Visiting the pier at Santa Monica turned out to be surprisingly fun — especially for Alex, in whom a gremlin spirit suddenly awoke, determined to win every toy at the carnival booths.

However, the girls quickly stopped him before he ruined the poor ride operators, who were already having to hustle to make a little money.

Alex understood that he wouldn’t be allowed to win absolutely everything, but he had no intention of giving up the grand prizes. When the girls noticed his gambling streak, they stopped trying to intervene — they knew it was useless.

And, as it turned out, for good reason.

At one of the booths there was a small incident: the clerk refused to give Alex the main prize, despite the fact that he had honestly won it. The quarrel quickly turned into a spectacle — a crowd gathered to see how it would end.

Alex was on the verge of losing his temper, and the girls had to step in before he completely snapped. But before they could drag him away, he nevertheless struck the cheater in the crotch and, with the most innocent look, took his deserved trophy — a huge plush pink rabbit.

The clerk doubled over in pain and dropped to his knees, and the crowd around applauded Alex — someone even whistled in encouragement.

The girls pulled Alex away while he proudly carried his giant rabbit. Those watching the live stream weren’t surprised by what happened. If anything, they were astonished that Alex limited himself to a single blow rather than burning down the prize tent, as he easily could have.

A little later, Alex, Lucina, Alice and Samantha left the pier and decided to just sit on the beach to watch the sunset.

Unnoticed by the others, Alex took a large blanket out of his inventory and spread it on the sand. They sat down: Alex between Lucina and Samantha, and Alice comfortably curled up in the arms of the huge plush rabbit, almost as tall as she was.

Lucina rested her head on Alex’s shoulder, and together they watched the sun slowly sink below the horizon.

Santa Monica Beach remained lively even at sunset: laughter, music, the smell of the sea, twinkling lights — typical Los Angeles, which never sleeps.

“Was it really necessary to hit that poor guy in the balls?” Lucina suddenly asked, lifting her head from his shoulder.

“He started it,” Alex answered calmly. “If he’d handed over the prize honestly, nothing would have happened. It’s all karma. And if I hadn’t done it — someone else would have.”

“Hope you didn’t actually break anything,” Samantha said with a smile. “Although honestly, I don’t feel too bad for him.”

“No,” Alex waved it off. “He’ll walk like a shrimp for a couple of days, then he’ll be fine. At least he’ll learn not to scam people.”

“You mean not to scam the King of Demons,” Alice teased, still hugging the pink rabbit.

“Caught me,” Alex smirked. “He should be glad I didn’t torch the tent. Last time someone tried to scam me, things ended much worse.”

“And what happened then?” Samantha asked, curious.

“That was back in Night City,” Lucina began, lighting a cigarette and propping her feet on Alex’s knees. “Because of our line of work we had to buy stuff through shady sources. You can’t get half of it on the legal market. There was this seller on the black market… what was his name… Rick? Rich? Chick? I don’t remember. I went with Alex to pick up an order, and this guy decided to jack up the price and spun some pathetic story about delivery costs and so on,” she continued, exhaling smoke.

“And how did it end?” Alice asked, eyes shining.

“Alex unleashed GIR on him,” Lucina said with a slight smile. “I won’t go into details, but after that we got a lifetime 99 percent discount.”

Alice and Samantha exchanged looks, then glanced at Alex, who was sitting with a stone face. He’d done a lot back in Night City, but the main lesson he’d learned was simple: if someone tries to step on your head, you drop the bastard on the ground and beat him until he understands not to try it again.

They sat a little longer until the sun completely disappeared below the horizon and Santa Monica Beach was bathed in the soft glow of streetlights.

As the evening bustle shifted into nighttime life, Alex and the girls decided to head back to the Impala. The city seemed to come alive anew: lights, laughter, music, the hum of conversations — Los Angeles was beginning to show its true face.

On the way, Alex wanted to put the huge plush rabbit into his inventory, but Alice stubbornly clutched the toy and refused to let go. Alex just smirked and didn’t insist.

Continuing their walk along the boardwalk, they noticed a few vampires, werewolves, and even a couple of shapeshifters gathering near one of the nightclubs.

“I didn’t think there would be so many monsters in Los Angeles,” Samantha said, eyeing the passing creatures.

“Even if it’s called the City of Angels,” Lucina replied, squeezing Alex’s hand, “for the most part, it’s the city of sin.”

“That’s true,” Alex agreed.

“But why are they all gathering at that club?” Alice asked, pointing the plush rabbit’s paw toward the venue where the creatures were gathering.

