Wolfe sailed out into the open air, a trail of glass following him. His arch terminated, and he came back down to Earth, a fall of around forty feet, trying his best not to tense and make the inevitable collision with the ground worse. He prayed his mantle would somehow let him survive.

He slammed into the roof of a parked Lamborghini, smashing it half apart, the glass from the third story window tinkling around him even as the glass from the car’s windows blasted away from him.

With a cinematic sweep of his dragon wings, Nathan came leaping out of the window after Wolfe. He fell down, arresting his speed and guiding himself somewhat with his wings, his foot aimed for Wolfe’s chest.

Wolfe was badly injured, and was pretty sure another blow would send him onward to the gods. He wasn’t about to go down without a fight, however… and Nathan hadn’t pulled a creature, for some reason. A potentially fatal mistake.

Wolfe reached out and touched his Infernal Rift card, banishing Nathan for ninety seconds to a faux Infernal realm.

Ninety seconds… I hope it’s enough.

Wolfe was nearly dead. He rolled off the car, onto the sidewalk. An older lady, plump but not fat and in a nice skirt-and-bouse combo that matched her wide eyes, asked, “Are you okay?” as Wolfe landed on the sidewalk with a groan.

“Never been fucking better,” Wolfe answered as he tried to hobble back toward the entrance to the Ekron Eternal.

It wasn’t busy, per se, but four cars were stopped, and their drivers—and one twelve-year-old or so boy in a passenger seat—were looking at him. A couple pedestrians across the street were as well. It was bright and sunny out, even in the late evening, completely at odds with how Wolfe felt a day like the hell he was now going through ought to look. It should at least be night.

A clump of people was at the end of the street, where Wolfe had entered the Ekron Eternal, guns and car bumper blazing.

I’ve still got to save Shel.

Maybe she figured out what’s happening and got away? She’d have let me know, right?

Wolfe pulled his phone out, but it was broken in half. Fuck.

He swiped the deck and then summoned the Obsessive Infernal Cultist that had reappeared, the one that acted as a companion card.

Now I just need a portal, but I’ve got only a hot minute left before Nathan comes back.

Wolfe was very genuinely concerned about that. He had bought himself a tiny chance to recover and win the fight. But Nathan fought like Wolfe, instinctually… like he was born to it. Problem was, Nathan seemed even more trained and deadly, something Wolfe had never actually encountered before.

And Wolfe was hanging onto his life by a few measly Health points.

I need more of an advantage, Wolfe thought as he stumbled down the street, moving as fast as he could to get back into the Ekron Eternal, and hopefully find some tactical advantage, before Nathan came back.

It quickly became apparent he wasn’t going to make it. I need surprise and power, somehow, without getting hit myself.

Wolfe summoned his Bulgae Moon Chaser, with its speedy trait that let him use it without an action. Then, in the same summon, brought forth Cerberus’ Home for Wayward Hellhounds, blocking half the street with it. He quickly positioned himself behind the kennel stones, as he had done quite a few times before.

Then he swiped his cards again. Thirty seconds left.

Nathan appeared, dropping to the car rood with a resounding crash, right where Wolfe’s chest would have been.

A few people screamed as a half-dragon appeared, and began moving away from the scene, although a couple were filming with phones.

At the same time, Wolfe brought forth Malviere. He prayed that it would all be enough, as he wasn’t sure he’d be able to get a Demonic Portal out without a second Obsessive Cultist.

Nathan stood, shuddering briefly, and touched one of the cards in front of his chest. A massive Red Dragon appeared next to him.

Wolfe leaned out from and cut lose with the submachine gun, unloading it at Nathan in a sustained burst. Even with his strength, it was a bit hard to control, and only a few bullets hit. At the same time, his entire pack of cards, including now two of the Lost Hellhound Puppies, charged the dragon.

Nathan dropped back behind the car and crouched till Wolfe hit empty, then stepped out. He looked at Wolfe, then up at the roof of the Ekron Eternal.

“I don’t have to beat you,” he said. “just her.” He crouched and prepared to jump, his wings snapping out.

