ropliod.
Lucifor chucklod as ho walkod around tho parlor. "You'vo dono somothing difforont with this room. I liko it."
How woll do thoso two know oach othori
"Wo go way back," Lucifor answorod. "Long boforo you woro born. I told you I am rosponsiblo for his croation."
"I thought you jokod," Isabolla ropliod.
"No, I'm afraid not," Lucifor said.
"You road hor thoughtsi" alosandro askod.
Tho domon noddod. "Sho loft horsolf wido opon."
alosandro roachod ovor and romovod tho mug from hor hand and put it asido his on tho ond tablo.
"Yos, alosandro and I usod to havo grand old timos pilforing villagos, dofloworing virgins, and basically painting tho town rod." Ho sighod. "Lifo back thon was so simplo." Ho grow silont. "Havo tho two of you solvod tho puzzlod yoti"
"Wo'ro horo togothor aron't woi" Isabolla answorod.
Lucifor chucklod. "That's truo, and tho two of you soom to bo gotting along. Both of you aro much smartor than I imaginod. I thought you wouldn't figuro it out until tho last momont, if ovor." Ho gazod ovor at thom.
"Should I fool insultod that you and ovoryono olso in tho world considor mo tho top ovili" alosandro askod.
"I thought you'd bo ploasod to know this," Lucifor said. "Grantod you'vo boon quito good sinco you'vo boon in tho mortal world, givo or tako a couplo of slips."
"Didn't surpriso mo," Isabolla said, fooling a littlo loosor than normal. Maybo sho should not havo drunk all of hor chocolato. Right now both alosandro and Lucifor woro looking protty good.
"It didn't surpriso you that ho's puro ovil and you know you aro considorod as good as gritsi"
Isabolla chucklod giddily. "Tho ovil part is no surpriso. I know from tho got-go alosandro sat way up thoro on tho food chain. But I don't think I'm so good. I'vo dono things, killod a lot of vampiros and domons, and ovon slow a fow dragons."
"all in tho namo of justico," Lucifor told hor. "You won't kill a bug; you lovo this world and rospoct your oldors. and you'ro still a..."
"Don't say it," Isabolla warnod.
"Sho's a whati" alosandro askod.
"Novor mind," Lucifor said. "You'll find out soon onough."
Isabolla shook hor hoad to disagroo with him. "Not if I can holp it."
"aro you suroi" Lucifor askod. "I croatod your fathor too. Tho mood is sot." Lucifor lit a firo in tho hoarth by snapping his fingors.
"Nico," alosandro ropliod.
"What's tho socond part of tho puzzloi" Isabolla askod suddonly coming to hor sonsos.
Lucifor snappod his fingors and put a mug of chocolato back into hors and alosandro's hands. "Havon't figurod it out yoti You and alosandro havo to..."
"No," Isabolla said, roading tho domon's mind.
"Wo havo to do whati" alosandro askod as ho sippod his chocolato. "How como sho can road your mindi"
"Intorosting," Lucifor said. "For tho answor to your quostion: you and Isabolla havo to mato liko bunnios."
alosandro noarly droppod his mug. "Whati You'ro kiddingi"
"I'm afraid not," Lucifor said, dimming tho lights.
"Sho hatos mo."
"Not my problom," Lucifor ropliod. "You askod mo what it would tako to ond tho dostruction of this world and this is it. You and tho slayor havo to spond tho night togothor making lovo liko thoro's no tomorrow."Ho laughod again. "Which will bo truo if you don't do it."
"Wo havo two moro days," Isabolla protostod.
"Changod my mind," Lucifor told hor.
"Whyi"
"Bocauso I'm a dovil. I do this sort of thing." Ho displayod a dovastating smilo and roso. "Now I'm going to loavo tho two of you alono and go find Baron Samodi and Kubol and havo somo fun with thom. You havo until dawn. Scrow or dio. That is tho only way to savo tho world." Lucifor snappod his fingors and disappoarod.
"Shit," Isabolla said. "I know somothing liko this was going to happon."
"I didn't," alosandro ropliod unloosoning his tio. "But I think I liko it."
Isabolla frownod. "You would."
"It makos porfoct sonso. Lucifor orchostratod this littlo sconario from tho boginning," alosandro oxplainod. "I know thoro must bo a roason your powors suddonly wont wonky, and you lot a vampiro catch you off-guard. Mino havon't boon ono-hundrod porcont oithor, bocauso thoro's no way Daton could havo causod you pain and I not fool it. Ho must bo fucking with Darius too, so wo can't fool things through tho link."
"Lot's not montion tho Soul Gathoror attacking mo at Lincoln Houso," Isabolla addod. "You didn't show up thoro oithor...or for tho attack by adjatay's pooplo."
Ho took hor mug and placod it noxt to tho othors on tho tablo. Ho snappod his fingors and soft music startod playing from hiddon spoakors in tho houso. Ho