by Michael Todd
Sofia shook her head. “My mother is the biggest connoisseur of tortillas ever. I swear, she went into the wrong business becoming a doctor. She should have opened her own tortilla factory and sold them all over the world. At least then no matter what, she would be able to breathe through using packaged tortillas.”
Her father chuckled as he carried the different dishes to the dining room table. Her mother poured the mole sauce into a bowl and shrugged. “I would really like to cook this longer, but it still tastes good. Tomorrow I will start way earlier so that everything can be fresh and ready for dinner.”
Calvin smiled, helping Sofia up off the chair. She leaned into him. “My mother used to cook with my abuela. They would start breakfast at like four in the morning, then start cooking dinner at two. All they did was cook all the time.”
Calvin rubbed his stomach. “That sounds amazing.” Sofia’s mom pinched Calvin’s cheek and took a seat at the table across from them.
They filled their plates with food, and Calvin laughed at the sheer amount Sofia took. She frowned, shrugging. “It has been forever since I have eaten my mother’s food, and I am eating for two here. I’m starving. Don’t judge me.”
Calvin laughed. “I’m not judging, I promise.”
As they ate, her parents glanced at each other. Her mother cleared her throat. “So we were wondering—no pressure—if the two of you plan on getting married. You know, with the baby on the way and everything. I know things are different in this day and age, and your father and I are being understanding of that.”
Sofia swallowed, glancing at Calvin. Calvin smiled and wiped his mouth, putting the napkin back into his lap. “Actually, we were going to wait until the right time to tell you, but we are already married. We eloped. It was sudden, but we are husband and wife.”
Calvin reached down and took Sofia’s hand. She chewed the giant bite of rice in her mouth slowly, her eyes shifting back and forth between her parents. It was worse than she thought. They didn’t celebrate and they didn’t yell or scream, they just went absolutely silent. There were no expressions on their faces at all. Sofia had seen that reaction before when she had decided not to be a doctor and enrolled in college in the States without telling them.
There was an awkward silence pumping through the room. Calvin cleared his throat and pulled at the collar of his shirt. He gripped Sofia’s hand tighter, not sure what to do or say at that moment. He didn’t have a family anymore, not one that didn’t think he was dead and had been for a long time. But he was used to a joyous family, and this was the least joyous responses he could have imagined for their announcement.
Calvin took a deep breath and wiped his mouth, setting his fork down. He looked at Sofia and nodded, letting her know he would take care of it in his way. As he started to speak, a loud BANG echoed through the house. The dish of mole exploded, sauce flying everywhere, and the windows were blown out one by one.
Calvin dove to the right, pushing Sofia off of her chair and covering her body with his. He glanced at the other side, seeing Sofia’s parents doing the same. He wrapped his hands around her head and pressed his lips to the side of her neck. She screamed in fear when it seemed the bullets were never going to stop. Food was flying everywhere, glass shattering, and pieces of wall shooting off in different directions.
Sofia wept, curled up beneath him. Calvin shushed her, trying to comfort her. “I’ve got you, baby. I’ve got you. Just lay perfectly still. We’re going to be okay, I promise.”
Sofia whimpered. “My parents?”
Calvin looked over and her father nodded at him, covering his wife’s head. “They’re okay. They took cover on the other side of the table. Just hold on, baby. Just hold on.”
Calvin narrowed his eyes, anger racing through his entire body.
9
Outside the small beach bungalow, Esther stepped up to the white picket fence. She pulled both of her pistols out of the holsters on her belt and clicked off the safeties. Raising them, she stared at the little family through the dining room window. Everyone seemed silent, almost awkward sitting there enjoying what was obviously rice and chicken. She chuckled and began to pull the trigger. The first bullet pierced the window and hit a bowl of sauce on the table.
Immediately Esther began to unload, laughing loudly as she blasted away. Coco scurried up behind her and hid behind her leg. He peeked out and then went back, nervously rubbing his claws together. “This isn’t very sneaky. Not very sneaky at all.”
