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It had come so unexpectedly. The revelation that the demonic life form that had previously possessed Volcan—it could be nothing else, not with that face, not while the phoenix was standing right there in the room with them—had returned. And not one of them had been ready for it... least of all Volcan.

The phoenix had all but fled from the house, retreating to his motorhome and locking himself inside. The others exchanged a flurry of questions: How had this thing come to be? Why hadn't the Anubian—the one who had called himself Izrail—destroyed it? Not even Korban, with all his experience dealing with demons, could offer any definitive answers. This was something even he hadn't anticipated.

Eventually, the group had calmed enough to see themselves out, heading back to their respective homes—except for Buniq and Vinge, who were shown to rooms by Avelyn and Kyle. One by one, everyone left, until only Avory remained, his amber eyes fixed on the screen as he directed A.V.I to run a series of searches through satellites and CCTV footage, desperately trying to uncover any clue as to how this could have happened.

The next morning, when Avelyn stepped out of her room, she found Kyle in the kitchen, already awake and brewing a pot of coffee. He greeted her with a tired smile, handing her a mug.

“Hope you slept better than I did," he said, the weariness in his voice clear. “Finding out about that... thing over in the Maritimes kept me up half the night."

Avelyn took the mug with a soft thanks, giving him a weary smile. “Sometimes you have to stop worrying and just rest... Worry about it when you wake up again. Losing sleep over it won't change anything."

Kyle took a sip of his own coffee, then chuckled darkly. “Yeah, right. But it's hard not to think about it, with all this going on. Your brother must've been up all night, running searches on that demon. When I got up, he was passed out in his workshop chair. I almost woke him, tried to help him get some sleep, but I didn't know how long he'd been out... didn't want to disturb him."

Avelyn tightened the belt on her dressing gown as she waited for her coffee to finish dispensing. “He wouldn't have stopped even if he could. He paused the other projects that have been haunting us to prioritize this. He knows how important it is."

Kyle sipped his coffee, his mind churning with thoughts. Finally, he asked the question that had been bothering him all night. “Though I can't think of any other destination it could have... What do you think? Is that thing coming back here?"

Avelyn's response was quiet, but her eyes hardened with resolve. “Why else would it leave Egypt and show up here? If Korban's brother came to this side of the world, there's something here they want. I think they're tracking Volcan's footsteps... looking for something."

She sighed, rubbing her temples. “My brother has a plan. He doesn't want to act too soon, but it seems inevitable. He's coming here, I'm certain of it. Avory's just trying to figure out how he's getting here and how much time we have before he arrives."

Kyle mulled over this, his gaze distant. Then a thought struck him, and he glanced at Avelyn. “When Volcan was possessed, Korban said he felt... something. Some kind of power that pulled him here. And he suggested that was probably what drew his brother here, too," the former marine recalled, his expression darkening. “Is there any way we can use that to our advantage?"

Avelyn hesitated, taking a deep breath. “We could try laying a trap... maybe even an ambush... But I don't know what else we can do. We just need to be ready for whatever comes next."

Kyle grimaced and shook his head, leaning back in his chair. “I just hope Volcan will be ready," he muttered. “He looked like he'd seen a ghost when we saw that report. I can't really blame him... but now we've got two of these guys to deal with."

He slouched further, his expression grim. “We don't even know what we're up against here."

Avelyn's tone softened as she spoke, but there was a tinge of uncertainty in her words. “I just hope the thing that took over Korban is on our side. That's really the only thing we can hope for at this point."

Kyle nodded in agreement. “Yeah. We've still got some time before Volcan's evil twin shows up. In the meantime, we should try to get some intel from Korban and start planning for when his brother arrives. We'll deal with the other guy when the time comes."

Avelyn considered this for a moment before responding. “I don't know. We need to prepare for both. We can't jump to conclusions about who will act first... or who's going to be more dangerous."

