He comes in the night

The story continues.

A.N.: I won't repeat this so take note. I don't own Devil May Cry or any of its characters. I don't own the OC because she's Vergil's and he was severely displeased when I suggested she was mine. It was safer to let him have her.

This is the first time I've published a story that isn't finished yet. New chapters may/will take more time than usual, but I will finish the story.

Chapter 1

The shop door opened. A tall blond woman entered and looked in disbelief at the man sitting in the chair behind the desk. He was leaning back, his feet resting on the desk, a magazine covering his face.

"Can you believe it? He's sleeping while we run around like idiots fighting demons and devils," she said.

"He won't be sleeping much longer," her dark-haired friend said.

She pulled out a gun and shot the man through the magazine in the head.

"What the …" The man sat bolt upright. "Can't you let me sleep for just a minute? I've been on my feet all night. And did you have to ruin my magazine. It's the biggest and best to catch some zees during the day."

"We've been up since the before sunrise ourselves," Lady said. "What's happening in this town? It's become Demon Central. There was an actual portal with demons flooding through. It was as bad as …"

She stopped. Despite the time that had passed, despite what had happened at Mallet Island, Temen-ni-gru was still a difficult subject for Dante. Not that he had ever talked about it. Lady had heard the end of Vergil's story from Trish but both women had come to the same conclusion. Dante blamed himself because he had failed to stop his twin from jumping into the Demon Realm; blamed himself for what Vergil had become: a pawn of the devil responsible for their mother's death.

"I think something big is going to happen," Trish said. "This morning we found an open portal and before I came here I saw someone who looked just like Vergil. Actually, Dante, I think it WAS your brother."

"Couldn't be Vergil. I killed him on Mallet Island, remember?"

"You think you killed him, Dante. Neither of us ever saw a body," Trish corrected him.

"I've got his amulet, Trish. He would never have given that away willingly. Finding that was as good as finding a body."

The women saw the shadow of pain pass across his handsome features. They knew that losing his twin had been hard on Dante, despite the trouble the reappearance of Vergil had always caused. Three times Dante had lost his brother: once as a child, once after Vergil's defeat at Temen-ni-gru, and the last time nearly five years ago at Mallet Island.

"Besides," Dante continued, "Mundus would have killed him after that last defeat. He wasn't exactly the forgiving kind if one of his champions failed him. Remember Griffon?"

"I do," Trish answered. 'But Vergil had one advantage Griffon didn't have. Mundus's little sister Solaris never fancied Griffon, but she wanted Vergil more than anything else, even a defeated Vergil. Perhaps even more so. A defeated Vergil might finally give in to her."

"I don't buy it. Why now after all this time? Perhaps it was some other devil, a Nelo Angelo lookalike."

Trish shook her head.

"He was in human form, with that flash blue coat of his, and he had Yamato. I know it was Vergil; I had a good look at him when I followed him. Then I lost him near that new casino, the one the Fanshaah are running."

"Why don't you let me kill those demons, Dante?" Lady butted in. "Surely they cheat every poor fool that enters there."

"Not the Fanshaah," Trish and Dante said simultaneously.

"I checked it out, Lady. Even I managed to win at that place," Dante added.

"They are still demons. Perhaps they don't cheat because they're hiding something. Or someone. Vergil for instance."

"Vergil is gone. What Trish saw was a lookalike … or a copy. They must have made a copy of Vergil. Just like they made you, Trish."

"I'm sorry, Dante. It was Vergil. When you saw me you knew I wasn't your mother. I look like her, but I'm not an exact copy. The person I saw was so like Vergil that it could only be him."

"Doppelganger?"

"Only works if Vergil is still alive. You may have to accept that you didn't kill him, Dante."

"Okay, so I didn't kill him. Vergil is still alive," Dante said "Why would he be here? What would he do here?"

"Opening portals? Make preparations for a war with humankind?" Trish suggested. "Perhaps instead of threatening and torturing him, Solaris promised something Vergil could not refuse. Perhaps with Mundus out of the way she offered him a place as her co-ruler. Emperor of the Demon Realm and the Human World combined, next to his Empress."

