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Sweet Bibliophile

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Iris was silent for a moment, then she looked down, "I care about the baby."

Everything was different now. In the span of three minutes, her entire life had changed. Iris wanted to protect that child more than anything in the world. She wanted to have Dante's son, or daughter, but somehow, she felt it was going to be a boy. She wanted that baby to be safe, to grow up, to know how beautiful the world could be. The embrace of loving parents. She moved her hands to her stomach, holding it gently.

"You all make the decision. Because I don't know how to choose between my child and my sister."

Prentiss looked at Dante, "We'll go find Mara. You two go find somewhere safe. Then you'll stay with her, Dante. Of course we'd never leave her alone. Is that okay, Iris?"

She nodded a bit, glancing at Dante, "Let's go to your place."

Vergil waved to Prentiss, "We'll find the violin. Even Fenix will not be able to hide that, and if she still has it with her, it will be easier to trace that than to look through random groups of demons, or to try and sniff out blood when he's already hidden her."

The angel nodded in agreement, "Sounds like a logical place to start."

~~~~~

"And you just keep talking."

Fenix sipped his martini, walking over to her and setting the glass aside. He reached up to her good hand, and began working on that, occasionally giving the broken fingers on the other hand a casual flick, breaking each one slowly, so she had a moment to feel that pain before the agony was fresh again. Then he picked up his martini glass and sipped it, eating the olive garnish out of it.

"No demon can make an angel, or someone with angelic blood, do something truly against their will."

He grinned and leaned close to her, "Which means Iris really wanted me to do all that to her. She wanted my hands all over her, she wanted me inside her. And when she pretends she's hurt and afraid because of it? It's because she thinks she has to. Angels, women, whores, they're all the same when it comes down to what they want. Women are just better at hiding it than whores, and angels better at it than women. Nothing more."

A demon appeared and he took an object from it with a nod of thanks, a long rod, round at the end, and glowing red. Fenix held the electric brand in one hand, his martini in the other, and stood in front of her, "I'm curious now. I'm curious to see how long you keep talking. Until I decide to cut your tongue out."

With that, he pressed the hot end of the brand into the visible flesh of her stomach, smoke billowing from it, the scent of charred meat filling the room. When he took it away and gave it back to the demon waiting for it, it was obvious that he had left it on too long in places. Some were red and painful, others were black cracked with red, and all of it was in the shape of a strange rune, now burnt into her flesh.

"Come on Mara. I know you have some brave words for me. Show me. Show me the error of my ways!"

He laughed, and drank from his martini again.

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Mara was out there somewhere and the more time they wasted was less likely she was to be found alive. Iris of course made the final decision, giving them choice over her well-being. Finally, with Prentiss’ approval, Dante put his arms around Iris and walked down the street with her pulled close to him. “…Come on, we’ll catch a cab back to my place.” He was reluctant to even be taking his girlfriend back home. What other choice did he have?

He hailed the cab quickly, receiving a shocked look from the woman driving it, but he merely shook his head and explained they were having a bad night. He kept his arms firmly wrapped around Iris. She looked worn out and tired at this point. It probably didn’t help she’d just found out she was pregnant. It was her decision what to do with the baby anyways, it wasn’t his. He wasn’t gonna be carrying around something in his gut for nine months unless it was a tumor.

When they arrived back at his shop, he helped Iris out of the taxi and fished around for some cash in his pocket before handing it to the lady. Closing the door behind them, he walked her up the few steps and opened the door to the shop, closing and locking it. He ushered Iris over to the couch and sat her down before flopping into the seat next to her. He allowed a silence to pass between them for a moment before he hung his head. “I’m sorry…” He mumbled, running his fingers through his hair. “I’ve put you through this mess…and because I wasn’t paying enough attention…we lost track of Mara.” There was an incredible sense of guilt he felt within and Dante clenched his teeth. “I did this…” He shook his head and laughed bitterly. “********, your old man probably would rather have me dead than see us together.” He could feel his nose scrunch up a bit in distaste. “…There’s…so many ******** things on my mind right now and yet…” He trailed off, turning his head in her direction. “None of them have to do with the kid.”

He paused to think for a moment, blue eyes stared at her in contemplation. “Is that…is that wrong? I-I mean…I mean it in a good way. I’m…not having any bad thoughts…about us…having this uh baby.” He clenched his fists tightly. “I…don’t want you to think I’m not…concerned about you being pregnant, Iris. I’m more worried about Mara…because I know she’d want to be here and have you give her the good news.” He felt a lump in his throat and he felt like it was an issue with his mother all over again. “…I feel like we failed her is all, no matter how much she claimed she…would rather suffer to protect you, I never wanted it to happen to her. Girl’s got balls but…” He trailed off and placed his head in his hands. “…I hate not being able to help the people close to me.” His brother may have been a lost cause, it was clear Vergil didn’t want the help or much involvement with his twin.
--

Every time Lionel Fenix opened his mouth, Mara tried to imagine other things to take her mind off the pain. Despite the tears rolling down her face, she bit her lip and envisioned where the violin was still with her. She tried to think of her father and how he wouldn’t want her to give up, and even (sadistically) watching the devil trigger tear Fenix a new a*****e.

She scowled at him and shook her head when he approached, saying such vile things about her best friend. “You’re paraphrasing the blame to try to cover up the fact that rape is rape, Lionel.” She could taste blood in her mouth as she regained her vision slightly, and struggled in her bindings as he approached again. That stupid martini still in hand as he took her palm and her eyes widened, horrified as he began to slowly break the fingers on her good hand. “Aahhhh!!!” She cried out and thrashed more in her bonds, attempting to kick at him as she screamed.

White hot electricity shot through her fingers and down her wrist as he rendered her hands completely useless. She shuddered and breathed heavily as he stepped away from her, only to return with what appeared to be some kind of brand in his hand. Her breathing became quick, frantic, and she bit her lip as she again started to violently move about in her chains.

The moment the heat touched her flesh and seared it, she screamed in agony. The burn of her flesh made her sick and she had to hold back the vomit threatening to spill forth each time he burnt her. She hung her head, her breaths shallow, and her movement severely weakened due to the pain. Blood clouded her vision again as she slowly lifted her head up to gaze at Fenix as he mocked her.

“…There is…there is no point. You won’t….get the key.” She wheezed, smiling through the pain. “She…won’t give it to you.” She swallowed hard and when he came close again, she spit on his shoes and scowled at him. “…the sons of Sparda are going to kill you, slowly.”

Sweet Bibliophile

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Iris let Dante lead her out of the hotel and down to a cab, that would take them to his apartment. She smiled nicely at the cab driver, and kindly signed an autograph before they got out of the cab. They went inside and he settled her down on the couch before he joined her. There was nothing but agony in her heart about Mara, missing her, wondering where she was. He was worrying too, and Iris lied down on the couch, her head in his lap. She took his hand and held it tightly in her hands for a moment.

"If we had been watching her twenty four hours a day, they would have still found a way to take her. That's what they wanted to do. Take her from me."

She broke down then, sobbing softly as her head lied on his lap, curling into a ball, "I should have just given him the key. I should have just let them have it and then they wouldn't have had a reason to take her. But I'm always just busy thinking about myself."

The sobs were heartbreaking, the wrenching sound of someone who was truly in pain. She had been so busy thinking about herself that Mara got lost in the shuffle, and Iris knew it was her fault. If it was going to be that way for the rest of her life, what right did she have to bring a child into the world? To do that to Dante? Make him live on his guard the rest of his life? Her heart ached with the pain of losing her friend, of probably losing everything because she had realized, that evening, how easily she would lose everything she loved just to protect some stupid key.

Sitting up, Iris got off the couch, her hands against her stomach, "...It's early. Too early for it to be anything more than a few cells. I'll get it taken care of. But you...you have to go."

Her back was turned to him, because she could not look him in the eye and say these things, "It's just not going to work out, Dante. We both knew this was just a fling, nothing else."

Nothing else but love. Not that she was going to admit that now to save the world. Because she had to save him first.