“Fair point," Kyle said, raising his cup in a small salute. “Better bring Vinge in on this too. We need as many sharp minds working on the problem as we can get."

“Indeed," Avelyn replied, finally taking a sip of her coffee, though her expression was still pensive, far from at ease.

~~~~~

“I'm sorry we're going to have to delay date night, Tsu," Avory remarked, stifling a yawn as he woke up again later that afternoon, his eyes following Tsumé as she walked into his workshop.

“That's alright; it happens," she replied, tucking her arms behind her back as she crossed the floor to join him. “Since I'm done outside, I figured I might come see what you're working on, if that's okay?"

“Of course, it's always a pleasure to have you around." Avory's voice was warm, and he flashed her a smile before stepping closer to give her a brief hug and a peck on her cheek. As he did, his computer monitors flickered in the background, displaying endless files and images, all searching for traces of the demon.

“I actually wanted to speak to you about something, anyway," he added, pulling back slightly, his expression turning more serious.

“Oh? What about?" Tsumé asked, intrigued.

Avory's face softened with concern as he met her gaze. “After Korban's brother showed up here, I'm worried that you and the others might be in the line of fire. I want to make sure you're safe." His eyes flickered to the screen behind him, his mind clearly racing. “So, I've been working on a new type of armour. It's designed not to get in the way of your day-to-day life, and I'd like you to have it."

“Armour? For me?" She raised an eyebrow. “But wouldn't that slow me down? Could I even tunnel while wearing it?"

Avory smirked, stepping back and allowing his posture to shift. He let his clothes adjust slightly, as though his body had grown just a bit bulkier beneath them.

“Hit me," he requested, his tone playful but determined.

Tsumé hesitated, her brow furrowing in confusion. “Uh… what?"

He repeated the command with more insistence, a slight grin on his face. “Go on, hit me."

She sighed, rolling her eyes, but then shifted into position. “I hope you don't hold this against me," she muttered, before hesitantly delivering a solid sideways kick to his abdomen.

To her surprise, the force of the blow barely budged him. Instead, she felt an odd, sharp ache in her foot where it had struck as if her kick had hit something much harder than flesh.

Avory winced, but his smile remained, one hand patting his abdomen. “Your kick's getting stronger," he remarked with a hint of pride.

“Seriously?" Tsumé blinked in disbelief. “That should've winded you! How are you still standing?"

Avory slid off his white jacket and draped it over the back of his chair, then lifted his red shirt, revealing a black chest plate underneath. It was composed of tiny, interlocking pieces, shaped to fit perfectly around his torso like scales.

“Triaxel Carbotanium memory mesh," Avory explained casually. “Barely weighs anything."

Tsumé tilted her head, intrigued but skeptical. “Carbotanium? As in… carbon fiber and titanium?"

“Yep, and in a triaxial lattice," he confirmed. “Actually, it's tempered tungsten-infused, silver-plated double triaxle carbotanium, but honestly, I've added so many revisions to it, I gave up on trying to change the name. It's just the new composite now. I use it for the lightning suits, and I've found a way to make it solidify and soften with memory." He glanced down at the chest plate, which quickly lost its rigid form and sagged like a loose t-shirt.

Tsumé knelt to inspect the armour more closely. “So that's what they're made of," she said, running a finger over the smooth surface. “And you made it in a lattice format for extra durability… but how did you get all these elements into one composite?"

Avory peeled off his red top, followed by the black-scaled shirt beneath, leaving his chest bare as he continued. “Lots of testing, lots of iterations…" He reached forward and pinched a section of the armour, and with a slight press, it bulked up into a hard shell, taking the shape of a torso. It looked heavy, but when he handed it to Tsumé, she was surprised by how light it felt.

“Wow… it's so light," she muttered, testing the weight by raising and lowering the plate in her hands.

Avory reached forward again and pinched the hem in a different spot. Immediately, the hard shell collapsed into what looked like nothing more than a piece of flexible fabric.

“Merde. That's compact," she said with a small grin. “You could fit this in a pocket."

“You could," Avory agreed, his voice slightly amused, “but it's better to wear it under your clothes. You never know when you might need it."

Tsumé handed the plate back to him, considering his words. “Sounds like a plan. Even if my bones are made of rock and my skin's like leather, one can never be too careful," she said, her voice dipping slightly at the end as her thoughts turned serious. “Especially with what we're up against lately."

Avory studied her for a moment, his gaze softening. “I'm sure you'd rather avoid scars and wounds on your skin if you could."

She met his eyes, her expression neutral but with a hint of something deeper beneath the surface. “It would be ideal," she agreed with a nod. “Guessing you need to take some measurements?"

“Yes, please," Avory replied, letting out a breath. “If it's not the right shape or size, it might be too tight or too loose when it goes hard. Could do more harm than good if we don't get it right." He released her arm slowly, his fingers trailing down her skin, combing through the coarse feathers of her arm as he withdrew.

Tsumé shivered slightly at the touch, but quickly masked it with a calm nod. “Alright. Then we do what we have to do," she said, her voice low, resolute.