“Most likely, it’s neutral territory,” Alex said, narrowing his eyes slightly. “A place where monsters can relax, hang out… or try something not served in regular restaurants.”

“And what do they eat there?” Samantha asked quietly, though she already suspected the answer.

“Human meat,” Alex answered calmly, lighting a cigarette. “Werewolves prefer hearts, vampires pick blood by type — like gourmets choosing a wine. You could think of it as a restaurant serving endangered animals. Pretty much the same idea.”

“You’re not planning to interfere, are you?” Alice asked, knowing perfectly well that Alex rarely passed such places by.

“Not right now,” he said with a bloodthirsty smile, baring his sharp teeth. “One thing at a time. But no one said I can’t come back later.”

The girls exchanged glances and just sighed. Sometimes Alex really did look scarier than any monster.

Alex mentally noted that he would definitely check it out later. How could he pass by a place where such creatures gathered? But for now, he had other plans — like watching the Winchester brothers run in circles, unsuccessfully hunting monsters he had already killed.

When they reached the Impala, Alex, Lucina, and Samantha stopped to watch Alice struggle to fit the enormous pink rabbit into the trunk.

“Alice, need a hand?” Alex asked, trying to stifle his laughter.

“I can do it myself! Watch and learn!” she said proudly.

But the process was clearly not going smoothly. Sometimes a paw stuck out of the trunk, sometimes an ear, sometimes a leg. Alex, Samantha, and Lucina watched with interest, guessing how long it would take before Alice lost her patience and threw the toy to hell. But, to their surprise, she didn’t give up. After about five minutes of struggle, she managed to stuff the giant plush into the trunk.

Panting heavily, Alice lay on the closed lid with a triumphant expression. Alex, Lucina, and Samantha couldn’t resist — they applauded. Alice perked up, sat up, and began bowing, accepting the praise.

“My love,” Alex finally said, stopping his clapping, “I don’t want to upset you, but your ring has an inventory you constantly use. Why didn’t you put the rabbit there and instead tried to cram it into my car’s trunk?”

“You don’t understand,” Alice replied, sticking out her tongue. “It’s completely different! We’re on a date, and on a date, there’s no magic — only tradition! Don’t ruin my moment!”

“So, teleporting across half the country is fine, hunting demons during a date is fine, but using the inventory is ‘wrong’?” Samantha asked with a light laugh.

“Exactly,” Alice nodded seriously, like a sage proclaiming the truth. “I’ve wanted a date like this for a long time, and everything has to follow the rules.”

Alex, Samantha, and Lucina just laughed at Alice’s words and got into the car. The girls took the back seats, turning Alex into the driver. He didn’t mind — on the contrary, he was more than happy to drive them around the city at night.

They were headed to the intersection of Sunset & Vine, where the crossroads demon named Cruz Diver had his office.

Starting the engine, Alex pulled onto the busy road. After sunset, Los Angeles came alive in a completely different way — neon-lit, loud, full of sin and temptation.

Driving through streets bathed in the glow of advertisements and shop windows, Alex watched the passersby out of the corner of his eye. At a traffic light, he stuck his hand out the window, holding a cigarette between his fingers. In the back seat, Lucina, Alice, and Samantha looked through the photos they had taken during their little date.

As he took a drag from his cigarette, Alex noticed a strange creature in the crowd. He immediately recognized a djinn — one of those who could inject a poison that plunged the victim into an illusion: either the fulfillment of a cherished dream or the greatest fear. The effect depended entirely on the djinn’s mood. While the poison worked, it slowly drained the victim’s blood, leaving them in a coma, unaware that they were dying.

Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, Alex watched as the djinn crossed the street. The thought of how useful its poison could be lingered in his mind. Such a toxin could be used not only for torture or interrogation but also as a tool for magical influence.

Deciding not to miss the opportunity, Alex created a clone.

From a cloud of white smoke on the passenger seat, his copy emerged — lazy but grinning, as if everything happening was a burden. The girls simultaneously looked at the newcomer and then shifted their gaze to the original.

“Follow that djinn. If it has a nest — take everyone. Usually, they’re solitary, but sometimes they gather in twos or threes,” Alex said calmly, still tapping the steering wheel.

“No problem, Your Majesty. I’ll do it perfectly,” the clone drawled, lazily giving a thumbs-up.

“And don’t forget to clean up after yourself,” Alex added without even turning his head.

“Yeah, yeah,” the clone waved off in the same lethargic tone, opening the door.

