Chapter 49

Nikola spent a pleasant evening with his family, fixed the toaster and then held the ladder as his father sprinkled Rositza the rose bush with pesticides. He went to his apartment and then went to bed with a smile.

The next couple of months he worked on a hearing aid and, when he set it out for production, he got to working on the weight loss app again. He managed to finish it even faster now, as the code was still fresh in his brain.

Between these three things, he was a rich man. On a whim, he bought the land under the candy factory he used to work for. He got the same deal as before for it. Not that he cared about whatever or not he would be paid.

With money a plenty, he decided finally to address the elephant in the room. He needed to get rid of Caine. Last time, someone had stopped him and Dimitri, but this time that may not be so. There was only one being he could turn to.

He drawled a pentagram and began listing passwords from his time as the Devil’s secretary. On a whim, he tried strip club, and it connected to the Big Bad himself.

“Who are you?” That was the original Devil and not Dimitri, Nikola was sure of that.

“Hello, I am an angel, and before you cut the connection know I know of the one who will diablerie you,” that seemed to have the desired effect because soon Nikola was in the Devil’s office. The picture of Lucifer on a stripping pole was still there. Dimitri had kept many things from his predecessor, it seems.

“Tacky,” said Nikola as he eyed the picture. “But let us go down to business.”

Satan nodded and he offered Nikola a cigar. When Nikola didn’t reach for it, the Devil shrugged and lit his own. He was wearing a suit, and he was in the same red skinned big form as the one Nikola knew from his time with Vasilisa.

“Who is going to kill me?” Satan looked irritated at the very notion that it could happen.

“Dimitri Popescu,” Nikola felt a sudden satisfaction at throwing Dimitri under the bus. It was no less than what he deserved after he allowed Gehenna to happen.

“Never heard of him. Is he a priest?”

“He is a vampire,” the Devil snorted.

“Those are under my control.”

“Maybe, but not him. He is powerful, and he will find you after we fight, and you end up unconscious,” a saber was brought to Nikola’s neck.

“So, are you threatening me? I’d call you a feathered fuck, but you don’t have feathers,” Nikola placed a finger at the saber and pushed it away.

“I was in a time loop with Dimitri, until recently. I think he is no longer in it. He played us all for fools and wanted to keep me and my two lovers as pets as the world burned around us,” the saber was removed and the Devil whistled.

“Another time loop? I’ll have you know I didn’t start it. If I had, I would have included myself,” Nikola knew. He knew whom to blame for the time loop. God.

“I offer you a partnership. A clean cut one,” spoke Nikola, and Satan leveled him a look.

“I can feel your power, but I know you haven’t reached your full potential,” Nikola nodded at that. No matter how much he had trained, he had never reached his full potential. But now that his soul was back in his body, he had plenty of power.

“You can help me with that,” Satan smiled and played with his cigar. He puffed smoke in Nikola’s direction, and the Bulgarian coughed.

“What is it for me?” Nikola’s greatest power lay in his blood, so, he offered that.

“My blood, whenever you need it. It can heal any wound. I will not stand in your way and I will even help you, provided what you want is reasonably,” offered Nikola. There was green in Satan’s eyes, and Nikola smirked. He knew now that he had him.

“And what is it in it for you?” And the other shoe dropped.

“I get to end all this time loop nonsense. I get to have my lovers and live peacefully with them,” and if he couldn’t have his three hearts, he would force another time loop and try again and again until everything was ready.

“So, you want training and what else?” Asked the Devil, extending his hand to Nikola. Nikola shook it.

“Time. I have things like I want them, for now. I am rich and have the funds to send someone else to do my dirty work. But, I need to think for what happens after Gehenna,” Satan nodded.

“Gehenna was always a bit pretentious. Lupines have an apocalypse too, you know? No one pays them any attention,” Nikola paused to think. Could it be that the belief of so many kindred was what made Gehenna real?

“One more thing,” said Nikola as the Devil was preparing to snap his fingers and sent him back. “Dimitri Popescu is mine to deal with. He is responsible for everything that happened and…”

Satan gave out a snort.

“And you aren’t? Not even a little?” Nikola looked down at his hands. Maybe he was. But if even Dimitri could not bring himself to punish him, then, possibly, he was not meant to be punished.

“Not relevant,” said Nikola, and the Devil snickered.

“Typical holier than thou Angel. Training starts tomorrow. I expect for you to be up and about before six am,” Nikola nodded, and the Devil snapped his fingers.

Nikola was in his bed and the pentagram glowed once before dimming. He closed his eyes and used the dream space to spy on Vasilisa and Malkav. He was not ready to search out Dimitri yet. For, all the death he was sowing, was on Nikola too. As he had not moved a finger, to stop the blonde.