53. Sydney
Hell parties were fantastic, but I think the real reason I had so much fun was the people.
My dad was a party animal, and I really liked Celix and Nero’s family.
Wrathhog and I got along great with Nero’s sister Amira and set up a standing date for girl’s night every Thursday night so they could show me the best parts of Hell that weren’t exactly date or dad friendly.
But that wasn’t the last of it. Demons could really party. The food and booze was flowing, and I got my first taste of the kind of music demons made. When we raided Lucifer’s vinyl collection, I went straight for what I was familiar with. This was good too.
We were out till the sun came up and people were still going.
We decided to leave when the general drunkenness on the street on the street went from fun to mildly annoying.
I thought I was going back to Lucifer’s place to get smashed between three demons, but as soon as we got there, he steered us towards the back of the house instead of the front door.
“So, I asked around. Mammon, Satan, and even Abaddon made sure my projects, charities, and businesses ran in my absence. I want to show you a project I put in motion and give you a gift. I was all in with your mother, but she knew I was holding back. I didn’t know if she’d be furious with me when I told her the truth, but I knew her well enough to know she would have come here if you were both in danger.
“I just didn’t know if she’d want to stay with me right away or even at all.
So, I had a house built behind mine. You either would have grown up here or at my place, but it’s yours now.
I like your men and I like their families, but you are dating a very potent incubus.
It’s one thing knowing about it and it’s entirely another having to feel it down the hall. ”
“I know, right?” Kujo snorted. “You can’t even get drunk to drown it out. You end up defacing a self-portrait of the King of Hell.”
Yeah, Kujo was buzzed enough to finally let the real reason that painting ended up with a dick on it out. You couldn’t have water boarded that out of Nero, Celix, and me. My dad was cool, but I was never discussing that kind of thing with him. Lucifer just laughed.
“Thanks for the clarification. You’re all very young for immortals, but technically adults.
I don’t need to know about it either. The only time I want to know about any of it is if there is a consent issue and I’m actually afraid for anyone who tries that once you’re fully trained.
Asmodeus had to bring out killing magic because it was the only way to stop the embarrassment of getting his ass kicked by a baby Nephilim.
“Now, I personally designed this place before I knew your mother was pregnant, but I put in a work order for a nursery when I sensed you. The place shouldn’t be dated as I designed it to be timeless.
And while you’re a lot like me, you’re also a lot like your mother, so the interior is comfortable and functional rather than ostentatious, though I did design it for beauty too. ”
He opened the door and let me go in first. When he flipped the light on, I realized how much he’d actually loved my mother.
It was completely different from his place, but that was the point.
Lucifer’s house was all him, but this place screamed Mom.
Her favorite color was green and so was mine.
She also had this green thumb and loved plants. This place had both.
There was a portrait of her over the mantle and Lucifer was a skilled painter. He’d completely captured her. He’d framed some drawings she’d obviously done and given to him. I recognized her style. When I wandered over to the bookcase, the titles were the types of books she loved.
I hadn’t yet, but I threw my arms around my father’s neck and just squeezed him.
“Thank you. She would have loved this and so do I.”
He seemed surprised I was hugging him so soon, but he didn’t hesitate. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me.
“I would have preferred watching you grow up, but you’re so special, kid.”
“Wrathhog pointed out we both have several firsts to experience together. I can’t control my magic and I don’t know how to fly. I want to learn to do those flips and lights you all did. And Nero was saying something about holidays?”
“Oh, yes. They are not the same as the mortal realm, but similar. Some of your stories were just demons playing during your holidays. Krampus and Yule Cat were ours. We have holidays where we exchange gifts. We have a version of Halloween where the kids dress as scary as possible to scare off any angels who might come. It’s the anniversary of a time one of my brothers got curious and got a little close to the gates before chickening out. ”
“I’m listening. Is this like human Halloween where it’s a vibe and all ages can participate if they want to? Before Mom passed, I always went to her house for Halloween. We did these elaborate costumes and would watch horror movies until the sun came up while handing out candy.”
“I know because we did the same thing. Go look on the coffee table. I hid that and I don’t think you found it when you were looking for clues.”
There was a thick leather-bound book on the coffee table. When I cracked it open, I realized it was a photo album. It was full of polaroids of my mother and father as they fell in love. There were so many photos and she looked so happy.
“One day, when I’m not buzzed and haven’t been awake this long, I want to hear the story behind every single photo in this book.”
“And I look forwards to telling them to you, but it’s been a very long day.
I had to move straight from finding out one of my closest friends killed my son and kept me in a cage, to burying my brother, and then announcing the new government and throwing a party before any of my brothers could change their minds.
I don’t think they will after everything, but just in case they think about it, they can’t now.
“My magic has mostly done its thing and healed me, but I’m not completely recovered. I’m going to pass out for about twelve hours and then eat breakfast in the bathtub. That should do me wonders.”
“Yeah, you know that’s weird, right? Not eating in the bathtub because the Styrofoam Chinese takeout containers float for a reason, but how fast you heal. You looked runover garbage when we found you.”
“It’s a perk, trust me. Get some sleep or keep the party going, but your old man is turning in.
I hired a staff before I got kidnapped. I asked and Satan said they’ve been running the place.
He thought I was just planning on moving and not that I built this for anyone.
I guess he didn’t connect the dots when they found you.
I sent word to have the kitchen stocked in the morning when everyone was done partying. ”
Lucifer disappeared, and I was left with my demons. We were all buzzed, full of street food, and exhausted, but I wanted to keep going if they did.
“We can sleep if you’re tired,” Kujo said. “It was a lot, and you nearly died.”
Nero just chuckled.
“She’s not even remotely thinking about sleeping. She wants to find the master suite and see if she can make us blush.”
“Something tells me she’s perfectly capable of doing that,” Celix said.
“Challenge accepted. Let’s find the master suite.”