~~~~

Prentiss and Vergil were out and on the hunt before Dante even got Iris out of the building. The angel followed as Vergil sniffed out the scent of the violin, which was coming from an adjacent building. There it was, sitting on the rooftop, and Prentiss walked over to it, picking it up. The violin did not care for him, but he did not care for it in particular and just put it into a pocket of holding space, so that it would come along with him but he would not have to carry it or worry about it. Vergil was checking out the rooftop, and stopped over some drops of blood. So she had shed blood here. It also smelled of demons and a familiar odor...

"...Fenix."

The angel glanced up, "And here I had hoped it would be otherwise."

"That is your mistake, not mine."

Prentiss did not seem put off by Vergil's attitude, just accepted it as part of him, the way Iris did. He then crouched down near him where the blood was and put his fingers into the dried puddle, getting flecks of it on his fingers. He lifted it to his mouth and took a deep breath, glancing at Vergil, who's expression was actually surprised. Mostly because the angel had cleared up the path of the blood, muddled by demon power, so that they could begin to follow the trail. Vergil nodded to him.

"Let's go."

~~~~~

"Oh, I think she will," Fenix said with a smile.

He took a couple pictures of her and sent them to Iris's phone, then smirked and splashed what was left of the martini, nothing but alcohol, against the fresh, still hot brand on Mara's flesh. It seemed like she needed a true reminder of what was going on, and that her words, brave and stupid, were nothing more than that. She had no power to do anything but suffer, and he was going to keep her in that mindset, even if it took days. Weeks. Months.

"I think she'll give up anything to come save the only family she feels she has left. And once I have her, the pathetic sons of Sparda will not be a problem."

Fenix went and made himself another martini, since he had the shaker out and everything. He then sat down at his desk and went back to doing some work. But a few demons appeared, and he allowed them to poke and prod at Mara. Sharp claws scraped across her wounds, occasionally those broken fingers were pulled on, just constant torment while he worked. If only because she irritated him slightly when he had been working for them.

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The agony was unending. The stink of alcohol on her burns and in her wounds only intensified the pain. Yet, she refused to weep in front of Fenix. She would defy the notion of defeat in front of him. “You’re pathetic…” She coughed, unable to hold herself upright through the pain any longer. “You long to possess the powers of heaven, but you will be consumed by it in the end and it will destroy you.” Her father had been destroyed as a result of his own power, well…due to the mistake he made with his violin. “They’re two very different people…the sons of sparda. One, perhaps you will hold sway over…the other you won’t.” She could bluff him. “He’ll come…he will come…to reclaim his power if Iris hands herself over to you. You’ll just be another piece of the puzzle in his way. You won’t…ah…ahh! You…you won’t be able to handle it.”

One of the envy’s approached her and slapped her across the face as another lust dragged its scythe down the inside of her thigh. She gave another cry of anguish but bit her tongue and held back her tears. What if Vergil won’t come for you? What if Iris gives up? So many things weighed on her mind at this point, Mara dared not think of what was to come.


--
“We’ll find her.” Dante sniffled, exhausted from this whole day, this whole evening. Just when everything was going right it had to all turn to s**t. Then she said it, the head turner, the bomb that set him off. She wanted him to go?!

“What?” He said it very calmly at first and in slight disbelief. Then, he spoke again, a little more anger in his tone. He had to make sure he heard her right. Taken care of? “W-What?!” He rose to his feet immediately and stood in front of her in moments. “N-no. No, no, no, no.” He tilted her chin up so she could look at him. “I never said anything about not…wanting this.”

He pursed his lips and looked away from her for a moment. “…Iris, look. I’m gonna be on guard all of my life and if there’s a kid involved…” He paused to think before he spoke up again. “I’m not going anywhere, because regardless if you weren’t pregnant, I’d still have to be looking over my shoulder. It’s how it’s always been for me…and Vergil. We’ve been treated like s**t because we’re the Sons of Sparda and quite frankly, I could give less of a s**t about my old man, because he didn’t do anything for us. He left my brother and I to fend for ourselves and our mom to take care of us.” Blue eyes gazed down at her and he placed both hands on her shoulders. “You ain’t getting’ rid of me…because you think you can do better at this alone. You give Fenix the key to heaven…and you end the world right now.”

He pursed his lips and thought back to what Mara told him. “Squeaky always told me…that no matter what; she’d rather die protecting you than to see anything happen. You’re not selfish, because you’ve done so much for her already.” Sighing, he cupped her face in hand. “Come on, come on. She’s your best friend and she always will be…someone had to have your back when I wasn’t around.” He gave her a small smile. “Remember when she was selfish and…she was making decisions for you?” Pausing, he tilted his head to the side. “And me too? People…people make mistakes. But…” He could feel the beast tearing at him inside again, wanting to possess her and take her there on that couch.

