and shyly asks Vergil to sit there, which Vergil accepts.

“Starting to feel like coming back home?” Dante asks his brother.

“This is not bad.”

“I’ve contacted Lady and Trish. They will be here soon,” Nico says as she puts the cigarette on the ashtray. “Lady said something about returning her Kalina Ann. Trish gave her regards, and said that ya need to pay the rent as soon as possible.”

“Damn… those devilish ladies…” Dante buries his face on the table.

“Your office looks like shit without you.” Nero sneers at Dante.

Further family resolvement can wait. Now let them enjoy their first family dinner for the first time. Christmas might have passed a week ago, but Nero thinks his most valuable present had just arrived today. He still wants to beat the shit out of his father and uncle for some unknown reasons, but it can wait for later. His eyes meet Vergil’s, and his father forms a warm smile to him. He never says much, Nero knows that, but he can give him time to adjust in the human world.

Amidst the chants and chatter in the house, unbeknownst to each other, the three descendants of Sparda secretly hope that this rare moment can last forever.

[colddetectivetriumph]

[ Theme: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofr8qq… ] It's been five years since the event we now call Armageddon Day (A-Day for short) ravaged planet Earth, and forcibly reminded the human race that they weren't the ONLY race living here anymore. The supernatural, the mystical, the mythical...all of it real, hiding its fading glory away from a world that had forgotten them, and moved on in pursuit of science, not faith. Hidden away in a natural 'reserve' of sorts, a protected sanctuary for the forgotten fantasies of mankind, that place called Gensokyo might have been enough, allowing humanity to continue onwards, with the supernatural retreating to their own, undisturbed corners of the globe, never to interact with the race whose belief had spawned them.

A-Day had changed that, blowing open the boundaries of Gensokyo, and shattering the laws of physics, melding ironclad facts of science with the tempestuous, shifting vagaries of magic.

And, of course, dumping countless fleeing youkai refugees on a world ill-prepared for them.

Nine 'Zones' ripping holes in space across the world, each one almost eighty kilometers in diameter, surrounded on all sides by bizarre, crimson storms. Nobody knows what lies inside them for sure, but from what the refugees have said, Gensokyo, or what's left of it, is in there. Some of the things I've heard about that place now...hell, the things we humans have SEEN coming out of there, well...let's just say I don't blame the former residents for escaping.

Everyone knows what happened to Washington, after all.

But that's not really something I worry myself about too much these days. It's hard enough being a PI, much less a female one at my age without me wasting time on things like politics.

All I know is that the Zone which opened up here in Japan had an epicenter somewhere between Nagano and Tokyo...and the result basically chewed a perfect hole in our country, a gaping, storm-ringed circle that tore Tokyo in half, and completely devoured other districts whole. What it didn't outright destroy, it wrecked, the new coastline surrounding it lined with abandoned buildings and former residential districts.

Which turned out for the better, I suppose, as it gave the bedraggled youkai pulling themselves out of the water places to live and hide as they tried to piece their lives back together. By the time the world governments had managed to pull themselves back into some kind of order from the chaos on every front, the ruined districts had been turned completely into makeshift refugee camps and ghettos, filled with the survivors. Given that similar situations were occurring across the globe with the surroundings of the other Zones, you might be able to understand why that, coupled with the chaos caused by A-Day itself, ensured that humanity's typical first reaction of 'kill it with fire' didn't quite work out the way they hoped.

Of course, some people might call me cynical for that, and maybe I am...but then, I've spent my life chasing mysteries and the supernatural. I know it better than most, so for me, the supernatural becoming real wasn't as scary as all the earthquakes, storms, and other disasters that Day caused. For most people, however, that wasn't quite the case.

And as I'm sure you well know, fear leads people to do stupid, STUPID things.

I wouldn't say it was all the fault of us humans, of course. Youkai will be youkai, of course, and when faced with a place where they no longer had to control themselves, the more...unpleasant species may have indulged themselves. By and large though, most of them were more focused on running and hiding and surviving, so there's that.

I won't even say it was all as grim and terrible as it sounds, as like always, even humanity has its finer moments. Plus, thanks to a generation raised on stories and web culture of every kind...well, let's just say there are things I've heard from those hellish days, of human and youkai working together to protect each other, that can even make me smile.

…and that's not something I do much these days anymore.

