Sadik was searching the house frantically. Eric was nowhere to be found. He met with Nikola in the hallway as Nikola was coming down from the roof.

“Is he back in his room?” Nikola sounded panicked and Sadik wanted to reassure him. But, he was just as panicked. They had feared something like this might happen. That someone could take their son. The wards must not have held, and now Eric was gone.

Sadik moved to their bedroom, hoping beyond hope that Eric had snuck in there since the last time he had checked. Nikola’s laptop made a sound as if he had gotten an email, and Nikola rushed to it.

Lovely kid. Seems to like my zoos. Lucy and I are keeping him.

That is what you get for double-crossing me.

Cry me a river,

Satan.

PS: I had to grab a silly bear from the realm of the living. It died of a heart attack. The kid doesn’t know, and I won’t tell him.

Sadik reread the note as Nikola sunk to the ground and began to sob. Sadik picked up the laptop and threw it at the wall. Nikola didn’t even register it.

“I will kill him! How dare he!” He looked down at Nikola, who was staring at nothing. “Are you going to give up on our son? Wage war, darn you!”

At Sadik’s yell, Nikola’s eyes became more focused. He stood, wiping the tears from his eyes.

“I have no idea where the Hell is,” Sadik wanted to shake Nikola when another laptop with the dreaded program appeared. Nikola sat down and began to type. A door appeared. “And I don’t need to.”

Sadik felt a tiredness sip into his bones. He fell down, unconscious, as Nikola used the same way to go to Hell as Eric had, albeit not knowing it. Upon stepping a foot on the dead looking grass, chains shot up and enveloped him. He fell and waited.

He heard a chuckle soon after. Satan was there and, carrying Eric who looked to be unconscious, was the most beautiful man Nikola had ever seen.

“What? Do you want to leave your husband for Lucy and me?” Nikola glared and tried to wiggle out of the chains. But they were wrapped tight around him.

“What do you want!” Snapped Nikola. Satan went to him and the chains disappeared.

“That was just to show you who is boss here. We are still friends, no?” Nikola nodded, fearful for his son. The blonde man came and gave him Eric, who didn’t stir.

“Time passes differently here than in Purgatory or on Earth,” said Lucifer softly. Everything about the man was soft, almost delicate. But Nikola couldn’t kid himself. This was a warrior. One who had rebelled and survived. “He tired himself looking at animals and telling us about them.”

“Yes, little Eric here was a fountain of information. He tried to get to Earth first, but the angels have blocked that way out of Purgatory. I, however, left my door opened for you, buddy. Aren’t I nice,” Nikola was only half-listening. He was checking Eric for injuries. When he concluded that the boy was just tired, he placed him on the ground.

“What do you want?” Nikola could guess. After all, maybe he had gotten his powers back because there had been nothing to bind them to Satan. Not because the being didn’t mind.

“You know,” said the red head, and Nikola nodded. “But this time, I will have to rope you up in a contract. Now, I didn’t plan for this. But, when an opportunity presents itself, I don’t let it pass me by.”

A stack of papers appeared, and then a pen. Nikola took the pen and searched for a place to sign.

“Won’t you read it first?” Asked Satan teasingly. Nikola shook his head. There was no point. The door through which he had come was gone. Now, he needed for Satan to let him go. “You are no fun.”

Nikola saw that there was a place for his signature on every sheet of paper. His eyebrows rose as Satan edged towards Eric. He understood the threat when he saw it and began to sign. When his hand felt like it could go numb at any second, Eric stirred.

“Papa, what are you doing here?” Eric looked at Lucifer and went to clutch at his pants. “I don’t want to go back to that empty place. Lucy, don’t let papa take me back.”

Lucifer sneered down at the boy, and Satan tutted.

“Lucy, dear, keep up with the game. We want the little darling to come back,” Nikola made to move to get his son, who had backed away from the angel at the sneer, but the blonde man stopped him with a glare.

“He will come to live here for an hour of Purgatory time every day. That is a full day here,” stated Satan, and Nikola’s eyes widened.

“But, I…”

“For your good behavior, Niki. I want access to your little neck of the woods, and you granted me that. You already signed. Now, you didn’t read, but, if you don’t play by my rules, Eric here dies,” Nikola’s gaze searched for the papers. He needed to read them — now. To know what was not allowed. But found them gone. “Which could be anything at any time.”

“Did you enjoy playing God?” Hissed Lucifer. No one made to grab Eric, and he went to hide behind Nikola. Now, scared. “Because I had never been angrier than when I watched you.”

“Papa, I am sorry,” murmured Eric, face hidden in Nikola’s legs. “They were nice.”

“We always are, in the start. But, kiddies,” Satan went and placed an arm around Lucifer’s middle and brought him closer to himself. “We hate humans. Sure, one can argue that Niki here is not one. However, you, champ, are.”

Eric gulped and Nikola scooped him up. There was a door behind him, and he looked at it with hope in his eyes.

“Run along now, both of you. See you tomorrow,” and Nikola made his way to the door as fast as he could without running.