Quick feet carried Kevin down the flight of steps to the suite level, where he turned into Lucifer’s corridor and scanned it as he walked.
The floor was decked out in a deep maroon with a lava-toned stripe running down its center like a red carpet, drawing the eye toward four low steps set before a circus-themed door.
Two large vases flanked the entrance on either side, a snake-shaped design coiling from the base of each up to its rim, with the head rising above, their beady stone eyes watching.
He noted that the security camera was positioned correctly, its light burning a steady red as it recorded everything.
He climbed the steps, noticing a few toy ducks scattered near the door, strays from whatever Lucifer had been working on.
He’d ask about the duck thing eventually, once he knew the King well enough that the question wouldn’t seem inappropriate or too personal.
He rapped his knuckles on the door four times and stepped back, letting his eyes wander to a handwritten sign posted on the wall beside it: ‘No Alastors Allowed.’ A sentiment he shared easily.
With no sound of movement from inside, he knocked once more.
Must not be in his room at the moment, Kevin thought, making a note to catch Lucifer later.
He’d already turned to step back down when he heard the click of a lock, and the door to Lucifer’s suite swung open.
“Kevin!
Oh!
Oh, good, you—hi!
Sorry, sorry, I literally just—” Lucifer waved the napkin vaguely.
“Breakfast.
With Charlie.
Very normal father-daughter thing that I definitely do all the time and am not just getting back into the habit of.
Anyway!
What’s up?”
A smile came easily at the sound of his girlfriend’s name.
“Is Charlie still down there?”
“She was—yeah.
Though she was heading to her office to work on the hotel’s outreach, I think?” Lucifer stepped back and swept his arm wide with more flourish than the doorway really called for.
“Come in, come in!
Ignore the ducks.
Well—don’t ignore them, they’re magnificent, but don’t let them distract you.
Unless you want to talk about my recent inventions?”
Stepping into the King of Hell’s living quarters for the first time since construction ended, Kevin took a quick look around, smiling kindly, “Maybe later.”
Looking more closely, he noted that Lucifer had gone all out with duck-themed furniture, wallpaper, and paintings, mounds of rubber ducks strewn about in the corners—some in boxes to be shipped, others just occupying spare space.
The white, red, and yellow paint matched Lucifer’s circus-themed suit, and the brightness of the room matched his demeanor, which Kevin knew sometimes was a mask of its own.
Pushing that aside for the time being, he turned to address Lucifer.
“So Charlie was about done with breakfast?
Hopefully I’ll catch her, but if not, at least get something to eat.
I didn’t feel like eating at all last night.”
“No, I suppose not.” Lucifer offered a lopsided smile before brushing past Kevin’s lack of enthusiasm for his ducks.
“It was a pretty solemn evening.
But oh!
The cyclops girl’s starting on lunch—I think?
She seemed really excited and—” He flicked the napkin into flames without looking at it.
“—very focused when I left, which could mean anything, honestly.”
“Cyclops girl?” Kevin’s brow furrowed.
Niffty didn’t do the cooking, so that meant: “You mean Cherri?
I thought she went home last night?”
“She did, yeah.
Came back this morning, though—turns out someone got into her apartment.
Ransacked the whole thing.” Lucifer shook his head.
“Hell, right?
What a place, amirite?
Anyway.
She’s here, and she’s taken over the kitchen.
For better or for worse.”
“Ransacked?” He frowned.
“I’m sorry that happened to her.
I’ll have a talk with her later, see if I can help recover her possessions.”
“I don’t know if she’ll take you up on it.
I’ve only known her for a month, but I know the type.
Proud and easily offended by offers of help.”
Kevin gave a small nod.
“Proud or not, the least I can do is offer.
It’s up to her to accept.
I’m guessing that looting is just one of the endless crimes that happen?”
“Oh, yeah—crime’s basically par for the course down here, obviously.
Some of it’s petty—stolen wallets, damaged property, sinners being sinners—but some of it?” Lucifer pulled a face.
“Not great.
Really not great.
And I say this with genuine warmth and no judgment whatsoever: if you go out there trying to save every sinner who gets knocked around, you are going to lose your mind.
Or get killed.
Probably both, in that order.”
Kevin mused, “I never even thought of that.
My instinct is to charge in to save the innocent, but—”
Lucifer nodded and picked up the thought, “But down here, the innocent are…not a big demographic.
Charlie being the glorious exception.” Lucifer put a hand on Kevin’s shoulder, sincere but practical.
“The silver lining is that sinners bounce back.
