Back in Black by AC/DC. Listen to The Song of Wings Playlist while you read! Here's my Discord Link if you want to check it out!

Happy Holidays!

Classical music played in the background in the capacious bank. An ornamented dome with a crystallized chandelier sparkled off from artificial light. White and black marble pillars loomed high above the room.

Katerina stared with awe at the magnificent bank. She sauntered on the ivory-polished, swirling marble floor. Galas in formal apparel walked with briefcases in their hands.

The Prowler understood the history between Infernals and Harmonies. They might be insufferable together, but an event or a place like the Heaven and Hell Bank brought tranquility over them. The enemies knew the fine line between the occasion to kill each other or helping when such a crisis was needed.

However, the H&H showcased something that seemed impossible through the centuries of battling each other—peace among the supernatural. The bank was famous for dedicating neural biases to the Infernals and Harmonies, allowing them to store whatever valuable possessions they had. The H&H had a strict policy of no fighting and welcomed the Infernals and Harmonies to share goals of achieving their wants and desires beyond seeing eye to eye.

Choirs and Infernals sat together over coffee and discussed important matters of trading not only items but knowledge. Galas laughed and chatted excitedly about the latest news.

Yet, despite the harmony between the Galas, she sensed the tension zipping in the air like electricity. Galas peered at the infamous Dixon, whose parents destroyed half the villainous race. Sara touched her friend’s shoulder, making her jump in surprise from being engrossed by the scene laid before her.

Eyes shifted onto the girl, who suspiciously looked like Kate’s bodyguard in her black attire. The first glimmer of confusion and then the next second, seriousness flickered across those coal eyes, and Sara stared in a demeaning glare at everyone.

An overwhelming sensation of frisson floated around them. Sara wasn’t used to so many Galas letting their magic spill out without any care in the world.

Her powers lurched into action, wanting to protect her emotions and disliking the situation, but she was in no physical danger. She squeezed her friend’s hand, uncomfortable with the onlookers.

Mutters flooded the room in seconds, wondering why Kate was there. She guessed the Archangel managed to keep the Gala mimicking Pitch a secret. She watched Sara look daggers at everyone, scanning around the area, which Kate realized was for her protection.

The Infernal’s conversation was directed at Sara, who was wondering who the hell she was.

“How old do you think she looks like...Nineteen? No, she has to be younger than that!” Whispers surrounded the two nervous Prowlers.

Kate pretended not to see Infernals curling their fists together and anger sneering on their faces. “Come on, Sara.”

The assassin tightened her grip around the spiked circular hilt of her dagger as she walked abreast with her friend. She asked, “What are we doing here, anyway?”

“Just investigating around, although not feeling any frisson of this shapeshifter,” sighed Kate.

They moved among the crowds, some lingering their suspicious stares at them, others dismissing them. The Prowlers found head statues in front of a dedication wall. Kate looked at one statue at a time. She read off their description of how they contributed to the H&H to distract herself from glares.

Her eyes halted at one, quickly reading the memoir stating: The High Warlock, Dr. Thomas Pitch. Thank you for creating the security system and dedicating your life to us. You may be gone, but you are not forgotten.

Sara looked at the statue of the warlock, asking, “Did this Gala look like Dr. Thomas Pitch?”

Kate tightened her jaw and huffed out frustration. “Exactly. Don’t you remember Pitch—” She jerked her chin up, and a shiver skimmed down her spine. She snapped at the attention of her surroundings. She could never forget the presence of the evil frisson crawling up her skin and who it belonged to.

Swirling around to see Lucifer pleasantly talking among his Infernals in a formal black suit. She swore she caught him siding a look at her. She murmured under her breath, “What the fuck is he doing here?”

Nails dug into her palms when she whirled around back to Sara. “This mission is pointless. Why did even Michael want us here?” Kate closed her eyes, hoping to relax her racing heart and bring hatred down from the surface.

She shouldn’t be judging what the Archangel’s wishes were and not questioning his motives, but Kate had understood the reason for coming to the H&H, which was filled with Infernals that wanted to kill her.

And what would Sara think of her saying that to her father? She only glimpsed Sara narrowing her eyes at anyone daring to make a bold move at them. She was taking her bodyguard quite seriously, to Kate’s surprise. However, she knew not to underestimate her protection. Not because it was Sara’s job as part assassin and part bodyguard, but because they were best friends till the end.

The two girls made their way to explore the building to check out the vault he opened. Kate hoped this was a buff. Walking next to her friend, she noticed Sara’s posture had become stiff. Her hands curled around her daggers, and she swung around like a ballet dancer, graceful and full of purpose. The tip of the blade was pressed against Devi’s neck.

Kate breathed out her disbelief. Lucifer had managed to sneak up behind them, and she didn’t notice. She silently belittled herself.

The Devil held his hands in surrender, but fear was vacant. He replied smoothly, “I’m here to talk to Kate and nothing more.” His eyes were directed to the blade and then to Sara’s sneering expression. The dagger didn’t move but instead barely pressed more on his neck, but not enough to cut the skin.

Realizing that Sara was patiently waiting for her to say something, her coal eyes never leaving Lucifer’s ones, Katerina sputtered out, flabbergasted, “What do you need to talk about?”

“I’m here about the Gala.” Lucifer toned down his voice with a mocking smile, and he lowered his hands. “I know Michael doesn’t want rumors spreading that Pitch might be alive.”

