The Commissioner gave Captain Finnegan a hard time for handing the human trafficking case back to Cole, given what happened at the nightclub. But with the sudden disappearance of Frank Wallace three weeks ago, the captain really had no other options. No other capable detectives were available to handle such a high profile case.

It was a decision that paid off, big-time.

In the last two weeks, Cole managed to extort the names of several individuals involved in the sex trade organization from Clair. In exchange, he promised to prove her innocence if she cooperated — and cooperate she did.

Each name led to the next in a long line of arrests involving police officers, lawyers, club owners, bankers, and countless henchmen. At the end of the trail was a single man: Tyler Simmons, a man long suspected of shady dealings, but with enough money and connections to bury anyone who opposed him.

Not this time. All of his money and influence fell woefully short in the face of insurmountable evidence against him. His only way out now was to cut a deal.

He was arrested, and the case had since been turned over to the FBI in hopes they could pressure him for information about human trafficking in other cities. The case was officially out of Cole’s jurisdiction.

This was a big victory for the Chicago Police Department. The leader of the “Chicago Sex Trade” had been apprehended and Cole was at the center of the praise and admiration. Despite his early doubts, the commissioner offered him a promotion. He even got a call from the governor for a job well done.

Then why the hell did feel so empty inside?

The events that took place three weeks ago still haunted his mind. That was when Cole found out it was Frank who killed his wife. Every time he looked at the empty desk across the room his heart sank and his blood boiled.

How ironic it was that Cole was put in charge of investigating Frank’s disappearance. It would be the only case in Cole’s career that he would allow to ‘go cold’.” That is, unless he wanted to look crazy by putting “Frank Wallace was devoured by a succubus named Zafira” in his report.

Zafira, that sexy yet deadly succubus. The last he saw her, he remembered drinking too much that night, having an argument with her, then having a strange dream that felt like he was living in Zafira’s past.

He had not heard from her since. He felt terrible for the things he said to her that night. When he was not chasing criminals the last three weeks, he was wondering if their relationship, whatever type of relationship they had, was over. Even though Maria’s killer had been put to death, he figured he still had to bring her scumbags to feed on, as per their agreement.

The same feeling he felt when Maria died crept into his heart. Did she leave town after all? Did the Crusaders find her?

Did he… miss her?

“I have something for you, Detective Harvey.”

Cole snapped out of his trance and turned his head to find Penny standing next to his desk. Her attire had gotten increasingly provocative since she lost her virginity. Today she wore a short black skirt and a deep V-neck top. The late Frank sure knew his stuff about virgins.

Why did everything have to remind him of that motherfucker today?

“What is it?” Cole asked, reaching for the unmarked manila envelope.

“How should I know? A dark haired woman dropped it off at the front desk. She asked that I hand it to you personally.”

Dark haired? Could it…?

Cole shredded the envelope like it came with a prize. Unfolding the letter inside, he read it to himself.

< i>Willis Tower. Tonight at midnight. Don’t be late. You know I hate waiting. -Z

His heart skipped a beat with the knowledge that Zafira was still in Chicago. The cryptic nature of the letter was a bit disconcerting though.

“Well, what is it?” Penny asked.

“Oh! Um. I’ve been assigned to work her case. Her… uh… husband went missing.”

“I see. Well, I need to get back to the front desk.”

Cole nodded. “I need to get going too. This letter just gave me a lead.”

They walked toward the elevator. Once inside, Cole hit the button for the first floor then stood opposite of Penny.

“What do you think happened to Frank? Not that I miss him.”

“I have no idea,” Cole said. “Clair said he was associated with the sex trade along with the other cops we arrested. He probably skipped town, but we’ll find him.”

The elevator door opened and Cole rushed past Penny toward the exit. He wanted to avoid that awkward conversation entirely. “I’ll catch you later,” Cole said over his shoulder.

xxxxx-

Willis Tower. The tallest building in Chicago. Cole always marveled at how someone could build such a monstrosity of a building.

Cole did not want to be late for this appointment; he made sure to arrive early. He walked impatiently around the base of the building. Even this late at night, Chicago’s downtown was so lively, full of passing cars and pedestrians.

Why did Zafira want to meet here?

Like that time in Grant Park, the suspense was killing him. He decided to stop his nervous pacing and plant himself at the main entrance. He looked at his watch; it was almost midnight.

Cole’s eyes locked onto a woman in a long white gown striding along the sidewalk. The stunning woman had clearly dressed to impress. He realized who she was when she turned up the steps toward him.

She looked absolutely perfect. Her long white dress, with slits in the sides to mid-thigh, reached down to her six inch heels. The bust of her dress cupped her supple breasts to a proud display. Her long dark hair blew gently in the subtle breeze, her bangs occasionally brushing across her sparkling eyes.

“Hello, Cole,” Zafira said with an inviting smile.

It took a moment for his brain to register her words. “Uh. Hi! You look terrific!”

“Thank you.”

“So why are we here? I didn’t know I was supposed to dress up.”

Zafira stepped in close, putting her arms around his waist. “You’ll see. You aren’t afraid of heights are you?”

“No,” he replied. “Why?”

Holding him tightly, she expanded her wings and launched into the air at terrific speed.

“Oh shi-i-it!” Cole yelled as he was jerked off his feet. The higher they flew, the more the cars on the roads below looked like glowing ants. “Don’t look down, don’t look down…” he repeated in his head.