“Of course," The shirtless bird smiles, reaching for the glasses on his desktop and putting them on, opening a drawer and pulling out a small device that he held with both hands, pulling on it and producing a small cord like a tape measure. He turns back around to Tsumé just standing there, “...oh. For best results it would be better if you didn't have such loose clothing on already"

Tsumé arched an eyebrow as she looked at the raven. “Are you sure that's not a ploy to get my pants off again, like when I was hurt by that monster Rex built?" she asked, smiling mischievously at him.

“Well… We've come a long way since then," he smirked back, “but that would certainly help, regardless."

She snickered. “And here I expected you to get flustered. Alright then," she said, moving to the corner as she started to unfasten her capris. “Where do you need to measure; hips, shoulders?"

“Everywhere if I'm to get you a full suit," Avory remarked wanting to watch the girl he was dating undress but respectfully kept his eyes up and at hers.

She could see him battling temptation to stare at her and decided to spare him further teasing. She slid off her capris promptly, kicking them aside, and then moved to her top. Lifting the sleeveless half-shirt over her head, she dropped it on top of her capris, leaving her only in her undergarments. With most of her clothes gone her figure was in full view, with relatively form-fitting underwear to accentuate her body.

“This enough?" she asked, gesturing at herself.

Avory's beak was partially parted and eyes flicked down from his stationary head, struggling not to look at the mostly bare bird before him. He didn't seem to hear her prompt.

She arched a brow at him again. “You… Going to start measuring or, just stare at me until you pass out?" she asked, snapping her fingers to get his attention when he didn't immediately answer.

“Yes! Sorry… it's just… very hard," he remarked as he brought his eyes back up to hers one final time and stepped forward his measuring cord, wrapping it lightly but tightly around her neck, and staring at the device at the end, letting his glasses measure the circumference measured by the cord.

Tsumé remained still while Avory did his work, lifting her head to let him measure the width of her neck, before eventually find the cord sliding down it to around her collar; then unlooping before finding its way under her arms and joining together again just above her chest; the knuckles of the male bird resting against her brown feathers just above her bra.

To her credit, despite the rather invasive touch, Tsumé didn't react poorly; she might have considered requesting Avelyn do this part. But, she trusted Avory enough that he allowed him to continue. She found she didn't mind having him there either, despite how exposed she was, reminded by how she felt the back of his knuckle glide down her front over the top of her bra, keeping close to her body at all times and never pulling away from it. She felt a shiver down her spine but this could have just been the cord wrapped around her making it way down her back.

His hands finally finished traversing the mounds on her chest; following the curvature and finding their way underneath, to measure her circumference just below her breast. She lifted her arms, perhaps slower than intended, to make sure she was out of his way, and watching him as he worked.

“Do you need this bra?" He seemed to ask out of the blue as his hands and cord slid down her stomach.

She considered the question for a moment, before reaching behind her. “I suppose I don't," she said softly, finding the clasp that held it on and unfastening it.

“Ah, ok," Avory replied as he went lower, down to her hips to measure before suddenly finding the fabric drop down onto the tip of his beak and onto his hands. He was confused as to what it was at first pulling his head away to let the fabric fall down between them before looking up from his crouched position in front of her.

“What was…" he was about to ask before noticing her bare chest above him.

“Sorry… Must've slipped," she replied with a wink.

Avory blinked for a few moments, gazing over her chest from below, noticing her wink, “...you are stunning, mon petit fleur…"

“Is 'looking' all you're going to do~?" she asked, having not put her arms down.

“Well…" Avory replied, releasing the end of the cord, and letting zip back into the device. “I should make sure I'm as familiar as possible for best results~" he cooed, slowly standing up from his couch; his hand gliding up her stomach slowly, before finding the underside of her chest.

She kept her arms up, interlacing her fingers behind her head as she watched Avory stand upright and cup her breasts in both hands, feeling over them, stroking their curvature with each thumb. The keen bird gazing down at her asps as he touched before looking up into her sultry eyes, stepping even closer to trap his hands between both of their bare feathered bodies.

“With how often you've teased me… I wondered when you would pull this…" Avory cooed to her.

She gave a shrug, sliding her arms over his shoulders. “Perhaps I'm feeling a tad frisky~," she said in a sultry tone.

Avory kept his smile, letting go of her chest and instead sliding his hands around to her back, holding her close as he lent his beak in to meet hers.

Tsumé gazed deep into Avory's amber eyes, taking a moment to hold him and feel their bodies pressed together. “...Been through quite a bit since we first met, haven't we?" she asked. “Hard to believe it's not even been a full year yet."

“Indeed… but with what we find ourselves in… what we find ourselves fighting… we never know what day could be our last," Avory replied, stroking up and down her wingless back as he gazed back into her andalusite eyes.

“Maybe that's why," she pressed in closer, her beak brushing against his, “I'm ready to step things up a bit. After all… Who wants to die a virgin?" She added under her breath.

(The following passage has been censored for non-adult readers)