"Vergil would never make a deal with Mundus's sister."

"Not even after you bested him again? Wouldn't he like to face you again? You on your own against him with the entire might of the Demon Realm behind him? Just so he can defeat you at last?"

Dante shook his head. "His honour wouldn't allow it. He wants to beat me, but only in a fair fight."

"What about all the power he would have?" Lady added. "That's what he was after in Temen-ni-gru, wasn't he? Power, Sparda's power. Just like my father."

"Yes, but he was talking about needing power to protect. He never said anything about ruling. He felt that mother died because of his lack of power." Dante sighed. "I tried to explain to him that we were just children when mother died, but he wouldn't have it. Father had left him in charge and he had failed."

Lady shrugged. "Who's to say his goals haven't changed since Temen-ni-gru? Sparda's power was lost there, wasn't it? That's what you told me afterwards."

"There is something else to consider, Dante," Trish suggested. "Nelo Angelo is no longer Vergil. He didn't even remember you anymore. Then why would he have remembered his desire to protect. Don't you think he might be tempted with the promise that he could rule Sparda's world?"

"Damn the both of you. You're probably right. And even if you're wrong trouble always follows whenever Vergil shows up." He jumped up and grabbed Rebellion. "Well I'm rested and angry enough to kill any amount of demons that happen to come my way. See you girls later."

He strode towards the door and turned before leaving.

"By the way, don't bother looking for money. There isn't any. And don't think you can go out to buy clothes. I cancelled all the accounts you opened in my name in the boutiques in Capulet City."

He smiled when he saw the disgruntled look on the faces of the women.

"You still owe me, Dante," Lady shouted. "Don't think I'll forget it."

ooOOoo

The devil was opening a portal, an old one. One that hadn't been opened in centuries and it wasn't easy to reopen it. But it could be done, would be done.

"Patience," the hidden devil-hunter thought. "The portal cannot be destroyed permanently yet. Just a little bit longer."

For three months he'd been pursuing his quarry; three long months in which he hadn't seen his mate. More than once he'd been tempted to abandon the chase, go home, and pick up the creature's scent again after his need had been fulfilled, but his sense of responsibility had prevailed. He continued the hunt for this devil. High-ranking since he could open portals, even some that had been closed by Sparda; perhaps not the highest ranking since he didn't have any men to guard his back.

This was not a job he would be paid for. This was the task he had taken upon himself: to protect the Human World and its people. A task Vergil took very seriously now. A task that had been rendered more difficult by the devil he had finally caught up with.

So far he had always arrived when the portal was already open and enough demons had come through to hold him up for too long. By the time the portal was destroyed and the fiends dealt with, the devil responsible had too much of a head start already. It was sheer luck that had brought the prey within his grasp.

Thankfully Vergil had heard the voices before he would have come in full view of the two women.

"We have to close that portal, Lady, and stop more demons from coming through," the she-devil had said while destroying her opponents with her lightning strikes.

"Be my guest," the brunette had answered, emptying a magazine of bullets in record time.

He recognised them of course. Trish, she-devil made in his mother's image who had helped his brother and clearly had become a devil-hunter herself; and Arkham's daughter, who seemed to be less opposed to devils than she used to be.

Vergil had left them to it and had followed the trail that had led him to his goal. In time since the portal had not been opened yet.

When the last ritual was performed and the portal was slowly widening Vergil quietly approached the devil who was too preoccupied with his job to hear him coming. The slight noise as Vergil's thumb released Yamato from its saya warned the fiend. He swivelled round, hand on his sword. Too late. Vergil's drawing strike cut through de devil and the devise that was opening the portal.

Nothing seemed to happen.

With a sneer the devil said, "Missed, Son of Sparda."

"I most certainly did not," Vergil answered.

He flicked the blood of his sword and sheathed it. As it clicked into place the devil disintegrated and the portal collapsed on top of the hapless demons that had tried to squirm through the still narrow gap.