He chose to look at Zafira instead. Her beautiful face almost diverted his mind enough to forget he was several hundred feet off the ground. She smiled at him, squeezing him in a tighter hug as they continued their ascent.

They reached the top of the skyscraper in mere seconds. She flapped her wings and gently landed on the roof. Cole’s knees buckled a bit as his feet touched the solid surface.

“That was… fun as hell!” Cole praised, catching his breath.

Without a word, Zafira’s heels clicked against the concrete, walking to the edge. Cole joined her at her side.

“I always liked this spot. It reminds me of home.”

Cole took in the impressive view. They stood silently, enjoying being together.

“So where have you been?” Cole asked, breaking the silence.

“Sleeping.”

“Sleeping? For three weeks? Your ‘naps’ are getting longer and longer.”

“Between the ritual, torturing Frank, and the memory transfer, I was sapped of most of my magical power.”

He had not thought about that. Magic is not free and easy. It cannot work without a price, even for a demon.

“About the other night — I’m sorry for what I said to you. I didn’t-”

“There’s no need to apologize,” she interrupted, putting her index finger to his lips. “How could you have possibly known? You were hurting so bad inside — I wanted to help as best I could. I wanted to show you, convince you, that you were not the only one who has loved and lost, or to be betrayed.”

Cole did not know what to say. She poured her heart out and revealed all her secrets just to try to make him feel better.

“I knew you still had some good in you,” he joked, nudging her ribs.

Zafira laughed. “Maybe. But don’t go pushing your luck.”

They smiled at each other. Cole held her hand in his. They gazed at the city below. Street lights illuminated the night sky and hid secrets in shadows.

“Tell me something Zafira — why did you lie to me about me being immune if I kept my soul pure?”

“I didn’t lie to you. ‘Can’t’ or ‘won’t’ yield the same result, do they not? I couldn’t harm another innocent person, not after what Asmodeus put me through. For that choice, I’m slowly dying.”

“What?! You’re dying?!”

Zafira took a deep breath and sighed. “Corrupt souls provide very little energy. My demonic body has gotten weaker and weaker over the years. I expended of a lot of magic recently to help you. I’ve only a short time left.”

“How long?” Cole dreaded her answer.

“I give it two or three weeks, maybe a month.”

He paced, trying to think of a way to help her. “What if you increased the number of corrupt souls? We could hunt them down and…”

She turned to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, holding him close. “It won’t matter. It would simply delay the inevitable.”

Her warm embrace, as lovely as it was, did little to comfort him. “Damn it! There has to be a way! Couldn’t you take one innocent?”

She let go, scowling at him. “What kind of talk is that?!”

His eyes glistened. “I’m sorry. I just… don’t want to lose you. After all that has happened, I can’t image going back to my old life. It would all seem empty without you.”

Zafira returned to the edge of the building. “When we first met, we made a deal. That arrangement was a facade. I never needed your help getting souls; I could have easily done it on my own. But you wouldn’t have gotten the answers you sought without me. What looked like a mutual arrangement, was just me helping you.”

Cole looked at her inquisitively. “What are you saying?”

She turned to him, her eyes beaming, her smile heartwarming. “I have searched for centuries for someone like you. Someone who made me feel human again, who accepted me for all that I am. Our ‘arrangement’ was a series of trials for, not only you, but for me as well. As tempted as you were to give in to your lust, you never did. It was ten times more tempting for me not to take your soul. Having a succulent morsel dangling in front of me when I’ve survived an eternity on burnt bread was almost too much to bear.”

Grabbing her hand again, he pulled her towards him. “You wanted someone who loved you.”

Their eyes met. “And someone I loved just as much.”

Slowly, their heads leaned forward. Softly, their lips pressed together. The passion behind their kiss was centuries in the making. Their arms gripped each other tightly as their lips confessed their love.

Love. It was the one thing missing from their lives, and now they had completed each other.

But the prospect of Zafira’s death tortured Cole’s mind. He would soon be miserable and alone again. He did not think he could deal with it, not this time.

She broke the kiss and leaned her forehead against his. “Don’t be sad.”

“Reading my mind again?”

She giggled. “I can never resist. You’ve always fascinated me.”

He sighed. “What am I doing to do when you’re gone?”

She put her hands on his cheeks, brushing away the small tear that escaped his eye. “There is one way I can still live.”

His heart raced. “Really? What is it?”

“Long ago, before the Crusaders eradicated all traces of them, there was an order of warlocks. This order was composed of the most vile and self-centered of men. Each warlock used magic to bind their soul to a demon, enslaving them to do their bidding.”

“Demons usually accepted a binding willingly since the ritual provided mutual benefits. The demon siphoned energy from the human’s soul; the warlock would then stop aging. The warlock was essentially immortal as long as the demon remained alive. However, given that their vile souls were corrupt and the amount of magic they used for their own gain, eventually their soul’s energy gave out, and they perished anyway.”

Cole shrugged. “So what does that all mean?”

Zafira smiled. “If you bind yourself to me, the energy from your soul would be enough to keep me alive. No longer would I need to devour souls in order to survive. It was one of the primary reasons I was so insistent on you keeping your soul pure. It would act as a battery that never dies out. We could live our lives together, forever.”

“So this was your plan all along? To use me so you can stay alive?” Cole asked, folding his arms.

“I know it looks selfish. Maybe it is. All I wanted was a chance to live the life that was taken from me so many centuries ago. To share eternity with someone I loved.” A tear ran down her cheek, “That someone is you, Cole.”