Again, Dante had to look away and fight back inside. “…I’m ain’t goin’.” He said in a more determined tone . “And we’re gonna find Mara. My brother’s an a*****e…but I trust him. I…trust he’ll do the right thing.”

He heard the beep of her phone in her clutch purse and quirked a brow. “You should let Benny know you’re safe.” He murmured, stroking his thumb against her cheek as he leaned in to kiss her. Dante was completely unaware of the real messages she would receive. “He deserves to know that much.”
--

Sweet Bibliophile

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"Dante..."

Iris tried to turn her head away from him, "It would just be better for everyone this way. I can't bring a child into a world where I'm constantly on the run for my life. And I have no right to ask you to come with me. Had I known about any of this...I would have left Mara where I found her and found a violinist somewhere else, someone I would not have to care about as much."

She pushed him away, held him at arm's length, "I...I don't want you with me."

There, she had managed to say it, even if it was not true. Iris backed away from him, grabbing her little handbag, "I was wrong, we shouldn't be together. So Benny will pay you and you can go back to your job and I'll go back to mine."

Her throat felt like it was going to close off with every single word she spoke. As if she were going to die from the broken heart that was already threatening to rip her apart inside. But for once, just for once, damn it, she was going to be the one who protected the people around her. And if that just meant being alone, truly alone, for the rest of her life, then so be it. She could handle loneliness, she had before. She would concentrate on her music, and in time, he would be able to move on.

"Don't worry. You'll be able to find someone else. Move on with your life. I'm not exactly one in a million."

Opening her purse, she pulled out her phone and looked at the message, going ashen when she was already pale with worry before. Slipping it back in her bag, she began walking toward the door, not willing to let anything else still happen to Mara. She had to do something right, for once, not just hide behind other people.

"I should go. Benny's looking for me."

The lie sounded as unnatural in her head as it did on her lips.

~~~~

Fenix sighed, shaking his head, "Can you shut up for five minutes? Really, I don't know how she ever got any work done with you around."

He sipped his drink and went back to work, now ignoring her. One of the demons went for her toes, but he glanced up, clearing his throat, "I did not okay that."

The demon backed off shamefully, leaving her feet in tact. Instead, they just went back to prodding and clawing and other things to draw blood and cries from her. At least he could get work done to the sounds of agony in the background.

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The more she denied him, the harder he could feel his heart hammer in his chest. When she pulled away, he could feel her slipping from his grasp and the monster only continued to claw at him from inside. He saw red again and he gritted his teeth before storming towards the front door and placing his hand against it, using little weight to keep the door closed. “No.” For a moment, he almost sounded like Vergil. He was cold, stoic, and devoid of emotion in that moment. “No…” Lifting up his head he shook it at her as he looked at Iris.

His expression changed though and he seemed forlorn. A tear caught the corner of his eye again and he was again bitterly reminded that devils were not supposed to cry. “…No.” He murmured, this time with less bite and more anguish before he wrenched himself away from the door and suddenly yanked her into his grasp, holding her against him tightly.

His face buried into her hair and inhaled the sweet scent of her perfumes and shampoo. “No…” Letting her go would have meant he would have to chase after her. He didn’t want to have to hunt her down and drag her back to his shop, all on the grounds that he was trying to protect her. “Don’t…” Dante whispered. He’d already lost whatever was left of his brother long ago and his mother was dead. He couldn’t bear to have her be the next to go. “I won’t let you.” He whispered defiantly. “…I’d sooner go to hell than let you walk out through those doors, because I love you too much to let you hand yourself over to the likes of Fenix.” He clutched her closer and growled. “I’ll never let you go…not as long as he’s still breathing and as long as he’s got Mara. You want me to go then…fine. I’ll do it but not until you’re both safe.” It was hard enough for him to compromise on all of this ridiculous bullshit, but he didn’t know what else he was supposed to do.

He wished that his brother had some inkling of humanity in him to carry a phone. That way he could at least ask him how the search was going. It was better than waiting around twiddling their thumbs.
--

Daddy’s here…

No he wasn’t. Every time she closed her eyes, she envisioned that this nightmare would be over, but the pain brought her back each time. Ugly purple bruises could be seen on each of her hands all over from the breakage. Angry, red, charred, parts of her flesh throbbed angrily from the brands Fenix pressed into her skin.