Oh fuck!

For some reason, Wolfe hadn’t seen the move coming. He lurched forward, just as Nathan leapt.

His mantle disappeared, and Nathan executed an impressive five-foot vertical jump, but nothing else.

Wolfe almost swooned with relief—and blood loss, probably. Then, he bared his teeth in a savage, feral grin.

Nathan looked irritated, but little more. He touched his deck again and another dragon appeared.

Wolfe brought forth the second Obsessive Cultist. The next hand will have two Demonic Portals, almost certainly.

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Nathan looked around the street, then shrugged. He ran across to one of the stalled cars on the road, an old Volvo. He punched through the window, and grabbed the old man driving.

“No!” Wolfe yelled, trying to sprint forward, but his own mantle faded, and the pain came crashing in. Wolfe collapsed to the ground.

“Another time,” Nathan said with a tight smile, then pitched the old man he was holding out of the car and to the hard asphalt of the street as his dragons fended off Wolfe’s dogs.

Wolfe growled in frustration as Nathan expertly backed the car around and drove off, easily dodging one brave driver that tried to crash his car into him. The dragons simply disappeared after that, not having actually been killed.

With a sigh of pain and frustration, Wolfe rolled over and sat back against one of the ‘Cerberus’ Home’ cages. He glanced over at Malviere. “Today started out so well. A dungeon run, a trip to the jewelry store where I actually found something I liked. What happened?”

“I’d ask if you’re okay again,” Malviere said, ignoring Wolfe’s mostly rhetorical question. “But the answer is obvious. What can I do to help?”

Wolfe held his hand up, and Malviere reached down and took it. He pulled himself to his feet with her help, conscious of all the eyes watching him.

“We need to get to Shel,” Wolfe said. “This could easily be a trick. He can probably get his mantle back in a few minutes and then fly back to attack her.”

Wolfe dismissed Cerberus’ Home, but kept the Bulgae Chaser out. Then he summoned Cereboo.

He had his entire core team with him—Cereboo, Malviere, and the two Obsessive Cultists.

“Let’s go.” Wolfe hobbled down the street, still ignoring the stares of the crowd. He was worried someone might try and arrest him, so he dug out his investigators badge and flashed it around, hoping no one would pay too close attention, or be too concerned with his obvious Infernal deck.

No one bothered him as Wolfe made his way down the street toward the front of the Ekron Eternal, still pushing himself despite his agony, blood weeping from his injuries. He had to get to Shel.

At that very moment, as if by providence, Shel came around the corner, through the small crowed of people gathered there. She was followed by Miriam, Fern, and Derek. She flashed her police badge in unknowing mimicry of Wolfe as she did.

Wolf felt his heart ease as Shel appeared. She was a vision, one he had been desperately afraid he would never see again. Her brilliant red hair, intense green eyes, and muscled but still willowy frame were the sight he longed for the most.

She halted abruptly, her breath catching as her gaze fell upon him. Her eyes widened, flickering up and down the length of his battered frame, each glance betraying her shock at the sight before her.

Shel, Fern, Miriam, and Derek stood nearby, their clothes torn and smeared with blood, but strangely, not even one of them bore the marks of pain or injury. They were ragged and disheveled, yet untouched by whatever violence had left its mark on him alone.

“You should see the other guy,” Wolfe quipped.

“We did,” Miriam replied, her usually boisterous voice quiet. “All three of them. Two without heads and one without a face.”

Shel stepped forward. “You saved me again. I don’t think we would have made it against Nathan, not him and his team and his gunman.”

“Who is Nathan?” Wolfe asked as he forced himself to stand a little straighter. “He was asking for Fern.”

Fern simply hugged herself, staring at her feet. “Nathan Leopold is Adam’s right hand. An ex-Navy Seal, and a true fanatic of Adam’s beliefs. He is almost level Fifty, and he has been awarded nearly every medal the military offers. He wasn’t supposed to be back.”

“Lovely,” Wolfe muttered.

Shel touched her chest, pulled her deck, and summoned a rookie EMT. Wolfe felt a huge portion of his health restored, and breathed a deep sigh of relief.