To spend eternity with Zafira, the sexy succubus who spared his soul, stealing his heart instead. The idea was actually very appealing.

“I don’t ever want to feel alone again. You’ve changed my life forever. The thought of you dying… tears my heart apart. I… love you, Zafira. I’ll do it.”

She leapt at him, kissing him deeply. “Thank you, Cole.”

“So what do I have to do?”

“It’s really quite simple. All you need do is to carve a symbol of your choosing into the palm of your right hand, then press it against mine and say ‘I bind myself to thee’.”

Cole took a moment to think. “I don’t have a pocket knife, so…”

“Use this.” Zafira extended her index finger, her nail protruding out to form a long sharp claw.

“I guess that will work,” Cole snickered.

While holding her finger in his left hand like a pencil, Cole drew a ‘C’ shape into his palm. It stung, but not too bad. Then he drew a ‘Z’ over the ‘C’. He became a little light headed at the sight of his own blood but he maintained his composure.

Zafira extended her arm, palm forward. “By the way, this is going to hurt quite a bit.”

“Fantastic.” Cole said sarcastically. Like the pain of carving up his hand was not bad enough. He pressed his bloody hand against Zafira’s. “I bind myself to thee.”

Instantly, their hands began to burn with ferocious heat, like being welded together. Cole watched as surges of magical energy passed back and forth between their bodies. His muscles tensed as if electrocuted. His heart felt about to burst. He wanted to scream — this hurt worse than anything he had ever experienced in his life. He held himself together, though. For his lover, he would overcome anything. Anything!

The surges stopped and Cole collapsed on the concrete. Zafira quickly sat beside him and pulled him into her lap. She held his almost-convulsing body tightly against her as he gasped from the pain. Her demonic wings draped over him like soft blankets.

Cole looked at his hand. The symbol he drew was charred into his flesh. “Is it… done?”

Zafira showed him her palm, the same symbol charred into hers. “It is. I can already feel your energy flowing through me.”

He sighed with deep relief. The pain was settling down. More importantly though, Zafira was not going to die. Being in her embrace brought him peace of mind.

“So, what happens now? Do we move in together like newly-weds?”

Zafira laughed. “There is one itty-bitty perk I failed to mention before.”

“Which is?”

“A soul binding ritual is considered a formal union. So…”

The realization crashed into his mind like a runaway train while simultaneously sending pulses straight to his cock. “We can have sex?!” he asked loudly.

She snickered. “Not the most romantic of responses, but yes.”

Cole got to his feet with renewed vigor. He reached for his demon bride’s hand, helping her up. “My place or yours?”

Zafira tossed him her trademark sultry grin. “Mine. It’s closer.”

She wrapped his arms around her neck and grabbed hold of his waist. Wings unfolded, “Are you ready?” she asked.

“Ready.”

She leaned in to kiss him as her flapping wings lifted them from the rooftop. Diving over the edge, they plummeted toward Earth, kissing passionately without a care for the danger at hand. He trusted her implicitly, and the adrenaline coursing through his veins added extra sensation while he sucked on her devilish tongue.

She spread her wings wide and jerked them upright. She released him for a brief moment, only to grab hold of him again from behind.

“I’ve got you, don’t worry,” she said in his ear.

“You about made me shit my pants!”

They glided through Chicago’s downtown, weaving around tall buildings and radio towers, looping thrills and chills through the sky. His demon lover showed him such beauty of the city as he had never seen before. This feeling was indescribable.

Zafira landed gracefully in the underpass she called home. Again, Cole was weak in the knees, almost falling. She opened the portal to her lair.

“Shall we?”

Cole walked to her and scooped her up in his arms, her body light as a feather. Their eyes locked. “Now we can go.”

He carried her through the portal. Stacy rushed to greet them.

“Stacy! Sit!” Zafira commanded.

She promptly did as she was told, sitting on all fours. She watched as Cole carried Zafira to her bed.

The detective sat the succubus on the edge of her bed. Their lips met briefly before he broke the kiss. “I want you natural.”

She tilted her head. “You mean…”

Cole nodded.

Zafira’s dark curved horns protruded from her head, her wings expanded, and a small slinky tail slithered out from under her dress.

“That’s better,” he said, and lunged at her. She fell back onto the bed with him on top.

He explored her mouth. Her forked tongue felt weird, each tendril wrapping around his tongue. He knew then that sex with Zafira would be an entirely new experience.

“I have dreamed of this for so long,” Cole groaned.

“Did you touch yourself?”

Cole grinned. “A few times.”

“Me too,” she returned his grin.

Cole threw his trench coat aside. After undoing the first few buttons of his shirt, he impatiently ripped the rest off. He would not spend another second missing the feeling of her body against his bare skin.

His mouth met her neck — kissing, sucking, nibbling. The slits in the sides of her dress made convenient entrances for his hands; he stroked up and down her silky-smooth legs.

Cole noticed Zafira’s mannerisms were different from when he saw her sex-play in the past. Never before did her breathing come in such fast short pants. She wanted him as much as he wanted her.

He reached behind her neck and pulled the halter strap of her dress over her head. Ever so slowly, he moved the dress down under her glorious breasts to expose her hardened nipples. He kneaded her swollen nubs in his palms, toying with her irresistible tits until she was squirming and murmuring beneath him.

Zafira’s purrs beckoned him to take her into his mouth. He suckled her nipple hungrily, savoring every inch of her body. Her pheromones quickly flooded his nostrils; arousal radiated madly from her hypersensitive nipples.