Either way, none of this changes the fact that some smartass hardliners clung to the idea of blaming these bizarre newcomers for the chaos that had ravaged the world and, riding on a tide of human fear and resentment, as is the usual when faced with something new and different, attempted to demand 'compensation' for it. Blah blah blah, something about war crimes, return the youkai-claimed districts etc etc.

Obviously this didn't go too well.

Negotiations eventually broke down, and the inevitable fighting started...and both sides got something of a rude awakening in terms of where they stood in terms of military power.

The youkai, because the presence of magic everywhere meant they no longer needed 'faith' to survive...but that magic is spread so thinly their power's half of what it might have been once, and from what I hear, 'immortality' isn't quite what it used to be these days either.

The humans on the other hand ran into trouble because for all their technological advancements, the remaining youkai power and resilience was enough that after the first disastrous clashes humanity realized that exterminating them would cost almost everything in return.

The end result is a weird sort of 'peace' if you can call it that, but by and large youkai nowadays are still largely viewed with suspicion and prejudice, considered second class citizens at best. As a result, they tend to keep to themselves in the makeshift towns they've made in the ruins of the Zone surroundings. Shizuoka, Yokohama, Saitama and...well, what's left of Tokyo, all make up the biggest settlements, with the rest spread out around the landward circumference of the Zone in varying sizes. Near as I can tell, it's the same for all the other Zones across the world, or at least, the ones that opened on settled areas. The youkai don't get any new territory or living space beyond what the Zones already blew up since of course they're the only ones who'd be willing to put up with it, so it's no wonder all these shantytowns have sprung up.

Of course, it's no picnic. After all, the Zones are a hotbed of activity, sometimes spawning new monsters, or just wayward youkai that had somehow managed to survive in them for so long. Monster activity varies, with no real set pattern to what comes out of the things...beyond a definite trend towards horrifying and nightmarish beasts with a taste for catastrophic violence. Again, seems like we lucked out; everyone remembers the Godzilla looking monstrosity that rampaged across the Eastern seaboard of the US, or the flying, lightning spitting thing that ravaged Paris, but in a fine twist of irony, Japan remains untroubled by giant monster attacks.

Then again, we're the ones currently being lead by a masked Emperor whose gender nobody knows, in the midst of a rapidly accelerating revival of a new Imperial Japan, so what do I know.

Where was I...oh right. Yeah, the monsters...to be honest I think even without that, we'd still have put up the defense walls, if only because nobody but a maniac would leave a kilometers-wide towering crimson storm vortex completely unguarded or under surveillance 24/7. The walls are more like long fortresses, built on the landward sides of the Zone, and packed to the gills with arms, armor and scientific instruments. Crewed by garrison forces, the things are nigh indestructible, and serve as the bulwark against anything coming out of those red storms. Every Zone in the world is ringed by them, and their commanders have access to just about any military asset on the planet in the event of an emergency.

When a Wall Commander calls in for a kiloton-range airstrike, you'd best believe he gets it. Humanity doesn't agree on much these days, but when it comes to the Zones, and the monsters it can spawn, there's no hesitation: Hit it with everything we have, or die trying.

...the fact that these walls were almost built to keep the youkai trapped in there with the Zones is something most of the higher ups in government have quietly tried to sweep under the rug.

Either way, in the event anything gets through those walls, the youkai refugee settlements are first in the line of fire...and are expected to do their part in stopping it. It sounds cold, I know, but from a logical perspective, if the wall fails, even the weakened youkai would potentially be strong enough to stall it long enough for reserve forces to arrive, and for evacuations to be completed. I still don't like how it seems as though the youkai are expected to do all this in exchange for continuing to be treated like dirt, forced to live in those ruined shantytowns...but the world has never been what you'd call a fair place.

Resources are stretched too thin and distrust between the two races still runs too high for integration to be anything but a slow, painful process, with any number of outbursts of violence and controversy along the way. Crime's rampant in these towns, with shady entrepreneurs and underworld gangs of both species looking to make use of whatever they have to for survival or profit. The drug DTB surfaces on the news literally every other day, with some junkie looking to either get magical powers for a day, or a particularly desperate youkai regaining theirs and wreaking vengeance upon his or her oppressors.

It's not the best of times...but then it's not the worst, either.

I've heard talk of survivors within the Zones, or at least in the realm on the other side of those red winds. A 'Sanctuary' it's called, humans and youkai working and living together, waging their own war for survival against a Wonderland corroded beyond recognition. Magic's stronger in there too from what I hear, leading some particularly insane youkai, tired of the Outside World, as they call us, trying to get back in. I'd say it's about 50/50 on survival, especially now that the Sanctuary's managed to establish itself as a nation in its own right, with a representative on the United Nations, of all things.