He stepped out right in the middle of the road, ignoring honking drivers, and, not bothering to go around their cars, simply walked across the hoods as if it were a flat road.

Alex watched him and couldn’t help but wonder why all his clones behaved differently. Each time, it was like a new personality was born.

Lucina, Alice, and Samantha stared at him in astonishment, then turned to Alex with silent questions.

“Why did you even make a clone?” Lucina asked, lightly poking him in the shoulder.

“I saw the djinn. Decided it was worth catching,” Alex replied, pressing the gas as the light turned green.

“A djinn…” Samantha said thoughtfully. “I read about them in Dad’s journal. They inject poison, plunge victims into a coma where they see a perfect life. You can kill them with silver mixed with lamb’s blood… if I remember correctly.”

“Aren’t djinn supposed to grant wishes and live in lamps?” Alice asked, blinking in surprise.

“Those don’t exist. At least, not in this world. Would you want a djinn in a lamp?” Alex asked, turning his head slightly toward her.

“Nah,” Alice replied with a sly smile. “I already have my own djinn who grants all my wishes.”

She winked and blew Alex a kiss.

Alex looked at Alice, made a heart shape with his fingers, and laughed. Sending the clone after the djinn quickly became secondary — the moment was just too enjoyable to think about business.

The Impala cruised smoothly through the bustling streets of nighttime Los Angeles. Cheerful music played from the radio, and Alex, unable to resist, quietly sang along while the girls enjoyed the sights of the city bathed in neon lights.

Meanwhile, a new idea was forming in Alex’s mind — he decided it was time to give Samantha a chance to prove herself. And the demon named Cruz Diver was perfect for that.

Arriving at the right street, Alex slowed down and began looking for a parking spot. He stopped the car across from the building with the sign “The 101 Deal-Maker Studio” — the very place where, according to his information, the crossroads demon was located.

They stepped out of the car and looked around. People were constantly entering and leaving the building — clearly, it was a popular spot.

“So he’s here?” Lucina asked, leaning on the roof of the Impala.

“Yep,” Alex nodded. “Are you coming with me, or waiting here?”

“I’m more curious how you’re planning to get the demon out of the building with so many people around,” Samantha remarked, glancing around.

“I have two options!” Alice said cheerfully, raising her hand like a schoolgirl in class.

“And what are they?” Lucina asked, turning toward her.

“The first — exorcise the demon right in his office! The second — drive the car to the back exit and solve everything quickly and cleanly!” Alice replied with a wide smile, giving a thumbs-up.

Alex, Lucina, and Samantha exchanged glances. Surprisingly, Alice’s suggestion didn’t sound bad. Alex even nodded approvingly — in his plan, it was really necessary for Samantha to get some practice fighting demons.

Of course, he could have just used magic, bound the demon, and interrogated it in no time. But where’s the fun in that? He preferred doing things the old-fashioned way — break in, beat up the demon, shove it in the trunk, and interrogate it over a cup of tea. Then decide whether to banish it to hell or just kill it.

After standing near the Impala for a moment, they divided the roles: Alice and Samantha would go in with Alex, and Lucina would drive the car to the back exit to save time.

Taking off his coat and left in a black shirt with rolled-up sleeves, Alex looked at the girls, checking if they were ready. Both nodded.

He smiled, put his hands in his pockets, and crossed the street with them.

Entering the building, Alex quickly looked around — polished marble floors, glass doors, the smell of coffee and perfume. The demon clearly liked comfort.

Cruz Diver’s private office was on the third floor. Alex pressed the elevator button, and a minute later the trio stepped inside.

As the cabin ascended, Alex quietly whistled a cheerful tune, swaying slightly back and forth. The elevator let out a soft chime as the doors opened, releasing them into a spacious, warmly lit reception area.

Behind the desk sat an attractive girl with an indifferent expression, busy painting her nails. Seeing new visitors didn’t surprise her — small stars dreaming of a contract with Mr. Diver constantly dropped by.

“Good evening,” she said routinely, setting aside her nail file. “Do you have an appointment with Mr. Diver?”

“Of course,” Alex replied with a light smile, stepping closer. “We do.”

“Excellent. For how long and under whose name is the appointment?” the girl asked in the same polite, trained tone.

“For Alexander,” he said, maintaining his calm smile as his gaze swept over the desk, where a sign read, “No Soul, No Deal.”

