Dancing with the Devil in the Pale Moonlight

It was a frosted Valentine's Day in Brimstone. The sun had set upon the winter city and its people were out on their date nights. One particular couple, Carmen Gravely and Lu Lightbringer, strolled along in the snow-covered Virgil Park.

This Valentine's Day was particularly a cold one. Carmen was all bundled up with her thick winter coat, large mittens, and cotton earmuffs. Lu on the other hand wore only his signature red suit with an even redder scarf around his neck. He never shook whenever a cold breeze brushed through their pathway. However the two kept each other warm walking through the park together, with arms wrapped around the other.

"Now this is what I call date night," the devil grinned. "No children to intrude us, no business to take care of..."

"No demon cronies popping in to ask what the proper torture method should be?" his mortal queen added.

"That too."

"It's been a wonderful date night so far," Carmen said. She craddle under her husband's arm. "Dinner, a movie, and now walking in the midst of a winter night; and all of it on Valentine's Day. It's just so... romantic."

"Do I know how to plan it or what?" Lu boasted proudly.

"I'll give you credit, you do have your moments. I especially love this time of year. Everything looks so beautiful with all the frost and snow. Although I could do without the cold temperatures. Speaking of which, you sure you didn't want to grab a coat or something warm? It's very cold right now."

"Really? This feels more like tanning weather to me. Of course I—being a demon—can adapt to any environment I'm in. But we're not done yet. Check out this gorgeous view."

The pair then walked to a nearby bandstand that overviewed the frozen lake. They stared out to the beautiful scenery of the full moon's glistening reflection off the crystal clear surface of the large lake. Sighs of admiration expelled out both Lu and Carmen as they observed the peaceful winter around them. Lu then looked to his wife and noticed something amist. While her flawless face expressed tranquility and joy, her eyes looked sorrowful the more she looked onto the lake. For a moment he thought he caught her wiping off a tear under her right eye.

"What's wrong?" the troubled devil asked.

Carmen kept her smile strong and shook her head. "It's nothing. Doug used to take me here a lot too. I'm sorry. I don't mean to make this awkward."

"I didn't mean upset you by taking you here," the devil sighed. "I'm sorry. That wasn't my intention-"

"No, no, no. You didn't do anything wrong." Carmen grasped her second husband by his hands and looked deep into his scarlett eyes. "My first husband... he'll always hold a place in my heart. But I've made plenty room in my heart for you too. And besides, you'd be surprise how much you two have in common."

"Yeah? How so?"

"Well you're both good looking. Charming. Sometimes you both can be egotistical and stubborn. More you than him, honestly." the devil chuckled from her words, knowing that it was all true. "But, you both are real good with the girls and to me, and you both have a very good heart."

Her statement was enough to help bring a sweet smile on Lu's sinister lips. "So, what exactly did you two do here?"

"Well we would just dance at the center here," Mrs. Gravely explained. "Sometimes with music playing in the background. Other times we would dance without music, but we would always hear it inside our heads."

Lu then got an idea. He knew exactly how to make this night better. He stepped back and directed his wife to the center of the bandstand. "You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?" he cheesily said.

Carmen chuckled but accepted his invitation. Together they centered themselves in the small structure. Step by step their feet moved in graceful rhythm. Slowly and softly they danced. Her arms wrapped around his neck while his hands placed gently above her waist as they guided each other in the silent, winter night. No music was playing anywhere but they heard the music that was played on their wedding day in their heads. The moonlight beamed perfectly above them through the skylight frame above.

During the entire dance routine their eyes remained locked. Their love unlike any other kept them warm from the cold air. When their dance slowed down, Carmen rested her head on Lu's shoulder. "Can this night get any better?" she whispered gratefully.

Any better, she said. Lu hatched another idea. "I might know a way. Follow me."

The Ruler of Hell took his wife by the hand and they fled down towards the frozen lake. Carmen asked what her husband's intentions were but he never answered. They ran through the snow until the reached the lake's edge. Lu coached her to step onto the ice with him, yet Carmen was nervous. She worried about stepping through thin ice to wherever her husband wanted to lead them towards. Though the ice did appear to be solid—and Lu didn't fall through when he stepped on it alone. Worse case he can get them out hastely, which gave Carmen some assurance.

Careful with each step they walked on the thick icebed. Lu balanced out Carmen so she wouldn't slip on the surface until they reached their destination. Several feet away from the shore and they stopped.

"This looks like it's perfect." Lucifer exclaimed. Carmen scratched her head at what he was doing. Lu aimed his hand down at the spot in front of him and blasted it with his magic fire. The flames roared as it melted a hole on the surface. After twenty seconds Lu's fire stopped burning and there was now a good sized hole in the frozen lake.

The next step the devil played was stick his finger into the freezing water. To anyone else the water would have turned bare skin into popsicules, yet Lu was unfazed. Once his finger was dipped into the icy water it boiled and bubbled like it was cooked. The cold temperatures gave way to hotter ones and now they had an instant, natural hot tub.

Carmen applauded his trick but still questioned his true motives. She watched as he removed his scarf around his neck and dropped it near the small, hot pool's edge. Then she blushed when she saw that he started removing each of his cloths one by one. The bashful queen worried someone was going to walk by the park as he continued to undress.

Finally Lu stood on the ice, stark naked before his queen. Carmen figured he must be freezing by now. He would always squeal like a girl whenever he was blasted by cold water in the shower. Nevertheless he was fine, despite a cold breeze that ran through his underworld.

Lu settled inside the boiling waterhole he made and sighed in relief. The waters touched around his shoulders and the temperature was set perfectly.

"Wow, I can touch the bottom," Lu joked. He then stretched out his hand to his wife. "Room for two, my queen."

Mrs. Gravely giggled again. She thought he was crazy, another quality that he shared with her first husband. She remembered how in the past Doug would participate in annual winter splashes with other community members in Brimstone, refusing every time. But perhaps this was a time for a change, she thought. And the temptation was intriguing. Once more Carmen made a quick survey of the area, just to double check no one walked by again. A quick check to the left and then to the right, and it looked as though the coast was clear. Slowly it was her turn to remove each ounce of her clothing. One by one a layer of clothing came off until she stood as naked as he was. The only thing she kept on were her glasses. She was blind as a bat without them.

Cold air touching her bare body made her shiver. Her teeth chattered along with her shaking body. Her right arm strapped around her breasts as she quickly took Lucifer's and and jumped right in feet first. Carmen gasped with overjoy. That cold air that coated her bare skin melted away from the perfect, warm pool that her husband provided. Her feet touched the muddy bottom too, which was just as warm as the bubbling water.

Carmen drew herself closer to her second husband and he held her close. Their loving eyes glued dazed to each other once more. Suddenly the two found themselves dancing all over again inside the warm waterhole under the enchanting moonlight. Lu stroked his hand through his wife's short hair and asked. "You ever skinny dipped with the devil in the pale moonlight?"

"Oh come on," Carmen laughed and rolled her eyes from her husband's corny line. "you gotta have something better than that."

"How about this..." Lu smiled and came up with something better. "You've given me life when I've spent most of my days lifeless."

She smiled. It was one of the most sweetest things she had ever heard the devil say. Lu then leaned his head in for a kiss. Carmen responded the same and kissed him on his lips. Their kiss together felt like it could last an eternity. Skinny dipping in an improvised hot tub, dancing in each other's arms, and kissing under the bright moon; this was definitely a Valentine's Day to remember forever.

"You know it's gonna suck coming out of this, right?"

"Not for me."

Happy Valentine's Day!

#sinsofthefather #fiction #comedy #fantasy #horror #devil #romance