Gravedancer

Silthos blinked twice. "Conclusions? There was more than one decision made?"

Lucifer's smile widened. "Two, in fact. The first concerned the mist itself. After that little debacle, we've decided the having it watch over the souls of the marsh isn't the best plan. It will be locked down in the ice graves of the Fire Pits where it can't escape."

"Who will patrol the marsh once it's locked away?" Thaltos questioned.

"We'll have a round of guards patrolling he borders. If any soul tries to escape, they'll be dealt with."

Silence followed for a heartbeat before Darrow spoke up.

"And Claire?"

Lucifer's smile burst into a full grin. "Ah, now that is an interesting concept."

Oh fuck. This won't end well.

"We all agree that's she sacrificed an enormous amount to save the balance of our home, and that she should be properly commended. She's risked her own life and soul to maintain our world. After much deliberation, we've decided to offer miss Harding a choice as a reward for the courageous actions that she's shown." His flowery words did nothing to hide the spark of cruelty in his eyes.

"What kind of choice?" She managed to speak again.

"A choice of freedom, my dear." That spark of malice in his golden eyes began to bloom.

"Freedom...of what?" Her gut twisted again, doing somersaults around her intestines.

"Of your soul. The Counsil and I have decided that you've earned the rare honor of choosing whether you want to stay here with us, or go back home."

Claire stared at him, her jaw an inch from hitting the floor. Go home? Back to the real world with her family and friends and normal life? Back to blue skies and singing birds and the warm sun? She could go back and live as herself again?

The thought floored her. She could return to the waking world and resume her old life as if nothing happened. She'd have her family -- if they loved her anymore - and friends and schoolwork and everything. She could be human again, and live as if none of this had ever happened. As if her parents had never sold her ad as if she was Claire Melody Harding once again.

As if none of it ever happened...

But that would mean leaving behind Darrow, Silthos and Thaltos. Going back meant saying goodbye to Claire and Kerion and his children. She would never wander the halls of this realm again. She would never share her bed with her demons. She would never taste the delicious food that Silthos prepared for them every day. She'd have to leave her new life, the life she'd come to love, behind.

No. leaves them behind? No. No!

Tears stinging her eyes, Claire shook her head. "I couldn't. I couldn't leave them here."

"But Claire," Thaltos knelt down beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You could go home. Back to your friends and your life and you'd be normal again. You could do anything. You'd have your family again."

She looked at him, pained. "What family? My parents sod me off to you and my grandparents think I'm as evil as any guard here. I don't have a family back there anymore. You," she turned and cupped his face in her hands. "you guys are my family."

His steel eyes widened in shock. "But Claire-"

She shook her head again. "I don't want to leave!"

"You don't?" He stared at her, dumbfounded.

"No!" She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him close. "I want to stay with you!"

Thaltos stilled fro an instant, the wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. "You're sure?" he whispered into her hair.

She nodded vigorously, burying her face into his soft, snow-white flesh. She was safe here, loved here. She couldn't leave all this behind. This was where she belonged. With her demons, in their bed, safe and warm.

"Good," he whispered into her hair, bringing a smile to her lips.

"Miss Harding?" Lucifer's voice brought her back from her safety zone of Thaltos' arms.

She pulled away hesitantly, swallowing loudly as she turned to face him. Bright golden eyes speared her, watching her every muscle twitch. Swallowing again, she straightened and set her shoulders.

"Yes?"

"You've made your choice, I assume." He cocked an eyebrow, waiting for her answer.

She nodded, trying to quell her shaking. "Y-yes. I, uh, unfortunately must decline your offer to leave. I would rather stay here with my demon owners than go back."

Sculpted lips pursed as gold eyes narrowed. "You're sure about that? You'd be sacrificing your family and friends to stay here with the rest of us."

She forced a shrug. "To be honest, I don't really have much family left. And I was never really popular in school."

Lucifer took a long breath, a signal to her that he wasn't happy.

"I see. So your final decision is to remain here with us?"

She nodded. "Yes...sir."

His lips twitched. "Very well then. I'll tell the Counsil your decision."

She smiled softly. "Thank you."

Lucifer turned and strode towards the pool of shadows. He paused at the border of the black pool, peering over his shoulder and massive wings at her.

"I wish you luck, miss Harding. You'll need it here."

With his final veiled threat, the demon king stepped through the barrier of her room and dissipated into the dark.

She watched hi leave, the feeling of being devoured by his eyes now gone. Two more warm hands gripped her waist ad shoulders. Silthos and Darrow had stepped up behind her, flanking Thaltos and staring at her. She turned to see three sets of eyes locked on her, all three filled with elation.

