~...~

Kat sneaked me a small, green bottle with what looked like less than a sip of liquid while I was helping Eva with breakfast the following morning. Eva didn't notice, and Vergil had left my side for a minute when Sparda called for help at the backdoor with a box of tools in his arms. She was in and out of the kitchen so fast that not even Vergil knew any better.

I wanted to ask her how long it would take to work, how long it would last for, and I wanted to thank her. I decided to empty the contents of the bottle into my cup of tea instead, my back turned to Vergil, and went to sit down beside him as I sipped at it eagerly. He put his hand on my belly.

"How are you doing this morning?" he asked, watching me practically downing my tea.

"Good. Scared," I said, and froze in surprise. Did I just say that out loud?

"That's normal, sweetheart," Eva said, and we both looked at her as she placed a plate of pancakes on the counter. "Baby is due this week, isn't it? It's normal to get jittery about labour. You'll get over that soon enough."

I stared back at her, suddenly feeling very sick and terrified. I looked down at my ginormous stomach, back up at her, and got up when Vergil tried to rub my back. I gulped down my tea, as much as it felt like it was scalding my throat and insides, as I made my way to the sink. I stood for a second as the world around me seemed to snap into perfect, crystal clear reality, and leaned weakly against the sink.

"Are you alright?" Eva asked worriedly.

"Come sit down," Vergil appeared beside me, taking my hand.

I let him help me back over to my stool, and fought to keep from throwing up. I had to put my head down on my arms, and closed my eyes when the thing inside me kicked hard. Somebody was rubbing my back, and Eva was talking to me in a calm, comforting voice. I could finally breathe again when the taste in my mouth dissipated. I slowly straightened up on my stool and looked at Eva's sympathetic expression and Vergil's confused one.

"Maybe you should go have a lie down."

"I think you're right," Vergil said. He took my hand again and helped me off the stool. I followed him to the family den and sank down onto one of the couches.

"I'll get you some water," Vergil said. "Stay here."

I watched him leave and looked down at my belly again. This week. That was insane. I couldn't, nor did I want to, go through labour. I wanted this thing out of me, yesterday. I wanted to kill Vergil. I wanted to hurt him before I killed him. Poison. Sword. Gun? Which would be the most sufficient to kill this thing but keep me alive?

I tried to blank out my thoughts when Vergil reappeared with a glass of water. Eva was behind him with a small bundle of blue in her arms.

"I have a doctor's appointment in town. If you need me, you know how to reach me," Eva said, and smiled warmly at me. "You'll be fine, Cora. Just rest as much as you can and we'll have a chat later."

I gave her a small wave and grimaced at the glass Vergil was holding to me. I took it but didn't drink it.

"You don't need to be nervous. Everything will be fine," he was saying just as Kat appeared in the doorway.

"Hey," she greeted. "Dante's looking for you."

Vergil glanced at her impatiently, and gave my leg a little pat. "Drink up and lie down. I'll be with you in a moment."

I watched him leave the room and signalled to Kat to stay behind his back. She hung back, watching him. Then, finally, she turned to look at me again.

"Did you drink it yet?"

"Yeah," I said, pushing myself off the couch. "And Dante?"

"I snuck him some good stuff while he was sleeping last night. I think that's why he wants to see Vergil."

I grabbed her arms and gave her a little shake to stop talking. "Get out of here, Kat. You need to leave this place."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm going to burn this fucker to the ground."

"You're what?" Kat gasped, taken aback.

"I'm telling you because I don't want you to get hurt. Get out before it's too late. Take Dante with you. Just get out while you can," I said hurriedly, strolling to the front door and grabbing the bike keys. I stopped suddenly, and spun to face her.

"Where's my dog?"

"What dog?" Kat asked worriedly. "Cora, I don't think that potion agrees with you."

He killed my hellhound, too, then. The. Fucking. Bastard.

"Just calm down and think for a second…" Kat was saying.

"I warned you. I'm sorry. I have to do this."

I closed the door behind me and scrambled onto Vergil's bike. It was a whole lot harder to do with a double-watermelon-sized torso in the way, but I managed far quicker than I'd expected. I pealed down the road toward town, every part of me burning with revenge.

Sweet, sweet revenge.

I'd always known that I'd never be able to kill Vergil myself. But I certainly knew who could do the job. I pulled up outside the Hot Spot, feeling a pang of familiarity at the sight of it. I went inside and savoured the almost homely smell of sulphur that enveloped me upon entry. The bar was shady and smoky, as always, and Yt seemed amused to see me again.

"The usual?" he asked.

"Nothing. All I want is the location where I can find Kurst."

"It's gonna cost you…"

"Your life if you try to mess me around," I said sweetly. "I have to go see him. Tell me where he is."

Yt cocked his head to the side. "Last I heard, he was headed over to see his master to give report."

"You mean he's gone to Hell."

"I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding him."

I shot him the bird and left in a huff. Unlike the others, I knew there was a hellgate in the country side, roughly forty miles north of the Sparda residence. It was a well hidden one deep within the pit of a cave. Getting to it was pretty much straightforward. Getting through it into hell was just as easy.