A bandaged, horned woman with a practical cavalcade of animals at her beck and call, she's spearheaded the peace efforts, and is the person responsible for getting the idiots of BOTH species to back off long enough to start rebuilding and defending against the Zones. Plus, thanks to her, and the weight of the Sanctuary behind her, she even managed to buy enough time for smarter people to step up with solutions to the ongoing tensions between the two races and stave off yet another chapter in humanity's none-too-spotless record of war crimes.

They call her Kasen, I think, but like I said, a PI down in the Old Tokyo slums doesn't really have much time for politics.

Yeah, I live here, down on the edge of the youkai ghetto. And yeah, I'm a human too. So what?

Push comes to shove, both species can be idiots...but then they both have their high points too, and I don't have time to waste on 'speciesism' like most of the religious idiots and the supremacist hatemongers out there.

I've been a private investigator, with the odd spot of bounty hunting on the side to stay afloat, for the better part of three years now. I know most of the folks round here, and they know me. Long as nobody starts anything, we'll be just fine.

...'sides, it probably helps that I've done my fair share of problem solving around here since I started. I'm no good Samaritan or anything, but there's enough darkness in the world as it is already without the usual underbelly of humanity (and youkais) adding to it. Sometimes I get paid in cash, others in items or favors (and believe me, I always collect).

It's not a very glamorous life, but then this isn't a very glamorous world, at least not anymore.

I've got my office, four walls and a roof, got my contacts, my gun, and my motorcycle...my eyes too, but that's a story for another time.

It's not much, but it's all mine.

Even says so on the door: Renko Usami, Private Detective.

...well, under the usual graffiti and junk mail, anyway. How the hell are those places even in business still...?

Anyway, that's enough for now. Speaking of payments, I've got a client coming in tonight, and there're bullet holes in the sofa from the last time the local thugs came calling. They got off worse, but that still leaves me with a ruined couch I gotta cover up. Maybe if I throw a couple towels over it... ============================================================== HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! I am pleased to report that not only did I survive my fight with food poisoning/salmonella/whatever (an experience I have no wish to repeat ever) but I return with late Christmas gifts...like a long overdue return to Touhou via the end of the world! ...aka CCC, but most of you who read it know that already. And so we begin again with our next stage's 'protagonist', the private investigator Usami Renko and her personal outlook on the immediate world outside the ruins of Gensokyo, and some more geographical data. Mostly I'm just excited to be able to finally try my hand at a more 'noir' kinda setting and feel, and that's precisely what you have here in Old Tokyo. I'll likely be drawing very strongly on stuff from Akira, Snatcher, and more, so if you like that sort of stuff, Renko's story should be right up your alley! ...not to mention how much fun working this idea out in SAI turned out to be. I finally got to hint at a bunch of other stuff in the setting too, so woo hoo! Keep an eye out, there'll be more uploads this week with any luck, though I'm not sure how many will be CCC related. Either way, thanks for all the well-wishes, it's good to be back! As usual, CCC credit goes out to http://askdacast.tumblr.com/ and my crew on DA!

[magic5ball]

Nature Trail to Hell Arc V: Back into Hell (VIII)

Chapter 8: The Good, the Bad, and the Tostig

We stared each other down, the room silent, just one tumbleweed away from being a Wild West showdown. On one end, the sheriff and his deputies, on the other, the outlaw kneeling over a dead body. Who was also him.

Ms. Hobag was the first to speak. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Wonky Watt!”

Now, I have a good Mother who raised me right, always told me things like say thank you, or look people in the eyes when they talk. That being said, I was less interested in saying ‘hi’ and more concerned with whether or not my own body could be used as a meat shield. (If you’re curious about the answer, let’s just say WHAT DO YOU THINK, DUMBBUTT?!)

“How’s your summer been? Its’ been awhile, you know.”

Seeing how my body wasn’t working out, I figured it was good a time as ever to pull out the good old fashioned machine gun… only to remember it had gotten busted back at the Wegmart.

Or so I thought.

“Looking for this?” Taunted Hoebag, pulling  my tried and true, lean and mean, butt throttling bullet machine out from her coat.

