Daughter of Damnation Ch. 5

2000

Uncomfortable silence hung thick between Evelyn and Zadkiel, punctuated only by the hum of the road and the occasional thump of gravel underneath their wheels. The archangel made a point of averting their gaze from Evelyn, and they instead focused on their forearm, which still held small marks from the needles they’d been poked and prodded with during their captivity.

Evelyn, thankfully, no longer buzzed with the aura of her former self. Her show of force back at the facility, as effortless as she’d made it look, had nearly completely depleted the energy she’d taken from the souls of her victims.

The memory of her actions burned a hole in her thoughts. She loathed the archangel sitting next to her, the very same creature that had forced her to surrender to the cruel and torturous persona that had dominated her existence for millennia. She despised how easily it had returned to her; how natural it had been to overpower the humans around her and use them as stepping stones for her own selfish goals. Worst of all, the taste of those souls still lingered. As much as she tried to force herself to see them as people, as complex individuals with hopes and dreams that didn’t deserve this fate, it was impossible to overlook the rich ambrosia that she’d been resisting for the last fifty years.

No, stop. Focus. Ground yourself, Evelyn.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to distance herself from the hate.

Acknowledge the hate, see it for what it is, then step back from it. I am not my hate. I am not my instincts. I am not a slave to what I am.

Nearly an hour passed before Evelyn felt comfortable enough with herself to speak up. She didn’t dare look at Zadkiel, for risk of losing herself to her frustration again, and spoke while keeping her eyes locked on the road ahead of her.

“Is that what you wanted?” Evelyn asked, her tone forcefully neutral.

“You would mock us? Now?” Zadkiel responded, their voice carrying far more emotion than Evelyn’s. “Why would we possibly want to be ferreted off and used as a… a specimen?”

“You called the cops, Zadkiel. You told them where we were, you offered yourself up on a silver platter.”

“The authorities are supposed to help those in need! The nice waitress, Linda, told us that police officers exist to protect and serve their communities. How were we supposed to know that they would betray our confidence like that?”

Evelyn paused, letting Zadkiel’s words hang in the air. She wished she could just slap some sense into the archangel, but instead she continued gripping the steering wheel with unnatural intensity.

“Five.”

Zadkiel looked to Evelyn. “What do you speak of now?”

“You didn’t want to be in that facility, correct?” Evelyn asked.

“Correct. But that does not mean we wish to be in your custody!” they protested.

“But you find this situation better than that one?”

“Your company is horrid and demeaning, Hellspawn. But… given the context, perhaps you are the lesser evil. Even if we know that you are hiding your true motives.”

Another pause, then Evelyn quietly repeated herself. “Five. In order to free you from that facility, I had to kill five people. Three of them have a chance for eternal salvation, and are likely being judged as we speak. The other two, however? I had to take their souls. They’re gone, Zadkiel. That was the price of your freedom.”

“Do not dare to pin this blame on me, Hellspawn!” Zadkiel hissed. “We both know that your kind only exist by killing. How many die each day just so you can continue blighting the world with your existence?”

A flash of anger broke through Evelyn’s control, and she glared at Zadkiel, her eyes flaring with infernal presence. “Blighting the world? Need I remind you why I exist, archangel? Your siblings made us, cast my mother from the Garden and cursed her to become the monster she is today. Never forget that, when you curse a demon, you and your ilk are the reasons we exist. Were you a part of that decision, Zadkiel? Did you agree that Lilith deserved to be banished from paradise?”

“We simply punished her for her impudence. It was her hatred that warped her into the Mother of Demons, not our actions.”

Chastising herself for losing control, Evelyn bit her tongue and forced herself to stay quiet. She was in no condition to continue this conversation, and already sensed that her aura was threatening to infringe on the archangel and their child in the backseat.

Another hour passed before she found the strength to speak up again.

“It’s been over sixty years since I killed anyone,” Evelyn muttered.

Zadkiel scoffed. “Surely you don’t expect us to believe that.”

“I don’t expect anything, Zadkiel. You accused me of needing to kill to survive, and that’s simply not true.” Evelyn took a deep breath and continued. “I need souls to survive, yes, but taking a soul is different from taking a life. Did you know I work a human job?”

“We care not what mortal guises you take to blend in.”

“Yes, you’ve made it very clear you don’t care to learn anything about me,” Evelyn said, rolling her eyes. “Anyways, not that you care, but I’m a lawyer. I work with this country’s legal system to give criminal defendants representation.”

“Even in your mortal disguise, you seek to shelter the worst of society? We fail to understand why you would tell us this,” Zadkiel said.

“It’s not about protecting them from justice, it’s about making sure their punishment suits their crime. By doing this, I have intimate knowledge of society’s worst. The people who are already destined for Hell, who have no room in their shriveled hearts for empathy, guilt, or sorrow. That’s who I feed on, Zadkiel. Those that have already been convicted of their crimes, and will spend the rest of their lives in jail.”

More silence. She felt Zadkiel briefly look at her, but refused to acknowledge the glance. “So you take away their chance at repentance. Even the worst human might one day find the strength to turn their lives around. You want so desperately for me to believe that you’ve changed, yet aren’t you a demon? Haven’t you caused more death and misery than any of the humans whose souls you consume? You claim you deserve forgiveness with the same breath you stole from those who will never see that chance for themselves.”

Taking a deep breath, Evelyn tried to steady herself. “Maybe you’re right.”

Her admission clearly caught Zadkiel by surprise. “We… are?”

“Maybe my victims deserved second chances, maybe they didn’t. Yes, my actions rob my victims of something precious, and no matter how much I try to convince myself that I’m simply following humanity’s judicial system, it doesn’t change the fact that I’m alive at their expense. Perhaps the world would be a better place without creatures like me.”

“Ha. Of course it would,” Zadkiel said, shifting awkwardly in their seat.

“Of course, had I made what you believe the ethical decision, I would have ended myself years ago. But where would that leave you? What sinister federal facility would you be rotting in without my interference? What experiments would they be running on you? On your daughter?”

“It is unfair of you to use our current situation to your advantage in this argument, Hellspawn. Besides, you will never sway us from our faith, no matter how much you try.”