She cupped her other breast and raised it to his face, begging him for more. He obliged and sucked hard on her perfect flesh. He rolled his tongue around her nipple repeatedly while his hand glided up under her dress. His fingers brushed against her slick pussy; she quivered at his touch.

“Fuck me, Cole! I need you to fuck me!” she begged.

“Not yet,” Cole teased, with a seductive smile of his own.

He climbed off the bed and pulled her to the edge. His grasping hands eased her thin dress from her; gravity piled the fabric on the floor. He beheld her demonic naked body and knew it was now his. She rubbed her clit with her fingers, teasing him mercilessly.

There was no longer reason to show restraint. He knelt between her toned thighs and rested them on his shoulders. The object of his deepest darkest desires was so close he could feel the heat of her pussy on his nose.

Once he touched his tongue to her clit and took in her essence for the first time he became intoxicated. The small juicy sample Stacy gave him before did not compare. There was no place he would rather be than sucking on Zafira’s succulent pussy. He could, and would, feed on her forever, and never complain.

Zafira gripped her bed’s comforter so hard her knuckles turned white. Cole’s tongue was buried inside her, fucking her pussy with long smooth strokes.

“Don’t stop!”

Her thighs locked around his head. With a hand full of his hair she bucked her hips against his face. Her orgasm crashed through her body with the force of a tsunami.

Cole inhaled deeply when Zafira’s thighs released him. He had almost suffocated. Almost. But it would have been a hell of a way to go.

She sat up with lust still in her eyes. “My turn!”

He stood while she tugged at his belt. She jerked his belt with so much force it ripped several of his belt loops. Unzipping and ripping his trousers, she wasted no time and took him into her mouth to the hilt.

“Oh fuck!”

He had been in her mouth before, but not like this. This time he was able to appreciate every stroke, every lick, every slurp her mouth was willing to give.

She grabbed the base and slid her forked tongue up his length, nestling his shaft in the ‘Y’ of her tongue. It felt incredibly arousing to have both sides of his cock licked at the same time by a single tongue.

Zafira slipped her hands under Cole’s butt and pushed his groin upward. She inhaled his manhood to the base — and stayed there. He felt the tickle of her tongue slithering under his balls, licking its way to his puckered hole.

God damn, was she full of surprises!

Cole had no idea his ass was so sensitive! Each lash made him squirm, the sensations flooding his mind. Her tongue was gentle at first, but quickly worked up to full rapid licks. With his mouth agape, he looked into her playful eyes. She enjoyed playing his body like a musical instrument, making sure she hit all the right notes before retracting her tongue back across his balls to his cock.

Cole brushed Zafira’s hair from her glowing eyes as he watched the sexy demon enthusiastically suck his cock. She hummed, savoring his taste as her head worked up and down his shaft in the most pleasurable way, never breaking eye contact. He thrust his hips against her movements; he did not try to control the raging orgasm building inside.

This was it. If everything Zafira told him was a lie, his soul was going straight into the abyss. He surrendered himself with no regard for the consequences. She withdrew and opened her mouth for her prize.

The first massive stream of his cum landed across her cheek and chin. The next went straight into her hungry mouth, coating her tongue. The rest dribbled out on her lips and was quickly sucked into her mouth.

He was still alive. Weak-kneed, but still alive.

“Mmm!” she hummed. She wiped his seed off her face with her fingers and lasciviously licked them clean. “Your cum never stops being delicious! I hope you don’t mind making plenty more for me as we spent eternity together.”

Cole’s grin displayed evil intent. “How about I make some more for you now? I still haven’t fucked you.”

Her eyes lit up. “You’re ready to go again? Already?”

“I’ve wanted this the moment we met. No way am I passing up the opportunity.”

He lifted her devilish body off the floor and pushed her face down on the bed. Her amazing ass rose in the air; her devil’s tail swayed contently. He knelt between her luscious cheeks, spreading them apart with his hands, once again tongue-lashing her dripping sex as well as her velvety asshole. Just tasting her nectar again was enough to get his cock rock hard.

Cole carefully positioned the tip of his raging cock against her pussy lips. He held her inviting hips and slowly eased himself into her. The heat, the moisture, the pressure — all were better than he ever imagined. Nothing in this world mattered except merging with his demon lover, the sexiest woman who ever existed.

“Fuck me hard, Cole! Fuck me so hard it hurts!”

Cole was shocked by her sudden outburst. “Not being in control is turning you on, isn’t it?”

Zafira groaned as Cole jammed his cock hard inside her. “Yes! Now fuck me before I take that control

Cole would not disappoint. He thrust his throbbing cock deep inside her. He pumped her wet pussy as fast as he could, occasionally slapping her ass to feel her insides tighten around him.

The pleasure he inflicted on her wreaked havoc in her body and mind and soul. Her voice reverberated like thunder against her rooms’ walls. The cries of her sexual bliss as each orgasm rolled into the next made Cole fuck her like a wild animal. He took everything he wanted from her, and more.

“Don’t stop! Please, don’t stop! I want more!” she begged.

His hands left her hips and attached to her horns, pulling her head back, making her back arch. This new angle created extra friction as Cole drove vigorously into her.

No longer needing to hold herself up, one of Zafira’s hands cupped her breast while the other flicked her burning clit.

It all became too much. With one final thrust, he roared as he filled her insides with his hot sticky seed. His sweaty mortal body collapsed on top her. Her wings draped across the bed. She so wrung out after being so thoroughly fucked — she could do no more than purr.