“Thanks, Shel, truly. I cannot tell you how bad that guy threw me a beating.”

“You saved me again, Wolfe,” Shel repeated, her eyes staring at him as if no else around mattered. “You killed the three deckbearers trying to murder me, took an explosion for me, did enough to save our lives.”

“Yeah, I still got my ass kicked,” Wolfe said. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

“But you saved me, which is what you set out to do,” Shel repeated again. “You always save me. Always.”

“I guess I did accomplish my goal, and senior officer jackass didn’t,” Wolfe responded. That is what matters, in the end. Although I need to be stronger for the next time we meet. “Now let’s—”

Shel reached out and took Wolfe’s hands, startling him briefly into silence. She was still staring into his eyes. “Wolfe, I love you.”

He held his breath, my chest tight. He couldn’t look away from her, but for some reason, words were difficult.

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” Shel whispered.

“I’m probably going to die before you,” was all Wolfe managed to say—too much a realistic to avoid pointing out the truth, too sarcastic to avoid the quip.

“If you go before me, I’ll wait patiently until we’re reunited again at the gates of the afterlife. Wolfe—I love you. More than anyone. More than anything.”

Shel’s lip quavered, and a happy tear rolled down her cheek as she continued speak. “I admire you more than I could have imagined admiring any man three years ago. I want that forever, Wolfe. I feel more cared for, safer, and even more inspired with you than with anyone I have ever been around.”

Wolfe glanced around at the people around him, who were all looking at them. One or two had phones out.

He felt his heart warm, but also his cheeks. “I love you, too, Shel, but maybe we should head inside or—”

“No,” Shel replied intensely. She wiped the tear away and steadied herself. “I’m tired of waiting. I should have done this a year ago.”

Shel dropped to one knee, shocking Wolfe into silence. Then she reached into her damaged police-issued workout sweats, and pulled forth a small case, holding it out to Wolfe. She opened it up, and Wolfe saw that there was a wide golden band inside with writing carved into the interior.

Wolfe’s throat tightened. His gaze was locked on hers, his thoughts solely on this one moment.

“Ethan William Wolfe, would you do me the honor of marrying me?”

Cereboo barked happily and Miriam golf-clapped.

Even random people in the gathered crowds dawwed and cheered, despite not knowing anyone involved.

The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on Wolfe, but his chest was filled with knots, and his face hot. It was still difficult to find the right words. Obviously, the correct word was ‘yes,’ but… It wasn’t enough. ‘Yes’ didn’t fully capture his feelings.

How could a simple three letter word embody the essence of love so eternal that Shel wanted to be together even in the afterlife?

After a ragged breath, Wolfe reached into his own pocket and withdrew a similar looking case. Shel’s eyes went wide, her eyebrows knitted in confusion, and then in realization.

“You got me a ring?” Shel blinked, her eyes glazing with even more tears.

Wolfe opened the case. “I wanted everything to be perfect…” Then he sardonically glanced around at the dreary street, the random crowds, and the blood splatters that marred almost everything. This wasn’t how he imagined his proposal going, but he had to admit—the setting was more representative of their time together.

With a trembling hand, Shel plucked the emerald ring from the case and slipped it onto her elegant finger.

“Sorry this took so long,” Wolfe whispered. “You’re right. We should’ve done this sooner. I should’ve—”

Shel interrupted him again, leaping up and flinging her arms around him, hugging him as tightly as she could. “I love you, Wolfe. I love you so, so much.”

As if it was a signal, everyone on the street started clapping and cheering, even Malviere. Cereboo let out a happy series of barks, and Wolfe clung to Shel.

Maybe it hadn’t been such a bad day after all, Wolfe thought, holding back a laugh. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so…

Right.

Maybe that wasn’t the right word, but that was how he felt.

“I got you something else, too, but it kinda got shot up in the fight…” Wolfe started, but Shel just clung to him, tears of happiness streaming from her eyes, and Wolfe decided to leave everything else for later.

This was a moment for joy.