Page 54 of Virgil's Demons

"Heroes don't always feel like heroes," I muttered, tugging at the restraints that held him in place. "But you did good. I don't know how you did it, but you called out its name."

Hellsing's eyes met mine, and for the first time since this started, I saw something new in him—a glimmer of strength, of belief in himself that wasn't there before. "What if it comes back?" he asked, his voice still small, fragile.

I exhaled. "It won't. Not after today. You're stronger than that bastard ever was."

He nodded, but the doubt was still there, lingering in his gaze. And I couldn't blame him. The kid had just been put through hell.

I stood, giving him one last pat on the shoulder before stepping back. "Take a minute. You earned it."

Spectre was leaning against the wall, arms wrapped around Raven, his face pale, still rattled from the demon's mind games. He hadn't said a word since the exorcism ended, and that wasn't like him. I walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You both alright?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He nodded, but I could see the tension in his jaw. "That thing… it got in my head, Virgil. Made me see things. Shit I buried a long time ago." His voice was tight, like he was holding onto his sanity by a thread.

I exhaled, letting the smoke drift between us. "That's what it does. It fucks with your head, makes you doubt yourself, makes you see every nightmare you've ever had. But it's gone now."

Spectre shook his head, staring at the floor. "I don't know, man. That wasn't just some ordinary demon. That thing was... different."

"Yeah. Belial's not your garden-variety demon. But he's not invincible. Trust me, that motherfucker's back where he belongs."

Spectre finally met my eyes, the weight of the moment still hanging heavy on his shoulders. "So, what now?"

"Now, I said, glancing over at Hellsing, who was still recovering in the chair. "Now we get ready for what's next. This ain't over yet. We've got Death is waiting and we've got to bind it before it realizes what we're up to."

I glanced toward the door, knowing Barythaya would be the next part of this nightmare. "We've got to follow Madame Laveaux's instructions carefully and without getting anyone else killed."

Spectre's jaw clenched as he pushed off the wall, readying himself. "Alright. Let's finish this."

I gave him a hard nod and took a deep breath, feeling the storm still brewing just beneath the surface. Belial was gone, but we were only halfway through the fire. I was to play my best acting performance, because I was about to lure death to its grave.

ANGEL OF DEATH

There's something in the way he looks at her—Barythaya. The way Virgil's eyes track her every move, like she's the only thread holding him together, the single lifeline in his endless chaos. I feel his gaze through her, he doesn't hide his affection for her. He's a true fool. It amuses me, this little charade he's playing as if I can't see through it. But I do.

He thinks I don't feel it, the weight of his plans pressing down, thick and suffocating like the air before a storm. He's sweet tonight—too sweet. His voice a velvet whisper, his touch lingering on her back, fingers tracing her spine as though he's her protector, her savior. But there's something else beneath that warmth. A lie. A secret he's keeping from her, from me.

Sweet, foolish Virgil. You can't hide from Death.

I let it play out, though. I let her come forward and feel him, and in turn, I could feel her heart swell with that dangerous thing she calls love. Her miserable human soul allowing itself to get tangled in the web he's spinning around us both. I can feel it, her desire, raw and burning. It makes me pliable, stirs something deep within me that I haven't felt in eons. The wayshe leans into him, the way her breath catches when his fingers brush her skin. It's all for him. Her hope. Her trust. Her love.

He thinks I don't know.

"Come on," Virgil whispers, his voice a slow caress, but there's some urgency beneath it. Like an edge of tension that to the normal ear, one wouldn't pick up. But I'm far from normal

"Let's take a ride. Just us. I need to be with you... away from everything."

I smile at him, letting the softness of her features brighten, I could sense her pulse quickening. She thinks he's offering her something real, something pure. And in a way, he is. But it's not love. I can smell it. Like all human men, he's full of fear and desperation, afraid to step up and see what's really in front of them.

"Where are we going?" I ask, keeping my voice light and innocent. Maybe too innocent.

Virgil glances over at her, but his gaze slips past her, landing on me and it startles me. He should not be able to sense me, I made sure of that.

His smile is soft, but there's something deeper behind it. Regret. "We're just going somewhere quiet. Somewhere you'll be safe."

Safe.The word nearly draws a laugh from me. There is no being safe when Death rides with you. But I let it slide. I let him believe he was truly guiding her, clinging to that hope that maybe this time, he could keep her truly safe.

We stepped outside into the cool night, the bike's engine roaring to life beneath us, a thunderous growl that vibrated through my - her- body.

---