She wasn’t’ sure what was more excruciating, the fact her hands were broken or the fact she was burned in several places, some in very sensitive parts of her skin. Each time one of the monsters approached her, she tried to be brave and face it head on but she ended up crying out in agony each time they dug into one of her burns.

She was starting to hallucinate and think her father might have been in the room with her. Silently, she’d curse him and wonder why he had forsaken her. She wondered why he had to leave this horrific legacy behind for her. Mara was left to clean up this mess he had created and she felt completely and utterly helpless, all because of the fact she was human. You’re not here… She closed her eyes and shook her head. You left me…you left me behind in a world of monsters and demons. She bit back the tears threatening to spill forth.

Another demon approached her with the hot iron and before it could touch it to her skin, she lashed out and kicked it violently from its grasp. “NO!” She screamed, and thrashed in her bonds. “NO! NO!”

”Get ahold of yourself, girl…there is no knight in shining armor come for you. You are nothing more than simple fodder in this game. You gave yourself up to save the angel. Accept it and beg for the mercy of death.” She could hear the demon hiss at her, as it picked up the brand again.

She gazed at it defiantly before she glanced back at Fenix, her vision getting heavier to see through now. She’d lost a considerable amount of blood. “…I do nothing for your pleasure, you b*****d.”

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The door was pulled out of her hand as Dante raced to get in front of her and he pressed the door shut again, closing out the night, closing out the rest of the world. For a moment, she wondered if he was going to do something like forbid her to go, when he grabbed her and pulled her close to him. Iris fought it. She fought the desire to be right there as hard as she could. But he was so warm and he smelled like leather and cologne and she loved him so terribly much.

"Dante..."

She did not hold him back yet, "...Dante, I can't let everyone protect me all my life. I have to try and do something good for everyone. Not just...not just me."

Her voice was barely above a whisper, "I can't do that to you. I can't keep you here, always afraid, always terrified that some day I won't come home, that we won't come home. I don't want to make that your life. I want you to have the life you deserve, not another one of fear and hardship."

Iris's lips trembled, but after her hesitation, her arms moved around him, "Of course I don't want you to go. But you can't stay. This child...doesn't deserve to grow up living this kind of life. Can you imagine it? Because it'll obviously pass on the key. A child having to deal with demons and seeing innocent people slaughtered? A child who might grow up just like you did?"

Tears spilled out of her eyes again, and for a moment she just wept softly against his shoulder, "I need to protect you as much as you want to protect me."

~~~~

As the demon approached her with the brand, the doors of the office slammed open, shattering the windows around Fenix. Vergil teleported inside while the demons were busy dealing with the aftershocks of the first attack, and cut apart the demon that had been threatening her with the brand. Fenix got up from his chair and wandered forward, brushing some broken glass off his shoulders.

"Vergil, how nice of you to visit."

Vergil glared at him, and slowly stalked forward, Yamato in hand, "Save your words. You'll need them for your last words."

Prentiss joined him, and began slaughtering the demons that were in the room, smiling as he got splattered with demon blood. He moved over to Vergil's side, and Fenix darted at them to attack. Not very well though, considering the fact that Vergil simply lifted Yamato and stabbed him through. He stumbled, and slid forward on the blade, dropping to his knees. Sneering, Vergil jerked the sword out of him, and let him drop to the ground.

He then turned and walked over to Mara, putting the sword away in its sheath. He slipped off his coat, draping it over her front before he leaned over to pick her up. Vergil struggled with having feelings, so he was going to pretend like he was not having them as he looked her over, sitting in his arms bridal style, so that she was not hanging from the chains.

"Get over here and release her hands," he barked at Prentiss.

The angel walked over and easily opened the locks, and Vergil looked down at her, "Put your hands in your lap, gently. We will go to Iris, she will help you. But for now you must try not to move."

Prentiss helped put the coat over her a bit better and Vergil was taking off, teleporting to Dante's office.

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“But…” He trailed off as he held her in his arms. His fingerless gloves stroked through her hair and he brushed back her bangs from her forehead. “Iris, I’m so used to this lifestyle now…It doesn’t even bother me anymore.” He gave her a confident smile. “Sure…I don’t like it, but…I know I can always stop them.” He grinned at her and held her close, but he wasn’t certain how much he could assure her.

“Babe…” Dante began softly and tilted her chin up, watching her tears brim at the corners of her eyes. He stroked his thumbs at her cheeks and leaned in to brush his lips against hers. “The difference…between my old man and me…is that I’m not gonna be anything like him. I’m not going to leave you, uh, despite what your dad thinks.” He practically winced at the memory of him claiming he’d have Iris raise their kid on her own. He gently rubbed his fingers beneath her chin. “Your dad had the key first…but he knew that he wasn’t going to just…be safe with it. He had to hide it…so he chose to pass it to you. Right?”

He frowned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “So…you have a choice of whether to pass it onto our kid or not. I mean…how do we even know the key will take, if…half it’s gonna have…demon blood running through it’s veins.” He gestured to her belly and leaned forwards again. “…Think logically about this babe.” He held her close and rocked her gently. “My job is to protect people…that includes you, but I’m not gonna turn into my old man an abandon you. I’d rather…have ya with me than not. Let’s face it…” He chuckled. “Would be nice to have a partner in crime, hm?” He held out one arm. “You could sing…mesmerize the baddies…stun ‘em and then I come in for the kill. I bet…” He wagged a finger at her encouragingly. “You enhance those angel skills…you could be the best momma yet, and protect our kid if I get into a tight spot.”

Sighing, he knew maybe it was only wishful thinking. “I already had someone protect me once…and it didn’t turn out so good.” His tone was soft, filled with regret. “I don’t want the same thing to happen to you.” He squeezed her hands. “Don’t give up on yourself…or me right now.” It was a soft plea, the best he could muster. “There ain’t no me if there ain’t no you.”

He smiled at her but it soon faded when Vergil suddenly reappeared in a gust of air and dropped to the middle of this floor, with a clearly unrecognizable Mara in his arms. “Holy s**t!” He croaked hoarsely at the sight of the violinist, obviously he was more shocked by the sight of her than he had initially expected to be. “What the ******** did Fenix do to her?!”

He let go of Iris and rushed to clear off the couch from anything that might impede resting room. “********, set here down over here…Oh man…”

--

The demon moved in again aggressively this time and once more, Mara opened her mouth. “NO!!!” Her scream was blood curdled before the demon was cut down right before her eyes. She slumped in place, thinking in that moment she’d been branded again, as a rain of glass and debris settled against her skin.

Her head dropped low against her shoulders and a quiet sob escaped her, this time in despair. She heard a voice though, strong, stoic, but it was muffled through the action.

The sound of footsteps approaching made her thrash a bit in her bonds, though she was weak. The scent of mint and cologne filled the air as a heavy coat draped over her. Warmth settled into her skin, despite the pain wracking her whole body. Mara made a loud noise of discomfort when she was moved though and the shackles miraculously broke from her wrists. Bruises marred the delicate flesh where the manacles held her so tightly.

Even beneath Vergil’s coat, she shook so violently and cried out in his grasp each time she was moved. She could barely feel her hands as he placed them in her lap and carefully held her bridal-style. She could barely hear him but she recognized that voice and gazed up at him through bloody vision. “…Verg…gil…?” She croaked in question as she attempted to figure him out. No, maybe she was finally dead and she didn’t know it. This was all a dream and part of it was getting to see someone she knew at least once more time.

They disappeared in a flash though and reappeared in a place she was unfamiliar with in her subconscious. She heard someone shouting and cried out at the pain caused from her sensitivity to the noise. “Daddy?” She was in shock, unsure of who to call out for, and the only thing on her mind was the violin at this point. “…I want dad.” She gasped out, and squirmed in Vergil’s grasp despite the pain.

She wanted to get away, she wanted to flee. She wasn’t safe, this was hell. She was finally in hell where they could torment her soul. “No! No! Don’t touch me!”

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Iris looked up at him, "I don't know how it works. But it must work somehow, passing it on from parent to child."

Her tears spilled over a bit, "I'm not a very good liar. I know that. I want this baby. I knew I wanted it the moment Vergil told me to go buy a pregnancy test. I just...I just see the Hell around us and know that it's going to be impossible to keep him safe. At least, I think it's going to be a boy."

They held each other in the office until wind fluttered her skirt, and she saw Vergil come in with Mara. Her heart caught in her throat as she saw what Fenix did to her friend, and she knew she was going to have to do something to help. Even if it meant calling on something she did not really understand. Dante cleared off the couch, and she slowly took charge, since it seemed like she needed to.