Mostly.
Unless an exorcist blade’s involved, in which case—not so much.
But short of that?
Having your wallet lifted is really more of an inconvenience than a tragedy when you’re already dead.”
“An exorcist blade.” Kevin’s eyes drifted upward, and Lucifer followed his gaze.
“Shit.
My halo.” Plucking it off his head, he twirled the glowing gold ring in his hands.
“I can’t very well go out into Hell with this as my only means of defense.
Charlie would not be pleased if I destroyed the very souls she’s trying to save.”
Lucifer tilted his head, studying the halo with the careful attention of someone who knows exactly what they’re looking at.
“Huh.
May I?” He held out a hand.
Kevin nodded and extended his palm.
The halo’s glow dimmed at the gesture, signaling it was safe to touch.
Lucifer took it and turned it slowly, genuine curiosity moving across his face.
“That’…huh.
That’s interesting.
There’s something in here.
Feels like a very old soul—or a piece of one.”
“Eryn gifted me a piece of her soul to empower my halo to form any weapon I can imagine, Sir,” Kevin explained carefully, bracing for the reaction he knew was coming.
He was right to brace.
The playfulness in Lucifer’s posture went out like a snuffed flame.
“Eryn.” He said it once, flat.
Then again, quieter.
“The heaven-born.
You know her?”
“I do.” Kevin raised a hand apologetically, understanding he’d stepped onto delicate ground.
He’d spoken with Eryn the day of the court hearing, back when he hadn’t known Lucifer as the being he truly was.
Meeting the King’s eyes with a contrite look, he said, “She’s my friend, Sir.
I know she was designed by God to do one thing, and she does it well.”
Dropping his eyes, Kevin recalled the moment he felt her judge him for his betrayal of Heaven, hoping beyond hope she’d been forced to do, and he muttered, “Very…very well.”
Lucifer handed the halo back with more care than strictly necessary.
“I know.” And the next words meant he knew exactly what Kevin meant, “I felt it when it happened, and I’m sorry.”
With one shake of his head, Kevin’s lips twitched, “I’m not.
I’m where I’m meant to be.
Though, to be honest, I never thought I could relate to falling like you, Sir.
If it wouldn’t be too personal, someday I’d like to talk to you more about your story in depth.
I was taught human religion, and reality is nowhere near the writings of man.”
“Oh, I would love that.
Genuinely.
People get so much wrong, and I—” Lucifer stopped himself and visibly reeled it in.
“We’ll do that.
Another time.” He nodded at the halo.
“Okay, so—it dimmed when you handed it over.
That a protective spell?”
“Eryn said I could choose who can handle it, yes.
Otherwise, anyone who tried to take it from me would be severely injured.”
“Okay, yeah, that’s—that’s really something.” Lucifer pointed at it with an impressed sort of concern.
“Because right now that thing is essentially a nuclear weapon in the middle of my Ring, and while I respect the energy, you’re not always going to want to, you know—obliterate.
Get her to put a safeguard in.
It’s straightforward in theory: you’d be able to choose between killing or maiming.”
“I will ask her,” Kevin agreed.
“Right, okay, one other thing—” Lucifer turned suddenly as if he’d just remembered.
“That’s your only weapon and protection, but I recall from Charlie’s memories that you used to carry a tranquilizer gun on Earth.
Would something like that be useful down here?”
“Yes.” Kevin agreed, “It would.
It was how I incapacitated my targets without killing them.”
Lucifer rubbed his chin, and for a moment, he had the look of someone who actually enjoyed a practical problem.
“Give me a bit.
I think I can work something out. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
No promises, but—actually, no.
Yes promises.
I’m the King of Hell.
I can figure out a non-lethal means of protection for you down here!”
Kevin tilted his head in a small bow.
“I’d be honored, sir.”
“I’ll figure something out and let you know.” Lucifer folded his arms and studied Kevin with a look that was equal parts fond and analytical.
“But I’m guessing you didn’t knock on the King of Hell’s door to talk halo upgrades.
What can I really do for you, son?”
“It wasn’t, but I’m grateful for the advice.” Kevin glanced around the room.
“The thing is.
Now that Charlie and Vaggie have assigned me as the new head of security for the hotel, I’ve been conducting a thorough walk-through of all the floors, inspecting the cameras, and ensuring the proper protection of occupied rooms.
Though I helped with the rebuild, Vaggie set the security measures, and while I fully trust her skills, I need to see how everything works myself and check the weak areas.”
“Ha!