Zafira gathered strength to sit up. She almost made it. She lifted herself doggy-style to elbows and knees and then rolled onto her back, panting. Cole let her get comfortable before snuggling atop her. They shared small kisses, coming down from their sexual high, as he rested between her toned legs.

“So — you ready for round three?”

“Jesus, Zafira! You’re going to be the death of me yet!”

They laughed. “I am a succubus after all. I could never tire of this.”

“Well, I am human, so I do have some limitations.”

Zafira grinned. “Not with me, you don’t.”

“Oh?”

“How kinky do you want to get?” Zafira asked, biting her lower lip.

“I’ve never been shy.”

His eyes widened and his body jerked when he felt something poke his tight asshole. Her hands were around his neck. What could it…

Holy hell! It was her tail!

“I want you to feel pleasures you never thought possible.” Zafira’s sultry voice was a hypnotic promise.

Her words destroyed his last inhibitions. “Then take me to paradise, you sexy devil!”

Her tail whipped around their bodies. Its spear-like tip wiggled before their eyes; she grabbed it with one hand and slurped the tip into her mouth, sucking it as she had previously tended Cole’s cock. Watching her play with her demonic appendage made his cock twinge, returning it to life.

Zafira pulled her tail from her mouth and murmured a subvocal spell. The tip of her tail lit with a faint pearly-white glow and moved behind them.

Zafira’s soft slender hand reached for Cole’s hard cock and guided him back into the wet folds of her pussy. She wrapped her legs around him to pull him closer. He gasped, once again sheathed inside her heat.

He stopped gasping when he felt her lubricated tail press hard against his tight hole. He cringed as the vibrating tip passed through his outer ring. It stung, at first. Once the vibrating spear sunk in far enough to brush his prostate, all semblance of pain was replaced with exotic orgasmic pleasure.

Zafira gripped his ass, spreading his cheeks wide while pulling him into her. Each time he thrust inside her wet pussy the tail withdrew, and vice versa. As he fucked her, her tail fucked him. They created a rhythm that had them moaning over each other’s sexual ecstasy.

“Holy fuck! That feels incredible, Zafira!”

Cole’s impending orgasm quickly built to critical levels. He spilled inside her just as her tail plunged deep into his bowels. The vibrations sent shocks to his hidden sexual organ that shattered all conscious thought.

“Don’t stop now, Cole!” Zafira shouted.

He somehow managed to keep thrusting. His orgasm, which normally would have lasted ten seconds, tops, was well past the thirty second mark and showed no signs of stopping. What had she done?

“I-I can’t stop cumming!” Cole cried.

“Yes! Yes! Oh fuck yes, Cole! Cum like you never have! I want you to feel this good till you can’t stand it any longer!”

He thought he might die, or at least go blind after a solid five minutes of orgasm passed. His heart jackhammered — he could feel it pounding in his head as sweat poured down his body. Too much! He passed out, collapsing on her soft breasts.

They lay together and basked in mutual satisfaction. She rubbed his back with a soft gentle touch; he fell asleep almost instantly.

Once Cole was out cold, she slid out from under him and scooted off the edge of the bed.

She giggled when she noticed Stacy staring at her with head tilted, sitting on all fours. They must have put on quite a show for her pet. The evidence: a small oily pool on the floor from the devilkin’s dripping sex.

A sudden thud made the walls of the succubus’s lair shake. Stacy and Zafira jumped to their feet.

“Right on time,” Zafira said, quickly throwing her white dress back on.

With her pet at her side, Zafira watched as a portal on the far wall appeared to be forced open by some unseen force. A humanoid figure slowly stepped though to invade Zafira’s home.

It was a person she could never forget, despite his new style of clothing. Those evil eyes; that gray skin; that crown of twisted bones. It was her creator, the Lord of Lust himself. Judging by the massive sword sheathed on his back, he was not here for a friendly visit.

“Zafira! You look lovely as ever.”

“Asmodeus. I see you’ve decided to update your wardrobe. Nice to see you wearing pants for a change. Though that vest makes you look a bit feminine.”

He snarled. “Are you attempting to provoke me? I think we both know how such a conflict would end.”

Stacy growled, ready to attack. Zafira put her hand on Stacy’s head. “Protect Cole,” she whispered.

Asmodeus walked deliberately around her dwelling. “You know, you’ve disappointed me yet again. All these centuries gone by, expecting you to make an attempt on my life, and you never did. I thought the angels finally got to you. Imagine my surprise when I picked up on the magical trail you’ve been leaving around this city. Very foolish on your part.”

Zafira smiled wickedly. “Everything I have done since you banished me have been carefully calculated moves on a very big chess board.” She looked towards the bed. “And over there rests a very big piece.”

Asmodeus observed the human slumbering on her bed. “My, how you have fallen from my unholy grace. Soul-binding yourself to a mortal? Such an abomination you’ve become.”

“Not just any mortal. He is a pure soul, one I love. It was my love for Simon that empowered me to stand against you before and it is my love for Cole that will enable me to kill you now.”

He folded his arms, “Touching. I think it will take more than ‘love’ to kill me, however.”

“How about this, then?” Zafira walked to the center of her dwelling where the cursed sword Ragnarok rested. She grasped the intricate handle, lifted the sword from its golden pedestal, and pointed it at Asmodeus. “His pure soul provides me with the energy to wield Ragnarok again.”

“Interesting. However, did you forget that as your creator, my magic dominates your every action?”