“H-how-?!“

“You left it at Wegmart, just like you left Shatner to the tiger. But I guess that’s not important- HEY! Are you listening to me?!”

 As a matter of fact, I was trying force the breath of life into my unconscious body with all the energy I had left, because no matter what Ms. Hoebag said, there was still a chance I could bounce back. Somehow. Probably. At any moment. Annnnyyyyy moment, now.

The wretched counselor laughed, a bellow deep and guttural as the darkest pits of the underworld (and I should know: I saw them on F-Bomb’s anime swimsuit calendar).

“Foolish mortal, you have entered CAMP ANARCHY, WHERE HOPE GOES TO DIE!”

Somewhere in the world, a thousand puppies spontaneously burst into flame, a phenomena the U.S. Government would spend the next twenty years trying to cover up.

The voice sounded a tad familiar.

“Excuse me, I asked, but do I know you from somewhere. Were you on Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood or something?”

Lady got real testy about that one, let me tell you!

“Who am I? WHO AM I?! PATHETIC MORTAL, DO YOU NOT RECOGNIZE THE DREAD VISAGE OF BOB-SARDOTH?!”

“No, Ma’am.” I lied.

Maybe not the best answer in retrospect, but my Mom always did tell me to be polite. Figured that if I was getting offed, I might as well do it honoring some of her advice. Or maybe that was part of the plot to get rid of me for good. She did send me to this crazy camp in the first place, after all.

Now I was going to face a fate worse than death: a villainous monologue.

“You think you despise this camp?! I’ve been stuck here since before your people learned to make fire, sealed within the body of a small, furry vermin! Until now! Three children have released me from my fuzzy prison! Now, I am free to wreak havoc upon the world. And it was all thanks to YOU, Watterson Tostig!”

           All the heaters in the world couldn’t have stopped my heart from freezing into a block of ice right then and there. Could I really have doomed the world? If my brain were a bit clearer, I might have realized he was using the same guilt-trippy stuff Hoebag used to keep the campers in line, only this was so powerful it was like hauling a thousand ton rock on my back. As it was, I would have thought of going back to the underworld- if I still thought myself good enough for it! And to think-

“I-I just wanted to go home and play with my Gamekid!” I squeaked.

“And for that, you sacrificed an entire camp. And joined a gang. And became dictator of a miniature railroad. And murdered a founding father! And-”

“But I overthrew Wegmart!”

“Wrong!”

But this wasn’t Bob-Sardoth talking now. The small figure beside him had, though the monologue, been inching to the front and center: Hilda.

“You showed me that a person can be the best friend in the whole wide world, offer them everything they could ever want, make camp fun for a little bit, but if you smell like farts, no one will want to hang out with you. So why not destroy this whole rotten world?! CONGRADULATIONS, Wonky Watt! You taught me the most valuable lesson about friendship of all!” tears streamed down her face, smearing her makeup. “Your parents were right. You really are a MEENIE-BO-BEENIE! ”

My jaw hung slack, brain registering that Hilda of all people had just dropped the M-Bomb.

Still, I had one tool in my arsenal:

“D-don’t join that monster, Hilda! W-what w-would your parents have to say to you, cussing like a-a jerk?!”

“Because Hilda is no mere child.” Answered the demon, “But a scion of Despair. For ages my ferret kibble, which I consumed in the form of that abhorrent wretch you called Freddie, made me quite…gaseous. After ten thousand years of such a diet, this gas, which you mortals call despair became so dense it manifested in physical form. The physical form you see in front of us now!”

“Say it ain’t so!” I couldn’t believe it. I wouldn’t believe it. Something went crac! It was one thing to go to Hell. Another to fight off Shel Silverstein. Still another to work at Taco Shak for a week. But this?! This cockamamie bullcrap was on another level entirely!

Hilda just bowed her head,

“If I told you, you wouldn’t have wanted to hang out with me. I can see it in your eyes. The eyes of a turd.”

“But do you really want to be Hoebag’s b!tch?! After all the fun we had together?!”

My old pal just stared expressionless and uttered, all gloomy-like

“Not as much fun as a new Gamboy advance with Kirby’s Dreamland deluxe on it, apparently.”

Bob-Sardoth cackled.

“Now do you see, Wonky Watt? Now do you see that your parents were right about you being a bad seed!?”

 And there, standing over my own casket in the middle of some crapsack camp cathedral, it all hit me like a blizzard: all this time I thought myself the victim of some great injustice, some evil system I had to break out of like the heroes in those action movies. But at the end of the day, I was nothing but a tiny, insignificant turd who ditched his friends when they needed him most.

