??Trigger warning ??

  Descriptions of violence and torture

  Dante

  Dante loved a good hunt. The adrenaline, the sweet smell of fear from his prey, the delicious scream when he'd eventually go in for the kill.

  But there was no time for that. Not with Eva's life as collateral.

  Dante didn't hesitate, his focus fixed on the Caster fleeing down the hall. With calculated precision, he launched the blade, striking the Caster's back with considerable force. The Caster's cry echoed through the corridor as he stumbled, momentarily off balance.

  As he turned to defend himself, conjuring another fireball and incantation, Dante closed the distance. With swift agility, he dodged the flames and landed a solid punch to the Caster's mouth, silencing any further words. The Caster reeled back, hands instinctively rising to his face in a weak attempt to defend himself.

  Dante seized the opportunity, grasping the blade still lodged in the Caster's back. He plunged it in twice more, first into the stomach and then just beneath the ribs, careful to avoid any vital organs. The Caster's grunts and gasps accompanied each strike, and the crystal on the hilt pulsed brighter with each thrust, drawing out some of the Caster's power and sating a fraction of Dante's rage.

  "Okay, motherfucker," Dante grunted, shoving the demon into one of the overturned chairs. He'd guided the demon back to their original room, the knife still lodged in his side, and any thoughts of escape were met with a sharp twist of the blade. Monroe bound the demon to the chair with the rope Dante had brought, leaving one arm free as instructed.

  As Dante secured the necklace around the demon's neck, a look of confusion crossed the Caster's face when he tried to mutter a spell.

  “Yeah. That's not gonna work, buddy.” Dante fisted the Caster's hair, shaking his head before tilting him back to make sure he had the demon's attention when he demanded, "You have sixty seconds to tell me where Arcturus is hiding.”

  Jax dared not struggle with the knife still in his ribs but did spit out a curse that spewed blood into Dante's face.

  Dante sucked his teeth in agitation and released the Caster's head which didn't loll as he continued to stare defiantly at his captors. Trying to keep his cool, Dante nodded his own head, a dark chuckle budding. He didn't wipe the blood from his face, only pushing back the urge to cut the demon's tongue out.

  "That's not an answer," Dante growled, yanking the blade from Jax's body with a deliberate roughness that made Jax jolt against the chair. Monroe held him firm as Dante positioned the Caster's free hand on the table, the blade hovering above the tips of his blackened fingers, decayed from the corrosive effects of dark magic.

  "Fifty seconds," Dante announced, his voice cold and detached.

  Lowell began to protest, but Dante cut him off with a sharp command. "Shut the up, Lowell. Do you want her back or not? We do this way."

  Dante's gaze snapped back to Jax, and with a swift, brutal motion, he plunged the knife into Jax's hand, pinning it to the table. Jax's scream echoed through the room as he thrashed in agony, struggling against Monroe's restraining grip.

  "Where is he?!" Dante demanded, producing another blade from his jacket.

  Jax's eyes flashed with anger as he snarled, "He'll kill me!"

  Dante recognized the desperation creeping into Jax's voice, a sign that he was getting close to cracking.

  His methods might be brutal, but they were effective. In the past few days, he'd been too soft, indulging in investigation and stealth. All to what? To try to keep Lilith under wraps when deep down he knew this was what should have been done. Brute goddamn force always got him what he needed.

  " fucking kill you," Dante growled, pressing the blade against Jax's fingers. "You're dead either way. It's your choice how slowly – and painfully – you want to go out.”

  Dante raised the blade, poised to slice into Jax's dark magic tainted fingers. But before the knife could make contact, Jax let out a desperate scream, begging Dante to wait. The blade halted mere inches from Jax's flesh, and Dante's grip tightened around the hilt as he let the serrated edge rest against Jax's skin.

  "The clock tower," Jax blurted out, struggling futilely against his restraints. "He's taken over the clock tower, the penthouse."

  Dante's gaze flicked to Lowell, his mind racing with questions. He knew of no clock tower in the Nether. Just how far had they taken her?

  "Liar," Dante spat, pulling the blade back to resume its deadly trajectory.

  Jax's voice rose, swearing to his honesty, but Dante's blade sliced through the flesh and bone just above the knuckles with a swift, brutal motion. Dark blood welled up from the fresh wounds, staining the green felt of the table. Jax's screams echoed through the room as he thrashed against his restraints, but Monroe's grip remained unyielding, his face a mask of stone.

  "Does he mean the Clocktower Lofts? In SOMA?" Lowell mumbled as the Caster's cries of pain died down to strained whimpers. "That's not far from the shop, Dante."

  "Doesn't fucking matter," Jax cackled out, manic from the pain. He spat blood towards Lowell who jumped back in disgust. "You'll never get to her in time. The comet is almost in position and Lilith be released. She cleanse this world and theirs."