Vergil walked towards the remains of the portal. It had imploded, depositing its debris in the Demon Realm. The opening device itself had turned to dust. He picked up the Devil Arm his opponent had turned into, a zweihänder, similar to the one he had wielded as Nelo Angelo. He would put it in the armoury, a warded storage area deep under the cellars of the casino in Capulet City. He would never use the sword. It reminded him too much of the time spent in thrall to Mundus and Solaris. The thought of those wasted years left a bitter taste, but there was nobody to blame, nobody to punish, nobody but his arrogant younger self. He most definitely did not need a reminder.

On the way back to Capulet City Vergil couldn't keep his last kill out of his mind. Initially he thought it was the zweihänder and the memories it had stirred up, but he soon realised that was not the casse. There was something else. Something about the lone devil opening portals felt wrong.

More accurately, several things about the situation bothered Vergil. Why had those portals been opened one by one? It had been pointless. They had been closed before too many demons and devils had come through, and the few that had come through had been weaklings, too easily dispatched. And why had they been opened from the Human World towards the Demon Realm? It would have been just as easy to open them in the Demon Realm itself, and less noticeable.

Decoy! The word flashed into his mind like a warning beacon. Vergil knew he was right. It was the only logical explanation but it didn't answer the most important question. What was it a decoy for? What was being planned in the Demon Realm? He needed to find out.

First though he had to see his mate. His body was clamouring for her; his need too great to be ignored any longer. Especially since his three month hunt had brought him to the vicinity of Capulet City. Solaris might have awakened that side of his devil, but it was his mate he wanted; the human who had enchanted him, always ready, never demanding.

ooOOoo

"It's been five years since my brother became buried under the rubble of Mallet Island. Why isn't he free yet?"

The she-devil looked at the demon in front of her. She had put him in charge of liberating her brother after his catastrophic encounter with Dante, son of Sparda.

"Why does it take you so long to remove some stones? Stones from the Human World as well. They should be obliterated by now!" she shouted.

"It's not just stone from the Human World, mistress," the demon said. "Part of our citadel fell as well. That stone is alive and has bonded with the stone from Mallet Island. It's nearly impossible to shift, and it keeps moving back as if it wants to rebuild the citadel on top of our Emperor."

To his colleague he whispered, "And if the idiot had any sense he would keep still, but whenever he's nearly free he moves and the whole thing collapses on top of him again."

Unfortunately for the demon Solaris had heard him.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL MY BROTHER?"

A red-hot ball – as red as her blazing eyes – flew from her hand and hit the demon in the chest. Within seconds the hapless target of Solaris's wrath was engulfed by flames. One scream of agony and all that was left was a small heap of ashes.

Solaris now turned to the second demon.

"I trust you can finish the job or are you as incapable as that?"

The demon looked at what was left of his colleague and swallowed.

"Yes, yes, Mistress. I can," he said, his throat feeling as dry as the dessert outside. "But with more men …"

"There aren't any more. I need the rest for our army," she snarled. "Or are you suggesting I should use soldiers to do your job?"

"No, Mistress, of course not."

The demon looked at the ashes again. Undoubtedly his future if he couldn't get more men. He might as well go for broke rather than drag out the agony of suspense.

"I merely thought it could build up the stamina of the new recruits."

The demon waited for the flames that didn't come. He looked up and saw Solaris's eyes were no longer red. She seemed to consider his request.

Relief flooded his body when she said, "Not a bad idea. I'll talk to the general in charge of the recruits. He should be able to give you two hundred extra men. Will that be enough?"

The demon nodded vigorously. "Yes, Mistress. Absolutely. Thank you."

He knew he'd be lucky if he got fifty, but it would be enough if he worked them hard enough. And boy, would he work them hard, the stuck-up shits who'd been selected for active combat. They would learn what work really felt like.

Solaris watched the demon walk away with a new spring in his step. She had never agreed with her brother's practice of killing faithful servants after one mistake, but she would remove deadweight otherwise things would never get done. With the right man in charge Mundus would soon be free and then they would bring war to the Human World, and to the sons of Sparda.