Bob-Sardoth must have realized this too, because after I collapsed under the weight of my own consciousness, he started laughing maniacally, head raised to the ceiling. I could now see the family resemblance between Bob and Hilda. Not that it could make the pain in my heart go away.

Hilda pulled out a sticker the size of my head from her pocket. It smelled like oranges.

“May this be the last thing you smell before you go back to hell.”

I desperately wanted to resist, to say no, but the pain felt worse than the one time a hornet got trapped in my shirt. All I could do was sit as Hilda plastered the ‘Orange you Glad’ sticker on my forehead, blotting it out like a bad stain.

“And for the record, it’s not like I’m doing this to be merciful or anything.” She added.

                                                    .   .   .

“Watterson!”

Someone was calling my name.

“Watterson!”

Frankly, after everything I just wanted to get some shuteye and never wake up, but the voice kept going-

“WATTERSON!”

Opening my eyes, I found myself looking into the eyes of some red-headed bird with white feathers and yellow eyes that screamed ‘I love you, but I also want to throttle you’. Eyes I would recognize anywhere.

“F-Bomb?!”

[momscookingthebooks]

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What Lies Within Us by Kiki Howell & Gina Kincade

Kyna Hughes travels to Ireland only to find out her whole life has been a series of well-orchestrated lies. Thrust into days of dark magic, secret societies, mystical hauntings, and ultimately, kidnappings and satanic weddings, she struggles not to lose her heart to one of two men—a hunky former Navy SEAL hired to protect her, and a sinister Wizard hired to train her to develop her hidden powers.

Dating 911 by Kathleen Grieve

Commiserating with girlfriends over butterscotch martinis, emergency room nurse, Roxanne Carter creates the idea of The Dating Manifesto—a not so scientific research project which promises to point the way to dating success. She wades through a series of unsavory, stale dates while gathering data to find the potentially most suitable single men available, literally putting her back at ground zero.

Just when she is ready to give up on dating, in walks sin personified in the form of a sexy firefighter, tainting all of her previous data.

A traumatic warehouse fire leaves firefighter Jett Avery's closest friend dead. The false mask of charm and pretense is slipping as Jett tries to repress his turbulent emotions, remorse, and guilt. After months of anguish, the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder seems to be taking over his life and he needs an outlet, fast. In an attempt to combat the worst of his depression, he decides to use his brand of therapy—Sex. The remedy, usually a quick pick me up for Jett, has lost its luster. He is almost ready to give up until he encounters a wicked seductress who ignites a fire he's not ready to put out any time soon. The bonus? She's an ER nurse with just the right kind of healing, the missing element Jett's search had not yet uncovered. He finally feels alive when he's in her presence.

Jett’s twin brother, emergency room Doctor Cruz Avery, the playboy of the ER, decides Roxanne is the woman for him. He places all brotherly affection aside and is in hot pursuit, complicating an already tricky situation.

Roxanne finds herself battling a growing competition between brothers for her affection. She discovers she’s drawn to both men, making it difficult not to compare them, and finds herself with an important choice to make. Jett hounds her during every date, and the irresistible hunk generates an indomitable need to play with fire. Yet, there are qualities in Cruz that slide right into the appropriate dating criteria of her Manifesto.

Does she choose the brother who by analysis is the perfect match? Or the one she can’t resist?

Torch Song by Lashell Collins

Dominic Draco has no illusions about who he is. As alpha of the dragon clan, he is also the leader of the shifter Alliance, and that sometimes requires him to be ruthless. He’s a dangerous man to know. In fact, he’s a heartless bastard. That’s the real reason he’s kept the beautiful Lucinda Lindley at bay for so many years, despite the longing he feels for the sexy human singer. But in granting an old friend’s dying request, watching over Lucinda is now his responsibility. Can he keep her safe from the perils of his cut-throat world when the Alliance’s enemies begin to circle? Or will Lucinda become a casualty of the shifter faction war?

Ethereal Witness by Angelica Dawson

Magic just became real for Paige Brown. Since she helped her roommate cast a spell, she has wanted to explore her new-found talent. Flashbacks to her ancestor give her clues, specifically to a love spell that she hopes will snag the professor she has been fantasizing about. Both Paige and her previous incarnation, Jane, find that controlling magic is more than a simple recipe. Will Paige be able to break her own spell? Will she discover the love that is closer than she knows?