Head of security—look at you!” Lucifer pointed at Kevin with genuine delight.
“That’s fantastic, Charlie made a great call.” Then he caught himself.
“Wait, she assigned the angel and you, or just you, or—”
Kevin kept a straight face, but internally he was both amused and perhaps a little concerned by Lucifer’s lack of short-term memory.
He explained, “Since I lived my life as a soldier, Charlie and Vaggie figured I’d be best suited to take over the primary duties as chief of security so that Vaggie could direct her focus elsewhere.”
“Right!
Vaggie!
I really need to remember her name!
But that’s really Great.
But I have to ask—” Lucifer gestured around at the room.
“You’re in the King of Hell’s suite.
You really think it needs a security check?”
“Yes.”
It was short, direct, and Lucifer’s eyebrows went up as his grin went sideways.
“Huh.” He seemed genuinely charmed by it.
“Okay.
Explain.”
Kevin folded his arms over his chest and asked, “Have you ever been challenged before?
You, or your position?”
Lucifer paused, actually considering the question.
“No?
I mean—not really.
The sinners know better, and the hell-borne are generally…fine.
Overlords sometimes get ambitious, but the Sins deal with that before it gets to me.
Satan handles the courts—very thorough, very grim, not a lot of leeway—and I haven’t actually had to go down there myself in, oh.
Centuries, maybe?
It’s been a while.” He shrugged.
“Why?
Should I be worried?”
Kevin blinked at the mention of the name.
“Satan is a Sin?”
“Oh—yes!
Yeah, that always gets people.” Lucifer waved a hand.
“Humans really ran with the whole ‘Satan-slash-Lucifer’ thing up there.
We are—very much not the same person.
He’s got his whole…vibe.
I’ve got mine.”
“Christian theology definitely liked to consider you one and the same, but historically speaking, you were considered the light-bringer while Satan was classified as the fallen angel.”
“Yeah, well—historically speaking, humans were doing their best.” Lucifer shrugged, not without sympathy.
“Anyway.
Satan’s a Sin, one of seven, same as me.
They’re all—a lot.
The kind of on-your-side you want.”
“Insight on who I could approach and whom I should be wary of?”
“Oh, easy.
Asmodeus and Beelzebub—one word from me and you’re in.
Ozzie especially will probably—actually, heads up, he will absolutely try to give you things because you’re dating Charlie, and some of those things will be…not appropriate for a first meeting.
Just smile, accept graciously, and we’ll debrief later.”
“Gifts?”
“He’s the sin of lust, my boy.” Lucifer winked.
“Ahh.” Cheeks warming like hot coals, Kevin quickly brought up the next.
“Beelzebub?”
“Beelzebub’s great—she’s gluttony, queen of the party, genuinely one of the warmest Sins down here.
Never pushes, never makes you feel like you have to perform for her.” Adopting a fond look, he explained.
“She used to babysit Charlie when she was little.
Lilith and I would’ve trusted her with anything.”
“That’s two.
You’re three.
That leaves four.”
“Right, the other four.” Lucifer’s expression shifted with each name, moving from nonchalant to distasteful.
“Leviathan, Belphegor, and Mammon are a…colder reception.
Not impossible, just—take it slow.
And Satan, who runs the Wrath Ring and the courts, is—thorough.
Strict.
Very, the law is the law,’ which I respect, I just—” He made a gesture that suggested a long and complicated history.
“Charlie and I can keep you out of his direct line of sight, but don’t go picking fights you don’t have to pick.”
“Sounds familiar.
Amanda used to cover for me with the FBI.” He stopped abruptly, eyes going wide with a realization that hit like cold water.
“Shit.
Amanda.
I never saw her in Heaven!
She’s down here, isn’t she?”
Lucifer averted his eyes and said nothing.
“How could I…How could…” Kevin punched his fist into his open palm, sighing harshly.
“I’ve had my memories back for two fucking months and only now do I think of her?”
“Son.” Lucifer’s voice drew his attention with a strict commanding tone.
“Look at me.”
Kevin obliged with a grim expression masking his face.
“She’s here.
Yes.” Lucifer said plainly.
“She made mistakes—a lot of people down here did—but she’s found her footing.
She’s doing okay.” He held Kevin’s gaze steadily.
“Going looking for her right now would create problems.
For you, and for Charlie, and trust me when I say that last part matters more than anything else right now.
She’s okay.”
“I—” Kevin let out a slow breath.
“Yes, Sir.”
“It’s not an order.” The King held up a hand.