Esther dropped the magazines and slapped the guns down on the extra ones hanging from her belt. She began shooting again, a smirk on her lips. “The big guy downstairs didn’t say we had to be sneaky. He said to fuck her whole world up. That’s exactly what I’m doing right now. I’m fucking her whole world up.”
Coco whimpered as she emptied her mags again, reloading for the third time.
Calvin lifted his head slightly as the shooting paused. He knew that he only had a split second to get them out of there. He grabbed Sofia by the arms and scooped her up, shoving her toward the kitchen door. “Go! Get in the kitchen and take cover!”
Sofia ran, not questioning as Calvin whipped around the table, pulling her parents to their feet. He hurried them through the door just as more shots began to ring out. They sped around the kitchen island and ducked, Sofia’s mother pulling her close.
Calvin knelt beside them. “Stay here. Don’t move until I come to get you.”
Sofia grabbed Calvin’s arm and kissed him hard on the lips. “Be careful.”
Calvin nodded and took off, making a run for the bedroom. As he hoofed it down the hall past the windows, Esther seemed to follow him with her guns. Several bullets pierced his skin, embedding themselves in his hand and leg. He groaned, grabbing his hand.
Nate, already healing him, yelled, Keep moving! Get to the bedroom. Don’t stop. I’m working on it.
Calvin nodded and started again, running down the hall and swinging into the bedroom. Once inside, he ducked behind the bed and felt his leg. They had been normal bullets, not special ones, which was why he wasn’t feeling intense, surging pain. As Nate worked on the wounds, Calvin watched the bullet slide out of his hand and bounce on the ground, although the damage to the tendons and bones wasn’t healed yet. He knew there was nothing to worry about at that moment. He could take the pain as long as Nate continued to heal him.
Crawling across the floor toward the closet, Calvin grabbed his duffel bag and opened it. He reached inside and pulled out his gun, making sure it was fully loaded. He grabbed a magazine as well and shoved it into his pocket. When he sat back up, the gunshots had stopped. He didn’t know how long he had, but he knew he had to move right then.
He stood up and tore out of the bedroom, moving fast down the hall, through the living room, and right up to the front door. He took in a deep breath as he reached for the doorknob with his undamaged hand. Flinging open the door, he immediately began to fire, although the damaged hand made him much less accurate than usual. Too bad he couldn’t fire any more accurately with his left hand.
Esther dove to the side, crawling over to the bushes and reaching for a new magazine. She looked at Coco, who had ducked and was shivering in fear. “When the fuck did he get here?”
Lucifer pursed his lips. He was sitting alone on his throne. He leaned to the side, holding his head up with his hand. He blinked at a small pebble of lava rock and flicked it off the arm of his chair. The Dark Lord was incredibly unhappy. He turned his head, looking at the small throne he had constructed for Mania. It was empty, and hadn’t been filled in some time. In fact, Mania had been largely absent over the last few weeks.
Lucifer sighed, glancing up as one of his demon servants meekly approached. He lifted a dark-black eyebrow. “I thought I said I didn’t want to be disturbed, unless of course you have found my Mania?”
The servant grimaced slightly since he had not, but he still needed to approach, hoping to not be tortured. “No, my Lord, I am sorry. But there
is another issue at hand that I think you might be interested in hearing about.”
Lucifer rolled his eyes and groaned. “What is it this time? Please don’t tell me another wrath of idiot demons has fallen into one of the volcanos.”
The demon servant shook his head. “No, my Lord.”
Lucifer rolled his hand through the air. “Then what is it? I’m losing my patience.”
The demon cringed and spoke with a shaking voice. “There is a demon outside the throne room who is begging for an audience with you.”
Lucifer sat up, rubbing his beard. “You don’t say. That’s interesting. Send it in.”
The demon bowed. “Yes, my Lord.”
He hurried off, running through the throne room. He grabbed the ringed door handle and pulled hard, opening the chamber’s doors. A light breeze of hot air blew through, making the flames on the wall sconces flicker. Lucifer leaned forward eagerly, only to cringe in dismay at the sight of Beelzebub.