Love Story of a Reaper by Elvira Bathory

What would you do if you found out that you weren’t like everyone else?

That you were special, but only in a way no one could find out about?

What lengths would you go to prove yourself to your family? A family that you didn’t know you had?

Morrigana was moving through life with a part-time, minimum wage job, and only a handful of friends. She was different from other people and they treated her that way. However, she was happy with her life until the day she met Kheelan; that is when her life was turned upside down. She finds out that she isn’t even human, and that a family she wasn’t aware she had needed her to complete a mission. As Morrigana and Kheelan's adventure progresses, will their focus on business remain professional or will their growing passion take over?

Burning Midnight by Erzabet Bishop

A triumvirate of blood and fire…

Diana Robichard runs Moon Called, an antique shop specializing in cursed objects. A new antiquity falls into her possession and promptly disappears, her tidy world is upended. When faced with a threat to those she loves the most, witchcraft alone may not be enough to save them.

Alpha Aristide Benoit is a wolf on a mission. When multiple pack members and finally his daughter go missing, he is ready to do whatever is necessary to find them as well as save the woman who has claimed his heart.

Vampire Regent, Rand Sinclair has a problem. His vault is missing an amulet never meant to see the light of day. Endangering a treaty with the wolves, he must act quickly before the woman he loves is swept into an ancient curse that will destroy them all.

With This Heart by Red L. Jameson

Talk about a killer kiss…

Being a former soldier with PTSD takes its toll on Aaron and has wiped him clean of optimism along with having dreams. But he’s no longer sure if he’s living in reality or fantasy after he tries to save a friend and finds his world filled with women who have wings and…Valkyries.

Adala kills. Not on purpose. She’s a Valkyrie—from just one touch, she takes warriors to the afterlife. Oh, but she’d give anything for a break, for normalcy, to have one day of not wearing her legionnaire uniform. When she’s asked to talk to the human Aaron to help him understand just what he’s in for when he tripped into her world, she jumps at the chance, even though she knows Aaron more than she cares to admit, even though she has an insane crush on him, even though she can’t touch him at all. But she gets to wear jeans and talk to a man—a real-life, hero of a man.

From her adorable made-up swearwords to when she wears his clothes, from the fact that she’s hundreds of years old to her pet Pegasus, Aaron falls hard for the shy Valkyrie. Dare he risk his life for a kiss? He’s thinking about it, because already he’s given her his heart.

With This Heart is a standalone story, that’s part of the With These Wings Series—books that mix rock-hard military men with feathered-fantasy femme fatales for a sizzling hot adventure to find love. Join Chanticleer winner, Red L. Jameson, for more of this heart-tugging fairy tale series.

Saltwater Siren by Muffy Wilson

Was it love at first sight? Perhaps. Many thought it might have been the work of the unscrupulous Sea Witch, Hermione, long a bitter and banished King’s Court Matron. So, was it the crafty wiles of Hermione, scheming to seek her sordid revenge, or was it a simple matter of serendipity? All we know for certain is that two young royals, one landed and one not, met during a raging storm as fierce and intense as the love they would none too soon escape. Was it fate, design, or—perhaps—black magic? Who’s to say?

What we do know is that it was sensuous, erotic, and insatiable as they fought to extinguish the passions that flamed their heat by indulging in every desire that swept them into one another’s arms. Their shared carnal voracity fanned an appetite no amount of indulgence could satisfy.

After all, it happened…Once upon a time…

Dangerous Beauty, Sexy Beast by Dariel Raye

Drayden saved her life— but her incessant need for vengeance could mean the end of his.

Thirteen years after the brutal murder of Treva Evers’ entire family, a cloaked stranger shows up just in time to save her from the same fate. When he disappears as quickly as he appeared, she is drawn into an underworld replete with magic and long forgotten customs, a place where nothing is as it seems, including her mysterious savior, and every word or action could result in brutal consequences.

Rose Tears by Amanda Pillar

Death is coming for Lori Hardcastle.

Half-Succubus, half-Sídhe, Lori has been on the run since she was seventeen. Worried that her vengeful family will find her, she’s been hiding in the Borderlands, a magical plane nestled between the fae and human worlds. However, when her path crosses that of a dangerously sexy fullblooded fae, will she be able to survive the encounter?