“I’m not trying to change your mind, Zadkiel. I don’t give a shit what you think about me. I’m here to do what I think is right, regardless of your opinion. If you have a problem with that, then fine; call the cops again. Heck, I’ll give you change for a payphone. Maybe the next bunker they bury you in will have better room service.”

“You would not dare,” the archangel muttered. “If we escaped again, you would continue to hunt us down. Even if we disagree with your intentions, we have seen your true power now. We understand that you will not surrender us to your enemies.

Evelyn began laughing to herself. “My true power? You’ve seen nothing of the sort, Zadkiel. I know even the most powerful demons must seem quaint in comparison to your former glory, but that was nowhere near my full potential. Were I at full strength, I could level mountains. I could erase cities from the map with a flick of my wrist. There’s nowhere on this planet secure enough to hide you from me.” The last vestiges of Evelyn’s former strength disappeared at that moment, washing over Zadkiel and causing them to shiver at her words.

The conversation stopped there. Evelyn had nothing more to say to Zadkiel, who grew unusually quiet from then on. There were occasional bouts of small talk, mostly centered around Evelyn attempting to educate Zadkiel about various facts or nuances of human living, but the rest of the evening passed without significance.

Eventually, as Zadkiel fought to stay awake in the passenger seat, Evelyn was forced to explain the concept of sleep to them. While they insisted they understood what sleep was, at least conceptually, they failed to understand the nuances of how a lack of rest might impact a mortal body. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, Evelyn veered off the highway and found themselves a small motel. After their last pit stop ended so disastrously, Evelyn was nervous about giving Zadkiel more chances to double-cross her, but she hoped that their last show of defiance had educated them about the horrors of the human world.

Besides, Evelyn was not bound by the same chains as Zadkiel. She had no need for sleep, and fully intended to keep intense watch over their surroundings every moment that the archangel rested. She had no doubt that word of her earlier stunt had started to spread, and that meant they’d lost their biggest advantage.

Previously, anyone hunting for Zadkiel likely had little to no information about where they might have gone. Even had they not stayed in the city, there was no hint where they might have traveled. Now, anyone who heard about Evelyn’s raid on the military complex would instantly have a direction to start their search. Part of her resented that she no longer had the temperament to cuss Zadkiel out, but she knew better. She still had bitter memories of her first few weeks on Earth after being locked up in those accursed chains.

Thankfully, after spending an entire night skulking around the motel and the surrounding town, she didn’t find any traces of the myriad organizations that might be after them.

When Zadkiel awoke the next morning, their temporarily-mortal body refreshed and rejuvenated, they were delighted to learn that their lodging included a breakfast buffet. They were suspiciously eager to pile their plate with eggs, bacon, and sausage, but Evelyn couldn’t help but notice that their excitement died down once they started eating. Despite how quick they were to claim that the motel’s breakfast was far superior to Evelyn’s cooking, they conveniently failed to eat much of the food they’d grabbed.

And then they were back on the road.

Much to Evelyn’s surprise, she found Zadkiel to be a slightly more amenable passenger as the trip continued. They still took every opportunity they could get to insult Evelyn, but there were no more ill-fated attempts to reach out for assistance. Each passing hour saw Zadkiel grow more comfortable with their current form, and Evelyn began to wonder how much of their former self they’d be able to reclaim.

Archangels were significantly farther removed from humans than demons were. When she’d been cast out of Hell, her abilities had been temporarily restricted, but very little else had changed. Zadkiel, however, had seen their entire consciousness fundamentally rewritten. When the chains eventually faded, what would Zadkiel be?

Perhaps something akin to a standard angel, albeit one with far greater abilities.

The second day after escaping the military complex, Evelyn began to notice that her passenger had grown restless. They fidgeted more with their clothes, their hair, and they more frequently inspected random elements of the car to keep themselves amused. As amusing as it was to note that the literal archangel was acting more childish than the baby in the backseat, the behavior quickly got on Evelyn’s nerves.

“And what about this? This button depicts a… burning stick?” Zadkiel asked, pushing at the cigarette lighter in the dashboard.

Evelyn quickly slapped their hand away. “That’s not for driving, and definitely not for you. It’s for a drug humans regularly consume.”

“A drug? Do vehicle makers assume all those that drive cars are criminals?”

“One, not all drugs are criminalized. Two, drugs work in different ways, and many of them don’t impair driving ability. This particular item is called a cigarette; it’s a portable method for burning tobacco leaves and inhaling the smoke.”

“Bah. Humans shouldn’t be altering their body like that.” Zadkiel clicked their tongue in disapproval, then opened the glove compartment for the third time in the last hour.

“Zadkiel, if you’re bored, you can just say so,” Evelyn said.

“We are not bored! We are… exploring. We still don’t understand the limits of our body, of this world, and we need to test our capabilities if we are to understand how to use our current form. What is this? It’s far too big to be of any use.” Zadkiel asked, beginning to open a map as much as they could.

“That’s a map, Zadkiel. Do you want to help me navigate to Yellowstone?”

“Surely if we did, we could get there faster. No doubt you’re choosing the most circuitous route possible. Perhaps we might be able to determine where we are, and if you’re lying about our destination…” Zadkiel pulled the map close, squinting as they stared at different parts of it. “This map is covered in obscure runes! it’s practically illegible!”

Evelyn, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, reached over to look at the map. Zadkiel appeared to be staring at the text centered towards the top of the map, stating which part of the country it covered. “Zad, what are you talking about? That’s just—wait. Can you not read?”

“Of course we can read!” Zadkiel protested, their face turning red. “It’s just… we… this form is strange! We don’t yet understand how it processes information!”

In a flash of brilliance, Evelyn suddenly understood how she might survive the rest of this trip with her sanity intact. As soon as the highway allowed, she veered off the main road and began searching for a place to buy books. Thankfully, they weren’t far from the nearest small town, and within a few hours they’d successfully filled the rental SUV with a veritable mountain of books for all ages. Evelyn quickly hopped back on the highway, confident that Zadkiel would be able to teach themselves reading so long as they had appropriate material.

Thrilled to have a way to pass the time, Zadkiel immediately opened a random book and began staring intently at its words. Judging by their expression, they weren’t making much progress by brute forcing it.

Sure she would regret the decision, Evelyn spoke up. “You know, it’s extremely beneficial for children when their parents read to them.”

“It is?” Zadkiel asked, pulling themselves away from their current book.

“Oh, very much so. It helps them feel connected to their parents. Of course, since your daughter is so young, it would be best if you read very easy books. Ones with short, simple words.” Evelyn said, hoping Zadkiel took the bait.

Zadkiel paused for a moment, looked at the book in their hands, then said, “The shorter words would surely be easier for her to understand. I would hate to needlessly confuse my daughter. Especially if it’s my responsibility to teach her to read some day.”

Unfortunately for Zadkiel, their attempt to read about different colorful fish, and the quantities they came in, failed horribly. Not only were they awkwardly craning their neck to try and read to their daughter in the back seat, they also had no idea how to interpret the simple words on the page. Evelyn had clearly assumed too much from her angelic passenger; this was going to take some work.

Rather than wait for a rest stop, Evelyn opted to instead pull off on the side of the road. The thought of even another hour with Zadkiel poorly describing types of fish sounded terrible. She parked the car, opened the trunk, and instructed Zadkiel to sit next to her while feeding their daughter.

While the baby eagerly drank her formula, Evelyn picked up the last book Zadkiel had been attempting to read and started to teach them what all the words meant. She explained the different letters, what they typically sounded like, and how they combined to form new sounds.

To Zadkiel’s credit, they were a fast learner. After spending nearly half an hour reading through the book, Evelyn handed it to the archangel to give them a try. Their second attempt proved much more tolerable, and they even started putting extra emphasis on certain words to try and make their daughter laugh. In spite of everything Zadkiel had put Evelyn through these last few days, it was impossible to deny how much they cared for their daughter.

As she watched Zadkiel finish reading the book, she caught herself getting swept up in the moment and forced herself to leave. The last thing she needed was for Zadkiel to misinterpret her emotionality as some kind of desire to steal their child away, or some other terrible fantasy.

Giving the archangel a personal library made Evelyn’s life significantly easier. Zadkiel was no longer a constant distraction, and was able to sit quietly for hours at a time while they worked their way through an impressive number of titles. By the end of that day, their reading skills had improved considerably, and they’d started working through more advanced titles. It also helped teach them more about humanity; the types of people they heralded as heroes and those they vilified.

The stories gave them conversation topics that didn’t revolve around the politics of Heaven and Hell. As necessary as it had been to prod at Zadkiel’s beliefs, intense philosophical conversations didn’t exactly make cross-country road trips enjoyable. By picking up on which elements of a story Zadkiel enjoyed, she was able to recommend additional books she thought they’d like.

They grew particularly fond of The Green Mile, a story about a man wrongfully imprisoned for murder who inexplicably had the ability to heal those around him. It was strangely profound watching Zadkiel wrestle with the idea that someone with such an immensely blessed ability could be cast aside by society. They even took frequent pauses to draw parallels between the story and Evelyn’s current situation, insisting that while the prisoner in the book deserved a far better fate, Evelyn deserved one far worse.

In spite of herself, and in spite of the archangel’s relentless prodding, Evelyn grew to enjoy the archangel’s company. Their presence had given her an excuse to shake up her daily routine, one that had been undisturbed for the better part of the last fifty years. Watching them learn to read was surprisingly charming, and the thought of being on a family road trip gave her glimpses of what life she might have lived had things worked out differently back in 1938.

By the night of the fourth day, they’d fallen into a comfortable routine. Zadkiel slowly grew more comfortable with eating, drinking, and sleeping, and they’d already finished half of the books acquired earlier in the trip. They still had trouble speaking with singular pronouns, but with how infrequently they spent time near people, it hardly mattered.

After Zadkiel rocked their daughter to sleep, then passed out with a book on their chest, Evelyn left the room to make her usual rounds. She silently stalked the hallways of the motel, the surrounding alleyways, even the sky above them.

Her first trip around the area revealed nothing suspicious. Amidst the hundreds of random electrical signals racing around, none seemed to betray any clandestine government operations. She didn’t sense any magical alterations to nearby cars, phones, or electrical lines, which likely ruled out the existence of any Veil operatives in the area. Her body hadn’t bristled any more unnaturally than usual to the presence of Enochian, which meant the Church likely wasn’t here. Everyone she eavesdropped on seemed to have normal human lives and problems; children of a nearby family argued about having to share a bed, a young man on the second floor was backpacking across the country, and Evelyn found at least one wealthy businessman engaging in extramarital affairs with his secretary.

Without the full breadth of her powers, it was impossible to do a full sweep for cryptids. Vampires, werewolves, and the like often had more success hunting in rural areas, but she trusted her instincts. Nothing about this area seemed off.

Just before heading back to their room, however, Evelyn heard a car pull into the motel parking lot. She knew it was likely nothing, but as Zadkiel was still asleep, she had no reason not to stay vigilant. She was currently disguised as an elderly woman with a prominent hunch and a propensity for knitting, and she took a seat in the main lobby to watch the new arrivals check in.

The first person to walk in was a remarkably uptight woman, likely around 30 or 40, though her posture hinted that she wished to appear older and more refined. Her dark hair was tied behind her head in a tight bun, and her piercing blue eyes raced across the lobby the instant she walked inside. Her disapproving look clearly indicated she thought herself better than her surroundings, and she approached the front counter with disdain in her voice.

“Room for two, please,” she said sharply. “Ideally one that’s been cleaned within the last year.”

The door opened a second time, and another woman walked in. She carried herself much more casually, wearing a comfortable skirt and relaxed flats that conflicted with the strict, rigid boots of the first woman. She had long, jet-black hair that she’d pulled into a loose ponytail, and her long, flowing jacket hung loosely off her frame.

“Oh, hush, Cassandra. You’re not going to die if you sleep somewhere other than a five-star hotel.” The second lady turned to the motel clerk. “Please, ignore her. She’s just grouchy because we’ve spent all day in the car.”

“What’s the name?” the clerk asked.

“Put it under Tabitha, please.”

The auras of these two women didn’t indicate any kind of intimacy. They seemed more like business associates than anything, though Evelyn kept watching just to be safe. After they received their room key, Cassandra walked up to their room while the other woman returned to their car to grab their things. On her way back, she apologized profusely to the clerk, then went to join her friend upstairs.

As she turned away from the front counter, however, a small toiletry bag fell off one of their suitcases. When she reached to grab it, her sleeve rode up, and Evelyn saw the faintest hint of a runic tattoo.

Shit.

Tattoos meant witches. It certainly wasn’t the worst-case scenario, but the presence of anyone at all meant potential trouble. Even more frustratingly, Covens had the widest breadth of beliefs among their members. The Government could be relied on to chase power and nothing else, while the Crimson Veil took a more militaristic approach to the protection of humanity. Witch Covens, on the other hand, could just as easily want to hunt them down as they might want to help them escape.

Their current location didn’t help. Evelyn had to assume these two had followed them westward, but that meant they were intruding on another coven’s territory. Was this sanctioned? Were they hoping to sneak around and avoid the ire of their compatriots?

Evelyn needed to find out. Leaving her chair, and muttering quietly to herself about her accursed frail back to sell the illusion, she broke line of sight and quickly shifted back into herself. Heading outside, she leapt onto the roof of the motel and listened carefully for Tabitha’s footsteps as she carried all their luggage into their room. Now perched in the shadows just above their window, Evelyn expanded her senses and started listening in.

“It wouldn’t kill you to carry your luggage in, Cassandra,” Tabitha said, huffing as the door closed behind her.

“I don’t need it! We shouldn’t even be here!” Cassandra hissed back. “This isn’t just a once-in-a-lifetime event, Tabitha, this is unprecedented! We know that something fell, and we know that a government facility was brought to its knees barely a day later! Are you seriously telling me that’s not a coincidence?”

“No, I’m not, and that’s why we’re here. This is just a fact-finding mission, nothing more.”

“Think of how much we could learn from this creature! How much we could broaden our knowledge, our abilities, our—”

The hair on the back of Evelyn’s neck stood up, and she sensed a small burst of magic in the room beneath her. The energy chilled the air around her, and quieted Cassandra in an instant. “Miss Davenport, you are out of line! We are not hunters, we are not with the Veil, we’re here to keep watch. Unless this creature, whatever it may be, poses a threat to mankind, then we shall leave it be.”

“I-I’m sorry, Headmistress Blackwood. In my… scholarly excitement, I spoke out of line.”

The Headmistress of the entire coven, here? This is bad. Still, if nothing else, they don’t seem to know we’re here. As soon as they go to sleep, I’m waking Zadkiel up and we’re leaving.

Returning to her room, Evelyn packed their belongings as quickly as she could. Once finished, she sat on the floor and cast her thoughts into the Dreamscape, waiting for the two witches to settle in for the night. It took much longer than she would have liked, and she hoped they weren’t setting up any detection rituals in the meantime. To her knowledge, they had no reason to know they were being tracked.

The Headmistress was the first to fall asleep, and while Evelyn was tempted to rummage through her dreams for information, she didn’t want to risk the exposure. Even if the Headmistress’s abilities lie somewhere other than illusions and dreams, the chances were high that she’d mentally fortified herself to a point where she might detect Evelyn’s intrusion.

When Cassandra fell asleep, Evelyn waited just long enough for her dreams to fully kick in. Once she was sure it was safe, she woke Zadkiel up.

They grumbled loudly, clearly distressed they hadn’t been allowed to sleep in, but Evelyn held a finger to their lips to shush them. “Stay quiet, Zad. There are witches on our trail, but they haven’t found us out yet. We need to leave.”

The archangel’s eyes went wide, then immediately flicked towards their daughter sleeping nearby. Seeing that she was safe, Zadkiel nodded and stood up.

They packed the car as quickly as they were able, but as usual, Zadkiel refused to let Evelyn help with the baby. It fell to her to lift the majority of the archangel’s luggage, but thankfully they traveled light. Once the car was ready to go, Zadkiel crawled in the passenger seat as they rubbed their eyes. They closed their door, perhaps a little louder than they’d intended, and the noise woke up their child.

Soft cries of displeasure echoed through the parking lot as Evelyn jumped in the driver’s seat and turned on the engine. She buckled her seat belt, checked her mirrors, then started backing out of her spot to prepare to leave. She adjusted the gears, shifting out of reverse and returning her gaze to the front of the vehicle.

On the second floor of the motel, leaning against the railing and looking straight at them, was the witch Cassandra.

Evelyn did her best to appear tired and disinterested, hoping she could shake the suspicion of the witch, but there would be no way to know for sure. As they turned onto the crumbling asphalt road and began returning to the highway, it was impossible not to notice the figure in the rear-view mirror. For as long as it took to drive out of view, Cassandra stood perfectly still, watching them leave.

—

1938

When Evelyn woke the following morning, she was overjoyed to see Rosie still asleep in her arms. She cradled her stuffed bunny the same way Evelyn cradled her, and it warmed Evelyn’s heart to see how peacefully she slept when the cold wasn’t an issue.

Why do I even care? In all my thousands of years of living, I’ve never once spared a thought for children.

Her thoughts returned to the previous night, when the half-asleep Rosie had muttered words of protest as Evelyn had tried to lay her next to her father.

“No… Mommy, I want to stay with you…”

A slip of the tongue, obviously. The delusional ramblings of a half-asleep child who confused Evelyn’s feminine embrace with that of her mother’s. Perhaps she’d been completely asleep, accidentally speaking aloud while dreaming of her lost mother. It meant nothing. It had to mean nothing.

Besides, Evelyn couldn’t have children anyways. Not in a way that mattered.

Sliding her arm off Rosie, Evelyn carefully rose to her feet to go check on Vince. He was still asleep, but thankfully Evelyn had a delicate touch. His injuries seemed to be healing nicely, which had the unfortunate side-effect of drawing Evelyn’s eyes to the body underneath. To her carefully trained eye, it was easy to detect his lack of nutrition as she examined his face, but his body had somehow retained much of its musculature. She assumed that was due to what little work he found, as it always necessitated manual labor.

Examining his body also made it obvious how much of his shirt had been destroyed in the accident. The bottom half of it no longer closed properly, and Evelyn shuddered to think how this might affect his working situation.

Humans and their stupid over-emphasis on fashion.

Across the shack, Rosie started shivering again. Evelyn quickly ended her examination, then quietly walked back to Rosie to pick her back up. It was impressive how easily she stayed asleep, despite being picked up and moved around, but Evelyn wasn’t going to complain. It was about time to grab food for everyone, so she wrapped a blanket around herself and Rosie, then headed outside.

On the way, she ran into Mayor Donovan. He sat on a small crate, lost in his own little world as he gently massaged his bad leg. It was a trick Evelyn had taught him, actually, and she chuckled quietly at the thought that he’d actually followed her recommendations.

“Good morning, Mayor Donovan,” Evelyn said quietly, infusing her tone with lighthearted pleasantry.

“Oh!” The mayor flinched in surprise before turning around. “Christ, Evelyn, you damn near gave me a heart attack. How are you so quiet? Also, I keep telling you, call me Mike.”

“Trade secret, I’m afraid, Mayor Donovan.” She laughed one more time as she adjusted Rosie, who still slept against her chest. “If you have a moment, I was hoping you might know where most people here acquire their clothing.”

“Clothing? Heck, most of the time they don’t. A lot of folk here are just wearing whatever clothes they had back when the stock market crashed. Nowadays, if we’ve got someone who needs something, well… sometimes we get lucky at donation centers, sometimes we get lucky digging through trash. There’s no good answer, I’m afraid.”

Evelyn paused for a moment, realizing she never actually learned where her own jumpsuit had come from. “Hypothetically, if someone came into a tiny bit of money… where might they buy a new shirt?”

Mayor Donovan narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but said nothing. “Hypothetically? Well, there’s a nice place two blocks down that likely won’t have any quarrels about selling to colored folk.”

“Theoretically, of course.”

“R-right, of course. Theoretically. That’s what I meant. Didn’t I say that? Thought I said that…”

After getting directions to the clothing store, Evelyn finished her trip to the food tent. Unfortunately, she needed to wake Rosie to help with carrying all three cans, but thankfully the promise of food removed all traces of morning crabbiness. Holding her food in one hand, and her stuffed bunny in the other, she did her best not to fall asleep again as Evelyn carried her home.

Vince hadn’t yet woken up, but once Evelyn told Rosie it was okay, she gently shook her father’s arm to do so. He stirred slowly, his sleep proving much stickier than Rosie’s. Lazily trying to sit up, however, seemed to irritate his injuries, and the pain eventually shook him completely to his senses. From there, Evelyn helped him sit completely up, propping him against the back wall before handing him breakfast.

“How are you feeling today, Vince?” Evelyn asked, placing a hand on his forehead.

“Absolutely fantastic, Miss Lamour. Or do you prefer Doctor Lamour?” He tried to laugh quietly, but the effort triggered another flash of pain, and he quieted down. “You’ll have to tell me where you learned all that someday. Mayor Donovan stopped by the other day, says it’s an absolute miracle I survived.”

“Why, that’s easy, Mr. Calderón,” Evelyn said, looking over to Rosie. “I had the world’s best nurse. She’s been helping me run the clinic ever since then. Haven’t you, Rosie?”

Rosie nodded eagerly, bits of carrot sliding down her face as she pulled her can down. “Yeah! I got to hold bandages, and hold people’s hands while Evelyn did the scary stuff! Auntie Ev also said I helped with di… di… die nose-ing.”

Vince smiled at his daughter. “You helped Auntie Ev diagnose her patients?”

“Yeah!” Rosie said, beaming with pride. “She said that, if I poked someone somewhere and it didn’t hurt, then we would know where to make them better!”

Happily reaching over, Vince playfully tussled his daughter’s hair before she continued eating. “Speaking of diagnoses, how’s my condition looking?”

Evelyn set her food to the side before starting. “Better every day. You’ve been getting a lot of rest, which has helped tremendously, though I don’t think I need to tell you that you’re not quite back to your usual self yet. In all honesty, I think you’ll be cleared to head back to your own place tonight, if you like. So long as you promise not to overwork yourself and make the injury worse.”

“I can promise effort, Doctor Lamour, but not results.” Vince smiled as he looked at Evelyn, who returned a smile almost as warmly. The two looked at each other for several moments before Evelyn caught herself lingering and turned her gaze elsewhere.

“A-anyways, for today, just keep resting up. I’ll be pretty busy with patients, so I won’t have time to keep checking on you.”

After coercing a second promise out of Vince, the three of them finished their breakfast before properly starting the day. Just as Evelyn had expected, she had her hands full with a constant rotation of patients. Many of them needed more attention than Evelyn could provide with her limited resources, but she did her best to help where she could.

One patient in particular stood out to Evelyn. He had a rough, disheveled beard that seemed to be migrating down from his head, which had clearly started thinning several years back. His name was Jack Mosley, and he’d seen Doc several times in the past. Today, he’d come in with several bruises scattered across his body and a truly harrowing black eye. He insisted there hadn’t been any trouble, but Evelyn knew better. Even though he wasn’t up to talking with her, he’d shared many of his secrets with Doc in the past.

Trying to make sense of his injuries, Evelyn dug through Doc’s memories. She pieced together that, back when humans of this country had tried to outlaw alcohol, Jack had gotten roped into an illegal smuggling operation. By the time he’d gotten out of jail, the stock market had crashed, and now he struggled to find work without relying on his past contacts.

No doubt he’d run into trouble on some illicit errand.

What truly puzzled Evelyn, however, was the way he looked at her. He’d initially entered the clinic lost in his own misery, not even bothering to look up as Evelyn approached him. Their examination had been quick, as there wasn’t much to do about a black eye, but Evelyn still made sure that he hadn’t broken any ribs in his fight.

Halfway through treatment, when he’d finally looked at her, he froze up. It seemed as if he’d seen a ghost, or possibly that he recognized her, but Evelyn knew the latter was impossible.

Despite her curiosity, she couldn’t think of any good reason to inquire further. Besides, in this day and age, it was just as possible that he was simply shocked his doctor was a woman of color. After declaring him fit to leave, he ran away in a huff and never looked back.

Later in the evening, once Evelyn’s clinic had seen its last patients, she found she had a bit of daylight left to burn. Rosie was inside with Vince, tired after a long day of helping Evelyn around the clinic. Thinking back to her earlier conversation with Mayor Donovan, Evelyn decided it was time for a little field trip.

She wandered towards the edge of the encampment, double checked that she was looking at the correct streets, then paused. She hadn’t left this place since her ill-fated trip to the diner, and memories of her brush with death reared their ugly head. Her head throbbed at the memory of the police officer’s club striking her, and her breathing quickened as she recalled the frantic run back to Doc’s clinic. In spite of it all, however, Evelyn knew this was something she needed to do.

No, she wanted to. It wasn’t necessary in the slightest.

With a deep breath to calm her nerves, she stepped away from the encampment and began following Mayor Donovan’s instructions. Thankfully, it was a short trip, and Evelyn considered it good fortune that she didn’t run into any cops.

A short half an hour later, she left the store with a brand-new men’s button-up shirt, one in exactly Vince’s proportions. The material was made of the whitest cloth Evelyn had seen since arriving on Earth, and it was much thicker than the threadbare material Vince had been wearing all these weeks. With any luck, it might provide just a little more protection from the harsh Chicago winter. She tucked it under her arm, set her sights for home, and quickly left the store.

Although briefly distracted by a sandwich deli she passed on the way, she decided against it.

Perhaps when I have my strength back.

Just before returning to the encampment, Evelyn took a small detour to the same alleyway in which she’d been pushing the limits of her powers the last several weeks. Although fairly confident the chains binding her abilities were weakening, she was hesitant to push them too hard. She knew of several magical traps that intensified through stress, and didn’t want to take that risk.

Is that all?

What happens when these chains break? Do I return to my previous life? It’s all I’ve ever known, but if I leave now, this community loses their doctor. Perhaps I could find a new one?

Images flashed through Evelyn’s mind, thoughts of other physicians treating her patients, fumbling procedures, misdiagnosing issues and bringing pain instead of healing. What if another doctor had treated Vince? Would he have survived?

Where would Rosie be without her father?

It’s not like I could watch her.

For reasons beyond Evelyn’s comprehension, her heart broke at her last thought. An overwhelming ache in her gut pulled her towards this child, this innocent girl just trying to survive with her poor father.

Do… do I want to stay here?

No, even if I did, it would be a lie. I would never truly be one of them. I’m ancient, I’m beyond their comprehension. I could lift every single one of them from poverty, but what then? I become a savior, not an equal.

I’m trapped on the outside.

Looking down at the package in her hands, Evelyn carefully opened it. She removed the shirt, shaking it open before carefully examining the sharp wrinkles that had set in over the weeks it had spent folded on a shelf.

This won’t do. He deserves better.

Opening a palm, she carefully reached for her hellfire and pulled just a tiny bit through. Enough to create small puffs of heat, nothing more. Doing the same with her other hand, she gently worked the fabric through her fingers until the heat had removed each and every unsightly wrinkle. Pleased with her work, she cut off the connection to her hellfire, but not before a brief examination. Deep down, some part of her felt she might be able to break through the chains, that they were weak enough to destroy, yet she shook those thoughts from her mind.

Instead, she repacked the shirt, retied the twine holding it together, and walked back towards the clinic. She heard a quiet conversation between Vince and Rosie inside, but rather than wait and eavesdrop, she gently knocked on the door and walked inside.

“Ah, Miss Lamour, you’re back! Rosie and I were just wondering where you’d gotten off to,” Vince said with a smile.

Evelyn leaned against the doorway, using the wall to hide the package she planned on gifting to him. “Just stretching my legs a bit. How are you feeling? Ready to go home?”

“Daddy says he’s all set to go back to work!” Rosie said excitedly.

Vince immediately blushed, no doubt hoping that his daughter would have withheld that information from Evelyn. “W-well, that’s not exactly what I said…”

With a hearty laugh, Evelyn found her eyes lingering on Vince’s tattered shirt. “I’ll tell you what, Mr. Calderón. Before I sign your release papers, how about you test your recovery with a small walk? I can accompany you, just to monitor your progress, if you like.”

A soft smile crossed Vince’s face. “That’s a mighty fine idea, Miss Lamour. Rosie, how about you go see what Claire is up to tonight. I heard her wandering around camp just an hour ago.”

“Yay! Auntie Claire!” Rosie jumped to her feet, gave her father a big kiss on the cheek, and ran off.

Vince started to get up as well, but Evelyn stopped him as he tried to walk towards the doorway. “Before we leave, Vince, I, um… I got you something.” She pulled her hand out from behind the flimsy plywood and handed the package to him.

Although suspicious, he took the package and sat back down on his bed. Moments later, he unfurled the shirt and held it aloft, gasping at the sight of it. “Evelyn, I… this is too much. I can’t accept this.”

“You can and you will, Vince,” Evelyn said, her voice firm. “Doctor’s orders.”

Their eyes met, but Evelyn proved to have the stronger presence, and Vince caved. He nodded sheepishly in appreciation, then started unbuttoning the remains of his old shirt. Evelyn’s gaze lingered for longer than it needed to, but she made herself turn around to give Vince privacy as he dressed himself.

“I’m mighty curious how you managed to find something of this quality, but I have a feeling this is one secret you’re planning on keeping to yourself,” Vince said as he finished.

Turning back towards Vince, Evelyn immediately noticed just how happy he was. He was beaming with excitement over the quality of the shirt, and pride swelled in her in response. She took a moment to appreciate just how well it fit his frame before speaking up. “You are absolutely correct, Vince. Now, let’s go see how your recovery is faring, shall we?”

With one last smile, and a sheepish grin, the two left for their walk.

Evelyn didn’t feel as nervous about leaving the encampment with Vince by her side, but it also helped that they weren’t heading into the city. She guided Vince towards Grant Park, the large open field that sat next to Lake Michigan. At first, neither of them said much of anything. Evelyn, true to her word, did intend to monitor Vince’s condition as they walked, but that had mostly been an excuse on her part.

Truth be told, she still wasn’t entirely sure why she’d invited Vince.

As they ventured towards the lake, leaving the protective wall of skyscrapers, the brisk winter winds kicked up around them. Vince began to shiver, and Evelyn leaned in close to wrap her arm around his. She closed her eyes, carefully connected with her hellfire, and warmed the air around the two of them to keep him comfortable.

She was terrified of what might happen if he learned what she truly was, but the thought of him freezing to death proved to be a bigger motivator.

“Strange,” Vince muttered, looking around. “Did you feel that?”

“Hm?” Evelyn asked innocently. “I don’t notice anything. Perhaps you’re just imagining things with your new shirt. It’s much thicker than your last one, after all.”

After a quick, playful smirk between the two of them, Vince seemed content to drop the subject. When he spoke up again, he didn’t do so in English, but in Spanish. “Might I ask where you’re from? I have my suspicions based on your accent, but I don’t want to assume.”

Evelyn responded in kind, Spanish being one of thousands of languages she considered herself fluent in. “If you’re hoping we share a country of origin, I’ll have to disappoint you.”

“You can’t blame me for asking, can you?” Vince asked. Although part of him seemed dismayed, his words also flowed more easily now that they conversed in his language of origin. “Your accent seems quite similar to my own, and I’ll admit I was curious. There were more pressing issues back when we first met, unfortunately.”

“I don’t think I ever properly thanked you for what you did that night.” Looking up at Vince, Evelyn brought her off hand closer and draped it over his. “I’d likely have died without you.”

“I’m just happy I found you; you were in sorry shape. I have a feeling I know the answer, but is there any chance you can share what happened that night?” A quick glance from Evelyn gave him his answer, and he sighed. “You show up out of nowhere, you’re a doctor, you’re great with Rosie… you truly are an enigma, Miss Lamour.”

“Mommy, I want to stay with you…”

Without thinking, Evelyn’s pace slowed and her grip on Vince tightened. “I… yes.”

“Is everything alright? I didn’t say something out of line, did I?” Vince asked.

“N-no, it’s…” Evelyn sighed. There was no reason to hide this from him. “The other night, I tried to put Rosie to sleep, and… she called me Mommy.”

“Is that all?” Vince laughed, squeezing her hand. “That’s hardly a surprise; she thinks the world of you. To be honest, if it’s not too out of line, that’s something we share in common. I think she sees a lot of her mother in you, and I understand why.”

Looking up at Vince, they returned to their normal pace. “What was she like?”

“My wife?” he asked. Evelyn nodded. “Her name was Camilla, and she was incredible. She was a true fighter, willing to stand up to anyone she thought had wronged her family. Loyal, compassionate, she saw the world for what it could be, and she never let our situation get the better of her. Even… even when she got sick, she never showed weakness. She smiled until the very end.”

“She sounds lovely,” Evelyn whispered, unexpected tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “I’m sorry you lost her.”

“It’s the nature of this life, I’m afraid. She wanted so badly to give our children a better life, and she earnestly believed we would find that here on the mainland. Back home, even though we’re technically citizens, it doesn’t feel like America truly pays attention to us.”

“Children?” Evelyn asked. “I thought you only had Rosie?”

“You’d be correct in that assumption. We always dreamt of a big family, but we decided to hold off until we found a more stable life here. Obviously that didn’t pan out.”

Evelyn wasn’t entirely sure what to say. She’d never had to comfort a grieving widower, and she didn’t even fully understand the nature of this walk they were on. Instead of speaking, she gently squeezed his arm in reassurance.

Vince wiped a tear from his eye. “I think you would have liked her. I hope I’m not overstepping my welcome by saying this, but you remind me of her at times.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Evelyn said.

“The highest!” Vince smiled as he looked at her, his cheeks turning red. “I quite enjoy having you around, Miss Lamour. For the longest time it felt like we were doing nothing but surviving, attempting to carve out scraps of happiness for ourselves. I can’t explain it, but being here with you feels right. You make me feel like it’s okay to start dreaming again.”

Feeling her face grow hotter, Evelyn turned away from Vince to look over the lake. She was used to being lusted after, but courted? When was the last time she’d been treated so… respectfully?

Of course, the blush was tinged with guilt as well. All the terrible things she’d done since she arrived; stealing food, killing Doc, the memories came rushing back as Vince complimented her. “I… have a feeling you wouldn’t think that if you knew more about me, Vince.”

“Bah. Nonsense,” Vince scoffed. “I may not be the smartest, but I’ve always felt I had a good eye for people. You’ve shown me genuine kindness, Miss Lamour, as well as Rosie. You’re a treasured part of this community, even if you can’t see it. Claire seems to genuinely enjoy your company, Mike won’t stop talking about the miracle you worked on my injury. I’ve seen you working the clinic, seen how you talk with people. Everyone here likes you.”

With no idea how to respond, Evelyn kept averting her gaze. When she didn’t say anything, Vince stopped and continued his thought. “…I like you, Evelyn. Sometimes I see you with Rosie, and I get to thinking. I start to wonder if you might be interested in… in something more.”

Evelyn gasped, finally looking back at Vince. He looked deep into her eyes with absolute sincerity, not an ounce of malice or deceit in his heart. Still floundering, unsure how to navigate such a conversation without the pretense of her heritage, she felt lost. “Vicente, I don’t… what are you asking for? Marriage? We were just talking about your wife, and I—”

Vince pushed a finger to Evelyn’s lips. She’d never been shushed before, but he did so with such care it was impossible to be upset. When he spoke, he did so with confidence he had yet to bring to this conversation. “I’m not asking for anything, Evelyn. I’m telling you that I fancy you, plain and simple. The first step is deciding if you feel the same. If you do, then, in all honesty, nothing changes. We’re already living together, Rosie already likes you. Things continue like they have been, but we allow ourselves a chance at happiness, a chance to grow closer if it feels right.”

He wasn’t demanding her company, nor was he begging for it. He saw her as an equal, and treated her with absolute respect, and Evelyn had no idea what to say. Her life had been ruled by power, and in pursuit of her own existence, she’d been forced to put herself above everyone and everything else.

Equals? Her and Vince?

It spat in the face of everything she’d once believed about herself, but the thought burned just as brightly as the hellfire of her soul.

“Vicente, I…” Evelyn turned towards him, staring deep into his rich, brown eyes. This man had nothing, was nothing, so why did standing by his side feel so right? In that moment, she stopped holding back. She raised a hand to his face, softly caressing it, before leaning in and kissing him. He pulled her close, inviting her to sink into his embrace, and she did so without hesitation. She discovered a warmth she’d never known in his affection, one more genuine than any she’d felt before. It didn’t feed the infernal engine of her heart; instead, for the very first time in her life, it felt as if the chains of her damnation were pushed aside, and her soul felt just a little bit lighter.

The cold winter silence, normally underscored by the soft cresting of the nearby lake, broke by the sound of slow, rhythmic clapping.

“It’s not often I get to see a master at work. Truly impressive shit, Evelyn.”

It was a feminine voice, one that spoke in English, and fear gripped Evelyn as she pulled away from Vince to look at this stranger. She was a taller woman, likely close to six feet tall, and walked with unusual swagger and confidence. Her entire body rippled with muscle, which was all the more apparent due to her revealing outfit. She wore thin, loose-fitting pants and no shirt, instead covering her chest with a series of tightly wound bandages and simple, sleeveless vest.

She held a striking image even apart from her unusual outfit, however. Her skin was incredibly dark, yet she had bright blue eyes, and her blonde hair had been braided tight. Had this been a regular human, no doubt the officers of this era would have punished her choice of outfit. No, this creature was not of Earth.

And Evelyn recognized her.

“Aza,” she said simply, speaking through gritted teeth.

“I thought that little whelp was spinning lies for the money, I really did. The Evelyn, hiding out in a homeless camp? What in Lucifer’s name did Nyssa do to you?” Aza kept walking closer, cracking her knuckles and rolling her neck in anticipation.

Vince stepped in front of Evelyn, holding an arm up to shield her. “We don’t want any trouble, ma’am. I take it you two know each other, but there’s no reason for this to turn ugly.”

“Awww you’ve trained him so well!” Aza said mockingly. She dropped the facade quickly, however, and her voice dropped a register before she hissed directly at Vince. “Out of my way, human. This doesn’t involve you.”

“H-human?” Vince asked nervously. Despite his hesitation, he still clenched his fists in preparation.

Aza shrugged. “Well, can’t say I didn’t warn him.” With blinding speed, she charged forward and threw a punch at Vince, aiming for his jaw. Before the attack landed, however, Evelyn ran forward and caught Aza’s fist, stopping her dead in her tracks.

“That’s enough, Aza! We both know you can’t take me, so how about you run back to whatever hole you crawled out of, and we’ll go our separate ways.”

“And miss my one chance? I don’t know exactly what happened, but Nyssa told me you were weak. Imagine the accolades! Imagine what power I would gain if I slew the Firstborn!” Aza threw another punch, and Evelyn caught this one as well. Her body shook as it slid backwards, and she felt the limits of her mortal frame straining under this assault.

From beside Evelyn, Vince threw a punch of his own, and it connected directly with Aza’s cheek. The impact didn’t faze her in the slightest, and she instead turned to look at him. “I warned you, human! Time to die!”

A bright red tail suddenly appeared behind Aza, and it slammed into Evelyn, throwing her to the ground. Aza then spun towards Vince, punching him square in the gut before spinning and kicking him in the chest. The impact knocked him down as well, and Aza kept pushing. She leapt atop him, straddling his chest as she prepared to bludgeon him further. He did his best to shield himself, but this was an impossible fight for him.

Evelyn winced in pain as she tried to recover from Aza’s strike. She saw frantic, desperate movement, heard Vince struggling as the other demon tried to end him. His strength was fading fast, and his prior gasps of pain echoed in her mind. Was this how it ended? Was her presence going to continue tearing this community apart?

She thought of Rosie, sweet, adorable Rosie, forced to live without her father, and the idea made her angry. Furious. A rage ignited inside her that she hadn’t felt in months, one that demanded action. The flames of her damned soul began to burn brighter and brighter, and she felt the chains of her imprisonment spring into existence. They were weak, they’d been fading for weeks, but she’d been too scared to shake them off. Now, with Vince’s life on the line, she didn’t hesitate to shatter the abhorrent links of Infernal and Enochian energy.

She jumped to her feet and charged Aza, tackling her off of Vince. Aza landed on her back, but rolled into her momentum and launched Evelyn off with a kick. In midair, with an indignant shout, Evelyn’s true form returned to her.

Her wings appeared, spreading wide as they caught the wind to halt her movement. Her tail lashed out at Aza, moving so fast that a resounding crack echoed across the field as it struck Aza’s side. A torrent of hellfire burst from Evelyn’s body, destroying her jumper and replacing it with an interlocking web of chitinous armor while tall, imposing horns appeared on her head. Power surged through her veins once more, and Evelyn knew exactly where to direct it.

Fear flashed across Aza’s face, along with excitement. She leapt to her feet again, crouching low and charging at Evelyn, but she was far too slow now. Evelyn pivoted quickly, wrapping her tail around Aza’s arm and dragging her close. Evelyn grabbed her throat, holding her aloft before summoning a second torrent of hellfire, one she directed in a careful manner to the space in front of her. Her eyes alight with flame, she tapped into the fabric of reality and peeled back its layers, giving her a direct path to the fires of Hell.

“Back to the pit where you belong, Azaeranya!” Evelyn shouted. Hellfire sprang from her fingertips, completing the ritual as they enveloped the other demon. She shouted in pain and Evelyn’s magic took root, ripping her from Earth and sending her back to the depths of infernal misery.

As the fires faded, Aza nowhere to be seen, Evelyn finally allowed herself a second to breathe. Her moment of triumph, however, quickly turned to one of horror as she looked back at Vince. He stood a dozen feet away from her, eyes wide, frozen in shock as he beheld Evelyn’s true form.