He raised his hand and focused his power within it. His eyes widened with surprise when his magic fizzled dimly at his fingertips. He attempted again, grunting with irritation.

Zafira chuckled. “Oh no! Is your magic not working?” she taunted as she approached him. “I befriended an angel who happened to specialize in anti-magic barriers. I called in a favor, asking her to make a special anti-magic barrier inside my lair, one that had the power to suppress any demon’s magic other than my own, even an Aspect’s.”

He scowled at her, his anger building with the knowledge she had outsmarted him.

“I knew you were looking for me for a long while now. All I had to do was bide my time and wait for the perfect time to draw you to me. The soul summoning ritual, the memory transfer, and the soul-binding were all to grab your attention. Then all I had to do was fly through the city to catch your eye and lure you here.”

Her eyes glowed with the fury of a lover scorned. “I told you I’d make you pay. Even if you manage to defeat me, this place will be your prison. You’ll never be able to consume another soul and your body will rot for eternity!”

Asmodeus drew his massive sword. “Do not think of me as being so weak! I will break free of your little trap, after I tear your pathetic body apart, limb from limb!”

They charged each other with swinging blades. A monstrous clash of unholy steel jarred Cole from his slumber. “What the fuck?” When his blurry vision focused on who else was in the room, a chill ran down his spine. “Oh shit!”

Stacy rolled him out of bed and onto the floor while Zafira and Asmodeus were locked in fierce struggle. He searched for his trousers and quickly pulled them on while drawing his new pistol from the attached holster. The demons moved at such blinding speed he could not get a clear shot.

Sparks of infernal energy erupted with each swing of the demonic blades as they crashed together. Neither gave way. Zafira swiftly dodged several swings of his massive sword, swings that made her furniture casualties of war. She pivoted and swung as his sword whiffed past her; her blade struck his left horn, severing it from his body. He gritted his teeth in pain but never slowed his assault.

Trying a new strategy, Asmodeus turned from Zafira and went after Cole. The mortal fired several shots as Asmodeus charged him; the bullets ricocheted off the Aspect’s chest. Cole frantically dove to the floor as the blade whizzed past him with a mere millimeter’s margin.

Cole struggled to rise again. Asmodeus raised his sword and prepared to land one swift deadly blow. His swing was stopped by Ragnarok; Zafira deflected the strike in the nick of time, but she had leaned too far, spun off balance. Asmodeus struck her with a powerful backhand of his fist, sending her across the room.

He raised his blade to send Cole to the ethereal plane. Stacy leapt at the demon as he swung, chewing viciously at his neck and clawing at his eyes. He struggled to get the devilkin off him, flailing her body around, growling his annoyance. Her bite held until he slammed her into the wall and gripped her throat. He held her high and sharply flicked his wrist. With a loud snap and a soft cry, Stacy’s lifeless body went limp. Asmodeus negligently dropped her corpse to the floor.

“You son-of-a-bitch!” Zafira yelled, leaping at him. He quickly grabbed his sword and thrust as Zafira flew down. The blade pierced her, impaling her through the chest. He spun her around and nailed her body to the wall. Blood poured down the blade, some escaping her lips as she coughed.

“Nooo!” Cole shouted.

Asmodeus’ hand gripped Zafira’s throat, choking her. “You’re next, as soon as I’m finished with her!”

Cole fired his pistol’s remaining rounds to no effect. He punched Asmodeus directly in the face but it was like hitting a concrete wall. “Get off her, you fucker!” he yelled, breaking a dining room chair over the demon’s head.

He saw the sword Ragnarok laying on the floor. “Cole… Don’t!” Zafira’s broken voice stopped him as he reached for it. From the look on her face, he knew he would surely die if he touched it. And if he died, so would she.

Cole panicked. What could he do? Everything he tried had no effect. What good was he if he could not protect anyone he loved?

Cole suddenly felt a strange disturbance in the room. The sounds of Zafira’s cries and Asmodeus’ yelling diminished from but a whisper to dead silence. The dark blood oozing from Zafira’s wound stopped flowing — the droplets hovered in thin air. Dust motes froze in the mystic light. Everything in the room was completely motionless and silent.

“What the hell?”

Ragnarok, the cursed sword, sprang to life. It hovered in front of Cole, then stabbed the floor at his feet.

A blinding flash illuminated the room. Cole blinked and swung his dazzled eyes away.

When he turned back, the sword was gone. Standing in its place was a young teenage girl in a pink dress straight from an animated fairy tale. Wings of an angel with bright ivory feathers sprouted from her back. Horns of a demon, curved forward to sharp points, rose from her skull. Red glowing eyes stared up into Cole’s

“W-Who are you?” Cole asked.

“I am everything, and everything is me,” the girl spoke, in an eerie ethereal voice that echoed hollowly against the walls.

Cole took a step backward. “Are you a friend or an enemy?”

The little girl smiled. “I am neither.”

Frustrated with her riddles, Cole focused on trying to move Asmodeus again. Even using all of his strength, he could not budge the demon’s body frozen in time.

“That won’t work,” the little girl said.

“Then what will?” Cole shouted at her.

The little girl walked over to Asmodeus. “My poor Asmodeus. I remember the day I created you and my other children. So young and full of promise. But you lost sight of your purpose. Humanity was never meant to be yours.”

“You… created him?”

The girl ignored Cole’s inquiry. “This creature,” pointing at Zafira, “has had such a tragic existence. Perhaps it is better to let her die, to put her out of her misery.”

