Alice's Point of View
Plap! Plap! Plap!
The sounds of sex reverberated off the submarine's walls. Alice impotently tried to cover her ears. There was no escape.
"Brad!"
"Reka!"
Reka, her boss, who was somehow the god damned DEMON QUEEN, was fucking her man again. It was like being back in her dorm when she was a shy, nerdy freshman, pretending to be asleep when her roommate brought a boy over, but so much worse.
This ship had the acoustics of a concert hall. Alice could hear everything and they weren't even trying to be discrete!
The moans were getting louder and the pace was picking up, but that didn't mean anything. They could go at it for hours, again and again.
Mercifully, they'd put up a curtain when Reka reverted back to her human form and took Brad to the back of the boat to get busy.
At least I don't have to watch, she told herself, sitting in captain's chair, which was really a cuck chair at this point. Galiban was doing everything, sailing them somewhere. Alice just sat there, thinking, and listening quite against her will. She didn't even like Brad or Reka like that but there was this weird feeling like she was being excluded, missing out on the fun.
I am NOT jealous! she told herself.
Her hand drifted up to her face unconsciously and she winced at the contact. There was no mirror to check but she could tell the bruise would be noticeable. After all this time and training the Demon Queen still curb-stomped her like an afterthought, completely dismissing Alice from her mind as soon as Brad was in her arms.
She was nothing: forgotten, irrelevant, not even worth killing.
The fact that she was still alive puzzled her. The Demon Queen that Alice knew would never leave an enemy alive and would definitely not have a boyfriend. Like, what? Demons were the embodiment of tyranny and domination. They didn't share power. They didn't have friends or loved ones. It was rule or be ruled, and the Queen had to be the most vicious, ruthless, bloody-handed killer to rise to the top of that heap.
So why did she love Brad? How? You couldn't fake something like that. She'd spent too long in close proximity; Alice knew their relationship was as real as it got. What was going on?
The sounds of sex rose to an orgasmic crescendo, eventually replaced by heavy breathing that gradually slowed and became light and even.
Please, Elbereth Evervirgin, she prayed, Let them be taking a break!
Sinking into her chair, Alice savored the the white noise of the engine humming in her ears. Maybe she could rest now.
"You may approach, Alice," said the woman behind the curtain. It sounded more like an order than an invitation.
Swallowing the bile that threatened to overflow from the back of her throat, Alice responded to the summons of her worst enemy.
Slowly, cautiously, she pulled back the curtain, revealing a man, and, apparently, a woman, laying down on a cot with a sheet covering them up to the chest.
Reka's face was flushed, her hair slick and chaotic, sticking out at odd angles in a freshly fucked look. She hovered protectively over Brad's sleeping form. "So I'm not the only one from the other world," she said. It was a statement, not a question.
"You're not going to kill me?" Alice asked in a small, fearful voice. Even now, she couldn't see Reka, only the Demon Queen.
"Certainly not," Reka said confidently. "You protected my love, and saw him safe to me through many perils. I'm of a mind to reward you."
"Can the Demon Queen love?" she asked, sounding bolder than she felt.
Reka looked at her, calculating, assessing, dissecting her very soul with those fiery green eyes. "My name is Reka Regis," she said simply, as if that explained everything.
Alice laughed but not mirthfully, more like she was exhaling her fear and confusion. "Is it really that easy? New world, new you?"
Reka raised an eyebrow. "You were not always the summoned Hero, no? You changed, became something more, something else. Why not I?"
Alice didn't know what to say to that. "What about Alex Kagan?" she asked. She'd never fully resolved that issue and was still curious.
"He hurt Brad," Reka explained, "the one crime I could never forgive. That one sealed his own fate."
Reasonable, the Demon Queen, Reka, sounded reasonable!
"And Brad is just a man? You came to Earth and fell in love with a man?"
Reka looked down, smiling fondly. "Yes," she confirmed, running her hand lightly through Brad's hair. "A man like any other, but mine. Fate itself guided me to him when I was alone and confused in this strange new world."
The intimacy of this moment made Alice blush more than sex ever could. She felt wrong, like an intruder, a violator. She didn't belong here.
"Calm yourself," Reka said kindly. "You rendered me good service. As the captain of my guard, the secrets of my bedchamber will be within your purview."
Galiban called her "captain" earlier and Alice wasn't sure how she felt about that. "What if I don't want the job?"
"Then you may leave my service in peace," Reka said.
"But I know your secrets," Alice argued. "I know who you really are. Wouldn't it make more sense to silence me?"
"I really am Reka Regis," she said emphatically. "There is no other, not anymore. I've lived more and better in four years with Brad than a thousand as the Demon Queen, and my love would not be pleased with me if I harmed you."
"You listen to him?" Alice asked incredulously. The Demon Queen let a mere mortal question her? It sounded ridiculous!