"You're really staying?" Silthos' voice trembled slightly.

She smiled at them. "Of course I'm staying. Why would I leave? I have you three to get me through this."

Faster than lightening, all three of the launched themselves at her, tackling her to the floor and wrapping her tightly in a mass of warm flesh and soft kisses. She burst out laughing, looping her arms and legs around the bodies of her demons. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, letting the pepper her skin with as many kisses as they wanted.

She sighed inside herself. This is what she wanted, where she belonged, who she loved. She loved them, all of them, and hoped that she could live here for eternity with all her lovers. That would be wonderful.

A flash of memory flitted through her mind, a small scene from the first day she'd met her new lovers in the church...

"You've been so easy, I'm inclined to reward you. Tell me, Claire. What would you like as your reward?"

"To be happy. I've never really been happy. I've had love and friends, but I've always felt empty inside. Like something was missing, but I could never figure out what it was. That's what I want. To be happy."

"Fear not, child. We will make you happy. Very happy, indeed."

"Yes. There will be so many things to show you that will please you. We will make you so happy you will never want to leave us."

They were right. After all the trials and emotions she'd gone through while staying her, they'd been right. She never wanted to leave.

* * *

Epilogue

(Fifteen Years Later)

"Taros! Falgon! Mirak! Where are you?"

Claire wandered endlessly through the main hall, relentlessly calling out the names of her sons. They should be here somewhere, but much like their fathers, all thereof them had wills and ideas of their own. Today was a game of make-mommy-terrified-she-may-have-lost-us.

She stopped her useless wanderings, standing in the middle of the massive hall with her hands on her hips and a slight smile on her face. It wouldn't so any good to keep chasing them around like this; all three of her boys were half-demons, and therefore far faster than she could ever be. She didn't have a chance to corral them back, even if she did manage to catch sight of them running down the hall.

Fine then. They want to play games? I can play, too.

"Alright, you three. That's enough!" she called out. "You stand in front of me in ten seconds, or no dessert!"

A menagerie of cries of her unfairness and whines about hunger greeted her ears.. Claire smiled and rolled her eyes. Also much like their fathers, food was the ultimate persuader.

"I mean it. Eight seconds."

A clamor of voices and pounding footsteps echoed through the hall. Seconds later, three young boys rounded the winding corner, racing towards her at full speed. Their eyes were panicked, frightened. Horrified.

Ah, the persuasion the simple idea of dessert can have on kids.

She smiled to herself. Her kids were frighteningly predictable.

The three boys screeched to a halt inches from her, panting and exhausted from their sprint. They gazed up at her ,waiting for her verdict.

She smiled at them. "Well done. Four seconds to go."

They eyes lit up, small grins spreading across their faces.

Claire smiled down at them. It still shocked her how much they each looked like their fathers. Taros, her eldest at fourteen, had Darrow's dark eyes and reddish skin. Falgon, now thirteen, had inherited Thaltos' steel eyes and onyx-colored teeth. Her youngest, Mirak, nearly twelve, shared Silthos' dark skin and bright smile.

Still, her genetics hadn't been left out of the equation. Whether it was Mirak's soft grey eyes, Taros messy chestnut hair or Falgon's high cheekbones, there was a bit of her inside all of them that marked the boys as hers.

"So we can still have dessert?" Mirak pleaded.

She nodded. "Yes, you can. But dinner first."

A collective sigh of disappointment passed through the group of boys. Claire rolled her eyes. Just like their fathers when she says she's too tired.

"Come on. Dinner first, and no exceptions. Let's go." She spun on her heels and began to walk down the hallway again. The boys followed quickly behind her, whispering to each other whatever playful secrets young children had.

Claire walked silently, lost in her own musings. The train of her lavender dress flowed behind her, the soft silk whispering across the stone floor. Normally, if the boys were asleep and it was only her and her demons, she'd be completely naked. But around her sons, she felt far more comfortable being clothed out of modesty's and society's sake...for now, at least. They'd learn about sex soon enough.

They reached the door to their room quickly. Claire stepped aside and watched as each of her sons passed through the shadows. She gazed at them with her maternity-sharpened eyes, watching for any sign of trouble; Mirak had the nasty habit of running back out into the hall at the last instant. But tonight, with the prospect of dessert on the line, all three of them behaved well, walking quickly through the shadows without incident. She smiled and followed after them, reaching the interior of her room in record time.

Her lovers were already waiting for them at the table. Thaltos rested his arms on the table, patiently holding his hunger until they'd arrived. Silthos and Darrow hadn't been so courteous, and had started filling their plates with heaping mounds of food. She smiled and rolled her eyes, as impolite as it was, she knew better than to get between Darrow and food.