  "Are you sure?" Dante pressed Lowell, his question growing more insistent when Lowell hesitated. "Are. You. Sure?"

  Lowell's response was a fervent shout. "No! It's a demon, for Christ's sake. Should I trust him?"

  Dante's gaze drifted to Jax, his nod slow and contemplative. With a deliberate movement, he extracted the blade from Jax's hand, the demon's grunt of pain mingling with a manic cackle.

  "I hope she fillets your ass," Jax sneered, his voice laced with venom. He strained against his restraints, his body tensing with effort, but Monroe's grip held firm. "You and your traitorous father."

  Dante's smirk twisted into a cold, calculating smile.

  "Strange how you think you're in any position to make threats," Dante sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "When you're already dead."

  With a swift, precise motion, Dante jabbed the blade into the side of Jax's neck, enjoying the low wet sound of Jax's strangled breath catching in his throat. The crystal on the blade pulsed with otherworldly energy, its light flickering in time with Jax's labored, gurgling gasps.

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  Dante watched as his eyes, once wild and wide with the shock of the wound, began to glaze over. The crystal’s glow dimmed along with the light in the Caster's eyes and once both fizzled out, Dante yanked the blade out.

  Monroe's expression remained impassive, even as blood splattered onto his clothes. Lowell, however, averted his gaze, muttering a faint "Jesus" as Dante dragged the blade's jagged edge across the Caster's throat. When Dante was satisfied, he turned and pushed past Lowell.

  "Never," he growled, "ever, stand in my way again." Lowell's attempt to speak was cut off by Dante's glare. "That didn't require a follow-up statement, Keeper." With a dark, warning look, Dante added, "Let's go.”

  Dante ushered them back to the descent point, instructing Lowell to redraw the symbol on the ground. This time they'd just used demon ash, and he was unsure if the portal would be strong enough for them all without a more powerful demon's remains. Despite sending them first, he ascended before them. When they arrived, they were bent over with hands on their knees and dry heaving from the force.

  Dante didn't wait for them to recover, instead pushing them out the door. They piled into Monroe's SUV, and as they headed toward the clock tower, Dante's mind was a mix of hope and desperation. He had to believe that Jax’s confession was true. If not, Dante had just killed their only lead.

  But Dante knew he'd do far worse to find Evanora. He'd destroy every creature in the Nether. To find what was his, he'd burn this city down to ash if he had to.

  The ride was tense and silent. Monroe navigated through traffic with a mix of speed and, unfortunately, lawful caution, while Dante, frustrated by the slow pace, considered abandoning the car and stealing another motorcycle. He listened as both men made their calls as soon as they'd taken off: Lowell updated his parents, while Monroe contacted someone in the council.

  Monroe's conversation was brief and to the point. He requested backup for a code blue, but the person on the other end questioned his seriousness. They didn't understand the gravity of the situation, which only added to Dante's frustration. The person promised to send as many Reapers as possible and alert their informants in the SFPD about the impending demonic event. A few Keepers in the city would aid in Glamour and Nyx, though they hoped it wouldn't come to that.

  Lowell mentioned the difficulty of Nyxing so many people at once, emphasizing that this was unprecedented and they weren't prepared. They'd grown complacent with one of the most powerful demons in the realm, and now they were paying the price.

  As they approached the building, Dante didn't wait for the car to stop before jumping out. The exterior was quiet, with no sign of commotion or members of The Society. Fueled by the memory of Jax's words, Dante's urgency grew.

  A comet was coming, one that would aid in Lilith's release.

  He recalled seeing a glimpse of the comet earlier, its significance was lost on him until now. The celestial body was a mesmerizing sight, its soft blue-green light a subtle presence in the night sky, overpowered by the city's lights. A bright, star-like core pulsated at its center, surrounded by a broad, feathery plume and a narrower, fainter blue streamer.

  Dante's gut tightened with every passing moment. They were running out of time. They had to move quickly before it was too late.

  Dante burst through the building's front doors, his sudden entrance drawing a curious glance from the concierge. The man was just a human, an obstacle between Dante and his mission. He'd expected a horde of demons, but the lobby was eerily quiet. Arcturus must not have secured the entire tower, which meant this building would be Lilith's appetizer once released.

  "Sir, can I assist you?" the concierge asked, stepping out from behind the desk as Monroe and Lowell followed Dante into the lobby.

  Dante checked with Monroe, hoping for an update on their backup, but there was no ETA, and he couldn't afford to wait.

  "I'm going up," Dante said, making a move to push past the concierge, who stepped into his path, arms outstretched to block him.

  The concierge's eyes widened slightly as he realized Dante wasn't going to back down.