"Always," Reka said with a strange intensity.
She's serious, Alice realized. Would she change this much if she ever fell in love? The thought of it was terrifying but also strangely hopeful, like the real Alice hadn't been born yet and was still sleeping inside her. Darthaniel didn't count. That relationship was all lies.
"What about the world?" Alice asked her final question, dreading the answer.
"The world is corrupt and chaotic," Reka said strongly, placing an arm protectively over Brad, "and they drew first blood. To safeguard what's mine I have to put things in order."
After everything, Alice couldn't bring herself to disagree.
***************
Brad's Point of View
Brad woke up disoriented and for a single, horrible moment, he thought his life with Reka was just a dream and he was back on the Jimmy Carter.
Reka pressed her forehead to his. "I'm real," she told him.
"You can read my thoughts," he blurted out. It explained a lot, to be honest.
His fiancee smiled. "Not as such," she clarified. "I could tell you were confused and fearful at the unfamiliar surroundings, but not like reading a book. It's more like...an energy you give off that I can interpret. If you thought of a random number I wouldn't be able to guess it."
That was a relief, he guessed. "I could tell," he said, suddenly remembering, "that you were you, even with red skin and wings. I guess you were giving off 'Reka energy'," he joked.
Reka smiled delightedly, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. "Just so, my love! It goes both ways. We will always know one another, in any time, in any form, in any place."
Any place?
"You're reincarnated, right? Used to live in a world with dwarves and elves and demons and magic and...everything." Brad could hardly believe it, but he saw the proof with his own eyes. They hadn't really had a lot of time to talk about it, as busy as they'd been.
She nodded gravely. "Yes, that is so, a world not unlike the flights of fancy you're scribes dream up, but you needn't ever fear! I'm still the same Reka as always, your Reka, forever. We will marry as soon as can be arranged," she promised.
"Can we still have children?" he asked worriedly. "I mean, you're not exactly, well, human."
Reka laughed musically and fingered the heart-shaped locket she always wore. In a flash of pink smoke she was big and red and scooped him up like a child.
"I can change my form, Brad," she said, amusement in her eyes. Reka hugged him with her big bat wings and held him close. "Giving myself a womb where your seed might quicken would be trivial."
He inhaled sharply. Seeing Reka like this, feeling her demon body pressed against him, was making him feel things he'd never dare say out loud.
His fiancee knew immediately, of course. "Oh, you desire me like this? Would you like to make love in the air? I can fly, you know."
Jesus Christ...
Her face fell, "ah, but I must spend some time preparing you, you and dear Alice both, actually. Galiban informs me we've rounded the Horn and have entered the Atlantic." Reka gripped the locket and Brad felt a brief falling sensation before human Reka caught him.
Brad thought he understood. "I suppose we can't risk the Panama Canal, too many eyes. Where are we going?"
"The port of Rijeka in Croatia, and from thence to my homeland. It is actually fortunate that we were driven out of America when we were. It's an election year in Hungary and I mean to see my party in power. With government backing our position will be much more secure."
"Your party?" Brad asked. Reka never mentioned anything about going into politics.
The Galiban beetle that had been silently and creepily watching them chose that moment to speak up. "Indeed, your grace. A party loyal to her majesty, Loyal Future, it is called, will be contesting the election against Henrik Orszag's Nationalists. Several minor parties have disbanded and joined us. Orszag is a friend to Blimp of America and Gratin of Russia, unpopular with many enemies. The time is ripe."
Brad was taken aback. "When did you find the time for this?"
"The deal with Rainforest was lucrative beyond expectations," Reka told him as she put her clothes back on. "We needed to put the money to use somehow and Galiban suggested we have multiple 'irons in the fire' as the expression goes. Hungary is not a large nation. Bankrolling a political party was surprisingly affordable."
The reality of the situation dawned on Brad then. They weren't ever going home. "Do I need to start learning Hungarian?"
"Don't make that face, my love," Reka chided him gently. "Your wife can do magic."
She cupped his face and started chanting. A feeling of deja vous came over him. Had they done this before?
"Have Alice bring the textbook," Reka instructed. "Class is in session once again."
Hours later he remembered. "You did this before all my exams!" Brad was touched. His mind felt so light and agile, but also, well, sticky, like everything he learned went directly into long term memory.
"That's right," Reka acknowledged. "It's how I knew Alex had wronged you. You couldn't have failed, not with my mind magic."
By the time they entered the Adriatic and started their final approach to Rijeka he and Alice were already capable of having basic conversations. It was good to have a magic wife, Brad decided.
A car was waiting for them once they stepped onto dry land in Croatia, a Maxwell Model W, the same company that Trask owned.
"Seriously, Galiban?" Brad could hardly believe it. After everything that guy pulled? They were going to use one of his cars?
"Forgive your humble butler, your grace. Maxwell autos are easy to hack, and any European that would drive such a vehicle is no friend of yours."