“No! She doesn’t deserve this!”

She turned to Cole. “What makes you think so? She has ended thousands of lives, threatened to upset the balance of the universe, and used you to suit her needs. She is a demon, evil by her very nature.”

“Maybe it was her intention to use me in the beginning, but I know that isn’t how she feels now. I have felt her love, and witnessed her pain. She’d do anything for me, and I’d do anything for her… Anything.”

The little girl walked to Cole, taking his hand in hers. “This is why I came to you, mortal. It is when you are at your most vulnerable that you are also at your most powerful.”

Cole shook his head. “I don’t understand any of this.”

“Balance must be kept at all costs, lest the universe and everything I’ve created eventually implodes. I cannot bear to take the life of one of my first born myself, so it is up to you to summon the courage needed to defend that which you hold most dear.”

The girl shone with a brilliant radiance. “You are worthy.”

The blinding lite dissipated. Cole found the sword Ragnarok in his hand. Time resumed. Zafira’s choking cries of agony pounded his ears.

Righteous fury erupted within him. With a mighty swing, Cole’s blade passed through Asmodeus’ thick neck as it it were nothing but air. Asmodeus went motionless; black blood spilled from around his throat. His head fell to the floor as his empty corpse tumbled like a marionette with cut strings.

Asmodeus’ body ignited in a pale blue fire. The roaring sound of millions of souls imprisoned within his body erupted from the flames. After several millennia of imprisonment, they were finally freed from their torment.

Cole rushed to Zafira’s aid. She screamed in terrible agony as he pulled the sword from her chest. She was alive, but barely. He held her in his arms, putting pressure on the large wound.

“Cole…. I’m….. sorry.”

“Shhh. Don’t speak. Save your strength.”

Adrenaline coursed through his body. The blood seeped between Cole’s fingers. She gasped for air, choking on her own blood.

“Hang on, damn it! Don’t you dare die on me!”

He reached for his shirt lying crumpled on the floor close by. He applied firm pressure to the large gash but she quickly bled through the wadded fabric. The wound was too severe.

“Cole… I want you to know…”

“Don’t you start talking like you’re going to die!” he interrupted. Tears overwhelmed him, pouring down his face. “You can’t die! We’re bound together, remember?”

“Not even that… can stop this now. Just… Listen to me. I used you… to get to Asmodeus. I didn’t expect-” She coughed up more blood, her voice grew faint. “I didn’t expect to fall in love… But I did. I wanted you to know… our time together… was my favorite.”

Cole felt so powerless. He cursed the Gods above for making him relive this agony all over again.

He grabbed Ragnarok, staring at the hilt with glowing dragon’s eyes. “Help her! Please help her!”

There was no response from the sword. Zafira’s breathing slowed. She did not have long.

Cole hugged her. If she was destined to die, she would do so in his loving arms. He held her tightly, feeling her life slowing fading away. “I love you, Zafira.” His tear fell on her cheek.

He jumped when several beams of light flashed down like thunderbolts behind him. Three angels stepped from the mystic glow; Cole recognized their visages from Zafira’s memory projection.

He quickly grabbed Ragnarok and pointed the blade at them as he stood. “You’ll come no further! I won’t let you have her!”

The bearded angel, Uriel, looked at the remnants of Asmodeus’ corpse. “We felt the disturbance. We came for confirmation that a demon Aspect had been slain.”

“How is a mortal able to wield Ragnarok?” Ramiel questioned. “No human should be allowed to have such power! We should strike him down while his demon slave is wounded so we can take Ragnarok and seal it forever!”

The angel drew his spear, ready to attack. Sofia, the female angel, crossed her short sword against his spear, lowering it to the ground.

“You don’t stand a chance, Ramiel. Look at him. It is his love for that succubus that grants him his power. A human who fights for that which he loves is a force to be reckoned with, let alone one who holds Ragnarok.”

“But this is our chance! Without Asmodeus, the balance of power is in our favor! Without Ragnarok, the demons won’t have a chance anymore. We can finally end this conflict in one fell swoop!”

The bearded angel put his hand on Ramiel’s shoulder, staying his hand. “We will do no such thing, Ramiel. Our place as angels isn’t to harm humans nor exterminate demons. It is only to guide the humans, and keep the demons in check. In turn, the demons do the same to us.”

Uriel got down on one knee. He examined Asmodeus’ remains and picked up his crown made of bone. “I only realized our true purpose after our last conflict with this succubus. Our war with one another was never meant to end. It is the will of our creator, whoever that may be, to ensure that humanity thrives.”

Cole could not give less of a shit about Heaven’s purpose, or Hell’s, or the fact their creator lived in the sword they sought to seal away. All that mattered was keeping Zafira alive. He would not hesitate to take on all three if they dared try to harm her.

“You got what you came for. Now leave!” Cole demanded.

Sofia slowly stepped towards Cole and tossed her own sword to the ground. “Lower your blade, mortal. I mean no harm to you or the demon.”

The sincerity in her eyes told him she was not lying. He lowered the cursed sword and allowed her to pass.

She knelt next to Zafira and smiled. “You have the same look in your eyes as Anariel once did. Many angels would think of your love for a moral as an abomination, as I once did of Anariel. It was a mistake and I hope one day she forgives me. To see a demon in love at first hand is not an abomination, but a miracle.”

“Spare me… your… pity. Sofia.” Zafira said. Her body shook feverishly from loss of blood.