The demon walked to the center of the room, his claws shaking slightly, then he bowed, going down on one knee and staying there. Lucifer stared at him in dislike. “What is this? Did I summon you by mistake? I sure as hell know I wouldn’t bring you here for no reason.”
Beelzebub kept his head bowed. “No, my Lord. I have come of my own accord.”
Lucifer shrugged. “What the hell, I have nothing else going on. What do you want?”
Beelzebub glanced up at Lucifer. “I came to offer my support for you and all of your workings. No Earth stuff? Fine. But I needed you to know that I have over turned a new leaf. I am always here to listen if you need someone to bounce ideas off of. I may have made mistakes on my own, but I am an excellent counselor when put to work.”
Lucifer scoffed. “I do not need one.”
He sat there for a moment, thinking about how Mania had been that very thing to him. He glanced at Beelzebub. “There is something I would like to talk about, though.”
Beelzebub stood up. “Anything, my Lord. Anything at all. My ears are at your service.”
Lucifer groaned and leaned back in his chair. “It’s just that ever since Mania ran from the war and I gave her a matching scar, she has been standoffish. She hasn’t come around to be here for me in days. Weeks, even. I fear I have pushed her over the edge. I have a tendency to do that.”
Beelzebub began to talk, comforting Lucifer. “I am sure she has only stayed away so that she may bring herself to the standard that is needed at the side of Lucifer himself. Your greatness is overwhelming.”
Lucifer nodded. “Yes, I suppose it is. I sent someone out to dispose of that wretched girl who is married to the mercenary who did this to her, but so far she failed to do that. I am afraid I have not done enough to show her the revenge she deserves. I hated those fucking crows, but she loved them, so they were important—not to mention that he cut her and left a scar. It was his fault that I had to give her a matching one.”
Beelzebub rubbed his chin and put up his finger. “Actually, my Lord, if I may, I just had an idea.”
Lucifer stared at him for a moment, then said, “Go on.”
Beelzebub cleared his throat and stepped closer. “Maybe, instead of just killing Sofia horrifically, we could make her punishment even worse.”
Lucifer blinked. “Go on.”
Beelzebub rolled his claws in front of him. “Why not infect her? Then, not only is she infected, but she can be controlled to do your bidding. Think of the possibilities.”
Lucifer sat forward on his throne. “Continue.”
Beelzebub smiled mischievously. “Perhaps Sofia could kill her little boyfriend or whatever he is. Take care of that side of things for you. You wouldn’t have to send any more Earthbound demons to go after him. He is, after all, incredibly strong for a mercenary. He could take out just about any demon you sent who is still lurking around up there. But if the demon sent was hiding within his woman? He would never be able to pull the trigger. Humans are weak. They rely too much on their emotions.”
Lucifer smiled, tapping his claws against his lips. “And they are friends of Lilith’s, aren’t they?”
Beelzebub laughed maniacally. “That they are, my Lord. And I do believe that if Lilith watched one of her friends kill the other all due to your magical workings, it would absolutely drive her insane. She would not be able to handle that kind of anger. Who knows, maybe she will come down here looking for you.”
Lucifer stood up and laughed. “And then I would smash her under my right hand. I would torture the bitch and then personally escort her to another dimension, leaving her there to rot in her own bile and anger.”
Beelzebub nodded wildly. “Yes. Yes, my Lord. It would be absolutely vile. It would be horrific on so many different levels, and you would be the mastermind behind it. You will have killed two birds with one stone. Getting revenge for your beloved, and destroying the cancer that has haunted you for far too long now. The cancer who is the real culprit in making hell look foolish with its wars and weak demons.”
Lucifer clapped his hands loudly. “I love this. I love this idea. I am so smart, Beelzebub. Thank you for forcing me to see that.”
Beelzebub’s lips twitched, but he bowed his head in silence. “It is my pleasure, my Lord. I am forever your humble servant.”