Conrad Death is a cleaner (he doesn’t like the term ‘assassin’) for the fae White Queen. His latest mission: find the half-breed daughter of the Count of Tears. Easy. Except no one knows what she looks like, her real age, or even what name she uses. However, Conrad isn’t daunted by simple details – he’s finished every job he’s ever started. But when he meets a smoking hot Succubus in a Borderlands bar, his life is thrown into turmoil.

Rogue by Savannah Verte

Everyday immortal Bree Brigand gets a rude awakening as her family is slaughtered. Not only is the cursed, suicide blade of legend and lore real, but it has chosen her. She must quickly learn to fast-track a course she’s never navigated, in a world she thought only existed in campfire stories. But, only after coming to terms with the facts…her family is not her family.

Truths and lies collide in a world where the hunters and the hunted trade places faster than she can discern who is which, and everyone is an assassin. Can she find and claim her destiny? Or, will being marked by a male who is not her one true mate ruin everything, and clip this dragon’s wings before she can become all she is meant to be?

Hexing Hearts by Alyssa Drake

At eighteen, undeveloped witch, Remy Vasile abandoned her island home without a backward glance. Five years later, circumstances outside of Remy’s control have drawn her back to Firefly Island, dredging up painful memories which lay dormant during her absence.

Sebastian Ayres enjoyed a life of pleasure pursuits. However, his blasé attitude evaporates the moment Remy’s hand brushes against his. Irresistibly drawn to his mate, Sebastian must undertake the daunting task of persuading Remy that he is not just any man, but the only man, for her.

Unbeknownst to either, dark secrets, hidden since Remy’s birth, are about to be uncovered and Remy will be confronted with a life-altering decision. With the help of her sister and some unexpected allies, Remy must decide if she will fight and risk her heart or continue running from her destiny.

Dragons Curvy Concierge by Mychal Daniels

When Bronwyn Scott finds herself way over her head as the first-time business owner of a personal concierge service, she’s not about to fall for a rich mystery man trying to test her professionalism at every turn.

Determined to make her business a great success to find and show the mother who left her at birth that she made something of herself, Bronwyn has no time for games or entitled, gorgeous rich dudes.

MacMillan “Mac” Kelnar is at that time in his life where his business can run itself, he’s successful, powerful, and a mature Dragon who’s paid his dues.

When he sees his mate across the parking lot of a Home Improvement Center parking lot as she suffers a hit and run, he’ll stop at nothing to have her, even if that means pretending to hire her as his personal concierge.

Determined to have his mate, this Dragon won’t stop at nothing until his mate realizes that the only services he’s interested in are having all of her.

Credence - Moon Dragons by Decadent Kane

Torren is days away from competing in the Draconic Challenge and earning the prize he needs to complete his magic credence. His sky-high dream of apprenticing with the Ancients is finally in sight. The last thing this solitary moon dragon needs is a mate dragging him down to earth, and a human one at that. Not that his body will listen.

Dovie is minding her own business—literally—when a handsome stranger walks into her bookstore. One spontaneous orgasm later, she’s left with no choice but to close up shop. The last thing she needs is an overbearing dragon dragging her to his mountain and telling her to shelve her dreams in favor of a stupid contest. Not that her body will listen.

Torren and Dovie must fight their treacherous attraction to each other or sacrifice their ambitions forever. But moon dragon magic doesn’t choose lightly, and when darker forces shatter the peaceful mountain enclave the dragons call home, human and moon dragon alike will have to reconsider just what they need to achieve a happy ending.

Kiss of the Fallen by Kharma Kelley

Dear Readers, I just wanted to be left alone. I wanted nothing to do with the war brewing among all the Supernaturals and have grown tired of fighting all these centuries. All of us are screwed up anyway; but who am I to judge who drinks blood and who eats souls?     As luck (or lack thereof) would have it, I get sucked into one last mission with the vampires and the next thing I know, I find a half-naked demon chained to my bed; and let's just say she is not happy.  And, as much as I enjoy seeing a beautiful woman grace my bed, unfortunately, I'm not happy either.     Of all demons, someone delivers to me a Black Blood Slayer; demons bred to do one thing and one thing only: kill vampires.  Her blood is spiked with a desire I long to tame, but if I do, I could be six-feet under... again. And this time forever.  But her fighter's spirit and tenderness shakes me to my missing soul, wanting to claim her with a need I cannot name.  But with both of us on the run and my people gunning for us, how can I be sure she wants me to love or to kill?     -Commander Tristan Castillion, Vampire Royal Guard

Selene by Shelique Lize

My name is Selene and I am a moon goddess. Between my siblings and me, we control the balance of the universe. Without us, the mortal and immortal realms would be thrust into eternal chaos. Don’t ask me what that means. It’s what I’ve been told for as long I can remember. I have never questioned my existence because it was the only life I have ever known. Then one day, everything changed when I became enthralled with the earth.