Meanwhile, Alice and Samantha were looking around. Alice was messaging Lucina, asking what to do, while Lucina, having driven the car to the back exit, had already hacked the building’s surveillance system “just in case.” For Samantha, this was a first experience — she didn’t know how to act and kept glancing at the elevator, making sure no one appeared at the wrong moment. Alex watched the receptionist searching for records on her computer.

“Excuse me, but you don’t have an appointment,” the woman said with a professional smile.

“I think I do. Don’t you agree, miss?” Alex replied, pointing the barrel of his Ebony straight at her face, still smiling.

Seeing the gun pointed at her, Kelly’s professional smile faltered and gave way to panic. Her hands shook, cold sweat appeared on her forehead, and she swallowed hard. Her eyes darted around, looking for a way to call for help, but the click of the trigger made her freeze.

“Hey, hey, stop trembling… What’s your name?” Alex asked calmly.

“Ke-Kelly. My name is Kelly,” she stammered, trying not to trip over her words.

“Listen carefully, Kelly. I have a gift for you. Stretch your hands out,” Alex said, keeping the same soft smile.

Kelly wanted to refuse, but the gun barrel pressed so close made it clear she had no choice. She extended her trembling hands. Alex pulled a small round object from his pocket and placed it into her palms. Samantha watched, puzzled, choosing not to intervene — she knew Alex always had a reason and didn’t harm innocent people.

“Now squeeze this ball, Kelly. Come on, be brave. Don’t be afraid,” he said quietly.

“What is this?” Kelly whispered, obeying.

“It’s a bomb, Kelly. If you release your hands, it will go off. And don’t even think about screaming or moving: it’ll detonate instantly. In short, you’re holding a mine in your hands,” Alex said calmly, slipping the gun back into his inventory.

“Please, let me go, I don’t know anything. I’m just a secretary,” Kelly’s voice trembled, afraid even to move.

“Lies, Kelly. You know perfectly well who your boss is. You know what he does. You know he makes deals with people in exchange for their souls, yet you look the other way as long as you get paid. I don’t blame you — you humans have always been greedy and indifferent to each other. And do you know what awaits you after death? Hell. Yes, Kelly, you heard me right — that’s where you’ll end up. You’ll be tortured until your soul blackens. It will be long and painful. So, if you don’t want to get there prematurely — stay silent and don’t move,” Alex said calmly, lazily waving his hand.

Kelly’s eyes widened, and her face went pale at Alex’s words. She had already understood that her boss was a demon, and thus hell existed, but she had never considered that she herself could end up there after death. The realization pierced her like an icy dagger, and fear almost robbed her of consciousness.

Alice just shook her head — she had already guessed why Alex acted this way. She knew he viewed humans as Adam’s children and often tested them, forcing them to confront their own sins.

Samantha, however, looked at Kelly differently — with grim understanding. She realized there would always be those who, for their own gain, would work for demons, helping lure others into traps.

Satisfied that Kelly wouldn’t move or make a sound, Alex turned his gaze to Alice and Samantha, giving a slight nod. Then he approached the door with the sign “Cruz Diver” and knocked.

“Come in,” came a calm male voice from the other side.

Alex smirked and instantly changed his expression, pretending to be an unsure rookie. His hand seemed to tremble as he turned the handle and pushed the door open.

Inside was a spacious office. Golden vinyl records hung on the walls, their artists’ names worn away. Shelves held award statuettes without inscriptions, only dates of presentation. Several rare guitars of different shapes and colors decorated the walls. The entire room looked like an altar to vanity — trophies bought not with money, but with souls.

Cruz Diver himself sat behind a large wooden desk. A tall, lean man in a worn black leather jacket, ripped jeans, and a long T-shirt featuring an old record on which the barely legible words “Route 666” could be seen.

He regarded the newcomer with lazy curiosity, instantly assessing him — trembling hands, nervous eyes. To Cruz, this was a familiar type: another rookie who had failed to break through.

“And who might you be, boy? And what brings you here?” he asked, throwing his legs onto the desk and clasping his fingers behind his head.

“My name is Alex. My friend Tim said that you might… help,” Alex replied, trying to look timid and uncertain.

“Tim… Tim…” Cruz drawled, pretending to recall. “Ah yes, that Tim. He was trembling the first time he walked in here too. And now — a star. So, Alex, what can you do?”

“I can sing, dance, write lyrics. Tim said you give people a chance to show what they’ve got… so I came,” Alex said, stepping closer, trying to look more determined.

“Sing and dance, huh…” Cruz squinted, appraising him from head to toe. “Where have you performed before? What are your achievements?”

