Chapter 37

Mac brought Viv to his house to stay for their mini vacation in Netherworld. They would go visit his uncle, but he wanted to make sure they had alone time as well. Viv’s nightmares had been popping up again with the stalker behavior of the serial killer he had been hunting. He didn’t think she wanted Uncle to hear her if she had any while they were here. Mac was hoping that the nightmares would stop again now that the man had been caught and punished.

Plus, he didn’t want his uncle to be able to overhear them having sex. They were staying in tonight, letting Viv adjust to being in Netherworld. It took a minute to adjust to the sky and the different sensations. Thomas had been here a few times now and would have a much easier time. Thomas and D were coming over for dinner tonight. Tomorrow he and Viv would be going to his uncle’s house for introductions. He was nervous about having his mate and only blood family meet, but he knew his uncle would love her. He just hoped Viv could see past his uncle’s job and see him for the man, well demon, he was.

He was planning on making the goulash dish she had liked at the restaurant. It was a good comforting dish. He had a take-and-bake loaf of bread as well. His uncle had made sure his house was stocked before they had arrived. Viv was changing into sweatpants and a t-shirt, wanting to be comfortable. It’s not like Thomas or D cared what she was wearing.

He got the stew started, setting it to simmer. He pulled out some vegetables that he brought from the human world and started making a salad. When he finished tossing the salad, he went to check on Viv since she hadn’t come back out from the bedroom. He found her curled on the bed, fast asleep. He left the light on but pulled a blanket over her. She hadn’t been sleeping well, so it was a good thing she was taking a nap. He searched through his sock drawer, finding the box his uncle had promised would be there. Opening it, he smiled. He couldn’t wait to give it to her.

A few hours later, there was a knock on the door. Thomas and D came in carrying dessert and a few bottles of wine.

“Let me get Viv. She fell asleep. Can you watch the bread for me? It’s close to done,” Mac said.

“It smells great,” Thomas told him, already heading to the kitchen.

Mac went to his bedroom, making sure to make noise. “Viv? Thomas and D are here,” he said approaching the bed.

“Hm. Already? Are they early?” she blinked up at him.

Mac smiled. She was adorable when she was sleepy. “Nope, you fell asleep. Dinner’s about ready.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep,” she said, climbing out of the bed.

Mac gave her a kiss. “You needed the sleep. Now we can have some fun with our friends.”

Viv nodded and they walked out to the kitchen. D was already setting the table; he had been over enough times that he knew where everything was. Thomas was taking the bread out of the oven and stirring the goulash.

“You made my favorite,” Viv said with a smile.

“Yup. There’s bread and salad to go with it.”

“And dessert and wine!” Thomas added, coming over to give Viv a hug.

“You look better,” he said, looking her over.

“I guess I needed some more sleep,” Viv admitted. She did feel much better, ready to celebrate with her family.

Dinner was amazing and there weren’t any leftovers. She needed to wait a bit to eat the dessert, which Thomas informed her tasted like a cannoli, but in a layered pie. He got the recipe from D’s mom the last time they had visited and he assured Viv it was delicious.

“Do you guys want to play some games while we wait for dessert?” Mac asked.

“Sure, what kind of games?” Thomas replied.

“I’ve got board games and card games, but they’re demon versions,” Mac said.

“Do you still have Three You’re Out?” D asked.

“I think so, let me go look,” Mac replied, pulling himself out of the couch.

“What’s that?” Thomas asked as Mac left the room.

“It’s a dice game. We used to play it a lot when we were kids,” he heard D respond. He opened the closet, digging through the mess of games. He tended to just shove them someplace when he was done with them. He finally found it; the box held together by tape, the corners having long since broken apart.

Mac gingerly unpacked the box, spreading the faded and taped-together map out on the table.

“The goal of the game is to make it around Netherworld without getting eaten. If you roll a three, you get tossed into the ocean where you’re eaten.”

“By those gnarly fish we saw,” Thomas grumbled.

“I told you, you’re too big for them to eat,” D said, laughing.

“We need to go on a trip,” Thomas told Viv. “Then you’ll see and can agree with me.”

“Has D taken you to Smoke, that restaurant I told you about?”

Thomas shook his head.

“You go there and try some of the food in the nonhuman room, and I’ll go with you to the ocean. Make sure you have D with you to order the food that is human-safe though.”

“I will,” Thomas promised.

“You guys ready to play?” D asked, eager. This had been his favorite game growing up, which explained why Mac’s copy was so worn. They had played it a lot.

Thomas proved to be very adept at the game, winning three out of five rounds. Viv got up, stretching.

“I’m going to make some coffee. Does everyone want some?” she asked.

After a round of yeses, she went to the kitchen to get the coffeepot started. Thomas followed, pulling out the cannoli pie. “This is a cute house. I’m so glad they’re close together. We can still walk to see each other if we’re here at the same time,” he said.

“I know! I was worried they would be far apart,” Viv replied. D didn’t live on the same street as Mac, but he did live within a ten-minute walk. “I love you, you know that?” she asked her best friend, laying her head on his shoulder.

“I love you too. I’m so glad Mac got his head out of his ass, and you gave him a second chance. We’ll have hundreds and hundreds of years together. It’s perfect that our mates are best friends too,” Thomas said happily, wrapping his arms around her in a hug.

“Are you excited to finally meet his uncle?” he asked, letting go to slice the pie.

“I am, but nervous too. He helped raise Mac and it’s his only blood family left.”

“He’ll love you,” Thomas reassured her.

The coffeepot gurgled its last drops and Viv focused on getting a tray of drinks made up. Thomas finished plating the pie slices and left the kitchen, making a squeaking sound at the doorway. Viv turned but didn’t see anything.