I couldn’t resist the alluring beauty that beckoned me almost every single night. My curiosity was so fierce and dominate, it was becoming impossible to ignore it and I gave in. I found the only god brave enough to take me to the mortal realm but he wanted something in return. He wanted my body, and I gave it to.

I went to earth and experienced life like never before. It was like my eyes were opening and I started to question my entire existence. Feelings all of a sudden are very present and then everything changed again, when I fell in love with a human.

Being a goddess has never been so complicated.

One Last Lullaby by Kallysten

When Kirsten walks back into Jacob’s life after years of estrangement, it’s not to resume the relationship she once ended abruptly. Instead, she’s there to work as a mage for the same agency in which Jacob is a Special Enforcer… or at least, that’s her story and she’s sticking to it. Whether Andrew, her boss and one of Jacob’s fathers, hired her for her skills or to get her back in Jacob’s life is anyone’s guess.

Although Jacob is determined to see in Kirsten a co-worker and friend, he still loves her as much as he ever did. He used to believe she was ‘the one,’ and even years after she broke up with him he still doesn’t understand what happened. It doesn’t help that every little thing she does reminds him of what they once shared.

As the agency battles deadly demons night after night, the relationship between Jacob and Kirsten goes from awkward to downright painful… until one botched magic spell traps them in a strange world inhabited by the demons, and the only way back will require them to reveal to each other their most painful secret…

Lust by Liz Gavin

Magical, sinful New Orleans attracts many lost souls who find haven at kinky Club Desire. Marcel Revault is the real deal: bound to the house, haunting it for over 150 years. Clara Hervaux, movie-star extraordinaire, indulges in her dark side as a club regular. As an empath, she’s gotten hooked on Marcel’s otherworldly sexiness. When Clara goes missing, Marcel uses their empathic link to find her, but can he break the curse to save her? Or will Clara fall prey to the jealous witch who cursed him?

Witch Playground by Isis Pierce

When Samantha Smith agreed to cast a spell to sneak her friend Sassy into the hottest paranormals’ club in Vegas, she never thought she’d actually get caught. Now she’s facing a trial and the possibility of losing everything—including her magic, and maybe even her life. To get out of legal trouble, she might have to sleep with a vampire or go to hell with a bounty hunter. Maybe both. And that’s a whole new kind of trouble.

Frozen Soul by Catherine Banks

A wolf's love is forever...and so is the bond of the pack.

Even after she broke it off with their Alpha, Tysen, the pack still loved Jess. So when they discover her current boyfriend, Jon, is literally draining her soul, her wolf family is right there to come to her rescue. Back amongst their ranks, the bond she shares with them, and Tysen, grows stronger than ever, and she can't deny how desperately she's missed them all.

But now the truth of Jess and Jon's relationship comes blasting through the door and brings everyone to their knees; she's sacrificed more for the pack than any of them realized.

The question now remains: is there a way for Tysen to save her soul?

Taste Of Darkness by Catherine Vale

Natalya should have known better than to watch the handsome fisherman from the shadows, but she found herself drawn to him, night after night. If she had only stayed away from him, he would not be facing the darkness that will now haunt him for eternity. But she couldn’t stay away, and now it’s too late; he’s been turned into an abomination, a creature that will never again be free.

Natalya is all that Caine has left. He just doesn’t know it yet.

Natalya knows better than anyone what it’s like to have her world ripped out from under her, forced into the darkness, never to walk in the sun again. It wasn’t long ago when she was turned into a blood-sucking vamp, a ruthless killer. So when she finds herself to blame for an innocent human being turned, she knows that it’s up to her to save his life. But when Caine awakens to discover what he has become, will he ever be able to find his place in a world, where he just doesn’t fit in? And can he learn to forgive Natalya long enough to fight alongside her?

When a merciless pack of werewolves scent the newly created vamp, they will stop at nothing to destroy him, and everything he loves. Caine must learn to embrace his darkness, if he wishes to survive.

#WORDSTURNMEONCSA

[babocka]

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