The letter had come three days before Hawk and Hero left for their trip. Elaine, heavily pregnant and constantly tired these days, still had enough energy to muster a shriek of excitement that nearly blew the speaker out of Hero’s phone. Jordan was just as thrilled and promised to celebrate with them when they got back.
“Besides, we still need to throw you a proper engagement party,” he laughed.
“You really don’t need to do that,” Hero said.
“I haven’t even got him a ring, yet,” Hawk said.
“Well, get on it, my man!”
Even Charlotte was happy for Hero and promised she would join them for the main event. “I have to hear your music firsthand or else it just doesn’t count.” She had hugged and kissed him on the cheek when he had met up with her for coffee to tell her the news.
Toji’s only complaint was, “But I don’t have anything to wear!” Otherwise, he was overjoyed and wouldn’t stop running all over the house. A house that was steadily being rebuilt and remodeled. It was taking all four of them to get it done, pushing Hero to his limits a few times.
“It’s the only way you’re going to get stronger,” Charlotte had told him. “Especially with how hard I’m going to push you later.”
The day before they left, Charlotte took Hawk aside for a quick private chat.
“I’m sorry, I just don’t want to worry him,” she said when they were alone and Hawk had raised his shield.
Hawk nodded. “This is about Ciel?”
“It is,” she confirmed. “Alerik called me a few days ago letting me know Ciel had been spotted several miles north. He believes Ciel is the one responsible for the recent outbreak of fires in that area.”
“The fire fighters have been really suspicious of those,” Hawk said. “They’re not random like most wildfires.”
“And they’re being set in a pattern. It’s like he’s spelling something out, but Alerik isn’t a hundred percent what.”
Hawk raised an eyebrow. “That would be pretty noticeable from a helicopter or drone if that was the case. There’s no way to miss letters that big.”
She shook her head. “They’re not that big. And,” she took a deep breath, “they’re not human letters.”
Hawk froze. “The person he’s calling out, the one he’s been looking for…”
“Exactly, they’re not human. They’re of the Divine.”
“Fantastic,” Hawk paced the floor, his hand going through his hair. “Any guesses yet on who it can be?”
“No, sir, not yet. But it does narrow down the field of investigation. Whoever it is, they’re within a one hundred mile radius, probably even closer. I have to ask, have you ever met or fought with Ciel before?”
Hawk shook his head. “Not that I remember. I don’t recall his name at all, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t changed it over time like I have. Not to mention, I haven’t even seen the guy, so I have no clue what he even looks like to be able to say one way or the other.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “Why?”
“Alerik believes, and I’m not totally against this theory, that he may be after you.”
“Why me?”
“Let’s face it, Majesty, you’ve made a lot of enemies, even during your exile.”
Hawk had to admit that was true.
“And with your acceptance of yours and His Majesty’s status, that puts an even greater target on you.”
Hawk sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “This is one reason I didn’t want to be a Devil King. I had enough to worry about being in charge of all you idiots. I just wanted to…” he swallowed and clenched his fists, shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not the Blood King anymore, he’s dead.”
“That doesn’t matter, Majesty. There are still a lot of grudges being held against you for what happened back then, and for what you did before coming here almost seven years ago. Ciel may be one of those people.”
Hawk sighed and plopped down in a chair, his arms dangling over the sides and his head leaning back. Not the most graceful pose for a Devil King, Charlotte thought.
“Just wish I knew what I did to piss this guy off,” he muttered.
“If it’s even you he’s after.”
“True.” He frowned at the ceiling. “Why did Alerik call you? He’s supposed to contact me directly.”
“Your phone has been off the last few days.”
“Oh, yeah…” He sat up. “He could have come over.”
Charlotte averted her gaze, her face flushing. “You’ve been…occupied…with His Majesty a bit more as of late.”
Hawk gave her a look that was unreadable, the light in his eyes seeming to dim briefly before he put on his most cocky, self-assured grin. Whatever expression he had before had been completely erased. “Oh, yeah.” He sat up. “Well, we can’t exactly have sex in his parents’ house. It wouldn’t make the best impression.”
Charlotte gave a small chuckle. “I’ve never known you to care so much about the opinions of others, my leige,” she said not unkindly.
“Just theirs, Captain,” he said, his expression softening. He stood and walked to the door, patting her shoulder as he went. “Thank you for coming to me with this, Charlotte.”
She bowed, fist over her heart. “Yes, Your Majesty.” She waited until he had left the room before she stood up straight again, glancing behind her at his retreating form. You really have changed, Hawk Grace Helman. You’re more human than demon now. Hero came into view, smiling as Hawk rejoined him. She smiled at her two Kings, her head tilting slightly. She realized it wasn’t just Hawk who had changed as she put her hand over her core, a small painful tear cutting across her chest.
