The Kiss Of Death

Epilogue

The little Baphomet plush toy jiggled; a dainty bell tinkled with the movement. Wary eyes lifted to the gift giver, slowly his foot lifted off the ground, ready to take a step back.

"I'm not supposed to take things from strangers."

"Oh?" The stranger asked curiously. "And who said that to you?"

"My mum."

"Ah, the solid advice from mother dearest, how could we go against it? You could always ask to reconsider this one time if you like."

The figure stood as the woman approached. Protectively she draped her arm over his torso.

"Hello, Anne."

A soft scowl filled her face. Anne lowered to her son.

"Frank honey, why don't you go and see what Emma's doing?"

Frank nodded and crossed the playground to his sister. All the while, he watched the strange man talking to his mother.

"What do you want?"

"I care, Anne. I know you think that it's impossible, but I do. All I want is the best for my family. You've hidden from me all these years, and for what reason? Am I such a monster that I cannot be a part of my own family's world?"

Her lips twitched, glaring at the bushes rather than looking at the creature in front of her.

"Do you not want my protection?"

"We're doing just fine."

"Perhaps I could help out financially."

"No," Anne snapped. "I said I was done, and I mean it. All I want is to raise Frank and Emma away from that life. Please, don't interfere. Just leave us be."

Anne turned away, hoping that he'd do as she asked.

"Andromalius," The dark voice chided.

Anne stopped; her body tightened at the sound of her true name.

"One day very soon, you will be called home. It will be a burden on the children if they are not aware of their true nature."

"Leave them out of it. They are mortals."

"They are not. Just because you fornicated with a human does not mean that you will birth mortals. I have given you a leave of absence from your duties so that you could follow this foolish path, and the time has come to an end."

"Children cannot live in the Underworld," Anne offered in a soft and haunting tone that the Devil did not hear.

Walking away, Andromalius knew that they'd have to leave. Avoiding the Devil was never easy, she'd spent the past twelve years trying to make him a distant memory.

His temporary acceptance was enough for now. Anne rushed to her children, giving them an uneasy smile.

"Okay, guys, time to go home. You know it's not safe to be out on Devil's Night."

Grabbing their things, Anne ushered her children out of the playground, turning back to see the Devil watching her.

The sun set and rose, creating another day for the Devil to wander through the odd paradise that was called Earth. He felt no attachment to it and could not understand why Andromalius was determined to stay here.

Turning down the street to the place she called home, the Devil was curious as to why a fallen angel such as Andromalius would bother with such lacklustre housing.

"She has the ability to create as she desires, yet she lives in squalor. She raises her children in this filth."

The further the Devil walked down the street, the closer he got to her home. He looked at the yellow police tape, feeling a dark dread creep through him. The tape was nothing, neither was the locked door. The Devil walked through without a care, finding a scene that disturbed him.