~~~~~

After seeing the news the night before, Avory had shut himself away in his workshop for most of the following day, later joined by Tsumé, who remained with him. Their absence left only Kyle, Buniq, and Vinge to join Avelyn at dinner that evening. Afterward, Kyle offered to help clear the table, and they loaded their dishes into the dishwasher, leaving Vinge and Buniq to return to their rooms.

But one person had still been absent—Volcan. Ever since the previous night, he'd shut himself in his new motorhome, refusing to come out. Avelyn thought back to the scene from the night before, seeing Volcan storming out of the mansion and disappearing inside, despite the efforts of Korban and Lighris to speak with him. Had Vinge not intervened, the two might have ripped the door off his motorhome and dragged him out.

“Give him time to process," Vinge had said to them. “He just saw his worst nightmare made flesh—at least let him have the night."

Lighris had protested. “This is exactly what he did before! Shut himself away, wallowing in depression!"

Avelyn had lost track of the argument after that, with Vinge eventually convincing them to leave Volcan alone. But that had been a day ago, and the phoenix still hadn't emerged.

She collected the leftovers, plating them up with a cloth to keep them warm before stepping out, away from the prying eyes of the others. She made her way to the door of the motorhome. With a soft sigh, she knocked gently.

There was a brief pause before a voice from inside called out, “Come in."

Avelyn turned the handle and stepped inside, the door opening with a soft creak. She found Volcan sitting on the sofa, eyes fixed on the television in front of him. The kitchen and dining area were empty, with no signs he'd eaten anything since the night before. The interior smelled faintly of smoke, and on the floor by his feet lay the large sword he'd received in Yellowknife, the handle within easy reach of his left hand if he wanted to grab it.