He glanced up as Lucifer walked back to his chair. Beelzebub’s lips quivered again, but this time they moved up into a sinister grin, hidden by the shadows bouncing from the eternal flames of hell.
Calvin emptied his mag and slammed the door shut, needing to make sure that Sofia and her parents were equipped well enough to protect themselves. He hurried back down the hall and into the bedroom to grab another gun from his bag, and he reloaded his gun and tucked it into the back of his pants. The other bullet in his leg fell out, clinking across the floor.
Nate breathed heavily. Man, that was a tough one. It lodged in the bone, but don’t worry. I got that shit out. Who the fuck is that bitch?
Calvin shook his head, walking up next to the window and peeking out at the woman lying behind the bushes out front. I don’t know, but that bitch just came to the wrong fucking house. She is going to learn her lesson for damn sure.
Nate sniffed. She is a demon, and I smell a second one.
Calvin paused. You can do that? I have only met one other demon who was able to do that.
Nate sighed. Only sometimes. My powers are limited, but these two are close, and I could smell the trail of demon that was left on the bullets as well.
The sound of a pan falling in the kitchen got Calvin’s attention. He hurried out of the room and down the hall, taking a right into the kitchen. He slid down on his knees behind the island and took Sofia by the hand. “Are you all right? Both of you?”
Sofia ran her hand over her belly. “We’re fine. We are tough like you.”
Calvin smiled, leaning forward and kissing the top of her head. “That’s what I like to hear.”
He handed the second gun to Sofia. “You remember everything, right?”
Sofia popped the mag out, checked it, and slammed it back in. “Of course I do. I learned from the best.”
Calvin chuckled, wrinkling his forehead. “Didn’t Katie and Stephanie show you how to shoot?”
Sofia shrugged. “Of course. Oh, did you think I meant you? No. You’re good, honey, but they are the fucking best.”
Calvin laughed and shook his head. “You always gotta bust my balls, don’t you? Every single time.”
Sofia smiled. “Isn’t that what marriages are made of? A whole bunch of the two of you spending forever busting each other’s balls?”
Sofia’s mom nodded. “Pretty much.”
Sofia’s father put his hands in the air, shaking his head. “Hold on, hold on. You mean to tell me that you are giving a loaded gun to my pregnant daughter? That is our grandchild in there. She can’t be handling deadly weapons and protecting her life. This is far too much stress for her.”
Sofia rolled her eyes. “Dad. Relax. I�
��ve done this before.”
Her dad shook his head again. “That does not make your case any better, dear. You are pregnant, and that is enough reason not to force you to actively protect yourself with a weapon.”
Calvin looked at the two of them and nodded. “All right, do you know how to shoot, sir? And I mean accurately, because these are special metal bullets and you have to be able to hit the demon in the head in order to kill it. The rest of the shots will just slow it down and piss it off. Have you faced a demon before today? It can be a bit off-putting at first, but you have to be prepared. You cannot hesitate in the slightest. Hesitation can lead to death. Death is what we are ultimately trying to avoid here.”
Sofia stared at her father. “Dad? Do you know how to shoot?”
Her father nodded, slightly uncomfortable with his answer. “Yeah… Yes, yes, I can shoot.”
Calvin leaned forward. “When is the last time you went to the gun range and shot at least three or four targets while you were there? Did you practice rapid reloading, because there isn’t a second to lose between an empty mag and a full one in your gun? Again, hesitation leads to death.”
Her father nodded his head. “Uh. I went a year ago. I shot at least five targets, and I am pretty fast at changing the mag. I just have to hold the gun so I know what I am working with.”
Sofia’s mother turned to him. “It’s okay to let Sofia do this. I know she is pregnant, but you are not familiar with the new ammunition.”
He shook it off. “New metal or old metal, they work the same. You load your mag, you pull the chamber back, and you shoot the motherfuckers in the head. The metal is just extra, something that will help kill the thing faster. I’ve read up on the new ammunition they are using.”