“In clubs and bars,” Alex replied, rubbing his sweaty palms. “Sometimes I got good tips… but…”

“But you wanted more,” Cruz interrupted, a smug grin appearing on his face. “This is Los Angeles, kid. Everyone wants more. More fame, more money, more recognition. You want that too, don’t you?”

Alex struggled to keep from rolling his eyes at the demon’s pretentious attitude, acting almost godlike. Cruz, on the other hand, looked pleased — he enjoyed seeing those who dreamed of greatness but couldn’t achieve it without a deal.

This crossroads demon was smarter than the others: he gave only five years, not ten like the rest. Even Crowley didn’t know about this — he was too busy with his own business. Thanks to this scheme, Cruz had collected countless souls, for Los Angeles had no shortage of desperate performers.

But he was careful, making sure not to attract hunters’ attention.

“Well then, show me what you can do, Alex. Then I’ll decide if it’s worth investing in you,” Cruz said lazily, removing his feet from the desk.

“Here? Now?” Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Of course. You’re not at the level yet to sing to a backing track or record in studios,” Cruz replied with a smirk, deliberately stinging his pride.

Alex exhaled slowly, and the smile faded from his face.

“Alright,” he said in a calm, confident voice. “I’ll show you what I can do.”

Cruz smirked — he was ready to listen first, then belittle, and finally promise that only with his help could the guy in front of him make it. But things didn’t go according to plan.

Alex kicked the desk Cruz was sitting at. It toppled over, and Cruz fell to the floor, his face stunned. Before he could comprehend what was happening, Alex leapt over the desk and drove his foot into the demon’s face. Cruz’s head snapped back and hit the floor with a dull thud.

Being a demon, Cruz recovered quickly, but still felt a strange dull pain in his face — though that made no sense: the body is just a vessel. Alex was already holding Cruz by the collar and punching him in the face. Cruz tried to fight back, sensing a truly dangerous person before him, and attempted to use his powers, but nothing worked. He tried to leave the vessel — again unsuccessfully.

Alex looked at the demon’s bewildered face with a dull grin.

“What’s wrong with you?” he said calmly, holding Cruz by the throat. “You can’t fly away and you can’t use your powers. Does that upset you?”

“What did you do, you filthy hunter?!” Cruz roared, trying to break free.

“Look more closely at my fingers,” Alex replied quietly, showing his nails.

Cruz squinted and saw: Alex’s nails were polished, and on each one — neat demonic sigils, drawn with a thin red line. The demon’s eyes widened with surprise and incomprehension. Alex merely entertained himself.

“Want to know who sold you out?” he asked, lifting Cruz by the throat with one hand.

“And who?” the demon sneered. “One of my clients? They’ll die anyway — the king collects everything.”

“You guessed wrong. It was Albert. He betrayed many of his friends — and you too,” Alex replied, smiling broadly.

“You fucking bastard,” Cruz hissed through his teeth, realizing he had been betrayed.

Alex laughed; the sound echoed through the office. In the same second he swung hard and slammed Cruz’s body into the desk. The demon couldn’t understand why he felt pain when struck; the logic of vessels was collapsing here.

At the reception desk stood Samantha and Alice. They calmly watched what was happening, glancing from time to time at Kelly, trembling and clutching the “bomb” in her hands. Hearing the muffled thuds from the office, the girls understood that Alex had begun to deal with things seriously. Kelly listened to the sounds of fighting and breaking — her trembling increased: she knew she was doomed no matter the outcome.

The blows reverberated off the walls — cracks, flaking plaster and chunks of paint testified to the force of the clash. After a few minutes everything fell silent. Kelly barely swallowed: now she was truly unlucky.

The office door opened, and Alex came out, dragging something bloody by the hair, leaving a trail of blood across the floor. Kelly flinched even more — fear washed over her again.

“Why do you always leave them in such a state?” Alice jabbed a finger at Cruz, who lay barely recognizable.

“Do we actually need to banish him?” Samantha asked anxiously. “If you banish him, the body the demon occupied will die from the damage.”

“He took an empty vessel,” Alex replied calmly. “No need to worry about that.”

Samantha exhaled in relief — she really did not want to be the cause of someone’s death. Alex glanced at Alice, and she gave him a thumbs up: everything’s fine. Having made sure everything was under control, Alex hauled Cruz toward the elevator, and Alice and Samantha followed him, careful not to step in the dark splotches of blood trailing across the floor.

Kelly, still sitting at the reception desk, still didn’t know what to do. She held the bomb in her hands while the one who had given it to her calmly planned to leave.