Volcan didn't even glance at her when she entered, his gaze locked on the screen. His eyes were heavy, and the fatigue in his face was palpable.

“I brought you dinner," Avelyn said softly. “I don't know if you've eaten all day."

Volcan finally looked up, surprised. “Dinner? What time is it?" he asked, his gaze flicking toward the window beside the door as he tried to gauge the light outside.

Avelyn's brow furrowed with concern. “...You've been that fixated on him?" she asked, stepping forward and lowering the serving tray onto the table in front of him. “You haven't slept, have you?"

He hesitated, clearly struggling for words. “I... I think I did, for a bit. But I've been expecting him to show up again." He glanced at the TV. “So far, though... nothing. Other than the repeat of last night's incident, he seems to be gone for now."

“My brother is keeping an eye on him," Avelyn reassured him. “He'll know where he is before he shows up. You'll be one of the first to know."

Volcan let out a heavy sigh, hanging his head in shame. “Sorry," he murmured.

Avelyn moved to sit beside him on the couch, where they had once lain together only a few days ago. She rested a hand on his back, rubbing it gently.

“He's not you," she said quietly. “Don't keep thinking he is."

Volcan nodded slowly. “I know. But... I can still hear his voice. All the things he said he was going to do. My voice... promising all those horrible things." He shook his head slowly. “And now I know he's still out there, waiting for a chance to carry out every threat he made, every thought he planted in my mind. Whoever or whatever he is... he's coming, and he's going to endanger all of you."

“We live dangerous lives, Volcan." Avelyn's voice was soft but firm. “I don't know about you, but my brother and I signed that life away when we became Lightnings. You shouldn't worry about us." She continued to stroke his back, watching the weary eyes that had seen too much. “We just need to live for the moment, not waste it."

He met her gaze, his exhaustion written all over his face. He let out a long sigh. “Yeah... I suppose you guys did. I guess all this stuff, it's just catching up to me... that possession, fighting the naga, dealing with the werewolves, and finally facing Korban's brother... all of it led to finding out that thing I let out is still out there. It's a lot, all at once."

He rubbed his eyes, as if trying to shake off the weight of it all. “I guess it was all just too much, too soon."

Avelyn reached around him, pulling him into a gentle hug. “You've been worrying us all. But the fact that you care enough to worry about us... shows you're nothing like that demon."

Volcan set the plate down on the couch beside him, wrapping both arms around Avelyn. His body, previously cold and stiff from exhaustion, now warmed in her embrace. Absently, his hand drifted to the back of her neck, caressing her gently. Her head rested against his chest, and she could feel his heartbeat steady, the warmth radiating from him like a blanket fresh out of the dryer.

They stayed like that for a long moment, saying nothing, just sharing the comforting silence.

Finally, Volcan pulled away, looking at her with a tired, grateful expression before turning his attention to the plate of food.

“I suppose I better eat before it gets cold, eh?" he said with a tired smile.

Avelyn gave him a playful nudge. “I don't think cold food is much of a problem for you."

Volcan chuckled, setting the tray in his lap. “I'm not exactly great at reheating things," he said, cutting a piece of pork and savoring the taste. “This is delicious."

“I'm glad you think so," Avelyn smiled, patting him on the back before standing up to turn off the TV. “But eat up. You need it."

Volcan looked up at her, a sheepish expression crossing his face. “I... I don't suppose I could ask you to stay for a bit? I think I'd like the company."

Avelyn smiled warmly, settling back down beside him. “I don't see why not."

He took another bite of food before speaking again. “Nothing specific to talk about, really. But... I just feel better, having someone close by. I've spent so much time alone, I didn't realize how lonely it could get, carrying all this by myself. But having someone else here... helping shoulder the burden... it's a nice change. I've come to prefer the company of others."

Avelyn smiled softly. “That's good to hear." She watched him eat, before asking, “Have you ever had this before?"