~~~~

He wanted to yell at her to stay still, but somehow Vergil knew that was the wrong thing to do. Instead, he just held her a little tighter, and spoke to her softly.

"Hush. Iris will fix you when we get back."

Vergil was at Dante's office faster than he normally would have been using his teleportation, but he needed to do so. He needed to get her somewhere safe, somewhere that she could get some help. When he arrived, Dante and Iris were busy holding onto each other in some silly ritual of love that he assumed he was interrupting. Good. He frowned and walked her over to the couch, setting her down gently on it.

Iris was at her side in a moment, touching Dante's shoulder gently, "I need you to go get a bowl of warm water, clean towels, warm blankets."

She turned to Vergil, "Keep an eye out for trouble."

Vergil looked down at her, "I cut him down. There will be no more trouble."

Iris smiled up at him slightly, "I'm glad to hear it."

The door opened again, but it was just Prentiss, and he came over to the couch, putting his hand on Iris's shoulder, "I can't help you sweetheart. You'll have to take care of this. I'm a warrior, not a healer. But I can feed you power. Real angelic power."

Nodding, Iris glanced at Vergil, "Pick up the coat gently, please."

He did so, slipping it back on, smelling Mara's blood, and it made him so angry that his knuckles were white around Yamato's sheath. Iris did her best not to sob, but she wanted to, over the frantic screaming of her friend, dear as a sister, at the pain she must have been in. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she reached up, touching Mara's face gently.

Before she did anything else, she began to sing. A gentle song, a lullaby, to calm her friend, to help her realize that she was safe and sound and far away from the monsters. She needed to get her friend to calm down, to realize she was surrounded by people who loved her. So she sang, until Prentiss put his hand on her shoulder.

"Go ahead, Iris."

Nodding, she reached down, and gentle as a feather, touched the broken hands. With her father feeding her power, Iris began to glow a soft white gold glow, an aura lighting around her body and she closed her eyes. The hands healed, the bones moving back into place, her hands healing, wounds closing. Iris's face went pale as she began to concentrate on the cuts, the wounds, the broken skin, the burnt flesh.

With a gasp, she felt the wings that appeared when she had sex with Dante, but they were staying now that Prentiss was the one feeding her power. By the time she was done, all of Mara's wounds were healed, and then she slumped back onto the floor, her father catching her as the wings disintegrated as they tended to do when they were not being fed.

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Everything hurt. The pain in her hands was the most excruciating though if it were not for the mental repercussions that came with it. But her hands…she’d never be able to play the violin again. She would never be able to pick it up and hold it. She wouldn’t…be able to feel close to her father again. Her eyes clenched shut through a mixture of the agony and the emotional conflict. Ragged sobs escaped her, even as Iris placed her hands on her.

