Synching With the Devil's Son

Chapter 143

Lucien's P.O.V.

When Bella releases me from the phenomenal kiss she instigated, we both say, "I love you," at the same time. Then I see the Parker's rescued Emu's join the melee. They look ridiculous, but they're are doing a phenomenal job of blocking Michael's retreat and keeping the fight contained in one section of the yard. I quirk my lips and then find I cannot stop the smile that keeps growing on my face. We did it! We liberated our family and made it back to Tennessee without my father incinerating while he was in Heaven. I look down at the beautiful woman I'm holding in my arms and realize she is the reason we were successful. She wants to know what's up with the Emu's, but I decide I'll tell her later when we can have a good laugh over it. I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and trace the outline of her face with my finger. Her luminous eyes look at me with such a depth of emotion that my knees feel weak. 'Now is as good a time as any.'

"Will you marry me, Bella?"

She looks over my shoulder at the battle being waged by my father and her Emu's with a raised eyebrow. I know what she's thinking, so I say, "It's always going to be crazy with a family like mine baby, so carpe diem." She makes the 'Oh' face and I cannot help but engulf her in my arms again. It feels so good, so right to hold her against me. "I love you, I will always love you, and I want to make you my wife. I promise I will cherish you, honor you and be faithful to you for the rest of eternity. Please marry me Bella, let me take care of you, together we can accomplish anything." I point into her yard. "Look. We already prevented the collapse of the universe by liberating my Grandfather from Michael's diabolical plan."

When I release her and look down at her, she has tear tracks on her face. I kiss her eyes closed and wipe her tears away. When she opens her incredibly beautiful eyes to look at me again, she nods her head. I don't think I've ever smiled as much as I have in the past five minutes. "Really?" I ask her.

"Yes, Lucien, I would be honored to marry you."

I shout of whoop of joy and spin her around in my arms, twirling until she stops laughing and asks me to put her down. I look at my mother and Grandfather, both of whom are smiling at us. My mother embraces me tightly and tells me I've found a winner in Bella, and then moves on to hug her tightly. My Grandfather slaps me on the back, reiterating his promise to make Bella immortal if she ever decides to become so, and then offers his congratulations to my fiancée.

"What's all the hugging for?" my father asks, dragging an unconscious Michael by his wings and depositing him at his Father's feet. He has my Grandfathers staff in his hand, and he's twirling it like a baton. The Emu's walk stately behind him, as if they are expecting accolades for their participation in the fight, and then stop ten feet behind him, looking at us as if they were waiting for instructions.

"Bella just agreed to marry me," I tell him, my chest swelling with pride.

He raises his eyebrow and quirks his lips. "I suppose she knows what she's getting herself into," he teases, opening his arms for Bella to step into. "I couldn't ask for a better daughter-in-law," I hear him say to her. She looks up and him and kisses his cheek, and I do a double take because he's still in his demonic form. How far we have come in such a short time.

My Dad asks what we should do with Michael, and my Grandfather snorts. "His fate is in your hands, Samael. I assume, since you haven't killed him, that you've thought of an appropriate punishment for his behavior?"

Before he answers, Dad morphs back into his human form and turns to face the Emu's. They stare back at him, and in the next instant, my father nods at them. Bella and my mother gasp when they bow, they bow, to my father and walk back toward their enclosure. Shaking my head, I look at my Dad, and he turns to us with a faint smile on his lips. After a moment he gets a wicked gleam in his eye, looks at me and says, "Lucien, I think we've found the newest member of our custodial staff."

"Seriously? Uncle Michael? Are you sure you want him around all those demons, stirring up trouble or perhaps trying to bring them here to wreck havoc?" I ask.

"Mmm," my father grunts as he thinks about that possibility, "I guess I will have to do this first," he says, wielding my Grandfather's staff in his hands. He holds it high over his head, and then brings the staff down across Michaels back. Michael screams in agony as his wings fall to the ground, severed from his back forever. "Can't have him trying to escape now, can we?" my Dad snickers. He hands the weapon to his Father, and we all hear the crackle of electricity when Grandfather and His staff are reunited.

I see my mother go to my father and grab him tightly. "Samael," my mother says, "I'm so thankful you're okay." I can hear her crying, and can hear him mumble something back to her, but my attention is now focused on Michael. Having his wings severed brought him out of his stupor, and he's crawling toward his Father. I pull Bella behind me and move to stand next to my Grandfather, staring down at my disgraced Uncle. When Michael reaches out, pleading to my Grandfather for mercy, I step between them and casually say, "Bella, do you mind if I leave for about thirty minutes? Since my Uncle will never fly again, I need to bring him to our realm and indoctrinate him in his new janitorial role."

Michael looks at me with a horrified expression, his pitiful pleas to his Father fall on deaf ears. Bella looks at Michael with sympathy that he doesn't deserve, smiles at me and then kisses me softly. "I don't mind a bit."