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Limbo, Hell. 5 Months prior.
"Do you have everything with you?" Stevie asked him, fishing around in her enormous purse. Her fingers grazed a lipstick...and then a pen...until the finally found what they were searching for: a pack of gum. "Do you like mint?" she asked, unwrapping the thing before shoveling it into his mouth.
"Stevie," the Demon chewed, irritably. "Please."
Stevie shrugged, straightening her blouse whilst they waited.
"I'm sorry...I'm just so nervous..." she paused. "Does this mean you're going to get your very own Shadow?"
The Demon shrugged, spitting out her gum, and hastily shoving it into her hand. "Maybe...just...please, try and calm down. Don't behave like you did at the funeral, either."
The two stood side by side, outside the doors. She was shifting from foot to foot, and shook her head, excitedly. "I've never been this close to the big house," she squealed, squeezing his hand.
Like a funnel that sucked all of the cold winds of Hell into it, the grand doors opened, their height reaching an approximate of thirty feet...and that was only the doorway. The rug was red, as one would expect, and all of the walls were in marble with glorious murals spread across the span of the first room.
From here, the two demons marveled at the dining room–which was colossal by itself– and behind that, another set of doors, and a gloriously wide staircase leading up to the further floors. On the second floor, which they could see from below, guests were all conversing with mirth and laughter whilst they waited for the coronation to begin. The Demon swallowed.
"We're underdressed," Stevie whispered, in horror.
"No, you look beautiful," The Demon smiled at a knight, who passed him by, and vivaciously ushered another demon up the stairs.
"Why is everyone upstairs?" he wondered, aloud, feeling the nostalgia begin to set in. Soon after the question had left his lips would he find the answer, when more demons emerged from the next room, and hurried towards him. You're incredibly late, they all cried, rushing him and his acompass towards the set of grand doors. You look just like your father, dear! They were all speaking at once. Oh, I don't believe we've met before– i'm Amareth! The Demon chuckled, though he was more than displeased that nobody was paying any attention to Stevie. More randoms pried open the door with a strength that was commonplace for his kind, and the two gaped when the reality set in that they were standing in the throne room.
"I'm opening the doors!" another voice announced, when both Stevie and the Demon were seated, polished, and ready as they'd ever been.
Hundreds of Demons and Shadows and Benders flooded the room– taking seats at the long table and on the loveseats and in the landing area for the lower stairs. The Demon glanced at Stevie, who looked incredibly overwhelmed in her own seat, amongst the crowded room. Finally, the Shadows were able to quiet everyone down, and one woman was able to speak in front of all the guests, her voice projected quite loudly, at that; he didn't know who she was. She began introductions, and small talk, and apologizing for their delay, in the throne room. Just when the Demon thought he was going to fall asleep, she put a hand on his shoulder.
"We are gathered here today to announce the coronation of prince Duran...the son of Death. He is the new inherit of the pendant, and the new, grand, glorious King of Hell." The unknown woman carried the pendant around the throne, where the Demon sat, and placed the pendant around his neck.
Stevie still had Duran's gum, wet and soggy in the palm of her hand.
"Heil King Duran! And heil Queen Stevie!"
______________________________
Present Day
Billie and Bailey hadn't stopped driving until they reached Idaho, only satisfied when they'd reached miles and miles of open space. This was where they would have to stay, for the time being. They were getting exceedingly better at erasing themselves.
For the rest of the night, the two remained awake, guiding Madison and Hitomi into the hay loft while everyone else situated themselves inside the barn. They stayed outside, igniting a bonfire, despite the destruction that fire had brought about, hours earlier. When the moon was out, there was a stillness that made her uneasy, so she allowed him to drape one arm around her shoulders.
Bailey tucked her hands into her sleeves. "How will they know where to find us?"
"They will. You know the guys. I'm sure that Derek sent them with one of his soldiers for extra protection...not that they necessarily need protection."
Billie glanced at her, aware that she was distracted. Perhaps he was, too. They'd both left their entire lives behind; everyone had.
In the years prior, the Meraki served as something of an elite, national weapon. Billie took the most pride in this, it seemed...and that was because he had lead them to the top. No other pack in the western world had fighters as fearsome as he; they were infamous, among the half-bloods. Amongst all of the fights they'd been in, though... this one they'd been forced to retreat from. It was mutiny.
"We'll get them back, Bailey," Billie murmured, smoothing her shoulder. "All of them."
They fell asleep, just like that....which they hadn't done in quite some time. Pampered for so long with blaring televisions and heated floors, they fell asleep under the stars, that first night. If only they'd possibly known what would become of them, after leaving Nevada.
When Billie awoke next, it was finally morning. It seemed as though an eternity had passed since he had last seen the sun. Josh was sitting across the fire, tending to the logs. He was wearing his faded grey and green jacket along with worn jeans. He looked pretty worn himself... but then, the guy always looked worn.
Billie immediately sat up, noticing that Bailey was completely asleep. She must have been completely exhausted, after the stress of yesterday's events.
"What time is it?"
"Morning," Josh replied, grimly, glancing at the barn.
Billie rubbed his eyes. "Why didn't you guys wake us up? Where are the others?"
"Tramp's asleep, in the barn. Derek didn't come with us."
The conversation was awkward, and choppy. Billie took a breath, trying again.
"What happened after we left? Are you both okay?"
Josh nodded, ever so vaguely. Billie knew that he wouldn't get much more conversation out of the Mutt, but he found it generous that Josh had guarded him last night; specifically him. Billie 's protection was rarely a priority, in his mind, despite Josh being an official guard, and Billie being an official leader.
"Where is she?" The guard asked then, poking the fire around once more. The leader's nerves spiked, which made matters even worse, as Josh could, without a doubt, hear them. Billie had managed to forget about the one person who happened to be on Josh's 'protect' list.
"She was in the residence," Billie stated, calmly.
"Which room?" Josh asked.
Overcome with guilt, he hesitated. "I'm not entirely sure. The thing was huge."
Josh ran his fingers through his hair. "When are we going to go back?"
"Bailey and I are deciding."
The Mutt spit on the ground.
"You should decide fast, then," he replied, to which the halfie nodded, clearly intrigued.
They were most certainly not going back.