  "I'm afraid that's not possible, sir," he said firmly, his voice polite but unyielding. "You can't just rush into the building without-ah!"

  The man's words were cut short by Dante grabbing his arm and twisting it.

  “Dante!” Monroe snapped, his voice firm but controlled. “He's just doing his job! This isn't the way we handle things.”

  Dante's grip tightened, his eyes flashing with impatience as he looked at the idiot Reaper. “We do not have time to follow your fucking protocols.”

  Lowell raised his hands in a calming gesture. “I want to get to her, too, but we have no idea what's up there. We have to be smart about this. We wait for the backup.”

  Dante released the concierge, his expression unforgiving. He could find out what they were up against if they'd stop being such little bitches. The concierge stumbled when pushed towards the men, his hand instinctively going to the taser at his belt.

  "I'm going to have to call security," he stammered.

  Dante waved a hand towards him, his eyes never leaving Monroe's face. “Are you going to handle this, or am I?”

  Monroe moved forward, his eyes locked on the concierge, who raised his taser defensively. The tension escalated as the concierge's eyes darted between the three men, his pupils dilating with fear.

  Dante's instincts kicked in, and he could feel the air thickening with malevolent energy as if the very atmosphere was responding to the concierge's fear. He sensed the essence of his darkness bubbling just beneath the surface, urging him to unleash his true power. His eyes narrowed, and his muscles tensed, ready to strike, as he prepared to take control of the situation.

  Monroe's eyes flicked to him, and for a moment, their gazes clashed. Monroe's expression hardened, his eyes narrowing as he took in Dante's tense posture. He saw the storm brewing in Dante's eyes, the barely contained fury that threatened to boil over into chaos. Monroe's face set in a determined mask, knowing he needed to defuse the situation before it escalated further. He turned back to the concierge with his jaw clenched, and he pulled his gun.

  Dante's face set in a mixture of surprise and newfound respect, impressed despite himself.

  So, Monroe have a pair.

  The concierge's eyes widened, and he dropped the taser to the floor.

  Monroe's expression was a mix of frustration and resignation.

  “Let's try to resolve this calmly,” he said, his voice low and even, but his gun remained trained on the concierge. He backed towards the wall and pulled the fire alarm. "Sir, I'm going to need you to vacate the premises.”

  Dante's face twisted in anger and confusion. The Reaper's need to protect the occupants had just lost them the element of surprise.

  Seeing his expression, Monroe continued, still sticking to protocol, “We need to evacuate the building. Only then, do we act. Human safety comes before–”

  “Oh, fuck that.” Dante took back his earlier praise. “You can stay here playing babysitter and waiting for–" His eyes narrowed, and his body shook with anger as he diverted his attention away from Monroe. “What the are you doing here?”

  The sudden change in direction caught everyone's attention, and all three men turned to see why Dante was now stalking angrily towards Simon.

  Simon backed away, his hands raised in a defensive gesture. “I came to help. I was the closest Keeper.”

  Dante's anger only intensified, his face twisted in a scowl.

  Lowell stepped in, pushing on Dante's chest in an attempt to calm him down. “Dante, please. I know he's an idiot, but we need the help. You can't kill him.”

  Dante's gaze fell on Simon, his eyes blazing with fury. “He sold. Her out.”

  The promise he'd made to Eva meant nothing to him at that moment. He was sure Eva wouldn't care if she knew the circum–

  No.

  He was sure she'd hate him if he killed her idiot brother, no matter how much Simon deserved it.

  Dante took a deep breath, forcing himself to step back, his anger still simmering just below the surface.

  “I saw some cops on the way here,” Simon spoke up. “Help should be here soon.”

  As if on cue, the residents began to filter into the lobby, their faces etched with concern and curiosity. Dante let Monroe, Lowell, and Simon handle the crowd control, his attention shifting back to the task at hand.

  “Do what you want,” he muttered, striding towards the elevator. The stairs were clogged with fleeing residents, and he had no intention of being slowed down. “But I'm not waiting.”

  The elevator doors slid shut, cutting off the men's protests, and Dante rode up to the fourth floor.

  He wasn't sure what his plan was, or if he even had one. His fist had gotten him far in life before Arcturus showed up with warnings to use his brain instead of brawn. At that moment, he wished he'd paid more attention to those lessons. His body was honed from years of training, but his mind was a different story.

  He wanted to charge in, grab Eva, and get out. But he knew better. Arcturus was no ordinary opponent. Five millennia of experience and a reputation for ruthlessness made him a serious threat. Despite Dante's strength, he was still sloppy. He wasn't pussy enough to deny that. He knew the demons he usually went up against were either weak, incompetent, or mindless beasts. All things Arcturus was not.

  Eva didn't need Dante losing control. She needed him to be focused, cautious, and smart.

  All things he realized Eva did not make him when she was around.