The Devil's Ex

Chapter Eighteen - Rush

"It's good to see you, Jenny."

Jenny smiled and took a sip of the drink she'd been given, wincing at the burn of the liquor. She'd forgotten how strong the alcohol was down here. "You too, it's been too long. Now, want to tell me why your name was on a dead man's lips?"

Henry sighed heavily and sat back in the chair, the upper demons had left shortly after they'd established they weren't about to kill each other. Henry had then ordered his men to leave them to some privacy. Having removed his glamour, Henry was looking decidedly more demon now, with his blue skin and stumpy red horns on his head.

"I would imagine, that he said my name because I was the one he first approached. I was due to meet him the night he died." Henry paused and shook his head, "he hasn't been the same since you left, you know."

Jenny's stomach flipped, she ignored him and took another sip. "Do you know how he died? Or, where?"

Henry smiled sadly but allowed her to leave the topic of her husband, "the murder was brutal but lacked any clear signature. It could have been anyone. As for where, he was found on the outer limits," Jenny's eyebrows rose in surprise, "but I don't think that's where he was killed. Officially, they say he got into it with one of the half-breeds who live out there, but..."

"You don't think that's the case?" Jenny pushed.

"No, no I don't." Henry looked down into his glass and swilled the liquid in slow circles. He looked older than he had a moment ago, tiredness etched into his face, when he looked back up at Jenny, his eyes glistened, "he was a good man. Well, considering his locale, at least. He had a family, a wife, a child. As far as I know, he'd never been to the outer limits before... I can't help but think that this is somehow my fault. He came to me, and now he's dead..."

Jenny shook her head and reached forward to squeeze his hand, "don't think like that, Henry. You didn't do this. Whoever is behind the rebellion did this. Speaking of, how much does he know?"

Henry shrugged, "a little. He gets reports and we can't hide anything from him. I was hoping to solve it before it becomes his problem, not that he'd really care these days. He's aware there's trouble, though probably doesn't realise how bad it is."

Jenny narrowed her eyes and leaned forwards, resting her elbows on the table, "how bad is it, Henry?"

The man took a deep breath and levelled her with a stare that answered her question for him, "bad. You know the drill, someone dies, they get allocated to the lower circles and then they are assigned jobs or roles to benefit the many. Work their way up and within a century or so and they could be entering the 6th, 5th, 4th circle and so on. These days, no ones moving up. They're....disappearing."

"Disappearing?"

"Officially, yes. That's what they're saying."

"But you don't think that's what's happening?"

"No."

Jenny paused and studied Henry for a moment, nothing the sudden tension in his frame. "What do you think is happening?"

"I think...I'm going to sound crazy, but...I think someone's taking them somewhere else. Creating a new army, all for themselves. Then, they're converting others too. The reason Jack came to me is because he was approached by someone."

"And why did he come to you?"

Henry smiled and shrugged, "why do you think?"

"He owed you money," Jenny guessed. Henry's smile deepened.

"Look, I don't even know where to begin with this. Have you got any idea who's behind it?"

Henry slowly shook his head, "no. I know it's someone high up. Someone important. But I have no idea who and more importantly, I can't work out why."

"Well, surely because they want to rule." Jenny offered.

"Yes, yes of course, but...why now? It's not like the devil's particularly distracted or weak at the moment. He's not at his best, hasn't been since-" His eyes flashed to Jenny and then guilty looked away, "but he's better than he has been."

"Maybe they got tired of waiting..." Jenny mused, not really knowing where it came from. Henry cocked an eyebrow at her and she shrugged, shaking off a strange feeling.

"Luca got injured. We were attacked by demons, probably part of the rebellion, when we were performing the resurrection spell. I took him to Fenton's, he's healing him now."

Henry's eyes widened, "did you get a good look at them? At the demons? If we could get a sketch then I could run it through the data base, see what comes up..."

Jenny grimaced and shook her head, standing up as she did so, "no I didn't, sorry. And don't even get me started on the database and the DNA samples and the photos, and the queueing! This place has changed." She said with a smile, only half meaning it.

Henry didn't return her smile, that same sadness appeared once again and she knew what was coming before he said it, "he wanted to know when and if you ever came back. That seemed like a good a start as any."

Jenny blushed and looked away, trying and failing to ignore the fluttering in her stomach. No, no, no, she would not feel sorry for him. 'Witch trials. Think of the witch trials', she muttered repeatedly to herself.

"I'll be at Fenton's. You should come, speak to Luca. We can try to work out a plan together."

Henry nodded slowly, but his face was a picture. Jenny rolled her eyes and huffed dramatically, "don't tell me you still hate him?"

Henry shrugged and looked down at the table, picking at the label on his beer.

Jenny rolled her eyes again, "for hell's sake, Henry. I know you all never got along, but-"

"Never got along! That's an understatement. The only reason that I didn't kill Fenton – or more accurately, that Lucifer wouldn't let me kill him, is because you liked him so damn much. Though in my mind, that in itself would be reason enough to kill him if I was Luc'. Fenton is infuriating with that 'I'm so powerful' arrogance of his." Henry growled beneath his breath and the skin on his face flashed red before going back to its normal blue hue. "He's got no better over the last years, you know."

Jenny smiled softly, "he's not that bad, Henry. A little condescending, yes, but so are most upper demons." She shrugged, "someone people probably find you arrogant," she finished with a wink, but Henry only grumbled at her.

"Fine. I need to close up here and check in with my boys, but I'll come to lord-arrogant's house the moment that's done." His tone lost all humour as he said, "we'll find a way to stop them, Jenny. I know we will."

Jenny nodded swiftly in return, "I'd never doubted it."