She thrashed at the touch, mentally begging at this point for she could not form coherent words. Mara wasn’t strong enough, she couldn’t defend herself and without the violin’s power…she was useless. The glow from Iris’ hands intensified and for a moment, she felt the light burn her skin and she cried out, trying to get away from it. Then, slowly, but surely the pain began to recede from her body. The wounds closed up and the brands disappeared from her soft flesh. The only thing that remained from her ordeal was the blood and dirt caked over onto her skin before all lingering effects were gone.

When she opened her eyes, there were people around her. Dante was staring at her in complete disbelief, Vergil looked absolutely livid (though she wasn’t entirely shocked by that), and Prentiss was tending to Iris. Her breaths were still weak though but her tears were genuine. She had been scared, afraid, and alone. Her lip quivered, despite the fact she could now feel her hands again. The rush of memories came back to her and she glimpsed Lionel Fenix in the back of her mind. The cold, stinging, splash of alcohol on her wounds and that sickeningly sweet grin was stuck in her head.

Sitting upright, Mara moved frantically to get off the sofa, “No! He’ll get Iris!” Green eyes widened and she attempted to move as Dante reached over to place a hand on her shoulder.

While even though Dante was sure that Vergil had taken care of Fenix, it was clear that Mara did not share the same sentiments. For a second, he was alarmed by her behaviour and how quickly she wanted to get off the couch; bloodied state and all. “Squeaky, settle down. Easy, easy! Come on, everything’s fine, Fenix is gone.” He had to set the bowl of water aside with the clean towels.

“No!” Mara tried to push him off. “He’s coming back, he’ll come back. Let me go, we have to protect Iris.” Scratching at his arm, the violinist’s frantic attempts to get away were clearly not how she usually acted. “Let go of me!”

“s**t, we’re gonna have to knock her out at this rate. Fenix really ******** with her head.” Dante grunted, struggling to prevent hurting the girl in the tattered gown. “Come on Squeaky, it’s all right. Settle down.” Sit down, Mara!” Glancing in his brother’s direction, he scowled at Vergil. “Damn it, man. Give me a hand here, she’s out of it.” Pressing her back against the soft, he growled when she scratched her nails against his arm. “Ow!”

“Let me go!” Her eyes were wide, filled with fear and Dante couldn’t help but wonder if she would ever get back to normal. It seemed to him she was going to need some kind of therapy. “Let-let me go!” The tears staining her face flowed freely now and her eyes were darting about , almost looking for something. “Where’s my father?! Where is he?!”

“What are you talking about?” Dante asked, clearly confused by this as he tried to hold her in place. “Your old man isn’t here. He’s gone, Squeaky. He died, remember?” What was she looking for? He wasn’t here so why…

Then he realized it. “…Where’s the violin?”

Sweet Bibliophile

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Vergil stood to the side, uncertain of what to do. Iris was supposed to be handling this and she was sitting in a pile of feathers in Prentiss's arm, while Dante tried to make Mara calm down. He had never felt so out of his element before, and wanted to hit someone in an attempt to make things stop, to make them go away. But he knew that would only make things worse. So he came over to the couch, and gently put an arm around Mara, sitting down next to her, while Prentiss reached into netherspace and pulled out the violin.

With his free hand, Vergil took the violin and put it in Mara's lap, resting her hands on it gently. He then held her close, and began rocking her back and forth slowly, glancing up at the others, "Step back. You are crowding her. Leave the water and the towels, take Iris, and go to a different room. Being here is not helping her, and you have left the mother of your child on the floor."

Prentiss looked somewhat impressed, and he moved to help Iris onto her feet, who was rousing from her moment or two of unconsciousness. She was hanging heavily on her father, who then passed her on to Dante, and she looked over what was going on, and nodded in agreement to what Vergil said, knowing that he was actually doing the right thing for Mara currently.

"He can handle this."

She glanced his way, "If you can get her calmed down, keep her lying down, warm, and her feet elevated, it'll treat her for shock."

He nodded and looked down at Mara, "See? Iris is well. There is no reason to fear for her. Dante and Prentiss are here to protect her, and you will not be going anywhere either. Fenix is dead. I cut him down."

Reaching over, he helped her use her thumb to strum the violin in her hands. Iris prodded Dante, to save Vergil's ego, and looked up at him, "I'm exhausted. Please, can I go sit down somewhere?"

Prentiss picked up his war hammer and headed for the door, "I'll keep an eye on things."

He glared at Dante, "Behave."

With that, he whistled, heading outside the office and closing the door behind himself. Somehow, it locked after him, though he was on the other side of the door. Iris leaned her head against Dante's shoulder, and was determined to just sleep right there on his shoulder if he let her if he was not going to take her somewhere to rest. She did not care if his apartment was a mess. She just wanted to rest and to give Vergil and Mara some privacy.

When they were finally alone, Vergil leaned down, and gently kissed the top of Mara's head, "Forgive me. I will not allow anyone else to harm you ever again."

Why he felt the need to do such a thing was beyond him, but it felt natural and normal. Vergil was not going to give in to the idea that he cared about her, but he could accept that he might have decided, despite Dante, to invest time in a woman. And this woman from his past was not a bad choice. She at least understood the world they came from, unlike Dante's angel.

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He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Mouth parting open in surprise, he watched as Vergil stepped forward with such ease and fluidity. He was able to diffuse the situation as if it were nothing. The grip on Dante’s arm’s slackened from Mara’s hands as his brother gently pulled her away from his twin and his arm settled around her shoulders. An eerie memory of their mother came to mind, as she used to rock them the same way if either boy was scared.