Each of her sons rushed the table, clamoring into the seats beside their fathers, Claire too the seat in the middle of the table, settling into the warmed wood of the chair. Now seated, the rest of the table began dinner, stacking layers of food from each of the many dishes set out on the table.

Thaltos curled an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in for a warm kiss.

"Hi," she purred.

"Fifteen years and you haven't aged a day." He nuzzled her hair.

"That makes you happy?" she teased.

"Only because you're still as young and virile and I remember." He grinned wickedly. His eyes flicked to the boys. "You found them. Well done."

She smiled and reached for her plate of rice and beef. "They'll come when called. You just need to use the right tool."

"And those would be?"

"Threaten their chance of dessert and they'll have smoke following behind them." She smirked and took her first bite.

"I'll have to remember that." He kissed her again. "Usually they laugh and run off when I try to track them down."

"Just have a little patience. They are half-demons, after all. They're bound to be a little rebellious." How true that was. Her three sons nearly had Thaltos clawing at his face just trying to keep them in line.

"Mom, when are you going to give us the talk?" As usual, Taros had to stir the pot with an unusual question.

She sighed. Ah, yes. The sex talk. The one thing every parent dreads when raising children. They'd been asking about it for the last two years, begging and pleading their parents for the chance to hash out the mechanics of sexuality. She knew better, of course. Their intentions were less about gaining insight and more about hearing the gory details.

Well, what did you expect? Three sons born from three demons. Of course they're going to be curious.

"You promised you'd tell us," Mirak chimed in.

"We did, and we will. But not at the table." Silthos' answer stopped the conversation cold.

Her sons sulked, staring at their plates of food with disappointment.

"Speaking of sex," Darrow perked up. "Guess who's found a potential bride."

Her gaze snapped to him, eyes widening with shock. "Lucifer? Really?"

Her lover nodded. "There's a rumor that a family bartered their daughter off to him in exchange for being wormed into English royalty."

He had her attention now. "What do we know about her?"

"Darrow shrugged apologetically. "Not much. She's supposed to be gorgeous, but no one's actually seen her yet."

Her attention was now fully on Darrow. The fact that Lucifer had found a possible candidate for a lover gave her an enormous sense of relief. At least now he'd have something else to glare at.

"Mom-" Falgon started.

She held up her hand. "Just a minute. What's her name?"

"Michelle Harlowe. She's from Phoenix, I think."

"How old is she?"

"Supposedly, she's just turned nineteen. She's a virgin. Her parents made damn sure of that."

"I'll bet," Silthos snorted. "Sending used merchandise off to Lucifer is suicide."

She made a face and returned her stare to her plate of food. The poor thing. She'd be stuck with that horrid fallen angel for eternity, a fate far worse than death itself.

"You think shell be alright after marrying him?" she mutter at her food.

"I think she'll be fine. Lucifer may be a little stubborn and aggressive, but he's got a weak spot for being cherished." Silthos muttered through a mouthful of bread.

"Really?" She stared at Silthos now, stunned.

"After the fallout with his father, all he really needs to keep him under control in is a little TLC. Michelle's supposed to have a heart of platinum, she I think he'll get all the loving her needs." Darrow smiled at her.

She smiled back. Taking another bite of food. "Well...I guess I wish him the best of luck."

"Same," Thaltos chimed. "The calmer Lucifer is, the happier the rest of us are."

Damn straight.

They ate in relative silence, the quiet only punctuated but her son's relentless questions about nothingness. Her lovers answered to the best of their ability, trying to placate their sons until dinner was over. If they could be kept calm until then, they could release all that pent-up energy with a good wrestling match. At least, that's what Thaltos had promised them.

But Claire's thoughts wandered elsewhere, focusing on Lucifer's new bride. She wondered vaguely how the girl must be feeling about her soon-to-be life. Surely she knew who she was marrying and where she was going. Claire remembered being frightened when her lovers had first come to claim her. But to know you're marrying Lucifer... the poor girl must be terrified.

Maybe I'll get a chance to meet her once she comes down. She might need a friend or two after consummating that union. Maybe she'll even come to like it here.

She smiled to herself, watching out of the corner of her eyes as her lovers laughed and joked with their sons.

After all, hell isn't all that awful.

* * *

And there we go. Claire's story finishes with a happy ending, three children and the prospect of a new queen.

For those of you who asked for a story about Lucifer's love life, I've already set up the next plot for you. Miss Harlowe's tale will be the next series.

Once again, thanks so much for your support and love. I've had a lot of laughs, tears and screaming sessions writing this series, but it was all worth it. I sincerely hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.