It was navigating my way through hell that became a bit tricky, and before I knew it, several smart-ish demons had ceased me and took me to their master. For credit, or recognition, or to win favour, I have no idea – they kept hissing something about me carrying great power and that their master would, or wouldn't, be pleased about it.

It turned out to be the latter.

Their master also happened to be Mundus himself. He was bigger and a bit better looking than I'd imagined, and incredibly displeased when I was dragged into his court. He took one look at me – or maybe three, considering he had three eyes – and I could feel instant dislike radiate from him.

Lucky for me, Kurst just so happened to be right next to him. They'd been discussing something and both had stopped to turn to me when the grovelling demons around me drew their attention.

"Be done away with her and whatever she carries," Mundus said in a thunderous voice.

I looked at Kurst pointedly, who stepped forward when the demons holding me hostage squealed in disappointment.

"I'll take care of it," Kurst said, removing me from the other demons.

It wasn't until we were alone and a good distance away from the court that he finally spoke to me.
"What are you doing here, little one?"

"I was looking for you."

"Oh?" He clearly hadn't expected this as he looked back at me with curiosity in his red eyes.

"I have a proposition for you."

~…~

The air was still, the sun high in the mid-day sky. We came to the Sparda residence under a veil of silence and swiftness. Certainly Sparda would sense the legion of warrior and hunter demons surrounding the grounds, but I fully believed that Sparda would be able to fight them off. Vergil, on the other hand, wouldn't. He had brains and some really smart moves, but he wouldn't hold up well against an army without Dante. Or, that's what I kept telling myself anyway.

The mansion was quiet. I hoped that Kat and Dante had left already, as I'd asked. In the distance I couldn't see Dante's bike in the driveway, and Eva's car was nowhere in sight. Perfect timing.

Kurst signalled to his soldiers and they spread out, closing in on the mansion. If Sparda would call me a traitor for handing him over to his enemy on a gold platter, I didn't care. All I wanted was revenge. I wanted to burn this place to the ground, and any memories Vergil had within it. I wanted Vergil to suffer before the inevitable.

I hung around at the back of the second legion of demons – a backup in case Sparda proved too difficult, Mundus had said – a discreet distance away from the mansion. The demons swarmed the place like a wave of black bees descending upon a beehive. I couldn't hear anything from here, no gunshots or sword fight. I saw a part of the mansion crumble to the ground in a massive cloud of grey dust, and then an explosion that made the ground beneath my feet rattle. The place went up in flames, and the army began to retreat.

I saw them dragging Sparda's somewhat mutilated body, and I wondered if he really was dead. They'd caught Vergil, and lucky for me, he was still conscious. A bit out of it, as he was mumbling something and struggling against his captives, and blood was gushing from a nasty wound in his head.

Mundus had blood on his face and shirt. Everyone looked a bit worse for wear. I couldn't help but prance vengefully alongside Vergil as we headed back toward the hellgate. It wasn't until we were physically back in hell that Sparda came to. I made myself scarce before he could lay eyes on me. I heard Mundus order them to chain and bind Sparda and torture him. I didn't think much of it – once he'd recouped, Sparda would break free. Because he was Sparda.

I got to sit in and watch them torment Vergil. They had him chained down, the same as Sparda. Only, they had another demon who specialised in – as Kurst put it – mind-fucking, giving Vergil his full attention. I didn't get to see what exactly this pale, alien-like corpse was putting into Vergil's head, but whatever it was, it had to be pretty good. Vergil had broken out in a sweat and ceaselessly struggled against the chains. He called out many names – Kat came up a couple of times, Eva, too. He was mostly crying out to Dante.

"Let me see," I eventually slapped the demon on the shoulder, breaking his concentration and winning a glowering look from him.

"Don't disrupt me of my orders, girl," he snarled at me.

"I'm bored. It's no fun that I don't get to see what you're doing," I snarled right back.

"You," Vergil rasped hoarsely, drawing our attention back to him. He'd opened his eyes and was staring at me in open rage and horror. "You did this!"

I widened my eyes at him sarcastically. "Surprise!"

"You-you've taken everything from me!"

"Well what goes around comes around now then, doesn't it?" I grinned.

"You killed them all!"

I felt my heart drop and I looked at the demon beside me sharply. "You put that in his head, right?" I hissed.

The demon smirked at me, and gave me a friendly nudge with his shoulder. "Let me get back to work, girl."

I looked back at Vergil, and puckered my lips as I got to my feet. "This week, huh?" I said, patting my belly, watching his reaction closely.

His face went almost as white as his hair, cold blue eyes darting from my face to my belly. "No."

"Oh, don't worry. I'll come drop it off to keep you company as soon as it's out," I said icily.

"No… Cora, don't…"

"What are you going to do, Vergil? You can't stop me."

He strained against the chains so hard, I thought they might actually give. His eyes were wild and rage distorted his regal features.

"When I get out of here, I'm going to find you," he growled furiously, not once wavering in his strain.

"You won't find me. You'll never find me. Do you know why?" I said angrily, and I couldn't even muster a spiteful smile. "You will never again be free."

I left the fiery chamber and Vergil's outraged screams followed me.

~..~*~...~The End~...~*~...~

0_o

(Psssst! Why Do I Love You is the sequel ;)
You're welcome!)