Starchild

The Cousin Tingle

Victoire Barton, SHIELD agent. Blonde hair, pale skin with warm undertones, brown eyes, average height and strong legs. Smart, awkward, gentle. Eldest sister. Fatherless.

Next in line for the throne of Hell?

The three of us quickly stand up and rush through the house, passing by the quiet portal and trying to find the siblings in any of the rooms. We check Barney's; they are not there. We check Victoire's new room; not there either. My room's door is wide open and, finally, we find them there, since I gave them permission to enter and hang out with Django.

And they are doing so - Victoire, after seeing us, puts him down and jogs to us with concern on her face.

—Oh, thank god, you're alright. —she holds my shoulders, and she checks my face with her eyes, —It's been hours, even Django's been missing you. What happened? —

She doesn't suspect a thing.

Strange keeps looking at her. —We need to talk, Barton. —

—What's going on? —Barney asks, as he walks to us, standing right next to Victoire.

—What do you know about your father? —

—I, uh, —Victoire looks around confused, thinking of an answer. —Like, we don't know a lot. It was kind of a one night stand and mom didn't really like talking about him. I think they met in the community, and he disappeared when mom found out she was pregnant. —

Wong shakes his head, —This doesn't tell us anything. —

I know what will.

—Come with me, Victoire. —

Before she can answer, I grab her by the wrist - not too roughly - and start dragging her to the portal by the stairs, ignoring the tingle that is familiar by now. There is only one way to find out. She keeps questioning where I am taking her and I can't answer her, only heading straight for the magical door. If she is actually part demon, she should be fine in Hell. If she actually is the heir- well, I will learn what this means in a few minutes.

Before we enter, she stops me completely in my tracks, —I'm not going in there. —

—Look, —I get closer to her, making sure she hears me. We don't have time for this. —We all have questions here and the answer might be in there. It'll be quick. Just do what I tell you and pray our suspicions are wrong. —

—Why? —

I nod at the portal, —You will see. —

We enter Hell, and her body doesn't even flinch.

The tingle isn't there anymore, instead, I can feel Victoire's increase of temperature. She looks around, probably feeling the energy herself, and I notice her eyes now have a slight red glow in them.

—Only demons can stand in Hell like you're doing now, Victoire. Other beings feel pain or straight up die. —she looks at me in worry, and I just reconfirm the news with a shrug, —You're a demon. —

— ...And? —

I grab her arm and start walking us down the castle's corridor, ignoring the few demons looking at her confused. Sabrina will most likely find out about this visit, and if Victoire turns out to be the heir, She will definitely act on the news. Victoire would be in danger, and we can't afford that. I hope we are wrong. We must be wrong.

When she sees Lucifer's corpse on the throne, she takes a step back, hiding behind me. —Don't worry, he's dead. —

—Is that... Lucifer? —

I nod. —That's him, yes. Go on, check him out from closer. —

After some seconds of hesitation, she slowly walks up to the throne, tilting her head at the sight. It's probably the first time she has seen a humanoid being - that might be the reason she looks emotionally detached from the corpse, compared to the time she saw the girl in the box.

—Grab it. —I walk up to her, —Grab the sword and take it out. That will tell me everything I need to know. —

She looks back at me. —Do I have to? —

—If it doesn't work, you can stop. But you should at least try. —

With doubt, she gets ready by stretching her hands, to then put them on the handle; she tries pulling it, with little to no force. It moves a bit. It moves. But, thinking nothing of it, Victoire stops holding it and sighs, smiling. —Ah, it didn't work, that's too bad. —she looks at me, —Can we go now? —

I make direct eye contact with her. We can't simply go. —Finish it. —

—I don't want to take it out, Star. —

She knows.

—I don't want to have anything to do with Hell and demons and whatever. I- I just-—she closes her eyes for a moment, sighing, —I just want to stay as a normal, boring human. I don't care who my dad was and I won't let it ruin my life. —

This has been too quick for her, I understand. Almost a week ago she didn't know anything like this existed, and if it did, she didn't like it, and now she is being told she's related to such things. She doesn't want to be part of this world. I don't either. But even if we want to deny the roots, they are going to follow us everywhere, so might as well understand them.

And we cannot waste more time on family dilemmas.

—Take it out, Vic. I will make sure this ends quickly. —when I notice she doesn't comply, I continue, —More lives might be in danger. —

She takes a deep breath. She grabs the handle again and, this time, pulls on it with more force.

The sword leaves Lucifer's body.

Victoire Barton, SHIELD agent. Blonde hair, pale skin with warm undertones, red eyes, average height and strong legs. Selfless, compassionate, sensible. Eldest sister. Daughter of Lucifer's son.

Now, legally, Queen of Hell.

—What now? —she whispers, astonishingly looking at the sword in her hands,

I look around. The few demons observe the scene, and some others rush to hide. The queen of Hell is supposed to be feared. Although Victoire doesn't fit the role that much. There is someone who does, though. —News travel fast with demons, and this will probably get to Sabrina in a few hours. She will try to take the power away from you. She will try to kill you. —

—But... —she says, —Couldn't I just give it to her? Tell her I don't want it and settle it down without, you know, her killing me? —

Tomorrow is August seventh. I know where she will be.

—Maybe. Let's leave this place, bring the sword with you. —

There is no point in hiding or running away, for whoever was going to see us, saw us, but we still jog back to the portal and appear in the Sanctum's lobby. The three men are standing in front of it, and I softly push Victoire to the front.

—The heir situation has been resolved. —I shrug, —Here's the queen of Hell and, well, my cousin. —

Victoire looks back at me, and there's a hint of fear in her eyes. I smile at her in reassurance. Barney is staring at her in worry, and the wizards in disbelief.

—Okay. —Strange mutters, —Could be worse. She's in even more danger now, though. What's your plan? —

August seventh, beginning of the harvest season.

—Lughnasadh, that's the plan. —