“Just—I’ve been doing this a long time.
I know how Hell works.
Trust me on this one.”
Kevin wasn’t sure he was going to let this go entirely, but for now, she needed to be set aside.
“I do.” Taking a steady breath, he did his best to do just that, “Let’s move on.
Tell me more about those other three sins?”
“Those three aren’t going anywhere.” Lucifer nodded toward the door, gently but deliberately steering the conversation forward.
“You’ve got rounds to finish.
And a certain princess who is probably already wondering where you are.
So, about my room?”
“Yes, Sir.” Kevin set his jaw and did what soldiers do—pushed the feeling down and turned his face to the job.
Moving through the room, he inspected corners and nodded.
“Now, the hotel is not as secure as your mansion, I’d wager, and has been targeted once already.
Anyone with an interest in you or Charlie knows that.
As head of security, I am going to make sure every room and every aspect of this hotel is as tightly protected as can be.
This includes your quarters.”
Lucifer spread his arms in a gesture that managed to be both welcoming and deeply theatrical, taking in the entire duck-populated room.
“Then by all means—whatever you think it needs.
I defer to the expert.”
“Mostly, I’m worried about the location and your choice of installing large picture windows.”
“My—the windows?” Lucifer blinked.
Then he turned and looked at them as if seeing them for the first time.
“The windows.”
“Easy access,” Kevin said.
“I assume you know some spells to cast on them for protection?”
“I…did not think about the windows,” Lucifer said it with the flat honesty of someone genuinely caught off guard.
“That’s—hm.
At this, both of them stopped and did a slow pan of the room, eyeing all the ducks that were not in rows but piled up left and right.
Lucifer shrugged.
“Or not.”
“I didn’t say a thing.” But Kevin did smile pointedly at him.
“I appreciate this, genuinely—it’s very…thorough of you.” Lucifer glanced at the windows again, a little sheepish.
“I can throw something together right now if you want, but a stronger spell takes prep time.
I’m guessing I don’t need to do it this second?”
“Of course.
The windows and the ceiling, as well.” Kevin looked up.
“The top floor is ripe for attacks from above, and I fear Heaven isn’t out of the picture yet.
Plus, I know for certain Lute isn’t at all happy with me.”
Lucifer went quiet.
His hands moved without settling anywhere, a subtle fidgeting that gave him away.
“I wish I could explain to Charlie why I agreed to the executions.” He said it toward the floor more than to Kevin.
“I really do.”
“I’m sure you had your reasons.” Kevin didn’t want to press the King of Hell—someone he respected—but it nagged at him that whatever the deal was could have led to Charlie’s death, and there was a seed of anger he hoped would never sprout.
“But she does wonder.
As do I.”
“There are—some things I have to keep close for now.
I know that’s not a satisfying answer.” Lucifer looked directly at Kevin, and the discomfort of a man who genuinely hated his own answer was written plainly on his face.
“When I can explain—I will.
Both of you.
I promise.” He paused, and something shifted.
“But I’ve been meaning to say—what you did, breaking the contract and calling for me that day—” He dipped his head.
“Thank you.
Really.”
“I wasn’t sure I could.” Kevin stopped at the window and looked out.
“But I was granted the status of High Angel, which afforded me some power, and I was going to use whatever I needed to see Charlie safe.”
A small shadow crossed Lucifer’s face.
“It’s appreciated.
More than I know how to say.” He was quiet for a moment, and when he spoke again, the performance was entirely gone from his voice.
“It took all of—all of that—for me to actually see what she’s trying to do here.
And I’m still playing catch-up, honestly.
I missed so much of her growing up.
Lilith was there.
I…wasn’t.
As much as I should’ve been.” He said it plainly.
“I’m trying to be better at it.”
“Where is her mother?” It had been on Kevin’s mind ever since Charlie had once lamented about wishing she were home.
“I wish I knew,” Lucifer said simply.
“I miss her every day.
Like, embarrassingly much.
She’s—she’s off doing something important.
That’s all I know.” He paused for a moment before pivoting, deliberately, to safer ground.
“Lilith was a wonderful mother, though.
Is.
Always there for Charlie, always believed in her.
Even when Charlie went through her…phases.” He made a face that was half fond, half pained.
“The goth phase.
Did Charlie mention the goth phase?”
Kevin shook his head, chuckling.
“No.
But then, we didn’t get any time to share her life in Hell after she got her memories back.
It was Bible, then back to New Orleans, and you showed up.”
Lucifer blew air out between pursed lips.