Things went pretty smoothly until they reached the border crossing into Hungary. Galiban was probably doing all kinds of things behind the scenes to keep them from being noticed.
The guards at the crossing went silent as soon as they arrived. One spoke into a radio and the rest kept them in eyesight at all times. They looked like they were waiting for something, orders from the higher ups maybe?
Reka was fed up after fifteen minutes of waiting. "Is there a problem, gentlemen?" she asked in Hungarian after stepping out of the car.
There was an argument after that, too rapid for Brad to follow, but it ended with them getting waved through the checkpoint.
"You may inform the people I have returned," Reka told the Galiban beetle perched on the dashboard as she drove them into Hungary.
Traffic was light on the road to Budapest until they ran into a huge crowd of protestors. Brad was alarmed but Reka just opened her window and waved.
The people cheered like their favorite team had just won the championship. It was electricity. It was madness. It didn't end.
The roads were lined with people on both sides. It didn't look like a protest anymore. It looked like a parade.
"What's happening?" he asked.
Alice was actually the one to explain it to him. She'd been quiet for most of the trip so far.
"The boss is a national hero of Hungary, Brad, the biggest living one for sure, maybe the biggest ever. You're not on social media like that but I am. Anybody criticizes Reka on Natter and it's a declaration of war. Since AI instantly translates comments into the user's preferred language now the entire nation of Hungary can brigade any thread, any time. You think she only has stans in America? The American stans are weak, mostly just like her for being a beautiful girlboss. The Hungarian stans worship her."
This was news to Brad. He knew theoretically that his fiancee was famous, but had no idea it was quite this serious.
An honor guard of police formed a convoy around their car and escorted them to the Hotel Royal Budapest, the fanciest building Brad had ever been inside.
Reka walked in brazenly and the rest of them followed. "Summon Janos Magyar," she instructed the Galiban beetle. "We must go over election strategies."
Janos Magyar, whoever that was, never came. Nobody came. Guards were posted outside once they settled into their hotel room and Brad got the distinct impression that they weren't allowed to leave.
An anxious feeling welled up deep in Brad's stomach. Were they in danger again?
"Honey," he began timidly, "are they going to extradite us? We did, uh, kill some people on our way out of America."
This was bad. This was really bad. Had their escape been for nothing?
"Worry not, your grace," Galiban comforted him, but Brad couldn't help noticing that the beetle was hiding. He couldn't see Galiban anywhere. Were they about to be attacked again?
"Orszag wouldn't dare act against us openly," Reka said in complete self-assurance.
"That is so," Galiban agreed. "US-EU relations have deteriorated precipitously since Blimp was elected again. The American economy is booming off all the cheap energy her majesty unlocked, despite the rising unemployment. The recent, ah, incident, is widely perceived to be ungrateful Americans attempting to hold her grace hostage and steal her knowledge. The chance that she could bring her technology to Europe is just too tantalizing. The EU has been in an energy crisis since the war in Ukraine broke out. They need us."
An explanation of all the political reasons why they wouldn't be arrested and extradited didn't do much to set Brad at ease, but nevertheless the arrest never came. The guards didn't let them leave, either. Three times a day hotel staff would bring them meals, amazing meals, Brad would admit, but they were still just well-fed prisoners.
Reka spent her time tutoring him in Hungarian and other activities. Alice had her own adjoining room so things were less embarrassing than on the submarine.
After a week of this a short, fat man came to speak to them. He had the perpetually flushed face of a lifetime alcoholic and stringy gray hair.
"Mr. Orszag," Reka greeted. "A pleasure to meet you."
The man didn't look like he was pleased at all.
"What do I have to do to get you to call them off?" he pleaded.
Brad had no idea what he was talking about but Reka looked like she was expecting the question. "Allow us to meet with Janos Magyar, of course. This will be a free and fair election."
"How can you call it that when your supporters have shut down the whole country?" he demanded.
"If the actions of the Prime Minister are not to their liking then the people have a right to make their voices heard," Reka replied in an even tone.
"If I cancel this election Blimp and Gratin will support me," he threatened, but Brad didn't think he really believed what he was saying. He sounded desperate, a last act of defiant bluster before the inevitable. Reka was the one really in charge here. Body language, tone, everything evidenced that.
Brad's fiancee didn't reply, just looked at him like she was daring him to try.
Later that night they got word that Orszag and his chief supporters had fled to Russia.
A crowd formed outside their hotel. "REKA! REKA! REKA!" they screamed. The election was tomorrow but they were celebrating already.
"It begins," Reka said seriously, taking Brad by the hand and leading him to the balcony. "Let's meet our people, my love."
"REKA! REKA! REKA!" the cheers grew louder.
Budapest was alive. It was past midnight but nobody was asleep. The streets were packed end to end.
"REKA! REKA! REKA!"