“Wait! Don’t leave me, please! I don’t want to die!” Kelly cried, tears in her eyes.

“Kelly, what you have in your hands is not a bomb but just a little toy ball,” Alex answered calmly, turning to her. “I won it at an attraction. And a piece of advice — leave town today. Because if your boss’s buddies get to you… heh-heh-heh… I think you know how that ends. Bye-bye.”

He waved nonchalantly and pressed the button for the first floor.

When the elevator doors closed, Kelly’s hands trembled — she had been holding them outstretched the whole time, afraid to move. She didn’t believe Alex for a second, but when the ball slipped from her weakened fingers, it hit the table and popped open, revealing a simple, cheap children’s toy worth at most a couple of dollars.

Meanwhile, the elevator smoothly descended to the first floor. Before stepping out, Alex cast a “Don’t Notice Me” spell on himself and the girls, so as not to scare any passersby. Under the protection of the spell, they calmly dragged the half-conscious Cruz by the hair toward the back entrance.

“Magic is just amazing,” Samantha whispered, watching with curiosity as people passed by without noticing them at all.

“Especially when you need to get rid of traces,” added Alice with a grin.

Stepping outside, they saw Lucina, lazily sitting on the hood of the Impala, taking a drag from her cigarette.

“Back at it again?” she said lazily, nodding toward the badly beaten demon. “Can you ever bring someone back in one piece? Or is it a professional habit now — delivering bodies in this state?”

“He started getting on my nerves,” Alex replied casually, shrugging. “But the manicure worked. That was a nice bonus.”

“You’re not joking? It really worked?!” Alice’s eyes lit up with happiness that, even if by accident, her manicure had helped Alex.

“Absolutely,” Alex said with a smug smile. “He couldn’t turn into smoke or use his powers. That’s a huge plus. But of course, you need to be strong enough to hold the demon while beating him.”

Lucina nodded knowingly — for the girls in their family, it was entirely doable. Still, the principle of the trap working clearly intrigued her.

Meanwhile, Alex had dragged Cruz to the trunk and opened it, forgetting that a large pink plush bunny was squashed inside. The moment the trunk opened, the bunny jumped out.

“Damn it…” Alex muttered, looking at the toy. “Totally forgot about you.”

He put the bunny in his inventory despite Alice’s protests, slammed the trunk closed with Cruz inside, and calmly sat in the passenger seat.

“Not even driving?” Lucina asked coldly, looking at him.

“After that, I need a break,” Alex replied with a carefree smile.

Shaking her head, Lucina started the engine and drove onto the road. Once there were no cars or prying eyes nearby, Alex extended his hand out the window and snapped his fingers. A magical circle appeared under the Impala, and in the next moment, the car was racing along Highway 101, just a few kilometers from Forks.

Fresh, cool forest air rushed into the cabin — after Los Angeles, it felt almost like a breath of life.

When they reached home, they saw Bella hugging Edward by his car, while Charlie watched like a hawk from the window, holding a mug of coffee. Driving past, Alex lazily waved at Edward and Bella as Lucina turned onto the driveway. Seeing Alex and the girls, Bella raised her eyebrows, curious where they had gone today. She had planned to drop by to continue her studies, but when she arrived, the house was empty, and GIR opened the door, silently spreading his paws before closing again.

Alex and the girls had already exited the car. Alex approached the trunk and teleported Cruz straight to the basement, then pulled out a few trinkets from his inventory — prizes he had won at the Los Angeles pier — just for show.

“And now,” Alice said, “get my bunny!”

“You’re just like a kid,” Alex smirked, but of course, he got it.

After such a busy day, the girls were hungry, and Alex started preparing dinner. Alice settled on the large plush bunny right at the table, Samantha helped set the table, and Lucina scrolled through her phone, pretending she wasn’t hungry.

After dinner, everyone settled in the living room — some turned on the TV, others were absorbed in their phones. A cozy, calm evening fell over the house, something they had all been missing.

As for Cruz, he was now under the watch of another demon named Albert, who had also become a prisoner in Alex’s basement. But his turn would come later. For now, Alex and the girls decided to allow themselves a little rest — no demons, no hunting, no unnecessary thoughts.

To be continued…

(I was thinking about it and came to the conclusion that not all monsters are hiding. I remember there was even a whole episode of Supernatural where monsters even had clans and a whole club for monsters, which was neutral territory. So I thought that a city like LA could have a similar place. I just wanted to show that part of this world, but whether Alex would go there, I don’t know.)

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep