Chapter 71 - XLIII

The meeting room felt both familiar and awkward as Davina, Alexander, Victoria, and Austin gathered after what seemed like an eternity. Despite the distance of time, they had kept in touch, constantly checking in on each other. But now, being physically present in the same room created a tension that none of them knew how to break. A shared grief still lingered in the air-a presence felt but not spoken of. Lucifer's absence remained the elephant in the room, and everyone seemed conscious not to utter his name aloud.Victoria, now restored to her Moon Goddess position, finally broke the silence, her voice light yet mischievous. "So... I found a human recently. Just passed away." She paused dramatically, drawing all eyes to her. "And let me tell you-he's handsome. Like, unbelievably handsome."Austin immediately frowned, his expression annoyed, while Davina and Alexander couldn't help but chuckle at the familiar banter. The room seemed to breathe a little easier."And?" Davina asked, raising an eyebrow."I'm thinking of giving him a second chance," Victoria continued with a teasing grin. "If you want him, Davina, I'll let you have him. But if not, I'll turn him into a wolf."Davina rolled her eyes, half-amused. "You want me to buy a human soul and turn him into a demon?"Victoria shrugged nonchalantly. "He's not innocent. He went around breaking hearts, stringing girls along like some human playboy."Austin crossed his arms, his frown deepening. "And that's the kind of person you want near you?"Victoria smirked, unfazed. "Well, yeah. He's handsome. Exactly my type. But if Davina wants him, I'll let her have him.""No thanks," Davina responded, waving her hand dismissively. "I don't have the funds to buy a human soul."Just then, a familiar voice broke through the conversation, sending a shockwave through the room. "Even if I sell my soul in a cheap market?"The voice was unmistakable.Theo-Lucifer.Davina froze, her heart stopping in disbelief. She whipped around, her breath catching in her throat as her eyes found him-him. Her heart pounded wildly, her body moving before her mind could even process the reality of what she was seeing. She launched herself at him like a lightning bolt, her feet barely touching the ground as she threw herself into his arms, clinging to him with all her strength. Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled over uncontrollably, her sobs loud and ragged as she held onto him as if he might disappear any moment.Theo chuckled softly, though his voice carried the weight of years of longing. "Easy, lil demon. You'll strangle me to death.""No," she whispered through her sobs, tightening her grip on him. She could feel the eyes of the others on her, but for once, she didn't care. All that mattered was that he was here, alive, and in her arms.His strong arms wrapped around her, grounding her in this unbelievable moment. He smiled over her shoulder at the others in the room. Alexander's shock had given way to a knowing nod, his smile warm and understanding. Austin, however, stood there in wide-eyed disbelief, staring at his lord as if he had just witnessed a miracle.After a long moment of stunned silence, Austin's shock melted away, replaced with overwhelming emotion. "My lord!" he cried, his voice cracking with emotion as he rushed towards Theo, his tears falling freely. He clung to Lucifer's side, his sobs echoing through the room.Theo stumbled back slightly under the weight of both Davina and Austin, but he managed to stay upright, chuckling softly as he tried to balance them both. "Alright, alright. That's enough," he said, trying to pry Austin off him while still holding Davina close. "Get off me, Austin. I'm not going anywhere."Austin sniffled, reluctantly stepping back but still staring up at his lord with watery eyes. "But... you're really here," he stammered, barely able to believe it.Theo ruffled Austin's hair affectionately, a rare smile on his face. "Yeah, I'm really here. And I'll be back... once I get this clingy demon off of me."With that, he turned, still carrying Davina in his arms as he made his way out of the room. Davina clung to him like her life depended on it, burying her face in his chest, unable to stop the tears. His scent, his warmth, his voice-it was all too much, and yet not enough. She didn't ever want to let him go again.Victoria waved after them with a playful smile. "Bye, Lucifer!" she called, her voice light and teasing. "Make sure you take good care of our girl this time."She turned her attention to Austin, who was still sniffling and wiping his tears away. "Oh, come on," she said with a wink. "You know, for a demon, you cry way too much."Austin sniffled one last time before breaking into a grin, laughing softly despite himself. "Yeah, well... sometimes even demons have to cry."Alexander chuckled, nodding in agreement as the room filled with warmth and laughter.