Just like that, the violinist stopped thrashing. Her erratic breathing slowed into deeper even breaths. Once the instrument was back in her possession, she could feel a warm hand placing her fingers against the strings, therapeutically helping her stoke them. Her eyes fluttered for a moment and her breaths turned into light shudders.

For a brief moment the devil hunter tensed, but he was quickly reminded he had other things to worry about than Mara. He tried to keep her from hurting herself while his…soon-to-be father-in-law helped Iris. He bit back his annoyance at Vergil’s comment (despite it being fact) and took her from Prentiss while “daddy dearest” stepped outside. Makin a face at his warning, he made a face behind his back until the front door closed. At least someone could watch the front for now.

Once he was certain Vergil had the situation under control, it was hard not to stand there and watch him. For a moment, Dante seemed mesmerized and shocked by it. Even with Iris’ plea to save his brother’s ego, he couldn’t say anything to ruin the moment. It was funny how Vergil was supposed to embody the demonic aspects of their old man, but he was as close to their mother as possible. The brother that tried so hard to erase every aspect of his humanity could not get rid of Eva’s traits passed down to him. A smile twitched at the corner of his mouth and he only nodded respectfully to him.

Leading Iris out of the office area, he took her upstairs to his room where he sat her down on the bed and started rummaging through his drawers. “I uh…I got some clothes you can sleep in while you’re here. Mara can probably use some too.” The bed room was a typical guy’s room. It was messy, cluttered, his mattress was a futon on raised blocks, and the after scent of AXE hung in the air. Pulling out a Ramones T-shirt and some shorts, he set them on the bed next to her and plopped down on the mattress.

Sitting there for a moment, he folded his hands together and glanced at her. Offering her a smile, he leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the lips. “You’re getting stronger.” He complimented. “It’s a really good thing.” Brushing her hair back, he pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, exhausted from this whole day. Yet, he was still troubled by her desire to leave and scooted a bit closer to her. His head lowered just enough so that it rested atop hers. “…Iris.” He began, but was reluctant to voice his concern. He gritted his teeth and averted his gaze from her. ”Do you still want to leave?” It was probably the worst question to leave his lips.

--

They were gone. The ambiance of the room had quieted down and she was able to relax better in Vergil’s grasp. Though the memories all rushed back at her at once, she grasped the hand over hers tightly and sobbed quietly in his arms. “I’m sorry…” She whispered, hanging her head low, even after he kissed her forehead. The gesture came as a shock to her, though she wasn’t even sure if she was awake or dreaming right now. “I’m so sorry…I shouldn’t have left your sight.” Her shoulder shook slightly in his grasp and she moved a bit so she could sit closer to him. She let the instrument sit in her lap as her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled herself in close.

Even though she knew he probably would not care for the close contact, she needed someone to hold onto right now. She needed to know that this was real and she wasn’t in some pain induced hallucination. “It’s my fault. I’m sorry…” She shuddered against the warmth of his skin. The scent of mint filled her senses as she buried her face into his neck, the smell comforting and the fabric of his coat even more so. “…You came for me.” She whispered. “…You saved my life…”

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Iris went upstairs with Dante and sat down on the bed that he took her to, not that she was entirely surprised by how it looked. The only men she had met with clean apartments were gay or had housekeeping services come in regularly. And Dante was definitely not gay, and could not afford housekeeping. She pulled her legs up on the bed, and watched him get out clothing for her, though she was ready to drop the way she was.

"I was only that strong because Dad was feeding me energy. I doubt I'd have made it through the entire healing process without passing out if he hadn't," she said, shaking her head.

He leaned close to kiss her, and she reached up, her hands on his cheeks, "My sweet Dante."

She leaned up and pressed a soft, gentle kiss against the very tip of his nose, "Of course not. I never wanted to in the first place, but I thought I had to. Fenix had me in corner, and I wasn't going to let Mara die for me."

After a moment, she lied back down on the mattress, her eyes fluttering shut a bit, then she opened them back up, but it was an effort. She knew for a fact though that she was going to introduce him to some colognes made by real perfumers, and not something he could buy off the shelf in a Wal-Mart. Now there was a thought. Dante walking through Wal-Mart shopping with all the old women on Rascal scooters and other people in their pajamas. He would probably stand out the least out of all those people.