Sofia’s hands began to glow. “How about I spare your life instead? Hmm?”

She covered the wound with her magical hands. After murmuring a spell, a flash of light penetrated Zafira’s body. When Sofia removed her hands, the huge gash was fully healed beneath Zafira’s torn blood-stained dress

“Zafira!” Cole choked. He practically knocked Sofia over in his rush to the demon’s side. “Are you okay?”

She smiled. She pulled his head to meet her lips and kissed him deeply. “I’m fine now. Weak, but I’ll survive,” she snickered.

Zafira stood with Cole’s help, her arm draped over his neck. She glanced at Sofia. “I suppose I owe you a bit of gratitude. Thank you, for Cole’s sake if nothing else.”

Sofia smiled. “Never thought I’d hear ‘thank you’ from a demon’s mouth. You are indeed welcome.”

Uriel stepped forward. “There is a matter that still needs to be addressed, Zafira.”

“Oh? What might that be? I knew being healed by an angel would come with a price.”

“An Aspect has been slain. If things are left as they are, the human world will eventually crumble. There can be no light without shadow. Adversity must exist in the human world so they may rise above it and become stronger than they once were. Only by overcoming evil do they appreciate what they have. There is no such thing as absolute good or absolute evil.”

Zafira nodded. “I understand. Without lust, how will humans develop an initial attraction to another and eventually fall in love? Without love, there will only be hate; chaos will then run rampant.”

He held out the crown. “There must always be an Aspect of Lust.”

Zafira knew what he was asking. For the sake of all of humanity, for all of Heaven’s plans, she had to become the new Aspect of Lust.

“Zafira, you don’t have to do this,” Cole whispered. “They can find someone else to fulfill the role.”

She shook her head. “Cole. I must do this.”

He sighed. “I was afraid you’d say that. I understand.”

She took the crown and settled it on her head. Infinite amounts of magical energy flowed through her body. The dark aura she once showed returned, along with all of her strength. “I feel whole again,” she said, in a dark foreboding tone.

Cole stepped back when she looked at him with renewed cold eyes. He was not sure if she would become just as evil as Asmodeus or if she would be her usual self.

“Cole. I’m still me,” she said with a warm smile.

He chuckled, knowing she had read his mind again. They embraced, hugged, kissed, merged. Her touch radiated energy that made his entire body tingle.

She broke the kiss. Her smile turned to a sad frown, her hand landing on his cheek. “I must go now.”

“Go? Go where?” he asked, completely confused.

“To Hell. It’s where I belong. I imagine I’ll have a lot of upset demons to subdue after taking Asmodeus’ throne.”

Cole frowned, his heart breaking. “So that’s it? You’re leaving me? After everything that happened?”

“I’m sorry, Cole. I didn’t plan on being a demon, let alone an Aspect. This is what destiny had planned for me.”

That little girl. Did she plan all of this from the beginning?

Fuck destiny! He’d make his own damn choices!

“Take me with you.”

A tear ran down the demon’s cheek. “That’s not possible Cole. A mortal cannot survive in Hell, and even if you could, there are demons that would use you to get to me.”

A human could not survive, but a demon could. “Then make me a demon.”

Zafira’s eyes widened. “What?!”

“You’re an Aspect now. You can make me a demon just as Asmodeus made you one. I want to be at your side, whatever it takes. You told me Hell isn’t a pleasant place, but neither is this world without you.”

Zafira pondered his request. “If you do this, there is no going back.”

Cole leaned in. “There already is no going back.”

She wiped the tears from her eyes. “Have I ever told you that you’re disgustingly sweet sometimes?”

“Yes, actually,” he grinned.

He leaned forward and kissed his demon queen’s full lips. Her hands held him tightly. As their lips locked, Cole felt a surge of energy, as something grew from his head. He knew what was happening and he did not care. All that mattered in that moment was the taste of her mouth.

Two large growths formed between his shoulder blades. Zafira made sure he felt no pain, only the soft texture of her tongue wrapping around his. Their tongues tangled in new ways; his quickly became forked like hers.

When she broke the kiss, Cole’s body had fully transformed. His large horns curled backwards, his new wings extended outward, and his long tail swayed involuntarily.

“You make a sexy incubus, I must say!”

Cole looked over his shoulders and inspected his new black bat-like wings. “All this feels really weird!”

“Stop complaining! I’ll give you a crash course on flying later. By the way, you might want to pick up your sword. You’re probably going to need it where we are going.”

Cole looked at Ragnarok, still laying on the floor. “I thought it was your sword?”

“Not any more. It chose you, so you’re its master now.”

He picked up the sword. It gave him the confidence he needed to ward off anyone who dare lay a finger on Zafira. Anyone, anything — demon or angel, Aspect or… or what? He did not pursue that thought.

Cole got his first glimpse of his new home as Zafira created a fiery gateway. The torrid planes of Hell loomed on the other side. The chaos and rolling fires looked intimidating — but as long as Zafira was at his side, it would be paradise.

“Farewell, angels,” Zafira said over her shoulder. “Next time we meet might not be on such peaceful terms.”

Uriel grinned as he stroked his beard. “I expect no less, Zafira, Mistress of Lust.”

She looked at Cole. “Mistress of Lust… Has a nice ring to it doesn’t it?”

“A fitting title, my love.”

While holding hands, walking through the gateway, Cole remembered something the Crusader Gabriel once told him. The irony made him smile.

The path to Hell was indeed paved with good intentions.

THE END OF CHAPTER TEN