How did Lucifer know that the Gala was here? She had no doubts that any information the Devil wanted, he would surely get. She ordered through gritted teeth, “Sara, you can put the dagger away now.”

People stared at their conflict, and guards were alert to cease the fighting. The H&H was known for their peaceful interactions, and the guards made sure to keep that traction.

Sara slid her weapon into her sheath and took a backstep for personal space. She crossed her arms, and a flash of uncertainty glossed over her face.

With Lucifer wanting to talk about nonsense, Kate wanted to not waste any time looking at Gala’s vault. The sooner, the better to figure out what the hell this person was up to.

She motioned her head towards the vaults for Sara to leave them. She hoped her friend got the clue and was not hurt that Kate desired her to leave to have a private conversation with the Devil, which was the last thing she wished to do.

Kate finally locked eyes with Lucifer, and memories flashed of the deaths of her parents. She defied everything about this situation, seeing the monster that killed her parents with no mercy. The emotions she kept at bay about that day squeezed inside her chest. “What’s so important?”

There wasn’t the charming smile Kate expected for an answer, but rather a stern look from Lucifer. He gestured his hand at a wide marble staircase leading to the second floor. “Tell me everything you know about this Gala supposedly mimicking Pitch.”

***

The assassin felt lost and dazed, standing alone in the room. Sara nervously glanced around the bank and took a step forward, hoping if she moved, she wouldn’t look like a complete idiot standing uncomfortably.

“Ahem,” Sal cleared his throat, which was loud and obnoxious in her mind. “It seems that you indeed have gone sidetrack in your mission. I’m not surprised.”

“What do you want?” She growled at him in her thoughts, watching Kate and Lucifer go up the stairs. Her heart lurched in panic at being left alone without any supervision. A bit of happiness shone on her face at having her ‘freedom,’ but fear of doing something wrong crept inside her like an uninvited guest.

Sal sighed, appearing in front of Sara, and he pointed to the corridor that led to the vaults. “Even with your friend wishing she could burn Lucifer into ashes, she must fulfill, and you do too.” Pushing her towards the vaults, he thrust his fist in the air, dramatically saying: “Let’s not waste any more time and see what secrets will be unlocked.”

“It’s probably an empty note laughing at our stupidity,” Sara stated in her mind.

“Oh, don’t be a killjoy,” lamented Sal.

“But I literally kill Infernals who enjoy destroying the Harmonies,” argued Sara.

Sal breathed out from the girl’s comment about how literal she could be sometimes. They walked to the desk leading to the vaults.

A werewolf in his form—a furry, so one could say. Gray ears pointed out from his wolf face, and a fluffy tail puffed out from his tailbone. His slanted, glowing eyes stared suspiciously at her.

Wearing an extra-large black shirt over his hardcore furry and pants that looked strange on his form, he questioned in a deep gruff, “You’re some bodyguard working for Kate?”

Sara slumped her shoulders from the spontaneous question, “Something like that.” She tapped her fingers together anxiously, felt a push behind her, and nearly fell. “I am... Michael’s helpers... and um, here to check a vault that has been opened by a man called—”

“Thomas Pitch,” finished the werewolf, clearly annoyed about Sara’s slowness in answering the question, “Right. Some Choir mentioned two girls coming. Ha, I didn’t expect someone like you!”

Sara flickered her eyes with insecurity. “Is that a good thing?”

The werewolf got on his feet from his chair, and he stood well over ten feet. He dangled a keychain in his giant paws for the girl.

The teenager was intimated by the giant, fluffy werewolf, from which she hesitated to grab the key. Sara finally snatched it from the impatient Gala. “Thanks,” she replied weakly.

When Sara headed to the vault, she heard him mumbling to the worker sitting next to him, “Why is the Archangel sending her out? Damn girl, she needs to be doing her shit.”

On the way, the assassin wondered why her body trembled with agitation. The key in her hands was not a regular key shape, but instead a long tube with a handle in the front and a key chain that had the number one.

Sara knew about the Heaven and Hell Bank and the thing about the vault one. The account used to belong to the staff members to put away money for safekeeping for withdrawals, mainly. However, after a thief stole millions of dollars from that vault, the staff decided to move the money somewhere else and left the vault open for anyone who wished to buy it.

The reason the vault was so easily robbed was that it was in front of the bank, with the heavy golden door ornate with gears. It had been emptied for a while to showcase clients who desired to see what a vault looked like.

Now vault one was closed as Sara stepped in front of it, sliding the tube inside the circle keyhole. There was a click, and then gears churned to unlock it. Sara’s heart raced, unsure what to expect. She was ready for a bomb to explode when the door opened or an empty vault, and this was just a bluff.

Sara held her breath when the door swung wide, and a black void greeted her. Her hand clutched a dagger, and she crept into the darkness. Galas were paying no mind to her as they went to their business, for many Galas asked permission to see the vault.

She slid against the metal wall and began to look for a light switch. She found a large lever and yanked it down, hoping she didn’t stupidly do something. Lights flashed, and the door slammed closed, the gears turning to lock her in.

Fuck she cursed. She gazed around the room, her breath caught in her throat. In the middle of the huge room, there was a desk with a fancy chair. People were standing with their heads bowing to the floor. They seemed to not be moving or breathing. She let out a relieved sigh. “Just dolls. Creepy.” She moved towards them.

“Sara, don’t!” shouted Sal.