"I want you to lie down and hold me, is what I really want," she said softly.

~~~~~

"Shhh," Vergil said quietly, letting her cling.

He frowned as she blamed herself. It was not her fault at all. If it was anyone's fault, it was his for leaving her alone. But he was not going to admit that. He was not susceptible to human things like guilt. Instead, Vergil just leaned down, so he could speak to her softly without startling her.

"It was Fenix's fault. Not yours."

Mara turned in his arms and he let one hand slid up and down her back slowly, and just kept rocking her back and forth, knowing that most people found it soothing. He almost smirked at her admittance that he had come for her, like there was any question of that happening. He was uncertain why she thought it was so amazing.

"Of course I did. And I will never let that happen to you again. Or anything like it. I promise."

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He forgot how good her kisses tasted, but made a face when she chose to kiss his nose instead. “Hmmm.” His eyes fluttered closed momentarily before he opened them again to the sight of her spread out on his bed in her dress. While the gown was drop-dead gorgeous on her, it was torn and tattered in several places. She’d clearly been seen in better shape. Her assurance only lifted his confidence in her. At her request, he started leaning over her and pressing his forehead to hers before he settled next to her. “…Don’t ever ******** scare me like that again, Iris.” He drew her into his arms and stroked the back of her coloured hair. “I’m good at demon hunting, not emotionally composing myself. That s**t is hard.” He chuckled and kissed the top of her head.

Somewhere along the way, he fixed to unclasp the top hold on the gown and unzip it from the back. “You’ll be more comfortable in the lounge clothes, let me help you. You don’t have to do a thing.” The fabric was like silk through his fingertips. “You know, in the future I should be buying you dresses like this, not the other way around but…I think instead of dresses…I’ll be looking at uh, formulas and diapers if your father won’t kill me first.”

Sighing, he laid back against the mattress and used his other hand to reach around and press a hand against her stomach. “…Wow.” He whispered, almost in awe at the idea. “…I’m gonna be…a dad.” It was one of the things he’d never imagined in his life. While he was aware of the practice of safe sex and used it vehemently, he hadn’t thought to have dreamed of knocking up some famous popstar and subsequently falling in love with her too. “…We’re gonna be parents. Do you know how weird this is for me?” He asked lifting his head up from gazing at her belly.

When he was certain he had her dress undone, Dante attempted to tug it down her body and around her waist, separating her creamy skin from the silky fabric. He reached over her and grabbed the t-shirt to hand to Iris. “…Not gonna lie, I always kind of…liked the idea of having a girlfriend and…her wearing my tshirts.” A fond smile touched the corners of his mouth and he winked at her. “Now I actually have t-shirts for a gal to wear. My gal.”

Pulling her into his arms, he held her close and buried his face into her hair to relish in her closeness. “…You’re my world, baby. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
--

Never in a thousand years did Mara think that she could ever find comfort in a man like Vergil. Certainly, while they had been friends in their childhood, he’d changed over the years. He became a different person considering his circumstances. Since she met him again, he’d been this strong, stoic, and somewhat cruel man that barely even registered as human. Yet, when he spoke to her now he was different no matter what he would like to argue. His voice was so soft, so gentle. She almost forgot it was the son of Sparda speaking to her.

Her head lulled against his shoulder and her eyes fluttered closed as his hand rubbed up and down the length of her back in a soothing manner. She was quiet, composed, and rested against him as he assured her that none of this was her fault. While her doubts crept upon her and began to bother her, she believed him. “…He would have found a way to get to me first anyways.” She murmured. “…I had to protect Iris.” She sounded so small in his arms and in a sense felt so weak, but his warmth only added to her security.

A small smile tugged at her lips and she relaxed in his grasp, still resting comfortably in the crook of his neck. “You know…it’s not that I didn’t think you would…rescue me. I just…dad said one day, I’d have a knight in shining armor to protect me and it wouldn’t be him. Funny, you don’t look like any knight I’ve seen before. You’re not as blonde as they depict in the stories.” A light chuckle surfaced from her, but her voice was slightly hoarse now.

She was still worried about Fenix returning, she knew that he wouldn’t have really been dead. A simple stab with Yamato didn’t finish the job. “…He’s not that easy to kill.” She reminded him and glanced at the violin in her lap. “…The music wouldn’t affect him. He’s strong.”

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Iris let him unzip her dress and smiled when his hand came to rest on her stomach. She put her hand over his, looking up at Dante, not particularly envisioning him as a doting father, but she was glad for it. It was something she could suddenly see quite well, whether it was male or female, demon or angel, it was going to be loved and adored and treated like the greatest gift they could have ever been given.

"We may not be perfect parents, or the world's best parents, but our child won't lack for love, or people who care about it. He or she, though I already feel like it's going to be a boy, he or she is going to grow up knowing what it feels like to love and be loved. What it feels like to know that they're good, not because they have to be, but because they are."

She allowed him to slip her dress down her body, revealing a lack of anything underneath but panties and heels, the latter of which she then slipped off and let drop to the floor, one after the other. She pulled his shirt on, and it was much too big for her, coming down over her panties and touching her thighs, which was fine with her. Shorts be damned for right now. Dante pulled her close, and she moved in close to him.

"I won't be in music forever. I promise. A few more years, we'll get a healthy nest egg of a few billion built up, then we'll go buy a house in the country somewhere. And hire someone to clean it because I am rich and famous and I hate doing dishes. We'll live in some tiny town where nobody will care that I'm a former pop idol and you're ridiculously good looking. Mr. and Mrs. Sparda. Or Mr. and Mrs. Weatherby if you'd rather take my name."

Reaching up, Iris stroked his hair softly, "You'll open some kind of store, I'll bake brownies for the PTA, and little yet-to-be-named will be in drama but he'll also play some kind of sport because he'll have his mother's voice and his father's penchant to get in trouble so he better be able to take care of himself."

Smiling, she leaned up and kissed Dante under his chin, "I'll volunteer for the Christmas pageant, and you can dress up as Santa's younger brother, Studly Claus. And it'll be one good memory after the other, where we eventually wipe away the sins of the past by making up for the future."

~~~~

Careful with her, Vergil sat her back on the couch, and then helped her lie down, "You must lie down and rest, but I will not leave you."

He lifted her feet and put a ball of Dante's clothing under them, and covered her first with his coat, then with a blanket, before retrieving the bowl of water and beginning to clean her face gently with the towels. He frowned when she discussed Fenix, and he outright grimaced when she suggested that the demon was still alive.

"Then I will cut him down again. And again and again. As many times as it requires."

There was no possible way Mara was going to get a smile out of him, he was just not built for it. But his resting grimace was less of a grimace, if that were possible for Vergil. He finished cleaning her face and gently removed one arm from under his coat and the blanket, and began cleaning it off as well, drying it afterward, putting it beneath the warmth and moving to the other arm and doing the same. He was a gentleman, and left her torso alone, Iris could help her with that, but he then moved to her legs and cleaned them off as well.

Setting the bowl of water aside, he went and got a bottle of water out of Dante's fridge and then sniffed the air, finding a bottle of whiskey in his desk. He poured her the shot of whiskey and opened the bottle of water, giving her the alcohol first.

"Drink this quickly, and then you will drink the water. Then you will rest."

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