“I think my mother made something like it once," he replied, chewing thoughtfully. “I'm pretty sure it was beef instead of pork, but it was good. And so's this." He glanced at her. “Did you make this yourself?"

“Mhm," she nodded. “Just a simple roast. We used to have it every Sunday back home. Guess that's why we called it Sunday Roast. Nan used to let me help in the kitchen before she passed... and Mum used to, too, before she got too busy and we had to hire help."

“I'm sure she'd be proud of how well you make it now," Volcan said encouragingly.

“Thanks. I hope so." She smiled back, her gaze warm.

The conversation flowed as Volcan finished his meal, even offering to share some with her, but Avelyn assured him she'd already eaten. Finally, his plate was cleared, and he finished off the last bit of Yorkshire pudding with gravy.

“Phew. I needed that," he said, leaning back.

“I can tell." Avelyn giggled as she watched him clean his plate. “I'm glad I could help."

Volcan looked at her and smiled, passing the plate to her. “Thanks for bringing me this, Avi. And for staying." He gave a soft laugh. “I probably look like shit right now, don't I?"

Avelyn chuckled lightly. “Not as bad as you think. But yes, you need sleep."

He stood up shakily, legs stiff from sitting too long. He teetered as he rose, almost losing his balance if not for the wall beside him. Avelyn's concerned look made him lift a hand in reassurance.

“Sorry… I guess I'm more exhausted than I thought," he said, blinking rapidly, trying to clear the blur that was settling over his vision. He thought he saw something at the door, his head snapping in that direction, but there was nothing there when he focused again.

Avelyn stepped toward him, eyes soft with concern. “Do you want me to help you back to your bed?"

He shook his head. “No... I'll be alright. I'm just a little dizzy from sitting too long, that's all."

She paused. “Alright. But if you need anything, just let me know. Don't be afraid to ask."

“I know," Volcan said softly, turning toward the bedroom, though he paused as he crossed the threshold. He gave her a tired but grateful smile. “Goodnight, Avelyn. Thanks again."

“Goodnight," she replied with a smile.

Then, as she turned to leave, Volcan spoke up again. “Wait… Just… Can I…?" His voice was tentative, and he held up his hands, looking at the raven with a quiet plea, hoping she'd understand what he meant. “One more?"

Avelyn caught on immediately and gave him an even warmer smile. “Of course you can," she said softly, stepping into his waiting arms.

Volcan enveloped her lovingly, his wings wrapping around her smaller form. He sighed contentedly, taking comfort in the warmth of her embrace. They stayed like that for several moments, Avelyn resting her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart and the slow, measured rhythm of his breathing.

She could feel his body warming as she held him. Over the time she had known him, she had learned that his fiery nature was tied closely to his emotional state. Passionate emotions—both anger and love—affected him outwardly, making his body feel warmer to the touch. Right now, the warmth he emanated was soothing, like the softest, most comforting blanket, and it made her feel safe and cared for.

When Volcan finally pulled back, he looked down at Avelyn with gratitude in his eyes, his hands still lingering on her arms as if he hesitated to let her go. Eventually, he released her. “Thank you, Avelyn," he said quietly.

“Any time, Volcan," she replied, her voice gentle. “Now, get yourself some sleep. I mean it," she added firmly.

Volcan smiled faintly, nodding. “Yes, ma'am," he replied, and turned, walking toward the bedroom. He collapsed onto the king-sized bed with a sigh of relief, his head sinking into the pillow. Thanks to Avelyn's presence, he finally felt able to relax, and his eyes closed willingly, sleep claiming him in a matter of moments.

Avelyn stood by the door for a moment longer, watching him as he drifted off, before she picked up the dishes and quietly left the motorhome. Stepping outside, she closed the door gently behind her, letting out a soft, content sigh. She started walking back toward the mansion, her mind lingering on the long embrace she had shared with Volcan, and how much she had enjoyed it. The smile at the corners of her beak lingered all the way to the house, her heart light with warmth from the moment they'd shared.