-*-
Hawk stared out the window, watching the landscape pass by without any interest whatsoever. It had been over ten years since he had been on this side of the country and it had brought back nothing but unpleasant memories, many of which he had tried to shield Hero from. They were hundreds of miles away from the city he had destroyed, but he still felt uneasy. He wanted to be home, curled up on the cliffside with Hero, watching the stars.
He couldn’t see anything in this area; too much light pollution and smog. Hero had said his parents lived outside of the city so they didn’t have to worry too much about any of the pollution. Hawk conceded that was great, but he would much rather not be here at all if he could help it.
Still, he had promised Hero and he wasn’t about to start going back on his word now. This visit was important to him and Hawk wasn’t going to ruin it for him by being a petulant, pouty child.
Toji, on the other hand…
“I swear, this is a new form of torture,” he griped, tugging at his seatbelt and fidgeting with the windows. Hero ended up turning on the window locks so he would stop. “How much longer do I have to be trapped in this box, Hero? You told me it wouldn’t be long and I’m starting to think you were lying just to make me feel better. And here I thought you loved me.”
He slouched in the seat, folding his arms over his chest, his red dreads hanging in his amber eyes. He readjusted his position more than once, clearly uncomfortable and ready to be out. He was not a creature that was meant to be caged. It was already bad enough he was in regular jeans and a tee shirt, wearing shoes.
“I promise, Toji, it really isn’t that much further,” Hero said patiently. He glanced over at Hawk and they both rolled their eyes. It had been like this since they had left for the airport back home. Hawk had warned Hero that Toji was going to be difficult, and he had been right.
“I just want to be out of this moving prison cell!” Toji pouted. “Please, Hero, I swear I’ll do whatever you want if you let me out now. I’ll fly to the house, just tell me where to go and I’ll meet you there.”
“Toji,” Hawk said with a clear warning tone, glancing back at his advisor. “You’re being ridiculous.”
Toji stuck out his tongue and tugged on his lower lid. “You got away with sedating me on the plane, but this is inhumane. I’m meant to move under my own power, not in a fabricated human device that offers no safety whatsoever. This is a death trap, Hawk! I am going to die in a tiny moving box instead of out in the world like I’ve always wanted.”
“I could put you in the carrier,” Hawk said, finally losing his patience. “Would you prefer that?”
Toji pouted and stared out the window again. “No, sir,” he grumbled.
“Then shut it. And you better fix your attitude before we arrive. I’m not going to have you embarrass me in front of Hero’s parents, you got it?”
Toji rolled his eyes. “I know how to behave, I don’t need to be reminded.”
“Really?” Hawk demanded, tilting his head, glaring at the imp. “Because you’ve been behaving pretty badly since we left home.”
“That’s different! I’m being separated from the outside against my will! This is suffocating and torture to a degree that Charlotte would approve of!”
“Charlotte actually really likes driving,” Hero said, glancing at him in the rearview mirror.
“Yes, because she knows a car is a great way to drive me crazy!”
“Toji, just relax, please,” Hero begged in a calm voice. “When we get there, you can run around to your heart’s content. They live on a pretty good sized piece of land and there’s plenty of trees around.”
“How long do I have to wait before I can be free?”
Hawk and Hero exchanged a glance. “Probably not until after dinner,” Hero finally said. “Around seven or so.”
“That’s forever away!”
Hero turned down a long gravel road that led away from the city and up a smooth, meandering hill.
“Maybe, but there’s still plenty to enjoy before then.” Hero pointed out his window.
Toji looked where Hero was indicating and his eyes went wide, pressing his hands and face to the window, his expression one of wonder that only a child could have upon setting his eyes upon the view before him.
“The ocean!” he exclaimed. “Hawk, that’s the ocean!”
Hawk laughed and leaned closer to Hero to gaze out his window at the vast blue expanse.
“He’s never seen the ocean before?” Hero asked.
Hawk shook his head. “He arrived on Earth after I’d already left this area. He’s only ever seen pictures of it.”
“We’ll have to go to the beach while we’re here,” Hero said. “I know of a really good one we can visit.”
“When?” Toji asked, nearly jumping out of his skin with excitement.
“That depends,” Hero said with a shrug. He looked at the imp in the mirror again, his expression set. “Are you going to stop acting like a little shit and behave?”
Toji sat back, folding his hands in his lap and crossing his legs on the seat, the picture of calm and innocence.
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