“And then I had to break the binding spell between Charlie and your sister.” He paused, regret settling visibly on his shoulders.
“I am sorry.
For that part, specifically.
It was the right call by Hell’s rules, but—I know what it cost.”
“I know, and it’s okay.” Kevin nodded.
“You did what was right by your rules and those of Hell.
Charlie was not where she was supposed to be.
But I missed her.
So deeply, and I never got over her.
When I knew death was ready to claim me, my biggest fear was going to Heaven.”
“A fear wiped away once you got there,” Lucifer said it gently, not as a dismissal, more as an acknowledgment.
“Yeah.
It was bliss to have no worries, no strife, and there are times I wish I could have that peace again.
But when the spell broke, and I remembered Charlie, I despised the fact that I’d ever lost those feelings at all.
It’s a double-edged sword, Heaven is.” His tone seemed to curse the word.
“And that’s the other side of it.” Lucifer said it quietly, without theatrics.
“Down here, they remember everything.
Every mistake, every choice that put them here.
That’s—that’s intentional.
Part of the punishment.” He looked at his hands for a moment.
“I’ve never loved that rule.
If I could change one thing—”
“And Heaven could stand to allow those who ascend to remember why they did, and the lives they lived and the people they loved.” Kevin tilted his gaze up toward the ceiling and held it there.
“When Charlie called me about the meeting—I was scared for her.
I couldn’t go with her, couldn’t protect her up there, and I had no idea what would happen.” Lucifer shook his head at the improbability of it all.
“But if I hadn’t set it up, you two wouldn’t have found each other again.
My spell in the amulet doesn’t activate, you don’t come back, all of it—it hinged on that one meeting.
Funny, the things that have to go exactly wrong for everything to go right.”
Kevin let his eyes settle on the King.
“I’ve come to realize that coincidence isn’t a piece on our game board.
When I found Charlie and discovered she was a demon, it reaffirmed my faith to know that Heaven and Hell existed.
My faith had been restored, and I started to accept that maybe things happen for a reason.
If you’d never made the deal with Heaven and allowed the executions, Charlie would never have had the idea to start this hotel, nor would she have gone to Heaven to fight for her ideas, and you’re right; I never would have known.”
Both men fell quiet for a moment, the weight of everything it had taken to arrive at this moment clear in their minds.
Kevin spoke first, his voice roughening slightly.
“And it’s appreciated.
More than I can ever say.
I hate the loss of life so much.
I fought in a lot of wars, took many lives, all for my country, and I took no joy in any of it.
And I took no joy in sending the exorcists to their deaths last month, either, but I will not judge myself for any action I take that protects Charlie’s life or my family here.”
He paused as something connected.
“Everything feels so upside down.
I did so much good, but I feel I am home here in Hell because I get to be with Charlie again, and that’s my true reward.” A beat, then a small, curious frown.
“Is that why the a.m.
and p.m.
times are reversed?
Because Hell is ‘upside-down’ to Heaven?”
“Ha—yeah, basically.” Lucifer pointed at Kevin like he’d just passed a test.
“You got it.
Yang to Heaven’s Yin.
The whole place is literally inverted.”
“You’re telling me,” Kevin mused.
Lucifer’s brow creased.
“Well, yeah, I just did.”
Kevin scoffed playfully, “It’s a figure of speech, Sir.” Looking toward the door.
“Well, I’ve taken up more than enough of your time.
I have to finish this floor and move my way to the lobby, and I am not looking forward to my next inspection.”
Something in Lucifer’s expression said he already knew who that meant.
“Ahhh.
The red-suited demon.” He winced on Kevin’s behalf.
“Good luck with that one.”
“Mmmhmm.
We had a bit of a moment last night, and I need to put my foot down about our positions here.”
“Watch your back.” The lightness left Lucifer’s voice entirely.
“I mean that seriously.
Of everyone under this roof, he is the one I’d lose the least sleep over being wrong about.
Just—be careful.”
“I will be.” Opening the door, Kevin looked back over his shoulder.
“But I can tell you right now, Sir, that despite being on equal footing down here or even against the wall, I’m not gonna take shit from any demons.”
Except maybe Niffty.
I still gotta have that talk with her.
Stepping through the door, he gave Lucifer a wink as he pulled it closed behind him.
“Or self-important, egotistical overlords.”
The door shut with a soft click.
Lucifer stood in the silence of his very duck-filled room for a long moment, then said quietly to no one in particular, “Good man.
Just like I taught my girl.”