“You okay?” she asked, worried.

“Yup. Just a hiccup-sneeze combo. I’ll take the coffees. Can you grab napkins? I forgot to bring them,” Thomas said, taking the tray out of her hands.

Viv shook her head at her suddenly empty hands but turned around and grabbed napkins from the pantry. She started walking back into the living room, but stopped as soon as she crossed the threshold. Mac was there, kneeling on one knee, a small box in his hands. Was this…? Viv felt her eyes start to tear up. Thomas already had his phone out, standing off to the side. She was a little amused at the thought that she was getting proposed to while wearing some of her oldest clothing.

“Viv, you make my life complete. You are joy and laughter, love and acceptance. I was a complete ass and almost lost this, but you gave me another chance. I know you already accepted me as your mate, but I would love if you would accept me as your husband too,” Mac said, holding the ring out to her.

“Yes! Of course, yes. I would love to be your wife,” she said, dropping to her knees in front of him, napkins falling to the ground as she ignored the ring and grabbed his face with both hands, pulling him in for a kiss. Mac pulled her close, wrapping one hand in her hair, thrusting his tongue deep.

She pulled back when she heard Thomas cheering. Mac slid the ring on her finger. It was like nothing she had ever seen before. The silver band gleamed and the diamond looked like it had a tiny flame inside it.

“It’s a Netherworld hellfire diamond,” Mac explained. “It’s been spelled so that a regular human won’t see the flame, so you don’t have to worry about it at work or anything.”

“Let me see! Congratulations,” Thomas said, coming over to give them both a hug. “It’s perfect, good job,” he told Mac with a smile. “Maybe we can do a double wedding?” he asked Viv hopefully.

“I would love that. That would be perfect,” she replied.

Mac held Viv’s hand as they walked to his uncle’s. It appeared to be just down the street, but in reality, his uncle owned all of this property. The other houses were for his main guards. When they weren’t on shift guarding him, they had their own places to go to, to live with their families if they had any. Even if he himself didn’t get separation of home and work, he understood the importance of it for his people. Mac could have moved farther away, but he liked being close to his uncle.

He knocked on the front door, not sure if his uncle had any visitors today. Sometimes people would pop in on official business. He could sense a few guards around the property and the house, but they must have been hiding in the shadows. Probably trying to give Viv space and not overwhelm her.

The front door opened, and his uncle stepped out. He had chosen to appear in his human form, which wasn’t too unlike Mac’s. They were both tall and muscular, pitch-black hair. His uncle’s was longer, pulled back in a man bun, which Mac loved to tease him about. Mac had dark eyes, whereas his uncle had bright blue. Even their demon forms showed their family resemblance.

“Welcome. I am so pleased to meet you,” his uncle said, holding out a hand.

“Viv, this is Lucifer,” Mac introduced them.

“Nice to meet you, sir,” she said, shaking his hand. He could feel her nervousness.

“None of this sir stuff. You’re family. I’m just glad Mac got his head out of his ass and decided to man up and be the mate you deserve.”

“Uncle Luc,” Mac groaned.

“Uncle? Your uncle is the Lucifer? And you didn’t think to tell me before now?” Viv asked incredulously. She smacked the back of her hand to his chest. “Dumbass,” she muttered.

He probably should have mentioned that they were going to his uncle’s house before they left, he thought. He had just assumed that she knew; almost everyone he worked with knew they were related.

Lucifer laughed. “He really is,” he agreed. “Come on. Let me show you around. I hear you like libraries.”

Mac trailed after them, watching as his uncle won over his mate as he brought her over to the family side of the house. They could be trouble together if they ganged up on him. But man, he was happy. He couldn’t wait to see it.

“…then there was the one time, he stripped completely naked and ran down the street with the pack of dogs. He had decided he wanted to be a dog too,” his uncle was telling his mate. Maybe he should have been paying more attention to their conversation.

“I was four, Uncle. And I’m pretty sure you and dad had egged me on,” Mac defended himself.

His uncle shrugged, a huge grin on his face, not denying anything.

“Did anyone get pictures?” Viv asked, laughing.

“No, but I’m sure I have some other ones around here somewhere.”

Mac was convinced that he could find any embarrassing pictures lying about before his uncle could. Luckily, she was distracted as soon as they entered the library, her happy gasp filling the air. It was quite the room, with a rolling ladder along the main floor, and a spiral staircase leading to the second floor, which was part library and part seating area. It had been Mac’s favorite room of the house growing up. You could sink into one of the plush chairs or couches, or curl up in the window seat.

“This is amazing! You have a rolling ladder and a spiral staircase! Are you kidding me?”

Mac watched in amazement as his mate ran around the room like a kid on those Christmas shows, all excited and hyped up on sugar. She flitted around the room, stopping to look at random things, awing over some of the pictures of Mac when he was little.

“I think she likes your library, Uncle Luc,” Mac said dryly.

“Good, it’s an easy way to get her to like me,” his uncle joked.

Mac could hear the nerves in his voice though. Uncle really wanted Viv to like him.

“I like you already because you took care of Mac. You loved and raised him to be an amazing person, so you must be an amazing person as well,” Viv said, coming over to wrap his uncle in a hug.

His uncle’s face was shocked, his eyes wide and he didn’t hug back right away. Viv held on though, and Lucifer’s arms wrapped around her gently. Mac couldn’t remember anyone but him giving his uncle a hug. People just didn’t hug Lucifer, ruler over the Netherworld. Mac grinned, seeing the shock turn to happiness, his uncle’s eyes looking suspiciously wet.