Butcher Bird

"You can't, child. I'm already dead." Xero pulled his helmet off. Spyder was surprised by what he saw. After all of Shrike's vitriol and the terrible dream they'd shared in the desert, he was expecting a brute. What he saw was a refined and strangely handsome face. It was long, with a wide forehead, bright eyes and the kind of nose his grandma would have called "noble." Xero's smile was wide and toothy, giving him an elegantly feral look. It was no mystery why a younger, more naive Shrike would have fallen hard for the man.

"I'll burn your soul from existence," she said.

"Lucifer said the same thing and he hasn't managed it. What makes you think you can?"

"I hate you more than the devil does."

Xero laughed. "That, I believe," he said. "I'll make you a proposal. Stay here with me in Hell and I'll release your father from his curse. I'm going to win this war soon. I already control the outlands and am slowly strangling Lucifer. When I take his throne, I'll have more use for a bride than a broken-back nag," he said, pulling Shrike's father's matted hair.

"I trusted you once and it destroyed my world. I won't trust you again."

"Please reconsider. For both your sakes. It's a reasonable offer. When I have to make the offer again, the terms will diminish and they'll diminish each time I ask you, until you agree."

"I'll cut my own throat first," said Shrike.

"Perfect. Then you'll end up right back here with me."

Spyder saw it just before it happened. In Xero's presence, Shrike was still that furious, irrational, deeply wronged teenage girl. And she was losing her shit completely, he thought. She shrieked and went right for Xero, her sword up in killing position. Xero brought his bow up and fired off a volley of arrows at her, but he didn't really seem to be trying to kill her. He was laughing the whole time. Shrike spun and parried, splitting the arrows in the air. Spyder was already hacking his way through Xero's army when one of the arrows slashed Shrike's right arm. But she kept coming, even while Xero took aim right at her heart.

Spyder reached the chariot and lunged blindly, not knowing or caring where he hit. He jammed the black blade into Xero's right thigh. The general groaned and backhanded Spyder off the chariot, harder than any human had ever hit him before. Spyder blacked out for a moment, but shook himself awake enough to see Xero pull out the knife as his leg was cooked black. Apollyon's blade even burned his hand. He tossed it away, and his demon troops scattered from the knife as it fell. Spyder scrambled to retrieve it and was almost run down by Xero as he shifted his chariot to slip Shrike's sword blow. Kicking his chariot forward, he took off fast across the blood- and machine-oil-splattered plain. His surviving troops followed behind on foot.

Spyder, still winded from Xero's blow, staggered to where Shrike was on her knees. When he touched her, she was softly crying, and pushed Spyder away.

"I lost him," she said between sobs. "My father was right here. I lost him and it's my fault."

"Xero played you," said Spyder. "You weren't ready for him. You will be next time."

"I will," she said. "Are you all right? I didn't mean to push you."

"It's all right."

Lulu dropped down on the ground nearby, breathing hard. Seeing her, Spyder had to laugh.

"I guess we can forget the element of surprise," he said.

They were filthy, covered in sweat, demon blood and fluids Spyder didn't want to think about.

"It takes a big man to get down on his knees and beg," said Lulu.

"It's why us sissies carry knee pads. Ashbliss, can you hear me?"

The little demon was suddenly standing on a nearby alkali mound, wringing his pudgy hands.

"You're all so damp and exhausted. Am I too late for the rutting?"

Forty-Eight

Treacherous and Boring

"Okay, little man, let's make a deal," said Spyder.

"Lovely," said Ashbliss. "You know my terms."

"We'll cut you loose from Beelzebub, but first we need the book," said Shrike.

"Nonsense. You have the knife. First my master, then your book."

"We have the knife, but that might not be enough. To use the knife, we have to get close to your master and that might not be possible. If we have the book, we can use its magic to safely free you."

"Or destroy me. I'm not sure I want to help you after all."

"Ashbliss, don't be that way," said Spyder. "We're not demons. We're human. If we make a bargain, we keep it."

"Humans are the most treacherous animals in existence! Everyone knows that!" Ashbliss shouted. "It's not even fun going to Earth and corrupting you because you're all halfway there."

"How can we prove to you that we intend to honor our bargain?" asked Shrike.

"There is nothing you can say or do. I don't trust you. Accept my bargain as stated or I'll be on my way. I'm sure other talking meat will be along shortly, after your bones are used to fill potholes in the road to Gehenna."