The she-devil changed from her silk gown into her battle gear for her daily inspection of the troops. She preferred her flowing dresses in softest silk with their gold and silver embroidery, but had decided she needed to look like a warrior when addressing her brother's generals. The outfit she wore was made especially for her, following her specifications, based on female warriors in the Human Realm. Decorative rather than functional, it exposed more flesh than the soldiers usually saw on a battle field. Nobody explained to Solaris that she had based it on fantasy heroines; nobody told her how unsuitable her outfit really was. To her that would mean criticism and criticising Solaris was like playing Russian roulette with one free chamber instead of one bullet. Besides, why would they give up the chance of seeing so much of her scrumptious body?

The generals were waiting for her with their men standing to attention. Solaris had started with the build-up of this army immediately after Vergil had escaped the Demon Realm. She wanted revenge because he had dared to leave her. She also wanted him back, in chains, at her feet.

The inspection never lasted long. The baking heat of the dessert felt too hot after the comfortable coolness of her quarters. It wasn't about the troops anyway. It was all about asserting her power over the generals in her brother's absence. She couldn't let any of them think they might be a better emperor to the Demon Realm than Mundus. She had warned them that insubordination would be punished harshly. So far she had only needed to show once what 'harshly' really meant. She had brought the devil-arm to every inspection since.

Solaris was proud of her achievement. Except for the newest recruits it was a fine army. She complimented the generals.

"Gentlemen, seeing what you have accomplished, seeing these fine men who will bring our revenge to the Sons of Sparda fills me with the certainty that we will bring down the last of the house of Sparda. My brother will be proud of you, and I have high hopes that he will soon be able to says so himself."

There was a shifting and murmuring among the crowd at Solaris's announcement. She waited until the noise had quietened down.

Then she shouted, "Victory to the Demon Realm. Victory to Mundus."

The cry was repeated by every devil and demon present, "Victory to the Demon Realm. Victory to Mundus."

It took longer after this outburst before peace had returned to the plain, but Solaris had no intention to shout above the din, so she waited until everyone's attention was on her again. Then she waited a bit longer.

When all was quiet she said, "General Matlin, you and your recruits need to stay. The rest is dismissed."

The General wondered what he or one of his recruits could have done wrong. As far as he knew there was nothing, but Solaris had such a volatile temperament that it could be anything. He swore under his breath. If one of his recruits was the cause of … of … of whatever was going to happen, he would gladly kill the little shit. If – as was likely – Solaris herself didn't take care of it.

Solaris waited until only General Matlin and his men were left on the field, unaware of the panic that was slowly rising in every demon and devil still present. Meanwhile she studied the recruits which didn't help their nerves.

"General Matlin, I have a request," she finally said.

The General was well aware that this 'request' was an order, plain and simple.

"How can I be of service, Ma'am," he said.

"I need two hundred of your men to help clear the rubble that is still holding my brother prisoner. You will have them report to the overseer at the site immediately. I can plainly see that some of your men would greatly profit by the exercise, so I expect to see them working there today."

"But, Ma'am, I need to train these men for combat, for the coming war against the human race."

"Are you saying that you prefer my brother to remain imprisoned under the rubble that has held him captive for five years? Are you insinuating that your paltry troops are more important than the Lord Mundus himself?"

"Of course not, of course not," General Matlin hastened to say. "My men and I would do anything to see our Lord Mundus liberated."

"Well then?"

"I will get to it immediately, Ma'am," he said through gritted teeth. Then he had an idea and added, "May I perhaps make a suggestion?"

"You may," Solaris said a touch of impatience to her voice.

"I know the site where our Lord is imprisoned and fear that two hundred men will end up being in the way of themselves and everyone else there, hindering the effort more than aiding it," the General explained. "I believe four contingents of fifty men, each working six hours would be more helpful. Fifty men would be useful instead of in the way, and four contingents working six hours each would mean the work could continue round the clock."

"That seems a reasonable proposition," Solaris said. "I'm sure the first group of fifty can be at the site within the next hour. Thank you for the cooperation, General."

General Matlin heaved a sigh of relief when Solaris sped to her apartment. Disaster had been averted. The war couldn't start soon enough for him. Fighting the humans would be safer than being anywhere near Solaris …or Mundus.

ooOOoo